Families from Klamath Family Head Start, Klamath Early Childhood Development Center (KECDC), and Early Childhood Intervention programs recently gathered Tuesday for a special Transition to Kindergarten parent information night designed to help incoming students and their families feel confident and prepared for the start of school this fall.
The event brought together educators and administrators from both Klamath Falls City Schools and Klamath County School District in a collaborative effort focused on supporting a smooth and successful transition into kindergarten.
Kindergarten teachers from across Klamath Falls City Schools led interactive breakout sessions where families experienced learning activities similar to what students will encounter in the classroom. Teachers demonstrated early literacy strategies, pronunciation and sound activities, visual tracking exercises, and reading support techniques families can practice together at home.
Participating teachers included Mills Elementary School’s Elizabeth Campbell, Pelican Elementary School’s Ashley Sacco, Stearns Elementary School’s Sabrina Glaser, Conger Elementary School’s Angie Marin, and Roosevelt Elementary School teachers Amanda Blake and Becca Oosterman.
Throughout the evening, teachers emphasized learning begins with conversation, curiosity, and consistent family engagement.
“When we look at pictures that first time, you’re not waiting for the right answer, you’re just talking about what you see,” Campbell said. “It’s building the connection between your child and the book, and it’s also building their oral language skills.”
Teachers also encouraged families to make reading an interactive daily experience rather than simply reading words on a page.
Parents and students rotated through activities focused on letter sounds, word building, reading direction, and storytelling techniques while also learning ways to support kindergarten readiness at home through everyday routines and conversations.
“It’s really about creating conversations with your child every single day. Those conversations are so important for language development and reading readiness," Marin said.
KECDC Principal Holly Mancebo and Klamath Family Head Start Education Manager Katrina Solis helped welcome families and reinforce the importance of strong school-family partnerships during the transition into kindergarten.
The event reflected a shared commitment between early childhood programs and KFCS and KCSD to ensure every child begins kindergarten feeling supported, welcomed, and ready to learn.
“When you ask open-ended questions about a story or an activity, children begin sharing their thought process and building those important language skills,” Glaser said. "That is what we want your child to come away with; they are learning something new in every activity when they are in kindergarten and you as a parent are helping them see it through."
