Page 15 - Scene Magazine 42-08 August 2017

Back-To-School
BY DR. CHANDRA YOUNGBLOOD, BCPS, Dir. of Elementary Education
This time of year a lot of attention is given to the transitions that graduates are making, while some very important transitions go unnoticed. The transitions that families experience at preschool and kindergarten are significant for ensuring that young learners have a positive start in their educational career.
The adage “It takes a village to raise a child” speaks to the support that children and families need as they transition to formal school settings. Communities like ours, have organizations and schools that work togethertomakesurethatfamiliesare connected and have all the resources they need to start school successfully. Families, schools, and organizations each have a role to fulfill to ensure the community’s youngest learners have smooth, positive transitions to school.
If you are a family with a child that will be four or five years old by September 1st and have not registered for preschool or kindergarten, this is the registration season and the time to start to think about the type of school experience your child will have in September. As families choose where they will register, options for consideration should include location and transportation, programs and services, and curriculum. During the summer, family and friends should speak to children with excitement about
First School Transitions
“getting “ to go to school rather than “having” to go to school. Parents are often anxious about the first day but presenting a brave face in front of your child will create a positive attitude about school. Do your best to help them feel good about the upcoming experience.
During registration season, school programs are busy preparing communications for families, finalizing back to school events, receiving registration paperwork and state required documents from parents, which include official birth certificate, updated immunization record, and proof of residency. Preschool and kindergarten require additional documents unique to each program such as proof of income, vision screening results, and a physical. Community districts provide events for kindergarten students before school starts so that students feel comfortable in the school which enables then to have a successful first day. Most preschool programs involve a home visit which provides an opportunity for the family, child, and teachers to begin to form a relationship in the child’s familiar environment before school starts. The home visit gives the family a chance to “teach” the teacher about their child so that they can be a partner with the family in providing the type of instruction that each child needs.
Our community is resource rich and
provides a variety of transition supports. The early childhood initiatives provided by the Calhoun Intermediate School District include playgroups, home visitors, and preschool registration. Healthcare partners make sure that children get the needed physicals, immunizations, and documentation; summer is the time to get those appointments. The Charitable Union provides outfits for school age children. Various optometrists, including Walmart, provide free vision screenings for kindergarten students. Summer programs for incoming kindergarten students provide students opportunities to get enrichment activities and to gain and maintain academic skills that will solidify their foundational skills.
The transitional stage from age three to six is filled with physical, emotional and academic changes. As children begin to develop independence and demonstrate academic skills, family, community, and school support are necessary parts of that growth and transition. Preschool and kindergarten transitions do not end on the first day of school. It is a continuous process that spans through the kindergarten year and beyond. Taking advantage of the community offerings and starting early to prepare for this important transition will help your young learner have the best possible experience.
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