Kindergarten Parent Information
Welcome!!!
I am so excited about this school year and look forward to working with you and your child. This year will be filled with growth, learning, hard work, and lots of FUN!!! This week your child will complete one of the most important milestones in his/her life…the first week of school! I hope this letter will help you understand what to expect in kindergarten and answer any questions you may have.
Before School
The school day begins at 7:50 a.m. Students are considered tardy after 7:55 a.m. All Kindergartners will go to the gym when they arrive each morning and stay there until the bell rings. (The only exceptions are those students who eat breakfast at school. They will need to go to the cafeteria first.) I will come pick up the class from the gym.
Change of Clothes
We will send home a baggie for you to put a change of clothes in. Please include a shirt, shorts/pants, socks and underwear. Accidents happen as well as spills. If students have their own clothes to change into, there is much less anxiety when this happens. Also, we are NOT allowed to help your child clean themselves up after a bathroom accident. *Please help your child learn how to properly wipe and clean themselves up.
P.E.
Kindergarten is the first P.E. class of the day. They will go at 8:15. Students need to come to school in their tennis shoes each day. There are consequences in P.E. if they do not have tennis shoes.
After School
The school day ends at 3:20 p.m. Please help us keep our students safe and remain in your car by going through the car pick-up line. This allows things to go smoothly and quickly. In order to keep all students safe, please refrain from having a conference about your child during our dismissal time. *Students will not be released to parents who are not in a vehicle.
PTN- Parent Teacher Network
We would love for you to get involved!!! Be sure to follow Buffalo Gap Elementary PTN on Facebook to stay informed about upcoming events and be involved in your child’s school.
Changes in Transportation
We ask that families decide on ONE consistent form of transportation for their child at dismissal. Any changes to your child’s transportation MUST be called in to the front office BEFORE 2:45. Do not rely on your child to give me this information. If you are going to be late picking your child up from school, please contact the school office and make arrangements. The school office number is (325) 572-3533.
School Attendance and Tardies
In order to better serve you and your child, the school would like to request that they be informed of any absence by phone the day of the absence. Please send a Dr. note when your child returns to school as well. Students arriving after 7:55 will need to be signed in at the office by an adult and receive a tardy slip from Mrs. Tutt. Three tardies in a six weeks will result in a lunch detention with Mrs. McClure. Each tardy after that is also a lunch detention. Excessive tardies and/or absences will result in a mandatory Saturday school. Your child’s regular and punctual attendance in school is CRUCIAL to their success and their achievement in school.
Money
On occasion it will be necessary for your child to bring money to school for lunches, field trips, book orders, parties, spirit shop, and many other things.
Always send money in a sealed envelope/ziplock with the following information:
• Your child’s first and last name
• The amount of money and what it is for
• Teacher’s name - K
Please put this envelope in the clear plastic pouch in the “Take Home Folder” labeled Notes & Money. This will help ensure your child’s money gets to the right place. Also, if the envelope is left on the bus or dropped in the hallway, this information will help get the money returned to our classroom.
Parent/Teacher Relationship
I believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for success. Throughout the year I will communicate with you through notes, email, Remind app, telephone calls, daily folder calendar, and parent-teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I will check your child’s folder on a daily basis. This is the best way for us to communicate in addition to the Blackboard app. Also, feel free to contact me at school (325-572-3533) to set up a conference. My conference time is 8:15 - 8:45 a.m. daily or you can email me if you prefer. Our email addresses are on the campus webpage. If a problem arises, please come to me first. I would love the opportunity to discuss your concerns with you. Please do not go to other parents or social media to share those concerns.
Lunch/Breakfast
Kindergartners eat lunch from 11:20 daily. Here are some tips to making your child’s lunchtime a happy time:
- Don’t overdo it. Students usually do not eat as much at school as they do at home.
- When packing a lunch, ask yourself, “Is this too complicated for my child to open alone?”
- Be mindful of the amount of sugar your child’s lunch contains.
