Week 1 - First Week of School! August 10-14, 2026
😎 Happy Saturday!
WOW! What a week we had- meeting new faces, learning new expectations and routines, and getting more and more comfortable with our new physical spaces. Every child (and adult) seemed to grow more comfortable with each day and that will surely continue as we get further into our year.
The saying, “the days are long, but the years are short” is so important to remember as we move forward! Some days are going to feel very long…but, every so often we need to look back and remember that time is passing!? Think back to when these now TKers were just little babes. That time went by in the blink of an eye…one long day at a time. This is the magic of parenting…and teaching. Thank you for allowing Frau Barbara and I to be part of your child’s long (and quick) journey through TK.
Some reflections on the week:
👋 Drop off: THANK YOU for being such a punctual group! Starting on time is VERY important. Building that habit now in TK will help your child as they grow. Many older grades begin the day with academic content and being late means missing important instruction. In TK, we start with recess, but this time is JUST as critical in these early years. Play is your child’s work right now. We see and hear your child working out how to make friends, share toys, take turns, communicate, manage self-care by using the bathroom, and sometimes move through big emotions during recess. All of these “soft skills” help predict future success in so many other areas. The time we spend supporting the students' growth in these areas will pay off in dividends. Single steps will lead to running. There are a few tears hanging on, this is normal and these fade quickly once our day gets going. If you have specific concerns, please let us know.
🍔 Food:
**If your child is bringing Home Lunch— please be sure they know what is SNACK and what is LUNCH, Separate snack and lunch bags are the easiest for students, Adding a “snack” or “lunch” label can also help us adults support. Lunch is one of the hardest times of the day because everyone needs a lot of help, right now. This small adjustment will support the adults, which will support the kids! Also, if they cannot open the container themselves, they might be waiting- we have 20 little ones that all need help at the same time. Practice opening the containers at home with them so they can cut out the waiting time. THANK YOU!
🍎 Snack: Most children seem to have enough snack through the day. Some children are observing more still and snacking less— but even if they are not eating all the food, they are using the time to talk with their classmates and teachers. Most snacks seem on target - healthy food. Please- NO COOKIES or CANDY. Save those treats as leverage at home— rewards for a successful day at school- cooperating with their teachers and classmates. Water should also be the only drink students bring from home. Milk is available at lunch. Please do not send Gatorade or juice. We usually have fresh fruit to offer the kids and they love eating pears and apples becuase we can slinkify them with a spiralizer- they will eat every last piece of it....so if you send a whole apple we are happy to make the magic happen at school!
🍱 Lunch: Students play first, then eat. Our system for ensuring School Lunch and Home Lunch students have time to eat each day relies on being prepared and students following their group from the playground to the lunch arbor. Talk with your child about staying in their correct line so they have time to eat. Once we leave the playground, there is no walking back to play. If they forgot something, they need to let an adult know. This first week we focused on getting to the correct table and how to use the trash bin, compost bin, and leftover milk bucket. Next week, especially for School Lunch, we will focus more on being independent with opening their own food containers. A good skill to practice is “pinch and pull open” — like opening a ziploc bag. Frau Barbara and I have taken our lunch time this first week to be extra hands on deck at lunch, but we will be fading this support as students get more independent so that we also get a lunch break.
Safety Crew will then be relying on the students to be responsible for following the routines of getting from the playground to the lunch arbor, opening their food, and staying at their table. If students need to use the bathroom, they do need to raise their hand and let a Safety Crew member know - but we DO use the bathroom as a class right after lunch. It gives your child more time to eat if they wait for the bathroom until after eating. Students have a 40-minute recess/lunch break: 18-ish to play, 2-3 to walk, 3-4 to get settled and open food, 10-13 to eat, 2-4 to clean up. When lunch is over, they clean up, then stand in line by the table. Safety Crew only has 5-minutes between grade levels to reset the area, so everyone working together to ensure the next grade has clean tables is critical. Students need to look for me at our line and we need to stay together as we exit the Lunch Arbor. Single file line up the ramp and to the bathroom.
*Thank you for writing a quick note in the planner SCHOOL LUNCH or HOME LUNCH will give me the information I need to be successful!
💧Water: The water bottle situation has been great! Thank you for labeling and sending reusable water bottles. They try to remember to carry it to and from lunch, so they can hydrate as they eat. Students may also have milk at lunch with the school lunch, and may choose to leave their water bottle at our classroom while they go get lunch. If you have questions about what your child is eating or any concerns, please let us know. It is a busy time with a lot of activity- we try to see it all, but we may miss something. We appreciate you asking if you are concerned about your child’s eating time.
