VPS Early Learning Newsletter
Spring 2021
Dear early learning families,
Spring has arrived! This means (I hope) more sunshine and more outdoor time! If you have a child who turns 5 before September 1st, 2021, you are welcome to begin the kindergarten registration process.
Here are a few things to know:
Registration
- Kindergarten registration is open at all 21 elementary schools.
- Elementary school offices are open for registration each weekday from 8 am until 3:30 pm (but you may want to call as some locations have adjusted hours due to Covid).
- Children must be five years of age by August 31, 2021 to register.
- Check the www.vansd.org website to answer registration questions.
Kindergarten Times
This fall, if school returns to days and times prior to the pandemic, all kindergarten classes are full day sessions. Every school begins the day at 8:20 am and ends at 2:50 pm (with the exception of Lincoln and Minnehaha which begin at 9:00 am and end at 3:30 pm.)
Kindergarten Jump Start
Jump Start is a special time for your incoming kindergarten student to get know his/her school, classmates and staff. More information will follow once dates and times are finalized.
Enjoy the sunshine!
Kendra Yamamoto
VPS Early Learning teacher
Dates to calendar
April 15th & 16th: Two hour early release (spring conferences)
Kindergarten Readiness: Math
These guidelines highlight some skills children need to be prepared for kindergarten. This list suggests ways to work with your child to help him/her ready for school.
- My child can count 10-20 objects, pointing to each object.
- My child can count out loud, in order, up to 20
- My child is beginning to understand and use the words, "more", "less" and "the same"
- My child can identify numbers 1 - 10
- My child connects numbers 1- 10 with the matching set of objects
- My child identifies common shapes (examples: circle, square, triangle, rectangle)
- My child matches and sorts simple shapes
- My child uses measuring tools in play.
- My child uses words to describe things by size, shape and weight (for example: big, circle, heavy)
- My child can put things in order (example: 1st, 2nd, 3rd)
Build Skills with your Baby
Try these ideas with babies aged birth to 11 months
- Provide safe places for your baby to move around.
- Give your infant “tummy time” while playing with toys or you.
- Put toys just out of reach to encourage rolling, scooting, creeping and crawling.
- Sing songs and play big games with movements with arms and legs.
- Give your child toys to reach, grasp, shake and drop.
- Play finger and hand games with your child.
- Gently rock, swing or bounce your child in your arms.
- Give you infant toys or safe objects with different textures, shapes, colors, smells and sounds.
- Go outside to explore and talk about what you see.
- Washington State Department of Learning
Hearing, Understanding & Talking: Ages 4 & 5
- Understand word order, such as: first, next and last.
- Understand words for time, such as: yesterday, today and tomorrow.
- Follow longer directions, like, "Put your pajamas on, brush your teeth and then pick out a book."
- Follow classroom directions.
- Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.
- Say all speech sounds in words (but may make mistakes on the following sounds: l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh and th).
- Talk without repeating sounds or words most of the time.
- Name letters and words.
- Tell a short story.
- Keep a conversation going.
- Talk in different ways depending on the listener and place; such as may use shorter sentences with younger children or talk louder outside than inside.
Social and Emotional Learning
In 2014, Vanderbilt University found the top 10 social-emotional skills for preschool and elementary students to succeed in school to be:
- Listen to others
- Follow the steps
- Follow the rules
- Ignore distractions
- Ask for help
- Take turns when you talk
- Get along with others
- Stay calm with others
- Be responsible for your behavior
- Do nice things for others
And finally...
There are less than 2000 days from the time a child is born until he or she enters kindergarten. Every day counts.
- Washington State Department of Learning
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For translation of this newsletter, please use the following information:
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