Panel reviews kindergarten-transition toolkit and Padlet resource for communities

Panelists heard a multi-part presentation on kindergarten-transition resources from Kim Kennedy (Head Start collaboration director, Department for Children and Families), Natalie McClain (KSDE) and Heather Schrottberger (Kansas Head Start Association).

McClain summarized evidence that structured transition activities—such as preschool visits to kindergarten classrooms, parent orientation sessions and teacher home visits—improve early adjustment and student achievement, with particularly strong benefits for children from low- and middle-income families. She referenced a national study (named in the meeting as "Schulteing, Malone and Dodge") and noted KSDE’s Kansas kindergarten transitions toolkit (an MOU work-plan template, milestones and data-sharing examples) remains available on the Children's Cabinet website.

Heather Schrottberger demonstrated a new Padlet resource board (hosted by the Kansas Head Start Association) that organizes materials into professional development, show-and-tell community artifacts, Kansas-specific resources and national materials. The Padlet includes recorded trainings (for example, a 50-minute session on play and whole-child development), book lists for families and a showcase video produced by a local learning community titled "Welcome to kindergarten." The presenters encouraged panelists to contribute local examples and artifacts to the Padlet so communities can adapt realistic transition strategies.

Panelist examples included in-meeting practices such as "shadow days," kindergarten camps, spring roundups where preschoolers visit classrooms, and joint preschool–kindergarten observations in small districts. Shara Bedell (Gardner Edgerton School District) described incoming-kindergartner events, classroom visits and a summer kindergarten camp; Laura Evans (USD 252) described embedded preschool programs that allow preschool and kindergarten teachers to observe each other and schedule transition meetings.

Several panelists raised gaps. Desiree Strait, a family child care provider, said many family child care homes are not integrated into district-run transition activities and must rely on social media or informal networks to learn about roundups and camps. Presenters and KSDE representatives noted that Padlet, KSDE materials (including printable checklists called "Kindergarten in Kansas") and community outlets such as libraries and health departments can be used to broaden outreach, but panelists did not record a single statewide remedy during the meeting.

Presenters said the Padlet and toolkit will continue to grow; they provided contact information and invited submissions of local resources and examples to populate the board. The segment closed with an open invitation for panelists to share artifacts and local practices for the governance summit and community toolkits.