Reminders, Supplies and More...
Reminders, Supplies and More...
Please feel free to contact me after classes end at 3:45 with any questions or concerns. During class, we will not be able to answer the phone as we're busy with the kids and we may miss a message, so if there is an emergency and you need to reach us immediately, please call the office at 919-694-8885.
We ask that you please help us keep the class healthy by keeping your child home if they have fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, draining eyes, etc. Attendance is NOT required at this age so just messaging us to let us know is fine. Even if they aren't contagious, if they feel sick or extremely tired, they probably won't be able to enjoy and participate fully in class so trust our judgement. District/school policy is that they are fever-free WITHOUT the use of fever reducing medicine like Tylenol for 24 hours before returning. For COVID information, please click on WHEN TO RETURN.
We also ask that you keep your child’s fingernails short and clean, and talk to them about handwashing. We practice handwashing and using tissues, sneezing or coughing into the crook of their elbow/shirt sleeve if they don’t have a tissue handy, so please talk about these skills at home too.
Be sure to notify me if you have a phone number or e-mail change so I can keep in contact or reach you in case of emergency. Also, if your child is staying with another family member while you are out of town, etc., please send their contact info.
We ask that you notify us in writing if your child is to go home in a different way than usual or if you have any transportation changes (even temporary ones). This way we are sure to know how everyone arrives and departs school.
Please label your child’s jacket, backpack, extra clothes, blanket and other belongings, so we can be sure they all get home. Please remember we are a developmentally appropriate classroom and we WILL get messy, so please dress your child accordingly (unless it's picture day and then dress them up as nice as you'd like and we will work hard to stay super clean!)
We ask that toys be kept at home unless they are willing to share those toys with all of their friends at school. These are bring at your own risk- I would hate for someone's favorite toy to be broken or lost, but that's why I have so many of our own classroom toys to use instead.
We have a calendar so we can see when class birthdays come up! The school has a no food policy, however if you want to send a store bought treat for us to send home with them or goodie bags for friends, that's fine. We have 15 students - bubbles, stickers, or pencils, etc. are also great and easy goodie bag fillers. These are NOT required! They will have a birthday crown and gift from us, and we will celebrate and sing to them too so it will be a fun day.
I ask if at all possible that your child bring a backpack large enough to hold a folder (no wheels please and firm, canvas-style student backpacks as opposed to toddler packs or hiking style "floppy material" ones seem to work best.)
Pack your child a healthy snack and a folder daily (no need to buy one, an OWL folder will be provided).
Please also send an extra set of clothes LABELED with your child's name in case of spills or accidents that will be kept in the classroom.
A small blanket or towel for rest time may also be sent if you wish and will be kept in the classroom (sent home weekly to be laundered).
I also ask for a set of baby wipes from everyone and only for those in diapers/pull-ups, you will need to supply those as well, just a few at a time (preferably the kind with velcro sides or just regular diapers so they don't have to completely undress to change).
We do science and cooking activities throughout the year and may ask for donations of those items if anyone wishes to contribute.
***Anything that comes to school with your child and that you want back, NEEDS TO BE LABELED (feel free to use masking tape if you don't want to leave permanent name on it) as we can't ensure it's return if not. We teach the children to be independent and to take care of their own belongings, but this will help.***
We are ALWAYS open for donations if people are cleaning out playrooms! :) You can check out our Amazon wish list HERE and we hope to have projects on Donors Choose soon too!
Here are a few things that we'd love to add to our class:
Boxes of tissues
Lysol/clorox wipes and magic erasers for teacher use
Board Books
Old costumes or "dress-up" clothes for play
Amazon gift cards for books, music, toys, games or supplies
Teachers Pay Teachers gift cards for educational supplies
These are a great way to expand your child's library at home with some of the best book prices you'll find PLUS earning points for FREE books for the class.
Dear Family,
You can choose to have your books shipped to your home or delivered to me with our class order. With a $25 order, you can pick a FREE $5 Book (use code: READS).
Shop Our Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/RMKPC
Shop Digital Flyers for Our Grade with Your Child: https://clubs.scholastic.com/prek
Please share the Class Page link to extended family and friends. All orders also earn FREE Books for our class.
Thank you for your support!
Parent Resource Center / Project Enlightenment- click HERE
Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL) Resources- click HERE
Toilet training resources- I have toilet trained over a hundred kids (literally!) in my time as a preschool teacher and highly recommend Azrin & Foxx's Toilet Training in Less than a Day. It was published over 30 years ago and is a tried and true resource. Another great book is Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities by Maria Wheeler. For some kiddos, it still takes a weekend or two of intense practice, but if your child is 4 and still in diapers, or indicating when they are wet or soiled, we encourage you to try this. So pick a weekend to get comfy in the bathroom and have at it! :)
Television and computers- There are many good educational programs online, on tv, and on phone and tablet apps that encourage language development (I really like using closed captioning to expose kids to print awareness while they watch tv)... BUT please know that too much "screen time" discourages communication. Save the tablets and in-car DVDs for long car trips and keep them talking during the daily drives! Play "I Spy" looking for letters or colors out the window, sing songs along the way, talk about where you are going, what you are going to do next or what you and your child will do when you get there. Running errands are GREAT for working on communication skills. : )
Online read-aloud/games-
https://firstbook.org/- Free online books to read on your computer and with every one you read, Pearson donates a book to one of the children's charities. You can choose which charity you are reading for by signing up as a free member or just read and let them decide. It's a win-win!
http://www.storylineonline.net/- The Screen Actors' Guild site featuring famous actors/actresses reading stories aloud.
Song and dance ideas-
Websites with kids activities or Kinder readiness games-
http://www.abcya.com/preschool_games.htm
http://www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_en.php
http://www.everythingpreschool.com
http://www.sproutonline.com/games
Fine motor practice/early handwriting - We call the tripod grasp "croc fingers"- bring the tips of the index and middle fingers down to the tip of the thumb and have their crocodile practice "biting the crayon." Another helpful idea is to have them hold a cotton ball down with their ring and pinky fingers while holding a crayon to encourage the appropriate grasp. Using pincer clothespins to pick up things like cotton balls also helps develop those muscles. See more ideas HERE