Parents

Hello!

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

The beginning of the school year is such an exciting time for your family.   There are so many new experiences for your child and every child comes with different experiences.  While many of us as adults are worried about our children coping in a new setting, for the most part, children 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.

             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.

Please ensure that your child’s belongings are clearly labelled and teach your child to get ready for outside independently and fasten jackets independently. These independent actions help them gain confidence. If your child can't tie his/her own laces, please make sure that all sneakers have Velcro. Running outside with undone laces is not good for anyone.

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” any nuts of any kind as we have children with severe 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 treat for after lunch.

             Please note that Sherwood School does not have water bottle filling stations in our area.  Due to Covid-19, our fountains are not in use. Please send filled water bottles with your child. They may keep a water bottle in the classroom throughout the day. 

You have purchased a courier bag for your child.  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 side pocket of the folder that will be labeled "To Keep At Home."  Anything that should be returned to school will be on the right hand side. (Of course, later on, 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 "Please Send Back" pocket. 

I will have a communication scribbler in the "Please Send Back" pocket and if you need to communicate any notes to me, please leave the scribbler open to the page with the notes and the date. That way I know to look at it.   I will not be checking the communication scribbler unless the page is open and I will not be checking any other pockets. 

             A note about me: 

I have been teaching Kindergarten for a total of nineteen  years. The last 11 years were at Sherwood School and my first year working in the school system was at Donagh Elementary School. Before that, I taught Kindergarten at Head Start for 7 years.  I come from a very large family and have 6 siblings. I am also married to another teacher "Sandy Stratton" he works at Stone Park and teaches foods and nutrition. We have one daughter "Veronica" and she is twenty-five and is now living in Toronto. 

I have always enjoyed the age group of the Kindergarten students and love how they think.  My most import role as your child's first teacher at school is to make sure they are safe, making friends, happy and learning.  I will work hard at making their first year a positive one.

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.

The school’s number is 368-6780.

My e-mail addresses is: 

llstratton @edu.pe.ca