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Ready, Set, Go! Kindergarten Transition Video Series Now Available

Ready, Set, Go!
CMS and CCRI Release New Kindergarten Transition Video Series and Toolkit

Charlotte, NC—Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and Child Care Resources Inc. (CCRI) announce the release of Ready, Set, Go!, a dual language kindergarten transition video series designed for families, caregivers, and teachers of children birth through age five. Developed with support and funding from Early Reading First and NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), the series serves as both a school readiness resource for all those who play a role in transition to kindergarten and the framework for a broader community awareness campaign promoting smooth transitions to school.

“Early learning experiences are critical, foundational pieces on which a child’s later school success is built,” says Ann Clark, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “Ready, Set, Go! provides support for all the adults involved in shaping children’s critical early learning years leading up to kindergarten. CMS is delighted to have this unique, family-friendly, and informative video series to support families even before their children arrive at our school doors.”

Janet Singerman, President of Child Care Resources, says, “Creating linkages between families, schools, and the child care community is key and critical to our kindergarten transition efforts. Ready, Set, Go! helps us reach across systems and creates a shared transition resource to support our work.”

The four-part series includes three DVD videos and a toolkit on CD-ROM, in English and Spanish—

• Ideas to Grow On—An up-close look at how young children develop in the preschool years. Explores five areas of early childhood development—approaches to learning, language and communication, cognitive development, emotional and social development, and health and physical development.

• All Set for School—A step-by-step guide to the year before kindergarten to help families prepare with a focus on the routines, requirements, and relationships that create a strong foundation for school success.

• Making the Move to Kindergarten—A delightful and engaging virtual tour of kindergarten for children and families to enjoy together.

• Your Electronic Toolkit—A set of time-saving, customizable, and printable resources for the early care and education professional including invitations, take-away flyers, tip sheets, follow-up activities, resource lists, and community awareness materials.

Ready, Set, Go! is the culminating activity in a four-year kindergarten transition initiative funded through CMS’ Early Reading First grant. The series was videotaped in diverse homes, neighborhoods, and early care and education settings from the mountains to the coast of North Carolina. An original theme song and music video were recorded with help from talented CMS teachers and students at Dilworth Elementary and Oaklawn Language Academy.

The local and statewide rollout of Ready, Set, Go involves each partner in the kindergarten transition initiative, ensuring that these new resources reach all those with an opportunity to positively impact a child’s transition to school—

• CMS is distributing the series to every CMS elementary school for use in outreach efforts all year long;

• CCRI has provided copies to all licensed and license-exempt child care and preschool programs in Mecklenburg County;

• NCDPI is making copies available to public school systems throughout North Carolina.

Janet Singerman, President of Child Care Resources, says, "With Ready, Set, Go!, CMS has demonstrated how collaboration among public and private partners can produce excellent results. This model attracted the attention of educators in Raleigh, and now we're receiving inquiries about the project from around the state and the nation."

Copies of the Ready, Set, Go! series are available at the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) and through CCRI’s Traveling Family and Teacher Resource Center. For more information, to preview the videos, or to purchase a boxed set, visit www.ReadySetK.org.

Charlotte-based Indigo Productions, Inc., was hired to produce the Ready, Set, Go! series. For more information, call (704) 541-3411.

For more information, contact Carolyn Hazeldine, Kindergarten Transition Specialist, at (704) 376-6697, ext. 107 or send email to: chazeldine@childcareresourcesinc.org.

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