Summit Academy Community School – Warren and Summit Academy – Youngstown will each host a Mock Kindergarten Day, May 1. The Warren event runs from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and the Youngstown school event will take place from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Summit Academy Community School- Warren (RSVP at 330-369-4233) is located at 2106 Arbor Ave. S.E., Warren. Summit Academy Youngstown (RSVP at 330-259-0421) is located at 144 N. Schenley Ave., Youngstown.
The free fun-filled events are being offered to acquaint families and their children with the schools and their programming. Each will offer stations for children to complete a craft, listen to a story, watch a therapeutic martial arts demonstration and enjoy a snack.
“Taking the right preparation steps can help a child transition to kindergarten by easing anxieties, building confidence and equipping them with essential skills for success,” says Summit Academy Schools Assistant Superintendent Rebeca Tyner.
To help children and their families make a smooth transition to kindergarten, Summit Academy offers these tips.
- Practice independence skills.
Children should be potty-trained before kindergarten age. If they can tie their shoes and zip their jackets, those are added pluses. For children still learning to tie their shoes, slip-on varieties provide good options.
In addition, teach children use the bathroom independently, to wash their hands and open lunch containers. Activities like cutting with safety scissors, drawing and playing with Play-Doh will help them develop hand strength for writing.
- Establish a routine.
Have a structure in place. It is never too early to start establishing a routine with your child.
Children accustomed to waking up early, getting dressed and practicing sitting and reading skills as if they were at school will make the transition to kindergarten smooth.
Likewise, setting up a regular and early bedtime will help students stay focused and alert throughout the day.
- Read to your child.
Infancy is the right time to start reading to your child daily to build your child’s vocabulary, listening skills and love for books.
Whether it is a story before bedtime or throughout the day, the exposure to words and sounds will help make a child’s early school years easier.
- Encourage social skills.
Teaching your child to take turns, share, say “please” and “thank you” and use kind words will go a long way in kindergarten and throughout life.
Development of these social skills will serve as a springboard to help students follow school rules such as walking in line, raising their hands to speak and being kind to each other.
- Visit the school with your child.
Attend an open house or schedule a visit to familiarize your child with the school, classroom and teachers.
To apply to Summit Academy online, visit https://summitacademies.org/online-enrollment/.