Dear Kindergarten Parents.

Welcome to the 2006-2007 school year!  We have many projects and experiences planned to encourage your child(ren) to participate, explore, and grow.  The Kindergarten year at Stratham Memorial provides our children the opportunity to experience a five-day extended day program (8:40-1:25), expand their social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development; familiarize themselves with the school facility, daily routines, school staff, the cafeteria, the ever popular…school bus ride; and the opportunity to experience a longer school day.

Encourage your child to bring his/her backpack to school each day so that school papers and belongings can be transported both to and from school in a safe, organized, and independent manner. When choosing a backpack, look for one with a properly functioning zipper that your child is able to independently open and close, and large enough to carry their work papers without getting crushed.

Designate a special and consistent place for his/her backpack, school homework and materials to be kept.  Carefully read notices that are sent home, sharing them with your child when appropriate. Mark your calendar and refer to holidays and school events that are approaching. Expressing your interest in and enthusiasm for your child’s school life increases its value and importance. It is also so important for your child to see you planning, organizing, and prioritizing the many, many activities you complete each day. Good habits begun this year can have a lasting effect on promoting respect for and a conscientious attitude toward knowledge and learning.

Notes are an important aspect of home/school communication. School notices will help to keep parents and family informed of ongoing learning experiences in the classroom, upcoming events, activities, or opportunities you might want to plan for, and volunteer schedules. Please remember to ask your child to check his/her backpack and communication folder each afternoon for notes, homework, and examples of their work…and don’t forget to return it the next day. OUR COMMUNICATION FOLDERS SHOULD BE USED FOR ALL PARENT AND TEACHER COMMUNICATIONS. Your notes to us are important and in some cases pertain to an immediate change in your child’s dismissal or after school schedule. When notes require immediate attention please indicate so on the front of the envelope you send it in:

“CHANGE IN DISMISSAL” or “IMPORTANT” .

Remember to dress your child(ren) in play clothes each day!

It is our goal to encourage your child to participate in a variety of activities that will foster social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. Please, dress your child in clothes that allow for freedom of movement, expression, and freedom from the worry of spoiling a new or special outfit- our smocks do not completely cover their clothes or sleeves.

Label all their belongings!!!

Navy blue sweatshirts, sweaters, hats, and mittens are all popular “found but never claimed” items.

Physical Education

Please encourage your child to wear clothes that allow for freedom of movement, and remember to send in a pair of labeled, white-soled sneakers, to remain at school, for PE, accidents, and those rainy, muddy days. We also wear them in the classroom after we take our snowshoes/boots off.

BUS INFORMATION

PLEASE REMEMBER TO HAVE YOUR CHILD WEAR HIS/HER NAMETAG TO SCHOOL WITH ADDRESS AND BUS # EACH DAY FOR THE FIRST 2 FULL WEEKS OF SCHOOL.

School policy requires parents to notify your child’s teacher and school, by written notice of any changes to the dismissal routine i.e., relatives, baby sitters, or friends picking them up after school, change in bus or bus stop, as well as all dismissals and absences. We also ask that all kindergartners get off the bus at their regular bus stop throughout the first month of school. Please help us establish this important and safe routine.

As a reminder, an adult must meet all kindergartners when getting off the school bus. If you are NOT at the bus stop, the bus driver will finish his/her route, then return to SMS with your child, and s/he will wait in the office for you to pick her/him up.  It is critical that you be at the bus stop on time as this impacts dismissal procedure at CMS, EAHS, and SMS!

SNACK TIME”

Our policy for snack time is to have the kindergartners bring in their individual snacks each day. With a variety of likes, dislikes, or food allergies, this system seems to please the majority and result in less waste. We encourage and teach good nutrition so try to pack healthy snacks that you know your child will eat. They really do appreciate and benefit from low sugar healthy snacks. Please do not send candy or soda.

*DUE TO ALLERGIES AND OTHER HEALTH CONCERNS SNACK SHARING IS NOT ALLOWED

Please refer to the SMS Nutrition Program on page 24 of the Parent Handbook.