- Let your child learn consequences. If your child forgets their lunchbox, do not bring it to school. They will be just fine eating a tray from the cafeteria. This will help them to be more responsible in the future.
- Let us know if lunch is a stressful time for your child. We will do our best to make it better for them.
Lunch is $2.75 for students and breakfast will be served at 7:20 each morning and is $1.00. Our lunch program is computerized. You are able to pay online by accessing the Nutrikids/Nutrition link on our school webpage. If you send a check or cash, it needs to be in a sealed envelope marked lunch money, with your child’s name, and Teacher’s name-K.
Parent Participation
Throughout the year there will be a variety of classroom activities, field trips, and celebrations. I encourage you to support your child by sending the necessary supplies and treats. Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and encourages them to succeed in school.
Snacks
We will have snack time each afternoon! These snacks need to be fairly healthy and individually wrapped. Due to allergy issues, PLEASE DO NOT SEND PEANUTS/PEANUT BUTTER PRODUCTS. We are also not allowed to have candy. Some examples of good snacks include: snack crackers, goldfish, fruit, beef sticks, cheese crackers, granola bars, etc… We are asking each parent to send a class set of 24 individually wrapped snacks the first week of each month. These will be kept in a big bucket and the children will be able to pick a snack each day.
Water Bottles
Please send a water bottle for your child to keep in our classroom. Small water bottles with pop top lids (instead of the screw on lids) work best and help prevent accidental spills. These are ONLY for WATER. Please do not send flavored water or Gatorades in water bottles. Please make sure it is labeled with your child's name.
S.T.E.M. Fund
Every Friday we will do some kind of S.T.E.M. activity. This activity will involve Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. It could be something we cook or bake, a science experiment, or an individual/group project. The money we asked for on the school supply list will go towards these activities and projects.
Report Cards
Kindergarteners do not receive grades, but will receive report cards ( skills report) at the end of every six weeks with the exception of the first 6 weeks. This is an adjustment period and we like to focus on rules, procedures and getting them acclimated to school. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns anytime during the school year and I'd be happy to meet with you!
Take Home Folder
This folder will be my main communication in addition to the Blackboard App.
Please empty out their folder daily. The "Take Home Folder" will be sent home every day. Please initial the calendar each night in the square for that day's date. If the square is blank…your child has had a GREAT day!
Homework
We will be sending home letter/sight word fluency cards, as well as a guided reader for your child to practice at home. These tasks will not start immediately. As we send them, we will attach a note with directions for you. We ask that you return these items back to school each day in your child’s folder. Guided readers are part of our curriculum and not easily replaced. There will be a $5 fine for lost guided reading and a $25 fine for lost Start Right Readers, so please take care of these items. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
Birthdays
You are welcome to send treats for your child’s birthday. Please send enough for each student in our classroom to enjoy. You may send cupcakes, cookies, popcorn bags, etc… but please be mindful of classroom allergies! While it is a super special day, parents do not come to the classroom to celebrate with the class. If your child has a summer birthday, we will celebrate their half birthday (which is 6 months before their birthday.). Treats can be dropped off at the office or sent with your child to school in the morning.
Classroom Distractions
Students are not allowed to bring toys or other items from home unless they have earned the privilege and bring home a note specifying that they can. The district handbook states that cell phones will have to remain off during school hours. We are asking that you leave these items at home. This also includes the smart and Vtech watches.
Jim Ned Online and Administration
Check out our Jim Ned webpage http://www.jimned.esc14.net for more district and campus information. You may also access our classroom webpage through this site as well. This site provides the school calendar lunch menu, newsletters and much more. The school phone number is 325- 572-3533.
Principal - Alana McClure
Secretary - Marci Tutt
Counselor - Kami Winter
Nurse - Michelle Bryant
The End
In closing, we would like to say that we are looking forward to a great year working with your child! I look forward to getting to know each of your families this year!
It's great to be a Jim Ned Indian!
Thank you,
Kindergarten Team