o Noah Pearce, intern Lauren Turner, Seth Holmes and Leo Selmes.
o Makayla Lawrence, Mrs Penny Dugan, Toby Greenwood and Katelyn O’Neill.
Trangie Central School’s kindergarten class is getting proven results with its successful Early Bird transition program and a new addition to the curriculum, Language, Learning and Literacy (L3).
According to kindergarten teacher Mrs Penny Dugan, the majority of students have reached the regional benchmark for reading just halfway through the year and some students have exceeded that, reading at a year 2 level.
“Prior to Early Birds we had a lot of trouble with kids being ready for kindergarten so that is why we started Early Birds at the school three years ago,” Mrs Dugan said.
“This transition program shows how vital it is with where the kids are now.
“This year’s kindergarten is amazing as they are leaps and bounds above regional and state benchmarks; it is fantastic to see.”
Although Mrs Dugan credits the Early Bird program for part of the classes’ success, the new L3 initiative has also worked wonders.
L3 is a research-based, cost-effective kindergarten classroom intervention, targeting text reading and writing.
“This intervention program is only offered to kindergarten students and it is aimed at getting in early with the children and pulling them up as fast as you can,” Mrs Dugan said.
“With how well the class is going, reaching benchmarks just halfway through the year, it is showing how well it works; every 10 weeks the students’ progress is reviewed.”
Trangie Central School’s community liaison officer, Mel Gleeson, thinks the positive outcomes being achieved by the students in kindergarten and dedication of the school and staff, needs to be publicised.
“Credit has got to go to the teaching staff who are so important in the kindergarten students’ success; Penny Dugan, Joanne Wykes and Katie Selmes,” Mrs Gleeson said.
“By taking part in the Early Bird program, parents have already developed a relationship with the teacher; you know your children are familiar with the school, so it takes away the whole settling in period for both children and parents.
“And with the L3 program, and the level the class is now it, parents and staff know how wonderful Trangie Central is going but it is great for the community to realise it too; we may be a small ‘public’ school but we can get the results,” Mrs Gleeson said.