Information for Parents

Parents: I have tried to update this information for the 2022-23 school year but some things could change.

Absences Due to Illness

Supplies

          Please purchase a backpack for your child that will open wide enough so that your child can easily insert his/her homework folder and a tall or wide library book. If you are concerned that the backpack will be too heavy for your child to carry, you may want to purchase a rolling backpack. Please have your child bring his/her backpack to school on the first day and EVERY day thereafter, including the last day of school.

Please bring your child's school supplies to the Kindergarten Orientation on August 26th. If you are unable to do this, then please send the supplies in on the 1st day of school.  It would be best if you could send them in a large paper shopping bag labeled with your child’s name.  

Snacks

        Please send a healthy snack to school with your child everyday, beginning with the first day of school. Please keep the snacks simple and easy for your child to handle on his/her own. For instance, if sending in an orange, please take care of cutting it up or peeling it at home. This would be greatly appreciated and would allow us to make the most of the time we have together each day. Please send in a morning and afternoon snack and place the snacks in a separate bag from your child's lunch. Since lunch boxes are taken down to the cafeteria at 9:00 a.m., your child won't have access to the snacks if they are in the same container as his/her lunch. 

Folders

       Your child will be given a heavy duty plastic folder that will go home everyday and should always be returned to school the next day. This "homework" folder will contain your child’s homework, completed work, important newsletters, reminders, book orders, flyers about district and community events, etc. I will check the homework folders each day for notes, forms, book orders, permission slips, etc. but I will not have time to check backpacks. Therefore, please send all correspondence into school in your child’s homework folder.

        Please get into the habit of checking and emptying the homework folder each and every night. Then immediately have your child put the folder into his or her backpack so he has it "ready to go" for the following day. This special job will help your child to become independent and responsible for his or her own belongings.

Handwriting

       Your child will be learning how to form the letters of the alphabet using Fundations. I will be sending home a copy of the Fundations alphabet with steps to follow for you to use as a reference when your child completes his/her homework. Please sit with your child as he/she completes the handwriting homework to insure that he/she uses the correct pencil grip and the correct letter formation. To do this, model the correct pencil grip and read your child the steps explaining where to start and how to form each letter as he/she does the handwriting homework. Your presence and feedback is essential to your child's success.

Specials

       The kindergarten children will following an A - H schedule. One some days, the children will go to one special area class and on other days the children will go to two special area classes. The first special takes place in the morning and the second special takes place in the afternoon. Here is our specialist schedule for the 2022-23 school year:

A day - 

B day - 

C day - 

D day - 

E day - 

F day - 

G day - 

H day - 

Children must wear sneakers for physical education classes. Sneakers are also the safest, most comfortable kind of shoe to wear for our daily recess as well, so I suggest having your child wear sneakers every day. 

Parent Participation

        I strongly encourage you to participate actively in the Kindergarten Program either by helping in the classroom, helping with our holiday parties, attending field trips, speaking to the children about a special interest or talent you may have, doing volunteer work at home, or sending in arts and craft supplies or ingredients for a special cooking project.       

        After school begins, I will send home a note regarding the different ways that you can be a kindergarten volunteer. Please use this form to express your interest in volunteering.  You can also use the form available in "Forms for Parents" on my website.

School Hours

*Recently, Dr. Grazel has been dismissing car riders from the classrooms at 3:20. Therefore, please refer to emails sent out by Dr. Grazel and/or contact him to find out the current dismissal time. Bus riders leave after car-riders, usually between 3:25 and 3:50. 

       Regular School Day:

                   8:50 to 3:30* (Students may enter the classroom at 8:40 a.m.)

90 Minute Early Dismissal Days:

            8:50 to 2:00

2 Hour Late Opening:

           10:50 to 3:30*

Noon Dismissal Days (on conference days and at the end of the school year):

           8:50 to 12:00

If an unexpected emergency arises (such as a snow closure), you will receive a phone call and/or email from the superintendent. Therefore, please keep this information up to date with the school. 

Changes in How Your Child Goes Home

        You are required to send in a written note if your child’s usual dismissal plans change, even if it is just for one day. A change in dismissal plans includes: a different mode of transportation, a different person picking up your child, or an early dismissal (for a doctor’s appointment, for example).

         If your child is to go home with a friend, the school requires a written note from both families. If a written note is not received, the office staff will try to reach you by phone. However, if we cannot reach you to confirm any changes that your child may tell us about, your child will go home by his/her usual method of transportation. Therefore, if you forget to write a note, please call the school as soon as possible. If your child attends an after school program, please contact them as well. The note you send in to make me aware of any changes gets sent up to the office and does not get forwarded to the after school program.

       Please note: Children are only allowed to ride their assigned buses. If your child has a play date at a friend's house and this friend rides a different bus, then a parent needs to provide transportation.

Communication

        If you need to contact me, the best ways to do this are:

·        By note - placed in your child’s homework folder

·        By email – mdavis@umasd.org

         Using Class Dojo (an app you can get on your phone)

Field Trips

The Kindergarten classes will be going on one field trip (unless we are told otherwise). As soon as the trip has been arranged, I will notify you of the date and destination. Sometime before the trip, I will send home more detailed information, including the cost of the trip. Depending on our destination (ie. if we go to the theatre), your child's admission fee may need be collected several months in advance due to the fact that advance payment is required. When sending in payment for field trips, please send in cash in a sealed envelope labeled with your child's name.

Testing

On August 4 and 11, 2022, all of the kindergarten children will be tested on several reading and math skills (such as letter recognition, rhyming, counting, etc.). This testing will take about 30 minutes and will be administered by the kindergarten teachers, the EL teacher, and the school reading specialist.  

In addition, throughout the year, we will be doing informal and formal testing to see how the children are progressing and to guide our teaching. The test results will be shared at conference times. Any additional information about your child that YOU can provide as well would be immensely helpful and greatly appreciated. 

Report Cards and Conferences

There are now 3 report cards distributed in kindergarten - December, March, and June. Parent/teacher conference days take place both in December and March. Refer to the "Roberts Calendar" for the specific dates.

If you should ever wish to meet with me prior to or after the  specified conference dates, please feel free to contact me. Or, if it is more convenient, we can correspond by email or talk on the phone.

Book Orders

Your child will be bringing home book order forms about once a month. If you wish to order, simply fill out the form and send in a check made out to the book company. Please return the order form and the check to school in an envelope labeled with your child’s name and the words “Book Order.” Checks should be made payable to: Scholastic Book Clubs. You can also order online and our special class code will be provided to you with each book order form sent home. The book orders are provided as a convenient way for you to buy quality books for your child at a reduced price. Of course, purchasing books is completely optional. 

Labeling

Finally, please remember to label any articles of clothing and other personal possessions that your child might bring to school (ie. sweaters, jackets, coats, hats, mittens, umbrellas, lunch boxes, backpacks, etc.) 

Toys and Other Items From Home

   1.  Your child’s first and last name

    2. The purpose for the money (ie. book order, field trip)    

    3.  If the money is for any other person beside me, please note that on the envelope as well.