Your child's academic and social development is of great importance. I believe it is my responsibility not only to teach your child to become a good student, but also to teach him/her the importance of cooperating with others and treating our school community with respect. In order for this to happen, I have very high expectations for your child. For real learning to take place, our classroom needs to be a place where all children feel welcome, safe, cared for and challenged. Your child will make mistakes this year. I hope that when this happens we will be able to work together to make things right and to come up with logical consequences for inappropriate behaviors in an effort to teach children about the importance of being productive and compassionate individuals.
I do not expect your child to be perfect. In fact, much of kindergarten is about learning how to work with, and treat, others. Children at the ages of five and six are just beginning to realize that the world extends beyond them. Your child will learn a great deal this year – both academically and socially. In an effort to maximize learning, the following behaviors such as fighting, teasing, inappropriate language, excluding classmates, and other disrespectful behaviors towards the people in our school community is not accepted. Cooperation, kindness, respect, curiosity, helpfulness and politeness will be encouraged and nurtured.
In the first weeks of school, we will discuss the kind of environment we want our classroom to be and how we need to behave in order to achieve our goals. I ask for your support in helping to make this a wonderful year for your child. Let’s work together to teach children the importance of being brain smart and heart smart. If problems develop, I will contact you. If you detect problems that I do not, please contact me so we can communicate our concerns with one another.
Snack/Breakfast: Each day we will have 15 minutes for snack (referred to as "breakfast" on the Fresh Picks Cafe menu. Please send your child in with a healthy and easy-to-manage snack. Alternatively, Students can purchase breakfast for snack - $2.50, which includes milk & juice. Milk a-la-carte is also an option.
Lunch: A lunch menu will go home each month. The menu lists the hot lunch and alternative lunch options. If your child is ordering, please be sure your child knows what he/she will be eating at lunch to expedite the lunch process. The cost of lunch is $3.75 (which includes milk).
You may pay for meals directly online at: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home . or by check. If paying by check, please place it in an envelope marked clearly with your student's name, their ID #, their teacher's name, the $ amount, and the check #.
Children may keep a water bottle in their cubby throughout the day, preferably one that is spill/leak proof.
The children go outside for recess every day except in the case of heavy rain or severe cold (below zero degrees). As a result, please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor weather, keeping in mind the temperature can change significantly from morning until recess time.
We love to celebrate birthdays! We are happy to recognize this special date. Since we have no food allergies in our class this year, you're welcome to send in a sweet treat on your child's birthday. If you'd prefer a nonedible treat, you're welcome to send in birthday stickers, pencils, erasers, etc. If you are having a party at home and invitations need to be distributed, they must be made out for all the girl/boy classmates. If you will not be inviting all the children, please mail the invitations.
Scholastic Books has all of your favorite books at a lower price. Our class page can be found here: https://orders.scholastic.com/PB6FH
If you would like your purchase to be a gift for your child, please email me. I will send their book orders home in an sealed, unmarked bag.
In order to “manage” good communication, your child was given a Take-Home Folder. This folder should go home with your child every night and come back to school every morning. It allows your child to bring home schoolwork in a neat and organized fashion, and allows you a place send lunch money, notes to me, and homework back to school with your child. Have your child show you this folder every evening. Please empty its contents (as appropriate) on a nightly basis.