The coronavirus pandemic has changed life as we know it for every American. With schools closing across the nation, children are being forced out of their classrooms and into their homes. This leaves parents with the task of not only entertaining but educating their children. If those families don't have the tools necessary to help their children learn, those kids could go months without proper education. Many are now referring to the common 'summer slide' as the 'COVID cliff' since some children could go up to 6 months without critical academic training.
This could be detrimental to children who are entering kindergarten this fall. Children need to be prepared for that first day, so they don't get left behind. Research shows when a child begins school behind their peers, it can be hard for them to catch up. To help these children, early education nonprofit, Waterford.org has created a great resource parents can use throughout the summer to get their children prepared for kindergarten.
The Waterford Upstart Summer Learning Path teaches preschool-aged children the skills they need to be ready for school, including basic reading, math, science, and social-emotional learning and it's available to families across Arizona right now at no cost. They provide personalized software for children while parents get a personal coach and push notifications letting them know what their child is learning and how they can continue to engage their children’s progress offline. And for families who don’t have access to a computer or the internet, they will provide that at no cost.
They are looking to reach families who have been financially impacted by COVID-19, so to qualify, you must be at 200% of the poverty line or below. Registration ends June 1st, so families must act quickly. Go to waterfordupstart.org/registration today.
