Preparing for T.K. and Kindergarten

Preparing for The First Day of School

Ready..... We encourage you to come to Open House the day before school starts to pick up paperwork, meet the teachers, and let your student peek at their classroom. This helps calm nerves!

Set.... On the first day, students should be dropped off at the classroom. Please plan to stay for a few minutes to help your child settle. There are ususally tears the first few days of school. Usually all it takes to dry the tears is time, reassurance, and choosing a "stuffy" (stuffed anmial) from the classroom collection. 

Go....! Children sense when parents are nervous about their child's first days of school, and this adds to their anxiety. Once students learn the routine and make a friend or two, they feel more at ease about their new surroundings!

I want each child's early school experiences to include exciting new challenges!

TK students will learn through dramatic play. The dramatic play area will change to match instructional themes. At the beginning of school, it will be a playhouse. When we learn about animals, it will change to a veterinarian's office. When the theme is health and bodies, it will be a medical (doctor/dentist) center. It will become a flower shop when we learn about plants.  And so on. 

Much of the reading, writing, math, science, social studies, art, music, and vocabulary will incorporate the curricular theme. Most of the learning will be play based, with experiential or task specific learning stations throughout the room. 

Carefully crafted play activities are designed with specific leaning goals in mind. TK students will work on writing their names; printing and recognizing letters of the alphabet; learning letter sounds; rhyming; counting; recognizing shapes, patterns and numbers; and more.  The best thing that you can do to help your child prepare for school is read to them every day! Playing games is another way to support learning at home. 

TK & K, click to see Home Activities for Pre-Handwriting Skills

Kindergarteners are taught to read, write, count to 100, add and subtract. We do our best to create a balance between rigorous academics and play. We want our students to enjoy all of the learning, activities, and friendships that school has to offer. That being said, here are some things you can do to help your child be ready for kindergarten.

• Practice name writing

• Cut out different shapes with scissors

• Name the colors

• Practice naming the letters out of order

• Practice the letter sounds

• Sit quietly and pay attention during a story

• Count to 10

• Name numbers 0-10

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the bathrooms?

There are bathrooms in between kindergarten classes, by the lunch tables and close to recess play areas.

What if my child is not potty trained?

We strongly encourage that you potty train your child before starting school. Teachers cannot leave the class to assist a child with pottying needs. If your child is not fully potty trained, please notify the school office. 

What happens if my child has an accident?

Accidents happen, so we strongly recommend that you send extra clothing in a zip bag in your child's backpack. If necessary, the office can call home for some clothes to be dropped off at school.

What shoes should they wear?

For safety on the playground, we strongly recommend closed toe shoes. Until children can tie their own shoes, Velcro or slip-ons are preferred. It will be easier on the child if they have clothing that the can zip, snap, and button themsleves. We can help getting jackets on and off and snap the waist of jeans, but we cannot assist with pottying. 

What if something happens at school that I need to know about?

My main mode of contact is email through Parent Square, but the office will call for things like a sick child who needs to get picked up from school. This is why the Emergency Contact Card is so important. Please be sure to have emergency card contacts turned in as soon as possible. Be sure to keep contact information updated and notify the office of any changes. 

Do kids need school supplies in TK or kindergarten?

Your child should bring a BACKPACK to school every day! They can take work and school papers home in their backpack, and being responsible for bringing a backpack to and from school is a good habit to develop. We provide work supplies at school (crayons, paper, glue, scissors, pencils, etc.). 

School supply donations are always welcome. If donating to the classroom, I prefer Lakeshore Learning, Amazon, or Target gift cards. 

What else can I do to prepare?

If you don’t already have a morning routine, start one now! Practice getting ready for school at a time that is realistic so students know what to expect when it is time for the big day! (Going to bed early at the same time each night, waking at the same time each morning, brushing teeth, getting dressed, etc.)