Sunday, August 14, 2016

QUIET TIME

"Quiet Time" (Q.T.) is a scheduled part of your child's daily routine, which means  30 minutes of quiet

Each child is expected to lie down, remain calm, and not talk.  There is no requirement to sleep but some do. The goal is to 'recharge' their energy in a healthy way so children don't get overtired.  This Q.T. is where everyone (including the teachers) rests our ears, voices, and bodies for a few minutes following a very busy, noisy morning that includes at least 40 minutes of outdoor play.

Quiet Time usually occurs somewhere between 12:30 & 1:30 - depending on when the teacher starts.

This is necessary considering that some children are 3 years old, some students arrive at school at 7 am, and some stay at school until after 5 pm --- the day can be long and exhausting.  Simply being immersed in a busy room filled with 30 other active children can be draining all by itself.

*** MATS ***

Have extra pillows that are taking up space and sheets that you don't use anymore? Consider doing this with them!Each child is required to have a small mat at school to lie down on during Quiet Time. This mat can be a rubber yoga mat cut in half, or three pillowcases sewn together and filled.

*** BLANKETS ***

We encourage each child to bring a SMALL blanket.  Please do not send in a large comforter, bedspread, or even a full-size blanket. All blankets must fit neatly into each child's own small cubby space, along with their extra set of clothes in a labelled Ziploc bag.  Big blankets fall out & are difficult for a child to fold, so we ask for either a "crib-size" blanket or light throw. [*Baby blankets at the Dollar Store or Dollarama are available for $3- and are the perfect size.]

***TOYS***

Absolutely NO TOYS are permitted at school; this includes Pokeman cards, etc.  There is one small exception to this rule and that is the allowance for a small stuffy to cuddle with during Quiet Time.  This toy is left in the cubby (with the blanket) at all other times of the day and is not considered a toy for playtime. 

Please clarify this rule with your child and ensure their toys stay at home! We have found that toys are a constant source for conflict or upset unless they are neutral items belonging to the classroom.

 Thank you for your assistance in regards to these 3 important items.

Monday, August 8, 2016

HELP YOUR CHILD PREPARE FOR SCHOOL LIFE!

Dear Parents,

As the summer winds down, it is time to start reinstating daily routines, especially a regular bedtime!  Fatigue is the number one concern causing difficulty for children who are making demanding transitions.  Their school day is full of many little transitions, not to mention the overwhelming change from summer vacation to a regular school day.


We strongly encourage parents to make every attempt to get their child into a healthy bedtime routine (between 7 & 8 PM) at least a week or two before school begins. This will certainly help them adjust more easily to the demands of their day. Thank you for your support in this regard.


This is to clarify WHO comes to school oSEPT 6
We expect all Senior Kindergarten students to start school on Tuesday, Sept.6.  Students will line-up at the side of the school near the Kindergarten doors, where we will have colour-coded class lists posted. 

Only JK students who attend the EDP (school daycare) start regular attendance on Wednesday, Sept 7th. All other JK's  are expected to start on the Thursday, Sept 8th.  

Initially teachers will meet the buses to greet & escort our new JK's, so please send your child on the bus if that will be their regular method of arrival(This helps develop the comfort level for this routine right from the start!)


Classes are divided by colour; REDBLUEGREENPURPLE. 

There will be lists posted for each class, indicated by colour.

PLEASE NOTE! 
There will be coloured "pylons"/ or flags to mark the line-up locations and teachers will be greeting the buses for the first week until the children learn this routine.  Please note: JK bus students will be assigned to an older student on their bus (from Gr. 5 or 6) to regularly escort them to the yard on a daily basis.

We are looking forward to meeting all our Kindergarteners and starting the new 2016-2017 school year!  Enjoy your last few weeks of summer holidays!

Regards,
The Kindergarten Teams 
GREEN (Rm104) PURPLE (Rm101) Casey Bradley (Englishand Megan Legg* (French
GREEN (Rm104)Carrie Price (ECE)
PURPLE (Rm101)Lisa Gordon (ECE)
BLUE (Rm103)Natasha Belaire (Englishand Briana Gibney (French) & Tara MacTavish (ECE)
RED (Rm102)Chris Blahout (Frenchand Natasha Belaire (EnglishKathryn Unger (ECE)
EDP: Marnie Simpson (Extended Day Program) = rotates in all classes (90 min/day/4 days/wk)
* Mme. Legg is expecting her 1st baby and will be replaced for her maternity leave, teacher to be determined.


Thursday, August 4, 2016

IMPORTANT BACKPACK FEATURES

Dear Parents,

As the "Back-to-school" merchandise appears in the stores, we thought it prudent to make a few suggestions that are worthwhile with the purchase of your child's school bag.


To help your child utilize their backpack independently, choose these features:
1. - a simple bag with only one or two zippers (pockets) 
One pocket makes putting items in the bag straightforward.

2. - a child's FULL-size bag (versus a smaller bag)
A full-size bag easily stores a lunch, artwork, and jackets or sweaters.

3. - add some identification on (or inside) the bag

Identification helps a bag be returned to it's owner.