Transition to Kindergarten
Dear Early Childhood Teachers,
We are thrilled to be providing the Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley Transition to Kindergarten Assessment again this year! Once again, all 7 school systems in our area are participating. When you download the forms, make sure you download the cover letter as mailing instructions vary a bit with each system. This year we are also asking for Pre-K teachers to share non-identifying class data with Smart Beginnings. The data reporting form is available for download, and should be returned to Smart Beginnings by JUNE 1.
Please mail the assessment to receiving school systems by JUNE 1 so the information can be used by schools as they are making class lists.
A few reminders:
- Review the cover letter for details in completing the assessment in order to maintain consistency.
- Share the results with parents and request their signature at the bottom.
- When talking with parents, remember to record the name of the school their child is attending.
- If parents have not registered their child, encourage them to do it now before the summer break.
- If you already use the PALS pre-K, simply attach this assessment to the PAL S record sheet and mail both to the school or central office contact (see cover letter).
- Don’t forget to complete the data sheet for Smart Beginnings! Your participation will help us get a snapshot of school readiness for pre-K children across all 7 school systems.
If you have any questions about the assessment or process, feel free to contact Alysia Davis, Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley Coordinator, at 540-568-8968 or davis4am@jmu.edu. You may also contact Kelley Davis, chair of the Smart Beginnings Transition to Kindergarten Team, at kdavis@pagecounty.k12.va.us.
Again, thank you for joining with us in using this tool as one step in creating a smoother transition to kindergarten for children and their families in the Shenandoah Valley.
Sincerely,
Transition to Kindergarten Team
Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley