PreK-3rd Grade Systems Supports

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.

Three Components of WaKIDS

1. Family connection welcomes families into the Washington K-12 system as partners in their child’s education.
2. Whole-child assessment helps kindergarten teachers learn about the skills and strengths of the children in their classrooms so they can meet the needs of each child.
3. Early learning collaboration aligns practices of early learning professionals and kindergarten teachers to support smooth transitions for children

WaKIDS 101 Teacher Training

WaKIDS 101 offers teachers who are new to WaKIDS an introduction to the purpose, structure, and possibility of WaKIDS in order to understand how all three components of WaKIDS help to smooth the transition into kindergarten. Participants will gain a better understanding of how observation is foundational to effective instruction and learn practical strategies for collecting, using, and sharing evidence. By the end of the session, teachers will have the basic skills to begin implementing all components of WaKIDS, including using GOLD™ by Teaching Strategies® online. With the completion of their GOLD™ by Teaching Strategies® Inter-Rater Reliability Certification, teachers will leave feeling confident and ready for fall.

WaKIDS 101 is the one-time training required for all kindergarten teachers new to WaKIDS in 2019-20, including certificated Special Education teachers who provide instruction for kindergarten students with disabilities. If the responsibility of instruction is shared by multiple teachers, it is necessary that each teacher be trained.   

Teachers must have attended a WaKIDS 101 training in order to administer each of the three components of the WaKIDS kindergarten entry transition process: Family Connection, Whole-child Assessment, and Early Learning Collaboration.

Beginning in July 2019, the WaKIDS 101 training will change from a two-day, in-person training to a one-day, in-person training, followed by a six-hour online course through Canvas. Teachers will have two weeks from the date of the in-person training to complete the online training. Teachers who do not complete both the in-person and the online sections of the training will not be permitted to conduct WaKIDS.

With the new training model, teachers will also have the option to remain involved with Canvas online community throughout the year, for continued learning and support with WaKIDS and full-day kindergarten. By the end of the training, and with completion of Interrater Reliability Certification, teachers will be prepared to begin implementing WaKIDS.

The Summer 2020 training schedule will be posted in late March 2020.  Stay tuned! 

Registration questions please contact:  WaKIDS@psesd.org

Date and Time	Training	Location	Registration Link:
Look out for our Summer 2020 training dates in late March 2020.

Whitney White
P-3 Professional Learning Consultant and PSESD WaKIDS Trainer, LTFS
Phone: 425-917-7850 
Email: WWhite@psesd.org

For WaKIDS implementation questions contact:

Mary Waldron
Manager, P-3 Services and WaKIDS Coordinator, LTFS
Puget Sound Educational Service District
Phone: 425-917-7805
Email: MWaldron@psesd.org