General Shafter School Hosts Inaugural Community Resource and TK Readiness Fair

General Shafter School (General Shafter School District) welcomed families from across the community to its first annual Community Resource Fair, featuring a special TK/Kindergarten Readiness event for young children and their parents.

The event helped connect families with valuable local resources and support early childhood education. Community partners like the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, Kern Family Health Care, and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) were on hand to provide information and assistance. The booths also offered various games, like connect four, for kids and families to play.

“We wanted to make sure the community knew there are resources available and that they can come to us for help,” said Christina Martinez, General Shafter’s administrative assistant, who helped plan and facilitate the fair.

Families with children ages 3 to 5 were invited to participate in hands-on activities designed to spark a love for learning. Children enjoyed fine motor skill activities like ABC lacing, Play-Doh sculpting, block building, tracing and coloring, using scissors, and story time. Parents also received early literacy tips and a how-to guide supporting children’s independence, including learning to use the toilet by themselves.

Each family received a free take-home kit filled with school-readiness materials like child-safe scissors, markers, an ABC lacing activity, and a storybook, all tools to help children continue learning throughout the summer.

“The parents can work with their students over the summer, and they can be ready for the first day of school,” Martinez added.

General Shafter School emphasized that the event was open to all families, even if their children were not enrolled, highlighting their commitment to supporting the broader community. Resources were also available to help parents register their kids for TK and Kindergarten classes.

“It gets kids playing together, working well together, making it fun for them to learn,” Martinez said.

Resource fair workers share tips to help parents get their young kids ready to enter TK or Kindergarten.