Communication Communication between school and home is vital to your child’s success. It’s very important to me that you are aware of everything that is going on at school.

Confidentiality  The safety and well-being of my students is my number one priority, which is why I insist that any conversations or observations made while in the school setting should not be discussed in or out of school with anyone other than me.

Differentiation  Because all children enter my classroom with different abilities, learning styles, prior knowledge, and experiences, they may require different levels of instruction. Since it is my responsibility to take each child from where they are to a higher level, students may be learning concepts differently from his/her peers. With this type of teaching in the classroom, you can be sure that your child’s individual needs will be met.

 

Early Dismissals  If your child needs to leave school before the regular dismissal time, you must go to the office to sign him/her out. Our secretary will call for your child to meet you in the office.

Email  I check my email (snarine@gmail.com) every day. If there is a message that you need to get to me before school, please call instead.  If it is something important or personal that you need to discuss with me, please contact me by phone or in person.

Field Trips  We will be going on several field trips during the school year that are both fun and educational for the children. Permission slips will be sent home in advance informing you of all the details regarding the trip. Please return permission slips and money as soon as possible once they are sent home. We will often request parent volunteers to chaperone field trips. Please let me know before each trip if you are available to chaperone.

Goodbyes  Saying goodbye at school can be very emotional for you. But try to send your child off with a smile and a wave along with the reassurance that you will see them after school. Remember even distressed children settle very quickly once you're gone, so make your leave loving but brief. If they cry, it usually lasts about 30 seconds after you’re gone! Resist the urge to return if they cry - this will only prolong the situation. Please don’t feel guilty about leaving your child with me if they are crying. Just trust that they will be shown concern and compassion from the moment they enter my room. My main goal is to make them feel comfortable right away.

Health Please let me know of special circumstances that may affect your child (i.e. medications that may make him/her sleepy, a death in the family, etc.). Also, please let me know of any allergies your child may have, especially food allergies.



Housewarming  Or “school warming” that is… I always want the students to feel close to home when they’re at school. One way we accomplish this is by allowing each student to bring in a picture of something special to display in the room. Their picture can be of them with a favorite pet or of their family, etc. We will keep the pictures displayed in our room until the last week of school when I send them back home. When selecting a picture frame, please send in one that is non-breakable. Thank you for helping us make the room feel a little more like “home.”

 

llnesses  The question of when to keep your child home from school is often a difficult one, especially when the decision may affect your work schedule and alternate arrangements may need to be made. It is important, however, to keep your child home if he/she is ill. This helps them to feel better quicker and prevents others from becoming ill. Children function more effectively in the classroom when they are healthy.

Independent Reading  Because children learn to read by reading, they need plenty of opportunities to read independently. By giving the children time to read both at school and at home, we can work together to provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love of reading.

Journey  This year is sure to be an incredible journey for your child and I am so glad that I get to share it with you and your family. We will cross many milestones together and face many new challenges. With your help, we can make this year a journey that your child will cherish for the rest of his/her life.

Late Arrivals  If you bring your child to school later than 8:55, you will need to walk with them to the office and sign them in. It is very important that your child arrive on time so that they can get settled in and ready for the day.

Library  We will visit the library each Day 4 as a whole group. Please return your child’s library book to school on or before Day 4 so they can check out a new book. If books are lost or damaged, we will ask that you replace the book.


Lost and Found  We have a lost and found at McCaig. I encourage you and your child to check it regularly for any missing items as unclaimed items are donated to Goodwill a couple times a year. Please label your child’s clothing that is worn to school, especially clothing that may be removed such as jackets, coats, sweaters, and sweatshirts.


Lunch Time  We will eat lunch from 12:15-1:20 each day.

Money  Money is difficult for children to keep track of. Whenever you send money with your child (lunch, field trip, book club, etc.) please put it in a sealed envelope or baggie that is labeled with your child’s name and what the money is for.

Mystery Readers  Shhh… It’s a secret!! My children never know who the mystery reader is going to be until they walk through the door. Please contact me to set a date and time.. During your time, you may read a book or two to the class. You are welcome to bring books from home or borrow from our classroom library. I’ve always got a great selection of read-aloud books handy.

