WELCOME
Welcome to the Kindergarten Program at Fort Saskatchewan Christian School. I am excited about the year God has in store for each of the children as well as for you as parents. Kindergarten is an exciting experience full of new wonders and opportunities. It is important that each child feel loved and affirmed, and that their first school experience is a positive one. It is my prayer that we will become a unified parent-teacher team that has the children’s best interest at heart. I am reminded often of the verse in Psalm 127:3 which says, “Behold, children are a gift from the Lord.” Let us treat them as precious gifts, and work together at making them into all God has designed them to be.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
The philosophy of the Kindergarten program is to help students develop in all areas of their life; spiritually, physically, creatively, socially, emotionally, and academically. This is achieved primarily through play activities (structured and unstructured) which integrate learning in all areas around a monthly theme and skill development emphasis.
GOALS OF THE ACTIVITIY BASED KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
Some of the goals that we will be working towards this year include:
GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS
PARENT HELPERS
Parent helpers are an important part of our Kindergarten Program. There will be a schedule set up, starting in October that will assign each parent a time to come in and assist in the classroom. You will probably have 2 or 3 opportunities throughout the year to come in and assist. Parent volunteers will only be required in the morning. Some of the ways you can help are by cutting, photocopying, wiping tables, sweeping floors, working in small groups and supervising outside. I will be busy with the kids, but our educational assistant will let you know what we need help with for the morning. I realize many of you work and this can be a difficult thing to try and schedule in; if you cannot make it see if a grandparent, aunt, uncle or close friend could come instead. This is an important time for each child, as they feel extra special when someone they know comes in to help.
PARENT COORDINATORS
There are a few areas that we could use extra help in. Some of these areas include:
Roster Coordinator- Schedule in parent helpers for the year
Book Club Coordinator- Hand out scholastic book order forms and collect them each month and send in the orders.
Slideshow for end of year- Someone who is willing to make an end of the year slideshow that parents can have as a keepsake for their child’s kindergarten year. (I will be taking pictures throughout the year that you can use)
Play Dough Helper- Someone to make new play dough for the classroom at the beginning of each month.
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Every month I will send home a newsletter and calendar to inform you of what we will be doing in Kindergarten that month. The letter will also include the monthly Bible Verse, show and tell, field trips and other important information. I will also send home some homework activities that you can do with your child, and a list to mark down books you have read. This is not a requirement and is completely optional. It is meant to be a fun time spent with your child.
LABELING YOUR CHILD’S CLOTHING
Please be sure to label all of your child’s outdoor clothing items. This includes boots, mittens and toques. Costco is a very popular store and many kids have the same coats, mittens etc. If your child’s clothing is not labeled it is very difficult for us to locate lost items. Please also have appropriate clothing for your child to go outside with. We go out for two recesses a day and mornings are quite often chilly. Gloves and hats left in backpacks are a good idea.
LIBRARY
Your child will be going to library once per week. They will be given a library bag to take their books back and forth from school to home. If you have any concerns regarding library books, please talk directly to our librarian, either personally or through e-mail. I am not able to monitor who has what books from the library.
COMMUNICATION FOLDERS
I will be sending home a yellow folder in your child’s backpack. This will hold your child’s work for the day, newsletters and other important information for you to look at. Please keep this folder in your child’s backpack and use it to send notes, office items etc. back to the school. We will check it every morning and will then put it back in your child’s backpack. You can also contact me via e-mail. My e-mail address is [email protected]. It is difficult to reach me by phone during the day, but you can leave a message with our school secretary and I will return your call as soon as I can.
NUT FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT
Fort Christian strives to be a nut friendly environment. Parents and students are asked not to bring in products to school or to a school function which contain nuts or traces of nuts. Nut allergies tend to be fatal, and can be triggered by airborne matter, direct contact or ingestion. Please be aware of this as you pack your child’s lunch. “WOW Butter” is allowed. However, a sticker must be on the sandwich wrap stating it is indeed “Wow Butter”. I believe “Wow Butter” provides stickers for you to use.
