Kathy Harding, pre-k director for Polk County Schools, visited the Tryon Kiwanis Club to thank them for their support of building playgrounds and giving scholarships to local students. Harding also discussed the pre-school programs, which are needed for transition from home to school.
In Polk County, the pre-school program is play-based with an emphasis on language for reading readiness, telling time and learning numbers. In this environment, play is equal to the work of preparing for school.
Love of learning, ability to socialize, and curiosity, important growth areas for young children, are strengthened in the classroom. Gross motor skills are improved by playing outside for an hour each day. Children are taught dental hygiene as they brush their teeth once a day at school.
The Kiwanis Club enjoyed Harding’s presentation very much and Club President Steve Cobb thanked her. The children’s book “A Screaming Kind of Day” will be donated to a local school.
– article submitted by Lynn Montgomery