Libraries play a vital role in preparing young children for school by providing interactive and playful programs in which children can develop social, emotional, math, science, and executive function skills and practices. Research has shown these skills to be important for later academic and lifelong success.

The Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit provides free, online, research-based resources, created specifically for library staff. These resources make it easy for you to enhance what you are already doing, with eye-catching tips, planning tools, program surveys, activity ideas, family conversation starters, social media posts, and more.

This webinar will introduce library staff to the background and components of the Toolkit, along with testimonials from practitioners about how they are reimagining school readiness in their own libraries. You’ll leave with ideas and strategies for supporting your families and communities.

The Toolkit was developed by the Bay Area Discovery Museum in collaboration with the California State Library.

Presented by:

• Michelle D. Weissman Randall, PhD, Head of Research and Evaluation, Bay Area Discovery Museum
• Julia Shaheen, Literacy Manager, Stark Library (OH)
• Kate Greene Smith, Youth Services & Special Projects Coordinator, Tennessee State Library & Archives

Tweet: #wjwebinar

Access Recording

• View Webinar Recording (Coming Soon)

Webinar Attachments

• View slides (pdf) (Coming Soon)
  
• View chat (xls) (Coming Soon)
• View captions (txt) (Coming Soon)
• Learner Guide (doc) Use alone or with others to extend your learning.
  

Related Resources and Links

• Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit
• Reimagining School Readiness - Overview of Key Findings (pdf)
• Promising Practices Booklet (pdf)
• Program Planning Sheet (pdf)
• Program Reflection Sheet (pdf)
• Time to Change the “Checklist”: A Toolkit for Reimagining School Readiness: This WebJunction article offers a brief introduction to the Toolkit.