SUNSHINE STUDENTS READY FOR KINDERGARTEN
Celebrating the successful transition of Sunshine School graduates.
At Sunshine School we are committed to empowering our students to reach their full potential and become kindergarten ready. We love being on the team for our students during their crucial early years. Getting to be a part of a child’s growth and progress is a joy! We celebrate each of our students’ successes as they graduate to kindergarten, even while we miss seeing them in our classrooms, therapy rooms, and hallways.
The kindergarten transition process can feel overwhelming for many families. We are here to help with every step of the process. The public-school districts and the Northwest Arkansas Educational Cooperative meet with families at Sunshine School in conferences to discuss the evaluations the public school will conduct to determine the student's needs. The evaluations are done with students at Sunshine School to help them feel more comfortable by being in a familiar setting.
When the testing is complete the school district and caregivers meet at the child's new school to go over the results of the evaluation and talk about the student's strength and needs for kindergarten. Often, Sunshine School therapists, teachers, and Early Childhood Developmental Specialists are part of these meetings so that they whole team can work together for the student’s successful transition.
We love hearing about how well our Sunshine School alumni are doing in their new schools! Ximena recently graduated from Mrs. Kathy’s classroom. In the weeks before her graduation she continually smiled and talked about her excitement at becoming a kindergartener.
Her mom, Alejandra shared, “I was more nervous myself than she was. She was so ready to be a kindergartener. She is already familiar with everyone at her new school. She is greeted everyday by her principal and secretaries on the way in the door. She comes home excited to share about her day. Thank goodness that all the teachers and staff at her new school are aware of her special needs and can work with us to accommodate her needs because of cerebral palsy. We’ve found a new routine!”
We are so glad Ximena and her family have had a great experience with her new steps in kindergarten! Many families worry if their children will be adequately prepared for public-school. We love sharing stories of past students’ success, and one special education teacher from the Bentonville Schools shared this with a prospective family:
"Please visit the Sunshine School if you haven't! It's amazing! I am a Special Ed teacher and have had many students come from there. They are so prepared for school. I can't say enough good things about them!"