Welcome to Kindergarten!
Our first day of school is a half day on August 25th and August 26th will be our first full day. On the first day of school we will meet along the fence in front of the office. You are welcome to say goodbye in the classroom, but after the first day you will need to say your goodbyes in the parking lot. I know this is hard but it has worked in the past and will make it much easier on you and your child. I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know all of you. It's going to be a great year! May God bless all our new beginnings, Sincerely,
Mrs. MacDonald
A few things you need to know:
Kindergarten Folder
School papers will be sent home in the red Kindergarten Folder. Please check this folder daily for their work and any notes that may come home. Please make sure this folder returns to school in your child's book bag everyday. Your child's work and notes from school will be sent home in it. Lunch money can be sent in the red zipper case with an envelope with your child's name.
Lunch Program
Full Lunch with fruit, vegetable, dessert, and drink...................$2.50
Entre only, not including drink................................................$1.25
Chicken Nuggets and drink........................................................$1.55
Mach Nacho, not including drink ..............................................$2.00
*Slice of Pizza............................................................................$1.00
*Pizza Full Lunch with fruit, vegetable, and drink......................$2.50
Milk or Juice..............................................................................$ .35
To make collecting lunch money in the morning easier, I strongly recommend prepaying for your child's lunch. You can pay with cash or check in the School Office and the secretary will know how many days you paid for. If you choose to send in money with your child, please put it in a marked envelope with their name and amount. Please place this envelope in your child's red zipper case found inside their red take-home folder. This method will be used all year. .
*Pizza day:
On Thursdays we have pizza only for lunch. This is always a pre-ordered item. if your child would like pizza on Thursdays, you must let me know by Tuesday morning. If you would like your child to eat pizza every Thursday, just let me know and I will include them on the list for every week.
Snacks
Each month I will send home a snack calendar with your child. Your child will receive the snack bag when it is their time to bring a snack. The kids love fruit and veggies. Salami, crackers and cheese is always a hit. Please try and leave sweet snacks for birthdays. I will let you know if we have any food allergies present in the class. The kids really do enjoy juice boxes but a drink is not necessary as I plan to provide some refreshments in the classroom, too.
Discipline
We have a clip system in our room. It is setup on a stop light system. Each child starts the day with their clip on green. If I have to speak to them about not following directions twice they move their clip to yellow. If it happens again they move it to red and they have a time out. This system really does work. Parents involvement is a great help in this process by asking their child everyday after school what color they finished on. They are very honest at this age and will tell you the truth. If they know you check at home they are likely to follow directions.
School Supplies
1 back pack or book bag (not on wheels, please)
1 beach or large bath towel (not a blanket)
1 black dry erase marker
5 or 6 glue sticks
2 boxes of facial tissue
3 rolls of paper towels
1 package of napkins
tennis shoes for gym and indoor recess
1 pair of socks school or play pants .
Students should have all listed supplies the first couple weeks of school. Please remember to mark their large beach or bath towel with their name. The extra pair of socks and pants can come in handy on rainy days and through the winter months. Please send in gym shoes with your child that can stay at school throughout the school year.
Dress Code
Please read and follow the St. Mary's School Handbook for information on what clothing to wear to school. For instance, on Mass day (Tuesdays) sweatshirts may not be worn. Students should wear appropriate sweaters if necessary.
Homework
Yes, there will be some homework in Kindergarten. The children will work and play as they learn. Some of their assignments will be reading to you from their self-created books. As they learn the sounds the letterscan make, and they become familiar with new words, they will begin to read. You can expect that they will be able to add and subtract numbers by the end of Kindergarten. Remember to check their red folder. It'sreally exciting to see the things they create and to watch as they develop their talents and skills. Praise and encourage their efforts.
Questions
Please let me know if you have any problems or concerns. It is usually best to contact me through the School Office or to send a note in your child's red folder . Check the St. Mary's School website often to learn about school and classroom news of student activities. Your child is a very important person here at St. Mary's School. It is our mission to provide the best educational experience possible as your child learns about God's great love for them, their families, and their neighbor.