We are very pleased to welcome your child to kindergarten in School District 42. Our full day kindergarten program offers young children meaningful learning opportunities in a play based/hands on environment. For many children, kindergarten is the first step in transitioning from small preschool/daycare settings or home environments to a formal school setting. In order to help children in this transition, we offer and support a gradual entry process, which includes smaller groups, an increasingly longer day and an opportunity for you and your child to meet individually with your child’s teacher. We have found that this proactive approach to school entry provides a safe, comfortable, and stress free start to your child’s school career.
The gradual entry process that your child’s school will be using will be the following:
- Tuesday, September 5th – There is no school for new Kindergarten students. You will be contacted regarding a specific scheduled appointment if necessary.
- Wednesday, September 6th to Friday, September 8th – Children will attend in small groups (approximately 10 students) for ½ a day, either in the morning or afternoon.
- Monday, September 11th to Tuesday, September 12th – You and your child will be provided with an opportunity to meet individually with your child’s teacher.
- Wednesday, September 13th to Friday, September 15th – Children attend in their class group from 8:30 -1:30 pm.
- Regular hours begin on Monday, September 18th, 8:30 – 2:20 pm.
Since implementing full day kindergarten, this gradual entry process has proven to be successful and highly beneficial. It promotes a safe and healthy start to full time attendance and allows children to gradually understand routines, make friends, connect with their teacher, and feel comfortable at school. It also provides parents with comfort and reassurance that their child’s adjustment needs have been well considered. If you believe your child requires a longer period to transition to a full day kindergarten program please discuss this with your child’s teacher/principal so that school staff can collaboratively plan with you to ensure your child is successful.
We are looking forward to having your child as part of our Yennadon family. See you in September!