Nielsen Builders Harrisonburg Virginia

Daily News Record
February 8, 2007

Education Coalition
Maps Out Strategy

Success By 6 Seeks To Smooth
Move From Home To Kindergarten

By: Alicia Wotring

   Harrisonburg - Kindergarten isn't all play and naptime like it used to be.
Today, the kindergarten curriculum is so demanding, children have to be
ready when they walk in the door, local education officials say.
   That's the goal of the Success By 6 Coalition of the Shenandoah
Valley.
   The coalition is working to equip schools, families, communities and
health and human services so that when children enter kindergarten,
they're ready to learn.
   Coalition members are brainstorming new programs to help accomplish
the goals and seize necessary funding for such measures. The coalition
met Tuesday in Harrisonburg to discuss the action steps for its strategic
plan.

Smooth Transition
    One of the coalition's goals is to provide a smoother transition for
children entering kindergarten, said Wanda Hamilton, a facilitator for
the coalition's committee on ready schools. Hamilton is also director
for Harrisonburg City Schools' English as a Second Language program.
   The committee is considering "resuming meetings with [private]
preschools in terms of sharing information about the children,"
Hamilton said. Harrisonburg schools have held similar meetings in the
past.
    The meetings would not only help teachers learn about incoming
students, they may also help preschool teachers communicate to
their students what is expected in kindergarten, Hamilton said.
    Another subject the committee discussed is extending some teacher-
training programs in the public schools to private preschools and day-
care centers, Hamilton Said. That can be done relatively easy and
with no extra funding because the schools already have paid for the
training, she said.
   "Once you sit down and talk about it, you think, 'Why haven't we
done this before?'" she said.

Business Bucks
    The ready communities committee is working on some policy-making
goals and involving leaders in government and business, said Betsy
Hay, the facilitator for the committee and executive director of the
United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
   Involving the business community is especially important for the
coalition as it seeks sustained funding.
   "Early childhood readiness equals work force development," Hay said.
   The coalition has picked up some support from the Harrisonburg-
Rockingham Chamber of Commerce and other local businesses such as
Cargill and Nielsen Construction.
   Officials hope to have a more solid idea of action steps for its strategic
plan by its next meeting on May 1.
   For more on Success By 6, contact Pat Kennedy at
keenedpa@cisat.jmu.edu or 568-2557.