Investing in Early Childhood Programs (Early Childhood Programs-Student Services and Federal Programs Division and Curriculum and Instruction Division)

Initiative: We believe that investing in our young children will provide a sound educational foundation so that students entering kindergarten will meet with success. The school district provides Early Childhood Programs; Head Start, Voluntary PreKindergarten, and PreKindergarten Exceptional Education to children between the ages of three to five years.

Goals:

To increase awareness that investing in early childhood education will result in an improved opportunity for future school success.

To demonstrate that developmentally appropriate practices are the foundation for children’s learning which supports the acquisition of skills and knowledge needed for kindergarten.

To implement successful transitions from PreKindergarten programs to district kindergarten classrooms.

Targeted Population: Head Start, PreKindergarten Exceptional Education, Voluntary PreKindergarten Programs provide early learning opportunities through programs offered at school sites.

Timeline: Early Childhood Programs operate during the school calendar year with additional summer programs.

Staff Development: Staff development training is provided in pre-reading, math, social skills and character education.

Transferability: The early childhood skills taught in classrooms help bridge the home/school connection through parent meetings, communication and materials shared throughout the year and the summer.

Involvement: Parents are a major component of their child’s success. The connection between home and school is vital for this to occur. Training parents on early childhood expectations is important, so that they will understand what a child should know and be able to do prior to entering kindergarten.

* Challenge and support all students with an appropriate curriculum