THE PARENTS OF
KINDERGARTEN
ORIENTATION
JUNE 9, 2015
Kindergarten Orientation
2015-2016
Welcome to Woodmont School!!!
Important Information:
Address: 39 Woodmont Road
Pine Brook, New Jersey, 07058
Phone: 973-331-7100
Fax: 973-316-4650
School Nurse: 973-331-7100 ext. 1810
www.montville.net/woodmont
www.montville.net/woodmont/pta
Kindergarten Teachers:
Miss Jennifer Kelly
Mrs. Candace Santiago
Mrs. Danielle Stoveken
Kindergarten is the foundation for all future learning. The primary goal of our kindergarten is to develop and nurture the whole child. Here at Woodmont, we strive to provide a loving environment, allowing each child every opportunity to grow and mature. Children will be challenged through meaningful instruction.
Doors open for the start of our new school year on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
School begins at 8:10 A.M. Please plan to arrive early, between 8:00A.M. and 8:05 A.M. on the first day. We will meet the children in the GYM and escort the classes inside to their rooms.
If your child will be riding a bus to school, they will be dropped off at the curb and escorted to the gym. Teachers and safety patrol members are present every day. (The Board of Education handles all bussing issues.)
The school day ends at 2:45 P.M. Students will be escorted to the busses and MEDLC first. Carpoolers and walkers follow once the busses have departed. Those who walk ‘up the hill’ will be dismissed near the fifth grade classrooms and escorted across the driveway then by a crossing guard across Woodmont Road.
Help Us To Get In Touch
During the time your child is here at Woodmont, CURRENT contact information is necessary. On the first day, you will be asked to complete TWO emergency cards.
Please make sure we have cell phone and home numbers. Work numbers should also be included. In addition, when a back up adult is requested, this adult must be English speaking and located nearby. This person should be able to drive to Woodmont if unexpected situations arise. This attention to detail is greatly appreciated by the teachers and the school nurse.
Comfortable Clothing
Make sure your child is dressed appropriately for school. Sneakers and comfortable clothes are a good idea. The children should be able to manipulate the clothing so that they may use the bathroom independently.
We ask all parents to consider purchasing sneakers as their child’s school shoes for fall. Rubber soled shoes are preferable. If possible, please have your child wear Velcro shoes until they are able to tie independently.
Save backless shoes such as slides and clogs for home use.
Getting Down To Basics
Your child will need the following items on the FIRST day of school.
A pencil zippered pouch to hold crayons
A smock (Old shirt)
Lunch box (soft)
Backpack (No wheels)
2 packages of expo thin dry erase markers
A two pocket folder (preferably plastic or vinyl)
A box of 8 or 16 crayons (please do not send in anymore than that amount)
A package of 24 glue sticks
Two box of tissues and one container of baby-wipe towelettes, the rectangular box is preferable to be shared as needed. You are welcome to send these items to school LATER IN THE WEEK.
GLUE STICKS, TISSUES AND WIPES ARE HIGHLY CONSUMABLE. WE WILL BE ASKING YOU TO SEND THEM IN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR!!!
Your cooperation with the supply requests is greatly appreciated. Our year starts so much more smoothly with our supplies intact.
Your child’s name should be written clearly on their lunchbox, backpack smock and folder.
Special Health Concerns
Evaluate your child daily…
Each morning, please carefully evaluate your child’s health before sending him/her off to school. Ask yourself these important questions: ‘Did my child rest peacefully, eat a healthy breakfast?’ ‘Is my child ready for a full day of work and play?
Attached you will find a copy of Montville’s policies on health in school. Please help to keep as many students and teachers as possible healthy by keeping sick children home. Your child will be sent home if they are ill and unable to work.
Arrange for care…
Now is the time to begin arranging for the days when your child is ill or recovering from an illness. Make sure you can call this caregiver at the last minute, especially if you work outside the home.
Please call the school nurse, Mrs. Janice Shingledecker by 9:00 A.M. to advise her of your child’s absence that day. An answering machine is also available on this number for early morning or late night phone calls. Call our school nurse at 973-331-7100 ext. 1810
Return To School…
Children are not productive in the classroom if they are not fully recovered from an illness. In this case, our school nurse is obligated to send your child home for the health and safety of all.
Playing at home is not always an indication that your child is ready to return. Feeling under the weather can make school a negative experience. School attendance is the only way to assure your child’s consistent progress. Coming to school tired or ill will not allow your child to have the best possible experience.
