Daily Routines

Kiss and Ride

At arrival, parents have the choice to either park their vehicle, walk their child to the Kindergarten entrance or use the Kiss and Ride program that allows you to drop off your child without leaving your vehicle. To take part, remain on the right when entering the school parking lot. You can stop your car in front of the Kindergarten entrance so that your child may exit the vehicle independently.

Please note that duty teachers will not be able to open car doors or assist with seat belts/car seats due to health restrictions this year. Please ensure that your child is seated on the door facing the school and that they are able to exit independently with their belongings. If you choose to use this option, we strongly encourage practising this with your child at home as there will be many cars waiting to enter the parking lot on school days.

It is crucial that you do not pass any cars in this lane as there will be children and families throughout the parking lot.

Morning Routines

The Kindergarten doors open at 8:20 a.m. Students are asked to enter the building by the Kindergarten door only where the morning teacher on duty will meet them. Students are asked to sanitize their hands right away before preparing for their day at their locker. There, students will hang their coat, put away their backpack and lunch box, and change from their outdoor shoes into their indoor shoes.

The first bell rings at 8:25 a.m. and students are expected to be prepared for their day and in the classroom at that time. Classes begin at 8:30 a.m. when either the national anthem or Ode to Newfoundland is played.

Healthy Eating

We have a 15 minute recess break each morning and a 50 minute lunch each afternoon. Students will wash their hands thoroughly with soap in the washroom before each eating period. Children are encouraged to bring nutritious snacks and lunches as this helps them to stay well-focused in class and supplies them with enough energy to get through a long afternoon. Parents/guardians are asked to work with their child to practise opening zippers, containers and water bottles independently. We also recommend that food from cans and be placed in a plastic container as sharp lids can be very dangerous for young children. Additionally, we ask students to not bring in beverages in glass bottles.

Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle filled from home each day. Water bottles may be refilled at the water fountain; however, direct drinking from the fountains will not be permitted.

At this time, we cannot accept lunch deliveries from parents. If your child does not have a lunch, they will need to be picked up and taken out to lunch.

At this time, we have several life-threatening allergies in the building. Students are asked to refrain from bringing the following items to school: sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, nut butter substitutes. One of our students in Kindergarten has a severe sesame allergy and we kindly ask parents to be extra vigilant to ensure it is not brought into the classroom. Common items to watch include: hummus, breads, cereals, crackers, and foods made with sesame oil. Additionally, Vanier is a scent-free school and we ask students refrain from wearing scented products, including the use of scented hand sanitizer.

Dismissal

At 2:35 p.m. each afternoon, we will line up inside the Kindergarten corridor. Parents/guardians are asked to wait outside the Kindergarten entrance. Your child will be dismissed to you when the duty teacher has made confirmation that you are there.

If there are any changes to your child's transportation arrangements (change in babysitter, grandparent arriving, a play date, etc.) we ask that you inform us either through email 24 hours prior or a phone call to the office at (709)754-2440 during school hours. We are not permitted to release your child to any other caregiver without your consent.

Due to the safety requirement of no visitors in our building, if your child has an appointment, you will be required to call the office (709)754-2440 when you are in the parking lot, and your child will exit the building via the office door.

Clothing

All students must have a pair of inside sneakers to wear while in school. These will not be worn outside and will remain in your child's locker. Please ensure that your child is able to independently change their shoes, including tying laces.

Parents are kindly asked to have all items of clothing labeled. This includes sneakers, snack bags, and all articles of outdoor clothing. We also ask that each student have a complete change of clothes placed in a bag that will be stored in their book bag for those just-in-case moments.

We will be taking part in outdoor play daily, regardless of weather conditions. Rain, drizzle, cold temperatures, or damp conditions do not stop us from exploring outside! Please ensure your child arrives at school prepared for the weather each day. Failure to have weather-appropriate clothing will result in students remaining inside, supervised in the office, while the class joins together outside. A high SPF sunscreen is recommended to be applied in the morning before arriving at school.

Communication

Each month, a monthly calendar will be sent home to help keep track of daily activities, important events, and holidays. Calendars can also be used to track family events at home and students are encouraged to personalize them with their own activities as well.

Parents/guardians can also refer to the Vanier Voice for additional school-wide information. This will be sent home digitally each month.

If you need to contact us, email is preferred. If you need to get in touch with us during the school day, you can contact the office at (709)754-2440 to relay a message.