🥱Rest: Some students have been falling asleep during rest time, and the rest of us have been using the time to lay down, relax, and restore their energy. This is important practice to help your child manage their emotions, process all they are learning, and just be more balanced with their work/play/rest spheres. Everyone has gotten a hug-a-ball to use during quiet time. We listen to calming music and relax followed by a body scan and then some mindfulness exercises that we all do together!
👟 Shoes: Some children have been taking their shoes off at rest time. We are asking that they only do this IF they can put them back on by themselves. PRACTICE at home :-) Not all students are independent with putting their shoes on yet. If they cannot put them back on, they will be asked to keep them on as they rest. If there were an emergency and we needed to leave the classroom, Frau Barbara and I would not be able to help everyone put their shoes back on.
🚻 Bathroom: PLEASE be sure your child is comfortable and INDEPENDENT with how to manage their clothing for using the bathroom. Buttons, closures, zippers, etc. can be tricky and we are not supposed to provide help with using the bathroom. We are there for support, if needed, but they should be self-sufficient in using the bathroom and managing their clothing to do so. This includes wiping, so please make it a point to practice at home and ask them to show YOU how they do it at school. If you have concerns about toileting, please let us know.
🎒 Backpacks: Your child is expected to be unzipping and zipping their backpack to take out their planners and snacks. Please practice at home and if your child is not yet independent— keep practicing. They will get better with daily practice. The goal is that students can independently unpack their own materials at the start of each day and repack their belongings at the end of the day. We have been practicing putting our own backpacks on as well....they sit in front of their backpack put their arms through and then stand up! They are so proud to do it on their own!!
🟩 🟨 🟦 🟥 Zone Cards, Helping Hands & Treasure Box: We will begin using our Zones Cards in class to help students identify and keep track of their emotional Zone of Regulation. Green=Ready to Learn, Yellow=Excited/Extra Energy, Blue=Sad/Tired, Red=Mad.
All zones and feelings are valid. As humans, we expect to not always be feeling a-okay and in the Green Zone. As students and part of the TK-C School Family, though, we are all expected to work together and cooperate. Students not in the green zone may use the Calm Corner or a fidget or other tool to help reset. We encourage them to let us know if they are needing a break, a hug, or a moment to reset. The goal is being able to communicate this with words. We know all humans get frustrated and mad sometimes, but hitting, biting, pushing, etc. is not expected or okay. When students can cooperate and use their self-control as they are with us, they have been earning a sticker in their planner to communicate this to you at home. A sticker means your child worked WITH their teachers and class. If anything comes up I will either email you, send you a Dojo message in the chat or write a note in the planner.
🕝 Dismissal: Principal Mora has communicated the change in pick up procedure at the end of the day. Grown ups will ALL need to walk up and come to the classroom to pick up your TK-C student. You will come to the HEART ❤️ door on the corner of Ash and Fern Street, enter and come to room 2. We will be waiting there for you!
This will be a first for us, but we believe it will be the safest approach and help create a smoother end of day experience for your child. KinderMission and AfterStein students will be picked up by these programs and transferred safely. Thank you for your patience and flexibility regarding all of these logistics. In another week or two; we should be working as a well-oiled dismissal machine! Wednesday is 12pm! All other days, pick up @ 2:30pm. Students not picked up by 2:45pm will be waiting in the front office for you to sign them out.
🏁Planners & Homework: Many parents are initialing nightly and writing the names of books read in the planner. Thank you! If you have not started with this routine yet, please work to do so as you are able this next week. We understand this has all be a big transition. A lot of new things!
🗓️Important Dates
Back-to-School Night: September 10th, 2026 at 5 pm to 7 pm
Pastries with the Principal: Aug 20th at 8:30 am
Week 0 - Before School Begins! August 3-7, 2026
Hello TK Families!
TK Welcome Tea Event:
Save the Date Friday, August 7, 2026, 9:45 am – 10:30 am
It is an AEA tradition to have a TK/ Kinder Tea on the Friday prior to the start of school. This is an opportunity for our newest Einstein students to meet their teachers, see their classrooms, and receive their special Schultüte. Stay tuned for specifics from the office! Check your email!
Please note the start times below:
FYI -- Kindergarten will be held at 9:00, before TK.
9:45 TK Welcome Tea
*Your TK student’s class placement will be emailed to you the week of August 3rd for your planning purposes.
IF you don't receive an email, please contact the front office staff or email "Support@aeacs.org" for help.
We look forward to meeting you and beginning our journey together! It's going to be a wonderful year!!
Remember, School Begins on August 10th and campus opens for breakfast at 7:45am, students not eating breakfast are welcome on campus at 7:50am. First Day Only - grown ups may help walk their child to their line up area shared at TK Tea.
Check back for the most current information & updates!