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Starters get chance to ‘pounce’

Students in Mrs. Lindquist’s class.

SOUTH DAYTON — The Pine Valley Central School District was recently awarded a competitive grant from the state Council on Children and Families to implement new and innovative kindergarten transition activities for children entering kindergarten in the 2023-24 school year.

“The items purchased through this grant will help families have the materials and tools needed to support their child’s learning and growth at home both before school begins and throughout the school year,” said Carrie Davenport, Director of Special Education and Curriculum for the district.

Pine Valley received one of just five grants awarded. The $9,900 funding will allow the district to hold a “Pounce into Kindergarten” event for families of students entering kindergarten.

Backpacks are an important part of the school experience and are often a student’s treasured possession. Many families cannot afford size-appropriate backpacks or have the resources to support learning at home. The grant will allow families to “shop” for a backpack and school supplies like a whiteboard, crayons, dry erase marker and pencils as they visit areas of the building.

The grant will also allow for the purchase of 10 books per student to support reading aloud to students at home. In addition, families will be given “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn and “The Night Before Kindergarten” by Natasha Wing in order to support students socially and emotionally through the transition to kindergarten.

Prekindergarten students Luella Visker and Sally Emke-Walker.

The math instructional coach will share resources with families on games to play at home that promote number sense. Families will also be provided with a magnetic counting math kit that has a variety of games intended to develop number sense in students that they can play at home.

Finally, to help welcome families into the Pine Valley Panther family, they will have an opportunity to create a family poster that will be displayed in the building so students and staff can get to know our newest panthers.

“A team will be created to help further develop the plan for kindergarten transition and how to utilize the awarded funds,” added Davenport.

The funding was made possible through the CCF’s Preschool Development Birth through Five Planning Grant.

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