Early Childhood Transition Plan

Transition to Kindergarten Program Elementary School Application 2006-07

All applications are due by 5:00pm on Monday, October 9th, 2006

Please submit your application to Deborah Connell, Transition Coordinator Project Enlightenment 501 S. Boylan Avenue Raleigh, NC 27603 Phone: 856-2796 Fax: 508-0810 Email: [email protected]

Supporting Children’s Transition into Kindergarten, known as The Transition to Kindergarten Program, is funded by Wake County SmartStart, an organization that ensures young children are healthy and prepared for school and life. Elementary School Information Complete the shaded fields below with your school’s information. Use the tab button to move between fields.

Elementary School Name: School Phone:

Our school’s contact person for the Transition Program would be: Position at the school: Phone: Email:

School NC Wise Data Manager: Phone: Email:

School Payroll Manager: Phone: Email:

Our elementary school includes: (check all that apply) ESL Special Education Preschool Classroom Project Achieve Title I Preschool Classroom Title I Other:

Our school is on a … Traditional Calendar Year Round Calendar Modified Calendar

% of our school population receives Free or Reduced Lunch.

The average number of kindergarteners we enroll each year is . Of those, approximately speak primarily Spanish.

Childcare Center / Preschool Information: As a part of the program, you will be asked to host childcare center or preschool teacher visits in the fall and preschool class visits in the spring. In the space below, please list any childcare center or preschool with whom you have worked in the past or with whom you would like to work (may be near your school or feed into your population).

Name of Childcare Center / Preschool We have worked with this school/center in the past Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Page 2 of 5 Transition Program Activity Options: After reviewing the activity information below, indicate which transition activities your school would like to participate in and complete the information needed.

Preschool Camp Children with little or no preschool experience have the opportunity to participate in a week of readiness experiences in a kindergarten classroom setting, receiving materials to use throughout the summer. Camps are offered from 8:15-12:15 daily during the week of June 18-22, 2007. Classrooms have 12 children each with 2 WCPSS employees as teachers (stipends for camp staff are $500 per teacher). All lesson plans and materials, including daily snack and many take home materials for campers are provided through the program.  Planning meeting is Wednesday, January 24th, 4:00-5:00 at Project Enlightenment  Mandatory training for all camp staff is Wednesday, May 30th, 4:15-6:15 at Project Enlightenment

School staff members who Name Position will work at the camp: Classroom 1

Classroom 2

Classroom 3

Parent and Child Orientation at the Elementary School Children who are registered to attend the elementary school in the 2007-08 school year and their parents are invited to attend an orientation at the elementary school. Activities for parents and children are planned and presented by the elementary school staff, with assistance from Transition to Kindergarten Program staff. Each child receives a readiness tote bag to take home. The bag contains many items including playdoh, crayons, scissors, glue, pencil, trade book, book of readiness activities, and an All About Me document.  This activity must take place after the magnet school acceptance deadline (late April).  Readiness Bags will be provided for children attending your orientation, based on the average enrollment numbers listed in section 1 of this application.  Check your school’s master calendar for conflicts prior to choosing your date.  Evaluation (sign in forms and survey) will be required.

Date of Orientation:

Time of Orientation:

Home Visits Kindergarten teachers and other elementary school staff take professional leave to be able to visit the home of children registered to attend their elementary school in the 2007-08 school year.  This activity must take place after the magnet school acceptance deadline (late April).  Up to 4 full days of substitutes may be taken to complete visits.  Evaluation (sign in forms and survey) will be required.

of 5 Home Visits, continued

Staff Member Name Position Date(s) for Home Visits

Transition to Kindergarten Workshop Series Participating staff may attend part or all of a series of workshops offered on issues involved in the transition to kindergarten. The workshops will be held at Project Enlightenment. Free classroom materials are included at each session and renewal / daycare credit will be given.  Note: The workshop “It’s in the Bag” is REQUIRED in order to receive readiness bags. Plan to send a minimum of 2 staff members.  A registration form for the workshop series is at the end of this application. Make copies as needed.

