New preps all set for school

By Shaun Inguanzo
A FOUR-week transition program for next year’s Wallarano Primary School prep students – and their parents – has culminated in more smiles, and less tears.
The Noble Park school has been working for the past month to ease the new students into the unfamiliar environment.
This will ensure that the first day at school without mum or dad by their side is a happy one.
But assistant principal Gail Doney said the transition program was of particular benefit to the parents – who were often more nervous than the children.
“We want the parents to feel comfortable with the school,” she said. “We helped them to understand that their child is in the safest place possible.”
Parents were subjected to four weeks of seminars.
“The first week we discussed the culture of the school,” Ms Doney said. “The second week we did numeracy with the parents, and how to help their children at home.
“The third week we did literacy, and last week we discussed parenting styles.
“We explained how if you are too permissive, or over emotional, or too aggressive or passive – how it affects your child.”
Meanwhile, Ms Doney said the students were well prepared for their first year at school.
“At the orientation today (Tuesday) the students went into their grades and settled-in like they had been here all year,” she said.
Wallarano Primary School has a prep intake of 84 for 2007 – up by 20 pupils from 2006.
“They went in to class for two hours every Tuesday all throughout November,” Ms Doney said.