Guilford County Schools is ramping up support for students and families transitioning to kindergarten this year.
Officials say about two-thirds of incoming kindergarteners were not enrolled in a preschool through the district. Instead, they may have attended a childcare program or been cared for at home by a parent.
That’s why the district’s Early Learning Director Amy Geer says it’s important to build relationships with families in advance: so when they arrive on the first day of school, they’re prepared.
“Because the groundwork has already been laid through our intentional family touchpoints, a sense of belonging comes a little more easily for children and their families," Geer said.
So far this year, Geer says the district has hosted two “Discover Kindergarten” events reaching more than 1,600 people. They set up mock classrooms in local kids museums allowing families to see what the change will be like and learn about registration.
And starting this month, 14 schools will have designated kindergarten transition specialists. They’ll be visiting childcare centers sharing information about GCS and coordinating family engagement opportunities throughout the year.