9/13/23

When kindergarten teacher Cheryl Brown asked incoming kindergartener John what he thought about kindergarten so far, he told her, “It’s exactly what I expected.”

For John, the first day of school won’t be too much of a surprise. That’s in part because he was one of about 80 incoming kindergarteners who signed up for a two-day Kinder Camp at the Sumner Early Learning Center in August.

“Kinder Camp is where kids come in early before the school year starts so they can see what kindergarten is all about,” said Cheryl.

At Kinder Camp, students – and parents – practice pick-up and drop-off procedures, navigate the classroom environment for the first time, meet new classmates and teachers, and make new friends. 

Kinder Camp is also helpful for teachers to determine which classes will work best for students, said ELC Principal Laurie Sjolund. 

“One of the biggest benefits is for teachers to see how students are interacting with the environment – with the classroom, with their peers, with directions,” Laurie said. “Students can get that authentic kindergarten experience.”

Also part of Kinder Camp is a parent component, where parents learn how they can support their child’s learning throughout the school year. About 40 parents signed up to join the camp. 

“I hope they took away new information about readiness and how to support their children before and during the school year,” said Laurie.

One parent, Christina, said she learned skills to be able to help her kinder, Lily, with her reading at home. She also wanted Lily to participate in Kinder Camp so that there will be fewer unknowns on the first day of school.

“Coming here is helping her build connections and friendships,” she said. 

Preparing students to be ready for the future means setting them up for success in the early years of learning. We want all students to be Future Ready!