CABOT — Kindergarten can be a scary moment in a kid’s life. It can be even scarier for parents.
“It’s a stressful time for parents with the transition of letting go and giving your child to the school district,” said Kelly Spencer, health and wellness coordinator for the Cabot Public Schools.
To help parents prepare for the milestone, the Cabot Public School District is offering a class, Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten, through the new Panther Academy of Wellness and Social/Emotional Development (PAWS Ed).
The free class will be held at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. April 16 at the Central Administrative Office, 602 N. Lincoln St. in Cabot.
A panel of four kindergarten teachers from the district will lead a discussion on what the typical kindergarten day looks like, what activities can help prep a child for kindergarten and what children should know academically, socially and emotionally before their first day.
“We are hopeful that each student comes to kindergarten with the understanding that they will be part of a classroom family, where they will have responsibilities that will affect not only themselves but also other members of the classroom,” said Jamie Linderman, a kindergarten teacher at Magness Creek Elementary School.
Linderman, who will be one of the teachers at the panel, is hopeful that this opportunity will give parents a chance to see how kindergarten has changed since the time they were in school.
“I think parents, especially those who do not have older children in school, would be surprised to hear how the curriculum and expectations have changed since they were in school,” Linderman said. “We are busy all day, from working in cooperative groups to reading and writing independently for extended periods of time.”
Linderman hopes the session will put parents at ease about high expectations as well.
“We also want the parents to understand we will … tailor our instruction to meet the needs of each child socially, emotionally and academically while in our classrooms,” Linderman said.
The kindergarten prep class is part of an increased effort by the Cabot district to get parents, students, staff and the community educated on a variety of health topics. The PAWS Ed program began this year with events such as fitness classes for staff and a new anti-bullying program for students.
The final class in the series of community outreach classes will be held May 20 and will cover prescription-drug abuse.
To register for the kindergarten prep class, contact Kelly Spencer at (501) 843- 3363, ext. 1204, or kelly.spencer@cps.k12.ar.us.
Staff writer Emily Van Zandt can be reached at (501) 399-3688 or evanzandt@arkansasonline.com.