Label, Label, & Label Some More!
Please be sure to label everything that comes into the classroom with your child's first and last name. This includes backpacks, snacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, sweatshirts, jackets, hats, extra clothes, etc.
Shoes, Clothing & Bathroom:
Children should wear tennis shoes (shoes that stay on while playing) and socks to school; please no flip flops or water shoes. Children must be toilet trained; no diapers or pull ups will be allowed. Make sure your child can easily get his or her pants up and down to use the bathroom. Those independent, self-help skills are essential! Please bring in at least one extra set of clothes, including underwear and socks, in a labeled Ziploc bag with first and last name. Please be mindful of providing your child with seasonal clothing.
Rest Time
In Pre-K, we will be taking a rest time/quiet time from 1:00-2:00. Please be sure to send in your child’s rest towel on Monday for the week. (Please just use a normal sized beach towel, we do not have room for happy nappers or large blankets.) We will be sure to return it with your child on Fridays to be laundered.
Home Toys
We ask that home toys are left at home and not brought to school. We will have scheduled show and tell days that will allow your child to bring in home items on those special days.
Inclement Weather
If there is inclement weather, St. Margaret School follows Harford County Public Schools closing schedule. A school wide email will be sent from administration.
Communication
Your child will have a folder in their backpack. Please send in any notes to me in this folder. Check this folder NIGHTLY for important information, completed papers/projects and homework. Please clean out the folder nightly and make sure the folder comes back to school each day. You will receive weekly emails which will be filled with what we learned that week, as well as important upcoming events and information. We are partners in your child’s educational success and our communication is essential. I look forward to it!
Homework
Homework packets will be sent home on Mondays to be returned on Fridays. These packets are optional, but are highly encouraged, and offer your child a way to continue to practice skills that were taught in school. If you choose to complete the packets, please send them back to school on Friday with your child’s name on it so we can celebrate their accomplishments!
Snack and Lunch
Every school day you will need to send your child to school with a small snack, a lunch, and a full, spillproof water bottle, filled with water only. (All labeled with first and last name please) Also, please do not pack the snack bag in their lunches. Part of their arrival routine is to take their snack bag out of their backpacks and put it in the snack bin. Lunch should be easy for your child to open independently and needs to be NUT FREE; as we are a nut free environment. If you send something in that requires a fork or spoon, please try to remember to supply that. We will have back ups as needed.
Birthday Snacks
We welcome you to send in a snack to share with the entire class for your child’s birthday. Store bought, individually wrapped items like mini cupcakes, cookies, ice cream cups, etc., are great. The snack must be nut free. Children with summer birthdays are welcome to celebrate their birthdays during the end of the year - we will send a date for summer birthdays when the time comes. Please be sure to let me know if your child has any food allergies, and we can work out arrangements for you to supply your child with an allergy friendly treat on these days.
Self Help Skills
This year in Pre-K we focus greatly on independent, self-help skills. You can assist us by starting out the year with helpful habits. If possible, please pack food and drink items in a container or zip lock that your child can manipulate. Please practice potty skills at home, such as wiping, buttoning, zippering, and hand washing. Teachers are not allowed to help children wipe. These skills will goes a long way to create their personal feeling of success and pride.
Volunteer Information
All volunteers must complete the VIRTUS certification before volunteering in the classroom or on a field trip.
This is a quick online training. If you have any questions about certification, please email Jon Gerstmyer at jgerstmyer@smsch.org.
Holiday Parties
The room parent will be organizing the holiday parties. They will most likely be sending out the items needed for the party via Sign Up Genius.
Lunch Helper
The room parent will be sending out a monthly calendar via Sign-Up Genius for parents to volunteer during our lunch periods. Lunch helpers will be in our class from 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Mystery Parent Readers
We welcome parents to come in and read to our class to reinforce the importance of literacy. This is another way to sign up to be involved and there will be a Sign Up Genius. This program will start in October. Mystery Reader will take place on Friday mornings at 11:10 a.m., just before lunch.
Supply Donations
It takes a lot of supplies to keep our room up and running with all of our daily activities. We use a lot of plastic spoons/forks, Clorox Wipes, white paper towels, white paper plates, gallon size ziploc bags, and gallon jugs of water for needed refills. We appreciate any and all donations that you can send in.
Playdough Helper
Every month, we will have a parent volunteer to make fresh playdough for our class - in the color of the month! This is a lot of fun to do at home with your child and they are always very excited when they bring it in for their classmates to play with. Our room parent will use Sign Up Genius for each month which will also showcase the recipe and that month's color. Another fun way to be involved in your child's classroom!
Curriculum
Pre-K follows the Archdiocese Of Baltimore curriculum designed for our age group. We will focus on letters and their sounds, numbers, concepts of reading, holidays, religious concepts, math concepts, writing and exposure to sight words. We will be using Handwriting Without Tears! Each student will get their own workbook to use. Students will rotate through several learning centers daily. These centers are designed to address the areas of fine motor control, Language and Literacy, writing, letters/sounds and Math concepts, as well as Art, Science and Social Studies.
We are very much looking forward to making wonderful memories together! If, at any time you have questions or concerns, I invite you to email me at ldockery@smsch.org, or call the office at 410-879-1113.