Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. What supplies will my child need?
2. Do I really need to write my child's name on each crayon?
3. Why not washable crayons?
4. What if my child doesn't nap?
5. Why are their two first days for students?
6. Do you have an aide?
7. What is Parent's Night?
8. What is the daily routine?
9. How do you teach reading?
10. What specials will they have?
11. What will my child miss if they leave at 1:30?
12. What will they need for winter recess?

What supplies will my child need?

PLEASE have your child's name on everything:

*1 Box of Regular 24 colors only.  Please write your child's name on each 
crayon.  No washable colors crayons

*Crayon container (plastic container no larger than 5"x8")

*Prang Glue - green  (available in school store) and one jumbo glue stick

*Art Smock (long sleeve shirt with elastic sleeves).  May be purchased in 
school store.

*no scissors are needed, they will be provided.

*Tote bag/back pack (Large enough to carry folder 9"x12" and lunch box.

*Rug -multi-color nylon woven (approximately 24"x44") No plastic mats, 
larger rugs, or sleeping bag types.

*Crib size blanket, for cover.  There is not room to store larger ones or 
pillows.

*One large box of plain tissues, and a container of sanitizing wipes.

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Do I really need to write my child's name on each crayon?

The students work in such close proximity to each other, that it is not 
unusual to have supplies accidently mixed, or dropped on the ground.  It helps us to 
return supplies to the correct owner and saves frustration for your child 
when they can't find just the color they wanted.  Every year I fill up a tub 
with "lost" crayons, when names haven't been on them.

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Why not washable crayons?

We love to watercolor in kindergarten, and we many times color first and then 
paint over it.  We have found that when they use washable crayons and then 
watercolor over it, their beautiful drawing disappears.

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What if my child doesn't nap?

Our rest time is a quiet time... which by that time of day is needed by all after 
a day's hard work.  I don't require the students to sleep, but I do expect 
them to not keep others who are tired from sleeping.  I play tapes or stories and they are 
permitted to bring a stuffed animal to rest with.

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Why are their two first days for students?

A summer is a long time in the life of 5-6 yrs old, so even if they had went 
to school for PK, it is still an adjustment to return to school and a new 
teacher.  Also many of the students had not stayed all day before.  By 
having their own first day we are hoping to make it easier on them to 
adjust to being at school again.  It will also help us to get to know them 
better too.

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Do you have an aide?

 This year the aide will be Mrs. Puckett, who has been the kindergarten aide for 
several years.  She will be shared between the two kindergarten classes.

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What is Parent's Night?

Parent's Night is a time when parents come to school and the children stay 
home.  It is a time to hear what we hope to accomplish this year, ask 
questions, sign up to help, and mingle with each other.  PK-2 generally 
start earlier, then there is a time for 3-6 later.  You would go to your child's 
classroom at the designated time.  If you have specific questions, you hope 
that I cover, please let me know ahead of time and I'll try to make sure I 
cover it, or answer you specifically.

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What is the daily routine?

ARRIVAL
Students can begin entering the classrooms when the bell rings at 8:45. (If 
they arrive before 8:45, they are to wait in the gym with other students).  
As the students enter the room, they are to hang up their things, turn in 
their Red folder, and get ready to begin the day.
At 8:55 the quiet bell rings, and students should be in the room and be 
ready to begin the day.  
At 9:00 the tardy bell rings, attendance and lunch orders are taken.
OPENING:
Pledges and prayer and calendar time. We listen to the morning 
announcements. 
Then it is Bible time.  For Bible time we have stories from the Bible, 
songs, fingerplays and action rhymes.  We practice the weekly Bible memory verse.
MORNING:
The majority of the morning is spent in activities that promote reading and 
readiness skills.  We have thematic centers, art projects, poems, books and 
manipulatives that emphasize the letter we are currently learning. Some days 
we will have specials sometimes in the morning.
LUNCH and RECESS:
We have lunch from 11:15 to 11:40.  Recess follows after lunch.  Unless it 
is raining or the wind chill is too low, most days we have recess outside.
AFTERNOON:
When we return to the class after recess, we have handwriting readiness (later printing), and math 
readiness.  We also will have either science or social studies.
1:30 Early dismissal, some students will leave at 1:30.
Sometime between 1:30 to 1:45, the students will begin a quiet time for about 45 min at the 
beginning of the year. 
We will then have centers or story time, and fruit break. At 3:25, the students that 
are not going home on a bus, will be taken to the gym for parents to pick 
them up or they will stay in evening day care.

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How do you teach reading?

We use the Letter People curriculum to teach phonics and reading readiness 
skills.  We also teach frequently used sight words, that are used in our 
stories along the way.  We enrich the curriculum with centers, art projects 
and literature that is thematic with the letter. You can reinforce these 
skills by saving the books the students bring home and having them practice 
reading them to you.  Some parents keep them in a box for the children to 
have their own library of early readers.

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What specials will they have?

The students will have library once a week, where they will hear a story or 
lesson and check out a book.  The books remain at school and a 5th grade
reading buddy will read it to them.  They will have gym twice a week (they 
will all need to wear gym shoes those days, and girls will need to wear 
shorts under their jumpers, if they wear one).  They will have Technology, Spanish, 
Music and Art once a week.  Friday mornings the whole school 
will have Chapel together.

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What will my child miss if they leave at 1:30?

Many parents have asked this question when trying to decide whether to take 
them home early.  After 1:30, I try not to introduce new concepts, but just 
enrichment or review of already presented concepts.  We also have a quiet 
time and fruit break.  Some parents have taken their child home everyday or just 
1,2 or 3 days a week early.  It can be a long day for some children, especially if 
they are not use to being gone from home 5 full days. Some parents chose 
Mondays (to recuperate from a busy weekend, or Wednesday and/or Thursday if 
they are up late for Wednesday night church.  You know your 
child best and what as a family you can do, I need you to just be consistent 
in what you chose, for lesson planning purposes.  If there is a special 
event happening that I think your child would want to stay for, I will 
contact you ahead of time, so you can plan accordingly.

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What will they need for winter recess?

Kindergarteners love to play outside in the winter (especially in the snow)!  When the wind chill is 
not too low we like to go out for recess.  Students will need winter coats, hats, gloves and when it is 
snowing: snowpants and boots.  Many students leave their winter things in a "net" bag in the 
classroom during the week.

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