Classroom Information

Mrs. Horvath - Kindergarten - Room 113


Welcome to Kindergarten at Harvest Elementary! What an exciting time for your new student! I hope this note will answer many of the questions you have regarding school and provide you with additional information that you may find useful. I am so very excited to share this school year with you and your child. TOGETHER, we will make this year GREAT!                                                                                                                       


The curriculum will offer developmentally appropriate experiences in language, math, fine and gross-motor skills, social interaction and school readiness. Children will have a rich classroom experience that is augmented with “Specials” classes including: Art, Innovation Lab, Media, Music and Physical Education.


Any extra guidance the children can receive in understanding the school day will help them adjust to Kindergarten. This letter will outline important information that will help establish a routine for the children. Remember, reassurance that children will see you at the end of their school day is comforting for them.


Arrival

School begins at 8:51 a.m. If you are planning to bring your child to school daily, you should aim to do so at or slightly before 8:35 a.m when the first bell rings. Through Tuesday, September 5th, we will be meeting as a class in the Gym and walk down to class together. Beginning Wednesday, September 6th, all Kindergarten teachers will be awaiting their students just outside of the main entrance on a designated class line (ours is #3!) Together, we will head down to the classroom to unpack and get settled into our day. Attendance is taken promptly at 8:51. Children who are late should be accompanied by an adult and go to the office to check in before coming to our classroom. It really does benefit the children to begin their day with their classmates. Every effort should be made to get your child here on time.


Please know, it is common for students to have some tears when being dropped off at school at this point in the year. It has been my experience that children settle down after a couple of minutes in the classroom as they establish a sense of familiarity, comfort and routine in our classroom environment. Reassurance that your child will see you at the end of the day and saying your goodbyes out front of the school will help with those big thoughts and feelings.


Dismissal

In an effort to streamline the dismissal process, Kindergarten teachers will be walking their students, who are picked up, out of the main entrance at 3:35 p.m. This allows us to get our youngest students out of the building just prior to the rest of the students at dismissal time. Please wait for your child out by or past the flagpole and allow your child’s teacher to get her entire class out of the building and be able to look for you. We ask that one family member approach the awning and make eye contact/wave at your child’s teacher before he/she/they will be released to you. After reuniting with your child/children, it is important that he/she/they remain with you until you depart the school grounds.

It is the policy of Harvest School that your child be dismissed as indicated on the Transportation Form you completed via Google Forms or are receiving in person today. Expected changes to dismissal should be in writing and sent to school with your child. Should an unexpected change arise, please call the office at 734.401.4500. The office personnel will get the message to me. For your child’s safety, it is important that we follow this procedure. If your child does not have a note, I will follow our school policy, which is to follow the usual routine. Please do NOT put changes in your child’s transportation in an email, as I may not have time to check my email during the school day.


Half-Days and Early Release Days

Half-Day dismissal is 12:10. The following dates are Half-Days of school for your Kindergartener: November 17, November 20, November 21, March 7, March 8, June 5 and June 6. Lunch IS NOT served on these days.


Early-Release Day dismissal is 1:10. The following are Early-Release Days: September 29, October 19, January 12, February 16 and April 5. Lunch IS served on these days.


Communication

The GREEN plastic 2-pocket folder you are receiving today will be used for daily communication and known as your child’s “Everyday Folder.”. If you need to send a note to school, please put it in your child’s folder. Students will become familiar with placing their Everyday Folder in my mailbox each morning. Please also remember to check the folder everyday when your child comes home to see if there is paperwork from me or the office. 


I will be sending home a weekly newsletter via e-mail and also, posting it on our classroom website which I will also link in the newsletter. This newsletter will include activities we are planning in the classroom, important dates and other pertinent information. I have sent a test email using the addresses provided when registering your child and shared with me via PowerSchool and the Google Form “Family Survey”. If you did not receive my e-mail or wish to have an additional or alternate address used, please email me that information, at your earliest convenience, so that you may be included in our class loop.


Supplies

Occasionally, I may ask parents to donate various classroom items used on a regular basis. If you think of it, please save and collect any toilet paper and paper towel tubes, egg cartons, packing materials (foam “peanuts” and bubble wrap) and small shoeboxes. We will extend our learning through several project-based activities and these items will certainly come in handy. Thank you for your generosity!


Your child will need to bring a book bag/backpack to school every day. Please make sure the bag is big enough to fit school-size paper and folders, yet not too big to manage or fit in his/her/their locker. Please label your child’s backpack, as many of us shop locally and students will, quite possibly, have the same backpack!


Lunch 

Our lunch will be from 12:10-12:40 everyday in the cafeteria. The lunch menu is available on the Harvest School website. For the upcoming 2023-24 school year, the State of Michigan has authorized free meals for all students as part of the Michigan School Meals program! This means students 4 years old and above attending public schools will have the opportunity to enjoy breakfast and lunch at no cost throughout the academic year. Please note: Only full breakfast/lunch meal choices are included as part of the free school meal program. A la carte menu choices including milk, (super) snacks, etc. are charged separately. Families may still choose to fund their students’ account using the Meal Magic Portal, in order to cover the cost of ala carte choices and snacks outside of breakfast and lunch.

