Bonjour! 

Welcome to the beginning of your child’s first school year. I am so excited, and I hope that it is exciting for both you and your child as well.

When entering kindergarten, there are many new experiences for any child, and those who have chosen the French Immersion program will find that the components and expectations do not differ much from those of the English program. There is, however, one major exception: we do almost everything in French! While as adults we may have a hard time understanding how children cope in this strange setting, the children, for the most part, are very adaptable. This said, there are always exceptions to every rule, and some children will take longer to adapt and settle in. It is very important that we work as a team and together we will be able to find solutions to problems, big or small, that your child may encounter throughout the year. If you have any concerns, please contact me. I cannot help if I am not aware of some issues. 

Many students find the beginning of the year very exhausting and may arrive home more tired or more irritable than usual. They may fall asleep earlier than normal. School is very stimulating and demanding and it can exhaust your child both mentally and physically. Some students may talk about their day and others will not want to say a word about school. All is fine and all is normal! 

Please ensure that your child’s belongings are clearly labelled and teach your child to tie shoelaces and fasten jackets. If your child can't tie his/her own laces, please make sure that all sneakers are laceless. It is very helpful if your child can be as independent as possible when it comes to getting ready to go outdoors and to keep them safe.

We are a peanut and nut free school so please read all labels before sending anything to school with your child. We do not allow foods that “may contain” nuts of any kind as we have children with severe allergies. Unfortunately, we cannot allow Wow or “fake” peanut/nut products as they cause confusion and may still cause issues for children with allergies. Eating healthier lunches helps your child adapt to school, helping them to have the mental and physical energy to learn, to play and to make new friends. Please keep this in mind when packing lunches. At snack time, I ask all students to eat their healthy snacks and to save their treats for after lunch.

Since Covid 19, we haven't had use of the drinking fountains, so please send a filled water bottle each day. We do have water bottle filling stations to refill their bottles if needed. There are no mask rules at this time, but if you choose to send your child in a mask, that is fine as well. 

Each child will have a courier bag. I call it a "sac de devoirs" or a homework bag as it usually has homework for parents.  It will be used to send items home and for you to return things to school.  Anything that I send home that should be kept at home will be placed in the left hand pocket of a folder that will be labeled "Left at home."  Anything that should be returned to school will be returned in the pocket that says "Right back to school." (I will be asking the students to do it and there may be a few mistakes.)  Any forms that you need to fill in will need to be returned in the "Right back to school." pocket. I will only be looking in the "right back to school" pocket for anything from you.

I have just finished my masters through Mount Saint Vincent University.  During my courses, we were reminded of the value of communicating with families, but not only from the school to the families, but for the families to the school.  What you do at home, what you believe, is very valuable for your child and your child’s education. I want to honor that by learning more about you and your families! I may seem “nosy,” but I am truly trying to get to know you in order to help your child succeed in school. I may ask a few questions and allow you to freely contact me when you’d like to tell me about your child’s life.

Sometimes you may not want to tell me what is happening, but you know your child is upset, so in those cases you can feel free to send a note in their homework bag, or in an e-mail or in Class Dojo. Your note can say “Handle with care!” and I will know your child may be having a rough day. If you want to elaborate a little, feel free, but if not, Handle with Care is all that is needed.

Another item that was discussed at length in our classes was homework. I will not be sending much homework this year. I think family time is more valuable than specific homework. Reading to your child is highly encouraged, and I suggest that you read to your child, in whatever language you speak at home, or multiple languages if that is the case in your household.  I may send some type of homework occasionally (books or sounds to show you what they know), but playing games, going for walks, or spending time together is more important. Playing with playdoh, cutting things, running, rolling down hills, swinging etc are all things that help your child’s gross or fine motor skills that will contribute to your child’s success. Later in the year, I will provide you with the proper letter and number formation and words the students will need to know etc. Some parents prefer something to do with their child while their other children do homework, and this may help.  On our class site, I will be adding some games, songs and videos that you may have your child play on a tablet, computer or smart phone..

     A note about me:  My mother is Acadian and spoke French at home. My father was English and back in the seventies the idea of speaking two languages was not as valued as it is now, so we spoke English at home.  I begged my parents to let me go to French Immersion starting in grade seven, so I was the only one of the ten children to learn French. Yes, you read that correctly, I have NINE siblings.  As of today, I have 22 nieces and nephews between the ages of almost eight (the triplets!) and 29.  I majored in French and minored in German at UPEI before getting my Bachelor of Education specializing in French as a second language at Université Sainte Anne in Nova Scotia. I earned my Masters of Education in Literacy through Mount Saint Vincent University. The courses have affected how I think about teaching and what I do in the classroom. 

This is my 23rd year teaching, and I have taught French Immersion all the way up to grade twelve.  This is my 17th year at Sherwood and my 14th year teaching kindergarten. I am a huge Disney fan who loves to travel the world, not just to Disney parks, and I love photography (which helps on my travels) to read and to watch movies (which helps keep me busy on the airplane).  

    I do not need any gifts, but if you feel the need to do something, here are a few charities close to my heart:

Canadian Down Syndrome Society

Canadian Cancer Society

IWK

Chalice

I look forward to working with you and your child this year and encourage you to contact me with any questions, concerns or comments you may have.

Tina Baglole

*This letter is also in our communication duotangs.*