Dear parents,
Welcome to our exciting Kindergarten at Haigh Elementary. For those of you who have a child entering the school system, specifically kindergarten for the first time, get ready! You will be amazed at the amount of learning that takes place.
We are excited about our strong Kindergarten team. We have a great combination of talented teachers with qualities that complement and bring out the best in each other. We enjoy working together, sharing ideas, and helping students become readers and learners for life.
As a team and as individuals, our first priority is your child’s education and well-being. We will work methodically to see that each child receives the greatest benefits of our educational program.
We know from experience that parent involvement is essential to maximize the benefits the child gets from his or her school experience. Regardless of the experience and expertise of the teacher, research shows that the biggest and most important factor in a student’s school success is the involvement of the PARENT in daily school experiences. We urge you to become involved by helping your child with homework and projects, joining our PTA, attending school meetings and conferences, volunteering in the classroom, talking with your child about his or her school experiences, and participating in your child’s education daily.
We look forward to working together as a team – student, teacher, & parents – and having a successful year in Kindergarten.
Pick –Up
When picking your child up from school, please remain either at the gates or sidewalk area. It is very difficult to get out of our classroom when there is a group of people waiting at the door.
Backpacks
If your child brings a backpack to school, be sure to put their first and last name and room number on the backpack. Remember to clean out your child’s backpack every night.
Folders
Green Homework folder: Inside the flaps are labeled, “These papers stay home’ and Return these papers to school.” Be sure to look at all the papers in the folders.
Your child will have a Green Homework Folder that will come home with them daily. Please take a moment and look at the folder and empty it accordingly every night. Your child will need to return the folder the following day. I check each child’s folder first thing in the morning. Any homework, notes to me or the office will be collected at that time. The goal is two fold: to foster a sense of responsibility within each student and to improve communication between teacher and parent. If you are sending in money for lunch or other things, please place it in an envelope labeled with your child’s name and what it’s for.
Red Behavior folder only goes home on Fridays and is returned on Monday with parent signature. This folder will be a weekly behavior report. Each week I will let you know how your child behaved as a student and as a member of our class. This is not a progress report; it is just a quick check list to keep you aware of what is going on during the day. Children will need to bring the folder back on Monday with your signature. They will receive a sticker for their folder each time they do so. Again we are reinforcing personal responsibility.
Homework
The homework packet will be stapled together and have a cover page that includes directions on how to complete each page. On the back of the cover page is a reading log. It is important to read with your child each night for 10 -15 minutes. The rest of the packet will include reading, writing, and math activities to reinforce skills that we have been learning in class. Your child will need your help to complete the homework, but please do not do the assignment for them.
Homework will be sent home on a weekly basis. Homework will come home every Monday and will need to be returned every Friday. If you are unable to turn in your child’s homework by Friday, we will accept the homework packet on the following Monday. After Monday, the homework packet will no longer be accepted. Homework will count as a grade for your child. Any homework not turned in will be counted as a zero. Being accountable for homework and turning it in on time reinforces personal responsibility.
Lunch/ Snack
If your child is buying lunch, it is easier to buy weekly. If your child will not be having hot lunch, please provide them with a bagged lunch daily.
Snack time is in the AM. Please send a HEALTHY daily snack for your child i.e: fruit, crackers, yogurt, pretzels, veggies, etc. Please place the snack in a different compartment of your child’s backpack so it is easily accessible. Please DO NOT pack a juice box for snack time. Things often turn sticky when juice is involved. Water bottles are ok to bring labeled with your child’s name and there is also water in the room available. If your child forgets their lunch or snack, please bring it to school at your earliest convenience.
Birthdays
Birthdays are an exciting time of the year for you and your child. Because of allergies, medical conditions and promoting healthy eating habits; this year our class will be enforcing a non-edible birthday treat policy. Your child will be acknowledged the same way as before, but please send in only items that are non-edible. Such as pencils, erasers, tattoos, etc.
Toys from Home
We ask that no toys be brought into school from home. Our classroom is filled with items to keep us busy, and lost or broken toys result in very sad feelings!
Sincerely,
The Kindergarten Team