Grafton Early Learners
Early Learners & CLSD
The ND Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant (CLSD) is a federal grant which aims to improve the literacy skills of disadvantaged children from Birth through Grade 12. For more information visit the NDDPI site.
What does that mean for the Community of Grafton? We are using these grant funds to help promote literacy in our schools and community. We are partnering with community businesses to help spread the importance of literacy for our youngest Grafton residents.
If you would like more information on the grant, please contact Jackie Midgarden, Grant Coordinator
80% of a child’s brain is formed between birth and age 3
*www.reachoutandread.org
Early Learning Events May 2024
We are excited to extend an invitation to you for our upcoming Kindergarten Parent Meeting. This meeting will provide a valuable opportunity for us to connect, discuss important information, and answer any questions you may have about your child's kindergarten journey.
During the meeting, we will cover topics such as curriculum highlights, classroom procedures, important dates, and ways to support your child's learning at home. Additionally, you'll have the chance to meet our kindergarten teachers and learn about our school's approach to early childhood education.
Your involvement and support are crucial in ensuring a successful and enriching experience for your child in kindergarten. We encourage all parents/guardians to attend this informative session.
We look forward to welcoming you and beginning this exciting journey together. Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education.
We want to welcome you to our preschool open house! As you step into our classrooms, you'll be greeted by the excitement and warmth of our dedicated teachers, who nurture each child's unique talents and curiosities while fostering a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.
Explore our engaging learning centers where little hands eagerly delve into sensory experiences, creative art projects, and imaginative play. Take a peek at our reading nooks, where stories come alive and young minds are transported to magical worlds. Discover how our play-based curriculum sparks curiosity, fosters independence, and builds social-emotional skills essential for future success.
We are excited to have you join us in this journey of wonder and discovery at our preschool!
GPS School to Home Resources
Take Home Kits
Pre-school Take Home Kits are sent home in the fall of the school year and include engaging and educational resources designed to extend learning beyond the classroom and into the home environment. Each kit contains a selection of activities, materials, and resources tailored to support children's development across various domains, including literacy, numeracy, creativity, and social-emotional skills. With a focus on age-appropriate content and interactive learning experiences, the Take Home Kit provides parents and caregivers with the tools they need to actively engage their child in meaningful learning opportunities outside of school hours. From hands-on activities and games to storybooks and learning guides, the kit offers a diverse range of materials to spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and promote positive interactions between children and their caregivers. By fostering a strong connection between home and school, the Pre-school Take Home Kit empowers families to play an active role in their child's early education journey, laying a solid foundation for future academic success
Kit & Activity Introduction
READ ALOUDS
Read alouds are important for several reasons:
Language Development: Reading aloud exposes children to a rich and diverse vocabulary, helping them develop language skills. Hearing words pronounced and used in context enhances their understanding of language structure and grammar.
Cognitive Development: Read alouds stimulate children's imagination and critical thinking skills. They learn to make connections between the story and their own experiences, predict what might happen next, and analyze characters and plot.
Literacy Skills: Hearing stories read aloud helps children develop phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words, a crucial skill for learning to read. It also introduces them to concepts of print, such as left-to-right progression and understanding that words carry meaning.
Emotional Development: Reading aloud can evoke a range of emotions in children, helping them develop empathy and emotional intelligence. They learn to recognize and understand different emotions, as well as how to cope with them.
Bonding and Connection: Reading aloud provides valuable opportunities for bonding between children and caregivers. It fosters a sense of closeness and security, and creates positive associations with reading and learning.
Read alouds play a vital role in children's development, supporting their language, cognitive, literacy, emotional, and social skills while nurturing a love for books and learning.
Handwriting Without Tears Information
Handwriting Without Tears is our handwriting curriculum and program. It was developed by occupational therapist Jan Olsen and designed to make learning to write easy and fun for children. The program uses a multisensory approach to teach letter formation and handwriting skills, focusing on creating clear and legible handwriting. It emphasizes a developmental approach, starting with building foundational skills such as proper pencil grip and letter formation, and progressing to more advanced writing skills as children develop.
Teaching Proper Crayon Grip
Writing Name Using Wet Dry Try
Waterford at Home
Using Waterford at home brings the benefits of personalized early learning directly to your child's fingertips. With engaging and interactive activities tailored to their individual needs, Waterford helps children develop essential literacy and math skills in a fun and effective way. Whether through interactive games, stories, or songs, Waterford's adaptive technology ensures that your child receives targeted instruction that meets them at their current level and gently guides them to the next stage of learning. With easy access to the Waterford platform from home, parents can support their child's educational journey while fostering a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.