California Kindergarten Conference 

Thanks!  We want to express our appreciation to the over 700 attendees and participants, as well as our wonderful presenters, who helped make the 28^th Annual California Kindergarten Conference and Young Children’s Art Exhibit a wonderful and successful experience!!

Thank You, 2010 California Kindergarten Conference Sponsors - CKA would like to thank, once again, our sponsors for the 28th Annual California Kindergarten Conference ~ ARAMARK, Hyatt Regency Santa Clara, Lakeshore and the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau. Sponsoring the conference not only helps CKA, it also gives a company increased visibility.  As a conference sponsor, you'll gain recognition among hundreds of attendees and CKA members.  Demonstrate your support of CKA's professional development goals and your commitment to the early childhood profession.  If you know of a company or organization interested in sponsoring activities and programs at the Twenty-Ninth Annual California Kindergarten Conference in 2011, please contact the CKA office at (916)780-5331.

We’re looking for speakers for the 2011 California Kindergarten Conference – The California Kindergarten Conference Committee is now accepting applications to present at the 29^th Annual California Kindergarten Conference at the Santa Clara Convention Center on January 15 and 16, 2011.  Please visit our website at http://www.californiakindergartenassocation.org/ for a presenter application.  Deadline for submitting applications:  April 15, 2010.

Race to the Top

Below is the letter sent last month to Supt. Jack O’Connell, State Supt. of Public Instruction, regarding the Race to the Top funding application from the CKA President, Debra Weller.

Dear Supt. O’Connell,

The California Kindergarten Association cannot endorse the Race to the Top funding application due to several issues which affect Kindergarten teachers and the youngest students in our K-12 educational system.

1. Highly qualified Kindergarten teachers in the state of California are perplexed that Kindergarten is not a compulsory grade level. Kindergarten teachers have a great responsibility to prepare children with a foundation for future academic success. However, without Kindergarten attendance being mandated the grade level does not have place of respect in the K-12 system. Kindergarten needs to be a compulsory grade level to ensure that all children are given equal opportunity to be educated in literacy, math, English language development and social/emotional well being. This is the foundational, first step for California school children. In order for the California Kindergarten Association to endorse Race to the Top, Kindergarten must be compulsory.

2. California is one of only five states which allows four year old children to enter Kindergarten. This sets up a disadvantage when California test scores are compared to other states which require children to be five years old by Sept. 2^nd. The four year old child who enters Kindergarten after Sept. 2^nd in California, has to compete academically with children who are six months to one year older.  The four year old child who is placed in Kindergarten too early is unable to meet the required state standards without additional intervention and can succumb to failure and future dropout. In order for the California Kindergarten Association to endorse Race to the Top, children who enter Kindergarten must be five years old prior to September 2^nd.

3. The testing environment in Kindergarten is unlike any other grade level. Because Kindergarten children are preliterate, testing has to be individualized. Required assessments may take thirty minutes per child in three to four assessment periods each school year. In an average overcrowded classroom with thirty students, the teacher deletes 3600 instructional minutes each year assessing children.  The testing environment is far from ideal. It is noisy and filled with interruptions. It is disturbing that Kindergarten teachers would be judged by Race to the Top when testing conditions are unequal. In order for the California Kindergarten Association to endorse Race to the Top, the mandated testing instrument needs to be developed by leading Kindergarten educators and the testing environment needs to be improved by lowered class size.

The California Kindergarten Association represents dedicated, highly educated early childhood professionals who regard their chosen profession with dignity. However, it is with great dismay that this important grade level does not have state laws to support essential components to ensure success for the youngest children in our public school system. If you want to improve California schools, start with compulsory Kindergarten, a starting date of September 2^nd, followed by fully funding the education system so we can rise from the dismal level of 47^th in the nation.

The California Kindergarten Association will be honored to send representatives to work with the State Department of Education to develop successful policies for Kindergarten.

Sincerely,

Debra Weller

CKA President

The Arts Really Teach!

