August 2016
Dear Families,
I’d like to welcome you and your child to PullenElementary School! My name is Jodi Nieporte, and I will be your child’s Kindergarten Teacher this school year. This will be my seventeenth year teaching young children, and my tenth year at Pullen. My husband, Tim, and I live here in Mt.Pleasant with our 3 Pullen graduates. Emma is 19, Caleb is 16, and Josh is 13 years old. I am looking forward to a successful school year and being able to work with some new friends!
This may be your child’s very first year of school. In any case, preparing for Kindergarten is an exciting time! Here is some information that may help us get off to a smooth start:
Schedule for the First Week:
On Tuesday, September 6th, students will have a half day of school. (8:44 – 11:57)
Beginning Wednesday, September 7th, students will attend for the whole day.
(8:44 - 3:49)
Friday, September 9this Picture Day. You will receive a picture order form soon, which should be returned to us on or before Picture Day if you would like to order photos.
Transportation:
Bus transportation is provided by Mt. Pleasant Public Schools. If you live in a bussing area of the district, your child’s bus driver will be in touch with you prior to the start of school. We encourage you to drop off and pick up your student on the first day if it is convenient.
During the first week, families bringing their Kindergartner to school should park in the lot and report directly to our classroom (108.) After the first week of school, students should be dropped off on the playground in the morning, where supervision begins at 8:25. If you will be picking your Kindergartner up from school, you should meet us inside the playground gates (on the Southwest end of the school.) Students will line up on our red recess line at 3:49, and I will safely dismiss them individually.
I will touch base with you to find out about your transportation plans for your Kindergartner.
Notes from home:
It is important that we communicate with one another! Within the first days of school, your Kindergartner will bring home a PullenSchool “Agenda.” You can use this special notebook to write messages to us. Students and teachers will record daily reports about behavior and special things happening at school. When you have notes, lunch money, or book orders, please clip them inside the Agenda so that we can find these things easily. Please check and initial your child’s Agenda each day.
Supplies:
Your child will notneed to bring any of his/her own school supplies. However, if you are willing to donate any of the following items, the Kindergartners in our class will enjoy sharing them with one another!!:
tissue / snacks (cookies, crackers, cereal, etc.)Clorox (or other brand) cleaning wipes / Band aids
napkins / baggies (sandwich and gallon sized)
bathroom sized paper cups / paper plates (big and small)
plastic spoons / white glue and glue sticks
crayons / dry-erase markers
hand sanitizer / baby wipes
If you could send one or two of these items, we would be very grateful! We will begin sending a monthly calendar home very soon which will let you know when you can help provide snacks for our class.
Your child will need a BACKPACK. Please make sure your student remembers to bring it each day and that it is labeled with his/her name. In the winter, your child’s backpack will need to carry snowpants, shoes, etc. We suggest that you invest in a large sized backpack! (We can assist in providing a backpack if needed.)
Please consider keeping an EXTRA SET OF CLOTHING in your student’s backpack in case of an accident or spill.
You are encouraged to send a TOWEL or SMALL BLANKETfor your Kindergartner to use during our September rest time. Please be sure it is labeled with your student’s name.
Breakfast and Lunch:
Breakfast is served on whole days of school beginning at 8:25. Children who choose to enjoy a school breakfast should go to the cafeteria upon arrival using the Southeast playground doors. Your student may bring a lunch from home or order one from school. You will receive a new menu each month. Each student will receive an application for free or reduced meals. Please complete and return the application. You will be notified if your family qualifies for free or reduced meals. Unless you qualify, the cost for lunch is $2.05 and $1.25 for breakfast. Chocolate or white milk only is available for 50 cents. You may pay for meals on a daily basis, or you may deposit money into your child’s food account, which operates much like a debit account. Food Services will notify you when your student needs more money in his or her account. If possible, please have your child bring his/her lunch the first week of school. This may make the adjustment to the lunchroom experience easier for your student
Coming to School:
Though coming to school for the first time is exciting, children and parents may experience nervous “butterflies.” Try to remain cheerful, even if your child is not. Help your child to know that his/her teachers will take good care of him/her, and that school is a FUN place to be! While older children play on the playground before the bell rings at 8:40, your Kindergartner will be guided straight to our classroom (Room 108) during the first week of school. If you will be bringing your child to school, you are welcome to stay until 9:00. At this time, we will clean up and play some games so that we can get to know one another!
You are welcome to meet us and visit the classroom on Monday, August 29th from 6:00 – 7:30 during our Pullen School Parent Information Night! I hope to see you there!
Contact Information:
I would love to hear from you if you have any questions. I will do all that I can to help you and your child. The phone number at school is 775-2270 (ext. 108.) You could also e-mail me at . In addition, you can check out our classroom website:
-go to
-under “select a school,” click on “Pullen”
-find Jodi Nieporte under “staff”
I look forward to seeing you and your Kindergartner!!