How Important Is Kindergarten Parent Orientation?

Kindergarten orientation is the beginning of all the parent-teacher conferences and PTA meetings you will attend throughout your child̵7;s schooling. With all of the other things you might have on your to-do list, you might wonder if you actually need to attend orientation at all. While it might seem a waste of time, attending the orientation will help both you and your child start her schooling off on the right foot.

  1. Introductions

    • During kindergarten orientation, you and your child will meet the school administrative staff and your child̵7;s potential teacher. These introductions might help make transitioning to kindergarten easier on your child if he knows what to expect on the first day of school. It will help him feel more comfortable if he is not walking into a class full of strangers. You might also meet classmates of your child, the bus driver and the lunch staff.

    Registration Information

    • During kindergarten orientation, you will learn about all of the registration requirements your school district has for kindergarten admission. The requirements might include submission of documents regarding immunization and other medical information, proof of address, emergency contact information and testing requirements.

    Special Education

    • If your child has a physical or mental delay, kindergarten orientation is the place to bring the issue to the school̵7;s attention. You might learn about special programs available for your child, the process for creating an IEP (Individualized Education Program) and the resources your school has to handle your child̵7;s delay.

    Information

    • The school staff might also offer information on the programs in place to help make your child̵7;s education more valuable. You might learn about the pick-up/drop-off rules, information about free or reduced school lunch, after-school programs, the daily schedule of your kindergartner, the skills he will learn during kindergarten, homework requirements, standardized testing, volunteer information and what supplies you should send to school with your kindergartener on the first day of class.

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