The DeKalb County Community Foundation is pleased to announce another round of Kindergarten Readiness Toolkits for children and families in DeKalb County. Through the Kindergarten Readiness Toolkit Grant program, 1,130 toolkits are scheduled for distribution. This effort helps families to prepare for the transition from pre-k to kindergarten. Toolkits are provided by a grant from the Community Foundation in partnership with School Tool Box, DeKalb. Each toolkit box includes a book, dry erase board and marker, crayons, sidewalk chalk, scissors, DeKalb County Farm Bureau Matching Game, dice, Play-Doh, a notebook, and information on Basics DeKalb County.

The grant program originated as part of the DeKalb County Kindergarten Readiness Collaborative, which leads a countywide effort to better prepare children for school and life success. The Collaborative is made up of representatives from the DeKalb County Community Foundation, the Trauma-Informed Committee, Community Coordinated Child Care (4-C), Children’s Home and Aid, DeKalb County Regional Office of Education, DeKalb County Health Department, DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board, local educators, and community members.

“This year, the Kindergarten Readiness Collaborative added a new way to engage families through the creation of short videos,” said Foundation Community Engagement Director Teri Spartz. “Each video features a kindergarten teacher who demonstrates ways to use the items in the toolkits with their child. The videos are accessible by a QR code included in each toolkit and are available in English and Spanish.”

Toolkit distribution ‘drive-up’ events are scheduled this spring and determined by each individual school that received a grant. This ensures that young learners and their families can use the toolkits in the months leading up to the start of the school year.

Funding for Kindergarten Readiness Toolkits is made possible through donor generosity to CommunityWorks Funds at the Foundation. Donations can be made online or by mail to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178.

For questions about the Kindergarten Readiness Toolkit Grant program, please contact Teri Spartz at t.spartz@dekalbccf.org or 815-748-5383.

Pictured above: A May 2021 distribution event at Founders Elementary School handed out Kindergarten Readiness Toolkits to incoming DeKalb students.