First newsletter

September 4th 2013

Chers parents,

Bonjour et bienvenue à la maternelle! Welcome to kindergarten! This is an exciting time for kindergarten students and their families. I look forward to getting to know you and your children better. Let me introduce myself:

My name is Jennifer Wallace. I first came to École Victoria and the beginning of January 2009 following a maternity leave from teaching French Immersion Kindergarten at École Rivers Heights School. I am very pleased to be working in this community and have a child who is also attending here.  We have wonderful staff and students at École Victoria and I am glad that I am a part of this school.   I am excited about starting this year.

I hope you will find the following information about classroom procedures helpful:

BELONGINGS: Please label all your child's belongings that come to school including sweaters, hats, mitts, jackets, knapsacks and especially runners and boots.  Please send shoes that have velcro rather than lace-ups.  This makes getting in and out for recess much easier.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: If you are dropping off or picking up your child, please use the front entrance. If you arrive early for the start of class the expectation is that students wait outside on the supervised playground until the bell has gone.

If your child takes the bus, please remember to contact your child's bus driver if he or she does not need transportation on a certain day. We will be sure that all bus students are safely on the bus at the end of the kindergarten day. Please let me know in a note as well if there are changes.

ABSENCES: If your child will not be attending school or if there is any change in the normal routine, please call the school to let us know.

BIRTHDAYS: If your child is having a birthday and you wish to send a snack for the class, please let me know in advance. Children with summer birthdays may wish to celebrate their "half birthday" (i.e. July 16th= January 16th). Please send a note in advance so that time can be set aside on that day. *It is very important to let me know if your child has allergies so that others parents and teachers can be made aware of this. Please do not send snacks or treats containing nuts or nut products.*

SNACKS: Your child should bring a small nutritious snack to school. Some suggestions include apple slices (half is usually plenty) or other fruit, a piece of cheese, crackers, carrot sticks, raisins, an oatmeal cookie, granola bar or a small muffin. For drinks, please send water bottles.  If you wish to send juice, please use a reusable Rubbermaid drink box or other similar spill-proof drink box.

COMMUNICATION: Your child’s two-pocket folder or “dossier” which will be used as the primary method of communication between home and school. Please check your child's dossier each day and remove everything from the right-hand pocket. For example, a t-shirt letter will be sent home with this letter to indicate your child's upcoming special day. If you wish to return forms or send a note/letter for our attention, please place them in the right-hand pocket. Please return the dossier to your child's backpack each day. I can also be contacted by e-mail: wallacej@spsd.sk.ca We will also have a classroom blog that I will send the web address in a newsletter.

At the beginning of each month your child will receive a class calendar and newsletter. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the school. If I am not available at the time of your call, I will return your call as soon as possible. Good communication from home and school is an essential part of any successful classroom!

PARENT VOLUNTEERS: I always welcome parent involvement. Volunteers are especially needed on out of school excursions.   I will inform parents as soon as possible of outings.  If you have a project, cultural experience, a special talent or a story, please feel free to come and share that with our kindergarten class.  I am also looking for a parent to act as room parent for our Home and School Association. Please let me know if you are interested in this position.

LITERACY FOR LIFE: We have received extensive training for our Literacy for Life initiative. This includes a program called PWIM(Picture Word Inductive Model) or MIMI (Méthode Inductive de Mots Illustrés). MIMI and phonics strategies are integrated into our program in learning the alphabet and learning to read. In addition to MIMI, I encourage students to read at home, (or be read to) on a daily basis. In kindergarten, a child who reads a book in his or her own way (by memory, inventive storytelling, along with pictures…) can also count as a book read. I encourage parents to try reading with your child for 20 minutes at home each day.

 MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT: Wednesday September 18th—Welcome Back—Meet the Staff Evening.  I am truly looking forward to greeting you on this evening.  Please have your son or daughter introduce you if they haven’t already done so! 

 

THIS MONTH the two themes we will focus on are: C’est moi! (All About Me) and Les couleurs (Colours).  On the calendar is your child’s special day—on which he or she can bring a baby photo.  For the colour days children can wear the designated colour on that day.  We are hoping to go on a walking field trip to Pooh Corner at Frances Morrison Library soon.  If you would like to join us as a parent volunteer please let me know.  Thank you and I look forward to the days ahead!  Bonne Rentrée!

Sincèrement,

Votre enseignante de la maternelle,    Mme Jennifer Wallace