Families help shape new kindergartners’ first year of school

For the Reporter

Every fall, children enter kindergarten with different levels of skills needed for success in school. As crucial partners in their children’s education, parents and other family members have the opportunity to take part in the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) Family Connection.

At the beginning of the school year, WaKIDS provides a “whole-child” assessment based on student strengths, interests, and needs. With this information and input from the family, a teacher is able to offer individualized instruction to meet each child’s needs. Collaboration among kindergarten teachers, early learning professionals, and the family throughout the school year increase the child’s chances for success as students.

“We want all our students to have the best opportunity for success throughout their school year,” says Superintendent Edward Lee Vargas. “WaKIDS is an opportunity for parents to be involved in their kindergartners’ education at its very beginning.”

In the 2012‒13 school year, WaKIDS reached almost 22,000 kindergartners. Most are in full-day kindergartens, which are now required to implement WaKIDS.

Twelve elementary schools in the Kent School District (KSD) have been selected to participate in full-day kindergarten and the WaKIDS program for school year 2013-2014. Cedar Valley, Daniel, Kent, Meadow Ridge, Park Orchard, and Scenic Hill elementary schools will participate in WaKIDS for a second year. East Hill, Millennium, Neely-O’Brien, Panther Lake, Pine Tree, and Springbrook are starting WaKIDS this fall.

Parents of new kindergartners will receive a welcome letter from their principal in early August with information about the upcoming school year.