I Mandikiki' For Guam Families With Children Birth To Eight 
Volume 6, Issue 1
May 2012 

Inside this issue: 
Are You Ready for Kindergarten?............................. 1-2 
Schools Enrolling Kindergarteners..............................3 
Kindergarten Registration on Guam...........................4 
Resources for School Readiness/EC Summit..............5 
Playing is Children’s Work..............................................6 
Advertisements............................................................ 7-8

Are You Ready For Kindergarten? 
Who needs to be ready for Kindergarten? Children? Parents? Teachers? Schools? Yes! All of them do. 
However, children are usually the main focus for readiness. Adults can help children transition smoothly into the classroom and be motivated to go to school and to learn. Based on past research done in the U.S. and on Guam, it was found that parents focus more on academics when preparing their children for school while teachers see the combination of social, emotional, physical, and cognitive (thinking) abilities as equally important. 

This mismatch may be the reason that some children have difficulty entering Kindergarten. 
It is hard to guess which children will have trouble adjusting to school. Research tells us that children who struggle tend to be those who have had only one main caregiver (whether a parent, relative, or other) prior to entering school. These children tend to have a harder time adjusting to this new, highly social, and busy learning environment and with being separated from their loved ones. On the other hand, children who have had many different social experiences and relationships seem to have an easier time adjusting to school. 
Here are some tips to help all children get ready for school... 

Text in colored box:
Views on School Readiness 
Parents think kids are ready when kids can: 
Identify and spell their name 
Know their phone number and address 
Know letters, numbers, colors, shapes 
Follow directions 
Obey rules 
Kindergarten Teachers think kids are ready when kids can: 
Be motivated to learn 
Follow class schedule 
Listen and follow directions 
Obey rules Focus and stay on task Use the rest room without help Hold a pencil properly Use a glue bottle Know basic information of self and family Know letters, numbers, colors, shapes, nursery rhymes, songs 
Have self-control and discipline Have developed social and emotional skills 


Page 2

Tips to help children: 
* Families and child caregivers/ preschool teachers can help children practice self-help skills, especially when using the toilet, eating, and dressing self; for example, practice with using buttons and zippers, and with opening juice boxes and milk cartons. 
* Kindergarten teachers should recognize the importance of children’s and parents’ separation process. 
* Families should respect the Kindergarten teachers’ requests during the transition. 
* Families can get to know the school and teachers. 
* Parents can talk with the Kindergarten teachers about any concerns as soon as possible and at any time. 
* Families and child caregivers/preschool teachers can encourage children to develop friendships with other children. 
* Families should ask children about their experiences in school and their classroom daily. 
* Families should not be too hard on children when they show regressive behaviors (for example, potty accidents, thumb sucking, crying, clinginess, or aggressive behaviors) during the first weeks at school; be patient and understanding. 

Entering Kindergarten is a big milestone for children. Parents, families, caregivers, and preschool teachers are responsible for preparing children for school. Sometimes children experience stress with preparing to go to school. Preparing children as early as possible, such as talking about school— emphasizing the good things about school and the value of learning, and helping them know what to expect— can help reduce their stress. The hope is for children to enjoy going to school every day. 

Text in colored box:
Steps to Prepare 
Ready Child 
* Receives scheduled health care & immunizations 
* Knows self—name, sex (boy or girl), and age 
* Follows rules and routines 
* Takes turns and shares 
* Plays well with other children 
* Follows 2-step directions 
* Is curious, asks questions, and is eager to learn 
* Pays attention to tasks for a short time 
* Speaks clearly enough to be understood and speaks in complete sentences 
* Expresses feelings and ideas 
* Recognizes some sounds, letters, numbers, and words 
* Counts from 1 to 10, in order 
* Identifies basic colors and shapes, and symbols/signs in the environment 
* Matches same or similar items 
* Holds a pencil, crayon, markers, glue, and scissors appropriately 
* Holds and looks at a book correctly; turns pages in a book 
* Uses the rest room, eat, dress/undress, and wash hands without help 

Ready Parents/Families 
* Arrange social and educational activities for your child with other children, for example, play dates, playgroups, sports, boy/girl scouts, summer camps, and others 
* Encourage your child to go to school and to want to learn 
* Talk to your child about what to expect at school 
* Talk to your child about saying “goodbye” to you at school and saying “hello” to you after school 
* Attend school and Kindergarten classroom orientations 
* Tour the school and classroom before the first day of school (recommended during summer school) 
* Get advice from other parents with older children 
* Help your child make friends 
* Help your child deal with conflicts with other children 
* Read and talk to your child every day 

