Preparing Children for Kindergarten Transition

The Parent-Child Development Center works with children and families to prepare them for all their future educational experiences, including kindergarten.  This work begins at enrollment, when families commit to PCDC as their educational home.  Our philosophy of education follows:

Education Philosophy

Parent Child Development Center’s education philosophy is based on developmentally appropriate practice, the Head Start Performance Standards, Massachusetts State Guidelines, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children Criteria.  Our philosophy has an overarching goal of helping children become more physically, cognitively and emotionally healthy.  Working toward this goal is a strong partnership of families and educators, who depend on each other throughout the educational process.  Parent Child Development Center recognizes and respects the diversity within our community and incorporates into the curriculum methods and materials that support an anti-bias approach to education.

Key Objectives:

• Foster the emotional and social development of children by encouraging self-confidence, spontaneity, curiosity, and self-control. 
• Improve children’s health and physical development.
• Improve children’s cognitive abilities, with a strong emphasis on foundational tools of learning and concept development.
• Establish patterns of success for children that will create a climate of confidence and joy for future learning.
• Increase the capacity of families to recognize and enhance their children’s developmental progress. 
• Develop children’s sense of self, beginning internally and broadening to family, classroom and community. 
• Increase children’s sense of dignity and self-worth as important members of their families, classrooms/educational environments and their communities.

Strategies used to achieve the key objectives:

• Provide children with well trained and caring educators.
• Enhance educational services with a strong support team for mental health, health, advocacy and disabilities services.

·         Provide children with rich learning environments, interesting materials and diverse experiences in which to explore new concepts.

·         Integrate health, nutrition, emotional wellness, social competence, and cognitive development into the daily curriculum.

·         Involve families in educational activities to enhance their role as the principle influence in their children’s development.

·         Assist parents to increase their knowledge, understanding, and active participation in their children’s growth and development through:

o   Participation in goal setting for their children

o   Opportunities to contribute to classroom curriculum in various ways

o   Identification of experiences that occur in the home that may be utilized as educational activities

o   Educational opportunities for parents such as workshops, videos, books, newsletters, articles, and individual supports from educators and program specialists

At times, a child’s educational home may need to change due to the needs of the child or family or due to aging out of the program they attend.  When a child nears an age to transition from infant/toddler care to preschool, from preschool to kindergarten, or when a child moves within PCDC program options, the following transition process is followed:

Transition Process

Transitions within the EHS/HS program shall result in the following process:

• Parents will be partners in transfer planning.
• The appropriate staff members will identify program options within PCDC.  A transition checklist will be completed by the current Home Visitor or Advocate to ensure all necessary staff members are involved in the discussion.
• Advocates, Home Visitors and relevant staff will discuss program options with the family in advance of the date when a child is eligible for transition or when the family chooses to transfer to another program option.
• For an Early Head Start to Head Start or public school pre K transition, the discussion begins when the child is 2.6. For an Early Head Start to public school transition for a child with a diagnosed or suspected special need, the transition discussion begins with the family when the child turns two, and continues as the child nears 3 years old.   At 2.9, the public school is notified of the upcoming transfer, and the transition meeting is scheduled.
• Advocates and Home Visitors will fill out the Transfer /Transition Request form and send to the Enrollment Office for placement on the waitlist.  For Early Head Start children, this Transition Request will be filled out when the child is 2.9. 
• When the Early Head Start child is three, or when a Head Start child is transferring within the program, he/she is prioritized as a transfer for the next available space
• The Acceptance Committee will notify relevant staff that the child has been accepted to the new placement.
• Parents visit potential placements with the child before transitioning.  The parent has the final decision of whether the placement is suitable for their child's needs. In the family child care option the provider may make the decision to decline the placement of the child. A transition meeting, facilitated by the Advocate or Home Visitor of the current placement, will be held with relevant staff from the new placement for transfers within PCDC. The transition meeting will provide a structure for exchanging information about the child/family between placements and determine the support needed for the transition, as well as the transfer of the related documentation.

Where possible, the child will participate in transition activities to prepare for the transition.  These activities will include advanced discussion about the move and a visit to the new program.

To determine the best placement for the child, the issues for consideration will be:

ü  The parents’ preference

ü  Make-up of the group the child is leaving/entering

ü  The provider/teacher style and skills in handling particular issues

ü  The level of support needed to complete the transition

When the transfer process is complete:

ü  The child will begin a new setting

ü  The plan for support and follow up will continue as needed.

