Mrs. Brennick’s ABCs of Kindergarten
I am looking forward to working with your child this year. While kindergarten is a very exciting time in your child’s life, you are probably experiencing some mixed emotions concerning school right now. I realize this and hope this information will help you and your child have an easy transition into kindergarten. Our kindergarten team is very excited to have the opportunity to work with you and your child. We are here for you whenever you need us and we’re looking forward to a fabulous year!
A
Absences: Please make sure that your child makes every effort to attend school every day except in cases of illness or emergency. If your child will not be in school please call the office at 692-2435. Please do not email me to let me know of an absence after 8:00 am, as I do not check my email during school hours when I am teaching.
B
Birthdays: Birthdays may be celebrated at school. I have found that it works best to have birthday celebrations during exploration time at the end of the day. Please let me know at least one day in advance if you want to send in a special birthday snack.
Breakfast: It is helpful if your child eats a good breakfast before starting his/her school day. Students can purchase a breakfast for $1.35 a day. Breakfast is served right at 8:55 in theclassroom.
Buses: Any changes in your child’s bus schedule or route will need to be approved through the First Student bus company. The number to call to change where your child is picked up or dropped off is 692-4406. Please send in a note if a change has been made so that we put your child on the correct bus.
C
Check-Out Procedures: If you need to check your child out of school early please stop by the office to sign him/her out. If you know your child is being picked up early please send me a note in his or her blue folder so we can have him/her ready when you arrive.
D
Discipline: We are a PBIS school and encourage students to follow the 3Bs (Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible) that we introduce and reinforce school-wide. In the classroom, we use a making good choices chart where students can move up and down throughout the day. This provides a visual reminder for students and helps them monitor their good choices and expected behavior.
E
E-mail: [email protected]
This is an excellent way to communicate with me. I check my email before and after school. If you have information that I need to know during the school day, please send a note in your child’s folder or call the school so you can leave me a voice mail or have the office give me a message. Email is not a good choice if you are changing your child’s pickup schedule on short notice. I may not see it or be out sick. Substitutes do not have access to my email. Please make sure to call the office and let them know of a sudden change in dismissal schedule.
F
Folders: Your child will receive a folder that will be sent home daily containing papers from the office, notes from me, newsletters, etc. Please check this folder nightly, remove any papers on the Keep at Home side, and return anything that needs to get back to me on the Return to School side the following day. The front cover pocket is where I will look for notes and/or money that you send to send to me.
G
GREAT YEAR! It is my personal goal to make sure that your child has a great year and an unforgettable first year experience. I am looking forward to working with you and your child!
H
Homework: The greatest thing you can do to help your child is to read to him or her. We ask that you read to/with your child on a nightly basis. A calendar of activities and a reading log is sent home monthly. I also send home activities throughout the year that you can do to help your child with literacy and math skills.
I
Injury/Sickness at School: If your child is injured or becomes sick at school, I will contact you or the person you listed on your emergency form. AN EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER MUST BE ON FILE. If the number(s) we have on file changes at any point in the year, please let me know as soon as possible so we can change the numbers on your child’s emergency card.
J
Just a heads up: Just give me a heads up if you have any cultural and/or religious beliefs that you want me to be aware of when working with your child. In addition, changes at home that you think might affect your child at
school is also helpful for us to know.
K
Kindergarten Newsletter: A weekly newsletter will be sent home in your child’s blue folder. Please be sure to look for important information. Some topics that are usually included in my newsletter: topics of study, monthly themes, field trips and special upcoming events/dates.
Kagan Structures: We will be reinforcing most of our content learning through Cooperative Learning. The program we will be using comes from Dr. Spencer Kagan. This program optimizes student group learning through specific structures that are embedded in our State Standards Content.
L
Lunch/Snack: Your child can bring a lunch from home each day or purchase a lunch from school. The cost for a school lunch is $2.50 a day. Breakfast is $1.35 and snack milk is $0.50
Late to arrive: If your child arrives late to school he or she must be walked in with an adult to check at the office before walking down to the classroom.
M
Monthly School Calendar: At the beginning of each month, a school calendar from the office will be sent home so that you are always aware of the events going on at Idlehurst. The calendar also has the school lunch menu on the back.
Money: When sending money to school with your child, please send it in a baggie or envelope, write your child’s name and indicate what it is for.
Medication: Any medication to be given at school must be brought to the school by a parent/guardian. If the medication has been prescribed by a doctor, the school nurse has a form that you have to fill out. Please do not send it to school in your child’s backpack. Parents or guardians will need to speak with the school nurse before medication can be administered.
