Students need to have potty mastery before entering a Kindergarten classroom. This can also be stressful for students, so it is important to build their confidence in their toileting skills. Kindergarten is a very busy day for students and teachers working on academic, social/emotional and fine and gross motor skills. Students are given frequent bathroom breaks as a class and are also free to go if needed throughout the day as long as it doesn't consistently interrupt the learning process. Students need to handle bathroom skills independently and efficiently so that their instructional time, and that of their classmates isn't interrupted. The school does not change diapers or pull-ups. Please click on the buttons below to learn some tips to help with these processes.

Making a transition from home to school can sometimes be difficult for students. Young children need to feel comfortable and be able to adjust to new environments with ease in order for them to relax and learn.

—Practice short separations: Start with short separations and gradually work toward longer ones. For example, you can practice leaving your child with a trusted caregiver for short periods of time.

—Make goodbyes positive and quick: Avoid extended and emotional goodbyes. Instead, offer a brief and calm farewell.

—Be calm and consistent: Stay calm in front of your child, as they often look to you for how to react. Be consistent and follow through on promises.

—Encourage independence: Encourage age-appropriate independence. You can introduce self-reliance gently by letting your child have a few minutes of solitary time when they seem content.

—Provide a comfort item: Have your child bring a special stuffed animal or other item that comforts them.

—Teach problem solving: Teach your child how to problem solve, cope, and reassure herself.

—Praise small victories: Provide support and praise for small victories in separation rather than consequences for the difficulties.

In order for adults to interact with and teach students, they need them to be able to communicate their needs.

Here are some ways to teach students to communicate their needs effectively:

—Active listening: Students can practice actively listening by focusing on the speaker, understanding their message, and providing feedback.

—Empathy: Students can learn to be more attentive and respectful to others' needs and emotions.

—Constructive criticism: Caregivers can provide constructive criticism to help improve relationships and academic growth.

—Clear and concise communication: Students can learn to express their ideas in a clear, organized, and purposeful manner.

—Create a safe environment: Teachers can create a safe and positive classroom environment where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas.

—Positive feedback: Caregivers can emphasize positive feedback by focusing on what students have done well.

—Assertiveness: Students can learn to be clear, direct, and respectful when communicating with others.

—Communicative language games: Caregivers can use communicative language games to improve students' speaking ability.

—Practice: Students can practice effective communication by thinking before speaking, being specific, taking part in debates, and preparing short speeches.

Print awareness, also known as "concepts of print", is the understanding of how print is organized and used, and that it carries meaning. It's a preliteracy skill that helps children develop an interest in reading and build a foundation for other literacy skills. Children with strong print awareness skills are more likely to succeed in learning to read.

—Demonstrate how to use books: Show children how to hold a book, turn the pages, and identify the front and back covers.

—Point out print in the environment: Show children that words on signs, menus, and instructions have meaning.

—Make interactions natural: When you come across print, verbalize what you would normally think, such as "There's a stop sign. I better stop."

—Read aloud: Use open-ended questions to encourage children to draw on their own experiences to make connections with the text.

—Provide opportunities: Children gain some understanding of print concepts on their own, but it's important to provide opportunities to develop these skills.

Beginning math skills should be introduced and practiced.

—Identify colors, shapes, and simple AB patterns

—Count to 20+

—Demonstrate one to one correspondence in counting to 10+

—Understand the difference between letters and numbers

—Sort objects and tell what is alike and what is different