PreK-3rd Grade Systems Supports
- Our Services
- WaKIDS
- Transitional Kindergarten
- TK/K Conference
- Upcoming Professional Development
- P-3 Network
Our Services
PSESD offers virtual, in person, and asynchronous professional development for PreK - 3rd grade teachers, staff, and administrators.
Topics
- Highly Effective Learning Environments
- Purposeful Play
- Observation and Documentation
- Quality Teacher-child Interactions
- Transitions and Routines
- Family Engagement
- WaKIDS and Full-day Kindergarten
- Universal Design for Learning
- Early Literacy/Science of Reading
- Engaging Read Alouds
- Literacy Through Play
- Project Based Learning
- and more!
We also offer individualized content.
Session Formatting
- 60 - 90 minutes
- 2 hours
- Half-day
- Full-day
- Multi-day
- Professional Development and technical assistance packages
Join Our Mailing List
Join our mailing list to stay up to date on updates and professional learning opportunities.
Meet Our Team
Whitney White, M. Ed. PreK-3rd Grade Systems Manager, WaKIDS State Lead and Coordinator, ITK Coordinator
Email: wwhite@psesd.org
Lisa Monroe, Ph. D. PreK-3rd Grade Professional Development Specialist and Early Learning Fellows Lead
Email: lmonroe@psesd.org
Book Today!
We recommend booking your training(s) 10 - 12 weeks in advance as our calendars fill up.
Request a training for your site by emailing Lisa Monroe at lmonroe@psesd.org.
WaKIDS
WaKIDS
The Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) is a transition process that helps to ensure a successful start to the K-12 experience and connect the key adults in a child’s life. These data help inform state and district-level decisions about education policy and investments, and classroom decisions about individualized learning.
Registration WaKIDS trainings is available on the OSPI WaKIDS Events and Training page. Please note summer trainings have now concluded.
Have Questions? WaKIDS Registration
Summer 2023 trainings have concluded. Mid-year trainings will be available mid-October and can be found on the OSPI WaKIDS Training and Webinar page. OSPI offers the following WaKIDS trainings:
- WaKIDS 101
- Introduction to WaKIDS for District and School Administrators
- WaKIDS 101 Refresher
- WaKIDS for Support Staff
If you have questions regarding registration, please contact: WaKIDS@K12.wa.us. Please note that PSESD no longer handles the registration process.
Have Questions?
For all other inquiries, please contact:
Whitney White
Phone: 425-917-7850
Email: wwhite@psesd.org
Transitional Kindergarten
Transition to Kindergarten
About
What is Transition to Kindergarten?
Transition to Kindergarten (TK) is a preschool program offered by local school districts using state education funding. These programs take place in elementary school buildings and follow the regular school schedule for daily attendance but may start later in the school year.
TK students are given access to all the aspects of the regular kindergarten school day such as access to transportation, meals, and specialists (music, PE, art, etc.). Classrooms are designed to meet the unique needs of preschool students and offer high-quality early learning programs. TK programs must meet State requirements of full-day kindergarten
.
Who is Transition to Kindergarten For?
TK programs have been developed specifically for 4-year-old children and offer high-quality early learning programs to students with an unmet need that otherwise do not have access to early learning opportunities prior to kindergarten. Qualifying children must have been identified by their school district as in need of additional preparation prior to starting kindergarten the following school year by screening procedures through the student’s school district.
TK programs aim to fill a gap by serving students who do not qualify for or attend other schools or programs such as Head Start, ECEAP or licensed child care programs.
Program Support
PSESD's P-3 team can assist schools with implementation of Transitional Kindergarten.
Connections
- Guiding districts through a needs assessment and helping to identify all existing licensed child care providers and preschool programs in the local community.
- Fostering relationships between districts and community early learning partners.
- Connecting districts to a network of TK leaders, practitioners, and administrators regionally and statewide.
- Supporting coordinated enrollment and recruitment efforts with community partners, families, and districts. Doing so helps to avoid the unintended consequence of other community-based programs closing due to low enrollment.
Program Support
- Providing guidance and support with training, development, and implementation of best practices in early learning and developmentally appropriate practices including the 5 Pillars of Transition to Kindergarten.
- Identifying and supporting district leadership teams for inclusionary practices in the Transition to Kindergarten program.
Professional Development
- Providing ongoing technical assistance and coaching for assessment practices, training, family and community engagement, and program-wide support for inclusionary practices.
