The ABC’s of Miss Christie’s Kindergarten
bsences
Your child’s attendance at school is important!! Please notify me and/or the schools nurse if your child is absent. If your child was absent due to an illness or if a doctor’s visit was made, please send a note upon their return to school. If you have an absence you know ahead of time, please let me know so that I can make arrangements accordingly.Patterns for school attendance are set at an early age; please stress the importance of school to your child.
irthdays
We will be celebrating each child’s birthday during the school year. I will send a note home in your child’s planner before their birthday letting you know what day we will be celebrating. You are welcome to send in a snack the day of your child’s celebration if you so choose. Snacks can be anything you’d like: cupcakes, lollipops, popsicles, juice, cookies, etc. If your child’s birthday falls on the weekend or during a vacation, we will celebrate either the day before or the day they come back to school. If your child has a summer birthday, we will celebrate it in June. Our snack time is normally around 1:45 p.m. However, we can also make arrangements to celebrate during lunch depending on your schedule. (You do not have to be there for the birthday, but if you would like to, we’d love for you to visit!)
Breakfast
Students are able to purchase breakfast through the school. (You will receive notices from the cafeteria prior to each month regarding the process). You must purchase breakfast for the entire month. Breakfast will be served beginning at 7:50 a.m. sharp. If your child arrives late to school (after 8:05), they will not receive the breakfast that day as our daily schedule will begin. More information will come home in a letter from the cafeteria. If you receive free or reduced lunch, you will receive the same accommodations for breakfast.
afeteria
Lunch money will be collected on Mondays if your child is buying for the entire week.
If you buy for the week it is $10.50. The money is turned into the cafeteria and your child will receive a lunch ticket. If your child is planning to buy lunch, please put their lunch money in an envelope with their name on it. To buy lunch for the day is $2.10. (If your child buys every day, it is easier to send in money for the week on Monday so that the children are not handling money every day). There are also various snacks to purchase in addition from $.35 to $1.00. (Please see the menu for more info). If your child plans to bring their lunch, please make sure their lunch box is labeled with their first and last name. If you have any cafeteria concerns/questions, please address them to Ms. Eleanor Brice.
Conferences
If you need to discuss your child’s progress please feel free to contact me during these times: from 7:45-8:00 a.m., from 8:20-9:00 a.m. and from 2:15-3:00 p.m. (on most days). You can either schedule an appointment to come in and meet with me, or you can call and we can have a phone conference during those times. If you do not get me by phone, you can leave me a voicemail and I will return your call as soon as time permits. Please remember I do have meetings and other things going on during and after school that may not permit me to have conferences at certain times. I will do my best to get back to you as quickly as I can. If it is an emergency and it is during school hours, you can contact the Seabrook secretaries and ask them to put you directly through to my room.
iscipline
In our room there is a stoplight. Each child will have a person with their name on it. At the start of each day their stick will be in the green light. If a student needs to be corrected for something they will move their stickto the yellow light and go to the “Thinking Chair” to think about what they could do differently the next time. Once they’ve thought about what they need to correct, they will share it with me (or the class) and move their stickback to green. If a child needs to be spoken to multiple times, they will move their stickto the red circle. The red circle will entitle them to a recess or play center time-out. I do not believe in contacting a parent for every little mistake your child makes. However, if bad behavior becomes a pattern, I will contact you to schedule a conference. If a child has a day where their stick gets moved, you will see a sticker in the planner notifying you of this.
arly Dismissal
Every minute in the school day counts. We have a lot to cover each day and it is important your child is here from 8:00-2:00. If it is absolutely necessary for your child to leave school early, he/she must be signed out in the office. They will call down to our room and your child will be sent down to the office. If you are planning on visit our room, you must sign in at the office and they will give you a Visitor’s Badge. Please try to schedule doctor appointments, vacations, etc around our school calendar!
olders
Your child will bring home a folder every day. The folder will be used for 2 things: to send home any papers or projects that your child completed (they will be on the “Keep” side) and the other side of the folder will be any notices or forms that needs to be completed and sent back to school (they will be on the “Return” side). Please check this folder every day as it is an important communication tool. If you lose this folder, you will be asked to replace it! Please take care of this folder as it is important that it lasts all year!
ames and Toys
As outlined in the parent handbook, please do not send in any games or toys from home unless they are requested by the teacher. The more things that are sent in, the more of a risk they could be lost, stolen and/or damaged. Children bringing toys in will be given a warning and the second time their toy will be taken and will not be returned until the end of the year. This includes silly bands and any other distracting jewelry.
