Discuss Attendance When Welcoming New Families Inspiring Examples
Ready Freddy is a transition program that spans the preschool and kindergarten years. “Ready Freddy” refers to the loveable mascot that speaks directly to children and families and makes consistent attendance enjoyable to learn. Designed by the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development and implemented through the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Ready Freddy was one of the first programs to adopt Attendance Works strategies and integrate attendance into every facet of parent-teacher and teacher-child engagement in preschool and kindergarten.
Ready Freddy includes the K-Club transition program that spans the preschool and kindergarten years. Each session focuses on a different topic to help families transition to kindergarten and support academic success. For example, the focus of session 1, “Get Ready, Freddy”, encourages families to recognize that every child has unique strengths and needs and that adults have an important role in advocating for their children. Each session includes an adult -child activity modeling an interaction that promotes school readiness, an adult-only activity that provides information to support the transition, a child transition activity, a read aloud activity and guidance on practicing key concepts at home. Read more about Ready Freddy.
Although Ready Freddy is not currently in operation in Pittsburgh, the materials are available online, and training and technical assistance is available from the founder, Kenneth Smyth Leistico (ksmytheleistico@setonhill.edu)
Dale Avenue Elementary School serves 375 students in preschool through 2nd grade. Approximately half of the students have autisam, and half are “overflow” general education students drawn from all parts of the city. The general education students are bussed from four locations; the children with autisam receive door-to-door transportation.
In addition to inviting preschool children at the school and several surrounding preschools to visit Dale kindergarten classrooms during the school year, Principal Richelle Neal meets with parents from each “bus cluster” to orient families to kindergarten routines. This also allows new families to meet each other before school starts. Ms. Neal says her goals are to make families feel welcome and connected to the school and to encourage consistent on-time attendance. The combination of outreach to adults and children creates an environment that promotes consistent attendance.
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