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- Welcome Letter
- First Day Poem
- FISH Folder
- Money
- Lunch
- Snack
- Transportation
- Attendance
- Field Trips
- Birthdays
- Clothing
- Quiet Time
- Homework
- Take Home Readers
- Library
- Scholastic Book Clubs
- Report Card
- Contact Information
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Welcome Letter
September 2008
Dear Families,
I want to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to my classroom. Each new year is
an exciting adventure for me, and I am looking forward to getting to know you and your child.
The beginning of a school year is an exciting time in the lives of children, especially Kindergarten
students. I have prepared this handbook to answer many questions you may have concerning
procedures in my classroom and in our school. Please keep this handbook in the FISH notebook and
refer to it when appropriate. Please let me know if you have any questions.
I hope that you will be able to visit our classroom from time to time. I look forward to
establishing the best possible learning environment for your child. With teamwork and cooperation
among families, teachers, and students, we will all have a WONDERFUL year!!
Sincerely,
Tracy Trainor
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First Day Poem
First Day Poem
Every one has a “First Day”
When they feel sad and all alone.
It can be so scary
When you’re out on your own.
Take my hankie, dry your tears.
You’ll find lots of things to do
And you’ll probably make new friends.
I promise we’ll be together
When the school day ends.
Here comes the teacher,
Blow your nose and be brave.
Come on now wipe your eyes,
This is no way to behave.
“Well, good morning teacher.
We really must beg your pardon.
No, they don’t always act this way.
But it’s my first day of KINDERGARTEN!!!!!!”
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FISH Folder
FISH FOLDER
Every day, your child will bring to school and bring home from school a FISH folder. Inside you will
find any important notices, homework, completed work, lunch/breakfast calendar, special area
schedule, reading/math charts, family/teacher communication and other important information.
Please review your child’s folder EACH day.
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Money
MONEY
Periodically, your child will bring money to school for lunch, milk,
field trips, Book Club orders, etc. When sending money to school, be sure to use an envelope or
ziplock bag CLEARLY MARKED WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME, WHAT THE MONEY IS FOR, AND THE
AMOUNT ENCLOSED. Make sure to put the envelope in the money pouch of the FISH folder. Please
send exact change when sending cash.
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Lunch
LUNCH
The cost of student lunch is $1.75 per day. (*Please follow the
money procedures outlined above). You can prepay for your child’s
lunches online (Information to follow)
Menus are sent home every month and are available online at menandsschool.nycap.rr.com/files/
menu.pdf Please help your child select his/her choice before coming to school each day.
If your child brings his/her lunch from home, please label the box or bag. Milk may be purchased
for $.40 or you may send a non-
carbonated, low-sugar beverage from home.
You are always welcome to join us for lunch, however, PLEASE GIVE US A FEW WEEKS TO ESTABLISH
OUR ROUTINE BEFORE VISITING. When you arrive, please sign in at the office and meet us at the
entrance to the dining room at 11:18 recess or 11:36 lunch. Our lunch period is 20 minutes long.
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Snack
SNACK
We have a short 10 minute snack break every morning and afternoon. Please provide 2 small,
nutritious, self-serve snacks for your child daily. We ask that you refrain from sending in cookies,
chips, lunchables, candy, or similar snacks.
We suggest choosing from the following snacks:
• sliced vegetables/fruit
• nuts or dried fruit
• dry cereal
pretzels/crackers
• granola bars/low-sugar breakfast bars
Clearly label your child’s snack bag with his/her name. If you are sending lunch with your child,
please make sure that snack and lunch are NOT in the same bag. This helps avoid confusion about
what is for lunch and what is for snack.
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Transportation
TRANSPORTATION
Please remember to NOTIFY ME IN WRITING if there are
changes in the way your child will be going home from school.
Without written instruction from you, I will send your child home
or to the YMCA in the usual manner (I cannot accept verbal changes from your child or a sibling).
PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL TRANSPORTATION CHANGES!!!! I cannot guarantee that I will have an
opportunity to check my email prior to dismissal. Additionally, guest teachers do not have access to
my email account. If a last minute transportation change arises, please call the front office BEFORE
2:30 and they will notify me.
If you want to walk your child to the room on the first day, I understand. However, I feel it is
best for everyone if you allow your child to walk independently after the first week of school.
Independence is an important skill learned in Kindergarten.
Don’t forget, your child must be in the classroom by 8:20 to avoid tardiness. Dismissal is at 2:55. If
you pick up your child at the end of the school day, please wait in the lobby where your child will
meet you.
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Attendance
ATTENDANCE
Your child should be at school every day unless he/she is sick or
observing a religious holiday. If your child is sick, or misses school
for any reason, please send a note so that we determine if it is an
excused or unexcused absence. If your child is not feeling well, has
had a fever during the last 24 hours, or is in any way contagious, PLEASE allow him/her to stay home
from school as we want your child and the rest of the class and teachers to stay healthy. If you take
your child to the doctor, please ask the doctor for a school excuse note.
