Preschoolers Learn the Essentials at Safety Town

The Tolland Junior Women’s Club’s Safety Town program is in full swing, as it enters its third decade of educating preschoolers. The program, which runs for two weeks in the summer, has been teaching incoming kindergarteners about bus safety, stranger danger, 911 phone calls, bike safety and much more since 1980.

Tolland Junior Women’s Club member and Safety Town organizer Jennifer Krasusky said that the program serves its young participants in two ways: it provides safety education and also familiarizes the incoming students with the Birch Grove Primary School and classroom learning. The Safety Town classes are held at at the school. 

“It gets them used to the building and the kindergarten classroom,” Krasusky said. “They can get a feel of what it’s like.”

Birch Grove Primary Principal Thomas Swanson said that the program is a great way to introduce new students and their families to the school. He makes an effort to visit the program a few times to meet the kids.

“It’s a great opportunity for incoming kindergarteners to transition,” Swanson said. “It’s a great connection between the school and the community. I can’t thank the Junior Women’s Club enough.”

Tolland teachers lead the class every morning in a different subject. On Friday morning, the students listened to a story about stranger danger and then brainstormed ideas on what to do if a stranger approaches them. Krasusky said that they also would learn that candy and medicine look alike and will be told about the dangers of eating pills they might find.

“We teach them you don’t touch anything you don’t know,” she said.

The program also provides special visitors and presentations for the children. Tolland Public Safety Officer Joseph Duval taught the preschoolers about ambulance and emergency medical care on their level.

“All the equipment I have on my ambulance isn’t to hurt or scare you, but to help me take care of you,” Duval said to the assembled class. He used a mannequin to demonstrate taking vital signs, use instruments and generally to make the children more comfortable in case they ever need medical care.

Parent volunteer Sarah Valedaserra is one of several parents who assisted the two teachers with the student activities. About one hundred students are enrolled in the program this year. Valedaserra said particularly glad that Safety Town gives her daughter the opportunity to become comfortable with Birch Grove.

“I appreciate that Tolland does this," she said. “Anything that helps to make the transition easier is great.”

The Safety Town Program runs for two weeks. Participants can join in a morning or afternoon session. Parents can learn more about the program at the kindergarten registration information session in March. The program costs $25 per child.