Getting ready for kindergarten

While New York City is expanding access to universal pre-kindergarten, that is not necessarily the case on Long Island, where districts are just getting back state aid that had been lost in recent years, and must develop budgets within the tax cap.

The Seaford Community Preschool, which is part of the Seaford United Methodist Church, has looked to fill the void with its kindergarten readiness program. With full-day kindergarten the new reality, the school’s five-hour program is designed to prepare children for that adjustment.

“This program simulates what a full day of school is like for them,” said Director Siri Willis, a certified elementary education teacher. “When they start kindergarten, they’ve at least experienced some of the aspects of kindergarten.”

Children in the program come to school at 9:30 a.m. for a two-and-a-half hour pre-school session. But instead of going home, they have a half-hour lunch, then two more hours in the classroom.

The program is for 4-year-olds who will be entering kindergarten the following year. While most enrolled are from Seaford, Willis said they do have students from Wantagh, Massapequa and other neighboring communities.

Willis explained that not all children in the morning pre-school program stay for lunch and the afternoon session, but most do. “It’s not mandatory,” she said. “It’s optional but it’s hugely popular.”

Christine Kollar, the school’s program coordinator, explained the importance of having the children stay for lunch. They are able to learn cafeteria etiquette and practice skills like putting their straw in a juice box, which she explained may seem simple for an adult but is not for a child still developing their motor skills.

After lunch, the children split into two classes. They do a variety of activities, all of which are designed to get children ready for the kindergarten curriculum. Literacy and math are the focus, but there is also some science mixed in. The kids also get 20 minutes of rest time.