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kindergarten boot camp
Richland Source
Local school districts ramp up with 'Kindergarten Literacy Boot Camp'
Special to Richland Source
Jul 31, 2020
MANSFIELD -- The five consortium districts participating in the
Striving Readers Grant through Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center --
Buckeye Central Local Schools, Galion City Schools, Highland Local
Schools, Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools and Shelby City Schools -- will
participate in "Kindergarten Literacy Boot Camps" in August.
The boot camps are designed for incoming kindergarten students to
provide them with a “jump start” on the readiness skills they need to
support them through a successful kindergarten experience.
The goals of the kindergarten boot camp are:
● To support the entering kindergarten students socially, emotionally
and academically. Boot camp will allow the teachers to engage with
their students prior to school beginning and to start building a
nurturing relationship easing the children’s fears or anxiety about
school.
● To allow the teachers time to assess their students entering skill
levels enabling them to plan appropriate instructional strategies to
implement when school begins.
● To allow the parents the opportunity to learn more about the
expectations for entering kindergarten students, and how they can be
involved and supportive at home.
Research reveals that when families are involved in their child’s
learning, they perform better in school. Many of the district
administrators had commented on the importance of hosting boot camps in
the past, but funding was always a barrier.
Thanks to the support from the Striving Readers Grant funding, which
covers the personnel costs and supply costs associated with the boot
camps, districts are able to offer this valuable experience to their
young learners and encourage family engagement.
Mid-Ohio ESC was awarded the $1.2 million grant, which is in its third year of implementation.
The focus has been on serving all students, with an emphasis on those
living in poverty, students with disabilities, English learners and
students identified as having a reading disability. Mid-Ohio ESC was
recently notified that their consortium has received a fourth year
no-cost extension on the grant, enabling service to more students in
the coming year.
Lisa Cook, Mid-Ohio ESC Elementary Literacy Coach, said special
arrangements are being made for this year. Cook explained most
districts are looking at holding their camps for a week or two before
school starts.
“Most of the camps will be half-days. [Because of COVID-19] the
districts are discussing the possibility of either hosting a small
group of kindergarten students through the month of August, with some
students working on-site and others remotely and rotating. Others have
discussed providing boot camp support to the students at home and
engaging families in supporting readiness skills to prepare their child
for kindergarten," Cook siad.
Regardless of the way things develop, said Cook, the districts are prepared to offer on-site, virtual and hybrid options.
“As a former kindergarten teacher,” said Cook, “I am so excited to be a
part of planning and helping to support these district boot camps! I
know from my years in the classroom that it takes the first month of
school to develop a routine, to really get to know your students and
their needs, and to form a relationship and bond with them.
"The beauty of these camps is that the teachers will now have a window
of opportunity to learn about their students and to prepare strategies
to support and ease them into the school year. There is truly no better
joy than happy, smiling kindergartners!”
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