Kindergarten Kickoff finds best opportunities for future students
PORT CLINTON - Traditionally, schools build kindergarten classroom lists without ever seeing the students, but Bataan Memorial Primary School Principal Kendra Van Doren has created opportunities for school staff to meet with future students to help place them in the classroom that best meets their needs and personalities. Staff and students had their first chance to connect at Kindergarten Kickoff on March 16.
During Kindergarten Kickoff, next year’s students and their parents explored the school, visited classrooms, met teachers and got cool school stuff.
Victoria Brown swung her kindergarten swag bag through Bataan like a Louis Vuitton purse. Inside were big-girl school supplies such as scissors, crayons, an activity book and a glue stick. Brown was very excited about starting kindergarten.
“I’ll get to play on the playground and learn to write my name,” Brown said.
Children are able to explore the kindergarten classroom
Maddox Miller and Fischer Rhode explored all the fun things to do in Ashley Carmon’s kindergarten class during the kickoff. Like Brown, they are eager to start school in the fall.
“I think we’re going to learn numbers and how to count to 100,” Miller said.
Rhode wasn’t sure what she would learn in kindergarten, but she was sure she would have fun.
“I’m excited about making new friends,” she said.
That enthusiasm is one of the things Carmon enjoys about teaching kindergarten.
“My favorite thing is the surprise of the kids. They’re so young and everything is so new to them,” Carmon said. “Seeing the growth from the beginning of the school year to the end of the year is amazing, and it’s just a fun grade to teach.”
Carmon understands the fear parents face when they are sending their first child to kindergarten.
Some parents need the experience before school begins
“As a first-time parent, it can be scary, but the biggest thing is to trust the process of kindergarten. Your child will be well-taken care of here. They’ll be loved at our school, and they’ll grow academically, socially and emotionally,” Carmon said.
Mothers Samantha Heinsen and Rachel Adamcio attended Kindergarten Kickoff because each has a child heading to school next year. Neither is a first-time mom, so they have advice for nervous parents. Heinsen suggested parents follow the school on Facebook to become acquainted with the staff and to stay updated on the activities.
“And try to stay involved as much as you can, both in the classroom and in the school,” Adamcio said.
During a parent meeting at Kindergarten Kickoff, Van Doren talked about Kindergarten Camp, a week-long summer camp that helps prepare kids for their first-ever day of school.
“It’s awesome. Our counselor, social worker and kindergarten teachers are there,” Van Doren said. “Kids get to know the building, and they’ll do activities tied to social and emotional learning.”
Kindergarten Camp is another opportunity for staff to become acquainted with students before they finalize classroom lists.
“It’s a great time to observe kids. We see which kids get along well and which ones don’t, so we can put them in different classrooms. We see how they relate to the teachers,” Van Doren said. “We use all that information to create our classroom lists. We gather as much information as we can to help kids have an amazing year.”
Kindergarten Kickoff and Kindergarten Camp helps the students start school in the classroom that will best set them up for success, and it eliminates the fear of walking into an unfamiliar environment on the first day.
“It’s a lot of work and a lot of organization, but the kids have confidence just by coming to camp those few days,” Van Doren said. “We don’t have tears like we used to.”
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Port Clinton's Kindergarten Kickoff prepares kids, parents for school
