First Annual Together for Kindergarten Community Forum (Santa Cruz)

Together for Kindergarten Forum logo More than 200 early educators, kindergarten teachers and administrators from across the county gathered on Wednesday, February 24th, for the 1st Annual “Together for Kindergarten” community forum. Organized by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education with the assistance of a grant from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, the forum presented an opportunity for early educators to come together to exchange ideas and propose activities that support kindergarten readiness.

In her keynote address, Delaine Eastin, former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, noted that, “growing cultural, ethnic diversity of our children suggests a greater need that all of our children enter kindergarten ready to learn. They're starting the first grade two years behind. Ms. Eastin stated, “The truth is that closing the achievement gap requires that we provide quality pre-school, but it also requires that effective transitions occur. And the fact is, that this is the first ever meeting like this in this county. That's fantastic because tonight you've embarked on those successful transitions. You're helping our schools to be ready, both as pre-schools and as kindergartens.”

Visit the P4P Video Page for excerpt from Delaine Eastin's keynote address.

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