I would start now. If you wait until spring, you may find that the school plays a stalling game until it is "too late" to do anything this year.
No matter when you start the process, it will be a bad time for the school.
Beginning of school year: "Why don't we wait and see how this year starts off."
Middle of school year: "We'll know more at the end of the year."
End of the school year: "You really should have started this process earlier, there isn't enough time left to complete everything."
Summer: "No one is available at this time, please leave a message after the beep.
Good luck,
-S.F.
