SCHOOL and SPORTS
Norwalk Warriors
Official Publication for the Norwalk Community School District [
Thursday, August 12, 2010
N/Warren Town and County News
Page Seven
OVIATT ELEMENTARY
By Dr. Laura Sivadge, Pre-School-K Principal
By Rodney Martinez, 1-2 Principal
Is Your Child Ready for School?
Many parents of preschool-age children are on edge
about their child's birth date being "on the cusp." While
the cut-off dates for kindergarten enrollment vary
among states, the question is still the same: "If my child's
birthday is close to the cut-off date, should I send my
child early or wait a year?" The tips below can help your
decide.
Know Your Child. Is your preschooler excited about
the idea of going to school and interested in learning
new things and meeting new children, or is the idea of
"leaving home" to go to school frightening? Shy chil-
dren may do better by waiting a year, where eager learn-
ers may risk being bored if they stay home. If your child
is near the cut-off age and reluctant to start school, you
may want to delay for a year and enroll him or her in
activities like pre-K or Head Start, as well as group ac-
tivities with other children.
Talk to Teachers. If your child is in day care, pre-K,
preschool, or Head Start, ask the teacher if your child is
"ready" for kindergarten. Kids behave differently when
they are away from home, so the teacher will be able to
give you good information on your child's ability to lis-
ten, follow directions and play with others• It is also
important to find out if your child knows basic num-
bers, shapes and colors. Depending on your school dis-
trict, new kindergarteners also may be expected to know
how to write their names and how to recognize the let-
ters of the alphabet. Knowing what your children know
will help you decide if they are ready for the next step.
Boys and Girls. There is often--but not always a
difference between boys and girls when it comes to kin-
dergarten readiness, which is why it is more common
for boys to delay kindergarten than girls. Some children
whose birthdays are close to the school cut-off have a
hard time sitting quietly in a classroom and focusing.
These social skills are just as important to kindergarten
success as knowing the alphabet. Many times, these
more active boys and girls are more successful when
they delay kindergarten.
Physical "Fitness." There are two kinds of physical
skills that kindergarteners must have: "Gross motor
skills" are whole-body skills, like hopping and skipping;
"Fine motor skills" are things like closing a zipper or
buttoning a shirt or coat, cutting out an outline from
paper using safe scissors and coloring. Add to those
areas the important fact that kindergarteners need to be
able to use the toilet on their own and wash their hands
afterward.
Money Matters. Public kindergarten is free. Another
year of preschool or day care is not. Sometimes money
can influence a parent's decision of whether to send a
child to kindergarten. If your child is really not ready
for school, though, either in terms of behavior or in terms
of being ready to learn, it is better to try to find afford-
able pre-K, Head Start or other programs.
Certainly, there can be advantages for children who
start school a little later. They may do better on stan-
dardized tests, especially in elementary school and may :Aug. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m.
be seen as leaders among their classmates. However, v:: Practice starts the first
there are disadvantages, too. Children who are "old" ':"i~ dayof SchQol Wednesday,
for their grade are at higher risk of dropping out ofhigh ~ii'Aug: 25, immediate!y after
school. Sometimes these older children can use their ~ school..Practices will gen-
greater size and age to bully other, younger children. .erally:run two hours.
In addition, some children feel that they are being :: ......
punished or have done something wrong when
preschool playmates start kindergarten while
a year. The bottom line is that parents need
all of the things outlined above, talk to their
school teachers and make the choice
child's individual strengths and needs.
Junior Warrior Football Camp
Monday, July 26, the
Junior Warrior Football
Camp kicked off. The
camp went through Thurs-
day, July 29, from 8 a.m. to
10 a.m. each morning and
was offered to any incom-
ing seventh and eighth
grade football player•
Over 70 players regis-
tered and each camper re-
ceived a t-shirt, a trophy
and a handful of freeze
pops. Monday and Tues-
day, the campers went
through offensive and de-
fensive stations, offensive
and defensive individual
periods and a period of
team where they worked
on huddle, formations and
plays.
Wednesday was a day
in which the campers were
able to go through indi-
vidual instruction again
along with a period for
team and ended the day by
practicing a little
Norwalk Middle
School
Football Update
For the upcoming
school year all seventh and
eighth grade participants
must have a current physi-
cal on file before the player
may participate. This
physical must run for the
entire length of the season.
Best practice is to have a
new physical for the start
of the season.
The Parent Permission/
Insurance Waiver/Emer-
gency Medical card must
be on file before the player
may participate. These
forms can be found in the
middle school office.
Player equipment will
be handed out for eighth
graders only Wednesday,
Aug. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Player equipment will
be handed out for seventh
graders only Thursday,
Members of the Warrior Football Camp held July
flickerball. Thursday was
a day of competition and
testing. The players started
the morning by going
through one-on-one com-
petition with the receivers
and quarterbacks going
against the defensive
backs, the running backs
going against the lineback-
ers and the offensive line-
man going against the de-
fensive lineman.
The next part of the
morning brought on six
separate physical tests.
Each camper was tested in
the 40-yard dash, the 10-
yard dash, the pro agility,
the Georgia Square,
pushups and the standing
long jump. Next up for the
boys Thursday morning
was the flickerball tourna-
ment. To end the day, a
group photo was taken
with all of the campers and
each of the high school
players who helped coach
throughout the camp and
the trophies were handed
out.
The camp was a success
26-29. Photo submitted.
and many thanks to this
year's middle school foot-
ball staff seventh grade
coaches Marshall En-
derlin, Joe Kuhn, Frank
Roth and Mike Elbert and
the eighth grade coaches
Jeff Grabe, Adam
Wuestewald and Brandon
Stoulil. Reminder to all
seventh and eighth grade
football players to keep
looking for information
regarding equipment
handout prior to school
starting.
SCHOOL AND SPORTS PAGES
SPONSORED BY:
*COMMUNITY STATE BANK
285-4900
*FOUR SEASONS AUTO WASH
981-4454
*DR. DONNA GRANT FAMILY DENTISTRY
256-9000
*HASKIN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC
981-0556
*JJ DESIGNS CUSTOM embroidery/screen
print - 953-6306
*EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS Kevin Pearson - 285-1838
*MAID RITE SANDWICH SHOP
981-1031
*NORWALK INSURANCE SERVICES
981-0434 or 981-4293
*NORWALK LIONS CLUB
981-0432
*OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATES
981-0224
*SCOTT'S FOODS
981.0606
*NEWTON STANDRIDGE
STANDRIDGE GROUP
229-5310
*N/WARREN TOWN & COUNTY NEWS
981-0406
