Ready, Set, Go!

I know that summer school can't be required, but it should definitely be encouraged based on all the benefits that come from being a part of the Ready, Set, Go Program!

The program is specifically designed to orient incoming kindergartners to the routines and rhythms of kindergarten, while strengthening skills that will be used in the fall. And all of this is wrapped up in a fun, hands-on curriculum -- this year's theme was fairy tales!

A few of the things students experience:

• Classroom routines such as calendar, classroom jobs, sitting on the rug, taking turns talking, snack time, loading backpacks, lining up, cleaning up.
• Becoming familiar with the campus -- bathrooms, drinking fountains, snack area, playground and field.
• Developing independence through carrying and putting away their own backpack, then loading it at the end of the day.
• Making friends. They will have established friendships when school starts in September. We work really hard to learn everyone's name and to promote friendships through cooperative learning and free choice time.
• Car Pick-up -- learning to safely stay seated while waiting for their parent to pull through the pick-up line. We're also training parents to stay in their car and pull all the way forward! :)
• Separation from parents. Most kindergartners struggle with separation anxiety and summer school offers a low-key environment for this to safely be worked through. In the fall, separation should be relatively easy for these kids.

I have told the kids that they will be the leaders/experts in their classrooms as the school year begins! The students in each class that will have gone through the Ready, Set, Go Program can set a good example and help as others begin to acclimate to kindergarten.

There are also benefits for our kindergarten team. This year I've gotten to know 23 of our incoming kindergartners. This has allowed me to make beneficial adjustments to the classroom placements for the fall.