WaKIDS

WaKIDS - Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills is a state-wide program designed to welcome children and their families to kindergarten and the K-12 system as partners in their child’s education.  Sumner-Bonney Lake School District has been an early adopter of this program that helps support families and children in the transition to kindergarten.

  WaKIDS has three components:

• Family connections: Before school starts, kindergarten teachers use a variety of transition practices to learn about student strengths and needs to make them feel welcome at school.
• Kindergarten Inventory: In the fall, kindergarten teachers will complete a more formal inventory focusing on the development of the whole child, including social and emotional, physical, cognitive and linguistic skills. Teachers have been trained on these tools, and will use the information they gain from the inventory to inform classroom instruction.
• Early Learning Collaboration: This component aims to foster relationships with early learning providers to transition children to kindergarten. This practice can create a sense of continuity for children to promote a shared understanding of kindergarten readiness, and ultimately provide a smooth transition for children and families.