Starting school can have mixed emotions for 4 and 5 year olds and their parents/caregivers. SD60 wants to make starting school an exciting, successful and happy experience for new Kindergarten students. Welcome to Kindergarten (WTK) is an event held each May/June in schools throughout SD60 for families/caregivers with children of age to enter Kindergarten in the fall.
Parents/caregivers and their children are invited to attend a 1 – 2 hour event at their neighbourhood school. Invitations to attend Welcome to Kindergarten events are sent out in the spring, once registration for Kindergarten for the new school year begins. At the event, families have an opportunity to tour the school and meet school staff, community partners, and other parents and children. Families will also receive early learning and literacy resources (WTK Bag), and learn how to make early learning activities and play a priority in the home that will help prepare their child for a fun and successful first year in school. Welcome to Kindergarten events run across Canada and are sponsored by the Learning Partnership in conjunction with school districts.
For more information about Welcome to Kindergarten, visit the following website:
http://www.thelearningpartnership.ca/what-we-do/student-programs/welcome-to-kindergarten
Participating children and families receive a Welcome to Kindergarten bag, filled with valuable resources and activities to help children develop skills in:
- Listening and speaking
- Sharing and turn-taking
- Self-regulation, self-confidence
- Vocabulary, following directions
- Print, alphabet and number awareness
- Enjoyment of stories and books
- Hand and finger coordination for cutting, colouring, pasting, writing
- Creative thinking and exploring
Please contact your neighbourhood school for the Welcome to Kindergarten event date and time for the current school year.