Starting kindergarten is a momentous day for both children and parents. Not only is the student entering the school system for the first time – where he’ll be residing for the next 15 years – but it’s often the parents’ first introduction to the school district as well. To make the transition from preschooler to elementary student as smooth as possible for the entire family, and help parents understand how the recent school reconfiguration affects kindergarten, the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District held its annual kindergarten round-up in May.
Unlike past years, this month’s round-up was a district-wide event with two presentations, one at Truckee Elementary and the other at the Boys & Girls Club in Kings Beach. Previously, each individual school held its own kindergarten presentation, forcing parents who were deciding between schools to attend multiple meetings. This time, parents were able to get information about all five schools at either round-up, which was given by the school principals and kindergarten teachers. ‘In the past, it was the parents’ job to find out about each school,’ said Glenshire Elementary Principal Kathleen Gauthier, who helped organize the round-up. ‘This year we’d rather be more coordinated as a district.’ Both talks were held in English and Spanish.
The round-up included information about how the reconfiguration process – which was passed last month by the TTUSD Board of Trustees – impacts kindergarten. Only two schools’ kindergarten programs were affected by the reconfiguration – Kings Beach and Tahoe Lake – while Truckee, Glenshire and Donner Trail remain the same. Kings Beach, which used to offer English Immersion, Structured English Immersion (SEI) and Two-Way Immersion (TWI), will now only offer the latter. TWI classes are composed of an even amount of Spanish and English-speaking students, but instruction is taught in Spanish with the goal of students becoming bi-literate.
Tahoe Lake will incorporate both English Immersion (also known as English Mainstream) and SEI, where classes are held primarily in English but teachers can offer support in Spanish. English and Spanish speakers will be integrated in all classes at both schools, which are now kindergarten through third grade (before, the schools went up to fifth grade).
The TWI program is not reserved solely for Kings Beach or North Shore students. Truckee children can, and are encouraged to, enroll in the TWI program: ‘If the program is to be successful, we need Truckee parents to choose TWI,’ said Gauthier.
The only other school that follows a different program is Donner Trail, which is an alternative school with small class sizes (around 60 total students) and combination classes. All children are eligible to attend Donner Trail, and the round-up explained specifics surrounding this alternate school, plus provided instructions on how to apply.
At the other schools, teacher to student ratio may increase due to recent lay-offs spurned by the district’s budget deficit. Last year, the kindergarten ratio was 20 students to one teacher, but according to Gauthier it may increase to 24 to 1.
School administrators also discussed what a kindergarten day looks like in terms of student readiness and curriculum. Children attend class for four hours and 15 minutes at all the schools, but some, like Kings Beach, have different start times (the norm is 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.). Kindergarten has also become more academically rigorous in recent years, so Gauthier stressed the importance of making sure each child is socially, emotionally and academically ready to attend.
As for the required age at time of attendance, ‘The State of California allows kids to go to kindergarten who are 4 by Dec. 2,’ Gauthier explained. ‘This is one of the latest cut-off dates in the country but California has some of the highest standards.’ Gauthier said the district does not like holding back students once they have reached first grade. ‘The best scenario is that children start when they are ready to go,’ she said. ‘Kids are more successful if they are developmentally ready.’
A slide-show went over what is covered in a typical kindergarten week: reading, writing, science, math, social studies, art, music, PE, computers and library. Presenters also discussed registration requirements, such as immunizations and physicals, and enrollment packages were available on site. Enrollment packages are also currently available at all the schools. To complete enrollment, parents will need a copy of their child’s birth certificate, immunization records and proof of address.
Also on the round-up agenda was information about transportation, parent volunteer opportunities and joining the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