Teacher Visits to Preschool Elementary school staff visit area preschool and childcare classrooms to tour and observe classroom routines and expectations. Visits take place in April/ May with limited substitutes available.  Centers/schools to be visited will be determined at a later date  Teachers will be expected to visit 2-3 centers/schools per half day of leave

Staff Member Name Date(s) for Teacher Visits Substitute Needed?

Required Activities: In order to participate in the Transition to Kindergarten Program, elementary schools are required to host preschooler teacher visits and preschool class visits. Please complete the information below to indicate when you are able to host these activities.

Preschool Teacher Visits to Kindergarten During the month of November, preschool teachers are invited to visit an elementary school without their class. Teachers are able to tour the school, observe kindergarten classrooms in action, and speak to kindergarten teacher about beginning of school expectations and routines.  List two days in November to host childcare or preschool teachers (visit of approx. 1 ½ hours). If possible, Transition Program staff will be present to facilitate the visit.  Evaluation (sign in forms and survey) will be required.

of 5 Preschool Teacher Visits to Kindergarten, continued

Elementary School contact person for preschooler visits: Name: Phone / Email:

Visit One Visit Two Date of Preschool Teacher Visit:

Time of Preschool Teacher Visit:

Preschooler Visits to Kindergarten Preschoolers who are eligible for kindergarten in the 2007-08 school year visit kindergarten classrooms with their preschool teachers. Preschoolers will be given the opportunity to interact with kindergartners in their classroom during the visit. Visits may also include playground time and a tour of the school.  Visits should take place in late April or May, for approx. 1 ½ hour each.  List two dates for each kindergarten class at your school.

The total number of kindergarten classes at our school this year is:

Kindergarten Teacher Name Visit One Visit Two Date: Date: Time: Time: Date: Date: Time: Time: Date: Date: Time: Time: Date: Date: Time: Time: Date: Date: Time: Time: Date: Date: Time: Time: Date: Date: Time: Time:

of 5 Transition to Kindergarten Workshop Series 2006-07 Registration Form Project Enlightenment • 501 S. Boylan Avenue • Raleigh, NC • 919-856-7774

Session 1: Is Preschool the new Kindergarten, and Kindergarten the New First Grade? What are the effects of an “academic pushdown”? What skills/traits are most important for school success? Wednesday January 10th 4:15-6:15pm, room 302 at Project Enlightenment . Session 2: Helping Families Get Off to a Good Start: Provider and Elementary Toolkits Our toolkits will give you up-to-date, useful information to share with your preschool families. Wednesday, February 7th 4:15-6:15pm, room 311 at Project Enlightenment

Session 3: Ready for School: Hold ‘em Back or Send ‘em On? Ready schools. Ready children. How can we support children who are kindergarten bound? Wednesday, March 7th 4:15-6:15pm, room 304 at Project Enlightenment

Session 4a: It’s in the Bag: Readiness Bags for Preschoolers Delve into the materials in our readiness bags, and then put yours together to take back to your school or center. Wednesday, April 11th 4:15-6:15pm, room 302 at Project Enlightenment

Session 4b: It’s in the Bag: Readiness Bags for Preschoolers (repeat session) Thursday, April 12th 9:00-11:00am, room 302 at Project Enlightenment

Session 5: A Celebration of Teaching and Learning: Lunch and Learn Join us for lunch as we discuss the importance of the preschool and kindergarten teacher’s role in facilitating the transition into kindergarten for children and their families. Lunch provided. Limited substitutes available. Wednesday, May 9th 12:30-2:30pm, room 302 at Project Enlightenment

Personal Information: Last name First name Address City State Zip Phone (home) (work) Email

School Information: School or Center name Address No. of children in class Ages

I wish to register for: (choose as many as you like) Session 1 Session 3 Session 4b Session 2 Session 4a Session 5

Check all types of credit you wish to receive: Teacher Renewal Credit ** My NC teaching certificate expires in ______. Staff Development Credit Child Care/CDA Credit **Reminder: WCPSS employees must also register online at http://ero.eschoolsolutions.com in order to receive Teacher Renewal Credit. Page 6 of 5