Ready Freddy Parent Talk Toolkit

Ready Freddy Parent Talk Toolkit Purpose Ready Freddy, a program of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, wants to help you give parents the information they need to help their children have a positive and successful transition into kindergarten. This toolkit contains presentation materials and resources for community organizations, parent groups, and others to host parent talks that will prepare the parents of incoming kindergartners to start the school year strong. There are four versions of this talk designed to fit available time frames. They include a 5-10 minute, 15 minute, 30 minute, and 45 minute talk. Each talk will cover these basics: n On Time Enrollment n Kindergarten Today n The Importance of Attendance n Parent Involvement/Engagement n Resources for Parents Additional activities and information have been added to the three longer versions of the talks. A FEW WORDS ABOUT ATTENDANCE Research has shown that children who are chronically absent from kindergarten (missing 10% of school days) have some of the lowest academic performance rates in first grade. By third grade, only 17% of children who were chronically absent from kindergarten and 1st grade are proficient in reading. For low-income children who lack resources to make up this missed learning time, absences in kindergarten impact their academic performance through the 5th grade. When the pattern of absences and poor performance continues into later grades, children are at greater risk for dropping out of school altogether. Attending the first day of school can make a difference! According to data collected for Pittsburgh Public Schools during the 2009-2010 school year, children who were present on the first day of kindergarten missed an average of 9 days of kindergarten. Children who were absent on the first day of kindergarten missed an average of 18 days of kindergarten. A FEW FINAL TIPS In our experience all of the parents we have worked with in the Pittsburgh Public Schools welcome this information, feel a great need to learn how to navigate the school system, and want the knowledge and skills necessary to support their children. As you present these talks, be sure to shape your conversations so that parents receive the most from them. Kindergarten Matters! You’ll be amazed! Best of Luck! The 5-10 Minute Parent Talk 1. INTRODUCTION (30 SECONDS) a. Introduce yourself and the organization you represent. b. Ask parents to share if they have already enrolled their child in kindergarten and if yes, where they are enrolled. This dialogue can replace introducing an Ice Breaker when you don’t have much time. 2. IMPORTANCE OF E AR LY E NROLLMENT (1 M INUTE) a. Talk with parents about when to enroll. 5-10 min Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) children must be 5 years old by September 30th to be eligible for enrollment. If their child is eligible, it’s important that parents enroll them as early as possible for two reasons: n So that teachers are prepared for every student on the first day. n So that schools can arrange transportation which can often take up to 2 weeks to secure. b. Let parents know that enrollment is not hard, but that it can be time consuming. Also, parents must bring the proper documents with them to complete the enrollment process, including: n Two proofs of residency n Their child’s birth certificate (or other proof of birth) n Their child’s immunization records 3. K INDERGARTEN TODAY (1 M INUTE) a. Ask parents to think about what kindergarten was like when they started school. b. Inform parents that kindergarten has changed over the years. The biggest differences include: n Children no long have scheduled nap times (although most teachers allow some time for children to find a quiet space or to lay their heads on a desk or table throughout the day if they need a rest.) n Children spend less time playing and more time learning to read, write, and count. 4. IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE (1 M INUTE) a. Help parents understand that the kindergarten year is different from other elementary grades. n Kindergarten is a time to learn more than academic skills. Kindergartners also learn social skills such as how to work in a group or with a partner and how to get along with classmates. n Being in the classroom is really important. Each day that a child misses they are missing 10 to 15 learning activities/opportunities. Thinking of missing a day of kindergarten in this way instead of as just one missed day can make a big difference for parents. b. According to the research only 17% of children who were chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade were reading at grade level by 3rd grade. c. And, to be eligible for the Pittsburgh Promise, students must have a 90% or higher attendance record. This means missing less than 18 days of school per year. PPS tracks Promise eligibility beginning in kindergarten. 5. PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND E NGAGEMENT (2 M INUTES) a. Talk with parents about the difference between parent involvement and engagement. n Parent involvement is all of the educational things parents do with their children away from school. Parent Talk Toolkit 1 n Parent engagement is what parents do at the school, including talking with teachers and other school staff, volunteering, attending meetings, and attending school events. b. Becoming engaged: Advise parents to schedule a time to visit the school or attend a transition event before the start of kindergarten. This could mean participating in a Kindergarten Club if one is offered in their neighborhood, touring the school building with their child, or meeting the teacher and other staff. These small things are key to helping children feel more comfortable and less anxious about starting school. c. To help parents appreciate that their child might be worried about starting kindergarten, ask them to think about how they felt starting a new job. What kinds of questions were they considering; Common responses might be 1. Will I like my new boss? 2. Will my new boss like me? 3. What will the bathroom be like? 4. Where will I eat lunch? 5. Will I get along with my co-workers? Talk with parents about how children have the same questions when they start kindergarten. (Replace “boss” with “teacher” and “co-workers” with “classmates.”) When they can talk about those questions or visit the school to find answers it makes the transition process less stressful for everyone. d. Be involved: Make sure parents know what their child should be able to do by the time they enter kindergarten (this information is included in the Appendices/Packet). Encourage them to work on those things with their child at home. Ask parents to read through the packet of information to find more helpful tips. 6. CLOSURE (A FEW SECONDS) a. Ask if anyone has questions. If you don’t have time to answer all of them, hand out your contact information so parents can connect with you. Provide them with the PPS Parent Hotline phone number as well. b. End by going over the packet (Appendix II) and promoting transition events in the area including any Kindergarten Clubs, Kindergarten Camps, or other programs you’re aware of. If parents know about programs invite them to share their information as well. 2 readyfreddy.org The 15 Minute Parent Talk For this talk, include the basic information included in the shorter (5–10 minute) talk. With the additional 5 minutes, feel free to spend a bit more time elaborating on the details within each topic. 1. INTRODUCTION (1 M INUTE) a. Introduce yourself and the organization you represent. b. Ask parents to share if they have already enrolled their child in kindergarten and if yes, where they are enrolled. This dialogue can 15 min replace introducing an Ice Breaker when you don’t have much time. 2. IMPORTANCE OF E AR LY E NROLLMENT (2 M INUTE) a. Talk with parents about when to enroll. Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) children must be 5 years old by September 30th to be eligible for enrollment. If their child is eligible, it’s important that parents enroll them as early as possible for two reasons: n So that teachers are prepared for every student on the first day. n So that schools can arrange transportation which can often take up to 2 weeks to secure. b. Let parents know that enrollment is not hard, but that it can be time consuming. Also, parents must have the proper documents with them in order to complete the enrollment process, including: n Two proofs of residency n Their child’s birth certificate (or other proof of birth) n Their child’s immunization records c. How can parents enroll? n Visit the main office of the school their child will attend n Visit the Pittsburgh Public Schools Enrollment Office in Oakland n Or enroll online at www.pps.k12.pa.us and mail in the application forms 3. K INDERGARTEN TODAY (2-3 M INUTES) a. Ask parents to think about what kindergarten was like when they started school. Allow them to share a few responses. b. Tell parents that kindergarten has changed over the years. The biggest differences include: n Children no long have scheduled nap times (although most teachers allow some time for children to find a quiet space or to lay their heads on a desk or table throughout the day if they need a rest.) n Children are learning to read, write, and count earlier. n Children have less play time.

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