Ready Schools/Classrooms/Teachers 
* Accept the diversity in children’s development, abilities, needs, languages, and cultures 
* Accept children based on legal age rather than readiness tests 
* Have curriculum be developmentally suited to the children and based upon their prior learning 
* Include both child-guided and teacher-supported activities in the curriculum 
* Include hands-on and integrated activities in the curriculum


Page 3

Schools Enrolling Kindergarteners
Guam Department of Education (Public) 
1. Adacao Elementary (300-6500) 
2. Agana Heights Elementary (477-8040/60/5798) 
3. Astumbo Elementary (635-4363/70) 
4. Baltazar P. Carbullido Elementary (734-4342-4/4230) 
5. Capt. Henry B. Price Elementary (734-2324/7766-7) 
6. Carlos L. Taitano Elementary (472-4245, 475-4502-6) 
7. Chief Brodie Memorial Elementary (647-4444/4536/54) 
8. Daniel L. Perez Elementary (6532177/2646/32, 633-1311) 
9. Finegayan Elementary (632-9364, 633-1521/24, 635-0687x105/6) 
10. Harry S. Truman Elementary (565-5195/2533/7062/3656/9626) 
11. Inarajan Elementary (828-8641-2) 
12. Juan Q. San Miguel Elementary (477-9370-1/68) 
13. Juan M. Guerrero Elementary (632-1540/1663/6066) 
14. Liguan Elementary School (300-1680) 
15. Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary (646-5046/49/8871/2234) 
16. Maria A. Ulloa Elementary (632-5176/8090/7521/7490) 
17. Manuel U. Lujan Elementary (789-1535/1601) 
18. Machananao Elementary (635-4381-2) 
19. Marcial A. Sablan Elementary (565-2238/2946) 
20. Merizo Martyrs Memorial Elementary (828-8525/8680/8779) 
21. Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary (477-9645, 472-4687) 
22. Pedro C. Lujan Elementary (734-3971-2/4181/7471) 
23. Talofofo Elementary (789-1386/1173) 
24. Upi Elementary (653-1371-2, 633-1382/74) 
25. Wettengel Elementary (632-7770/7870/7970) 

Catholic Schools (Private) 
1. Bishop Baumgartner Memorial Catholic School (472-6670) 
2. Dominican Child Development Center (477-7228) 
3. Dominican Catholic School (653-3021) 
4. Infant of Prague (734-2785) 
5. Maria Artero Nursery & Kindergarten (472-8777) 
6. Mercy Heights Nursery (646-1185) 
7. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School (565-3822/5128) 
8. Saint Anthony’s School (647-1140) 
9. Saint Francis Catholic School (789-1350) 
10. Santa Barbara School (632-5126) 
11. San Vicente Catholic School (735-4240/43/49) 

Private Schools (Private) 
1. Bambini Montessori School Center (649-2636) 
2. Gadao Pre-School and Day Care Center (734-0627) 
3. Guam Adventist Academy (789-1515) 
4. Guam Evangelical Christian Academy (734-3241) 
5. Harvest Christian Academy (477-6341) 
6. International Montessori School (734-7919) 
7. Providence International Christian Academy (969-1981) 
8. Saint Paul’s Christian School, Harmon (637-9855/8534/8544) 
9. Saint Paul’s Christian School, Yigo (653-1314) 
10. St. John’s School (646-8080) 
11. Southern Christian Academy (565-7020) 
12. The Japanese School Guam (734-8024) 
13. United Chinese School (646-6700) 


Page 4

Kindergarten Registration on Guam 
To register your child for Kindergarten at a Guam public school, prepare the following items*: 
* Child’s birth certificate 
* Child’s social security card 
* Child’s medical physical exam (within 1 year of school start date) 
* Child’s TB skin test or PPD (within 1 year of school start date) 
* Child’s immunization/shot record (shots must be up-to-date) 
* Current bill for power or water at child’s home and/or Mayor’s verification for proof of residency 
* Completed school packet/application (pick up at the school as early as possible) 
*Required documents may vary by school. 

Registration usually begins after the end of the previous school year (last day of school this year is June 6, 2012). 

It is recommended to register no later than one week before the new school year starts (first day of school is August 20, 2012). 

