2015 - 2016
Dear Parents,
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to The Children’s School. I am excited to have you and your child become active participants in our school’s educational program. Kindergarten will provide your child the opportunity to experience learning in many areas. It is an exciting year and the foundation for your child’s educational program.
It is Miss Indrani Mitra’s twelfth year as a Kindergarten teacher at The Children’s School. I graduated from St. Joseph’s University with a dual Master’s degree in Elementary and Special Education. I have also completed my Post-Master’s in Behavior Analysis.
Throughout the year I will be concentrating on getting the children ready for elementary school. I will be implementing the reading series, Reading Street, which examines the alphabet, the sounds associated with each letter and familiar words that the children use in their everyday vocabulary. This series makes use of books, audiocassettes, poems, rhymes, shared reading books and a variety of other materials. I will be using the math series, Everyday Mathematics. Everyday Mathematics emphasizes the application of mathematics to real world situations, such as number skills and mathematical concepts not presented in isolation, but are linked to situations and contexts that are relevant to everyday life. The curriculum also provides numerous suggestions for incorporating mathematics into daily classroom routines and other subject areas. Our goal is to help each child reach his or her full potential. We are going have Character Education included in our curriculum too. Our Character education curriculum is focused on teaching the kids the meaning of words related to character:
· Responsibility
· Trustworthiness
· Respect
· Caring
· Citizenship
Throughout the year, I would like parents to volunteer some time in the classroom. If you are interested in volunteering in the classroom, please ask me about when is a good time to come and spend some time in the classroom. Some ideas for volunteering include, but are not limited to: cooking with the children, creating an art project, story time, singing, or just playing with the children.
Hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of infection. It is strongly recommended with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Keystones Stars that Hand Washing starts the moment “mommy, daddy, teacher and child” enter a classroom. Each morning, as you enter the classroom, the teachers will encourage you and your child to go over to the sink and to wash your hands. When you come to pick up your child, we ask you again, to please wash your hands before you start to pick up child’s material for the day. Throughout the day, the teachers will continue to practice Hand Washing with the children.
Each day, the children will have the opportunity to practice brushing their teeth with water after lunch. Each child will have their own, labeled toothbrush. Every (6) months, the teachers will give the children a new toothbrush. This is a great way to practice oral hygiene.
Every Wednesday, we will have yoga class with Miss Katie starting September 16th. Every Thursday, the children will participate in Tumble Tot’s classes starting September 17th. Tumble Tot’s is a well planned and coordinated program of sports, exercise and health designed specifically for young people. Every other Friday, kids will have Science with Nature Jack starting September 18th. Finally on every other Friday, we will have reading program for our kids by Ms. Brooke who is a retired reading specialist and mother of Miss Toby (Pre-K teacher).
In Kindergarten, Circle time begins promptly at 9:15 am everyday. We ask that you have your child here before 9.15 am. Late arrivals may cause disturbances.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Again, I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you and your child this school year.
Sincerely,
Miss Indrani
The Highlight Reel (Tentative)
7:00 – 9:00 Arrival, Greetings and Interest Centers (Art, Blocks, Dress-up, puzzles, Reading, Transportation, Math manipulatives and Science manipulatives)
9:15 – 9:30 Morning Circle Time
9:30– 10:00 Language Arts Block
10:00 – 10:15 Bathroom/Wash Hands/Snack
10:15 – 10:45 Math/Science Block
11:00 – 11:20 Science/Social Study Activities
11:20 – 11:30 Open Discussion
11:30– 12:00 Specials: Music/Spanish/Tumble Tot’s/Science/Outside Play (Jungle Gym, Train, Sand box, Swings, Soccer Game)
12:00 – 12:30 Bathroom/ Wash Hands/Lunch
12:30 – 12:50 Story Time
12:50 – 2:30 Rest Time
1:30– 3:00 Small Group Activities/Theme Related Activity (Science/Social Studies/Math/Writing)
3:00 – 3:30 Story Time/Shared Reading/Computer Time
3:30 – 3:45 Snack Time
3:45 – 4:00 D.E.A.R (Drop Everything And Read)
4:00 – 4:10 Daily Review
4:10 – 5:30 Outside Play (Jungle Gym, Train, Sand box, Swings, Soccer Game)
5:30 – 6:00 Indoor Free Play & Clean Up and Goodnight (Blocks, Manipulatives, Puzzles, Transportation, Coloring Science Manipulatives, Reading Manipulatives and Math Manipulative)
THINGS YOU NEED TO BRING
Please make sure your child has the following items at school.