omework
At the start of each month, I will send home a homework calendar. It will have a month’s worth of activities for you to complete with your child. Each day (Monday-Thursday) will have one or two assignments for the students to complete. Some assignments are written, while others are activities for your child to do orally or with materials at home. At the end of the month, your child should return the packet to be checked. Your child will receive a sticker on their folder each month they return their homework. It should take no longer than 5-10 minutes each night. Homework is assigned in Kindergarten to get your child used to a routine of sitting down with their parents and communicating about school. Their homework will reinforce or practice the skills your child needs. You will also be asked to do a “Family Project” each month. It will also come home in the Homework folder. These will provide each family a chance to show off their creative sides. They will be displayed in the hallway outside our classroom for all to see. They are a lot of fun!
ncentive Programs
SeabrookSchool offers several special programs such as Good Manners Court and Keys to Excellence. Both programs reward students for behavior and manners. Good Manners Court-1 child per class is chosen each month and they will have their picture displayed in the hallway of the school for that month. They must display good manners on a daily basis. Students can earn a Key to Excellence for just about anything they do that deserves recognition. Once your child has received this honor, a certificate will come home and your child’s key will be hung in our classroom.
ackets
Make sure you label your child’s jackets with their name. This will help all teachers identify missing clothing. Please consider sending your child to school with only clothing that they can put on and take off by themselves. If your child’s jackets are troublesome for them please practice zipping and unzipping and/or buttoning and unbuttoning as these issues with 20 children can be very time consuming. Please be aware that we will be going outside most days unless the temperature is below 45 degrees, so it is always better to send a jacket than to not. Whatever your child wears to school is what they will have to wear outside for recess. My rule is that when I take my jacket/coat off, they can take theirs off. Also, if you send an umbrella on rainy days, please discuss the safety issues that come along with umbrellas with your child.
eeping Up
I will always try to keep parents informed of any goings on in our classroom and/or school. If there is something you should know individually, I will contact you. I mostly communicate with notes, newsletters and reminders in the planner. There will also be notes in the planner reminding you of upcoming events and I will also send paper reminders in the folder! It is imperative that you keep up with checking your child’s folder and planner daily since that is my main source of communication.
etters to Miss Christie
If you have notes/letters of any kind for me, please put them in the planner. That way we have a record of what is going on I case we ever need to check back. If there are any changes from the normal schedule or routine, please make sure to inform me. You can never remind me too much. Any information you can provide me on a daily schedule can only help.
unch, Munch Snack Time
We will have an snack at the end of the day that is provided by the cafeteria. Your child is welcome to bring their own snack if you’d like. You may also send a drink if you’d like as they will not be provided by the school. If they have any leftover food from lunch, they can eat that at snack time as well.
ewsletter
At the beginning of each monthI will send home my monthly newsletter. This newsletter will be in the form of a calendar and will help keep you updated on what’s happening in our room for the month. The newsletter will tell you what we will be studying each week in all subjects and also any reminders or important information I need to pass on to you. Please look for these newsletters each month as they are an important communication tool.
rdering from Scholastic Book Club
Each month, Scholastic book orders will be sent home to allow you to buy educationally appropriate books for your child. There is a wide price range for the books (starting at $.95). The order form will have a due date on the back. You will also receive information on how to order online. Each time you order a book, our classroom receives points towards free materials, so every time you order from Scholastic, you are not only helping your child, but our classroom and school as well! I encourage parents to read to and with their children. Reading is essential and fun!!
lanners
Your child will receive a planner from school. The planner will serve as Parent-Teacher communication. I will use the planner to discuss any problems, concerns or any good news about your child. Please view and sign the planner each night and make sure it is sent back each morning. Any notes you have for me should be written in (or attached inside) the planner. If you are sending money to school for any reason, please put it in an envelope or Ziploc baggie and staple or clip it inside the planner. Do not leave it loose in the bag because it may be overlooked. If the planner is lost, you will be asked to pay to replace it.
uiet Time
We will have a quiet independent reading time after lunch. It will be about 10minutes long and your child will be asked to sit quietly and read books on their own independent level. It is a time for the children to sit and unwind and get ready for the rest of the day!
oom Parents
Parents will be needed to help out in various ways during the year. I will be asking for Room parents who will be willing to help out at parties and events in our room. This will include coordinating with other parents. I will send a letter home in the beginning of the year asking for Room parent volunteers. Please note, you do not need to attend every party. There will be several room parents chosen, and I will ask for at least 1 to attend each party, so not everyone has to be at all the parties.
tar of the Week
We will begin a Star of the Week program in the fall. More information will come on this program, but your child will have a special week that they will be the Star!!! (There is a schedule and explanation in the handbook).
ransportation
If there is a change in transportation for any reason, please send a note in with your child. Students will not be able to change their usual transportation unless a phone call or note is received. If they are going home with another student or vice versa, a note will be needed from both families. If there is a mid-day change in transportation, please make sure to contact the Seabrook secretaries, and they will pass the change along to me.
olunteers
I will be asking for parent volunteers to help out in our classroom during the year. Since we have no classroom aide, there are a lot of time consuming things that I could use another adult’s help with. If you are available to help, we’d love to have you.