Newsletters I will send home my Weekly Newsletter at the beginning of every week. It is very important that you read the newsletter so that you can keep your child prepared for the week’s events. The newsletter will contain information about our classroom activities, schedules, and events for the week. It will also include an overview of the week’s lesson plans along with guiding questions you can ask you child to help reinforce learning at home.

 

Orientation  The Kindergarten team will host a Parent Orientation night during the first month of school. You will be notified of the date. I encourage you to attend because I will be discussing EVERYTHING you will need to know in order to have a successful year.

Printouts  Please feel free to request hard copies of anything you see on our website. I will gladly prepare those for you and send them home with your child. Also, please let me know if you lose or do not have internet access so that I can send home hard copies of the weekly newsletters, etc. from our website.

Questions  Since so many of you are new to McCaig this year, I’m sure that you’ll have some unanswered questions. Please feel free to contact me at anytime if you have any questions or concerns. I will gladly address them!

Recess  Determined by the weather, the children will play either indoors or outdoors for 20 minutes each day. Please keep this in mind when helping your child select clothing for the day.
 

Scholastic Books  Each month, students will be able to order books from the Scholastic Book Club. The Scholastic Book Club is a great way to help foster your child's love for reading and to help their home libraries grow. Not only does it benefit your child, but it also helps our classroom accumulate bonus points. I use the Scholastic bonus points to get free items and books for our classroom. Scholastic books are a great value, too. Most books are priced below retail. If you would like to order books, I ask that you please follow the guidelines listed below. This makes it much simpler for me to submit the order form without error.

School Supplies  When school supplies are brought in, they will be combined as community supplies. Since they will be shared, there is no need to label the supplies with your child’s name. However, you will need to label your child’s personal belongings such as their lunch box, book bag, and coats.

Snack Time  Your children generally get hungry by mid-morning so I’m that your child come to school with 2 snacks. They should be  peanut-free, healthy snacks that can be eaten quickly, such as dry cereal, crackers, fruit roll-ups, raisins, Teddy Grahams, Goldfish, etc. 

Toys  Bringing toys to school is discouraged because they distract the children from learning. Please encourage your child to leave personal items at home, such as toys, Pokemon Cards, Game Boys, etc. Our classroom is filled with items to keep us busy, and lost or broken toys can result in very sad feelings!

Transportation Changes  If your child's transportation for any given day changes, please alert me by sending a note in your child's agenda or by calling the school office before 1:00. If you choose to send a note, please be sure it includes your child's first and last name, the date, the message explaining your child's change in transportation for the day, and your signature. If a child fails to bring a note and is supposed to do something different from the normal schedule, the child will not be permitted. (i.e. If your child is normally a bus rider, but thinks he/she is getting picked up but does not have a note, the child will be sent home on the bus.)

Transportation Necklace  If your child is a bus rider, your child will be given a necklace. It will display their name and the address of their destination. It is very important that you return this necklace to school everyday. It will be worn daily for the first month of school and will be used throughout the year in the event that there is a substitute bus driver.

Unique  Each child is unique and special! They enter my classroom with different skills, personalities, experiences, backgrounds, and learning styles. My goal is not to make each child alike, but to foster their individual strengths and help each child develop to his or her fullest potential, academically and socially. The two most important elements that I hope to instill in your child are a positive self-concept and a love for learning.

Visitors  All guests, including familiar faces, must sign in and get a name tag in the school office. McCaig welcomes and encourages family involvement. It is important to remember that while this may seem inconvenient to frequent visitors, it is the goal and responsibility of the school to create a safe learning environment.
 

Volunteers  I strive to utilize volunteers in my classroom on a daily basis because I believe your involvement in your child's education is essential! By expressing an interest in your child's education, you are encouraging their success in school! If you would like more information about how to become a volunteer, please visit our contact me.

Wish List  Throughout the year, I will post requests for items that we need in our classroom. You can browse our online Wish List anytime and I encourage you to visit frequently throughout the year. You just never know when I may need something that you’re about to throw away. By posting a wish list online, I have received some wonderful donations for our classroom from all over the world. So it’s true… we should never underestimate the power of the Internet.

X’tra Clothes  As accident can sometimes happen, please send an extra set of clothing that will be kept at school for the year.

You!  Please remember that you are your child's first and most important teacher. No one can influence your child's life in the way that you can!