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Is Your Child Going to Kindergarten a Year From Now?: Make the Move Together

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Think about what would be best for your child and family as you make this transition. Consider how you can work with your Head Start program to help your child feel ready.

Published

8 months ago

September 23, 2024

Oakland Post

Submitted by Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center

Congratulations, your child is going to kindergarten a year from now! Making the transition to kindergarten is a big event for every child and family. You and your child may feel excited and proud about the next big step. You both may also experience some worry about the unknown and wonder how it will be at a new school.

Good news! You can start preparing for your child’s move into kindergarten with these insights from the Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. Think about what would be best for your child and family as you make this transition. Consider how you can work with your Head Start program to help your child feel ready. Talk with your family service worker or child’s teacher about how your program supports the transition to kindergarten.

Consider the ideas below as you and your family get ready for this big change.

During the Year Before Kindergarten

Fall and Winter

Talk with your child’s current educator or your family service worker about the process—what to expect and what to do. Share your questions and make a plan to learn more about kindergarten.
Ask about kindergarten transition activities offered by your Head Start program. Find out when to start talking with your child about kindergarten.
Make a list of what you want to tell the new school about your child. Think about sharing your child’s strengths, interests, and favorite activities.
Find out if the new school offers any special events or kindergarten visits for new students and their families.
Learn as much as you can about the new school or schools in the district. Talk to parents and attend meetings of parent-school, cultural, and community groups, parent-led networks, and the school board.
Ask about the opportunities for parent and family engagement. What volunteer and leadership possibilities does the new school offer?
- Examples may include helping with reading and homework, volunteering, or joining a school or community organization.

Spring

Arrange to visit the new school and take a tour with your child. Many Head Start programs arrange this experience for families. Use this time to ask questions and share your concerns. Make a list OF your child’s new teacher and school, including questions such as:
- How do I register my child?
- When will we meet my child’s kindergarten teacher?
- What will the teacher expect my child to know and be able to do?
- What is the school and kindergarten schedule?
- Is there a dress code or are uniforms required?
- Are school supplies provided?
- Where are the bathrooms and the cafeteria?
- What are visitor sign-in policies and safety precautions?
- What other questions would you like to ask? Make a list!
Spend time in the kindergarten classroom and let your child explore. You can talk about what is the same and what is different from your Head Start program. Ask your child if there are questions about starting kindergarten.
Work with your child’s current educator to express in your own words what you see as the strengths and needs of your child.
Be prepared to share your child’s records with the new school. If your child receives special education or health services, such as an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, ask how to ensure these services will continue.
If your child will be taking the school bus, find out if the new school offers a practice bus ride for entering kindergarteners.
Work with your child’s current educator to plan a “good-bye” event or special keepsake from the early learning program.

Summer

Plan fun activities with your child. Spend time outside, visit the library and local museums, and take advantage of free events, like a farmer’s market or summer festival.
Find out if the new school has an Open House at the end of summer to visit the classroom again.
Spend time having fun at the school’s playground, if available.
Create and practice routines for the morning and evening that you will follow during the school year.
Read with your child, including books about going to kindergarten.
Encourage your child to speak with other children to learn what kindergarten is like.
Gather supplies for kindergarten. Be on the lookout for free school supplies in your community.

A Week Before School Begins

Talk with your child about clothes and supplies for the first day of school.
Ask if your child has any questions about the first day of kindergarten.
Talk about the school routines (e.g., lunchtime, recess, the bus ride, and others).
Continue reading with your child, including books about going to kindergarten.
Help your child learn the names of the teacher, secretary, principal, and other staff at school.
Review the family schedule and routine.
- Who will take your child to school or bus stop?
- Who will pick up your child?
- What might your child have for lunch?
Begin working toward a reasonable bedtime.

The Night Before Starting Kindergarten

Aim for an early bedtime.
Talk with your child about the morning routine and what to expect.
Pack a school bag or make lunch, if your child needs to bring lunch or snacks.
Think of ways you can offer comfort to your child while you’re apart. For example:
- Put a family photo in their school bag
- Leave a kiss on your child’s hand to press on their cheek when they miss you
- Ask your child to draw a picture for you to share at the end of the day

First Week

Talk with your child about the routines for bedtime, waking up, and getting ready for school in the morning, and what to expect.
Get up in time to get ready and have breakfast unrushed—or be at the school for breakfast—each morning.
Plan to arrive at the bus stop or school early. Do you see any of your child’s friends from the Head Start program? Point them out!
Give lots of hugs to start the new day.
The first days and weeks in a new classroom can be exhausting, so spend extra time relaxing together at home afterward.
Check-in with your child about how he or she felt and what happened at school each day.

Kindergarten is a fun time, and these guidelines will help make it a success for all!

Oakland Post

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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Published

5 days ago

May 23, 2025

Oakland Post

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

Oakland Post

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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

Published

5 days ago

May 23, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”

Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.

The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”

Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.