Petaluma City Schools’ “Ready for Kindergarten” program has been awarded the statewide Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association. The ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 5 in San Diego.

Established in 2001, “Ready for Kindergarten” is a program that focuses not only on pre-kinder students who come from English learning families, but their parents. 

The program began with English classes for parents and a summer school class for parents and children. It has since expanded to offer several classes each year for families with children about to enter kindergarten.

 Instruction is in both English and Spanish and the focus is on family literacy, according to program director Carol Waxman.

 Families of 42 entering kindergartners participated last spring and summer.

 “We give them an idea what to expect and hold informal question and answer sessions with parents,” Waxman said in a statement. “School can be daunting for parents. It’s very helpful to have this supportive environment, with classes taught by teachers who are expert, warm and understanding.”

 “Sometimes we have two parents, a grandmother, babes in arms or an aunt or uncle,” Waxman said. “We have 20 or 22 students in a class, each with at least one adult and perhaps a younger sibling or two.”

 The California School Boards Association represents more than 1,000 K-12 school districts and county offices of education throughout California.