Parents of 5th-graders: Mark your calendars. The Department of Education posted the timeline for middle schools admissions for fall 2010 and the process is starting this month, six weeks earlier than last year.

This month there are middle school fairs in most districts - beginning on Oct. 13 - offering parents the opportunity to meet with school representatives. This is particularly important for districts that do not have zoned middle schools where 5th-graders have to fill out an application, ranking prospective schools. In other districts, students mostly attend their zoned, neighborhood school, although in every district, there are now unzoned or "choice" schools that require an application.

Even Staten Island, which historically has had almost no middle school choice, now has magnet (choice) programs in three middle schools, IS 61, IS 27, and IS 63, as well as a new middle school, the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership, open to students borough-wide.

Also available on the DOE's website are links to middle school directories and other information which details options for families in all districts. <!--more-->

For students interested in gifted and talented middle school programs, testing is required in some districts; schools in other districts select students based on their grades and standardized test scores. If you are applying for a G&T program in districts 17, 18, 20, 21, or 22 in Brooklyn (see correction below), or districts 24 or 30 in Queens, you will need to take the OLSAT exam. You must sign up for the test by Oct. 28, according to the DOE calendar. Testing will take place the week of Dec. 5-13. In other districts, such as District 21, which offers many "talent"programs that require an audition for entrance, auditions won't take place until January or February.

A word of advice for newbies to this process: it's a good idea to visit schools before applying, either to attend an open houses or to go on a school tour. Some open house dates are posted in the middle school directories, but in most cases, you'll have to call the school or check their websites to sign up for a tour. The parent coordinator is usually the person who organizes the tours and open houses. For those students who want to apply to Mark Twain, a popular school that accepts applications citywide, open houses will be held on Oct. 21 (for out of district students) and Nov. 2 for in-district, according to the school's website.

Check our Basics section for tips on what to look for on a school tour, and how to apply to middle school. And stay tuned to the InsideSCOOP for more updates.

_ Correction: _ District 21 uses a different exam and audition process,;the deadline for submitting a request for testing form  is  Oct. 28.