Attention: State and District Leaders, School Administrators, Educators, Student Support Personnel, Parents, and Education Stakeholders
The U.S. Department of Education is hosting a webinar series to address hot topics that are on the top of educators’ minds. After sharing federal updates, the series features lessons learned and best practices from faculty, staff, schools, districts, institutions of higher education, and other places of educational instruction. It also shares a variety of useful resources.
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join our next webinar, Kindergarten as a Sturdy Bridge: Transforming the Kindergarten Year.
Kindergarten as a Sturdy Bridge: Transforming the Kindergarten Year
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
3:00 – 4:30 pm ET
Laying the path for early school success requires a sturdy bridge between the early years and the early grades. That bridge is kindergarten. This webinar focused on ensuring that the kindergarten year can meet the developmental needs of every entering kindergartener and support smooth and effective transitions into kindergarten and first grade. There were two panel presentations; the first on the important role of alignment and continuity in supporting transitions and developmentally informed instruction; the second on meeting the developmental needs of every kindergartener including the needs of diverse learners.
Our panelists shared perspectives on promising and proven practices and lessons they are learning from the classroom and district levels to transform the kindergarten year to support academic recovery, accelerate learning, and early school success. Information shared will have implications for the classroom, district, and state policy levels.
Speakers
- Cindy Carraway-Wilson, Training Specialist, National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)
- Swati Adarkar, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Early Learning, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
Panelists
- Amy Boles, Assistant Superintendent, Oak Grove School District, Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL), CA
- Connie Hall, Kindergarten Teacher, Diedrichsen Elementary School, Washoe County School District, Nevada Teacher of the Year, Sparks, NV
- Todd Hamilton, Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools, OR
- Annie Corley-Hand, Principal, Mary Kay McMillin Early Childhood Center, Berkeley Heights Public Schools, NJ
- Dr. Ryan Lee-James, Chief Academic Officer, Atlanta Speech School, Director, Rollins Center for Language and Literacy and Its Cox Campus, GA
- Michelle Pless-Joseph, Early Childhood Program Developer, Boston Public School, MA
- Dr. Jason Sachs, Executive Director of Early Childhood, Boston Public Schools, MA
Moderators
- Dr. Brenda Calderon, Senior Advisor, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
- Dr. Shantel Meek, Professor of Practice, Founding Director, Children’s Equity Project, Arizona State University
Webinar Materials
Related Resources
- Non-Regulatory Guidance Early Learning in the Every Student Succeeds Act Expanding Opportunities to Support our Youngest Learners, U.S. Department of Education
- Raise the Bar: Lead the World, U.S. Department of Education
- Education Innovation and Research 2023 Competition, U.S. Department of Education
- Full-Service Community School Funding Opportunity, U.S. Department of Education
- FY 2023 Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Competitions, U.S. Department of Education
- From Alignment to Action: Nevada’s Work to Expand Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten Practices, WestEd
- Achieving a Shared Statewide Vision for Kindergarten in Hawai‘i, WestEd
- From Vision to Action: Transforming Kindergarten into a Sturdy Bridge from Early Learning to K-12 Education, WestEd
- Improving Student Wellness With A Multi-Tiered System of Support, WestEd
Children's Equity Project Socials
Boston Public Schools
New Jersey Department of Education
- Kindergarten Implementation Guidelines
- First Through Third Grade Implementation Guidelines
- Professional Learning Community Guide
- The Truth About Kindergarten - A Guide to Understanding Kindergarten
- Approaches to Learning: K-3
- High-Quality Kindergarten Today Video - Part 1
- High-Quality Kindergarten Today Video - Part 2
- KEA Guidance
- NJ FEA Early Childhood Leadership Model Theory of Change
- 2022-2023 K-3 Resource Packet to Support Home/School Partnerships
Cox Campus
Other Resources
- Kids in Transition to School (KITS)
- KITS At Home/En Casa
- DAP K Policy and Signed Cover Letter
- P-3 Framework
- SEAL Resources
- SSTRS Program Description
- The Kids in Transition to School Program description-2023
- WestEd April 2023 Newsletter
Please contact NCSSLE if you have any questions. We look forward to sharing this information with you and hearing about the important work you are doing in your schools, communities, and states to meet the needs of students and staff.
More on the Lessons from the Field Webinar Series
To access archived materials from previous webinars and to find out what is coming next, go here.