Group In Crookston Hopes to Ensure Kindergarten Readiness

• Practicing Writing

Practicing Writing

Talk about it

CROOKSTON, MN (WDAZ-TV) - A group in Crookston is being proactive in getting their youngsters ready to kindergarten.

That's because research has shown nearly 50 percent of kindergarten students in Minnesota are not ready for school.

Reading, writing, math, whether it's the A,B,C's or 1,2,3's, not every child is ready for kindergarten. In fact, nearly half are not quite ready.

"The statistics say 50 percent of our children and that's what we were finding so it really is all about getting everyone together," Washington Elementary Principal Denice Oliver said.

That is the goal of the Crookston Early Childhood Summit. Bringing together not only educators, but daycare providers, preschool and parents as standards change.

"In the first grade used to be they learned to read and write where now it's kindergarten so we're bringing awareness to the community that the more prepared the kids can be as they are entering kindergarten the better off they'll be," Kindergarten Teacher Renee Tangquist said.

The group is in the early stages of coming together. One of their first goals is to prepare tool kits for families, which will include books, games and tools for families to help get their child ready.

"Part of that is social, emotional growth, part of it is reading to your child, part of it is having those important discussions of things they see in the world," Oliver said.

The group will have its first meeting with early childhood educators in March, hoping by fall more students will walk through those doors with the knowledge they need to succeed.

"We're coming together so that we can really talk about what are some of the good things that are already happening to prepare kindergartner's and how can we collectively come together so we're on the same page with those," Tangquist said.

March will be there first meeting, followed by two more meetings with childcare providers and then parents to help align pre-kindergarten standards to meet the schools. They hope to wrap these meetings up before school begins in the fall.

Tags: your town, lezlie johnson, reporter stories, crookston, minnesota, edcuation, news, updates