Introduction: Every year, we extend an invitation to all of the district’s four year olds to participate in our kindergarten readiness program (Family Oriented Structured Preschool Activity [FOSPA]) program, free of charge. Families are asked to provide transportation and arrange for one or both parents to attend each session.
Design: The program is comprised of 8 sessions, each an hour and a half in length. Each session has three components. The first component consists of an interactive message and a whole-group meeting that features community building games and activities. The second component consists of 2 learning centers: ELA and Math. At the centers, the students are exposed to activities that directly correlate to the NYS Pre-Kindergarten competencies. A follow-up, home activity is described to parents at the end of each week’s centers. The third component consists of free play and socialization for the children, while the parents meet with the FOSPA teacher and various school personnel who speak on such topics as child development, school readiness, health and nutrition, etc… Each of the sessions ends with a read-aloud featuring classic literature. The sessions are conducted by a teacher and a teaching assistant who work collaboratively with the children and parents.
Guidelines: In the interest of providing a quality experience, we have established the following expectations:
1. The child will sit and participate in an activity without getting up and running around. If the child is unable to do this, the parent may be asked to sit behind the child and help him/her stay in place.
2. The child will sit and participate in an activity without being disruptive. If the child is unable to do this, the parent may be asked to take the child outside of the area for a break.
3. The child will respect the personal space of all people. Hitting is unacceptable. If the child is unable to do this, the parent may be asked to take him/her home and try again the following week.
4. The child will use all instructional materials safely. If the child is unable to do this, the parent may be asked to take the child outside of the area for a break.
5. The child will positively respond to parent redirection and correction. If the child is consistently unable to do this, the parent and child may be asked to discontinue their participation and try a later session.
