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Mr. York Powers Kindergarten Readiness Coordinator 429-3000 ypowers@dps61.org

Going to school for the first time is one of the most important experiences in a child's life. School can be an exciting place, where children meet new and different people and get to do many new and different things. There's a lot to see, a lot to do, and a lot to learn.

If children are ready for kindergarten, it can be a wonderful experience that makes them feel good about themselves, good about school, and eager to learn.

But if children aren't ready, beginning school can be confusing and embarrassing, even frightening. Both boys and girls can start to feel bad about themselves, to dislike school, and not do as well as they could. This can happen if a child hasn't been to any school before, is new to the neighborhood or the country, or speaks a different language than most of the other children. Once a child feels this way, it can be very hard to change.

Many children also go to school unprepared because their parents, or others who care for them, are not aware of what children need to know to be ready for school, and that parents, themselves, are the best people to teach these things to children.

Early Childhood Education Works' website, along with an extensive outreach program is devoted to this very topic.

The purpose of the site is to help this community prepare our children for future success. We share ways to help children acquire cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills, as well as nurture language and literacy development.

You may be asking, " Who are childcare providers?"

Well here is the answer: " YOU ARE."

Family, friends and neighbors – everyone who takes care of young children – are childcare providers. Every interaction and every activity that children have, provide valuable opportunities to help children learn and grow.