Early Childhood aged children thrive on routine, so when a new school year comes along, it is important to help our students acclimate to prepare them for the changes that a new year brings, such as a new classroom, teacher, routines and for our new students, a new school or their first school experience.
Here's what we did to help with that process:
1) Two weeks before the school year began, we sent out to each family a package with two social stories. Social stories tell a story about what will happen and what the expectations are. The stories we sent home were about getting ready in the morning and going to preschool.
2) We held a parent orientation so parents would be familiar with the routines and expectations that we have at JPA.
3) Families were invited to a fun day at school on the Sunday before school began. We had an exciting petting zoo with a goat, horse, chickens, and a sheep. Families were able to spend time together while the children played on the bounce house, colored pictures and enjoyed an animal themed water table.
4) On Monday, children were assigned an hour time slot to come with their parents to drop off their supplies and spend time in their classroom with only one or two other children present.
5) On Tuesday, new students had half a day and left before nap time.
In another blog post, we'll talk about the routines and procedures that we have at drop off and throughout the day to provide predictability and a secure environment.