BIRTHDAYS
Many parents like to bring in special treats for their child’s birthday. Please remember that if you bring in a treat it has to be a packaged store bought item with the ingredients listed. We are not allowed to bring in homemade or bakery items. This is due to our nut policy. Other items you could consider bringing in would be pencils, balloons, stickers, a book for the class, a CD. If you do plan on bringing in a treat please let me know ahead of time.
LUNCHES
We encourage healthy eating in our classroom. We talk about the different food groups and what are healthy choices to help our bodies grow. Our morning snack is called our” healthy snack” time and each child needs to choose something healthy from their lunch kit (cheese, fruit, vegetables, yogurt). A treat is allowed at lunch time after sandwiches, or the main lunch item has been eaten. Please try to limit how much sugar you are sending your child, as it can cause hyper activity and then fatigue if too much is ingested. We do, at times, hand out treats as rewards in school, however, we try to make this just for special occasions. A water fountain is located outside our classroom door, we encourage children to drink lots of water throughout the day.
Welcome to the Kindergarten Program at Fort Saskatchewan Christian School. I am excited about the year God has in store for each of the children as well as for you as parents. Kindergarten is an exciting experience full of new wonders and opportunities. It is important that each child feel loved and affirmed, and that their first school experience is a positive one. It is my prayer that we will become a unified parent-teacher team that has the children’s best interest at heart. I am reminded often of the verse in Psalm 127:3 which says, “Behold, children are a gift from the Lord.” Let us treat them as precious gifts, and work together at making them into all God has designed them to be.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
The philosophy of the Kindergarten program is to help students develop in all areas of their life; spiritually, physically, creatively, socially, emotionally, and academically. This is achieved primarily through play activities (structured and unstructured) which integrate learning in all areas around a monthly theme and skill development emphasis.
GOALS OF THE ACTIVITIY BASED KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
Some of the goals that we will be working towards this year include:
- Positive self- image and self- confidence in who God has made them
- Opportunities to grow in language development
- Development of mathematical understanding
- Stimulating imagination and creativity through music, drama, art, science, special themes and center based activities
- The establishment of good work habits
- Problem Solving
- The promotion of good health and safety
- The opportunity to develop socially
- Providing a variety of experiences and activities to meet each child’s individual learning needs
GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS
- As a parent-teacher team it is important to keep the lines of communication open. Please come to me first if you have any concerns about the Kindergarten program. I will be more than happy to discuss your concerns with you. I too will come to you if I am experiencing any concerns regarding your child. Also, let’s remember to keep the integrity of each child that is in the class and not discuss each other’s children in a negative manner. Parenting is a hard job; let’s encourage and build each other up.
- Each child develops at a different rate, as a parent please try not to compare your child with other siblings, or with other kids in the class. This can be very damaging on a child and can lessen their self-worth. Let’s treat each child as the special and unique child God has created them to be.
- Be Positive! Look for strengths and abilities in your child and encourage them in them. Talk about their strengths with them.
- In order for the learning of your child to progress, please be sure your child attends school on a regular basis. Please try to schedule your child’s appointments outside of school time whenever possible. Also please try to be on time for drop off and pick up. Children become anxious when they are not arriving or leaving when the other children do.
- Please inform me of any concerns you have about your child i.e. excessive bathroom use, allergies, fears or phobias, family situations.
- Spend time with your child reinforcing what has been done in school. I will send home a monthly newsletter about what is being covered, as well as a homework calendar with fun and easy activities you can do with your child. Above all, spend time reading with your child, the benefits are endless!
