Kindergarten readiness isn't only knowing how to share with classmates or count to 10. Sometimes, it's knowing where the bathroom is. It's practicing raising your hand. It's walking through the cafeteria. It's meeting the adults you'll see every day. And sometimes, it's learning that Mom or Dad won't always be right beside you.
At Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary, a United Way Community School, that work starts before the school year even begins.
Through a series of family-style kindergarten readiness workshops, incoming students and their families are getting the chance to walk the halls, meet school staff, and practice new routines.
During one workshop, the expERIEnce Children’s Museum brought interactive play directly to the students. Those experiences also gave students the opportunity to slowly become more independent.
“Throughout the workshops, some of the students start out very shy and do not want to move away from their family,” said Pfeiffer-Burleigh Community School Director, Courtney Tirak. “But by the end, they are joining in with the other kids and the families are sitting back and watching.”
For families who attended multiple workshops, that comfort became even more noticeable. Students began walking ahead during tours, finding the library or bathroom on their own and sitting with other children instead of only with their families.
And the workshops aren't only about getting the students ready.
When Courtney asked one mother how she was feeling about kindergarten, her response said it best:
“Oh, she is ready. She has been ready. This is for me!”
By giving families a chance to experience school together before the year begins, Pfeiffer-Burleigh is helping make that first day feel a little less unfamiliar for everyone.