Welcome To Fred Assam Elementary Kindergarten!
Today is a big day for all of us and we at Fred Assam want it to be the first of many productive, rewarding and successful school days!
Your children are very special little people with unique personalities, various educational and social needs. It is my goal to create an environment where they can develop to their full potential through a variety of learning experiences.
The information in this booklet may help to answer some of the questions you many have regarding my kindergarten classroom. Through our combined efforts we can assure your child of a great first year in school!
Mrs. Feenstra
Kindergarten Teacher
Getting Used to
All Day Kindergarten
All day Kindergarten is NEAT but at the end of the day we are BEAT! The transition to an all day schedule is, for most children, a tiny obstacle that they will overcome within the first 3-4 weeks of school. Please be patient and understanding at night, limit their after school activities for awhile and see that they get to bed early! (Recent studies show that kindergarten children need about 10 hours of sleep a night!!)
Rest Time
We do have a 30 minute rest timeeach day and if children fall asleep within the first four weeks I let them sleep for an hour. After our 4 weeks is up we start sleeping less and less and just let our bodies and minds rest. Please do not send any pillows or blankets to school with your child. Unfortunately lice does occur and we don’t want to increase the chances of them spreading.
What Did You
Do at School Today?
Please ask your children about their day. As a parent I know that the dreaded answer is, “Nothing.” Be specific when asking questions. Instead of asking, “How was your day?” try asking questions like, “Did you have gym today? What did you eat for lunch? What did you do at recess? Did you hear any good stories today? Did you make a craft?” etc. When children answer “nothing” it is usually because no specifics come to mind. Asking them questions will trigger their memories of the day and you’ll get much better and more informed answers!
Nobody Likes Me
We’ve all heard it before, “Nobody likes me” or “Nobody will play with me.” Trust me; for the most part this is NOT true. Kindergarten kids have a wonderful way of playing with and accepting EVERYONE into their play. It is one of the most miraculous things about this age…everyone gets along! If you do hear these statements sometime during the year (and trust me, most of you will) keep a positive attitude, don’t panic or get upset. Ask them specific questions like, “Why do you think that? Did something happen today to make you sad?” As adults we’ve all learned friendship skills that are still foreign to most of our children. For example, we know that sometimes you have to play what others are playing even if you’d rather play something else. Kids do not understand this. If they want to play chase and no one else does they assume that “No one wants to play with me.” Encourage children to play what others are playing and maybe tomorrow they’ll want to play chase. If you can get specific details from your children about why they are feeling this way you WILL have a good answer for them and most times a good friendship skill to teach them.
Coming and Going
Coming: Kindergarten children will stay on the playground with the other children until the bell has rung. School begins at 8:10. There will be a playground supervisor on duty beginning at 7:45. We ask that you do not drop off your children unless there is a playground supervisor on duty. When the bell rings the children will line up with their class and wait for the playground supervisor to let them inside. The playground supervisor will instruct the children to come inside in the event of bad weather. If you are late bringing your children to school (after 8:15) you will need to check in at the office before proceeding to the classroom.
Going: If you are picking up your child from kindergarten we ask that you meet them by our Kindergarten door. Pickup time is 3:00. Please be on time. Being late causes anxiety on the part of your little one.
It is vitally important that the school be informed anytime your child’s after school destination/transportation has been changed (even if it’s only for one day!) We require a note to the teacher or a phone call to the office.\
Lunch and Breakfast
Fred Assam offers both lunch and breakfast for the kids. If your child wishes to eat breakfast at school they must go to the cafeteria as soon as they arrive at school. Breakfast service starts at 7:30 and ends at 8:10. Please see the student handbook for breakfast prices. We eat lunch from 11:00-11:40. A monthly lunch menu is sent home at the beginning of the month. Please see the student handbook for lunch prices. Children are also allowed to bring their own lunch but are not allowed to bring pop for lunch or snack.
If your child has any allergies to any foods or milk please let the school nurse know so that accommodations can be made to keep them safe.
…….Folders
Our school supply list asks for a folder. This folder is used to transport papers to and from school. Students will be asked to turn in this folder every day at school and bring it home every day. Please empty this folder each evening. I will check these folders at the beginning of the day. Please put any notes, papers, or money inside the folder and not in the child’s bag. This is an easy way for us to communicate and a way for the students to learn responsibility and organization.
