Two weeks before school starts those five year olds that need to can take part in a kindergarten orientation.  It's to help them get up to speed with the other five year olds that will soon be in their class: those brainiacs who know how to use scissors and glue already.  The kind of training that kindergarten used to be all about and the kind of training that will be used as evidence that mandatory preschool is a must.  

This paragraph got me:

"We did a rigorous assessment of kids in the spring to identify those that needed extra help in academics, motor skills development, speech, handwriting and all the things needed to have a successful educational career," Superintendent Adam Fried said.

Like kindergarten is the end all to a successful educational career.  Does this mean that if a child can't make it through kindergarten without being labeled they won't be successful students?  Next thing you know they're going to be asking you for your kindergarten GPA on job applications. 

Just why does a five year old have to know how to use glue?  Speech problems that can be solved in a two week orientation meeting aren't really "problems" are they?  Why not just keep your children home and snuggle them and play with them and read to them?  They already know you and don't need to get used to you. 

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB