The main goal of Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is making sure rising kindergarteners are ready to learn when they make that big leap to school in August. Gov. Brian Kemp, first lady Marty Kemp, and DECAL Commissioner Amy Jacobs were on hand Friday at the Avant Learning Academy in Savannah to see its program first hand.
For the 11th year DECAL is offering a six-week summer transition program to support students who either did not attend a pre-K or Head Start program or who need additional help prior to entering kindergarten.
Due to COVID, state officials say this year’s program is even more important and to that end, DECAL more than doubled its offerings of classes for rising kindergarteners – students who will be five years old before Sept. 1.
Clara Bates, assistant director at the Avant Learning Academy, added the center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers before- and after-care. More information is available on the Avant website at avantlearningacademy.com.
“This summer we doubled our number of [summer transition] classrooms because we knew that a lot of kids didn't have that experience,” Jacobs explained. “[Children] could have been completely virtual. They could have been [kept] home. They could have had a hybrid [learning]. We really made an effort to make sure we had more classrooms and more opportunities for these kids before they get to kindergarten.”
The program at Avant is one of more than 300 statewide, according to DECAL.
Jacobs added fewer students were enrolled in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten last year due to the pandemic — a decrease of about 18% from a normal year.
“We have been focused on that from a state perspective. We've been working with our school superintendents,” said Gov. Kemp. “We got a lot of great activities for the kids; but it is a learning program to make sure that they're ready going into the fall.”
Because of learning loss that may be evident after students return to school, Gov. Kemp added this summer transition program may have to continue for several years to fill that gap. Funding for the program is from the state's allotment of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
While the program is academic in nature, there is also a lot of play. Pre-kindergarten children may not realize how much they learn while engaging in fun activities.
At the Avant Learning Academy on Friday, a class of about 10 pre-kindergarten children — along with Gov. and Mrs. Kemp — were treated to a reading demonstration by Lucky from St. Simons Island. Lucky’s trainer Ron Binkney reads and Lucky turns the pages with his nose at the command “page.” Children talked about their dogs at home and learned to ask a dog's owner before petting a dog they don’t know.
After petting Lucky, children moved to tables to paint small rocks many different colors.
“It's just great to see the [children] so happy and engaged,” Jacobs added.
Barbara Augsdorfer is the education and nonprofits reporter for the Savannah Morning News. Reach her at BAugsdorfer@gannett.com or on Twitter @Babs7983.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Gov. Brian Kemp visits Savannah daycare; summer program prepares kids for kindergarten
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