I am looking forward to getting to know you and your child! This handbook may answer some of the questions you may have and will be a good future reference.

Kindergarten is a year of growing socially, emotionally,physically, and intellectually.  Your involvement, interest, and enthusiasm will help make this a wonderful year of growth for you and your child.

A child’s first and most important teacher is his or her parents.  Communication between parents and teachers is essential.  Please call or send a note if you have a question or concern.

Take a moment to imagine the kindergarten world: letters, numbers,stories, sharing blocks, puzzles, play, paint, and play dough.  Imagination and creativity are everywhere.  As you talk with your child about their day and celebrate their best effort on the work they do, remember that Kindergarten is a “child’s garden.” Many times the process is more important than the product, and learning is accomplished by doing, touching, and experiencing.

Sincerely,

 Lisa Jarosh

The ABC’s of Kindergarten

A  If your child is absent from school, please send in an excuse the day your child returns. If your child has allergies to food or other things, please inform the school in writing so that we may be aware.

We will also visit Atria’s Assisted Living during the year.

B  We will assume that your child will be riding the bus, going home by car, or going to Crib to Crayons each school day. If there is a change in plans, we must have a note!  If your child will be going to a friend’s house, both parents should send notes. If you will be picking up your child, please be in the car rider line at Door 7 by 11:25 for our half day students and 2:50 for  our all day students. Please stay in your car. A teacher or older student will escort your child safely to the car.

Your child’s birthday will be a special day in our room! If you would like to send a birthday treat for the class you may but it is optional. Please include napkins for the class when sending in a treat. We encourage healthy treats!

Each child must have a book bag each day of school. Your child’s folder should be kept there at all times and checked by you daily.

On our early dismissal days, your child will go to the bake sale. Please send in 25 cents in an envelope with your child’s name.

C Conferences are held in November, January, and April each year. We are always available if other questions or concerns arise during the course of the year.

A change of clothes needs to be kept in your child’s cubby during the year. Please place these in a large zip lock baggie with your child’s name.

D  Kindergarten is a busy place that can sometimes get messy! Dress your child so they are ready for action! Tennis shoes need to be worn on gym days. We will go outside for recess after lunch so please make sure your child is dressed for the weather.

Ourform of discipline is a colored cardsystem. Each day the children start with a green card. If a child chooses tobreak a rule after a verbal reminder, his/her card will be changed to yellow.Continued misbehavior will result in the card changing to blue and finally pink.(If a pink card is warranted, you will be notified by me that day.) The studentcan earn his/her green card back by improving his/her behavior except whengiven a pink card.

Childrenwho are doing a GREAT job will have their cards changed to purple for positivereinforcement. He or she may then have the opportunity to pick a prize from ourtreasure chest.  If all the children areon green or purple, we get to move the monkey across our alphabet! Once themonkey gets to Zz we will have a class party!

Delays and cancellations… please refer to your Parent Handbook for a detailed explanation.

E  Everything should come to school in an envelope with your child’s name on it.

F  We will be going on field trips during the school year. You may sign up to be a chaperone. We try our best to accommodate everyone who would like to go.

G  Your child will be introduced to the procedure Give Me Five! This is an ideal way to get the class’s attention and teach proper classroom manners.

H  Homework will at times be given in Kindergarten. This is a way to help teach your child responsibility at an early age.

We are also in need of Helping Hands for the classroom. Please feel free to sign up!

I  Your child will be learning eight I Can! classroom rules. Please reinforce these at home to help make our classroom run smoothly.

J  Kindergarten graduation is held in June or late May and the date will be announced as soon as we know. This is a wonderful celebration of all the children have learned during their Kindergarten year!

K  Our daily Kindergarten routine is very flexible. Each morning we will have instruction in reading, math, and religion. We will also attend gym class,music, art, library, and computer class each week.  We will also incorporate social studies and science into our curriculum.

L  Lunch is $2.50 with an additional $.50 if your child would like a snack after lunch. If your child is packing,

he/she may purchase milk for $.50, also. You may pay daily,weekly, or monthly. The Menu~News~Notes is sent home each Friday.

Please label everything your child plans to bring to school. This will help your child’s things find their way home!

M  Your child may safely enter the building after

7:30 a.m. If your child arrives to school before 8:00, he/she will wait in the cafeteria where teachers are on Morning Watch. At 8:00 the children are escorted to their homeroom.The morning bell rings at 8:10.

N  Occasionally, we will send home notes with your child. When we do, we will place them inside their folder. When you send notes, please do the same. Then we will always know whereto look!

O   We will send home See Saw book orders each month. Remember they are completely optional.  Please return the completed order along with a check made out to the book club in an envelope with your child’s name on it.  You may also order online.

P  Parent Involvement – your child’s success is linked to your involvement in their learning.  Please plan on being involved not only in our classroom but with our wonderful PTO.

Q  If you have any questions, you can may send in a note to school, call 412-881-2958,or email me at www.st-elizabth.org.

R  Rest time is essential to our full day students. We have mats for the children to lie on but we ask that you send in a small beach towel to lie over the mat. We also allow one toy or “lovey” that your child may lay with. Your child does not need to sleep but we do ask that they rest quietly.

Report cards are given out in January, March, and June with a Progress Report sent home in November.

S   Your child was given his/her own supplies on the first day of school. We do ask that you send in a $10 supply fee to cover the cost of the pencils,crayons, glue sticks, and scissors that will be used over the course of the year. We also will be in need of classroom supplies at different times during the year and will send home requests as needed.

Each child will have an opportunity during the school year to be the Student of the Week.

T  Our special teddy bear, Buttercup, will be making home visits this year. He will come home in his special St. Elizabeth bag with his set of instructions. Please include him in your family activities and send him back on the next school day.Buttercup has a journal so parents can write down the things he does with your family. Photos would be great! Each child will be asked to take good care of Buttercup and his things and to report back to the class his adventures.

U  Unique- “There are millions of people all over the place, but no one else with exactly my face.”  Each child will bring to school their special qualities and strengths.  We will build on them during the school year.

V  There will be opportunities for parents to come and help in the classroom or at home. We will ask for volunteers as the need arises.

W  A weekly peek at the week will be emailed to you. (Or a paper copy will be sent home if you do not use email) This will list the week’s activities, important dates,skills being taught, and other bits of information. Please refer to this as questions occur or for daily reminders.

You may also check my link on our web site at www.st-elizabth.org by clicking on my name.

X  EXciting!

Y  Younger siblings are discouraged from attending field trips with us but are more than welcome when you are volunteering in the classroom.

Z  ZZZ Help your child get plenty of sleep each night so they are rested and ready for a busy day at school!

You were six months old and full of fun

With a blink of my eye, you were suddenly one!

There were so many things we were going to do,

But I turned my head and you turned two.

At two you were very dependent on me,

But independence took over when you turned three.

Your third birthday, another year I tried to ignore,

But I lit the candles, there weren’t three but four.

Four was the year you really strived,

Why, look at you now, you’re already five.

Now you are ready for books and for rules,

This is the year that you go to school.

The big day came, you were anxious to go,

We walked to the bus, going oh, so slow.

As you climbed aboard and waved good-bye,

I felt a lump in my throat and tears stung my eyes.

Time goes by so fast,

It’s hard to believe that just yesterday you were home with me.

And tomorrow when the bus brings you home you jump to the ground,

You’ll be wearing your cap and graduation gown.

So I’m holding to these moments as hard as I can,

Because the next time I look, I’ll be seeing a man.

~ Robert Fulghum