RECESS/WEATHER -

Outdoor play is part of our daily routine. Unless weather conditions are intolerable, we will go outside for recess everyday. Please send your child to school with the necessary clothing to allow him/her to be comfortable at recess. Please label your child's outer clothing and backpacks.

SNACKS -

So that we may stave off the hungries each day, a snack is part of our daily routine. I will send home a monthly calendar assigning a specific day for your child to bring snacks to school for the class. I appreciate your efforts to make these snacks as simple and healthful as possible. Every effort will be made to coordinate your child's birthday with his or her snack day. So that each child may have a special day, we will celebrate birthdays for children born in the summer months.In the event that you should forget to send a snack on your assigned day, I do keep a snack on standby. I would ask that you send a package of cookies or crackers to replace the ones we pulled from the shelf to be used another day.

BREAKFAST PROGRAM -

Breakfast starts at 8:45 a.m.The cost for breakfast is .60¢ or $6.00 for a full paid ten day breakfast ticket and .30¢ / $3.00 for a reduced breakfast ticket. Breakfast applications for free or reduced meals are available in the school office. Milk will be provided for afternoon snacks.

TRANSPORTATION -

It is very important that we know who will be picking up your child. Should you have a change in plans, please send a note or call the school and leave a message with the secretaries. Please remember the name of the person picking up your child must be on the back of your child's enrollment card. The safety of our students is at the top of our list!

BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS -

If you are having a birthday party for your child and you are inviting the whole class, invitations may be passed out at school. However, if you are not inviting the whole class, invitations should be mailed or distributed in some other way. In addition, birthday celebrations at school are limited to the last thirty minutes of the school day. We suggest bringing only cup cakes for each student, and drinks in small containers. Please talk with your child's teacher to make these arrangements.

SHOW AND TELL -

Every Friday is our show and tell time. Students may bring one special toy, book, picture, souvenir, etc.... to show the class. This special time allows your child the opportunity to practice good communication skills and to gain poise in front of a group. A little practice at home will help put the child at ease and to feel more comfortable during his presentation. Students may bring a pet if you, the parent, bring the pet and take it home after it is shown. Breakable items are best left a home and anything resembling a weapon of any kind cannot be brought to school.

LIBRARY -

Once a week, we will visit Mrs. Gorski in the library for an interesting story. This will help the children become acquainted with the library and its many uses.

CONFERENCES -

Scheduled parent-teacher conference dates are in October. Your child's teacher will also have a conference day later in the spring after Maturation Assessment Tests have been completed.. If you would like a conference at any other time, please feel free to call your child's teacher so we can set up a time.

COMPUTERS -

We have a weekly time slot for the use of our computer lab. However, we usually wait until the end of the first semester to begin this activity. This gives our children time to become acquainted with all the other areas of our classroom.

REPORT CARDS -

The Kindergarten report cards go home twice a year. At the end of each semester your child will bring home his/her card. Please sign it and return it after the first semester. You can keep the card to put in your scrapbook at the end of the year.

PROGRESS REPORT -

Your child will be receiving a simple progress report at the end of the first quarter and the third quarter.

TESTING -

Near the end of the school year, each kindergarten student will be administered the Maturation Assessment Test. This test, along with teacher observation and parental input, will be used to determine your child's developmental readiness. This test does not measure intelligence or academics.

DISCIPLINE -

Our school practices the Great Expectations methodolgy and one part of this is following the Eight Expectationsof Living. They are build around eight life principles and are as follows:

1. We will value one another as unique and special individuals.

2. We will not laugh or make fun of a person's mistakes, use sarcasms or putdowns

3. We will use good manners saying please and thank you, excuse me, and let others go first

.4. We will cheer each other to success.

5. We will help one another whenever possible.

6. We will recognize every effort and applaud it.

7. We will encourage each other to do our best.

8. We will practice virtuous living, using the Life Principles.

CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE -

Each of us, the three Almor West kindergarten teachers, do have our own style in working with students and may have slightly different classroom rules for discipline. However, there are some common methods that we use in our classrooms. We use much positive reinforcement to help direct students to using appropriate behavior. We use such reinforcement as as: verbal praise, stickers, candy basket, a reward from our principal, etc . . . However, if a child has difficulty a discipline chart that follows a stop light scheme is used. In this scheme GREEN for good behavior - "GO" , YELLOW for below satisfactory behavior, "CAUTION" and RED for very poor behavior - "STOP" is kept to be shared with the parent. We view everyday is a new day and each child starts his chart on the green light. After 1 warning, they change their card to yellow and he/she sits in the "thinking chair" for 5 minutes. If a child is warned a 2nd time, the child changes their card to red and then he/she sits in the "thinking chair" for 10 minutes or if we are about to go outside he/she will sit on the bench outside for 5 minutes to think. If a child still has difficulty after the red light then a visit to the principal or a phone call home may be warranted. After this, the child moves their card back to the green light for a new beginning.

WHEN VISITING OUR CLASSROOMS, REMEMBER YOUR VISITOR BADGE -

We know how important it is for you to feel that your child is safe while he/she is attending school. One way we ensure this is by having our visitors check in at the office to receive a visitor badge before coming to the classroom. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and our instructional time uninterrupted.

CONTACT US -

Please feel free to contact your child's teacher if you have any further questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Mrs. Suzanne Harrington, Mrs. Julie Cunningham and Mrs. Young