ABCs+of+Kindergarten+'C'

[|INFORMATION FOR PARENTS] ** The ABC’s of Kindergarten ‘C’ **

**A** If your child will be **absent** from school, **please call the school office (519) 766-0862 between 8:00 and 8:30**. Please be advised that we have **allergies** in our room. We need your help to make our classroom as “egg, fish and nut free” as possible. This means that each child/parent is asked to **refrain from bringing foods containing eggs** (examples of eggs and foods containing eggs are: mayonnaise, egg salad, deviled eggs, quiche, creamy salad dressings, meringues, angel food cake, custard), **nut products** such as peanut butter, Nutella, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts and **fish items** such as tuna, salmon.  Wishing each student a Happy **Birthday** is very important in the Early Years classroom. Therefore, your child’s birthday will be a special day in our room! Each child can wear a birthday crown and ribbon to celebrate their birthday, will receive a special prize from the ‘birthday box’ and we will be sure to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ as well. The birthday boy/girl will also have the opportunity to share their special day at school with our special birthday bear. If your child’s birthday falls on a weekend, or on a holiday, we will celebrate the day before. Summer birthdays will be celebrated the last week in June. In the past, I have had many parents ask if they could bring in special birthday treats for the children to share on their child’s birthday. We do, however, have allergies in the classroom and will not be able to have birthday treats this year. BUT, how about letting your child treat the class to a Birthday Book on his or her birthday instead? The birthday child may bring a literature book (wrapped in birthday paper if you wish) that he or she could either share with the class OR donate to our classroom as a permanent part of our class library. You might want to include an individual bookplate with your child’s photo on the inside cover. What a special way for your child to share their birthday. Children will need a good-sized **backpack** – one that will hold their lunch bag, a library book, papers to and from home and with enough room to pack a sweater or jacket for those cool days. Check the weather forecast each day in order to ensure that the children will be dressed comfortably for the day.  If your child is a bus person, bus patrols from each bus will come to our classroom to collect the students who take the bus home. If your child walks to school, they will meet their pick up person (parent, caregiver, older sibling) at the Kindergarten dismissal door. We ask that the parents refrain from entering the school at this time because the cubbie area does get very congested with little people. If your child goes to the Y program after school, someone will come to get them for a few months and take them down the hall to wait for their bus to come. When they are confident enough, I will send all of the Y children together as a small group on their own.  Before the children come into the classroom, they will need to stop at the hall shoe cubbie to take off their outdoor shoes. When they get into the classroom they will also need to hang up their jackets, hats, and backpacks. They will then place their Note Totes in the Note Tote basket. On library days, there will be a special basket for library books. They will then find their indoor shoes in their classroom cubbies and put them on. **Mr**. **Bumble** and his little sister **Bea** are very special members of our classroom family. Every student will have an opportunity to take these two classroom pals home for a designated period of time. I will post visitations in our monthly newsletter, but please do not tell the children when it is their turn because we have a special way for them to find out who will take Bumble and Bea home. Watch for Bumble and Bea’s big blue backpack to arrive at your house. When it arrives, please read the special letter that Mr. Bumble has written on the first page of the Adventure Journal. **N** I will be sending home **news** about our classroom on a regular basis. Watch for it in your child’s backpack! I will also be posting information about our classroom on this website ( mrspipeskindies.wikispaces.com). Occasionally, I will send home notes home with your child. When I do I will place them inside their **Note Totes**. When you send notes, please do the same. Then we will always know where to look! Your child’s Note Tote is a large labeled plastic ziplock bag that act as ‘message bag’. This communication bag carries notes from home to teacher or notes from school to home. Your child will bring their Note Tote home everyday. Please use the note tote to write notes to me regarding a change in pick-up times, pick-up persons, appointments where your child will miss school at a future date, looking for a lost mitten or a backpack left on the bus etc. I may also write a note to you informing you your child scrapped his/her knee or I may inform you that your child needs to send in their library book. I will NOT use the Note Totes for reporting observations in the classroom or for behaviour concerns. You may wish to write requesting an appointment with me and I may write that I would like to meet with you.  It more important than ever to support healthy play for all children. Here’s how: When children have this kind of support, the benefits include gaining confidence as well as self-esteem, building relationships, problem-solving, conflict resolution, expanding language, understanding rules and limits, discovering talents, sparking creativity, inspiring thinking, defining personality, and sorting out likes and dislikes. In fact, healthy, valuable play touches on every area of a child’s development. (Learning Through Play; Shelley Butler) **Q** **Quiet“read and rest” time** after lunch gives your child an opportunity to prepare themselves for the afternoon ahead.  