Tips!

How can I best prepare my child for kindergarten?

Below is an excerpt from an article we found on the PBS website by Ann C. Barbour, author of Learning at Home - PreK-3. She has great tips for helping your child successfully transition to Kindergarten.

There are many components of kindergarten readiness, most of which are not generally considered to be "academic"; even though they directly influence how children learn. These include:

• Self-care, self-help and motor skills (for example, dressing oneself,holding a pencil, and cutting with scissors)
• Playing well with others, relating positively to adults, and using language to express needs and wants
• Curiosity and eagerness to learn
• Self-regulation skills (for example, controlling imposes, paying attention, following directions, handling frustrations, and negotiating solutions to problems)
• Letter, shape, color, and rhyming word recognition, counting objects to 10, writing own first name

Given these skills, you'll be supporting your child's readiness when you:

• Talk often with him/her and respond to their questions
• Encourage active play, especially pretend play with other children
• READ, READ READ to your child every day! Talk about the words in books, ask him/her to predict what will happen in the stories and to make up stories of their own
• Provide pencils, markers, crayons, and blank paper for drawing and "writing"
• Make things together out of empty food containers, markers, tape and glue
• Play guessing games with him/her
• Go places together, encourage him/her to notice things in their surroundings, and talk about all the interesting things there are to see and do
• Use everyday activities to point our words and numbers
• Encourage their independence in managing daily tasks and helping with household chores like setting the table
• Limit screen time (TV and video games) to allow time for more active learning experiences

You can also help your child prepare for the actual transition to kindergarten by talking about what will happen. What will his/her routine be like? What friends will also be there? Reading library books about starting kindergarten can start conversations about this step in your child's life. Encourage their questions and expressions of feelings, but be careful not to transmit any anxieties you may have. Children can easily "catch" adults' emotional responses.

Travel the route he/she will take to and from school, and arrange a visit. Most schools encourage this. Take your child to play on the school playground, and if possible, arrange play dates. If your child's teacher is available during the summer, schedule a time to meet one on one at school. These will all help ease your child's worries and fears prior to the first day of kindergarten.

--Ann C. Barbour, author of Learning at Home - PreK-3

……of Kindergarten

• Kindergarten Orientation Night for Parents: Tuesday, 8/19/14 @6:00pm

Parents are invited to come to our school and meet both of the kindergarten teachers. We will have an introduction to our program and tell you all about what to expect the first week of school. This is the time where parents will be able to schedule a screening time.

• "Meet and Greet": Friday, 8/22/14 (time TBA)

Come with your child to see our classroom and spend time with their teacher and new friends. This is designed as an open house for you to come for a few minutes any time during the hour. This is also a time when you can drop off any classroom supplies. Hopefully this will help ease the first day jitters for you and your child!

• Kindergarten Screening: Monday, 8/25/14 and Tuesday, 8/26/14 By Appointment Only

The screening will take approximately one hour and will be held in our classroom. Parents are asked to drop their child off in the school lobby where a teacher will greet him/her. It is a basic skills inventory to help us plan to meet all students needs at the beginning of the year. Parents may stay in the lobby or leave, but will need to fill out a questionnaire.

• First Day of Kindergarten: Wednesday, 8/27/14

On the first day of school we meet outside on the pavement to the side of the school. If your child takes the bus to school, the teachers will get on the bus and take your child to our class line. If you will be dropping your child off at school, bring your child to their teacher outside in line. We will then have an all school meeting and begin our day. Prepare your child to say good-bye to you outside.

• Our Day:

Our kindergarten day begins at 8:30am and ends at 1:30pm. Students can ride the bus to school, but there is no bus to take them home. Parents need to pick up students at 1:30pm in the school lobby. You can find your child's bus schedule on the district website: www.sau16.org

Dismissal:

Kindergarten will be dismissed at 1:30pm. Please come in to our school lobby and wait for our K line to walk down. Teachers will dismiss children one by one. Other classrooms and the school office will still be working at this time, so I ask you to be mindful of them.

Lunch and Snack:

Your child can bring a lunch from home or purchase hot lunch. Menu and payment information will be sent home to you in the EKES Weekly. Milk can be purchased separately from hot lunch for those bringing lunch but wanting milk. Please send a healthy snack each day, as well. Our snack time is meant to be a quick energy boost. One drink and one snack will be suffice.

Chessie Leone

Kindergarten Teacher

East Kingston Elementary School

Contact Information

School Phone: (603) 642 - 3511 Extension 23

School Fax: (603) 642 - 6338

Email: cleone@sau16.org

School Website:

http://eks.sau16.org

Class Website:

http://ekkindergartenkids.blogspot.com

Kindergarten Supply List

	One 12 pack of assorted color markers *To be shared		One 24 pack of assorted twistable crayons *To be shared
	4 large glue sticks		1-2 bottles of school glue
	1 flexible 1inch binder, any color *Child’s poetry binder that they will carry back and forth to school (flexible/easy to manage)		1 Pack of 50 sheet protectors *These go inside the poetry binder
	1 large 3-ring 3-inch binder with clear plastic cover on outside, any color *Child’s portfolio -Please label this with his/her name on inside of cover		1 package of 8 page dividers *Dividers are for separating child’s work in their portfolio
	1 large box of tissues *We will need these throughout the year		2 anti-bacterial wipes – any kind *We will need these throughout the year

These items are a request. If you are unable to purchase these supplies please let me know and I can make arrangements. I will be providing your child with their home-school folder with information to be used throughout the year. THANK YOU! J

Upcoming K Events:

Kindergarten Orientation Night
Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 @6:00pm
-Parents only
-Learn about our program
-Schedule a screening time
-Ask questions
-Review student supply list

"Meet and Greet"
Friday, August 22nd, 2014
-Bring your child to our classroom to look around, spend time with their teacher and some new friends!

Kindergarten Screenings by appointment
Monday, August 25th and Tuesday, August 26th

FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN :)
Wednesday, August 27th

Welcome Letter

Hi! :) I’m Miss Leone, your kindergarten teacher.

I am so excited to begin our adventure in kindergarten! We are going to have a fun and happy year together. I hope you are as excited as I am! Are you ready to learn? 

I remember what my first day of kindergarten was like. I was nervous, but super excited to meet my teacher and make some new friends! Here is a picture of me on my first day.

Some of my favorite things are being at the beach, reading fun books, playing with my cat, Lily, traveling to new places, and meeting new people! I wonder what your favorite things are.

Have a happy, safe, and fun summer. I can’t wait for kindergarten to start!

Love,

Miss Leone

Hello Kindergarten Families :)

I cannot wait to begin our year together in kindergarten! We are going to have such a fun year learning in our classroom, K-L. This will be our class blog where I post all of our daily happenings. Enjoy!