Children experience many big and small transitions in their early years. The transition to kindergarten can be a time of great excitement and joy for everyone involved. For children, it is an opportunity to learn new things, master new skills, and feel proud that they are going to kindergarten. Transition is an ongoing process to ensure that children and families will have appropriate information and support whenever there is a change in their child’s placement. For families, it can bring a sense of delight as their children reach another milestone. For Head Start staff and receiving schools, it is a great time for collaboration, coordination, and joint planning. Transition activities may occur when children enter Head Start, change placements within Head Start, go to another preschool placement, or on to kindergarten.
Parent participation in transition activities prior to the new school year is strongly associated with children’s self-confidence, liking of school, and overall happiness in kindergarten (Hubbell, Plantz, Condelli, & Barrett, 1987). When the transition to kindergarten includes opportunities for children and their families to learn about the new setting, build relationships, and experience continuity in curriculum, assessments, and relationship quality across their changing settings, children show greater school readiness. (Excerpts provided by ECLKC)
The team at Child Inc work throughout the year to prepare our PreK 4 children for their next educational journey working with partners in your community who can help ensure that children’s physical, mental, and emotional health needs are met as they transition to kindergarten. At the end of the term parents are invited to attend sessions to meet with health providers and representatives from the various elementary schools. Staff share information families will need and support their skills as advocates by being responsive to their concerns.
