Program gets kids ready for kindergarten

[news]

Program gets kids ready for kindergarten
By Davy James, Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, February 8, 2008 10:40 AM EST

CRANBURY — Going off to school for the first time can be a worrisome time for many young children.

The uncertainty of interacting with teachers, making new friends and learning new subjects can leave kids filled with anxiety. To help children get ready for their first steps in school, the Cranbury School’s preschool program seeks to prepare kids for kindergarten and beyond. The program incorporates a mixture of learning and play, while teaching valuable lessons about social interaction and handling emotions.

The Cranbuddies Preschool Program is for 4-year-old Cranbury residents who will be eligible for kindergarten in the 2009 school year. The program runs five days a week from 1:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the length of the school year. The integrated class consists of approximately 16 students with one certified Preschool/Special Education teacher, one certified Early Childhood/General Education teacher and one Teacher Assistant.

”The program focuses on a number of areas which helps prepare children for kindergarten,” said Laura Munice, one of the program’s teachers. “We introduce a new letter each week and use puppets and songs to help build the student’s familiarity with each letter and the words that begin with the letter.”

The teachers seek to work with each child’s individual strengths and weaknesses to enhance their development.
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