National Kindergarten Alliance

Please share with pre-school, kindergarten, first grade and primary teachers in your district or on your lists.

The mission of the NKA [National Kindergarten Alliance] is to nurture, support and encourage kindergarten teachers and children in the implementation of exemplary programs.

The National Kindergarten Alliance was formed in 2001 out of a need felt by teachers and others involved in kindergarten education to connect and problem solve across the nation. This small but hardy group soon found that the same concerns existed nationwide - how to maintain appropriate practices and meet the standards! Since then, many dedicated and talented individuals and organizations have joined together to offer expertise and research.

Today the National Kindergarten Alliance is emerging as a viable organization in pursuit of its goal of ensuring best practices for ALL. The NKA coalition membership shares a common mission as it reaches out to kindergarten educators through workshops, meet and greet gatherings, and individual conversations and support.

The National Kindergarten Alliance is the ONLY national, non-profit organization dedicated specifically to the needs of kindergarten students and teachers. Members strive to establish, nurture and support the highest quality education for our youngest learners through the identification of appropriate practices based on comprehensive research.

Currently the National Kindergarten Alliance membership includes professional organizations from AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, MN, ND, NH, OR, SC, and TX as well as individual members in twenty-nine additional states and Puerto Rico. This represents thousands of kindergarten and early childhood educators and administrators!

where you can learn all about the NKA. See especially, for example, the Research Position Papers [http://www.nkateach.org/Research.html] and Curriculum Ideas [http://www.nkateach.org/Curriculum_Ideas/Curriculum_Ideas.html] and Newsletters [http://www.nkateach.org/Newsletter_Archive.html].

If you'd like to join the National Kindergarten Alliance, download the attached membership page [Word or pdf] and submit it or see the membership form at http://www.nkateach.org/Membership_and_Sponsorship.html and complete your membership online.

The National Kindergarten Alliance [NKA] has a bigger umbrella this year! Research, curriculum, book reviews and everything now includes Pre-School, Kindergarten and First Grade! Tell your friends!

Individual dues are still a deal at only $25.00 and you need not send new paperwork ... if you are a member and wish to renew, we have you on file! Just send a check payable to NKA to PO Box 309. Agua Dulce, TX 73880 ... or even easier ... go to our website http://www.nkateach.org/Home.html and submit your dues via PayPal.

NKA realizes that in these tight financial times you are being forced to make choices about where you spend your hard earned dollars. BUT on the other hand, with decreased educational funding, teacher bad press, public evaluations, labeling and finger pointing now the "norm" we need each
other more than ever!

Being a member of NKA demonstrates your commitment to best practices in early childhood education. Becoming a sponsor with a tax deductible gift of $5.00 or more added to your dues will allow NKA to provide even more grants, scholarships, supplies, advice, etc. (and brighten the day for the NKA worker bees!).

All officers and board members donate their time and resources so the only "overhead" NKA has is money spent for web services - domain, monthly fee and web master. All Prizes and "give-away" items are also donated.

Some of you have been NKA supporters for many years and some of you are fairly new but we value each of you greatly, whether new or past, and hope to see your name on the membership list very soon!

Jerry P. Becker
Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction
Southern Illinois University
625 Wham Drive
Mail Code 4610
Carbondale, IL 62901-4610
Phone: (618) 453-4241 [O]
            (618) 457-8903 [H]
Fax:      (618) 453-4244
E-mail:   jbecker@siu.edu