- Districts may also contract with the ESD for:
- coaching services such as WA Pyramid Model Program or Practitioner coaches
- trainings in a range of topics such as developmentally appropriate practices, play-based learning, and creating environments and care routines for 4-year-old students. Please visit Our Services to learn more about the P-3 team's professional development offerings.
District TK Resources
- OSPI Transition to Kindergarten Requirements and Pillars
- OSPI Transition to Kindergarten FAQs
- OSPI Transition to Kindergarten Readiness Considerations
- OSPI Transition to Kindergarten Administrator's Best Practice Workbook
- Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines
- The Right Direction Mixed Delivery Early Care and Education
TK Programs and Eligibility
Eligibility and Screening Process
TK programs are only for 4-year-old children who have been identified as needing additional preparation prior to starting kindergarten the following school year.
Eligible students may include 4-year olds who:
- are not currently enrolled in a preschool program
- do not qualify for early learning programs
- do not have access to high-quality early learning experiences
- may have an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
Schools offering Transition to Kindergarten (TK) programs use screening procedures to determine the individual student’s abilities and determine the need for services. With the use of screening instruments, school personnel work with children and families to administer a developmentally appropriate screening. This screening helps identify the child’s developmental progress and indicate certain developmental milestones that have been achieved. Screening should take 30 minutes or less and is conducted by the school district.
Coordinated Recruitment and Enrollment
TK programs will work in collaboration with other preschool providers in the community to determine the best placement option for students. Before making a decision, families should consider all early learning options for which they qualify, as well as the benefits and outcomes of each service option.
Family Connections
Families are their child’s first and most important teacher and all families want what’s best for their children. Schools should be prepared to welcome families to the screening process and invite them to provide critical information about family culture and language, their child’s strengths and interests, as well as areas of behavioral and academic concerns. If children do not qualify for TK, schools should have a system in place to refer families to other programs.
TK/K Conference
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! The annual TK/Kindergarten conference will take place June 27th at PSESD. This year the UW Haring Center will be our keynote. Registration will be available late winter 2024.
The conference audience includes preschool, prekindergarten, Transition to Kindergarten, Special Education teachers who support kindergarteners, kindergarten teachers, and elementary instructional coaches and administrators.
When: June 27th, 2024 from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Where: Puget Sound ESD Conference Center
Upcoming Professional Development
Upcoming Professional Development
The Power of Mathematical Play Featuring Dr. Dan Finkel from Math for Love. February 3rd at PSESD. Join Dr. Dan Finkel, an author, curriculum writer, game creator, and keynote speaker, for an interactive and hands-on workshop designed to enhance your preschool-3rd grade math practice. Discover the power of mathematical play in the classroom and learn how to create engaging activities that encourage deep thinking, improve numerical literacy, and foster a joyful math environment for all students. As part of the workshop, you will receive the Tiny Polka Dot game and learn strategies for using it to teach counting, arithmetic, and logic. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to purchase other captivating math manipulatives that support mathematical thinking and learning in your classroom.
Topics covered in the workshop include:
- Play and children's development of mathematical reasoning
- Games and activities for numeracy and mathematical reasoning
- Openers for instant thinking and deeper discourse
- Manipulative challenges and explorations - bridging math and engineering
- Conjectures and Counterexamples: predictions, hypotheses, and scientific thinking for deeper math learning and ownership
- Being a mathematical role model (even if you don’t feel like one)
- Equipping families to support math at home
Register here.
P-3 Network
Join OSPI, AESD, and AWSP in their Leadership Network
Who: District and school leaders. Central Office/principal teams are strongly encouraged to attend together.
What: OPSI in partnership with the AESD and AWSP, is launching the PreK-3rd Grade Leadership Network for principals and school district administrators seeking to identify and develop school improvement strategies focused on the early years. Participants will learn about key strategies, early learning initiatives, and network with other districts.
The PreK-3rd Grade Leadership Network will support Washington schools as they develop inclusive, anti-biased, asset-based strategies to address gaps in the kindergarten readiness that persist into third grade, including expansion of inclusive preschool programs, Transitional Kindergarten, and best practices for K-3 assessment and instruction. The network will also attend to the unique social-emotional and behavior needs of young students, and their families, as they transition to school, possibly for the first time ever.
When: Six 90 minutes network meetings (via Zoom) during the SY 23-24 on October 6, November 3, February 2, March 8, April 12, and May 10.
How to sign up: Registration is limited to district and school administrators. Complete this short survey to sign up.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Whitney White at wwhite@psesd.org.