Director's Column: Kindergarten Screenings and Registration
Kindergarten registration and screenings are just around the corner! On March 4, Newton Public Schools will host an information night for families new to Newton Public Schools, at Brown Middle School. Individual screenings are held March 3rd- March 20th. If your child is going to Kindergarten this fall and you have not received a census card from their school, go to https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/kindergarten to find your school and get more information about registration and screenings.
At Bowen, we work to prepare children and their families for the adjustment to Kindergarten in many ways. Throughout the year, we are preparing them academically, socially and emotionally, and helping them develop their fine motor and gross motor skills, all to help them thrive in a larger classroom with a larger student/teacher ratio.
In addition, we work in conjunction with the elementary schools to help them with their screenings and placements. Over the next month the teachers will be doing mock screenings with the children going to Kindergarten, not to “prep” them, but to help them understand and become comfortable with the process. In addition, the teachers will be filling out Student Information Forms provided by Newton Public Schools, which will give the schools a more well-rounded picture of your child as well as information the teachers feel will help with the placement of your child.
In 5-Day, we hold parent teacher conferences a little early, for those families who are deciding whether to send their children to Pre-K or Kindergarten. There are many different reasons to consider an extra year of preschool. You may want to give your child an extra year to grow socially or emotionally. You may have concerns about their academic skills. You may be thinking ahead to middle school and high school and asking yourself how they will feel being the oldest or youngest in their class. You may simply want to give them an extra year of learning through play. It is not always an easy decision and only you can make it. You know your child best, but the teachers and I are happy to share our thoughts and advice.
Although the process and transition may seem daunting now, rest assured that, when the time comes, you and your child will be ready!
Best, Nina