Vacation Days
Included in this packet is the calendar for the upcoming school year. Please make every effort to plan your family vacations during our scheduled school breaks. Long absences can affect your child’s progress, making them feel lost upon their return. The majority of our learning is sequential. Once your child returns instructional time from the teacher, is very hard to make up.
If you choose to remove your child from scheduled school sessions, please be aware of the district’s policy on incomplete work. Work will NOT be prepared prior to the trip to be brought along. All assignments completed during the absence will be saved for your child and sent home upon return. This work will need to be completed promptly to receive credit for the time missed.
Milk
Parents will receive information in September regarding the sale of milk during lunch. Milk is available as follows:
LUNCH- low fat, skim milk and chocolate
Order forms will be sent home on the first day. A start date will be included on the form from our office. You must send a drink until that date.
Snacks
Snack should be placed in your child’s lunchbox with a napkin! Each class will have a snack time in the morning. Children will be able to bring juice or water, fruits, vegetables, cheese, crackers, yogurt, bagels, pretzels and popcorn. Other snacks such as fruit roll ups, fruit snacks, sweet puddings, chips and cookies can be reserved for lunchtime. Please also send a spoon or a fork if necessary. The school does not provide these items.
Lunch
The children eat their lunch in the lunchroom. An outdoor recess follows.
Please send lunches your child will eat. Some ideas include leftovers, yogurt, soup or a sandwich. Do not send cans or glass bottles. Please also send a spoon or a fork if necessary. The school does not provide these items.
Hot Lunch
Our PTA serves hot lunch several days each week. The PTA has chosen to undertake this huge task to provide healthy, reasonably priced lunches for our children. Lunches must be preordered online. Info will be sent home in August by the PTA for the first month of lunches. Parents are needed and necessary to assist in the serving of food and drinks. Please volunteer.
Ice Cream/Chips
Our Woodmont PTA makes ice cream and chips available for sale weekly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the lunchroom during the lunch period. Chips (Tuesday) are 50 cents and ice cream (Wednesday) is one dollar. You will be notified on the details in the fall. There may be a pre-purchased coupon system or you may need to send two quarters in the lunchbox. If you already have coupons from an older sibling, they will be honored.
Birthdays
Parents have an opportunity to send in a special treat to the main office on their child’s birthday. Some good choices are cookies, brownies, cupcakes, rice crispy treats, Dixie cups and juice. A very popular choice is fresh bagels, which can be served with morning snack. Also, please send in the necessary items (forks, spoons, plates, napkins) in order to have the birthday treats!
Parents will need to plan this special treat in advance with the teacher. Your child’s teacher will address this topic individually on Back to School Night. Summer birthdays will be honored on special days in June or on half birthdays.
Library Volunteers
Each class visits our media center weekly for a lesson and to check out books. Parent volunteers are needed for each class. Several parents may alternate and share this responsibility.
Class Parents/ Room Mothers
If you are interested in volunteering to be a class mom please contact the P.T.A. These volunteers will be responsible for four class parties as determined by the classroom teacher. The class parents MAY make phone calls when necessary to notify parents of an early dismissal due to inclement weather or another appropriate situation. The Montville School District has an Instant Alert System for all emergency notification. Class parents are always invited on the class field trip.
M.E.D.L.C.
(Montville Extended Day Learning Center)
Our school offers an extended care program from the hours of 7:00 am through 6:00 P.M. for children who are attending school that day and are well. The childcare takes place on the premises and is staffed by teachers and aides employed in the school district.
To enroll your child, forms must be completed prior to the first day your child will attend MEDLC. A charge and registration fee is involved. Further information will be available online in the near future.
How to Contact Us During the School Year
You may send a note in your child’s folder or e-mail the teacher. Please Note: Allow up to 24 hours for a response.
Please plan a regular dismissal schedule for your child. It is disruptive and confusing to have frequent changes. The specific dismissal note must be sent if any changes in the regular dismissal are necessary. Try to avoid last minute calls to the office or emails to the teacher! We cannot allow children to ride home with others for play dates without written permission. A dismissal permission notice will be sent home by the office in September, the note can also be found on the website.
Your child’s teacher will provide her preferred manner of contact at Back to School Night.
Woodmont School has a site for teacher e-mail during the school year. You may use the following addresses:
Miss Kelly –
Mrs. Santiago ---
Mrs. Stoveken ---
We wish all families a happy, healthy, active summer. We hope you will spend many lazy hours reading to your child. We look forward to working with our new classes.
Look for the date and time for Back to School Night in early September!