Countdown to Kindergarten
Countdown to Kindergarten is an intensive 4- to 8-week program
designed to successfully bring at-risk children into the
K-12 school environment— a bridge between home and
school. It works by getting parents involved in home learning
activities with their children and family/child interaction
with education professionals.
To be eligible, these children must have or had developmental
delays, be eligible for free or reduced lunch, live in non-
or little- English-speaking homes, those from homes with
low parental educational levels, and those living with someone
other than their parents.
Three components of this program are as follows:
Public Awareness
Practical tools and articles are distributed through the news media, the internet,
and community locations to help parents and communities prepare children for
kindergarten.
Kindergarten Home Visitation
Each family with a child in this program receives home visits from a certified
local kindergarten teacher and teacher assistant. During the visits, children
and families are introduced to actual class materials and are given their own
Kindergarten Transition Toolkit—with books, puzzles, clay, blocks, and
other materials to be used in the home. |
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Countdown Celebration
At the end of the four-week period, rising kindergarten students, their families
and teacher celebrate this important summer milestone marking the end of home
visits and the beginning of school with a special event.
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