Kinder News You Can Use

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Teravista Kindergarten!  We are so happy to have your child at TVE, and we are looking forward to all the exciting things we have planned in kindergarten this year.  Through a partnership with you as parents, we hope to see a year’s worth of growth in your child academically, socially, and emotionally.  As we embark on this new journey together, we ask for your patience, open-mindedness, and flexibility.  Below you will find specific information regarding our school day and reminders that may be helpful during the first few weeks of school. 

Sincerely,

The Kindergarten Team 

Arrival

School begins at 7:35.   Students will be counted as tardy if they come through the school doors at 7:36. Please make sure your child is on time each day as we begin promptly.  The school will open at 7:10 if you need to drop your child off early.  There will be a Teravista staff member on duty at that time to supervise students.  For the safety of your child, please do not drop him/her off earlier. If your child is eating breakfast at school, he/she will be directed to the cafeteria right away.  If your child is not eating breakfast at school, he/she will walk to the hallway outside the classroom.  At 7:30, the teacher will welcome students into the classroom. 

Dismissal

School ends at 2:55.  If there is a change in transportation plans at any time during the year, please inform the office and the classroom teacher.  It is helpful to keep dismissal plans as consistent as possible.   If transportation plans change during the school day, you must complete the Change of Dismissal Google form online.  After 2:15, the Google form will close, and you will no longer be allowed to change the dismissal for your child.  Classroom teachers are not always available to check voicemail and email during instructional hours.   

Attendance

Regular attendance is very important in kindergarten.  Most of our learning is done through hands-on activities making it difficult to make up work.  If your child must be absent, please communicate that to the classroom teacher via email.  In addition, the TVE school website has a link titled Report a Student Absence to report the absence to the school registrar as well.   If your child has seen a doctor, please send your child with that note when s/he returns. 

Health and Wellness

• All medication must be distributed by the school nurse.

• If your child becomes sick at school, the nurse will call you.

• If your child is sick, for the safety and well-being of all students, keep your child at home.

• If your child has a fever, they are not permitted to come back to school until they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

• We realize that your child is fully potty trained, but it is still important for your child to have a full change of clothes (including socks).  We ask that all year, your child have a seasonal change of clothes in the backpack for accidents, spilled milk, etc.  Also, closed-toe shoes are best because we have recess daily.

Correspondence/Conferences

The teacher conference period is 12:20-1:05 daily. You can reach us by phone, but email is the most efficient way to communicate. We will have a parent/teacher goal-setting conference in October. All other conferences will need to be arranged in advance. Teachers are not available for on-the-spot conferencing due to a variety of commitments and responsibilities.

Breakfast and Lunch

The price for elementary students is as follows:  Breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $3.00. Breakfast is from 7:10-7:35 in the cafeteria.  Kindergarten lunches are staggered by class between 10:45-11:30.  We strongly suggest that you refrain from joining your child at lunch for the first few weeks of school, as we are establishing independence and routines. 

Snacks and Water Bottles   

• We will have a snack time each afternoon since we have an early lunch.  We encourage you to send a nutritious dry snack such as goldfish, graham crackers, pretzels, fruit, granola bars, etc. We cannot provide spoons or other utensils in the classroom.  Pack your child’s snack separately from the lunch box if your child is bringing a lunch from home.  Often, students get confused between what is lunch food and snack food. Please make sure you send a snack daily!

• Please send a spill-proof water bottle each day. Free-flow spouts or open lid water bottles spill frequently.  Our classroom is not near a water fountain, and the children do get thirsty during the day.  Please remember to send ONLY water to school in the water bottle.  Please do not send juice, soda, milk, etc. 

Clothing

Please make sure your child wears clothing that he/she can fasten and 

unfasten easily.  Overalls, jumpsuits, and belts are especially difficult to manage and sometimes cause accidents.  It is important to have a seasonal change of clothes in your child’s backpack for accidents, spilled milk, etc.  Also, we encourage sneaker type shoes because we have recess daily, and they are required on PE days.

Birthdays

In Kindergarten, instead of sending birthday treats for everyone, we have a tradition called “Birthday in a Bag”. Please fill this “Birthday in a Bag” with special treats and trinkets (cupcake, candy, markers, fun erasers, etc.) FOR YOUR CHILD ONLY-not the whole class. You can send the bag with your child on his/her birthday or a day closest to it. The lucky birthday child will get to open the bag during snack time when we sing “Happy Birthday”. 

Folders

A communication folder will be sent home each day. It will include a behavior calendar to let you know about your child’s daily behavior.  Please, initial it each day and return it.  This will also contain the Kindergarten Agenda, which is a useful tool for you and your child to reflect on his/her personal and behavioral goals.  If you need to send a note, please put it in the Tiger folder, and make sure your child is aware to give it to the teacher.  

Technology

Each kindergartener will have a personal Chromebook device to use in the classroom. They will not be sent home each day.

Kindergarten Schedule

7:35-7:50 

Morning Routines, TVE Broadcast, and Social Emotional Learning Lessons

7:50-8:35

Language Arts Lesson

8:35-9:05

Recess

9:05-10:45

Math   

10:45-11:15

Staggered Kindergarten Lunches

Each class has a specific time.

11:15-11:55

Science / Social Studies

11:55-12:20

Language Arts Lesson

12:20-1:05

Specials (Art, Music, and PE)

1:05-2:45

Language Arts continued / Afternoon snack

2:45-2:55

Prepare for Dismissal