September 2018 Welcome to our Kindergarten Students!
*Important information for all Parents and Guardians* A warm welcome to all of our Kindergarten students! We are happy to have your child at St. Andrew and wish them a most successful year. The following information will assist you in helping to make your child’s Kindergarten days as pleasant as possible.
French Immersion Program: The students will remain in their homeroom class every day. Instruction in English and French will rotate on a daily basis.
Class Website Check out https://mrsawadskinder.weebly.com/ frequently for monthly newsletters, student and parent resources, and other great information.
Please note we will not be sending home paper newsletters.
SeeSaw: Those students that were in JK last year will continue to access the seesaw program. New students will be given more information on this method of communication that involves technology and your child's work throughout the day.
School Hours: School hours for Kindergarten students are from 9:10 to 3:40 pm. At 9:10, all students will be received at the doors at the back of the school. Parents/caregivers are asked to say “good-bye” to their children AT THE FENCE. The buses will drop students off at the side of the school by the parking lot, where a teacher will escort the children to the back doors. For dismissal at 3:40pm, parents/caregivers of walkers are asked to come and pick up their children in the yard behind the school at 3:35pm, where they will be waiting with their teacher. Please remain in the designated area, behind the yellow line in the school yard, when picking up your children. Bussed students will be walked to their buses, and Crestway Child Care students will be led to their appropriate destination. Attendance: If your child is absent, please call the school at 613-843-0050. For your child’s safety, always send prior written instructions about changes in routine, i.e. a different caregiver, if you will be picking up your child, etc. Illness: Since the Kindergarten program is activity centred, a child who is unwell is unable to participate in the activities of the day and should not be at the school. A child with a fever, nasal discharge or a heavy cough should remain at home until these symptoms have cleared.
Name tags: Please affix the name tag given to you at the interview (JK students) to your child’s backpack. SK students will receive their tags the first day. Please fill in any necessary information and affix the tag to the school bag. It is very handy for bus drives, teachers and supply teachers to have this information readily available.
Dress: The children are encouraged to dress themselves to establish independence and responsibility. When purchasing clothing and footwear for school, try to choose items that your child will be able to manage by him/herself. Please dress your child in comfortable play clothes as the children may be working with sand, water and paints or going outside to play. Pleased a pair of slip-n or Velcro closing running/rubber soled shoes, preferably with non-marking soles, to be left at the school. Please label all items of clothing. In the event of an accident, please leave a spare set of clothing (well labelled) in a Ziploc bag in your child’s backpack. We will put it in their cubby.
School Bags: School bags should be large enough to hold large crafts made in the classroom, snack and letters. Mail Bag: A Ziploc bag will be sent home in your child’s school bag during the first week of school. The Communication Book as well as important notes, letters and student work will be inserted into the bag and sent home. Please check the bag every night and send it back to school daily. The bags will be collected and checked every day. Communication Book: Please find a Communication Book inside your child’s mail bag. This will be used as one form of “home-school communication.” If you have a short note for the teachers or school (i.e., change in pick-up routine, a known future absence or vacation), please write inside the book and leave it open on that page. We will only check the Communication Book when it is left open.
Lunch/Snacks: Your child will require a lunch and two snacks each day. Snacks should be small, tidy and nutritious. As we have students in the classroom who have severe nut allergies, we request that you send NON NUT PRODUCTS to school. Your child may bring a drink in a labeled, reusable container that he/she can easily open and close by him/herself. Please label all reusable snack containers so that they7 may be returned if lost. Quiet Time: In the afternoon, students will have a rest period. Please send in a SMALL blanket (ex. towel size) your child can keep at school to use during rest time. We ask that all stuffed animals or sleep toys stay home. ***All Kindergarten students are being asked to bring a YOGA MAT to school for Quiet Time, which will be kept at school all year. Please clearly label the mat with a Sharpie. We will no longer be providing mats. Toys: Children should NOT bring toys to school unless requested by the teacher for special events. Birthdays: Birthdays are a special time for the children, we ask that you do not send in food treats to mark the occasion. Birthdays will be celebrated in a special way in the class, with the student having his/her birthday recognized with songs, prayers, crowns etc. Whenever possible, birthday invitations should be delivered outside of school. If you must send invitations to school, please ask your child to give the invitations to their teacher, who will make an effort to distribute them discreetly. Supplies: Any of the following donations would be much appreciated: • • • • • Thank you in advance!
School Cash On-Line: Visit the school website (and.ocsb.ca) to learn how to pay for school activities and orders on-line.
Activity Fee: We will be collecting an activity fee of 35.00 $ for every Kindergarten student which helps to pay for any activities, special craft supplies or groups we bring in. Please use CASH ON_LINE if possible, or send a cheque payable to St. Andrew Catholic School.
When sending money, please do so in a small Ziploc bag or letter envelope that is well labeled with your child's name..
Volunteers: Information will be sent out when volunteers are needed for the classroom. This year all parents volunteering will need a volunteer police background check. Please check with the school for more details.
We look forward to working with both you and your child this year. We hope that your child’s first experiences at school will be happy and positive. Should you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to write a note in the Communication Book or call us at (613) 843-0050. We will get back to you as soon as possible.