For private schools, the required documents are similar but vary from school to school. For some schools, the social security card may not be needed; a physical exam may not be needed or a medical clearance will be accepted instead; and verification of residence may not be needed. Some religious-affiliated private schools may require a baptismal certificate. In addition, some private schools may require a placement test. 

Please call your child’s future school to ask about registration deadlines, required documents, available after-school options, and other information. 


Text in colored boxes:
Guam Department of Education Board Policy #330 
Entrance into Kindergarten 
A child must be five (5) years of age by July 31 in order to be enrolled in Kindergarten for that school year. A birth certificate is required as proof of age. If a birth certificate cannot be obtained by the parent or guardian, other proof of age satisfactory to the principal will be accepted. (Amended: 10/04/05) [Source 17GCA § 6106] 

FREE MEDICAL SERVICES 
Children who do not have medical insurance or a regular doctor can get a well-child visit (physical exam) and immunizations through the Department of Public Health & Social Services (DPHSS). To make appointments, call Medical Records at 735-7140/7169. For immunizations, walk-ins are accepted at DPHSS on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8-11am and 1-4pm. Bring your child’s shot record. If the child’s parent is not present for any health service, a parent authorization is needed.


Page 5

Resources to Prepare for School 

Books for Children 
Dino School: Teddy Rex’s First Day of School – Bonnie Williams 
How Have I Grown? – Mary Reid 
Is Your Buffalo Ready For Kindergarten? – Audrey Vernick 
Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! – Nancy Carlson 
Max & Mo’s First Day at School – Patricia Lakin 
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready For Kindergarten – Joseph Slate 
Mouse Loves School – Lauren Thompson 
The Kissing Hand –Audrey Penn 
The Way I Feel – Janan Cain 
Tom Goes to Kindergarten – Margaret Wild 
When You Go to Kindergarten – James Howe 

Books for Parents 
Every Child Ready to Read: Literacy Tips for Parents – The Lee Pesky Learning Center 
Language Skills: Help Your Child Get Ready to Read – Elizabeth M. Wile 
Math Workbook: Help Your Child Get Ready for Math – Corinne E. Eisenhart, Denise Eschenmann 
Seven Skills for School Success: Activities to Develop Social and Emotional Intelligence in Young Children – Pam Schiller 
The Ready-To-Read, Ready-To-Count Handbook: How To Best Prepare Your Child For School – Theresa Savage 

Books for Teachers and Schools 
Classroom Fitness Breaks to Help Kids Focus – Sarah Longhi 
Is Everybody Ready for Kindergarten? – Angele Sancho Passe 
Reading and Writing in Kindergarten – Rosalie Franzese 
School Readiness and the Transition to Kindergarten in the Era of Accountability – Robert C. Pianta 
Transitions to Early Care and Education: International Perspectives on Making Schools Ready for Young Children –DeAnna M. Laverick 

Photo with caption:
Early Childhood Summit Addresses System Needs
The Guam Early Learning Council, in collaboration with Rigalu, the First Lady’s Foundation, sponsored the Early Childhood Strategic Planning Sessions on April 10-11 and the Early Childhood Summit on April 12 at the Westin Resort. Elliot Regenstein, J.D., from Educational Consultants, who is a nationally recognized expert in early learning systems and the former co-chair of the Illinois Early Learning Council, guided the planning process which addresses all areas of early childhood on Guam, including benchmarks, quality rating and improvement system, workforce development, standards and assessments, and data systems. Mr. Regenstein also facilitated the Early Childhood Summit that focused on Guam’s strategic plan to ensure quality and support to the programs that provide services to our island’s young children. 

Shown above are the members of the Guam Early Learning Council. Front Row L-R: June Perez, Taling Taitano, Estella Gapas, Lina McDonald, Janice Sablan Ada, First Lady Christine Calvo, Lydia Tenorio, Annie Unpingco, Ruth Leon Guerrero, and Diana Calvo. Back Row L-R: Cathy Tydingco, Elaine Eclavea, Elliot Regenstein, James Gillan, Evelyn Claros, Ann Marie Cruz, and Ross White. 


Page 6

Playing is Children’s Work by Vera Blaz 
In the last issue of I Mandikiki', we talked about why it was important for children to participate in gross motor activities. We talked about how children need to take part in gross motor activities in order to develop the large muscles of their bodies. 

Now that we know how important gross motor development is, let’s talk about why the act of playing is also important. Think back to when you were a child. Do you have memories of playing with friends or relatives? Do you remember playing dress up, pretending you were a mom or dad, pretending you owned a store, building tall towers with blocks, or putting puzzles together? If you didn’t know it then, you were learning many skills. 

