Getting Ready for Kindergarten!

Whether it is your first child - or your last - going to Kindergarten is a big step, both for the parents/caregivers and the child.  To help you during this time, we have broached some commonly asked questions about Kindergarten to the "experts" - our own Kindergarten Teachers, Elementary School Principals, Speech Therapists and Extended Day Staff.  We hope their answers will be helpful to you.

How will I know if my child is ready for Kindergarten?

When Kindergarten students walk through our classroom doors, they enter with a wide range of abilities depending on their development.  Some children may be ahead of others in their age group while others may appear younger than their peers.  We know that a child's birth date is not always a reliable predictor of where that child is, developmentally.

Deciding whether a child is ready for Kindergarten can seem like a difficult decision.  Above all, remember that all children are different.  We need to be sensitive to the cues our children give us.

In general, most children entering Kindergarten should be able too...

	Say their full name
	Follow directions and obey rules
	Take turns and get along with others
	Use crayons and scissors
	Name basic colors, recognize numbers and letters.

If you have concerns about your child's readiness for Kindergarten it might be helpful to talk to his/her child care provider or preschool teacher, if they attend either type of program.  An additional resource is the Special Education Department of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District, which can be reached at 978-874-6170.  In addition to helping you determine Kindergarten readiness, the SPED Department can assist you if you feel your child may have a disability.

Most healthy, age eligible children will thrive in a good Kindergarten setting.  According to Kindergarten teachers, "a child who has been talked to, encouraged to ask questions and given answers to those questions, a child who has been read to, and has learned to play with other children and take turns can be very successful in Kindergarten!"

What can I do to prepare my child for kindergarten?

	Read to your child everyday!  Reading aloud to children has been called the "single most important activity for building the knowledge required for success in reading."  Show enthusiasm as you read, talking to your child about the book and asking questions as you read together.  Ask your child to predict what will happen next in a story.  Often your child will ask for favorite books to be read again and again.  Though tiresome for you, this helps the child learn by hearing familiar works and seeing what they look like in print.
	Raise your child's awareness of the alphabet.  Here are some fun activities to do this:  Sing the alphabet song, searching for letters on a cereal box, road signs or store signs, picking out letters in the newspaper or in books, making letters out of cookie dough or clay, drawing letters in the sand at the playground.
	Have pencils, crayons and other tools available for writing and drawing.  This offers opportunities to talk about letters, numbers, colors, shapes and more.
	Encourage your child to recognize and write his/her name with an uppercase letter at the beginning followed by lower case letters.
	Allow your child to do things independently.  Children feel so proud when they can say, "I did it by myself!"
	Provide your child with opportunities to interact with other children, either in playgroups, preschool or with extended family or neighbors.

I have heard about the Extended Day program offering before and after childcare for students at the elementary schools.  Will I be able to utilize Extended Day services for my Kindergarten child?

"Yes! The Extended Day program has been a part of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District for more than 10 years.  We offer "wrap-around" care for Kindergarten students-this is care within the 8:25 AM to 2:45 PM school day on the opposite days/times from those days that your child attends Kindergarten (including the half-day on Mondays).  The Kindergarten program provides a variety of activities including group circle time, stories, crafts, games, indoor and outdoor play, cooking, science, as well as free time to play as they choose.  The Kindergarten Extended Day program is currently limited to 14-18 students per session with one teacher and one aide.

"A child enrolled in Extended Day program can ride the bus to an from school.  Arrangements must be made with the school office.  In addition your Kindergarten child may purchase lunch in the school cafeteria on those days that she/he is attending Extended Day.

"Once a child is registered for Kindergarten that child is eligible to participate in the Extended Day Summer Program.

"Please keep in mind that our program operates only if we have enough students enrolled and if the schools provide appropriate space for the program.  If you are interested Extended Day for your Kindergarten child, it is critical that you register as soon as possible.  The current rate for the Kindergarten program only is $52 per week.

"In addition, our before school program runs from 6:30 AM to approximately 8:30 AM and our after school program runs from approximately 2:45 PM to 6 PM.  This current rate fro these programs is $3.50 per hour.

How do I determine if my child's speech is appropriate for his/her age?

"During the first few weeks of school in September, your Kindergarten child will be assessed by a Speech/Language Pathologist to determine if his/her language is age appropriate.

"The Pathologist will review articulation, understanding and use of verbal language, as well as phonological awareness.  Phonological awareness includes such skills as rhyming, naming the beginning sounds in words and clapping out syllables.

"If your child demonstrates difficulties in any of these areas, you will be notified in writing and given recommendations as to how best to help your child.