Download
1 / 19
190 likes | 193 Views
The Countdown to Kindergarten program provides home visits, curriculum, and transition toolkits to children at-risk of falling behind in school, helping prepare them for Kindergarten.
E N D
Participation • Brooklyn Springs Elementary Sherry Blankenship (10 4K students) and Casey Cato (10 K students) • Buford Elementary Deborah Knight (9 4K students) • Clinton Elementary Rebecca Benson (4 K students) • Discovery School Sherry Bowers (16 K students) • Erwin Elementary Ashley Price (10 K students and 1 4K student) • Harrisburg Elementary Gwen Parker (10 K students) • Indian Land Elementary Heather McManus (6 K students) • Kershaw Elementary Reo King (9 K students) Ashley Pate (7 K students) • McDonald Green Elementary Brandy Bradley (10 K students) • North Elementary Ashley Cato (6 K students) Donna Miller (8 K students)
Program Timeline • Teacher recruitment began in January2015 (met with Linda Blackwell at LCSD, distributed materials at LCSD Principal’s Meeting, and contacted Teachers by phone) • Countdown to Kindergarten Teacher Training was offered in May 2015 • Teachers began home visits in June and continued throughout July and August 2015 • Teachers concluded with a classroom visit/celebration in August 2015
Program Description • The certified Teacher visits each child/family in their home 5 times. • The Countdown to Kindergarten curriculum is used on each visit as Teachers work with children and their parents on Kindergarten standards. Parent handouts are used with this curriculum. • Each child is given a backpack full of school supplies, books, and learning materials that are used in conjunction with the visits. • Lessons included “Getting to Know You”, English/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and Writing. • The final visit was in the child’s classroom. This familiarizes the child and family with the school environment, teacher, daily schedule, etc.
Participant SelectionRisk Factors • Family is eligible for TANF (50% or below federal poverty level) • Family is eligible for SNAP (Food Stamps, Free or Reduced Lunch) • Prior eligibility for Babynet • Child has been abused • Child has been neglected • Child is in or has been placed in Foster Care • Teenage custodial parent • Low maternal education • Child has been exposed to caregiver substance abuse • Child has been exposed to caregiver depression • Child has been exposed to caregiver mental illness • Child has been exposed to caregiver intellectual disability • Child has been exposed to domestic violence within the home • Low birth weight • Child has a documented developmental delay • Child has had an older sibling retained in/before 3rd grade • Child has been referred for service on the basis of social/emotional and/or behavioral difficulties-or those of an older sibling • Child has never been served within a full-time preschool program out of his/her home • English is not the primary language spoken in the home • Single parent household in need of other services • Transient/numerous family relocations and/or homelessness
Home Visits Brandy Bradley (McDonald Green K) works with Countdown to K Participant, Darius Mentar. His older sister was also eager to help since she was preparing for 1st grade. Casey Cato (Brooklyn Springs K) works with Countdown to K Participant, Wendy Martinez –Torres. As you can see, her siblings were especially interested in helping her to prepare for Kindergarten!
Home Visits Ashley Cato (North K) works with Bonnie Ruiz. Bonnie was SO excited to see Miss Cato, and she met her at the door in her princess dress. Then, they read stories together after the lesson. They certainly built a strong relationship through the program.
Home Visits Rebecca Benson (Clinton K) works with Aamarhrion Stewart on the writing lesson.
Countdown to Kindergarten Transition Toolkits Each participating child received a Transition Toolkit. The toolkit contained learning materials and school supplies that the child was able to keep for their own use.
Transition Toolkit Contents • Jumbo magnetic alphabet letters-lowercase • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (paperback book) • Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come (paperback book) • National Geographic Frogs (paperback book) • Into the Tub (paperback book) • Brown Bear Brown Bear (board book) • Multi-color unifix cubes • Two in One number matching floor puzzle • My writing/drawing journal • #2 pencils • Jumbo magnifier • Construction paper • Glue stick • Safety scissors • 8 count washable watercolors • 8 Multicultural crayons • 8 Standard crayons • Big Dipper pencil • For Now and Forever Family Guides • Play Doh • Pencil sharpener • Small cookie sheet • Composition book • Clear backpack
Parent Feedback “I was so excited to begin the Countdown to Kindergarten program with my son, Akeem. I really wanted to learn how to work with him better in order to prepare for Kindergarten. We learned so much, and the best part was that Akeem didn’t even realize he was learning because he had so much fun. I would recommend this program to other families.” Tiquana Felder Mother Akeem Hall (Kershaw CTK Participant)
Parent Feedback “It meant so much to us that Wendy’s teacher would come into our home during the summer and help us all know what to expect when she started school. This really gave her a head start. We loved it so much and only wish that she could come more often!” Alberto Glavan Nava Grandmother Wendy Martinez Torres (Brooklyn Springs CTK Participant)
Parent Feedback “I was looking for new ways to help Khloe learn. Mrs. Benson shared so much knowledge and many ways to work with my daughter. She also provided us with the tools and supplies so that we had everything we needed to keep practicing the skills that she needed to know for Kindergarten.” Gwynette Kirkland Mother Khloe Kirkland (Clinton CTK Participant)
Teacher Feedback “It is great knowing that at least half of my class already knows me and the children/families are comfortable with me. It makes the school year start off on a better note. We have already formed the foundation for a great relationship with the parents or caregivers.” -Sherry Blankenship (4K at Brooklyn Springs) “Countdown to Kindergarten is so beneficial to all persons involved. For the parents, it allows them to meet and get to know who will be watching over and leading their children for the next 9 months. For the students, it allows them to know their teachers before they ever walk through the doors of the school and for the teachers, it allows them to get to know those students and gain knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses before the first formal assessment is ever given. To me Countdown to Kindergarten takes most of the speculation out of starting kindergarten and allows everyone to begin with a serene approach to this new venture.” -Sherry Bowers (K at Discovery School)
Pre/Post Survey Results • 100% of surveys returned • 75% of parents reported a significant, positive impact for their family • 56% of parents reported that they had increased the amount of time that they spent reading with their child • 40% of parents reported that their child was less worried about school and more excited to begin • 35% of parents reported that they planned to be more involved in their child’s school experience
Program Funding The Springs Close Foundation United Way of Lancaster SC First Steps State Allocation Lancaster County School District-Head Start
Program Challenges • 64 Head Start children were transitioning to K this year, and we were targeting those children. Many of the children were not registered for school and were not aware of which school they would attend. This made it very hard to locate and serve the children. A large portion of the contact information for these families was outdated/no longer good. • Securing teachers to serve the at-risk population was challenging. We did have to utilize 1 Retired Teacher, 2 1st Grade Teachers, and 1 Former Teacher. This did enable us to serve all of the families that we were able to locate.
