Basic Information

Welcome to Preschool!

I am not sure how much information has been shared with you about the preschool program at Raymond High School, so I wanted to provide some basic information to help you and your child prepare for the school year.

Preschool Schedule

We offer both a morning and an afternoon preschool program that runs Monday-Thursday:

• Morning Session: 8:45–11:15 a.m.

• Afternoon Session: 12:30–3:00 p.m.

Because our preschool sessions are shorter than a typical school day, there are a few weather-related schedule differences to be aware of:

• Delayed Opening: There will be no morning preschool program. The afternoon session will run as scheduled unless otherwise announced.

• Early Dismissal: There will be no afternoon preschool program.

Getting to Know Our Classroom

The children will call me Mrs. Vincent. Once school begins, we will be able to share which paraprofessionals will be working in each classroom and session. All of our paraprofessionals have experience working with children in this age group.

What to Bring to School

Your child will need a full-sized backpack for school. Although the smaller backpacks are super cute, we often find that we cannot fit all of your child's belongings inside them!

It is also helpful for children to have a lunch box or snack bag to carry their snack. During the warmer months, your child may also want to bring a reusable water bottle labeled with their name.

As the weather gets colder, I will send out a reminder when we may be going outside and your child will need to bring appropriate snow gear.

Milk, Breakfast, and Lunch

Parents may complete the free/reduced-price meal forms or choose to pay for milk. Milk is 50 cents per carton. The cafeteria only offers cartons of white milk, which students drink during snack time.

If you do not want your child to have milk, please let me know. We can help your child make the snack-time choice you prefer.

Each day, I choose one student to go to the cafeteria with another teacher from our classroom to pick up our milk order. That student gets to choose a friend to accompany them. The children really enjoy having this special classroom job!

Students may also choose to order breakfast and lunch from the cafeteria. These meals will be picked up from the cafeteria and eaten during our regular snack time. Please see the flyer on the “Our Learning” page for additional information.

If there is not enough money in your child's account, they will not be able to order milk or meals. Parents can use MySchoolBucks to add money and manage their child's account: MySchoolBucks

Classroom Jobs

We have several classroom jobs that students get to help with throughout the school day. Some of these jobs include:

• Line Leader

• Caboose

• Lights

• Door Holder

• Number Counter

• Weather Helper

• Circle Time Greeter

• Calendar Helper

• Snack Helper (passing out straws to friends)

Classroom jobs are changed each week so that everyone has an opportunity to participate in different jobs.

A Typical Day in Preschool

Our morning and afternoon classroom schedules are essentially the same; we simply complete them at different times of the day.

Arrival:
Children arrive, hang up their backpacks, take their folders out, and get their crayon boxes.

Morning Work:
We enter the classroom together. Children make their milk selection, place their folders in the folder bin, and take a coloring or learning sheet. While the children work, teachers check folders, take attendance, and help everyone settle in for the day.

Circle Time:
We gather together for whole-group circle time. We talk about the calendar and weather, participate in learning activities, and sing songs.

Bathroom & Handwashing:
After circle time, everyone uses the bathroom or gets changed as needed. We then wash our hands before snack.

Snack:
Children get their snack bags and milk, if they ordered it. We eat snack together. When children finish eating, they can look at books in our book area.

Story Time:
We read a book together that connects to our learning theme for the week.

Center Time:
Children participate in center time and are able to choose which area of the classroom they would like to play in. Each center has a designated number of children who can play there at one time. Children can see how many children can play in the center posted on the wall.

During center time, there will also be at least one teacher-led learning activity at the small-group table. All children will have an opportunity to participate in this activity.

Clean-Up & Outdoor Play:
After center time, we clean up the classroom together. If the weather is appropriate, we head outside to the playground.

If the weather is not cooperative—or it is simply too cold—we will participate in whole-group motor activities in the classroom instead.

And then, before we know it, it is time to head home!

Dismissal

We have a specific dismissal procedure that we follow to make sure every child is safely dismissed to the correct family member or authorized adult.

At the end of the day, the children follow a routine for leaving the playground and lining up with their classmates. Please allow the teachers to dismiss your child rather than calling your child over to you. This helps us maintain a safe and consistent dismissal routine and ensures that we know exactly which children have been dismissed.

Helping Children Learn Classroom Expectations

We use a lot of redirection and positive guidance in preschool. The first few weeks of school are especially important as we get to know one another and learn our classroom routines, procedures, and expectations.

There may be times when we ask a child to “take a break.” Taking a break is not necessarily a consequence for “bad behavior.” Sometimes a child simply needs a chance to calm their body, collect their thoughts, or have some quiet time away from their peers.

Our classroom has a designated “Take a Break” space. It is a safe, calm area located away from some of the busier parts of the classroom. Students can use this space when they need a little time to themselves.

Taking a break is one of the strategies we use as part of the Responsive Classroom approach in our classroom. Our goal is to help children learn how to recognize their feelings and needs, regulate themselves, and return to the group when they are ready.

We are looking forward to getting to know you and your child and having a wonderful year together! Preschool is a time filled with learning, growing, exploring, and lots of fun, and we are excited to be a part of your child's journey.

 To find out more information about the Preschool Program, you can see our Handbook here.  

******If your child attended school last year, we will need a new note for the 2026-2027  school year**************

Authorized Pick-Up

If anyone other than a parent or legal guardian will be picking up your child, you must send a written note giving permission for that person to pick up your child. The note must include:

• Your child's full name

• The name of the person picking up your child

• The date they will be picking up your child

• Your signature

A note is required even if the person is already listed on your child's registration forms or Powerschool as an emergency contact.

If you have a regular pick-up schedule, you do not need to send a separate note each time. For example, if Grandma will be picking Sally up every Tuesday and Thursday, you can send one note that covers the entire school year:

“Every Tuesday and Thursday, I give permission for __________ to pick up Sally Smith from preschool.”

If you forget to send a note with your child, you may also email the note to me. The note must include your signature. One easy option is to write and sign the note, take a picture of it with your smartphone, and email the picture to me at a.vincent@sau33.com.

Please make sure pickup notes are sent to the school by:

• 10:45 a.m. for the morning program

• 2:30 p.m. for the afternoon program

After these times, we are usually outside on the playground, and I am unable to check my email. Sending your note by the appropriate time helps ensure that we have the necessary information before dismissal and keeps our dismissal process safe and organized.