Getting on the Bus: WaKIDS helps with smooth transition to kindergarten

My niece, Angelina, is going to kindergarten this fall, and my sister recently shared with me that she and Angelina are feeling nervous about it. Their feelings brought me back to when my own daughter, Emma, put on her backpack and climbed on the bus for her first day of kindergarten. Luckily, before the first day of class, we had the opportunity to meet her teacher and get to know her school and her classroom. So, though she didn’t fully know what to expect, she had some preparation. That made all the difference for her, and I know that it will help Angelina and my sister as well. 

When I think about the time we spent with Emma’s teacher before school started, I realize how special it was to really connect and share who Emma was, what made her unique and what was important to our family. When Emma entered her classroom on the first day of school, her teacher already knew some of her likes, her dislikes, and her strengths, as well as some of her challenges. I think it also helped that Emma’s preschool teachers and kindergarten teachers had connected to share important information about her learning style and development in multiple areas through something called a Transition Report. 

By the time we had our parent-teacher conferences in November, Emma was able to confidently show me around her classroom, share the fun and creative work she had created and talk about everything she had learned. Her teacher shared Emma’s development in everything from literacy to social and emotional learning and was able to share ideas for how we could help Emma with next steps in all those areas. 

In all, kindergarten was a fantastic experience for both of my kids, but I think Emma had an easier transition than my other child, Ed, Jr., who started kindergarten before our district implemented WaKIDS. The program focuses on an observational assessment that helps teachers and parents understand and support their children’s development. The family connections and early learning collaboration help to smooth the transition to kindergarten. Luckily for my niece and sister, this program supports every kindergartener in Washington state public schools! I think it will be a phenomenal experience for them both, and I cannot wait to watch Angelina grow and learn! 

To learn more:
WaKIDS
WaKIDS training
Pre-K-K Transition Reports