Oxford School District

Bramlett Elementary will open its cafeteria doors to all Oxford families of young children on Thursday, Feb. 9. Bramlett is the second school to partner with the L.O.U. Excel by 5 Coalition for their annual Kindergarten Readiness Meeting, but the first school to extend the invitation to all children aged 0-5.

“By welcoming all families to the event, our coalition hopes to increase attendance,” said Edy Dingus, AmeriCorps VISTA for United Way of Oxford-Lafayette County. “In the past, our Excel by 5 Coalition only offered readiness meetings to rising kindergartners. At our January parent meeting, we learned that many area parents were interested in preparing their child for kindergarten success as soon as possible. Excel by 5 hopes to answer that need by welcoming all families to the event.”

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the elementary cafeteria. University of Mississippi JumpStart volunteers will provide childcare in the school gym. Pizza will be provided to all attendees.

After a brief reception, parents will be asked to sit for an introduction from Principal Suzanne Ryals and several of Bramlett’s kindergarten teachers. The teachers will outline what skills they look for in new students, as well as share information on Bramlett’s testing and grading processes. There will also be a presentation by Eleanor Green of Good Food for Oxford Schools to help teach parents the benefits of healthy nutrition and introduce them to the program’s school-initiative.

After the introduction, parents will be separated into four groups to browse four different readiness stations. These “readiness stations” are designed by local education professionals with more than 100 years of combined experience.

“At Lafayette’s Readiness Meeting, our stations succeeded in helping parents learn some of the best readiness methods with the help of household items,” said Linda Glaze, Co-Chair of Excel by 5’s Early Childcare and Education focus group. “We hope to continue that result at Bramlett.”

Once the parents have visited each station and gathered readiness resources, they will be free to pick up their child and begin preparations for the coming school year.

Bramlett Elementary’s Kindergarten Readiness Meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the elementary cafeteria. All families are welcome.

For more information or questions about the meeting, call 662-236-4265.