Families should still complete the 23-24 School Meals EBT application, which helps ensure ongoing state funding and can qualify our school or community for other special programs and provides reduced rates for programs like athletics and community education. Parents or guardians can submit confidential applications online.


Volunteers are welcome and encouraged! The Sign-Up to do so is on the Harvest website.


Snacks/Water Bottles

We will have a snack each morning. Due to limited time, single/individually packaged portions will definitely be appreciated. Snacks with nutritional value are the best choice for the children. I do have a small refrigerator in the classroom in which I can store things such as fresh fruit/veggies, yogurt and string cheese, if necessary and brought to my attention. Might I also suggest snacks to be stored separately from lunch in a designated pocket of their backpack for easy identification and retrieval at snack time.


I am welcoming families who are interested to sign up for one snack donation per month (for storage purposes) that can be shared with students who occasionally forget. We are always accepting bulk packages of napkins. Thank you!


Please be aware that we have a child in our classroom who has an allergy to tree- nuts, eggs and sesame seeds. I am asking that those items themselves be avoided in the classroom. The student (and myself) are very aware of his food allergy, the safety around it and though he can advocate for himself, it is most important for all students to know that food should not be shared!

 

It is very important for each child to have a water bottle. Please make sure the water 

bottle has a sip/straw top that can be opened and closed easily. This helps to prevent major spills which can ruin projects, books, etc. Please make sure you clearly label your child’s water bottle with a permanent marker. This water bottle should be separate from the drink in your child’s lunchbox. I will encourage the students to bring these home daily to be washed and refilled.


In summary, you will pack the following items DAILY in your child’s backpack:

 

Extra Clothes

It is helpful for children to have an extra set of clothes at school. I have found that there are times when the children fall in mud, get wet in a puddle or spill paint on their clothing. For these reasons, and countless others, it is necessary for children to have clothing into which they can change. Please have your child bring in a Ziploc bag with a pair of thin pants, T-shirt, socks, underwear, etc. The bag should be clearly labeled with your child’s name. It will go home with your child at the end of the school year. If your child will be masking during the school day, it would be helpful to provide extras to keep in his/her/their/their locker, as well.


Specials Classes

Children will attend Specials classes: Media, Innovation Lab, Art, Physical Education and Music. Please refer to the Harvest website or my weekly newsletter for the Specials’ schedule each week, as we follow a rotating schedule. 


On Physical Education days, the children need to come prepared with proper footgear. The Gymnasium floor can be quite slippery, so it would be helpful and safer for your child to wear athletic shoes on those days. 


Students will be checking out books from the Harvest Media Center. The children will not be allowed to check out a new book unless the previous weeks’ has been returned.


Birthdays

A child’s birthday is a very special day to him/her/them! Treats and goodie bags cannot be sent to school because of our District’s Wellness Policy. However, each child will be recognized on his/her/their birthday with a brief classroom celebration.


Book Orders

You will have the opportunity to order books this year from Scholastic Book Clubs. This is a wonderful chance to get high interest books at low prices, as you build your young readers’ personal library. Orders can be placed on the Scholastic website. You will need to set up an account with our class activation code: GW3QM. I will notify you in advance of due dates in my newsletters and on the catalogs themselves.


Parent Volunteers

If you are interested in helping as a school volunteer, arrangements can be made through the PTA. If you are interested in helping in the classroom, I will need a few parents to help with various responsibilities. This will begin in October. Please look for an online sign-up coming via email soon! Thanks in advance for your involvement.


I will need a “Room Parent” who will be responsible for a few events throughout the school year. If you are interested in being our class Room Parent, please contact me as soon as possible. The time and support in this role is greatly appreciated!

We are excited to launch a new kiosk at each building to support student check-out, item drop-off, and visitor check-in. Each school vestibule is equipped with a free-standing tablet that presents several options for visitors. Student check-out and item drop-off allow families to pick-up students or drop-off forgotten items directly from the building vestibule, without requiring check-in at the office. 

Visitors entering the building or visiting a classroom are prompted to enter their phone number, scan a government-issued photo identification, take a photo, and sign a consent. Once complete, a badge will print and be available for pick-up inside the building office. Visitor information will be stored in the system for 90 days, allowing faster access for repeat visitors. 

As an alternative to the publicly-accessible tablet, guests are also welcome to scan a QR code on the kiosk to check-in using their smartphone. Please do not hesitate to ask for assistance if needed. 

I am excited about the terrific year ahead and can’t wait to get to know your Owl-Star even more. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me by sending a note in your child’s Everyday Folder or emailing me at: horvaths@salineschools.org. Communication between home and school is very important and I hope that you will not hesitate to reach out. Here’s to a safe, healthy and happy school year!


In partnership,

Stacy Horvath

Harvest Elementary School - 1155 Campus Parkway - Saline, Michigan 48176 - Office: 734-401-4500