As children head back to school, parents are left trying to decide what's better... sending children back, or keeping them home.
For parents of 4 year-olds across Utah, that decision is a little less stressful thanks to a local nonprofit and your state leaders.
You have an option to get your kids ready for kindergarten at home... and it costs nothing.
Waterford.org national spokesperson, Kim Fischer, joined us to tell us more about the program.
Fischer says Waterford Upstart is at-home, early education for children in the year before kindergarten.
It teaches the basics of literacy from letter recognition to phonics and phonemic awareness. That gives children the foundation for reading so they walk into school ready to learn. In fact, Fischer says the average graduate walks into kindergarten reading at nearly first-grade level.
Waterford Upstart even gives parents all the tools they need to become a child's first teacher. If you don't have a computer for your child, or the internet, they will provide that at no cost.
The curriculum is 15 minutes a day, five days a week. Parents are even provided with a coach and a dashboard to keep track of a child's progress.
And, it's all at no cost thanks to funding from the state legislature and that covers a large portion of the 4-year-olds across the state.
Fischer says, "And now... this year because of COVID, our nonprofit has decided we will not turn a single family away because we understand how important our program is for families right now."
So, all families are encouraged to sign up for this program now. If you use it properly... your child WILL be prepared for kindergarten... and you will feel so much more involved in their education!
To learn more please visit Waterfordupstart.org.
