Many Of Nantucket’s Incoming Kindergarteners Never Attended Preschool. Summer Boost Program Helps Prepare Them
As summer begins to wind down, a group of children on Nantucket prepares for the important transition of entering kindergarten. Most of these children didn’t attend preschool but have instead spent the last five weeks immersed in the Nantucket Community School’s Summer Boost Program.
This initiative, created to bridge the gap for children and their families before beginning kindergarten, ensures students are equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in the classroom environment – including letter and number recognition, fine and gross motor skills, and verbal expression.
The program is over 15 years old and originally began when teachers on the island recognized the need for a preparatory program dedicated to helping children transition smoothly to kindergarten. The program has evolved over the years to now operate under the Nantucket Community School, holding sessions in sync with the Nantucket Public School’s summer school schedule for five weeks, including four days a week for three hours a day.
