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Lt. Governor Maxwell visiting with a group of school children from Kansas City in his office
By Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell
The tail end of August is a familiar time of year for many families in the state of Missouri. The swimming pools in our cities begin to shut down and the sounds of practicing fall athletes and marching bands fill the air. These are all signals of the same yearly occasion, the first day of school.
Feelings about this day can range from eagerness to begin a new year and see old friends to wishing there was more left of summer. Students and parents alike often meet this day with excitement and apprehension, as it can bring many changes and transitions. My oldest daughter Megan is currently making one of these transitions, moving from the single classroom routine of elementary school to the more hectic pace of middle school. Those of us who are parents need to remember that although our children may have been in school for a few years that every school year brings new challenges and more complex learning.
My younger daughter Shannen is fortunate not to have to make as great of a transition this year as her older sister. As she begins first grade she will have already experienced her first year of school, which was concluded by her kindergarten graduation last May. That day not only made her mother and I proud, but also made us less nervous as this school year begins.
Shannen's transition to first grade was additionally eased through the experience of attending full-day kindergarten last year. The number of students attending full-day kindergarten continues to grow throughout our state. This fall 80 percent of kindergarten students in Missouri will be attending school the entire day. Our state has certainly come a long way since Susan Elizabeth Blow established the first public kindergarten in the United States at the DesPerres School in St. Louis in 1873.
As an advisor to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for early childhood education I am proud of the progress our state has made in this area. Additionally, Missouri has an excellent tradition of early childhood programs, such as the creation of the now nationwide Parents As Teachers program. These programs offer our youngest children opportunities to have their learning fostered and developed before they even walk into the schoolhouse door for their first day of kindergarten.
Providing these opportunities is greatly important, as research indicates crucial steps in brain development and connections with concepts are made during this time period. The connections that are established as young children guide the learning patterns that we use the rest of our lives. Missouri is working to provide quality early childhood education throughout the state, working to make sure that children are given these valuable learning opportunities. For a list of early childhood education resources in Missouri, access my early childhood education page on my website at http://www.ltgov.state.mo.us/Early%20Childhood.htm
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