Getting Ready for Kindergarten Annie Wheatcraft, WRE 2012

Registration April 24 – after school April 25 – after early release at 11:45 April 16 – after school Preschool will transfer all records that are on file. Your child needs: birth certificate, immunization record, physical on KY form, eye exam on KY form, social security number, dental exam, proof of residence.

Social Skills The number one skill area that kindergarten teachers are concerned about. – Follow directions – Work on a task for 15 minutes – Take care of personal belongings – Share materials and toys – Follow rules – Get along with others

Adaptive Skills This is the second area that kindergarten teachers mention as important. This area includes toileting, eating independently, dressing skills, and personal responsibility. Children should be able to perform adaptive skills with a minimum amount of help.

Fine Motor Skills Hold a pencil/crayon in correct grasp. Draw pictures that represent objects. Copy simple lines, letters, and shapes. Put together small toys that require two hand coordination and hand strength. Begin to manage clothing fasteners.

Skill Requirements There are not “required” skills for kindergarten. Although the program does not have requirements, exit criteria for kindergarten are high. Students will be targeted for extra assistance and programming as early as one month into the school year if they have difficulty with: – Motor skills; particularly fine motor/writing – Attending to tasks; working independently – Visual discrimination; knowing own name in print, differentiating between shapes, colors, letters, numbers REVIEW EXIT CRITERIA

Assessment in Kindergarten Literacy testing – Done during JumpStart program and the first weeks of school. Places children into skill level groups for small group literacy lessons. (Includes letter/sound knowledge, word spree/writing words, concepts about print (top of book, bottom of book, how to turn pages…) MAP – A computer assessment that tests your child’s literacy and math skills. Used to assess progress. Done three times a year. End of unit assessments after each unit of study.

IEPs and kindergarten Your child’s IEP is a legal document that is valid regardless of what grade your child is in or where you live. You will be invited to a “transition” meeting where your child’s kindergarten program will be discussed. At that meeting you will be part of a team that decides how, when and where your child’s IEP services will be implemented.

IEPs – What is the same? What is different? The IEP document does not change. Your child will have two teachers: a general education/kindergarten teacher and a special ed. teacher. Support services will still be provided: speech, OT, PT, vision, hearing, etc. Changes can be made at any time to meet your child’s needs. Your child may participate in co-teaching: both teachers in the same classroom at the same time. Your child may participate in resource instruction: lessons with the special ed. teacher in an alternate location

What are your questions?