Attention PK / Kindergarten Parents

Students who have entered PreKindergarten and Kindergarten are required to participate in a school screening, usually done within the first few weeks of the school year. This year, screening will take place during the school day on Thursday and Friday, October 7th and 8th, 2021. Make up dates will be available as needed.

The results of this screening are one of the measures used to help identify young children who need further testing or help with academic skills. Please find questions and answers to the most commonly asked questions about the screening below.

Will this screening tell me if my child is ready for PreKindergarten or Kindergarten (depending on which grade they are entering)?

The DIAL-4 is not a readiness, diagnostic, or intelligence test, nor will it determine whether or not your child goes to PreKindergarten or Kindergarten. It is a screening tool that is designed to identify young children who need further testing or help with academic skills. The best person to discuss your child's readiness for PreKindergarten or Kindergarten is your child's teacher and your pediatrician.

What screening tool is used?
The DIAL-4 is the developmental screening used by Alexander Elementary. It is designed to measure the most fundamental or basic concepts that are acquired by young children. 
 What areas does the screening examine?
The DIAL -4 examines three major areas as follows:
Motor: Catching, jumping, hopping, skipping, building, thumb and finger motor skills, cutting, copying and name writing.
Concepts: Identification of body parts, colors, rapid color naming, counting, positions, concepts (big/little), and shapes
Language: Personal data, articulation, objects and actions, letters and sounds, rhyming and I spy, problem solving, and intelligibility.
 Does the screening examine any other areas?
Yes. The screening operators take behavioral notes. These observations may be used to explain individual variations  in the way children approach the tasks given in the screening. 
Operators also note if the child has English as a second language or if they exhibit speech patterns that may need to be examined more closely.
 Does my child need to wear anything special for the screening?
Yes. Each child should wear loose, comfortable clothing. They should wear sneakers because they will be asked to hop and jump; this is difficult to do in other types of footwear.
 How long will the screening take?
The screening takes approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour in total.
 
Who are the Screening operators?
Alexander Elementary PreKindergarten/Kindergarten Teacher and Staff.
 When will I hear the results of the screening? 
We hope to send the results of the screening home by US mail in the next few weeks following the screening.

Is there anything that I need to do?
Yes, we ask that the parents/guardians of all PreKindergarten and Kindergarten students please complete the attached questionnaire about their children and return it to the school as soon as possible.