By Aisha White
Director at Ready Freddy  

Parents of children eligible for kindergarten in Pittsburgh Public Schools the 2014-2015 school year are invited to participate in Ready Freddy Kindergarten Clubs.

Ready Freddy, a transition program designed to ease the move into kindergarten, offers free “Kindergarten Club” sessions for parents and children eligible for kindergarten (child is 5 years old by September 30). The first day of Kindergarten for Pittsburgh Public Schools this year is August 28th. Ready Freddy currently partners with seven Pittsburgh Public Schools, working with principals, teachers and other staff to make the transition to kindergarten easier for children and parents. The seven partnering schools are: Martin Luther King PreK-8, Arlington PreK-8, Langley K-8, Faison K-5, Weil PreK-5, Spring Hill K-5, and Miller PreK-5.

National studies highlight the fact that nearly half of children struggle with the transition into Kindergarten. Involving parents in the transition process is one of the most promising practices to ensure a child’s smooth transition into school.

Kindergarten and PreK teachers, social workers, and other early childhood educators will facilitate the six 2-hour Kindergarten Club sessions hosted at: Pittsburgh Allegheny on the Northside, and Arlington PreK-2 School on the Southside. (While place of residence will not exclude families, parents whose children will be attending King and Spring Hill are especially encouraged to attend the Northside club, and parents whose children will be attending Arlington are encouraged to attend the Southside club.) Sessions will run from 12:00 to 2:00 each day.

Ready Freddy’s free Kindergarten Club (K-Club) workshops are designed for children and their parents and include fun learning activities that also help connect families to their child’s school. A full lunch will be provided for families at every session. As a highlight, this year’s closing club sessions will include a S.T.E.A.M. activity presented by staff from ASSEMBLE. The activity was made possible through a grant from the Sprout Fund. Parents interested in enrolling in a neighborhood K-Club should contact Medina Jackson, Ready Freddy Outreach Coordinator, at 412-383-7019 or mjackson@pitt.edu.

Parents inquiring about Kindergarten Clubs are also encouraged to enroll their children in kindergarten before the start of the new school year. Parents need 2 proofs of address, child’s birth certificate and up to date immunization records to register. Parents who plan to enroll their children in Pittsburgh Public Schools kindergarten during the summer should call the Pittsburgh Public Schools Parent Hotline at: 412-622-7920.

The Ready Freddy program is designed to help children, their families, communities and schools implement and celebrate successful, positive transition into and through kindergarten and is part of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, whose mission is to improve the lives of children and families.