August 11, 2009

 

Dear Pre-K Families,

 

I’d like to invite you and your child to our open house/ orientation on Wednesday, August 26th   from 11:30am to 1:30pm.  It will be a great opportunity for the children to explore the room, get to know me, Mrs. Black (our wonderful classroom assistant) and each other while the school is empty and quiet.  You can stay for the whole time or just a little while - whichever works for you.  Being able to experience a new setting while having your support tends to reduce separation anxiety on the first day of school.  The school phone number is 464.5386 and our classroom extension is 12.  You are welcome to call me at home at 464.6358 or email me at cdix@wcsu46.org if there is ever anything you wish to discuss.  Please feel free to contact me if you are unable to attend the orientation and would like to arrange a different time to visit the classroom with your child.  

 

Classroom Info:  When school starts, the children may begin to arrive at 8:00am and must be in the classroom by 8:20.  Please sign your child in on the sign in sheet (below the parent board) each morning.  According to VT state licensing regulations the children must wash their hands upon entering the classroom in the morning and I will make sure they wash hands after coming in from the playground, before snack time, and after using the toilet.  You may collect your child in the Pre-Kindergarten room at 11:20.  At 11:30 I will walk any child not yet picked up to the bench in the front hall to wait by the office.   

 

 

Transportation:  I know that getting the children to and from Pre-K is very challenging due to the fact that they are not legally permitted to ride the bus.  In years past friends and neighbors set up carpools to help share the work of getting the children to and from school and on to daycare or home.  These arrangements seemed to work very well for most families.   Please let me know if you need any help finding a carpool.  Here are a few guidelines we have to make sure that all of the children safely get where they need to be.

  • If you plan to have someone else (besides parents or legal guardians) pick up your child you must send a written note or contact the office.  You can send a permanent note giving specific people permission to pick up on set days (or any day) and I will keep it on file.
  • If no written note or phone call is received, I will be expecting you or their carpool/ride as usual. Please do not rely on your child to tell us who is to pick them up, as they often forget or become confused and can relay information incorrectly.    
  • You are welcome to leave car seats or boosters on the bench in the front vestibule by the office in the case that someone else is picking up.  Please write your child’s name someplace visible on the car seat or booster. 

 

 

 

Daily supplies:  Please send your child to school with:

·         a bag to carry things from home to school and back every day.  We will also be making a carrier for papers in class during the first week of school.

·         comfortable shoes (like sneakers) for playing outside or in the gym.    

·         a healthy snack.  Please make sure that fruits and veggies are peeled or sliced as needed at home.  We have a small refrigerator in our room that can hold individual items (like dairy products) but not whole lunch boxes.  Please avoid snacks that contain a lot of sugar or artificial coloring as they tend to make it difficult for children to focus for the remainder of the day.  Your child can also buy the school breakfast and have it as their snack but you will need to take them to the cafeteria at arrival time to get it.

·         a change of clothes to be left at school or in their bag.  All kinds of accidents happen and it is best to be prepared for anything.  If you think your child may need them, wipes can be a good thing to leave in a back pack as well.  I cannot go in to the bathroom to help the children but I can help with clothes outside or pass things into them if needed.

 

That is really all they will need.  We have all the pencils, markers, crayons and paper the children will need in our classroom.  There are many, many toys and activities.  Please have your child leave personal toys at home as it helps us facilitate sharing among the children much more easily.  Books are great to bring and share! 

 

Every year we make a family tree in our classroom.  Please send in a family photo (or two if you do not have one of everyone together) for the bulletin board which will remain up all year.  A 4x6 (more or less) is a good size.  These pictures allow the class to learn about each other and they are also very helpful for the children to look at when they are feeling a bit homesick!  If you can bring a picture on the day of orientation, it will help me to be able to have the tree ready for the first day of school.   

  

I strive to provide a safe and comfortable learning environment for the children to work and live as a team in our classroom.  I believe this is accomplished by introducing the Pre-Kindergarteners to the behavior expectations we have for the citizens of the Dover School.  I will always contact you if there is ever any issue that needs to be discussed.  A letter will be sent home about once per month with information about what we are learning in school.  Don’t worry; they won’t be as long as this one!  If there is anything you’d like to add to a theme we are working on or a special interest or talent to share with the class, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I will be happy to fit in any additions.  Feel free to visit anytime and see what we are learning in Pre-Kindergarten.  

 

Best Regards,

            Carrie Dix