Each of the students in the classroom will have several turns throughout the year to be a VIP **Star of the Week**. The ‘star’ sits in a small chair beside the teacher, wears a ‘star’ necklace, carries out our meeting time routines, and has many special duties such as line leader, delivering notes to the office, washing the snack tables and choosing a book for story time. You can imagine how the children look forward to being the ‘star’!! The ‘star’ of the week is posted in the newsletter so that the children can see when it will be their turn. If your child is absent for his/her special week, we will make sure he/she has a turn the next week. **SHOW & TELL; SHARING TIME**: Two children per week will have an opportunity to bring in special items that they would like to share with the rest of the class. Your child’s sharing day, which will take place on a Monday, will be marked on the monthly calendar starting in October. *Fragile and expensive items are discouraged **T** Once our **timetable** is finalized, I will send a detailed copy home for you to put on your fridge and I will post a copy on mrspipeskindies.wikispaces.com. During the day, we will have time scheduled for language activities (alphabet letters, stories, poetry, printing, writing stories, reading etc), math activities (numbers, patterning, counting, measuring, sorting etc), theme activities (art and science), music and quite time. The children will also visit the library and will engage in physical activities in the gym.   **V** There will be opportunities for parents to come and help in our classroom. I will ask for **volunteers** as the need arises. Please be sure to fill in the ‘Helpers and Volunteer’ information sheets in the package that comes home the first day. If you are interested in visiting the classroom, please let me know in advance and I will let you know when a good time would be. Also, parents are invited to **visit** our classroom any time! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * B** I will assume that your child will be riding their **bus** or walking home each school day. If there is a change of plans, please be sure to send a note. Such a switch, however, does not include your child traveling home on a different bus. I also need a note if your child is going to a friend’s house after school. If you are picking your child up, please meet the class at the Kindergarten door by 3:20.
 * C Conferences** are held at prescheduled times of the year, but we can conference at your request or mine at any time. Please let me know in advance if there is a time that won’t work for you and we can schedule around that. Conferences will be held in November, January and on demand throughout the school year. If you would like to meet with me at any time during the school year, please let me know. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * D** Kindergarten is a busy place that sometimes can get messy! **Dress** your child so that they are ready for this type of atmosphere. Occasionally toileting accidents happen in the classroom…especially when little ones are totally engrossed in play. Please send in a change of clothes, including an extra pair of socks, which can be kept in the classroom year round. Place the clothes in a plastic bag and label it with your child’s name. The bag will remain in a special basket and will be used if the need arises. The children will also need a pair of indoor shoes suitable for gym that can be left at school.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">E **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Please have your **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">child’s name on everything **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> they bring to school…anything that will be left at school or that could be forgotten i.e. sweaters, hats, extra socks, indoor shoes, splash pants, jackets, boots, backpacks, lunch bags, containers etc. There is a box in the Kindergarten cubbie area for lost items from the Kindergarten rooms and a school wide box in the hall outside the other Kindergarten classroom. Please try not to bring any toys from home to school because they could get lost or broken. Toys brought to school will come into the classroom during free activity times only – and remember- it is the child’s responsibility to take care of it!  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * F** Kindergarten ‘C’ is a safe, caring and **Fun** place to learn. Our program is a play-based program where all students learn through play at their own rate. Our classroom **Family** builds self esteem and supports pro-social development through cooperative learning and group play. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * G** **Good** behaviour is promoted and rewarded daily. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * H** **Home** **Time** is a very busy time of the day! The children have to get all of their papers and other belongings in their backpacks. Sometimes it gets pretty crowded and it is easy to, accidentally, leave something important behind. Dismissal time is 3:15.
 * I** **Independence** will be one of our goals this year! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * J** All of the children will have **jobs** to do in our classroom. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * K** **Kindness** and caring are promoted, encouraged and rewarded. If you are able to provide one box of **Kleenex** for our class, it would be greatly appreciated, especially during those winter months. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * L** Our classroom will be visiting the **library** once a week. The children will be checking out books that will be brought home to share with their families. Remembering to bring their book back on library day is an important task and responsibility. If a book is lost, let me know as soon as possible and I can find out the replacement cost. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * M** **Morning** **arrival** is an important time of the day. Whether your child comes to school on a bus or walks from home, they will meet in the playground with all of the other Kindergarten children. Children can play until the bell rings at 8:45. When they hear the first bell, they will need to clean up any toys and get into line along the wall of the school. Older Kindergarten helpers will be there to help supervise this area until 8:45. They will then help to get everyone inside.
 * O** Starting in September, I will be sending home monthly **book order forms**. Remember, ordering books is optional. If you order, please return the completed order along with a check made out to the book club with your child’s name on it within a week.
 * P **** Play and practice ** ! Play is your child’s work. For young children, there is no distinction between play and learning; they are one and the same. Playing is a priority in early childhood, yet not all play is the same.
 * Quiet play: reading, stringing, coloring, etc.
 * Cooperative or social play: games and activities that involve more than one.
 * Solitary play: drawing, dreaming, or any activity that involves only one.
