a
Great
Beginning!
Welcome
to Kindergarten
and
We are
happy to have your child in our Kindergarten program. The years of loving care and training that you
have given have helped your child in his/her work and play. Now, for the next several months, we have the
opportunity to be a partner with you in the education of your child. We thank you for this opportunity.
May your child reach his/her potential, guided by you, the
parent, and our kindergarten team.
Custer Kindergarten Teachers
Cozy Dorton
Lorie Steinhauer
Conni
Virtue
Kindergarten is a BIG STEP
even for Parents
Separation can be difficult for both children and parents
at first. The children make the
adjustment much more quickly if they begin to develop independence and self
confidence from the beginning, therefore, please drop your child off at the
sidewalk on Harney Street by the north side of the playground rather than
escorting him/her into the classroom.
After
the first nine weeks when we have gotten our routine established, you are
invited and encouraged to visit Kindergarten.
How you can help
your child
¨ Read to your child and answer his/her questions.
¨ Let you child see you reading.
¨ Show an interest in what your child is doing in
school. Ask him/her about the day’s
activities and look at what is brought home from school.
¨ Review folders daily and send back to school each day.
¨ Listen attentively to your child when he/she has
something to tell you.
¨ Talk about new friends he/she will meet at school.
¨ Always speak of school as friendly, interesting and
important. If something concerns you,
please contact us.
¨ Emphasize to your child that toys must stay at home.
¨ Give your child a chance to play with other children
his/her own age.
¨ Teach your child to take turns, share, and show respect
for others.
¨ Count and sort objects in a variety of ways.
¨ Give praise for things done well.
The Kindergarten
Read-Aloud Program
As Jim Trelease
states in The Read-Aloud Handbook: “If
we are spending immense amounts of time and money in teaching children to read
and they are NOT reading, we can only conclude that something else is wrong. The problem is that we have concentrated
exclusively on teaching the child HOW to read and we have forgotten to
teach the child to WANT to read. There is
the key: desire. It is the prime mover,
the magic ingredient. There is no
success story written today in the arts, business, athletics, education in
which the desire does not play the leading role.” Further, he states, “
Our school district kindergarten teachers request every
kindergartner to read, or be read to, for 20 minutes every night for
homework. Every month, each child will
bring home a Read-Aloud Chart. You will
need to record the titles of the books that are read to your child that
month. You may also record any books
your child brings home to read to you.
At the end of the month, the chart will be returned to school.
Thank you for participating in this homework
program. One of the greatest gift you can give to your child is the love of reading.
A word about
Birthdays. . .
We want to make your child’s birthday meaningful, while at
the same time cutting back on some of the sugar that children sometimes
eat. Your child will be assigned as the
snack person for their birthday, however, instead of sending a sugary treat to
school on your child’s birthday, how about letting him/her “treat” our class to
a birthday book? The birthday child may
bring a book (wrapped in birthday paper if you wish) to give to the class. This book would become a permanent part of
our classroom library; with your child’s photo as a bookplate on the inside cover. What a nice way for your child to share a birthday. . . and much easier on the teeth!
Please note, you are not obliged to do this. It is just a suggestion. All birthdays are celebrated with a birthday
crown, a pencil, and a song as well as the snack your child brings.
Any child whose birthday
falls when we are not in school may choose another day to celebrate if she/he
wishes.
If your child is having
a private party to which only some members of the class will be invited, please call or send those invitations
to the other children at home as these cannot be passed out at school.
If your family does not
celebrate holidays, please let his/her teacher know.
As you work with your child in
practicing writing the various letters, please use the alphabet and numbers
this page as a guide.
Some important
reminders
Put your child’s name on each
piece of outside clothing. (You
would be surprised at all the
clothing that piles up in the
“lost and found” and is never claimed.)
Overshoes and boots should
be labeled and large enough so
your child can put them
on without help.
Have a set time to go to bed, get up, rest and play that
fits the child’s needs and school schedule.
If your child brings money to school for milk or other reasons, please put it into an envelope and
write on the envelope the child’s name, “Kindergarten”, and the purpose for
which the money is being sent.
Snacks
We have a snack break
every day. The children take turns
providing snacks for the class for a day.
We would like to encourage
healthy snacks rather than sugary ones.
Some suggestions are a bag of popcorn, pretzels, any
kind of crackers (plain or with cheese or peanut butter), fruit (1/2 an apple
or banana, etc. is plenty, and we can cut them at school), vegetable sticks,
fruit snacks, etc.
A calendar will be sent
out at the beginning of each month with the snack schedule. If this will be a problem for you, just let
me know.
Chocolate and white milk
will be available for $.30 each. You may
pay for milk at the beginning of each week, month, or as far in advance as you
like.
Breakfast
Breakfast will be served
in the lunchroom each morning from
Your child will be better prepared
for Kindergarten if he/she. . .
¨ Knows how to use a handkerchief or tissue.
¨ Can take care of his/her toilet needs.
¨ Feels secure away from home.
¨ Can understand and carry out simple directions.
¨ Can speak clearly.
¨ Knows his/her way to and from school.
¨ Can put on his/her own wraps,
including tying, zipping, buttoning and snapping.
Please tell the teacher. . .
*
About any health problems, including allergies your
child may have.
*
If your child is going to be absent.
*
If there is a change in their after school arrangement.
Please keep your child home if
he/she. . .
>
Has a fever or appears ill.
>
Is coughing or has a sore throat.
NOTE:
It is very important for the school to know where to reach a parent or
other responsible
adult in case of an emergency.
What about Health
and Safety?
Your child will be safe if he/she. . .
R
Stays in his/her
playground location.
R
Uses playground
equipment as instructed.
R
Crosses the street
only after looking both ways and waiting for any traffic.
R
Rides only with
people he/she knows.
What is my
Kindergarten Program?
% Language
Development
Develop
beginning reading and writing skills
Tell
a story the way that it happened.
Listen
when others are speaking.
Dramatize
stories, poems, and songs.
% Music
and Rhythms
% Science
% Social
Studies
% Number
Experiences
Develop
skills in manipulating equipment and materials
% Games
and Art
% Physical
Development
% Technology
% Social
Development
Share
and take turns with others.
Make
good use of my time.
Clean
up and put away materials.
Social Activities
in Kindergarten
We will be having special activities in our room for:
Halloween
Christmas
Valentine’s Day
Easter
End of the year
These are great opportunities for parent involvement.