Latest / Bearcat Chat - A Podcast about all things Scottsbluff Schools / Preparing Your Child for Preschool and Kindergarten: Tips for a Smooth Transition

Transcript

Preparing Your Child for Preschool and Kindergarten: Tips for a Smooth Transition · Bearcat Chat - A Podcast about all things Scottsbluff Schools

0:00
Welcome to the Bearcat chat, a podcast for everything
0:04
Scottsbluff School. Hello everyone, and welcome to
0:14
the latest episode of the Bearcat chat.
0:16
I am Melissa price and we are here today to talk about some of
0:21
our youngest Learners. And with me, I have a very
0:25
special guest Jodi Benson. Hello, hi.
0:28
Thanks for having me today. Well, thanks for being on.
0:32
This is a timely topic right now because currently we have
0:37
preschool and kindergarten registration.
0:39
Getting ready to gear up. So, Tell us a little bit about
0:43
that. Hey well, it's that time of the
0:45
year. When we come back for second
0:46
semester that we start gearing up for our registration for
0:50
kindergarten and preschool to start with, I'd like to talk a
0:53
little bit about kindergarten registration.
0:55
We are going to open up our registration, January 30th
0:59
through February 3rd from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at your
1:04
child's Attendance Center. I think that's something
1:06
important to remember. You need to register where your
1:09
child where their Center is even though some people might prefer
1:14
to go to a different Elementary once they've registered, they
1:18
still need to register at their Attendance Center that they live
1:21
in, right? And if parents if you're not
1:24
sure and you know a lot of times we'll have families who have
1:27
lived in the community very long and maybe they aren't sure where
1:31
the boundary lines are. There's a really great map on
1:34
our website at spps dotnet you choose that attendance area map,
1:38
and you can even just put in your address and It will let you
1:42
know which Elementary School's boundaries that you reside in
1:46
or, you know, you can call just give us a call here at district
1:49
office or you can call any school and give them your
1:53
address and they can let you know, because sometimes it's not
1:56
always easily a parent or there's some neighborhoods that
1:59
you know you might be right near the line.
2:01
It's not a big problem for us to just let you know and then the
2:05
important thing is for us to get you registered and then after
2:08
that we can try to figure out you know and accommodate a date
2:11
those requests. So, next question with that,
2:17
what the age does, a child need to be in order to register
2:20
kindergarten? Hey, your child needs to be 5 by
2:24
July 31st of 2023. Any child who is 5 by that date
2:29
is kindergarten eligible and you know that is the date that you
2:33
need to follow. We also have a window for early
2:36
admittance, if parents are interested.
2:39
If there is a child if your child turns five between July
2:43
the 31st in October 15th, there is some paperwork that you can
2:47
fill out and there's a process that we follow that we would be
2:50
in touch with you to, you know, learn more about know how to
2:54
proceed in that situation, right?
2:56
And that details, regarding matter of it also available on
3:00
our website, there's a special page, you know, you can click
3:03
that enrollment button, right? As soon as you hit our website,
3:05
but there's a special page with them kindergarten preschool,
3:08
registration, that breaks that down.
3:10
Now, there is a deadline though for that early People were
3:14
correct, correct, and that's March 1st.
3:17
And that gives us time. Then to do the testing that we
3:21
need to do and notify the parents and the school so that
3:24
they have time to prepare for the following school year.
3:27
And just so that we're clear because I think sometimes
3:29
families are curious and want to know these these age guidelines
3:34
at these guidelines. That said they're not they're
3:37
not really a school district policy, right?
3:39
Correct. This is guidelines.
3:41
But the Braska Department of Aaron has set up and that all
3:44
schools in the state of Nebraska follow.
3:46
Yeah, that's correct. So it is something that, you
3:48
know, is pretty binding so that's you know that's reason
3:51
why we follow it the way we do. I know it feels really early
3:56
probably for families to be thinking about this.
3:58
You know maybe you just got you know, you just kind of got back
4:00
in your routine after Christmas. It's still winter but I know
4:05
that there's reasons why we start this registration process
4:08
as early as we do. So how does receiving those
4:11
registrations? Now kind of Our schools in our
4:13
district, better serve our students.
4:15
So for a variety of reasons, first of all, for the school,
4:18
the earlier, we know how many students will be enrolled in our
4:21
kindergarten programs for the following year.