 * Manipulative play: putting together puzzles, building with blocks, cutting and pasting, or any activity that involves eye-hand coordination or fine motor skills.
 * Creative play: painting, molding, solving problems, making music, telling stories, or any activity that involves a child’s imagination.
 * Dramatic play: dress-up, make-believe, or any play that involves pretending.
 * Active play: running, jumping, climbing, riding, and other use of large muscles.
 * Create safe play environments and toys; lobby for clean, safe outdoor play spaces for all children.
 * Focus on the learning that happens through play; use play as the means to teach and foster development.
 * Provide a wide variety of play experiences and materials through which young kids can try new things, experiment, ask questions, talk, read, sing, dance, get messy at times, explore, and listen.
 * Fuel creativity, curiosity, and the desire to know more.
 * Allow time for free play in which children are choosing and directing play, balanced with structured play.
 * Monitor play and step in with an idea if a conflict arises, offer a new prop when enthusiasm wanes, or redirect play as needed.
 * Offer opportunities to play safely outdoors as well as indoors.
 * Adopt a playful attitude, and model playing.
 * Most importantly, value play! Notice and comment on children’s healthy play to show that you recognize the importance and meaning of play in their lives.
 * R** Children in the Kindergarten program will receive **report cards** during the course of the year. These will be distributed to the SK students in February and June, and to the JK students in June only. You may keep the report card for your reference. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * S** Your child will enjoy a ‘**Snack Time**’ in the classroom daily at 10:25 a.m. before the morning recess. Snack time gives your child an opportunity to learn healthy habits as well as socialize with new friends. You are asked to send a small healthy snack and a drink with your child each day. A snack may consist of a piece of fruit, cheese and crackers, half a sandwich, a pudding or fruit cup or yogurt. Drink boxes are ideal for snack time and are easy for your child to manipulate. Please encourage your child to bring a healthy snack to school each day. Our lunch time is from 12:45 -1:35 and lunch recess starts at 1:10 and ends at 1:35. Be sure to have your child practice opening and closing their lunch and snack containers so they will not have to wait for someone to help them.
 * GUIDELINES FOR SHOW AND TELL**:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Mark your child’s name on the item
 * weapons such as toy guns and knives of any type are not allowed
 * no pets are allowed (unless permission is granted prior to show and tell day)
 * please practice at home – ask your child what they may say or show when they get the item to school
 * Special Family Sharing – Kindergarten children love to share their families! Baby brothers and sisters may be brought to school, but please contact me to make arrangements.
 * U Understanding**
 * W** **Working with friends**. Each student will have an opportunity to bring home the **Writer’s Suitcase** for the weekend. In this bag you will find lots of fun items that your child can use to create written and artistic pieces of work. Please read the information provided in the handbook that is located in the suitcase. Feel free to leave comments, add materials, and use the equipment with your child. I do check the suitcase when it arrives back at school on Monday, but if you find there are some materials that need to be replenished, please leave me a note in the suitcase. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * X** **EXciting** year ahead! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * Y** **YES**, I can do things all by myself! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">
 * Z** **Zipiddy – do – da!** Let’s get ready for some fun!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #e11457; display: block; font-size: 18pt; text-align: left;">Learning During the Kindergarten Year


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Reading ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;">During this year, we will read and discuss many books, poems and songs. The children will be introduced to all the letters of the alphabet and their sounds. We will learn that sounds stand for letters and words are made of sounds. The children will not only have the opportunity to work at their level but will also have the chance to participate in large and small group activities that will help to strengthen their emergent reading skills. We will also learn sight words that will help to prepare the children for Grade 1.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Math ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;">The children will have the opportunity to use math manipulatives that will help to teach basic concepts. We will count orally, learn to recognize and write numerals, order numbers, measure, work on one-to-one correspondence, learn about shapes, sort and classify objects and put them into sets, learn how to problem solve and graph plus much much more.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Handwriting/Printing ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;">In Kindergarten, your child will learn the basic handwriting strokes and practice making all the upper- and lower-case letters and also numbers. Since their small motor skills are still developing, we will see a great improvement as the year progresses. If your child does not write with a dominant hand yet, they will most likely establish one during their Kindergarten year.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Science ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;">Many of our themes will cover topics in science. Children will have many opportunities to explore and experience many hands-on activities during the course of the year.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Art ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;">Children will have many opportunities to experiment and create with different art materials and processes. Many art projects are good lessons for following directions or step-by-step instructions. Children’s creativity and individuality is encouraged and developed via art instruction as well. Remember, it is the **//process that matters, not just the product!!//**

During the course of each day, the children will participate in thematic based musical activities, creative movement and drama. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Phys Ed, Music, Creative Movement, Drama ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; text-align: left;">Physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle will be promoted and encouraged throughout the year. Children will take part in regular physical activities in the classroom, outdoors and in the gym.