The Cherry Pre-K Advantage The Cherry Pre-K Advantage Show Transcript welcome to the Pre-K Advantage at Cherry Elementary in Bay City Texas the purpose of this video is to help you understand the eligibility requirements for Texas Pre-K give you a look into what our students experience every day and demonstrate how our program prepares children for a successful transition into kindergarten if you have a young child at home that first day of kindergarten can feel like it's a million miles away and at the same time like it's happening to tomorrow it's a lot to think about so how do you make sure your little 1 is ready for that huge step well we're going to walk through an amazing resource right here in Bay City that can give your child a fantastic Head Start ah this is it the big question the 1 that probably keeps a lot of us parents up at night is my child really ready for kindergarten it feels like such a Monumental step but what does ready even mean is it all about knowing that alphabet or is there more to it let's dive in and figure that out together all right so to answer that big question first we have to know what we're actually aiming for let's break down what kindergarten Readiness really looks like not just to us but to Educators and Child Development experts this is so important you know when we talk about a child being ready we're really looking at the whole picture of course early reading skills are a piece of that puzzle but look at these other things they are just as critical learning how to get along with other kids how to handle big feelings without a meltdown and just gain a little bit of Independence it's kind of like building the foundation for a house you need all the pieces to be strong for the whole thing to stand tall well okay so if that's our goal how do we get there that's the great news Texas has a real really powerful program designed to build this exact foundation for our youngest Learners so what exactly is Pre-K simply put it's a free program offered right through your public school district for kids who are eligible and let's be clear this this is not just daycare it's a real school program with certified teachers and the school program focuses on developing that whole child Pre-K matters because it builds the foundational early literacy skills and social emotional growth that creates strong School Readiness here students learn the essentials letters and sounds vocabulary and speaking skills they also dive into math by exploring counting numbers shapes and patterns and Beyond academics Cherry Elementary focuses on whole Child Development teaching children how to share how to cooperate and how to manage their emotions all while developing fine and gross motor skills through learning through play and that of course leads to the next big question for your family so let's take a look at the actual criteria and see if your child might be able to join our amazing program okay let's get into the nitty-gritty because this is where it gets real for you first off to be eligible at Cherry Elementary your child needs to be 4 years old by September 1st of the school year then and this is the key part your family only needs to meet 1 of these conditions it could be based on language so if English isn't the primary language at home you might qualify it could be based on income like if you qualify for the free or reduced price lunch program or it could be based on your family's circumstances for kids in foster care those families experiencing homelessness or children in a military family the whole idea is to give a powerful boost to the kids who can benefit from it the most so let's say your child qualifies and gets a spot what does a day in pre-k actually look like well I can tell you it's definitely not about sitting quietly at desks all day it is all about discovery this really gets to the heart and soul of pre-K philosophy it's all about nurturing the entire child not just the part of their brain that memorizes facts let's see what that really means in practice I absolutely love this breakdown on the 1 hand you've got the skills for their mind the academic building blocks we all think of but just look at that right side the skills for their heart these are just as important learning to share handling frustration taking turns making friends and beginning to solve simple problems independently these aren't just soft skills they're the fundamental skills that make all of the other learning possible think about it a child who knows how to take a turn is a child who can actually participate in a group lesson that balances the real magic of pre-K so how in the world do they learn all this stuff the secret ingredient is something called play-based learning now that might just sound like playtime but it is so so much more it's incredibly intentional teachers are masterminds at designing activities whether it's building with blocks or playing in a pretend kitchen that teach specific skills through play kids are learning all all about problem solving vocabulary and social rules and the best part they don't even realize they're learning it's truly how kids are wired to figure out the world now prek is amazing but the school can't do it all on their own the single most important person in any child's education is you so let's talk about how your partnership is absolutely essential to their success and here's the best part you're probably already doing much of this these aren't complicated homework assignments they're simple powerful habits just reading 1 book at bedtime asking what if questions in the car sticking to a simple morning routine these small everyday moments add up in a huge way they are literally what builds a brain that's wired and ready to learn so when you put it all together that awesome play-based learning from the classroom and those simple loving habits at home you get this this is what a kindergarten ready kid looks like and notice the mix again sure it's recognizing letters and counting but it's also following directions and being able to manage their own needs like washing their hands or putting on their jacket this is a child who can walk into that kindergarten classroom feeling confident capable and ready to soar ultimately this is the real go right it's not just about checking boxes to get them ready for kindergarten it's about launching them on a lifelong journey of learning at Cherry Elementary we take pride in giving them this strong start as we help to build Furious confident and independent Learners who are ready to Take On The World of learning and that is a gift that will last a lifetime thank you for exploring the Pre-K Advantage by maintaining strong School home communication and a supportive environment we are preparing students for a bright future that starts right here at Cherry Elementary
