Welcome to Kindergarten!

We are so excited to welcome you back to the building. Here is some important information regarding our return to school. These practices help keep our classmates, teachers, and their families safe. Please read this carefully. Families are responsible for acting on all of the information below:

• Clean masks are required at all times. They must:

  • Be child size and cover the nose and mouth.

    • No adult size masks. If it falls below the nose or won’t stay on the ears, it is too big.

  • Be clean. We recommend disposable masks if you can not wash cloth masks after each use.

  • Recommended: Mask Brackets for comfort. Google “Kids Mask Bracket” to purchase online.

• If your family has been or was possibly exposed to COVID 19 you MUST stay home. You must also immediately self-report positive COVID cases within your household, or your exposure to someone who tested COVID positive using the CPS self reporting form. Children may return to the building once they have met testing and quarantine requirements.

• You must assess your child(ren) at home using the Health Screener every day. It is very important that you answer the questions truthfully, because this protects the health and safety of everyone in the building, and their families.

• If your child is sick they need to stay home. Remember, illness is always an excused absence. Better safe than sorry, especially this year! Kids should be symptom free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.

• Please model social distancing and proper mask wearing protocols when waiting for arrival and dismissal. This shows the students that you consider the rules and safety procedures to be important.

• If you have traveled out of state, you may not return until you have met CDC guidelines.

• If your child becomes ill during the school day, someone will contact you to arrange for them to be picked up as soon as possible. They will also communicate any requirements for testing or quarantine.

• When coming to school children will need to bring:

  • Backpack to carry their folder and extra clothes/masks.

  • Leak proof water bottle filled from home. (Water only, please!)

  • Wear a mask that fits comfortably over their nose and mouth.

  • Two extra masks. We will change after lunch, and one extra if needed.

  • A change of clothes and underwear in case of bathroom accidents or spills.

  • Shoes and coats that do not require adult assistance. If your child can not tie their own shoe laces, we recommend slip on or velcro shoes. Practice zipping and tying at home!

  • Please ensure kids can open all containers independently!

• They do not need their home supplies. We have everything else they will need at school.

• Please ensure folders are clean as well. Please wipe them off at home if they are soiled.

• Make plans to regularly wash/clean coats, backpacks, shoes, and outside gear.

Thank you,

The Kindergarten Team

Dear Families,

Welcome to Kindergarten! School may look a little different than in years past, keeping students safe and healthy while learning in school will be my priority.

The 2021-22 school year marks my 16^th year teaching kindergarten and I can’t wait to work together to make this year great!

Kindergarten is an exciting year, designed to promote and enhance your child’s growth and development. This very important year promises to be one filled with discovery and joy as your child works and plays in an environment that is warm, safe and challenging.

The structure of daily activities is carefully planned to encourage independence, self-confidence and group cooperation through large group, small group and one-on-one participation in a variety of hands-on, interactive experiences. The activities will incorporate instruction and skill reinforcement in reading readiness, mathematics, writing, science and social studies, art, fine and gross motor skills, social/emotional skills and language development.

The curriculum centered on units created and perfected by the kindergarten team. This is the core of our integrated learning and these units of study will be used to extend across and connect all of our content areas. In doing so, your child will see the continuity of his or her learning and the application of skills will become more concrete. Learning will be real and learning will make sense!

I am so looking forward to our working together to make this a most successful school year! Please feel free to contact me at school, should you have any questions and/or concerns regarding your child‘s kindergarten experience. mdgolub@cps.edu

Best,

Mike Golub