A child’s Future-Ready Journey begins long before the first day of kindergarten. Kalama’s Kinder Ready goal reflects the important role families, caregivers and early-learning opportunities play in helping young children build the skills they need to start school ready to learn.
During Year 1 of the Strategic Plan, early-learning options for Kalama families became more limited due to reductions in Washington State funding. Transitional Kindergarten capacity was reduced from 35 to 23 seats, and both a local daycare partner and a neighboring co-op closed. As a result, families in the community had fewer early-learning options.
When an in-person parent-education opportunity did not attract registrations, the district began exploring more flexible ways to provide information and resources.
This year, that work focuses on better understanding local families’ needs and rebuilding early-learning connections. Kalama plans to assess family needs and pursue a new childcare or Pre-K partner to expand opportunities for children before they enter kindergarten.
The district is also developing an online Family Resource Center to help families more easily find early learning information, services and other resources. A staffed location may be considered in the future. Parent education is also shifting toward digital options so families can access resources that better fit their schedules.
Kalama’s early-learning work also includes Strive for Five, the district’s summer reading program, which helps young learners and families build strong foundations for reading and school success.
The challenges of Year 1 made the need clear. By listening to families, rebuilding partnerships, and improving access to resources, Kalama continues to strengthen the first step in every child’s Future-Ready Journey.