PreK information

4 Year Old School Orientation Day

Welcome to PreK 3!  My name is Mary Elaine Gray.  I am so excited to be teaching your children!  Mrs. Hodlofski , Mrs. Malloy and  Miss Erin will be my aides for this school year.  We are confident that this will be another exciting and successful year.  The following information will be most useful to you throughout the months to come:

Each child entering the 3 year old program should be fully potty trained.  They need to attempt to go on their own or they will be considered uneligable for our program.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: 

Please see supply list

Note:  please do not send in toys or any items that are not asked of you with your child to school.  Please keep them in the car for the ride home. It makes life so much easier.

DROP OFF AND CARES:    If your child attends the Morning Cares Program they need to be here between 7 a.m. and 7:50 a.m.in the New Gym.  There is a fee for Cares. Those not attending Cares can come to school between 8:00 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. to the New Gym.  Parents will not be permitted to drop the children to the classroom. They must drop their Preschooler to the New Gym where our Aide will be.  If you arrive after 8:20 please come to the lobby and the secretary will walk your child to our classroom. 

We will head out for dismissal at 2:30 p.m.  Please line up in front of the main doors.  We will dismiss one child at a time right to their cars. After we place your child in the car you can pull closer to the church to buckle them in. If your child is staying for Cares that afternoon please send me an email.  Otherwise, we will see you in carline. Thanks!

SNACK TIME:  Everyday we will have a fifteen-minute snack time/lavatory time.  Pretzels are available on a monthly basis.  I highly urge the purchasing of pretzels: they are easy clean up and do not have to be unwrapped. Please sign up for a pretzel every month through the school website.  If you choose to send in a snack, please only send one in their snack bag (not loose in their schoolbag). The children will bring a leak-proof water bottle that can be refilled throughout the day.   Please no sippy/plastic cups. You do not need to send a napkin for snack time.  One will be provided.  Please make sure all bags/boxes have your child’s name written on the front. Each child should have a snack bag that is different then their lunch bag.

VOLUNTEERS: 

Lunch Parents: Must have clearances (can sign up at our Orientation Day).

******Volunteers must have all clearances if you want to help out this year.  You must have your child abuse/criminal background approved by the rectory and you must have taken the “Protecting God’s Children” course.  This rule is school-wide and is for the protection of our children.

WEEKLY JOURNAL: Please write your child’s first name on the line of the front cover of their journal.  Please glue pictures to the front cover and laminate with clear contact paper. Please send the journal back to school in their folders the first day of school.

PARENT INFORMATION:  A weekly newsletter informing parents of upcoming events, supplies needed pertaining to the weekly theme, field trips and important information will be sent home at the end of every week.  The school sends out information every week via email. Please print out any papers that you need and send them back in your child’s folder and we will make sure your paperwork gets to the office.

Please label everything!!!!

2 HOUR LATE OPENING:  Cares begins  at 9:00 a.m. Regular drop off is in the New Gym between 10 and 10:20.  

HALF DAYS: PreK dismisses at 11:30 on early dismissal days.

PARTIES:  We will be having several celebrations throughout the year.  The homeroom parents will contact you as to what is needed for the parties.  I really appreciate your support and help in preparing for our celebrations. Parties are short and sweet!

DONATIONS:  Because there are only so many supplies that can be ordered from year to year, I depend on you and your generosity for donations toward the classroom (listed on the supply page).

PICTURE FOR OUR BIRTHDAY BOARD

Please send in a picture of your child (approx. 3x5) for our birthday board.  Please write their birthday on the back of the picture.  Thanks so much!

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

The school always has a back-to-school night.  You may want to come to the back-to-school night for upcoming information on the school year.  You will not have to come to the preschool room for orientation. This is considered our orientation day.  Thanks!

MEDICATIONS:  If your child needs to take any medicine, please send it to school in a labeled container.  I am required to send all medications to the school office where they will be administered when needed.  Please be aware that even non-prescription medicine requires a doctor’s written note.

BIRTHDAYS:  We love to celebrate birthdays in preschool.  Please make sure that there is enough for all students.  Please do not send in juice or drinks. Thank you!

LUNCH:  Each child should pack a nutritious lunch.  A drink, a fruit, a sandwich and a small treat is plenty.  If your child would like to purchase a special lunch please do so through the school website by the cut off date. Each child should have their own lunch tote or Bentgo box  (different then their snack tote).  Each child will bring in a leak-proof waterbottle that will be filled up throughout the day....please do not send juice boxes or sippy cups.

SICKNESS:  If your child is sick, please email myself (mgray@staglenmills.org) and the nurse (nurse@staglenmills.org).  I cannot do the class attendance until I hear from you so please email us by 8 a.m.   Please do not send your child to school if he/she has any of the following symptoms: fever, coughing, unexplained rash, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. etc.  When your child returns to school, please send an absent note ****** explaining his/her illness or any other reason why the child missed school.  Please place the absent note in the child’s folder for the following class day.

BELONGINGS:  Please make sure you label all of your child’s belongings:  CLOTHES (ESPECIALLY SWEATSHIRTS), coats, school bags, lunch bags, beach towel etc., etc.

DRESS CODE:  All children are required to wear Saint Thomas the Apostle Gym uniforms everyday.  Sneakers should accompany these uniforms. The girls must wear post earrings (if any at all).  The girls are not allowed to wear nail polish to school.  Thank you for your support today, tomorrow and always.  Please put your child’s last name on your uniform. Sweatshirts get left behind and it is so much easier to claim if your name is on it.  IF your child does not have a regulation tee-shirt under the sweatshirt, he/she will not be permitted to take off their sweatshirts. Thanks for your understanding.  

THINGS TO KEEP IN SCHOOL BAG:  

ALL STUDENTS: Please keep a change of clothes in their school bag in a gallon-sized zip-lock baggy.  Everyone will send in a yoga mat for the week for relax time.

BEHAVIOR CHART:  At the end of each day, the children will get their mini calendars marked with either a smiley face or an unhappy face.  This will give you an idea of your child’s behavior from day to day. There will be a brief explanation of why your child receives an unhappy face (e.g. not sharing, hitting, etc., etc.).  Please initial calendars everyday so we know you have viewed them.

BOOK CLUB:  The children will receive a book club order form on a monthly basis.  Please order on-line. Thank You. The more points we acquire, the more classroom items we receive.  

ASSESSMENT: The children will receive progress reports the second and the fourth marking periods (usually the end of January and May).  In your packet you have a copy of the progress report that we work towards in school. This gives you an idea of what you can be working on at home. After the first progress report we will have a parent-teacher conference.

Important Dates:  Please look on my website for important preschool events/calendar dates.  This is a tentative calendar....it can change.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES:  I am very easy to contact.  Please call the office if you ever want to talk.  The phone number is 610-459-8134. I will call you back the same day.  Feel free to email me at mgray@staglenmills.org. Please do not try to have a conference in the morning line or in the car line.  The most appropriate way is to schedule a conference with me or contact me via email. Thank you for your understanding!

MS. GRAY

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -- Benjamin Franklin

"The greatest sign of a success for a teacher...is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist." -- Maria Montessori

"You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." – Anonymous

"Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love."  --David McCullough