Kindergarten/Public School Transition: 

The PCDC Education Supervisor/Home Based Coordinator/Family Child Care Manager will be the primary contact for PCDC children. Teacher/Providers/Home Visitors discuss kindergarten/Pre K transition with parents during the second program home visit, typically in early spring for Kindergarten transfers or when the Early Head Start child turns 2.9. Together they document relevant information about the child on an individual transition form.  A copy of this form will be kept in the child’s file; the parent will keep a copy.  The parent and staff person will decide on a plan for passing on this information.  The parent may choose to have the Head Start program send the third copy of the Transition Form or may elect to pass the information personally to the school.  The appropriate staff will follow-up to ensure that the transition of documents has occurred.  Parents ultimately decide what information may be shared with the school.

At the transition meeting an information packet will be given to parents, which will include:

• Educational/informational materials on Kindergarten/Pre K transitions and school readiness;
• Handouts that give parents suggestions on what to ask the Kindergarten/Pre K teacher pertaining to the classroom dynamic, parent role, and curriculum.
• Handouts on Kindergarten/Pre K transition will be translated into the family’s native language whenever possible.

Parents will be notified of Kindergarten registration dates either at this time or as soon as the information is available to staff.  During the final parent/teacher conference, teachers/providers/home visitors will work with parents to resolve any questions or concerns about the transition to Kindergarten/Pre K and offer their support.  A copy of the child’s physical and immunization records are given to the parent when requested.

Kindergarten/Public School Transition for children with documented special needs:

Interagency agreements with local school districts will include transition procedures for children with documented special needs.  Early Childhood Coordinators from the local schools will be notified of the transition process and will discuss what relevant documentation is needed and the appropriate timeline for the school to receive the documentation. 

The Education Site Supervisor/FCC Curriculum Assistant/ Home Based Coordinator will facilitate the transfer of information regarding any child.  When necessary, a transition meeting is scheduled before entrance to Kindergarten/Pre K for all children with documented special needs.  This is an opportunity for parents, teachers/providers/home visitors and appropriate public school staff to discuss transition of children who require special supports that may be unknown to the new placement in order to be successful. 

Parent Involvement in Transition Activities

In partnership, the parent and teacher/provider/home visitor will discuss and decide which relevant information and documentation about the child will be shared with the new placement. Parents will receive a transition folder which will hold all relevant documentation.  A plan for passing this information will be decided by the parent. The parent may choose to have the Head Start Program send the information or may elect to pass the information personally to the new placement. Follow up will be provided by the program to ensure the documents have been transferred.

Throughout the program year, staff/providers work with parents, providing them resources and helping them learn strategies they can use to become their child’s educational advocate. During all transition meetings, including Kindergarten transitions, relevant material will be shared with the child’s new placement.  In instances where the parent is reluctant to share information with the public school, staff members work with parents to explore their concerns. The ultimate goal is to empower parents to understand their own partnership with all their child’s present and future educators.

During the Kindergarten/Pre K transition meeting a formal information packet will be shared between the parent and the caregiver.  Staff will review educational information materials on Kindergarten/Pre K transitions and school readiness with parents and explain handouts that pose possible suggestions on what to ask the Kindergarten/Pre K teacher pertaining to curriculum, classroom dynamics, parent’s roles and how they can volunteer.  With parental permission, dental, health and progress reports may be included in the transition folder.

Parents will be notified of Kindergarten registration dates during the meeting or as soon as the dates are posted by the public schools.  During the final parent/teacher conference, teachers/providers and home visitors will work with parents to resolve any questions or concerns about the transition to kindergarten or other child care placement and will offer their support at needed.  See 1304.41(c) Transition Services.

During each home visit and parent/teacher conference, teachers/providers work with parents to help them understand their rights and responsibilities around their child’s education. For parents who have children with documented specials needs, PCDC provides them with a booklet that explains their rights under ADA and they are given the name and number of the program’s Disabilities Specialist/

During the referral process for children with special needs, staff members work with parents to help them understand the nature of their child’s special need.  Staff members remain sensitive and responsive to the needs of the parent while encouraging them to take the lead role in advocating with specialists and resource providers.

As needed, PCDC will help the parent arrange a pre-placement meeting with the new caregiver or Kindergarten teacher as appropriate in order to share relevant information and special education planning.