- Lunchbox: Child’s meal, drink and icepack
Blanket for rest time: Every other Friday the blanket will be sent home for cleaning.
Extra seasonal change of clothes: Please don’t forget socks and underwear.
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Circle Time
Friday Circle Time is reserved for Show and Tell. This gives our children the opportunity to share something special from home. Be aware that all Show and Tell items are to be theme related when helping your child choose an appropriate item.
Children may choose from all themes in that particular month. Storybooks, photos, games, souvenirs and toys related to the theme are great Show and Tell items. Please remember toy weapons are not permitted at any time as this is against our school policy.
Parents, please remember Show and Tell is on Fridays. While we understand the need for security items during nap, toys are not permitted any other time, due to the distraction they may cause.
Thank you.
Rest Time
Every child needs a break. Rest time is scheduled from 1-3 P.M. During naptime he/she is required to lie down quietly. Kindergartners do rest on a mat and not on the cot. To help each child rest and relax during nap, please send in a blanket or sleeping bag. The blanket/sleeping bag will be sent home to be washed every two (2) weeks. If your child has a favorite sleep buddy/toy, feel free to send that in as well.
For children who do not nap, we will encourage them to rest quietly with books for ½ hour. From 1:30-3:00, the children will participate in some of the following: art, floor puzzles, table activities, playground time etc.
The brain needs a down time to recycle chemicals for long-term memory formation. (Jensen, 1998)
Early Dismissals
The following are the dates when the school will be closing by 4:30 PROMPTLY for staff meetings. As a NAEYC accredited school, we are required to have regular staff meetings throughout the year. Staff meetings are utilized to help keep the staff informed of all upcoming events and to communicate and share with one another about different activities or lessons that have worked well for classrooms. This will also give Miss Jennifer and Miss Indrani, our two mentor teachers for the school, the opportunity to offer suggestions and guidance on child development milestones for the different ages and reinforce the importance of positive communication amongst the children and the parents.
Early Dismissal for Staff Meeting/Professional Development
- Monday, October 12 2015 at 4:30
- Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 3:00
- Friday , December 18, 2015 at 4:30
- Monday, January 18, 2016 at 4:30
- Monday, March 7, 2016 at 4:30
“Getting to Know You”
The Keystone STARS Performance Standards require this type of meeting within 45 days of enrollment or transitioning of your child into a new classroom. A questionnaire will be send home that the program would want to be answered by the child’s parent before the conference. These are questions that have to do with the basic care, safety and health of the child and are tailored to the child’s age and situation. This first meeting is a time to get know each other, to share information you each have about the child, and to discuss in greater detail your goals for the year.
Homework
Congratulations! You are the parent of a Kindergartener here at Children’s School. You will be amazed at just how much your child will grow this year. Most likely, your child has had the seeds of reading and writing planted, and during Kindergarten, those seeds will grow and blossom, making your child an accomplished reader and writer! You will see changes in your child’s thinking, as she/he becomes familiar with abstract concepts and symbols. The change will be dramatic – just compare a tiny seed with a full grown sunflower! That’s the kind of growth you will see this year.
Your child will have a “take – home paper” in a homework folder to complete. Our Kindergartners love to do these “take – home papers” and will love you to tell them what a terrific job they did with their work. Please help your child with remembering to return their assignments on time.