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Field Trips
FIELD TRIPS
Throughout the year, we will schedule trips into the community to
enhance our curriculum. Permission slips and cost information will
be sent home prior to each trip. Transportation is provided by
the school. We will let you know as plans are finalized!
You will have the opportunity to volunteer to be a chaperone for a field trip. Due to space
requirements, the number of chaperones will be limited for each trip. When the field trip permission
slip is distributed, if you are interested in chaperoning please let us know as soon as possible.
Chaperones will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. If we have more volunteers than
spaces, we will take out names of parents who have already chaperoned a trip and then draw names.
Please understand that we will make every attempt to give each parent the opportunity to go on at
least one trip.
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Birthdays
BIRTHDAYS
I know how special birthdays are for you and your child. We will
recognize birthdays at school in an appropriate manner. Please let
me know ahead of time if you wish to send in a special snack for
the class on your child’s birthday. Since it will be enjoyed during
our regular morning snack time, muffins, nutrigrain bars, granola bars and fruit make wonderful
treats. Please do not send in cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, etc. (July – August birthdays will
be celebrated the last week of school!).
Thank you for your cooperation.
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Clothing
CLOTHING
Kindergartners are involved in activities that require jumping,
running, climbing and the like. Tennis shoes with laces or Velcro
closures are required for PE days. Please keep in mind that your
child will participate in outdoor activities daily and flip-flops, slip-
ons, pumps, clogs, and similar style shoes often pose a danger to your child. Since we try to
maximize the time we have, we cannot help your child change shoes for recess or P.E. Therefore, it
is best to send your child in shoes that are appropriate for daily recess. In class, students will be
painting, using markers, using glue, working with play dough, and other “messy” stuff. Please select
clothing that is both comfortable and appropriate for these activities.
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Quiet Time
QUIET TIME
Kindergartners are busy people during the school day! We use our
brains and bodies to learn and play. As a result, we need time to
rest and re-energize. Your child will have a short 25-35 minute
rest period each day. Please do not send in blankets or stuffed friends for your child to sleep with.
These items are among the worst carriers of lice and other critters and NOBODY wants that! Your
child is not required to sleep but must relax in his/her own space quietly and not disturb the other
children. The lights are turned off and soft music fills the room so you might be surprised to find
out you have a sleeper!
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Homework
HOMEWORK
As children enter Kindergarten, they are eager and ready to learn.
Kindergarten homework lays the foundation for good work habits in
later years. Furthermore, positive homework helps establish the
home-school connection and involves families as partners in their child’s daily learning experiences.
Your child will begin receiving homework after the first six weeks of school.
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Take Home Readers
TAKE HOME READERS PROGRAM
After we assess your child’s independent reading level, your child
will begin taking a small book home each night to practice reading.
These books are simple and are designed to help your child develop reading fluency. Your child
should have VERY LITTLE difficulty reading the text. By providing your child a nightly opportunity to
practice oral reading, he/she will be able to focus on fluency and comprehension. Since not all
children will be ready for independent reading at the same time, you will be notified when the
program begins for your child. A more detailed description of Take Home Readers will be sent home
at that time.
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Library
LIBRARY
By now you can probably tell we are firm believers that children
benefit from being surrounded by books. In addition to the Take
Home Readers, your child will visit the school Library once each week.
He/she will be permitted to check out one book during each visit. Please help your child find a safe
place to keep his/her library book at home. Please ensure your child returns his/her book each week
so that he/she is able to check out a new one.
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Scholastic Book Clubs
SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUBS
I’m sure you all can relate to the excitement we all experience when we crack open the spine of a
new book. That excitement is amplified for our new readers! Each month, we will send home a
catalog (or 2) from Scholastic Book Clubs. This program provides parents an inexpensive way to add
books to their children’s home libraries while benefiting our class. With each purchase, our class
earns Bonus Points, which can be exchanged for books for our classroom.
Take a quick tour of our classroom library and you will see for yourself how beneficial this program
has been for our classroom over the years. A more detailed description of the program will be sent
home with the first catalog. Please keep in mind that you are under no obligation to purchase
materials from Scholastic Book Clubs.
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Report Card
REPORT CARD
Your child will only receive a report card the 2nd and 4th quarter. At the end of the 1st and 3rd
quarter you will have the opportunity to meet with us.
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Contact Information
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you need to contact me you have three options:
1. Notes: Please place any notes in your child’s folder. This is the easiest way!
2. Email: ttrainor@menands.org I will check my email daily, but please do not email me if you need
an IMMEDIATE response as I often check our mail in the morning and after school so I may not get
your message until the next school day.
3. Phone Tracy 465-4561 X153: Please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as I can.
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