PARENT HELPERS
Parent helpers are an important part of our Kindergarten Program. There will be a schedule set up, starting in October that will assign each parent a time to come in and assist in the classroom. You will probably have 2 or 3 opportunities throughout the year to come in and assist. Parent volunteers will only be required in the morning. Some of the ways you can help are by cutting, photocopying, wiping tables, sweeping floors, working in small groups and supervising outside. I will be busy with the kids, but our educational assistant will let you know what we need help with for the morning. I realize many of you work and this can be a difficult thing to try and schedule in; if you cannot make it see if a grandparent, aunt, uncle or close friend could come instead. This is an important time for each child, as they feel extra special when someone they know comes in to help.
PARENT COORDINATORS
There are a few areas that we could use extra help in. Some of these areas include:
Roster Coordinator- Schedule in parent helpers for the year
Book Club Coordinator- Hand out scholastic book order forms and collect them each month and send in the orders.
Slideshow for end of year- Someone who is willing to make an end of the year slideshow that parents can have as a keepsake for their child’s kindergarten year. (I will be taking pictures throughout the year that you can use)
Play Dough Helper- Someone to make new play dough for the classroom at the beginning of each month.
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Every month I will send home a newsletter and calendar to inform you of what we will be doing in Kindergarten that month. The letter will also include the monthly Bible Verse, show and tell, field trips and other important information. I will also send home some homework activities that you can do with your child, and a list to mark down books you have read. This is not a requirement and is completely optional. It is meant to be a fun time spent with your child.
LABELING YOUR CHILD’S CLOTHING
Please be sure to label all of your child’s outdoor clothing items. This includes boots, mittens and toques. Costco is a very popular store and many kids have the same coats, mittens etc. If your child’s clothing is not labeled it is very difficult for us to locate lost items. Please also have appropriate clothing for your child to go outside with. We go out for two recesses a day and mornings are quite often chilly. Gloves and hats left in backpacks are a good idea.
LIBRARY
Your child will be going to library once per week. They will be given a library bag to take their books back and forth from school to home. If you have any concerns regarding library books, please talk directly to our librarian, either personally or through e-mail. I am not able to monitor who has what books from the library.
COMMUNICATION FOLDERS
I will be sending home a yellow folder in your child’s backpack. This will hold your child’s work for the day, newsletters and other important information for you to look at. Please keep this folder in your child’s backpack and use it to send notes, office items etc. back to the school. We will check it every morning and will then put it back in your child’s backpack. You can also contact me via e-mail. My e-mail address is [email protected]. It is difficult to reach me by phone during the day, but you can leave a message with our school secretary and I will return your call as soon as I can.
NUT FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT
Fort Christian strives to be a nut friendly environment. Parents and students are asked not to bring in products to school or to a school function which contain nuts or traces of nuts. Nut allergies tend to be fatal, and can be triggered by airborne matter, direct contact or ingestion. Please be aware of this as you pack your child’s lunch. “WOW Butter” is allowed. However, a sticker must be on the sandwich wrap stating it is indeed “Wow Butter”. I believe “Wow Butter” provides stickers for you to use.
BIRTHDAYS
Many parents like to bring in special treats for their child’s birthday. Please remember that if you bring in a treat it has to be a packaged store bought item with the ingredients listed. We are not allowed to bring in homemade or bakery items. This is due to our nut policy. Other items you could consider bringing in would be pencils, balloons, stickers, a book for the class, a CD. If you do plan on bringing in a treat please let me know ahead of time.
LUNCHES
We encourage healthy eating in our classroom. We talk about the different food groups and what are healthy choices to help our bodies grow. Our morning snack is called our” healthy snack” time and each child needs to choose something healthy from their lunch kit (cheese, fruit, vegetables, yogurt). A treat is allowed at lunch time after sandwiches, or the main lunch item has been eaten. Please try to limit how much sugar you are sending your child, as it can cause hyper activity and then fatigue if too much is ingested. We do, at times, hand out treats as rewards in school, however, we try to make this just for special occasions. A water fountain is located outside our classroom door, we encourage children to drink lots of water throughout the day.