The ABC's of Kindergarten
A If your child will be absent from school, please call the Attendance Hotline at 379-4904. Please send a note the next day explaining the absence. If your child arrives to school late, they need to stop in the office before coming to the classroom. If you are picking up your child from school early, please stop in the office to sign them out. School starts at 8:25 a.m.
B Please send your child’s backpack with the Take Home Folder inside it, every day and check the folder and backpack every evening.
I will assume that your child will be riding his/her bus or being picked up by you – whichever is the normal routine. If there is a change in plans, I must have a note! If you will be picking up your child, please be at school by 2:45. Children need NOT be picked up by siblings as they need to learn the bus routine. If a brother or sister leaves school early, please let your kindergartener know.Book orders will be sent out once a month. Please send cash or a check made out to the book company (SCHOLASTIC), if you would like to let your child place an order.Breakfast is served every day (7:50-8:15). This is deducted from your lunch account.
C If you have any concerns or celebrations during the year, please don’t hesitate to contact me! I would be glad to chat with you J!Celebrations-Party money is $3.00. Please pay this amount as soon as possible. It will be used for the fall party, Holiday party and Valentine’s party.
D My discipline is simple. The children and I will work hard to make the classroom a positive and safe place for all. Rules are agreed upon during the first week of school and read and discussed daily. Problems are looked upon as just that, problems to be solved. Once your child understands the rules, I will give 2 warnings and then a time-out. If your child hits another child s/he will be removed to time-out and you will receive a call or a note.
E The children love when their parents/caregivers/grandparents come and eat with them. You are always welcome. Pick up a Visitor’s Pass in the office. You may e-mail me or give me a call to let me know if there are special people coming for lunch. lschoneman@albertlea.k12.mn.us or 379-4921.
F Please check your child’s folder every day and send it to school every day.
G Glue, pencils and crayons do not last all year. I will send a note when your child needs more.
H Your child will have some homework during the year. Please help your child be responsible for this homework by encouraging him/her to do it and return it in a timely manner. This is an important habit to help your child develop.
I I hope to stretch your child’s imagination this year. We will read, write, draw, sing, and learn poems plus a bunch of other terrific things! I will also work on helping your child be independent.Please inform the office and me if you have any name, address or phone number changes throughout the year. This is important in case of an emergency.
J Save your ribbons, plastic grocery bags, feathers… Your junk is our treasure!
K Kindergarten is a wonderful, exciting place to be. We will work very hard to be kind to everyone!
L We will visit the library every day. Your child may check out 1 book to begin with. They will gradually check out more as the year goes on. Please return them when you have finished or in a week’s time. Your child will not be able to check out new books until they have returned theirs.Please label everything your child plans to bring to school - jackets, shoes, bags, mittens, etc. That will help your child's things find their way home!
M We have a computerized meal account system. Each child is assigned a number and has an individual account. If your child eats breakfast or lunch or has milk with a cold lunch, it will be deducted from this account. You may deposit money in your child's account by sending a check to school with your child. You will be notified when your child’s account is getting low. When your child's account balance falls below a couple of dollars, a notice will be sent home in your child’s folder. Meetings-Every Thursday morning, I will be in a meeting until 8:05. I will be unavailable for phone calls or visits until after 8:05. Also, no children or parents will be allowed down the hallways until after 8:05 on Thursdays.
N I will send a newsletter home with your child. When I do, I will place it inside their folder. When you send notes, please put them in the folder. Then we will always know where to look!
O Please check in at the office prior to coming to our room. (All doors except the front door will be locked all day.) You will be given a Visitor’s Pass. People in the hallways without a pass cause concern and will be asked to report to the office. This is part of our security system to protect your child.
P If you would like to make the transition from home to school a bit easier you may send a picture of your family that your child can tape in his/her pencil box.
I encourage you to join SPIRIT (PTA). It is a worthwhile organization that supports your child and his/her school activities.Have a plan for early out situations (snow days, etc.) should they occur.
Q Please call me with any questions you might have about anything concerning your child. I am at school by 7:30 and leave around 3:45. School – 379-4921.
R Please read to your child every day.
We go outside for recess every day. Please see that your child has the proper clothes for outside play when it is cold. S/he will need snowsuit/pants, waterproof mittens, and boots for winter weather. Please label all of these. In order to foster independence, select coats and boots that your child can handle with the least amount of assistance from adults. If you wish for your child to stay indoors because of an illness, your child MUST have a written note from a DOCTOR.
S Please save and send to school: Campbell Soup labels, Box Tops for Education, Kemps milk bottle covers or UPC codes, and pop tabs.
T Together we will be a great team for your child!
Please help your child tie his/her shoes. I will help until December, then it’s “tie or tuck”. The elastic laces, Velcro, or slip-on tennis shoes are great for those who aren’t ready to tie.Toys from home are not necessary. Our room is full of games and toys for the children to utilize whiled they are in school. These toys are designed to be fun as well as teach the children to expand their knowledge of the world around them.
U We will be studying many units this year. Apples, Nursery Rhymes, Measurement and Animals to name a few.
V There will be opportunities for parents to volunteer in our classroom or by doing things at home for us. I will let you know when the need arises.
If you are interested in visiting, stop in the office and register first.
W Try to encourage your child to wear practical clothes to school. I will make every effort to protect your child’s clothes, but we love to paint and get our hands (and sometimes our bodies!) into the fun!
If you are on-line, please check out my webpage on the district’s website. I will be updating the newsletter as they come out.
X If your child needs an extra set of clothes for whatever reason, I have a limited supply. These clothes need to be washed and returned as soon as possible. NOTE: if you have any old clothes to donate to the nurse or our classroom, please send them. You may also want to keep an extra set in their locker, just in case!
Y Please remember YOU are your child’s first and most important teacher. No one can influence your child’s life the way you can!
Z Please teach your child to zip his/her clothes. Again, I will help until December.
Our classroom is a safe and child-friendly zone. Your child will learn many things, make many choices, and be empowered. I am looking forward to a terrific year!