The Knox Community School Corporation, along with IU Health Starke Hospital and Starke United, are teaming up to offer a Kindergarten Countdown program that will begin Monday, June 20th. The two week Kindergarten mini-camp is for those students entering Kindergarten who have had no exposure to Pre-School. Peggy Shidaker, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Knox schools, says this is a great jump start program for these children.
“Basically, they’re going to be going over some literacy and math skills,” said Shidaker. “The first two days, they will be having some pre-assessments called ‘Get Ready to Read’. Research has shown us that half of the children who enter Kindergarten have difficulty with that transition. Research also shows us that at least half of our students do not have the literacy skills needed to enter Kindergarten.”
39 students have been identified that qualify to participate in this program but due to budgeting, only about 20 students can participate in the mini-camp. Students will be received on a first come, first served basis. The students will be provided with breakfast and lunch and transportation and they will receive a free book every day they attend class. If you have a beginning reader book that you can donate, take it to IU Health Starke Hospital.
