Pitt’s Office of Child Development Brings Volunteers, Parents, and “Ready Freddy” Mascot to Welcome Students During Kindergarten Kickoff at Six Locations Sept. 5

PITTSBURGH—New kindergarten students at six Pittsburgh Public Schools will be welcomed on Sept. 5—the first day of school—by groups of parents and supportive volunteers and friends, including “Ready Freddy,” a green frog mascot that is the symbol of a program developed by Pitt’s Office of Child Development (OCD) to help ease kindergartners’ transition to formal schooling.

This year, United Way of Allegheny County is partnering with OCD for the kindergarten kickoff, an annual event designed to increase awareness about kindergarten and to help ensure a smoother transition from the home to the classroom.

Friendly adults and the “Ready Freddy” mascot will be at the following kindergarten sites Sept. 5 to welcome and encourage new students and their parents on the first day of school:

“National studies highlight the fact that nearly half of all children struggle with the transition to kindergarten,” said Ken Smythe-Leistico, director of OCD’s Pathways to School Success. “Late arrivals and poor initial attendance are considered significant predictors for school failure. The Ready Freddy Program targets those children most likely to be absent on the first day,” he said.

Smythe-Leistico and his staff canvassed the South Side, North Side, Homewood, West End and the Hill District this summer, enrolling youngsters in kindergarten, taking parents on virtual tours of the schools, and distributing new family activities calendars and an interactive Web-book.

Before OCD’s involvement, kindergarten enrollment at some of the schools had been low, with as few as 12 students attending the first day of class. This year, enrollment has even surpassed projected figures at several kindergarten sites.

United Way is recruiting 20 to 40 volunteers to staff each school site for the Sept. 5 event. Those interested can contact Christina Burke at 412-456-6856 or Christina.burke@uwac.org.

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8/29/12/mab/jer