4:23
We're able to plan such as Staffing.
4:26
How many teachers each Elementary is going to need in
4:30
the past. We've had to hire kindergarten
4:31
teachers a week before school starts because our numbers
4:35
increased right at the last minute had Parents registered
4:39
earlier than we would have been better prepared and ready.
4:42
So the Earlier we know enrollment the better chances
4:46
are that we can be prepared and make sure we have the Staffing
4:50
and supplies ready for the following school year.
4:53
And I think that's, you know, really it's important probably
4:56
at every grade level. But I think it's also super
4:58
important at kindergarten just to make sure, you know, we use
5:02
additional para Educators. And, you know, those grade
5:05
levels and just for us to, especially right now is were,
5:08
you know, looking at an educator shortage to be able to have ever
5:12
known Purrs just as soon as we possibly can.
5:17
So if someone out there has a child, not yet, old enough for
5:22
kindergarten what other options are available.
5:25
So Becca preschool does have. We provide preschool for our
5:29
three and four-year-olds we have two locations that we service
5:33
our preschool students ages, three and four.
5:36
We have four classrooms at the stadium site and we have four
5:39
classrooms at the Roosevelt site.
5:41
We do provide half-day sessions for three year olds that are M3
5:47
by July 31st 2023 and we offer full day sessions for our four
5:51
year olds. Okay, so I know I sound a little
5:54
bit like a broken record but again, I think it's important
5:57
that people know that if they do want to participate in our
6:01
preschool program because it really is a really great
6:04
high-quality program that they need to try to register as early
6:08
as possible, because my understanding that those classes
6:11
sometimes, fill up, correct? Correct.
6:13
They fill up quickly. And again, once we know
6:16
preschools, A little different with kindergarten kindergarten,
6:18
we take all kids, preschool. We do have a certain cap.
6:21
So, after we reach 180, students, that's as many
6:24
classrooms as we have, rule 11 through Nebraska Department of
6:28
Education. Only allows us to have 20
6:30
students per classroom, preschool classrooms have one
6:33
certified teacher and two pair has in their classrooms.
6:37
So we are meeting those needs of those younger children.
6:41
Okay. And I think it's also a really
6:44
great way for. I think our preschool really
6:46
provides a great way for our parents to help children be
6:50
ready for kindergarten. So, tell me a little bit about
6:53
what bear cub preschool provides and kind of how kids are able to
6:57
make that transition. Okay, bear.
6:59
Cub preschools awesome because we really do work on preparing
7:04
children to be ready for kindergarten.
7:06
So, a lot of those self-help skills, they'll a lot of those
7:09
social skills. Being able to be independent,
7:12
being able to sit and, you know, for an extended period of time,
7:16
being able to get along with others, being able to
7:18
problem-solve, zip codes, you know, use the restroom.
7:22
All those things that really set them up to be successful.
7:26
We spend a lot of time on problem solving, so if they're
7:30
having a difficulty making, you know, making something work, I
7:34
think little little people have a hard time, regulating, those
7:38
big feelings. So, we spend a lot.
7:40
Time on helping them manage those feelings, how to get
7:44
regulated and then how to problem solve, once they are
7:46
regulated, so that they are ready to make those good
7:49
decisions. So what does that look like in
7:52
the classroom or what kind of different activities are things?
7:55
Are these youngest of students participating?
8:00
So a preschool day as you know, it's a lot of fun.
8:03
We do a lot of we do very little large group activities but a lot
8:08
of time there are Giants have the opportunity to play to learn
8:13
through, play to learn, to get along with each other.
8:17
We do have small group activities where our teachers
8:20
and our parents are working with them on individual skills.
8:23
We consider the outdoors, a classroom.
8:25
So we we do spend weather permitting, a lot of our day
8:30
outside playing and learning outside.
8:35
So, you know, our day is just build of lots of fun activities
8:38
and things that keep students engaged.
8:40
Just did excited about learning. Well, that that actually sounds
8:43
really fun that sort of makes me think like, hey, went to
8:46
preschool, like a lot of years ago, maybe I want it back now
8:50
that sounds like a good way to spend your day.
