Teddy shows preps the way

IF YOU went down to the woods last week you were sure of a big surprise.
Next year’s Rangebank Primary School preps celebrated their end of orientation with a teddy bear’s picnic.
The kinder kids have participated in a six-week program at the Cranbourne school in which they were buddied with a prep student for two hours each Wednesday.
They participated in the preps’ normal routine, learning general class rules and getting comfortable in a school environment.
Early years prep coordinator Helen Jellett said the school ran the program every year and it was very successful.
“It’s a great program. The kids become very secure,” she said.
“You see it happen all of a sudden – they just relax.”
Ms Jellett said it also meant the children became familiar with their grade one buddy for next year.
The children celebrated the end of the program yesterday, Wednesday, with the picnic and a special visit from the Hooker bear who handed out lollies to the kids.