Kindergarten General Info
The ABC’s of Kindergarten
A
Attendance
It's important that children develop the habit of regular school attendance. If your child will be absent from school, please call the school office before 8:15 am. If your child is sick, school policy states that they may not return to school until their temperature is normal for 24 hours.
Arrival
When your child arrives at school, he/she should go to the gym for the "Walk-a-thon". At 8:05 am students are dismissed to their classrooms.
B
Birthdays
Your child's birthday will be a special day in our room! Each child will wear a birthday crown to celebrate their birthday and, of course, we will sing Happy Birthday! If you would like to send a birthday treat for the class you may, but it is optional. Individual treats like cupcakes, doughnuts, or cookies work best. If you child has a summer birthday, it would be fun to celebrate his/her half birthday!
Book Orders
We will try to send home books orders every month. You may order books by filling out the order form and returning a check made out to Scholastic Books to school or you can order online! Every time you place an order online, our class earns free books!
C
Communication
Communication is very important in your child’s education. If you feel the need to talk to one of the teachers please call the school (402-643-2968), send us a note, or email. We will try to get back to you within 24 hours.
Conferences
These are scheduled two times during the school year.
October 15 & 17
March 2 & 3
D
Dismissal
We will assume that your child will be riding their bus, being picked up or walking home each school day. If there is a change in plans, we must have a NOTE or e-mail! If your child will be going to a friend's house, both parents should send notes. Kindergarten is dismissed at 3:10 pm.
E
Envelopes
Money should come to school in an envelope with your child's name on it. Please place the envelope in the first sleeve of your child's kindergarten folder.
F
Folders
Each student will be given a kindergarten folder. The folder should come to school with your child and be checked after each school day. Please EMPTY the folder each night! You will find important curriculum information that is updated throughout the year.
G
Giggles
We have lots of fun in kindergarten. Be prepared for lots of silly stories with accompanied giggles.
H
Handbooks
Elementary Handbooks will come home to each family during the first week of school. Please return the forms in the handbook as soon as you've read through it. The office documents that families have acknowledged the handbook.
I
Ingredients
Occasionally we may request a specific cooking ingredient or craft items for special cooking and art projects. We appreciate your help in providing these ingredients as they give us a “hands-on” opportunity to learn in a fun way. If at any time it is not convenient for you to send the item we request, please let us know so that we can make other arrangements to get the ingredients.
J
Journal writing
We write in our journals almost every day. Journal writing at the beginning of the year is mostly pictures with a few words and labels. As the year progresses the children start hearing more sounds in the words and write more. By the middle of the year the children will write more of a story. Your child will bring their monthly journal each month. Have your child read this to you and see their growth!
K
Kindergarten
This is a special time for your child. We want to make this experience the best possible! Our best advice to you is to let them be little...they grow up too fast. Enjoy their childhood! The kindergarten team hopes to create a memorable year, one in which they will look back to and smile.
L
Library
Kindergartners check out a library book every other day and visit the library. Remembering to bring their book back is an important task and responsibility. If a book is lost, let us know and we can find out the replacement cost.
Lunch
We have a computerized lunch account system. Each child is assigned a number and has their own individual account. You may deposit money in your child's account by sending a check or cash to school. When your child's lunch account balance falls below a couple of dollars, a notice will be sent from the office.
M
Menu
The lunch menu can be viewed at sewardpublicschools.org. Milk money will be collected at the end of each month. The cost is $0.25 per milk. It is difficult for children to keep track of money.
N
Notes
Occasionally, we will send notes home with your child. When we do, we will place them inside their kindergarten folder. When you send notes, please do the same. Then we will always know where to look!
O
Outside
Your child will have recess weather permitting. Please dress your child appropriately for the weather and remember to label all of your child's belongings.
P
P.T.O
A great way to help out the school and get involved!
Parent Involvement
We love parent involvement. Please be involved in your child's Kindergarten year as much as you can.
Q
Quiet "story and rest" time
Your child will have 10 minutes per day to rest.
R
Report Cards
Kindergarten report cards are given at the end of each quarter. Please keep in mind that each child develops at his or her own rate.
S
Snack
This is very important! We have snack in the morning around 9:15 am. The snack will consist of milk and crackers. Please send a box of any type of crackers or cookies. This will be served to the entire class. When all of the boxes have been used up, we will send a note requesting more crackers. Please send these right away. At the end of each month, we will bill your child’s lunch account for the milk that was drank during that month. Milk is $0.30 per day. If you qualify for free/reduced lunch, you still need to pay for the milk. We are a PEANUT FREE school. Please do not send snacks that contain peanuts.
Specials
Students will alternate every other day going to PE/Library or Music/Guidance. All students must have tennis shoes to participate in P.E.
T
Toys
Please keep all toys at home. Please limit jewelry as it often breaks or gets lost upsetting the child.
U
Unique
"There are millions of people all over the place, but no one else with exactly my face." Each child will bring to school their special qualities and strengths. We will build on them during the school year.
V
Volunteering
There will be opportunities for parents to come and help in our classroom. We will ask for volunteers as the need arises. If you are interested in visiting, let us know in advance and we will let you know when a good time would be. All visitors must sign in at the office when they enter the building. That policy is in effect to ensure safety for all students and staff.
W
Website
The school website (www.sewardpublicschools.org) has our class website under the elementary teacher pages link. That information is updated periodically.
Winter
When cold weather comes we will be going outside to play unless the temperature is 10 below zero, so warm, waterproof mittens and boots are important along with a hat, scarf and snow pants. Please label everything your child plans to bring to school. Jackets, shoes, bags, mittens, etc. That will help your child's things find their way home!
X
X-tra Special
We truly believe that each child is "x-tra" special and we use many different methods of teaching to reach each child's needs.
Y
You
You are your child's first and most important teacher. No one can influence your child's life in the way that you can!!
Z
ZZZZ
Help your child to get plenty of sleep each night so they are rested and ready for a busy day at school!