You have given me an extraordinary gift by allowing me to be your child's teacher. I will work long and hard to make my instruction worthy of your child.
This is going to be a long post so get comfortable. I promise that the posts will become shorter as the year progresses.
School begins on Monday, August 19. The school day is from 8:10-3:10. Children can begin entering the classroom starting at 7:50.
Monday morning you are invited to walk your child down to our classroom. Take the pictures you need for your scrapbook/facebook/grandma. Give a happy kiss goodbye and then quickly/quietly leave. I can promise you that I will take very good care of your child. Visit the library for Boo Hoo/Woo Hoo. Meet the parents of the PTA and enjoy some coffee (and tissues if needed). They are a wonderful group of parents that support our school tremendously. They always need help: whether you have a lot or a little time to spare! After Monday, you will drop your child off at the front door of the school. Don't worry, we have teachers on duty to help anyone who needs assistance finding the classroom.
After the first day of school,children can be dropped off beginning at 7:30. They will stay in the lunchroom (sitting quietly) until 7:50 when they can enter the classrooms.
For this week only, please send a juice and snack from home. If you would like to purchase juice/snack from the school, I will begin collecting juice/snack money on Monday, August 26.
You will receive a large packet of information on Monday. These are important papers that need to be filled out. Please return the required information as soon as possible so that I can focus on instruction instead of paperwork.
On Tuesday, I will send home an information sheet about your child. Since you are your child's first (and most important) teacher, I take the information you give me very seriously. Please use this opportunity to let me know all about your child so that I can meet his/her needs. Don't forget to fill out the backside of the sheet.
Your child has been assigned a lunch number. I will send it home on a slip of paper located in the money pouch inside the white binder on Monday. Don't stress about learning the number by Tuesday. Just practice it. Even if your child will be bringing a lunch from home, still learn the number because it will be used for computer purposes.
Look in Monday's take home binder for a reading log. MPS requires every student to read (or be read to) for 20 minutes five nights a week. (At the McDevitt house, we read at least 20 minutes a night SEVEN nights a week.) Use the reading log daily and initial that reading is being done at your house.
Our lunch time is 10:40-11:05. Please wait until after Labor Day to join us for lunch. It takes us about two weeks to learn the routines. Hot lunches can be purchased for $1.75. Milk is included in that price. Your child can purchase a milk for $.35 to accompany a lunch from home. Remember to label all containers and lunch boxes. Breakfast is served starting at 7:30 for $1.00. You will be notified in writing when your child's lunch account is getting low on money.
Please label ALL money in separate envelopes.
Remember to have PATIENCE for carpool for the first couple of weeks. It does take a while at the beginning but I can promise you that it gets better. To make things go a little bit quicker, make a sign with your child's first and last name and my name. Place the sign in the driver's side window. Just remember PATIENCE! Please return your child's transportation hat each day this week.
In Friday's book bag, you will find a composition notebook that is labeled Poetry Journal. This will come home every Friday. On the inside cover, I have written a note as to how to use the Poetry Journal with your child. Please return the Poetry Journal every Monday. Poems are a fun, quick way to improve reading skills.
On Fridays only, the children may wear jeans and their Blount spirit wear. The only day you can wear the Blount t-shirt is on Fridays. Blount spirit wear can be purchased through the PTA. If you do not have a Blount t-shirt, then you can still wear jeans and a regular uniform top.
I do NOT send home a daily conduct sheet. I will explain my philosophy of classroom discipline at our cluster meeting on September 12. If there is ever a problem I will contact you immediately.
Look to the right of the blog and you will see Shelfari. Our class will be exposed to many excellent books. I will post three of our favorite books from the week on the Shelfari so that you can know the good books we enjoying in the classroom.
Kindergarten is a LONG day. Do not become anxious if your child does not immediately talk about his/her school day. Be patient and let your child unwind. Dinner time or bed time is common for conversations to begin to emerge. Just be encouraging, loving and patient.
Thank you so much for sharing your greatest treasure with me. I know it is difficult to turn your child over to another person for seven hours a day. But I know that Kindergarten is a very joyous place and your child is going to love learning and love school. Thank you for supporting Room 114 and Blount Elementary. Contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I'm so excited to be your child's teacher!
Upcoming events:
8.19: First Day of School and Boo Hoo/Woo Hoo in the library at 8:10
8.28 Spirit Night at Mugshots Restaurant
9.2: No school in observance of Labor Day
9.10 PTA General Membership meeting
9.12 Cluster Meeting for Room 114: choose either 5:30 pm or 7:00 pm to attend. No children please.
9.27 Box Top collection day
10.8 Fall Picture Day
10.17 Blount Fall Festival
I am Lily Brandt's granny in England. I have seen your blog and think it is a great idea. You seem like a very good teacher and I am so pleased that Lily is in your class. She is happy there and this is so important. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMrs Audrey Davies