The Arts Really Teach!  - On November 20^th and 21^st the California Kindergarten Association collaborated with San José State University Department of Education, the Santa Clara County Office of Education, the SJSU Student Chapter of the National Education Association and Education Connexion to produce the Marion Cilker Conference for Arts and Education. Workshops were held Friday, November 20 at the university for students and on Saturday, November 21 at the County Office for teachers and students in the San Jose area. 

The seed of an idea was planted in 2008 to connect the university and CKA, to use the resources of CKA, the new publication Art Really Teaches and the Young Children's Art Exhibit at the Annual California Kindergarten Conference in Santa Clara, to join with students entering the field of education.  Members of the CKA Board and Conference and Arts Committees met through the summer and fall months with staff and students from the university as well as the SCCOE Visual and Performing Arts Coordinators to plan the workshop.

Then news came of an extraordinary gift to the university from Marian Cilker to support art in the classroom. The gift will be used to sustain an Annual Marion Cilker Conference for Arts and Education, which will offer a series of hands-on workshops to show how art can be used to enrich traditional academic subjects. Mrs. Cilker’s gift will enable free attendance at the conference by all SJSU students, as well as teachers from local Title I - designated public schools. “This wonderful gift will help the Lurie College of Education lead the region in bringing the arts back into public schools,” said recently appointed Dean of Education, Elaine Chin, who has made arts education a cornerstone of her vision for the college. “It’s part of our big push to put more emphasis on the arts.”

Marion Cilker was a featured guest at the November 20^th event at the Connie L. Lurie College of Education.  She met with student attendees, the session presenters and the volunteers who planned the weekend's events.  Dr. Andrea Whittaker, Chair of the Department of Elementary Education, who helped organize the event noted, “The goal is to promote more awareness about the arts. We want to show how the arts can be embedded in the curriculum.” "Exposure to art at a young age leads to a long life of enjoyment in the arts. I have personal experience in this.” Mrs. Cilker said, by way of explaining her decision to support arts education.  CKA was pleased to be part of this exciting effort.

Materials and Programs

Full-Day Kindergarten in California: Lessons from Los Angeles- Almost half of California public school kindergartners are enrolled in full-day classes, but education policymakers have no empirical information on the effect of full-day kindergarten on California student performance. This report examines whether longer classes in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) are having a positive impact on all students and on economically disadvantaged and English learner students in particular. The focus is on academic, grade retention, and English fluency outcomes through second grade.  The report, by the Public Policy Institute of California, is available for free on the PPIC website at http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=792

What Kindergarten Readiness Means to Kindergarten Teachers - Kindergarten readiness is never small talk for kindergarten and preschool teachers. This recent data from the Santa Clara County Partnership for School Readiness has excellent information which may help your presentation for Kindergarten Round Up in the coming year. You will want to share this with your administrators and superintendents.  Click here for the full article.

The Culture CO-OP (Caring, Optimistic, Open-minded People) promotes understanding and respect for diversity, reading and quality education for all. They accomplish their mission through dynamic presentations and research-based multicultural products that incorporate reading, music and the arts for people of all ages and backgrounds. They are preparing to launch the national campaign “We All Have a Heritage” to increase cross-cultural awareness and understanding.   For more information visit their website at www.CultureCo-Op.com.

Art Really Teaches

The long awaited Art Really Teaches, Aligned with California Curriculum Standards has arrived! 

ART Really Teaches suggests methods and techniques for the use of art materials and includes direct applications to the California Curriculum Standards for Kindergarten.  This publication includes over 400 art activities aligned with the California Kindergarten Standards that can be applied to daily lessons.  It answers practical questions and cites studies and research that provide persuasive evidence of how art can complement academic programs. In addition, it presents over 100 full color stunning and inspiring examples of artwork produced by four-, five- and six-year-old students. 

Teachers of preschool, first grade, special education and even higher grades can use ART Really Teaches to include art in lessons to benefit their students.  Art really will help students learn – joyfully.  As a special to our members, CKA is offering this publication for $35 including tax!  (Shipping is extra.)  To take advantage of this offer visit our website at http://www.californiakindergartenassociation.org/

For additional information on the California Kindergarten Association, please contact our office at (916)780-5331 or e-mail us at cka@ckanet.org.

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