FR AN KL I N RE GI ON AL NE WS
FR AN KL I N RE GI ON AL SC HOOL DI STRI C T NE WS
Franklin Regional
Murr ysville
Partnering for
Early Success
BY MARY CATHERINE RELJAC
T
he Transition Team at Franklin
Regional School District
designs and implements
transition activities for students
moving from preschool programs into
Kindergarten. With grant support from
the United Way of Westmoreland County
and the Parent Teacher Organizations
of Heritage Elementary, Newlonsburg
Elementary, and Sloan Elementary,
the team created multiple outreach
opportunities for this year. Mrs. Tina
Gillen, principal of Newlonsburg
Elementary, is the transition coordinator
for the district and leads the team
consisting of one Kindergarten teacher
from each elementary school, a guidance
counselor, and a parent of a current
Kindergarten student. Kristie Drew,
Director of Children’s Learning Ladder
and Carol Siefken, Coordinator of Youth
Services at the Murrysville Community
Library also serve on the team.
The team began
brainstorming transition
programming during
the June 2013 United
Way transition conference.
After additional meetings,
the team decided to pursue
better coordination with local
preschools to provide purposeful
and meaningful dialogue to share
information. As a result, the transition
team developed a survey to gather
information from the 24 preschools and
early childhood centers that feed into
Franklin Regional School District. The
team also established a “Preschool
Provider’s Tea” on February 17, 2014 to
facilitate professional exchange between
preschools and Franklin Regional
Kindergarten staff.
Parents of preschoolers
are invited to meetings
and orientations
for Kindergarten
at Heritage or
Newlonsburg on March
19, 2014 at 7:00pm
in the Newlonsburg
cafeteria and at
Sloan on March 20, 2014 at 7:00pm in
the Sloan Large Group Instruction room.
Kindergarten registration for all three
schools is by appointment on April 2-3,
2014. In early May, each elementary
school will host a Preschool Family
Event to welcome new students
and their families to their home
school to meet the host of
Kindergarten teachers.
Mrs. Gillen explained
that through this new
approach, “We’re looking
to make experiences
more welcoming for
everyone.”
For more information
about Kindergarten
transition or registration,
please contact Linda Miller,
Assistant to the Director
of Financial Services (724327-5456 x7625 or lmiller@
franklinregional.k12.pa.us)
or Tina Gillen, Principal of
Newlonsburg Elementary
724.327.5456 x4002 or
tgillen@franklinregional.
k12.pa.us).
Murrysville | Spring 2014 | icmags.com 39