By: Stacy Kilwein, Partners in Parenting Coordinator, Homeless Services/Foster Care Liaison
West Dakota Parent and Family Resource Center and Dickinson Public Schools Annual Gearing Up for Kindergarten Opportunity was a huge success. This year they celebrated their 13th year of getting preschoolers ready for Kindergarten!
Dickinson Public Schools recognizes that parents are a child’s first and best teachers. They proudly offer the Gearing Up for Kindergarten opportunity to allow parents to be supported in preparing their children for success in school.
Today’s academic and social expectations for children entering kindergarten have changed from previous generations. Gearing Up for Kindergarten is a family education opportunity offered for parents and their children entering kindergarten in the following year. The Gearing Up for Kindergarten program provides families with an intensive educational experience that combines early learning activities for pre-kindergarten children with parent education opportunities for adults.
Gearing Up for Kindergarten: Parent Education Curriculum is a program focused on healthy parenting and school readiness preparation. The program can be used in parent education with families of children ages 3 to 6. Key program building blocks are:
- School Readiness for Children Entering Kindergarten
- Early Awareness and Intervention
- Parent Education and Engagement
- Parent Involvement with Children’s Learning & School
- Building Home-School-Community Partnerships
Research on the program indicates it improves school readiness for children, increases parental knowledge and skills, and builds home-school community links to support children’s transitions to school.
Parents and their preschooler have reported, “This is an awesome program- I think it is something that every family with a child entering kindergarten could benefit from. It allowed me to see which skills my son has mastered versus needs to work on for school readiness.” Another family said, “This program was absolutely what our family needed. It was great to take the time to focus on my son’s development. I truly needed encouragement as a parent, and this helped us focus on helping our son. He can’t wait for kindergarten now!”
For more information about a Gearing Up opportunity for your preschooler entering kindergarten in the Fall of 2023, call the West Dakota Parent and Family Resource Center 456-0007. To register for the Fall 2023 Gearing Up for Kindergarten click here.