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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer 

PELHAM – Teachers at Pelham Oaks and Pelham Ridge Elementary Schools recently welcomed crowds of incoming kindergarten students with a three-day camp that took place from July 9-11.

These camps, which guide incoming kindergartners along their first steps within Pelham City Schools, have become a staple experience at both of Pelham’s elementary schools over the past several years. By welcoming new students in prior to the start of the school year, the programs seek to provide incoming students with a sneak peek into their new academic environment, with hopes of helping to preventing the common anxiety that can often accompany a child’s first day of school.

“The main purpose for why we have the camp is to benefit the incoming students,” said Chase Holden, principal of Pelham Oaks Elementary School. “When Kindergartners come in, and it is there first time going to school, the camp really gives them a chance to go in and meet some of their teachers, get to know the building, learn the layout and know what to expect when they start the school year.”

According to Holden, administrators at both schools have noticed a marked improvement on the state of mind of incoming kindergarten students who participate in the camps each year. Among the differences displayed are a noticeable increase in student confidence and lack of anxiety and hesitation while getting acclimated over the first few days of the new school year.

“It’s all mainly done with the purpose of trying to give the students an idea of what school will be like,” Holden said. “It helps set their expectations but also helps them feel good about starting school. It helps the new students not to feel as worried when they start.”

In presenting the camps, a majority of each school’s kindergarten teachers welcome the students in and take them on as groups. While each teacher did not necessarily look after the exact students who will end up in their classes come the start of the school year, the camps served as an opportunity for the soon-to-be students to meet the school’s teachers.

Among the list of activities that incoming kindergartners took part in were lessons that introduced and developed foundational skills such as shapes, colors and letter recognition. Students were also escorted through the halls to learn the different locations within the school building and participated in multiple special events and games that helped bolster their spirits and make friends among their new classmates.

“One of their favorite parts is when they get to get on the school bus, hear about the school bus and ride around in the parking lot,” Holden said. “They don’t leave the campus but they get the experience of what it is like to ride around and that is always one of their favorite parts.”

At the conclusion of each day, the kindergartners were picked up by their parents on school grounds where they relayed their experiences.

“The feedback that we get from parents is that they were appreciative that we offer this opportunity to their kids and overall everyone was excited about the experience,” Holden said. “What I heard from parents is that (the kids) can’t wait for school to start.”

This year’s kindergartener participation exceeded the turnout of previous years, which is seen as an outstanding achievement and great opportunity by educators within Pelham City Schools.

“We had roughly two-thirds of all incoming kindergartners take part in the camps, which is fairly high,” Holden said. “The turnout this year is higher than we’ve had in the past. I like to see that, because that just means we have more kindergartners who are going to come in on their first day feeling more comfortable. Anytime we have a higher percentage of students attend the kindergartner camp it is a good sign to me.”

That good turnout is not only expected to help the new students get off to a better start, but the experience has also left educators at both of Pelham’s elementary schools with bolstered spirits and an energized perspective toward the new year.

“(As a staff) we feel fantastic,” Holden said. “I think last year was one of our best school years ever, so I am looking forward to building on that. We are looking forward to having just a wonderful school year with the students, staff and parents working together as a community.”