Kindergarten Welcome and Registration Event

Agenda Template

Attendees:

Principal, KG teachers, secretary and possibly‘other’ staff/volunteers to work with incoming kindergartenerswho are in attendance (e.g. Educational Assistants, high school community service volunteers, etc.)

Materials:

  1. Power point the school has created that shares a day in the life of a kindergartner (see below)
  2. ‘Intent to Enroll’ note-cards for parents to complete and return to secretary.
  3. Registration/Enrollment Packets
  4. Parent’s Guide to Kindergarten booklet
  5. Kindergarten Program Talking Points. This handout can be used as a reference and can support your message, for the evening
  6. Optional:
  7. Refreshments
  8. Materials for use with incoming kindergartners (e.g. crafts, games, books, etc.)
  9. Books to give away to each family (Clifford’s First Day of School); here is a link to a Youtube of this story.

Agenda:

  1. Welcome & Introductions
  2. Open the meeting with the Welcome to Kindergarten video (you may choose to close the meeting with this video)
  3. Introduce Community Partners and provide them with a few minutes to share
  4. Safety Town, Willamalane, Brattain House, KITS, PTA/Parent Group, etc.
  5. Show the Day in the Life of a Kindergarten power point presentation. The power point contains chronological slides/pictures that display such things as:
  • School’s mission or vision
  • PBIS expectations
  • Instructional Parameters
  • Daily schedule or start/end time (this will likely be unknown at the time of the event)
  • Routines to start/end the day
  • Specials (music, library, art, etc.)
  • Support staff; photos of staff members
  • Reading/Literacy Block
  • Math
  • Recess
  • Lunch
  • Writing
  • Art
  • Centers
  • Science/Social Skills
  • ELL, Titleand/or Sped
  • Samples of student work that depict ‘first of year’ and ‘end of year’ performance (writing and/or math samples).
  • Important dates or future events (does your school have a late spring event, summer events, etc.)
  • Invite families to email if they have questions; share the school’s contact information. Using the ‘Intent to Enroll’ cards, the school can produce a list serve for use to email incoming families, from time to time, between now and September. Email messages can answer commonly asked questions, share information about the school/events and begin building a positive partnership with families….and foster excitement for the year ahead!

Throughout power point, provide commentary that shares details and enthusiasm about the school and full day kindergarten!

  1. Distribute Registration/Enrollments Packets and ‘Intent to Enroll’ note cards. The secretary will, in turn, give families an enrollment packet. The ‘Intent to Enroll’ card provides the school with a record of families that have taken an enrollment packet. This list can serve as a reference for schools to use to follow up with families who attended the Welcome/Registration Event.
  2. Share a list of school supplies, with teachers showing examples of the supplies (optional)
  3. Share the Parents Guide to Kindergarten booklet, conducting a short ‘book walk’ by flipping the parents through the booklet to familiarize them with the resources outlined inside.
  4. Close the meeting with the Welcome to Kindergarten video (you may choose to open the meeting with this video)
  5. Questions and Answers

Other Considerations:

  • Ice Breakers:
  • Hang a neighborhood map and have families put a pin with their contact information on their house if they are interested in preschool play dates, carpooling, or a walking school bus. This will help with attendance and also makes getting to school fun. OR
  • Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten
  • Each table discusses tips on how they can support their child in getting ready plan to get ready for the new school schedule
  • Reserve interpretation kits for Spanish language
  • Serve cookies or ice-cream at the end
  • Have 5th graders serve as tour guides and/or assistants during the event
  • Give each family the Clifford Goes to School book as a parting gift
  • Excuse incoming kindergarteners to classrooms, with EAs (or other staff, high school volunteers, etc.), to engage in a fun activity. Activities might include:
  • Theme oriented
  • Center time; rotations
  • Art project
  • Read-a-loud
  • Short video
  • Sing-a-long

Prepared by the Full Day Kindergarten Task Force

02.12.15