Food trucks, rock climbing wall highlight informational ‘signing day’ for kindergartners

Children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2022 –  as well as their families – are invited to learn more about the kindergarten curriculum and all of the social emotional learning opportunities the school year brings when the St. Charles Parish Public Schools district hosts Kindergarten Signing and Commitment Day this summer.

Organizers said the event will invite families to commit to academic excellence and family fun during their child’s kindergarten year. Participates will have the opportunity to engage in learning stations, as well as sign a commitment letter with their school.

Food trucks, a rock climbing wall and other activities will also be at the event, which will take place Saturday, July 9 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the SCPPS Professional Learning Center, located at 12727 Hwy 90 in Luling.

The general session will begin at 9 a.m. Patricia Smith, the district’s director of federal programs, said attendees are encouraged to be there at 9 a.m.

“This will not take place of open houses at individual schools,” Smith said. “The goal of this event would be that our parents truly feel welcomed into the schools and into our district. We want this to be the first positive experience showing the culture and climate of this district.”

She said the day will focus on very basic things that the district needs families to know in order for their child to be successful in kindergarten. The event will feature break-out sessions tackling many topics, including things parents can do at home to support school learning.

“We want out parents to have a better idea of what our kindergarten experience can be from a parents’ perspective,” Smith said.

District Title I Coordinator Lacey Powers said the We M.A.D.E. organization has stepped in to make this event an even bigger celebration.

“When I first began thinking of this event, I wanted our team to create a day to celebrate our incoming kindergarten students and their families,” Powers said. “I wanted to provide an opportunity to welcome families into St. Charles Parish Public Schools and make them feel comfortable with the schools and learn more about what to expect during that first year in our school system.”

Powers said as a mom of an incoming kindergartener, she wanted an opportunity for her own family and all families to gain some insight and knowledge about the content that would be taught and how to make sure kindergarten students were as prepared as they could be for the first days of school.

“We truly value our families as partners in their student’s education and we hope that this event is the beginning of many wonderful partnerships for years to come,” Powers said.