March 29, 2024 Kindergarten Readiness Events Planned for Northside Families in April Hi5! and Pittsburgh Public Schools will host kindergarten readiness events for northside families in April. Attendees will learn about kindergarten readiness, transition, and enrollment. Session Details The first event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 4 at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, located at 1230 Federal Street in Pittsburgh. Those interested in attending can register now. A second event will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on April 20 at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, located at 1201 Woods Run Avenue in Pittsburgh. Those interested in attending can register now. Both events are free. The first 20 families to register for each event will receive a free kindergarten giveaway bag. When a child reaches five years of age, it is time to enroll them in kindergarten. Details about kindergarten registration information for the 2024-25 school year in Allegheny County are now available. Hi5! Kindergarten transition efforts are led in partnership with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 (AIU3), Trying Together, and United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. For more information visit Trying Together’s Kindergarten Transition page.
February 1, 2022 2022-23 Kindergarten Registration Open Kindergarten registration has opened in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Fayette, Greene, and Westmoreland counties for the 2022-2023 school year. Registering Your Child If your child is five, it’s time to register them for kindergarten. View details about Kindergarten registration in the Pittsburgh Region and find your district’s information in the following documents: Kindergarten Registration Information for the 2022-23 School Year: Allegheny County Kindergarten Registration Information for the 2022-23 School Year: Westmoreland, Fayette, Armstrong, Greene, and Butler Counties Hi5! is a kindergarten readiness and registration campaign coordinated by The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, and Trying Together. Early and on-time registration allows schools and districts to plan for classroom materials, resources, and staff as they prepare to welcome a new group of students. It also enables families to establish relationships with teachers and administrators that are so important for easing the stress and anxiety of children (and their families) as they begin elementary school. More Information For more information about the Hi5! project, transition teams, and activities, please email hi5@tryingtogether.org, or view the Hi5! overview (PDF) and the Kindergarten Transition Whitepaper (PDF). To receive the the Hi5! Kindergarten Transition newsletter, visit our sign up page! For more information about helping your child make the move to Kindergarten, visit the Kindergarten Transition: A Guide for Families resource.
April 8, 2021 Hi5! Celebration of Kindergarten Registration and Transition Hi5! is hosting a celebration of kindergarten registration and transition. Hi5! is a partnership between the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Trying Together, and the United Way of Southwestern PA. Over the past year, Hi5! has been gathering the entire region virtually to share and learn with one another. The pre-k to kindergarten transition marks a critical point in the lives of children and families. Early and on-time registration allows elementary schools to plan for classroom materials, resources, and staff as they prepare to welcome a new group of students. It also enables families to establish relationships with teachers and administrators that are so important for easing the stress and anxiety of children (and their families) as they begin elementary school. Early childhood professionals play an important role in supporting the transition from pre-k to kindergarten. Children are eligible to register for kindergarten if they are 5, or are turning 5 by September 2021. View the birthdate and registration requirements for the region’s school districts on the Trying Together website. An online registration form is available for early learning programs to attend the event. Providers should share the number of children eligible for kindergarten at the time of registration. Information will be collected now through May 10, 2021. Participants will be entered into a raffle to receive Lakeshore gift cards or a mini library of books. Early learning programs who participate will also receive a certificate and be recognized at the May 17th virtual celebration event. More Information Additional information about Hi5! can be found on the Trying Together website. For additional questions, please contact hi5@tryingtogether.org.
March 5, 2019 Kindergarten Registration Open in Allegheny County If your child is five, it’s time. Kindergarten registration has opened in Allegheny County for the 2019-2020 school year. View details on Kindergarten registration costs, locations, and dates at trying together.org. Hi5! Campaign Successful transition practices help school districts identify and work with early care and education providers in their community to support young children and their families so they are comfortable and prepared for the first day of Kindergarten. Through a partnership called Hi5!, Trying Together, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 (AIU3) work with over 40 local school districts. Due to these efforts, Kindergarten registration rates have improved to a 97% early or on-time registration rate for Allegheny County children as reported for the 2017 – 2018 school year. Learn More Learn more about Kindergarten Transition with this white paper from Trying Together (PDF). For questions, contact Emily Neff at 412.421.3889 or hi5@tryingtogether.org.
May 7, 2018 Kindergarten Transition White Paper Highlights Regional Efforts The move from pre-kindergarten to Kindergarten marks a critical point in the lives of young children and their families. In the 2017 – 2018 school year, Allegheny County reported early registration at 84% and on-time registration at 97% for Kindergarten students. This success is due largely in part to the local Hi5! Campaign funded by the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and chaired by Trying Together and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit #3. To highlight the successful regional and national efforts of child care centers, Head Start and pre-k teachers, and school districts to support young children and families in this momentous occasion, Trying Together has released a white paper entitled, Kindergarten Transition. The paper provides researched recommendations and activities including: requiring local transition teams; providing guidance on how to leverage funds; encouraging data sharing; including parents and guardians in the transition process; ensuring high-quality, developmentally appropriate Kindergarten; strengthening relationships and collaboration between early childhood programs and elementary schools; and rethinking the responsibility of school readiness. “Research and evaluation nationally shows that children who experienced effective transition practices retain the developmental gains made in early childhood through the early elementary grades,” said Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together Executive Director. “Through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESSA), Pennsylvania school districts will now have more flexibility to use federal dollars to support their Kindergarten transition efforts.”
March 6, 2018 Kindergarten Transition The transition to kindergarten marks a critical point in the lives of children and families. Students who are ready for kindergarten and attend the first day of school are more likely to read on grade-level by third grade, regularly attend school, make friends, and are less likely to drop out of high school. Early and on-time registration allows schools and districts to plan for classroom materials, resources, and staff as they prepare to welcome a new group of students. It also enables families to establish relationships with teachers and administrators that are so important for easing the stress and anxiety of children (and their families) as they begin elementary school. Register for Kindergarten Kindergarten Registration Information for the 2024-25 School Year: Allegheny County Kindergarten Registration Information for the 2024-25 School Year: Westmoreland, Fayette, Armstrong, Greene, and Butler counties Top 10 Kindergarten Readiness Skills Hi5! collaborated with a group of pre-k and kindergarten teachers to develop a list of academic, social, emotional, and physical skills for children entering kindergarten based on the PA Early Learning Standards. A list of more than 30 skills was sent to educators in school districts, child care programs, and Head Start programs throughout the region—including Allegheny, Butler, Fayette, Greene, and Westmoreland counties. View the checklist (Spanish version PDF). About Hi5! Partnership Hi5! Kindergarten transition efforts are led in partnership with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 (AIU3), Trying Together, and United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania (who generously fund the project). We have a leadership team that consists of community and state partners, principals, Head Start administrators, and early learning program directors. The Hi5! Partnership focuses on engaging all 43 public school districts in Allegheny County and supports each district to: develop and implement their own kindergarten transition plans; build awareness with families that when “your child reaches five years of age, it’s time to register” them for kindergarten; network and share best practices between pre-k teachers, kindergarten teachers, early childhood program directors, and school administrators; and gather community resources throughout the county. These efforts align with the Every Student Succeeds Act, the new federal law passed in 2015 which required states to have a plan that includes thinking about the transition to kindergarten and how districts connect with early learning programs. For more information about the project, transition teams, and activities, please email hi5@tryingtogether.org, or view the Hi5! overview (PDF) and Kindergarten Transition Whitepaper (PDF). Newsletter If you would like to receive the Hi5! Kindergarten Transition newsletter, visit our sign up page! Previous Issues 2020 December July 2019 December October June March 2018 December September June February
