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 music/media room 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.) Right before the bell rings I will come pick up the class from the media room. Please make every effort to get your child here on time. If you shoot to be here at 7:45 a.m. that will guarantee your child will never be tardy. In the past there has not been many consequences in Kindergarten for tardies, however, that is going to change this year. It is a huge disruption in our day for your child to be tardy to school. Mrs. Doty will have more information about this as school gets underway.
After School
The school day ends at 3:20 p.m. If you are picking up your child please meet us in front of school at 3:15. Kindergartners will be released early to avoid the rush of students at 3:20.
Changes in Transportation
If you plan to pick up your child that normally rides the bus or you wish for your child to ride a different bus than usual, you must send a written, dated note. Do not rely on your child to give me this information. If no written note is received, your child will be sent home by their usual method of transportation. 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. Please call the office BEFORE 2:30 p.m. to give us plenty of time to make a transportation change.
School Attendance
Your child’s regular and punctual attendance in school is crucial to their success. I cannot emphasize this point enough!!! Please view school as a priority, and that your child’s daily attendance is important to their achievement in school. The school would like to request that they be informed of any absence either by a phone call or a note when your child returns. Excess tardies will also be addressed differently this year.
Money
On occasion it will be necessary for your child to bring money to school for lunches, field trips, book orders, parties, snack shop, etc. Always send money in a sealed envelope with the following information:
• Your child’s first and last name
• The amount of money
• Teacher’s name
Please put this envelope in the clear plastic pouch in the "Take Home Binder" labeled Notes and Money.
With so many kids to keep track of this helps me out tremendously. Also, if the envelope is left on the bus or dropped in the hallway, this information will help get the money returned to my classroom.
Parent/Teacher Relationship
I know that a good Parent-Teacher Relationship is necessary for success. Throughout the year I will communicate with you through notes, telephone calls, weekly discipline reports, and parent-teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I will check your child’s binder on a daily basis; this is the best way for us to communicate besides the Remind App. Also feel free to contact me at school (325-572-3533) to set up a conference. My conference time is 8:40-9:15 a.m. daily or you can email me if you like. My email address is sphelps@jimned.esc14.net.
Lunch/Breakfast
Kindergartners eat lunch from 11:00-11:30 daily. Please feel free to come eat lunch with your child. Just call the school (325-572-3533) by 9:00 a.m. in the morning so you can be included in the lunch count. Lunch is $2.75 for students and $3.75 for adults. Breakfast will be served at 7:20 each morning and is $1.00 for students and $2.00 for adults. Our lunch program is computerized, you may 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. All guests must check in at the office before going to the cafeteria and must pay cash or check to eat. You may not pull money out of your child's account for your own meal.
Parent Participation
Throughout the year there will be a variety of classroom activities, field trips, and celebrations. I encourage you to attend these functions whenever possible and 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 because it’s a long time from lunch until the end of the day and the kids are starving! These snacks need to be healthy and individually wrapped is preferred. We are not allowed to have candy. If we have any food allergies in our class I will make you aware of that! Some examples of good snacks include: snack crackers, goldfish, fruit, etc… Donations of bulk snacks are welcome anytime!
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.
S.T.E.M. Fund
Every Friday we will do some kind of a 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 or group project. Please send a one time donation of $30.00 or $5.00 each six weeks to cover the cost of these projects. CASH ONLY PLEASE in a sealed envelope with your child's name on it.
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 because it is an adjustment period. I will be requesting two conferences a year with you about your child. The parent/teacher relationship is so important so please make every effort to attend conferences. Under special circumstances, a phone conference can be arranged. 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 Binder
This binder will be our main communication other than the Remind App.
This will be a 3 ring binder. In the left pocket will be important papers from school, notes from me, and sometimes homework. There are also two clear plastic pouches, one for any notes from you and money, the other for a take home reader. Finally in the back of the folder is a paper folder that will contain your child's wonderful work. Work will be sent home on Fridays only. Please empty out this part of the folder over the weekend. The "Take Home Binder" will be sent home everyday. Please, if it is damaged, do your best to repair it. If it is lost you will be charged a $5.00 replacement fee.
After the first few weeks of school, your child will bring home some type of “homework” at least 3 times a week. This is in addition to reading their R.F.A.L. book and guided readers. There will be no homework sent home on Wednesdays or Fridays. The weekends should be free for you and your children to enjoy. All Homework assignments will be put in the left pocket of folder.
Homework assignments are based on the curriculum. It will either be a book to read or a very short assignment related to a lesson we are working on at that time. Whatever your child is learning in school is reinforced by the homework for the week.
Jim Ned Online and Administration
Check out our class webpage at https://schools.jimned.esc14.net/page/stephaniephelps-home for information about our class and fun pictures to come. Also, check out our Jim Ned webpage http://www.jimned.esc14.net for more district and campus information. This site provides the school calendar lunch menu, newsletters and much more. Our principal is Cristi Doty. Our secretary is Marci Tutt , our counselor is Kami Winter and our nurse is Michelle Bryant. The school phone number is 325- 572-3533.
The End
In closing, I would like to say that I am looking forward to a great year working with your child! I look forward to meeting you as well.
It's great to be a Jim Ned Indian!
Thank you,
Mrs. Phelps