Is Online Public School Right for Your Kindergarten Student?

Throughout the pandemic many families have had questions about whether online learning was the right way to go for their kindergarten age students. Willamette Connections Academy, a tuition-free online public school is hosting a special webinar on Wednesday, April 21st to help answer those questions. April 21st is National Kindergarten Day, recognizing the birthday of the German teacher who started the first Kindergarten in the mid-1800s.

The Kindergarten Experience webinar is free and it starts at 6 pm. Parents can register at the Willamette Connections Academy website www.WillametteConnectionsAcademy.com/Events.

The virtual public charter school serves students in grades K-12 across the state and was specially designed from the curriculum to the learning platform for the virtual environment. Willamette Connections Academy delivers a high-quality education experience that keeps kindergarteners motivated and engaged while nurturing and supporting students in a welcoming learning environment.

There are several reasons why families choose online education for their kindergarten students. These include having a safe learning environment at home, parental participation in the student’s education and frequent communication with teachers, as well as a flexible schedule.

“I knew I was signing up to be a very hands-on role in my son's learning, which became more of a blessing than I even knew at the time when we enrolled,” said Adrianne Gamache from Hillsboro, mother and Learning Coach to a Kindergarten student at Willamette Connections Academy. “I was worried my son would be staring at a computer screen for five hours at a time and that’s definitely not the case. We have lessons online that we do, we also have live sessions with his teacher and his classmates but we also have worksheets, textbooks, art projects, science experiments and math manipulatives, so there’s definitely hands on learning that goes on.”

Willamette Connections Academy Principal Chris Long and four Kindergarten teachers will share how online learning works for younger students during the webinar. They will also discuss the curriculum, technology, and what a day in the life of an online kindergarten student looks like.

“I decided to become a teacher, especially a Kindergarten teacher, because I love being surrounded by little humans who laugh all day long,” Sami Paul, a Willamette Connections Academy teacher from Newberg, explains. “I get the chance to help them build the foundations for all of the learning they will do with their 123s and ABCs. If I could teach my students one thing each year it would be to love learning and never give up on yourself!”

The Kindergarten Webinar will cover the core subjects such as English and math, but also the fun hands-on science projects and other courses like physical education.

The combination of state-certified teachers focused on academics and social and emotional well-being in addition to a best-in-class curriculum ensures Willamette Connections Academy students are successful in and out of the classroom. Parents often choose Willamette Connections Academy because it provides a more consistent higher-quality learning experience for their child.

To register for the Kindergarten Experience webinar, go to www.WillametteConnectionsAcademy.com/events

Willamette Connections Academy is currently enrolling for the 2021-22 school year. To learn more about the school or to begin the enrollment process visit www.WillametteConnectionsAcademy.com or call 888-478-9474.

Information provided by Willamette Connections Academy