Kindergarten 101West Chester Area School District

January 25, 2018

Presented By: Dr. Jim Scanlon - Superintendent

Dr. Tammi Florio - Director of Elementary EducationMrs. Kate Coulter – Guidance Counselor

Our Kindergarten Teachers

Welcome to theWest Chester Area School District!

Presented by Dr. Jim Scanlon, Superintendent

• District Overview

• Full-Day Kindergarten!

Kindergarten 101Presented by Dr. Tammi L. Florio - Director of Elementary Education

• Kindergarten Overview

• The importance of kindergarten

• Age requirement (5 by September 1)

• Student Placement

• June assessment

• Intervention and enrichment

• Transportation

A Full Day!8:40-3:10 (drop off after 8:00)

East Bradford, East Goshen, Exton, Glen Acres

9:10-3:40 (drop off after 8:30)

Fern Hill, Hillsdale, Mary C. Howse, Penn Wood,

Starkweather, Westtown-Thornbury

A Full Day!

Morning

• Arrival/Play

• English Language Arts

• Mid-morning Snack/Break

Lunch/Recess

Afternoon

• Art, Music, Library, PE

• Math Workshop

• Science/Social Studies/Play

A Day in the Life of a Kindergartner

• Social Emotional Development

• Second Step

• PA Core Standards

• Differentiating the curriculum

• Progress Reporting

• Standards-based

• Trimester reports online

• Conferences November and March

A learning-filled morning

English Language Arts

O Foundational Skills

O Reading Fiction and Non-Fiction Text

O Small Group Instruction/Center Time

O Writer’s Workshop

Mid-morning snack/break

Math workshop

O Math in Focus

O Manipulatives

O Math stations

O Technology

Science/social studies themes

O Learning Through Play

O Weather, Life Cycle of Butterfly

O Communities, Celebrations

Kindergarten 101

• Class Size - capped at 25 in K-1

• Aide for the grade

• School supplies

• Homework

• Snacks/Lunch/Allergies

• Support services in the WCASD

• Reading Support

• English Language Development

• Speech and Language Therapy

• Occupational/Physical Therapy

• School Counselor

Kindergarten 101

• Is my child ready?

• Socially, emotionally and academically

• Mrs. Kate Coulter, school counselor

• Preparing your child for kindergarten

Ready for Kindergarten?

215days until the first day of kindergarten!

There are only

Great News About Fuller Days … a plug from your friendly neighborhood counselor.

❖As counselors, we get to know your kiddos even better; right from the start of their school careers.

❖Your kindergarten student is fully a part of his or her school community and gets the full benefits of every lesson, assembly, school-wide reward, etc..

❖Students have even more chance to practice the skills that they will need all throughout their school experience.

Skills??? What Skills??

O Empathy

O Ability to share and take turns

O Ability to work together as part of a group

O Ability to compromise

O Ability to communicate with adults and children

O Ability to sit and pay attention

O Ability to separate from parents/caretakers

More Great News!

The Second Step Prosocial and

Emotional Learning Program:

➢ Learning and Listening Skills

➢ Feelings

➢ Empathy

➢ Emotion Management

➢ Problem Solving

215There are STILL

days until the first day of kindergarten!

Two-Way Communication

• Register online, then call the school.

• Visit school and district websites.

• School/district emails

• Your child’s teacher and principal

Kindergarten 101Safety is a priority!

• Raptor Security System

• Every building screens for sex

offenders. Doors are locked.

• Volunteer Clearances

• Required to chaperone! Info online.

Kindergarten 101Presented by Dr. Tammi L. Florio - Director of Elementary Education

• A Child’s Place Before/After Care

• School days, days off

• Rates

• Certified teachers

Important Dates to Remember

• Register for Kindergarten

• Online first, then call school, bring docs

• Meet and Greet Teachers with your child

• Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 6pm

• Kindergarten Assessments

• June

Important Dates to Remember

• Teacher/Bus Assignments

• Mid-August

• Kindergarten Orientation for Parents

• Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 7pm

• Sneak-A-Peek for Students/Parents

• Thursday, August 23, 2018 at 2pm

Important Dates to Remember

• School Begins

• Monday, August 27, 2018

Questions?