LARGO, Fla. — It can be scary for parents to see their kids transition into kindergarten — you're part proud and part terrified! And it can be even more nerve-racking for the kids.
Pinellas County Schools invited families out to several schools to meet with faculty and spend the day getting to know the ins and outs of kindergarten. School officials also talked with Tampa Bay 28 about the district's early education programs aimed at helping families save a little money.
WATCH full report by Heather Leigh
You may remember in 2024, Childcare Aware did a study that showed the average cost of childcare for a toddler in center-based care was about $11.4K a year, which breaks down to $238 a week.
But Pinellas County Schools has several programs that are cost-saving.
Ridgecrest Elementary is the home of the Panthers and the future home of some adorable, almost kindergartners.
“I think this is the first step in open communication, knowing what this school is about, seeing what they have to offer, and what a day will look like once your child comes here," said Kristen Frack, a mom of three.
On Feb. 4, Frack and her daughter Claire joined other families for a tour of what life will be like for kids once they enroll at Ridgecrest Elementary School. Frack is a pro — she’s done this twice before and is about to go through the transition from pre-k to kindergarten for a third and final time with Claire.
“I think she might have a little bit of nerves on the day of, but Ridgecrest has fostered such a love of learning in her," said Frack.
All thanks to Voluntary Pre-kindergarten (VPK), where Claire has developed the skills she needs to make the move.
The Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County says kids who are in pre-k are better prepared for school, do better on standardized tests, have better attendance, develop lifelong social and emotional skills, are less likely to drop out of school, and are more likely to be successful regardless of background and environment.
Shannon Stephens has been an educator for 33 years, spending eight years teaching the little ones in kindergarten. Stephens said some kids come in ready, others don’t, and it’s her job to get everyone up to speed, but that early education can really make a big difference, and she says socialization is one of the most important skills.
“You have to learn how to share, and just those kids being with one another, they learn from each other and they bounce off of each other, and they build those friendships that they need in the beginning to kind of make it successful for them going throughout school," said Stephens.
But VPK isn’t where Claire began learning.
“You can’t start early enough with education," said Frack. "Claire has been in some sort of childcare or daycare since she was one year old, so she’s been learning from a young age.”
And when we asked Kristen if she thinks childcare is pricey, it was an immediate yes.
“Yes, it's a huge financial burden, you know, I'm a full-time graduate student, so my main job is graduate school right now. Having children in full-time child care has been a challenge for our family," Frack said.
She says any relief through new laws made or other opportunities is appreciated because early education is so important to her and other families. A benefit in Pinellas County is the pre-k3 program, which starts 3-year-olds at most elementary schools in the county. Weekly tuition is $140.
It encourages creativity, problem-solving, and social interaction and integrates academic concepts through hands-on activities.
The district also offers VPK and the Rising Kindergarten program, which gets registered kindergartners ready for the upcoming school year.
“When your child starts with us, we are giving them structure, we're giving them routine, we're giving them opportunities to learn through play," said Tracy Gardner, the principal at Ridgecrest Elementary School.
Sign-ups for PreK3 and VPK is closed for this year, but there's always next year!
If you have a child who is going into kindergarten this fall, you can get them signed up for Rising K this March. Click here for details!
Share Your Story with Heather
Heather Leigh was born and raised in Tampa Bay. She’s invested in telling stories from Seminole Heights and Ybor City and helping you find affordable childcare. Send Heather a message with any ideas you’d like to share.
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