Think back to when your child started making noises. Did you teach your child how to make those noises? What about when your child started banging her bowl on the high chair tray? Did you teach her how to do that? The answer is likely no. Babies and toddlers discovered these things on their own. 

So how do all these things help a child’s development? Play is how children naturally learn. It also stimulates brain growth. At birth, only 25% of a baby’s brain is physically developed, but by age 3 the percentage increases to 90%. That’s a lot of growth! Playing helps lay the foundation for later learning. Through play, a child learns how to think, use their imaginations, learns how to make his/her body move, how to communicate with others, and how to express feelings. 

There are four developmental domains in child development. Developmental domains refer to areas of child development. The domains are Physical Development, which include gross motor (large muscles) and fine motor (small muscles), Social Emotional Development (feelings and expression), Cognitive Development (thinking), and Language Development (communication). When a child participates in play in these domains, that child is setting the stage for learning. 

Many people think that playing is a waste of time. We have come to value the act of working, whether it is practicing the alphabet or learning that one plus one equals two, instead of the value of playing. For children, playing is their work. 

So, if you walk into your child’s preschool classroom or daycare and you see the children playing, it is okay! Be assured that they are learning. The paper and pencil work will come later. You will likely find that your child will do just fine when it is time to do paper and pencil work even if all she did in preschool was “play.” 
Source: http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/ articles/valueofplay/index.html


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Advertisement #1:
Early Childhood Courses June 2012 
Working With Young Children – Part A Dates: June 11-30, 2012 Format: Online Instructor: Felicity Grandjean, Ph.D. 

Working With Young Children – Part C Dates: June 16, 23, 30, 2012 Format: Traditional Location: UOG, ALS 104 Instructor: To be announced. 

Child Guidance & Discipline – Part B Dates: June 16, 23, 30, 2012 Format: Traditional Location: UOG, ALS 127 Instructor: Felicity Grandjean, Ph.D. 

For more information on these courses, please contact Terry Naputi at 735-2363 or email at terry.naputi@guamcedders.org. 


Advertisement #2:
Every Child Deserves a GOOD START in Life. 

Developmental Screenings can help determine whether a child is developing the way most children usually do. 

The Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) provides FREE Developmental Screenings for children birth to 36 months of age.

To schedule a FREE Developmental Screening or for more information on early childhood development, call 300-5776/5816. 

For FREE downloads and resources on early intervention services and early childhood development, visit online at www.gdoe.net/geis.

100% federally funded by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part C Grant for Infants and Toddlers, Department of Education, Division of Special Education, Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) and facilitated by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service (Guam CEDDERS).


Acknowledgement:
I Mandikiki’ is a publication supported with 100% federal funding through the Guam State Advisory Council Grant, and Project Tinituhon and is facilitated by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (Guam CEDDERS). 

Heidi San Nicolas, Ph.D., Guam CEDDERS Director 
Elaine Eclavea, Health, Wellness, & Prevention Initiative Area Coordinator 
Editor-in-Chief: Terrie Fejarang 
Managing Editor: Felicity Grandjean, Ph.D. 
Layout: Sean Lizama 

This issue of I Mandikiki’ was made possible through contributions from the following individuals: Vera Blaz and Felicity Grandjean, Ph.D. 

Alternative formats (e.g., Braille, large print, or audio tapes) of I Mandikiki’ may be made available by sending a request to newsletters@guamcedders.org or 735-2477. 


Page 8

Full page ad:
2012 Interactive Parent Conference 
The Power of Play: Summer Fun
When: Saturday, May 26, 2012 
Time: 10 am - 1 pm
Where: Concourse 4, Micronesia Mall (Wing above Cinnabon, same level as Macy’s Children and below KD Toys) 

For more information, contact Guam CEDDERS at 735-2466. Reasonable accommodations may be requested at least three (3) working days prior to the activity date. 

This activity is supported by Project Tinituhon, the Guam State Advisory Council Grant (Guam Early Learning Council), and the Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (Guam EHDI) Project, which are facilitated by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service (Guam CEDDERS). Support is also provided by the Guam Department of Education, Division of Special Education, Guam Early Intervention System and Preschool Program, Head Start Program, Department of Public Health & Social Services, Project Kariñu, and Project Bisita. Loving Our Babies Project Guam Early Learning Council