Knox School Board Receives Grants from Starke County Community Foundation

Starke County Community Foundation Director of Development Jessica Martinović presents checks to School Board President Kirk Bennett

More than $18,000 in grant funding was presented to the Knox School Board Monday. The school corporation is once again getting $15,000 for Kindergarten Countdown from the Hardesty Memorial Endowment Fund. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Peggy Shidaker told board members that the Countdown camp is designed for any incoming kindergarten student who hasn’t attended preschool.

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Knox Elementary School Gets $40,000 Grant for New Playground Equipment

Knox Elementary School’s playground equipment will be getting some major upgrades, thanks to Lowe’s Operation Playground grant of more than $40,000. Representatives from the Plymouth Lowe’s store presented a giant check to the Lil’ Redskins Booster Club and other school officials during Thursday’s Basketball Bonanza event. That, along with $16,000 raised by the booster club, will be used to replace the west end playground used by first and second graders.

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Kindergarten Countdown Benefits 20 Students

Kids learned several important skills prior during the Kindergarten Countdown
Kids learned several important skills prior during the Kindergarten Countdown. Photo provided.

The Kindergarten Countdown program held at the Knox Elementary School in June was a success this year.

Twenty children received an early education before they enter Kindergarten this fall. Students who attend preschool often obtain better scores on tests, have better social skills and are more understanding of routines than those who do not attend a preschool program.

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Books Needed for Knox Kindergarten Countdown

 
 

Students who take part in the Kindergarten Countdown program at Knox Elementary School this summer will each get a book of their own to take home every day of the three-week enrichment experience. IU Health Starke Hospital and the Knox Community School Corporation are joining forces for a community book drive. Knox Curriculum Director Peggy Shidaker says books should be appropriate for youngsters in the 4 to 5 years old age range. She says books like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, books from “Pete the Cat” series by Kimberly and James Dean and favorite like “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” by Laura Numeroff are extremely popular. They all teach children sequencing and predicting, which are fundamental to brain development. Continue reading

Knox Elementary Hosting Kindergarten Countdown

 
 

Knox Elementary School is once again offering a three-week Kindergarten Countdown to help students who have little or no preschool experience get ready to start school in the fall. Curriculum director Peggy Shidaker says it gives youngsters an idea of what to expect.
“They experience the type of class atmosphere and learning that actually happens or will happen when they enter kindergarten. They have an opportunity to ride a school bus, which the kids absolutely love. They’ll eat breakfast with their peers, and they’ll eat lunch with them as well. Since it is actually kindergarten readiness, the students will be immersed in those literacy and math skills to help those students enter kindergarten at the same academic levels as their peers, or at least close to the same academic levels as their peers who have had some preschool.” Continue reading

Kindergarten Countdown Kicks Off Today In Knox

The Kindergarten Countdown camp begins today at Knox Community Elementary School.

Sponsored by IU Health Starke Hospital and Starke United, this session offers incoming kindergarten children with little or no prior prekindergarten experience a chance to get into a classroom setting and participate in activities to get them ready for school this fall. Breakfast and lunch will be provided and each student will receive a free book to take home each day.

Kindergarten Countdown begins today and runs until Wednesday, June 20.