'He's so excited': Jefferson kindergarteners-to-be get to meet, play with future classmates

'He's so excited': Jefferson kindergarteners-to-be get to meet, play with future classmates

 

Charlie and Allison Villanueva aren’t too nervous about their son, Oliver, starting kindergarten at Jefferson Elementary in September.

But when the kindergarten teachers at his new school offered a chance to play in the park with his future classmates, they jumped at the opportunity.

“I just wanted Oliver to get to play with some of his peers,” Charlie said on a beautiful Tuesday night at Dacota Street Park in Winona.

“He’s on the (autism) spectrum, and I think it’s important to get to know some kids before he gets into the classroom.”

Allison added: “He’s so excited to start kindergarten. Any opportunity to get his feet wet in the kindergarten process is welcome.”

jefferson winona kindergarten play park

Oliver Villanueva plays with a new friend at an event organized by Jefferson kindergarten teachers on Tuesday, July 30 at Dacota Street Park.

The Villanuevas were one of several families with a kindergartener-to-be who took advantage of the first of three arranged play dates with the Jefferson kindergarten teachers.

“I got the idea from my son’s preschool teacher,” said Amber Scott, a kindergarten teacher at Jefferson. “She did it last year to meet the kids and the kids get to know each other. Selfishly, I have a child who is very shy, so it’s nice for him to meet others.”

There are two other dates scheduled — Tuesday, Aug. 6 at Goodview Park (6th Street and 44th Avenue) and Thursday, Aug. 15 at Jefferson Elementary School.

The first night couldn’t have gone better. The kids laughed and screamed as they went down a big twirly slide. Others played football in the grass. Some climbed on anything they could.

“I love seeing all the kids before school starts,” said Stacy Rasmussen, who is transitioning from a fourth-grade teacher to a kindergarten teacher. “It’s fun for them to get to know each other, too.”

Jefferson kindergarten teacher Amber Scott hands out freeze pops during a play in the park event.

The noise went down considerably when Scott broke out a cooler full of freeze pops, asking every kid which color they wanted — Oliver chose a green one before climbing on a seal on a spring — but it wasn’t long before the action picked up again.

“It’s nice to see the kids and the parents,” said Wendy Graves, whose son Hayden will start the Rios Spanish Immersion program in the fall. “We wanted to hang out with some new friends before heading off to school.”

Some of the faces were familiar. Others were new. Either way, it’s important for the kindergarten teachers, Scott said, to build a sense of community heading into the school year.

“We do a lot between the four classes,” she said.

Funding for the event was provided by the Jefferson PTA and PEAK (Parends Education All Kids).

“It went really, really well tonight, and if it continues to go well, our plan is to continue it from year to year,” Scott said.