8:54
So, with preschool and kindergarten, I think for a lot
8:58
of families making that decision or as far as the, you know, when
9:03
my child is ready, or is my child ready can be a little bit
9:08
daunting. I think that times Aren't you
9:11
happy tips or anything to help families?
9:14
Maybe prepare their child to come that First Data preschool
9:19
or come that first day to kindergarten.
9:22
Yes, I think the thing. That's so awesome about all of
9:25
our families is every child is different and unique.
9:28
And we truly believe here at Scottsville public schools that
9:33
the the parents are their child's first and most important
9:37
teacher. The parents know their child the
9:40
best. So them coming to us and telling
9:44
us about their child, letting us get to know their child, letting
9:47
the US, get to know their family, really helps us get to
9:50
know what their needs are. But I always tell parents, you
9:53
know, a lot of those things to help them.
9:56
Be prepared is just giving them the opportunities for preschool
10:00
to come and experience some time with other children, some
10:04
structured time, I think sitting up healthy, Morning routines at
10:10
home evening routines so that you can start to develop those
10:14
skills and those structures to help your child be successful at
10:17
school. I think those are some of the
10:19
more important things and then as they're getting ready to go
10:22
into kindergarten, I think a lot of it so self-help skills, can
10:25
these up their code? Can they use the restroom by
10:26
themselves? Are they able to ask for help?
10:30
Are they able to when they're upset?
10:33
Be able to regulate that feeling and be able to ask for help?
10:37
So I think a lot of the Things that parents are worried about
10:41
as far as the academics and whether they know all their
10:44
letters and their numbers according to every kindergarten
10:48
teacher, I've ever talked to here at Scottsville Public
10:50
Schools. They don't worry about the
10:52
academic piece there more. You know, they'll learn that
10:54
when they come to kindergarten that is really what happens once
10:58
they enter kindergarten. So I think more of those, those
11:01
Readiness skills of just being ready to come to be able to
11:04
learn. Well, that really makes sense.
11:06
When you think about it because That academic piece, that's
11:11
really our job. And so, you know, and everyone
11:14
can just come to us. However, they are and, you know,
11:17
we I think are your teachers, do a great job of being able to
11:21
differentiate and, you know, to be able to teach like a really
11:24
large diverse group of students who maybe have a whole lot of,
11:28
you know, different places that they are, especially in those
11:30
lower grades. If you spend any, you know, time
11:33
in one of those lower classrooms, you'll see, you
11:36
know, a whole lot of opportunity there, that's your station.
11:38
Ins or whether that's two different things.
11:40
You take a whole lot of different opportunities for
11:42
kids, to kind of, you know, weren't at their own pace.
11:46
And I always encourage parents. If you're nervous about
11:48
preschool or kindergarten, please, reach out to us.
11:51
That's what we're here for. I'm always available whether
11:54
your child's in preschool or kindergarten or I can get you to
11:57
the right people where your child will be attending school
12:00
but we want to make you feel comfortable, we want to answer
12:03
any questions you might have because the parent and the
12:07
teacher and the child. Team effort.
12:09
And that's really what we're here to do, is work together to
12:12
do, what's best for kids. Well, I'm glad you brought that
12:15
up, because I think the other piece of that too, is, it's not
12:19
always about whether or not the student is ready for preschool
12:23
or kindergarten. And, but sometimes it just
12:24
depending on where you're at. In your own journey is as a
12:27
parent or a family member. It may be whether you're ready
12:32
to be able to let go and kind of send them off into that, you
12:36
know, that new and exciting part of their life.
12:38
Yeah, it's scary letting go of those little ones, but there is
12:42
so fun to watch them grow and grow the into that Independence.
12:45
But like I said, we're here for the parents as much as we are
12:48
for the their children and we really do believe that your your
12:52
child's first and most important teacher and how important it is
12:55
for us to work as a team. It will I think we'll talk about
13:00
something that I know if a lot of our families here in Scotts
13:04
Bluff. No.
13:05
But let's talk a little bit about some of the ways that we
13:09
serve students who are even younger.
13:11
Okay, so Scott's with Public Schools also serves students
13:15
Birth, to 3, we do have a Sixpence program.
13:19
A home visiting Sixpence program here at Scottsville of.
13:22
And what that is, is we have home visitors that work with
13:25
families that have children, either Our prenatal clear up to
13:29
the Age 3 and what they're doing with them.
