NORMAN — There’s a brimming prospect for a neon-lit vacancy sign for enrollment next school in Norman Public School’s four-year-old program at Truman Elementary School.
The district unlocked plans to double classroom space at the school, meaning it could be less risky for parents, bent on enrolling their children at the neighborhood site, being shuffled to a wait list.
Currently, there are 40 spots for children — 20 slots in the morning and 20 in the afternoon — that are always filled for the optional precursor to kindergarten, preparing children for the social and behavior roadblocks of K-12 education.
Next year, Steffani Allen, director of early childhood education, said the district plans to add another class, which means 40 additional spots, in Truman’s new primary education building, the upcoming headquarters for kindergarten through second grade classes at the school.
“This means more students will have developed that school behavior that needs to be in place by kindergarten,” said Allen, adding that there are 800 slots for pre-kindergarten in the district, with openings at all 15 elementary schools and five off-campus locations, coined Bright Beginnings Academy.
After teaching four years of pre-kindergarten, along with prior years leading a kindergarten class, Elizabeth Douma, the morning teacher of Truman’s four-year-old program, said she has seen the proof of easing into elementary classes from both sides of the classroom door.
“There’s definitely a level of comfort with school,” said Douma between doing individual student evaluations in the beginning of the morning class, while the other students colored, played with Legos and flipped through books. “Knowing how to be a part of a classroom community and separating them from parents, makes the transition to kindergarten easier.”
Both Douma and Allen, who listed literacy and early math skills among other learning areas chiseled during pre-kindergarten, stressed learning to adapt to shifts through the day as one of the greatest areas of growth at this age.
“It’s so hard to be a four-year-old because at that age, it’s all about them. But then you’re here, and you have to adapt to other four-year-olds,” Allen said.
Douma then cued the students to circle time with a clean-up song, never stopping to tell a child to end play with the toys.
Allen emphasized the use of song, rhythm and patterns when teaching, such as when Joseph Bradley, the elected calendar helper for the day, was called to the front to lead the “Days of the Week” song.
Bradley ticked off the days in April with his pointer stick — naming the purple, pink, pink pattern for the papers tacked onto each completed day — until he reached that day’s date: April 14.
Douma led the class in an alligator clap for Bradley, slowly spread her arms apart vertically before hitting them together.
“See this is a way for them to start out their education feeling positive and successful,” Allen said. “When you combine pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, that lays the foundation for learning, so we know these social constructs have taken place in a safe environment.”
Since the non-state mandated program — of which Oklahoma’s is ranked No. 1 in the nation — is optional, the district holds two annual drawings in April to determine at which location children will enroll. The first drawing for families to enroll in their school zone was April 1.
Those not selected for the schools closest to their homes were bundled into the second drawing, which was Friday, along with others who didn’t submit applications by the deadline for the first drawing.
The April drawing did not include spaces in the off-campus academy. Those interested in enrollment at those sites, which are staffed by a district teacher and include replica materials and lessons to district classrooms, should contact the individual site, Allen said.
Allen said the drawings aren’t used to limit student enrollment but to determine where students can attend classes, since there is limited space at each school.
Allen said there are about 200 openings after both drawings for parents who weren’t selected or transition into the district during the summer. Families, however, may not be able to enroll in the program located closest to their homes.
“That’s something we get asked a lot,” she said of space availability. “But we’ve never had to turn anyone away.”
Nanette Light 366-3539 nlight@normantranscript.com
