Get ready for kindergarten!

Yesterday, I attended a very interesting workshop focused on the impact of student achievement when youngsters enter kindergarten without the expected skills. Based on the book "Annual Growth, Catch-up Growth", the presenters stressed the strong need to work with parents to assure that the students have the necessary skills for immediate success in kindergarten. Additionally, we must identify students who do not have those skills and work diligently with them to gain them. Students who enter kindergarten a year behind grade level, will continue to stay and fall behind unless their needs are addressed in a rigorous manner.
At the Ellis school, we are taking strong steps to work with youngsters who are not on grade level through the RtI model. Parents of all children can also assist the school by either reading to your child for twenty minutes every night or assuring that your child is reading independently on a daily basis.
I will be talking with the kindergarten and preschool staff at Ellis to discuss how we can assure that youngsters start school ready to succeed.
Please contact me if you have any ideas to assist in addressing this challenge or if you would like more information.
Yours,
Bill Lander