N
Names: Please be sure to write your child’s name on his/her belongings that are brought to school: lunchboxes, backpacks, coats, change of clothes, etc.
Nurse: We do have a registered nurse here at the school. If your child has any health issues please make me aware of these. Prescribed medication or over the counter medication needs to be hand delivered to the school nurse. Sending medications to school in backpacks is not allowed.
O
Other helpful staff members:
Principal- Mrs. Eris Hersey
Assistant principal-Ms. Liza Cocco
Counselors: Ms. Maggie Olson and Ms. Katie Gove
School nurse: Ms. Jacque May
School Secretaries: Ms. Leah Lainez and Mrs. Cheryl Clark
P
Parent/ Teacher Relationship:
I feel that we must work together as a team to best meet the needs of your child and help him or her reach their maximum potential. Please feel free to contact me by putting a note in your child’s blue folder, e-mailing, or calling my cell. You may also request a conference. I am more than happy to discuss any concerns or questions you may have at any time during the school year!
Q
Quality instruction time: We begin our classroom routine and instruction as soon as our little ones enter the room. Please try to have your child to school on time. If you bring your child to the classroom, please understand that we are not being rude by not chatting with you but trying to provide our students with the quality attention and instruction they deserve.
R
Recess: We do have recess each day. For your child’s safety, we ask that he or she wears shoes that tie or Velcro. If your child wears dressy shoes with a heel or flip-flops they will not be allowed on the climbing structure.
Remind App: A great way to communicate! Just follow the simple directions I sent home.
S
Skills at Home: Your child not only learns at school, but also at home. Please work with your child on the following: nightly reading, recognizing letters, numbers, and the kindergarten sight words.
Snack: We will have a quick snack each day. The school does not provide snacks. However, you can purchase a snack milk or juice for $.50 a day or send in a snack drink from home. You may send in an extra snack for the afternoon.
Specials: Your child will attend a special class every day. We now have six specials: Gym, Library, Computer, Health, Art and Music. Because we now have six specials, we attend specials depending on an assigned numbered day. We suggest that students bring their sneakers everyday.
T
Transportation: Transportation to and from school on the bus is available to all kindergarten students. The number to reach the bus company is 692-4406. Any bus changes must to be approved by the bus company and a note sent in to me.
U
Unique: The special ages of four, five and six are a unique time of curiosity, energy beyond belief, and rapid learning. It is a time when the child receives his or her first impression of school. At this age, children soak up information like little sponges, and are being introduced to many new concepts and ideas. We use a lot of repetition and re-visiting of skills, as well as, a hands-on learning approach to ensure that these basic skills are absorbed and understood for lifelong learning.
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Volunteers: We will be making a volunteer schedule for any parent who would like to work in the classroom. Please let me know if you are interested in helping in the out in the room. To help your child adjust to the transition away from home, classroom volunteers will not begin until October. All parents must be fingerprinted and have a background check done before volunteering in the classroom or attending a field trip with the class. To have a background check done, please go to the SAU 56 building at 51 West High Street. The SAU covers the cost to have this done. If you are unable to volunteer in the classroom you can greatly help us by sending in needed items, making/preparing things at home, and attending special classroom and/or school activities and celebrations. Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school. Younger siblings are not allowed to attend field trips with parent chaperones due to liability concerns and insurance coverage.
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Writing: We will be writing in the classroom on a daily basis. It is also very important for your child to practice writing their name, letters, and numbers at home.
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Extra Clothes: Please send an extra pair of clothes, including underwear and socks with your child to leave in his/her cubby. Young students often experience accidents (bathroom, sickness, playground, spilled drinks etc.) at school. If we have a set of clothes available, your child can change quickly in the classroom bathroom. Please send the extra clothing in a bag or Ziploc baggie with your child’s name on it.
Y
Yearly Calendar: The 2016-2017 calendar is posted and can be found on the district website at www.sau56.org
Your Input: I want you, as parents, to be satisfied and feel at ease with every aspect of your child’s education. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to contact me by phone, note, or e-mail at any time. I am always open to suggestions and willing to do what I can to best meet the needs of you and your child.
Z
ZZZZZ’s: Making sure your child gets plenty of rest helps him/her to be ready and focused at school which increases his/her potential to be successful at school.
Zip: Before we know it, this year will be over. I hope we have a great year together. I am looking forward to working with each of you to ensure that your child enjoys his or her Kindergarten experience. Believe it or not, this year will ZIP by!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with your child!