I will be sending home a weekly newsletter every Monday- The Kindergarten Kaper that tells you our classroom happenings. This newsletter will also be on our class website:
Volunteers
I welcome volunteers into our classroom and think parent involvement is very important! Volunteers in the past have helped by supervising center time, reading with children, helping with art projects, chaperoning field trips, and organizing holiday parties. If you would like to volunteer please contact me at any time. I do ask that you wait until after the first month of school before volunteering. The first few weeks are very important to your child when adjusting to their new routines and classmates. Give them a few weeks to become comfortable in their surroundings and they will be even more excited to have you visit!
Also, if you have any special talents, pets, hobbies, etc that you would like to share with the class please do not hesitate to ask. You, as parents, can bring special experiences to the children that I can’t. We’ve had parents bring in farm animals, big rig trucks and even
ostrich eggs! We welcome any experiences you can bring to our class.
Show and Tell
We do show and tell in our classroom. This is a great way for children to speak in front of a class and learn more about each other and different themes.. You will be receiving more information soon about when we will have show and tell in our class and what your child should bring.
Milk and Snack Break
There will be a milk and snack break each day. Milk is in the morning and snack is in the afternoon. Your child will be able purchase milk using their lunch account. Your child is responsible for bringing his/her snack for the day or purchasing one from the school. Due to our school policy we are not able to share snacks. Please bring something that is easy for your child to open and clean up independently. Also, please avoid candy for snack break.
We do have students in our classroom with peanut allergies so we ask that you avoid ALL foods that contain peanuts. Thank you!
Star of the Week…..
Each student will get a chance to be the star of the week. This is an exciting time for students and helps them learn about themselves, families, and others. We have a special board where we display things they bring to share with us. Children are chosen alphabetically and a note will be sent home the week before it is your child’s turn.
Birthday Treats and Invitations
Treats The Brandon Valley School District has asked that if you are going to send something to school to celebrate your child’s birthday, it needs to be a non-food item. (In the past children have brought pencils, prisms, medals, yo-yos, play-doh, etc.) You can find some fun and inexpensive items in the party isle at any store. I believe that birthdays are a special event in your child’s life and we do take time to recognize this special day. Summer birthdays are celebrated the last few weeks of school in May.
Invitations: I know that it is easy to send birthday invitations to school with your child. My classroom policy is you MAY pass out invitations at school as long as every girl (if it’s a girl party) and every boy (if it’s a boy party) receives ones. Tender kindergarten feelings get hurt quickly! If you are only inviting a few of the students, please find other ways to get them their invitations. I also can not give out addresses of classmates (Sorry…School policy!)
Clothing
Please label your child’s coat, snow pants, mittens, boots, etc. You would be surprised how many children have the exact same size boot in the same color! It can be a nightmare if they aren’t labeled. When your child wears snow boots, please remember that he/she must also have a pair of shoes to wear in the classroom.
Bathroom
Children will be allowed to use the bathroom at anytime. They may need to be reminded to use it before leaving for school and will be reminded again before they leave the classroom to go home. I would appreciate knowing about any bathroom difficulties your child may have.
Gym
We have gym class twice a week. Please remember to wear tennis shoes on these days!
Library
We will have library once a week and are allowed to check out 1 book. However, kindergarten kids are not allowed to take these books home so they will stay in our classroom until it’s time to return them.
Outside Recess
Outside play is an enjoyable and worthwhile activity. Recess will be included in our schedule. During the winter months we will require the children to wear boots, snow pants, mittens and hats. Please help your child practice tying, zipping,and buttoning so they can get ready independently.
Classroom Supplies
1 8oz Elmer’s school glue
10 large glue sticks
1 8 1/2x5 plastic school box)
1 Fiskars pointed scissors
1 large pink eraser
4 boxes of CRAYOLA crayons (regular size)
Boys: 1 box Ziploc bags
Girls: 1- box of baby wipes
12 #2 pencils (regular size and sharpened)
1 plastic 2 pocket folder
1 ( 1”) 3 ring binder w/clear pocket on outside
CRAYOLA watercolor paints (8 count)
Tennis shoes for gym
1 large box of Kleenex
1 Rest Mat – store bought (thin red and blue kind)
2 dry erase markers (Thick Expo black only)
1 box of Crayola markers
1 backpack
Kindergarten Teacher’s Pledge
Dear Children,
I hereby promise to:
Give you some structured time for learning and fun.
Give you free and unstructured time to grow.
Be encouraging and patient when you need my help.
Try to be understanding and loving when things don’t go right.
Try to remember what it’s like to be a child.
Enjoy you and love you a lot!
Love,
Mrs. Feenstra