**BIRTHDAYS are no longer celebrated with the sharing of food. Check with

your child’s teacher for class policy.

PURCHASING FOOD AND DRINKS FROM THE CAFETERIA

Parents have the option of providing snack, lunch and 2 drinks each day, one for snack time and one for lunch, for their kindergartner, or purchasing them from the school cafeteria. Students wishing to purchase snacks, lunch, and drinks may do so at any time by charging it to their account. Tim Harrington, our Food Service Director, will present a more detailed explanation of our school lunch program to you.

Money:

When sending in any money with your child, please write your CHILD’S NAME & CLASS, and the words: “LUNCH MONEY”, “FIELD TRIP”, “BOOK ORDERS”, ETC. on the envelope.

This will ensure that YOUR account will be credited.

VOLUNTEERS & PARENT VISITORS

During the year our projects often require extra help in the classroom. To help us coordinate volunteers, please fill out the specific form included in this packet, checking off the times that are most convenient for your schedule. Please remember to always check in at the office and pick up an identifying volunteer badge, before coming to any classroom during the school day.

Class parents help to organize class parties, field trips, volunteers, and telephone chains. Their efforts save teachers a good deal of time and they are greatly appreciated. Please don’t hesitate to call them when you would like to donate supplies or your assistance.

Thank you for your cooperation and for filling out all these forms! Please return them to school ASAP or before September 5^th.

We look forward to working with you and your “FISH”, “FROG”, “HONEY BEE”, “PANDA”, or “PENGUIN”!

Sincerely,

The Kindergarten Staff

Kindergarten Calendar

October

Friday, October 6: NO SCHOOL TEACHER IN-SERVICE

Monday, October 9: No School Columbus Day.

November

Thursday, Nov. 9: Parent conferences Early Release (8:40-12:50)

Please make sure you are at the bus stop at least 20 minutes EARLIER

Friday, November 10: No School,Veteran’s Day

Wednesday, Nov. 15: Parent conferences Early Release (8:40-12:50)

Please make sure you are at the bus stop at least 20 minutes EARLIER

Wednesday Nov. 22-24: Thanksgiving Recess

December

Friday, Dec. 22: Early Release (8:40-12:50)

Please make sure you are at the bus stop at least 20 minutes EARLIER.

Dec. 25-Jan 1: Holiday Recess

January

Monday, Jan. 15: NO School M.L.K. Day

February

Winter Vacation: Feb. 26 - March 2

March

Friday, March 16: No School Teacher In-Service Day

April

Wednesday April 11: Parent conferences Early Release (8:40-12:50)

Please make sure you are at the bus stop at least 20 minutes EARLIER.

Wednesday April 18: Parent conferences Early Release (8:40-12:50)

Please make sure you are at the bus stop at least 20 minutes EARLIER.

April 23-27: Spring Vacation

May

 *WEDNESDAY MAY 2^ND. FIRST FULL DAY FOR KINDERGARTEN (8:40-3:00)

Wednesday, May 16: Early Release (8:40-12:50)

Monday, May 28: No School Memorial Day

June…

*Monday, June 11: Last Day of Kindergarten*

Parents and families are invited to attend our end of the year programs.

*Please note this date is VERY TENTATIVE…

Cancellation days (snow, ice etc.) during the school year may affect this “tentative” date.

SMS on line calendar: http://fc.sau16.org/~smiller/klinks.html

KINDERGARTEN WISH LIST

Each child is asked to bring in 1 box of “Zip Loc” type baggies, all sizes are appreciated.

The following is a list of things to save and bring in throughout the school year.

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

EXPOSURE TO THE INTERNET

Kindergarten Teachers use the Internet as another tool for exposing children to the many ways we gather information as well as reinforce curricular skills. Your child’s teacher may model one way in which she checks the day’s weather, or where someone has traveled to, or visit an author’s web site or even find out where pineapples grow.

Any Internet activity is always supervised and curriculum based. We promise to share our favorite web sites with you. Visit our Kindergarten Web Page:

     http://fc.sau16.org/~smiller/

Please consider this information when filling out the district wide Internet Permission form.

Thank you,

The Kindergarten Team