13:33
Some people think that all these people are here to coach or to
13:36
come in and tell me what to do or how to parent and it's
13:39
exactly the opposite. We're really there to be a part
13:43
of your team. So that's the piece.
13:46
I love about six pins, so much as it gives families the
13:49
opportunity to have somebody with some knowledge about Earth,
13:54
2 3, and the developmental stages of milestones and help
13:58
them find their resources or the activities or just having
14:01
someone to help navigate, how to set up appointments, or how to
14:05
get the resources they need. So that's the part about our
14:08
sixth sense that that I really enjoy gives everybody the
14:11
opportunity to feel like they have somebody on their side.
14:15
Yeah, I think there's a lot of times especially you know, some
14:18
families don't have an immediate built-in support system.
14:23
Some families live somewhat remotely away from other family
14:27
members. Lots of different situations.
14:29
And I can see in and you talk about daunting being a new
14:34
parent is, I think maybe one of the most daunting task that you
14:38
ever have. So I, you know, I can see how a
14:41
lot of people might really like to be able to lean on something
14:44
like that. Yes.
14:45
And the relationships that are made.
14:47
I mean we have some visitors that are specialized in breast
14:50
feeding, just knowing resources in our community that they can
14:55
help get our families to you know the diaper do.
14:57
Oppo and food banks and just we've had some visitors that go
15:02
on. Well visits with the moms or the
15:05
dads because that is it is kind of scary.
15:08
And you know when we have our little babies sometimes it's
15:12
hard to know what the right things to do are.
15:14
So I think our six pins program is a great program if you're
15:17
interested, please reach out and ask for more information we do
15:20
have openings and we would be glad to to give you more
15:24
information to to learn if you would be interested more about
15:27
that. Fnr Sixpence program.
15:29
If you want to visit that on our website, you can go to our
15:32
website and it's listed just like every other school so you
15:35
can find it there. They also have a Facebook page.
15:38
So it's under Sixpence Scottsbluff so you can check and
15:42
check out what they're doing on social media there.
15:44
You can see, a lot of examples of some of the activities that
15:47
they do there on the Facebook page.
15:50
That's a lot of fun. We actually give our any family
15:53
that enrolls we get them, a free membership to the Riverside
15:55
Discovery Center. So that's always been a plus,
15:57
Another opportunity we had at Scottsville Public Schools is
16:01
our birth to three programs. Are if you're concerned about
16:05
your child, that's Earth ages birth to three.
16:08
And you have a concern that they might be delayed or something,
16:11
just, they're not doing something that they should be.
16:13
Please call us and we feel like the earlier we can help and
16:18
intervene the better chances of success.
16:21
So please call us and voice your concern and we can get you to
16:24
the right people so that they can visit with you to see if
16:26
that's something that we need. To do some more, you know, give
16:29
you some more guidance and help in.
16:31
Yeah, that's a really own another way that, you know,
16:34
families can kind of, you know, find it find some answers to
16:39
some of those questions early on.
16:40
I know I utilize that myself many years ago with one of my
16:44
son's because we have some concerns about his speech.
16:47
And so I contacted the school district and he went to a
16:52
different, he went to a private preschool and the provider I
16:54
should've went out there met with him at his own preschool
16:57
and Did the screening and it was, you know it was it gave us
17:00
a lot of Peace of Mind to have kind of that, you know,
17:03
professional way in about, you know, is this something that we
17:07
need to look at? Do we need to start therapy?
17:10
Or is it something you can wait and see you know, kind of where
17:13
it goes and it was very valuable at that time.
17:17
Yeah, I agree. I encourage you to reach out a
17:19
lot of our students that we service birth to age five.
17:22
A lot of times they've tested out of the programs before they
17:25
even enter kindergarten or at least, are going in with those
17:27
supports. To help them be successful.
17:30
Okay. Well, I think we've given our
17:33
families. A whole lot of information in a
17:35
short period of time. So hopefully a lot of people who
17:39
maybe have younger kids are going to give this a listen and,
17:44
you know, even if you already have older students that are in
17:46
elementary or some of our other schools in the district, we you
17:50
know, we offer a lot more programs than we did add some
17:55
earlier years so there really is.
