Welcome to Kindergarten!
Starting Time is 8:10. Please do not bring your child to school more than 20 minutes prior to the start time. As a matter of safety, children may not be left in the classroom unsupervised. After 8:10, your child will be marked Tardy.
Dismissal Timeis 3:05. Teachers and safety patrol members will walk bus riders to their buses and wait withall other children until they are picked up by the appropriate person. Please be sure you keep us informed about the arrangements you have made for your child. If there is a change in the routine, please send a note/e-mail. The drive in front of the school is one-way; please wait in line until you can pull up near the main entrance for your child to enter the car. It is very dangerous for children to try to cross a lane of traffic in order to reach your car. The first few days may take longer than usual, but once the routine is established it should run smoothly. If an older child is meeting your kindergartner, they should meet outside in front of the school. Please do not come to the classroom to meet your child since it is difficult for children to attend to last-minute instructions once they see a parent or sibling outside the door. If you are picking up your child early, you will need to sign him/her out through the office.
Absence Procedure: Call the school as early as possible to notify us if your child will not be attending school. If you have questions about whether your child should attend, please consult with the school nurse. If children are in school, we expect them to participate in the full program. Students are not allowed to remain in the classroom when the rest of the class goes outside to recess.
Communication is very important! I will be sending home regular newsletters to keep you informed about classroom happenings. It is a good idea to establish a habit of checking your child’s backpack each day for other communication from school.
Please feel free to send a note or e-mail or give me a call when you have questions or concerns to discuss with me. You can always leave a message and I will return your e-mail/call as soon as possible. Please let me know if there are special circumstances at home that might upset your child.
Snacks: We will be having snacks in the afternoon since we have an early lunch time! Each child will be responsible for bringing his/her own snack daily. I will not be storing snacks here at school. In an effort to promote healthy snacking habits, I am asking that you send fruit, veggies, cheese, meat sticks, or gogurt. We are a Nut-Aware Classroom!
Beach Time: If possible, please send a beach/bath towel with your child on the first day of school. We will be using these towels daily as a place to relax and read for a few minutes in the afternoon. Towels will come home at the end of the quarter for you to wash.
Birthdays are fun to celebrate at school. You may send a “treat” for the children on that day if you like—please just let me know in advance. We will take a break during the day, sing Happy Birthday, and enjoy the treat. Treats must be store-bought. If your child has a birthday during the summer months, we can arrange a time for him/her to celebrate.
Special Classes: Children will attend art, library, music, and PE each week. Appropriate shoes are needed on PE days (A and C days). Check-out in library will happen on B days!
Back to School Night: Kindergarten will not be participating in Back to School Night this year.
Early Dismissal Days: We will have five early dismissal days this year. On those days, all studentswill be dismissed at 12:30. Lunch will be servedand buses will run. Please mark your calendars and make the necessary arrangements for afternoon day care. The dates are: September 1, October 12, December 20, May 3, and May 25.
Parent Teacher Conferencesarebeing handled differently this year! We are being encouraged to meet with parents throughout the semester as needs arise. The evening of October 19this being set aside for conferences, but there will also be many other opportunities. Please bear with us as we figure out this new system. I will want to meet with each of you at some point in October or November to discuss your child’s progress. If you have concerns regarding your child, please do not feel you have to wait until October to discuss them. I would be happy to arrange a conference at any time.
Volunteersare welcome in our room. You may sign up to come into the classroom on a regular basis or for a single visit to share a hobby or interest with the children. In addition, we will occasionally need some special supplies. If you would be willing to send a box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows, or something we need for a special project, please sign the appropriate list or let me know. The regular classroom volunteer schedule will begin in October.
The First Day of School
- All health forms and a birth certificate must be on file in the office before your child may attend school.
- Your child should wear a name tag with dismissal instructions on it.
- Please do not linger after bringing your child to the room. Long good-byes make leaving more difficult for everyone.
- Make sure your child knows what plans have been made for dismissal.
I am looking forward to getting to know you this year as we work together to make sure your child’s first year of school is a success.
Rebecca Thompson
993-5412 (voice mail)
993-5400 (Sunflower office)
993-5488 (attendance line)