By Kelly Youngblood
Getting families and incoming kindergarten students connected to the Urbana School District is the goal of Kindergarten Connection, which will be held Tuesday, April 8 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Urbana Civic Center. (http://www.chambanamoms.com/events/usd-116-kindergarten-connection/)
“We want to start that partnership (with families) right away in the spring,” said Darcy Silver, a Title I Reading Teacher at Leal Elementary and Coordinator at the district’s central office.
Kindergarten Connection is for parents of children in the Urbana School District who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2014. It’s where parents can start the registration process and find out more about what they can expect during their child’s first year of school.
This is the third year the event has been centralized and held at the Urbana Civic Center. Silver said many of the district’s resources will be present including social workers, Title I teachers, kindergarten transition teachers, and school secretaries.
Parents do not need to bring their child with them that day unless their child speaks a language other than English or a language other than English is spoken in the home. If that’s the case, the child should attend to complete an English Language Proficiency Screening.
Silver said parents will learn which of the six Urbana elementary schools their child will attend (which is based on their address/residence). After filling out some forms, they will meet with a school social worker to answer some questions about their child.
They will also meet with a kindergarten transition teacher and receive some materials to take home to help ready their child for kindergarten. Parents will also be able to sign up for a kindergarten screening to be held in August.
In the event of an emergency and parents are unable to attend the Kindergarten Connection, they may call Jennifer Frerichs at 217-384-3565 or email jfrerichs@usd116.org to learn what the next steps will be. Silver encourages parents to register sooner rather than later.
Parent should bring their child’s official birth certificate, photo ID, proof of residency, and phone numbers of emergency contacts and doctors.
For more information about the event, go to http://www.usd116.org/index.php/parents/incoming-kindergarten-parents/.
Dual Language Program
Native Spanish speakers entering kindergarten are offered placement into the Spanish Dual Language Program, a bilingual education program that provides academic instruction in Spanish and English.
Native English speaking families who would like their child enrolled in the Spanish Dual Language Program may apply for the program and, if necessary, a lottery will be held to determine placement. Students accepted into the program will be notified in May.
The Spanish Dual Language Program is located at Prairie and Leal Schools but all students entering kindergarten and first grade in the district may apply
Guadalupe Ricconi is the Elementary Coordinator of Bilingual & Multicultural Programs for Urbana School District.
According to Ricconi, “We are having great success with the program,” she said.
Ricconi says tours of the dual language classrooms are available for interested parents. Parents should contact Leal or Prairie Schools to schedule a tour. Applications for the Dual Language Program are due April 11. They can be turned in at Kindergarten Connection or to the Leal or Prairie School main offices.
For more information about the Dual Language Program, contact Joseph Wiemelt, Director of Equity & Student Learning, Bilingual & Multicultural Programs, at 217-384-3650 or email jwiemelt@usd116.org.
Kelly is a freelance writer and a mom to three wild and wonderful children. She has lived in the C-U area for most of her life but is still finding new and interesting things to do in the area.
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