17:58
A lot to be learned before we wrap up, maybe just one more
18:02
reminder on that preschool kindergarten registrations is it
18:05
so important that everybody knows when those dates are?
18:08
Okay? So those are January 30th
18:10
through February 3rd, 923 and January 31st from five to seven
18:15
by appointment only in the evening, but any time passed
18:19
that just give the your attendance in our call and
18:22
please come in and register. We'd be glad to help you with
18:25
any of the paperwork. One thing I do want to remind
18:27
And parents have kindergarten students, please bring in their
18:31
original birth certificate. You will not be able to do any
18:35
of the paperwork without that. So that's one of those things.
18:38
If you don't bring that, they'll make you wait until they have
18:41
that original birth certificate. They'll make a copy of it and
18:44
you'll be able to take it back home.
18:46
But you do need to bring the original one with the raised
18:48
seal. Yeah.
18:50
But if you, if you don't happen to have that birth certificate,
18:53
I do for student children that have been born here in Nebraska,
18:56
that's a pretty quick and easy. Process.
18:58
You can usually I think in a man about a week to 10 days online,
19:01
the Nebraska Department of Vital Records, to the Nebraska
19:03
Department of Health and Human Services.
19:05
So that's something that you if you don't have that that's a
19:09
good thing to get a jump on right now so that in a few weeks
19:13
you'll have it when you need it. And families.
19:15
Can also always if these times don't work for them, they can
19:20
always get the process started on line, go out there, click on
19:23
enroll button, you can fill out our enrollment form online and
19:26
then the school will. Shout out to you to, you know,
19:30
either set up a time with you or work with you to get the rest of
19:32
that. Paperwork completed.
19:34
Yeah, I think I'm also just a reminder to for kindergarten
19:38
that they're going to have to have a physical, they're going
19:42
to have to have an eye exam and all their immunizations need to
19:45
be up-to-date immunizations. For preschool need to be up to
19:48
date, so just keep those things in mind, and they have to be
19:52
completed within six months, prior to entrance.
19:55
So anytime between March and August, those need to be done.
19:58
Okay. That's that's also a very good
20:00
reminder on, you know, now is the time to be making those
20:03
appointments or, you know, watching social media.
20:07
And some of those places. I know some of the providers
20:09
sometimes offer Immunization Clinics or physical clinics,
20:13
where you can get those things taken care of, usually quickly
20:17
and free or low-cost Oh yeah, and I guess in conclusion I just
20:22
want to re-emphasize the importance of, if you have
20:24
questions, please reach out because we're here to answer and
20:27
if you're nervous about anything, you just let us know
20:29
and and we'll get you to the right places.
20:31
Will let you come see the schools at the.
20:34
Preschool. You're always welcome to come in
20:36
and just look around and see what it looks like when students
20:39
are there also. So just encourage you to do
20:41
that. Yeah and it's it's not only in
20:45
many cases the first Contact sometimes and you know that very
20:50
Welcome to the student gets when they enter preschool or
20:52
kindergarten, but it's sometimes that's also a family's first,
20:55
you know, contact with us as a school district and it's really
20:58
important to all of us. We, you know, we really
21:00
prioritize that we want families to always feel like they're
21:04
welcome in our schools and they're comfortable in our
21:06
schools and that we're always here for, you know, anything
21:09
that our families need? Yes, definitely.
21:13
Okay. Well I'm so glad that we took
21:16
this opportunity to do this and we'll have all this information
21:19
out. Out there.
21:21
One last thing I know this is your last school year with us so
21:25
I just wanted to be the person that kind of publicly tell you.
21:27
Congratulations by appreciate that I'm Scottsbluff.
21:31
Public schools has been an amazing place for me and my
21:33
family. This is my 32nd year and I
21:36
couldn't think of a better place to have grown up as an educator
21:39
and a parent and have my kids. Go to school and attend and my,
21:45
what am I both? My kids are teachers.
21:47
So I think that's a direct reflection of what a great
21:49
School. District we have, well, I know
21:51
you will absolutely, you know, be missed by our families, by
21:56
our staff, by our students. But you certainly, you know, you
21:59
definitely left your mark and I think you will be leaving us
22:03
with a lot to be proud of. So thank you again, for being a
22:06
guest and will see everyone in the net at our next episode.