Contacting Me
As always, if you have questions and/or concerns, please contact me. All of my contact information can be found on the CONTACT page. The school day is very busy so please be patient if you email me. It is likely that I won't get back to you until the end of the day. I will, however, check my email periodically throughout the day to look for dismissal information.
Dismissal
Speaking of dismissal information, please email me (and please include Teri Black, the attendance secretary, at [email protected]) or send a written note with all dismissal changes. Though I would love to take your child's word, I must have some type of written communication regarding the changes needed.
Dismissal can be a very hectic time! If you pick up your child every day, please be on time. I would suggest arriving no later than 3:20. The sooner you arrive, the sooner I can return to my room to make preparations for the following day.
Water Bottles
If you would like to send a water bottle with your child, feel free to do so. Though we won't be using water bottles all year long, they are nice on hot days.
Snack
We will have a daily snack each afternoon. The snack calendar will be posted under "snack calendars." On your child's day please send 24 "somewhat" healthy snacks. No chips, candy, cupcakes (unless for a special occasion such as a birthday), etc. Suggestions include: fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, yogurt, pudding, applesauce, jello with fruit, cheese and crackers, string cheese, pretzels, granola bars, etc.
Please send the same snack for everyone. It can get very time consuming when choices are involved, and it never fails, someone doesn't get what they want! If you really want to send something that allows choices, ex: chocolate and vanilla pudding, please send more than 24. This will allow for everyone to get what they want.
Please send snacks bagged up and ready to go. Please DO NOT send, for example, a box of graham crackers. It takes too long to figure out the serving size, plus it's unsanitary to have to touch everyone's food.
If your child's snack needs to be refrigerated, that's not a problem. We have refrigerator space at school. Just be sure to tell your child to relay this information to me.
All extra snacks will be kept at school. We do this so that the extras can be used in case someone should happen to forget snack. Believe me, a day without snack is not a good day!
Lastly, if providing snack is a financial burden for you, please let me know. I would be happy to provide snack for your child on his/her snack day. Now that my own personal children are grown, I miss buying snacks to send to school!
Specials
Our special schedule is based on a 6 day rotation. It is as follows............
Day 1. Library
Day 2. PE
Day 3. Music, Art
Day 4. Library
Day 5. PE and Guidance
Day 6. Music
Because this can be quite confusing, I will post the specials on the snack calendar. Please be sure that your child wears tennis shoes on PE days. If they do not have appropriate shoes, they will have to sit out, and no one wants to miss PE!
Please note that we will NOT have a special on the first day of school as it is considered a day zero. We will start the rotation on the second day of school., though this will be Day 1 on the schedule. We will have library on August 24 and the rotation above will continue after that.
Poetry and Song Folder
In the near future I will be sending home a Poetry and Song Folder. This will contain copies of the poems and songs we are learning at school. Whenever a new poem or song comes home, please place it in your child's folder. Use this collection for reading practice. Read the poems and songs together. Practice pointing to the words and look for sight words. Practice reading with expression. Talk about the meaning of the poems and songs.
When I was a child we spent lots of time learning and reciting poetry. It was one of my favorite things and hopefully your child will learn to love it, too!
Adjusting to School
Adjusting to school can be a real challenge, especially after a long relaxing summer. Below is a list of suggestions to make this a smooth transition:
1. Please see that your child gets plenty of rest. I suggest a bedtime of 8:00.
2. Read a bedtime story EVERY night! Good readers not only practice reading themselves but they LISTEN to stories as well.
3. Remind your child each morning to be respectful, responsible, and safe.
Lunch
Lunch is at 11:15 sharp! Feel free to join us anytime. Please arrive at 11:10 and meet us in the entryway of the school. If you are coming for lunch is it VERY important that you arrive on time. If you are not there when we go through the lunch line, your child will be required to take a tray.
Recess
Morning 10:40-11:00
Afternoon 3:00-3:15