A new book for young children starting school for the first time has been officially launched by the Minister for Education and Early Development, Yvette Berry, and Minister for Children, Youth and Families, Rachel Stephen-Smith.
Titled We’re Excited, the book features two Aboriginal children, Amelie and Evie, and how excited they are to start school.
Ms Berry said the book was a great resource for children and families to learn all about ‘big school’ and to share in the excitement of this milestone.
She said starting school was a big event in the lives of children and their parents with a mix of excitement, nerves and fun.
“Well established research has shown that the period from birth through to eight years, especially the first three years, sets the foundation for every child’s social, physical, emotional and cognitive development,” Ms Berry said.
“In their early years a child forms more than one million new neural connections each second and in the first five years of life, 85 to 90 per cent of brain development occurs.
She said it was so important they start school on a good foot and that is why the new book is “so great.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said the book dealt with starting school from a child’s perspective and had wide appeal for all children in that position.
“This Government strives to give young children and their families the best possible support as they transition into schooling, and this book is one part of that support,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“Each child enrolled in an ACT Public, Catholic or Independent preschool, and those transitioning to school in 2019 will receive a copy of We’re Excited.”
The Minister said that Berinba Primary School in Yass, where Amelie and Evie attend school, will also receive copies of the book with a larger format version distributed to ACT Libraries.
