We’ve had a very busy first week in Kindergarten, filled with many new classes and activities.

First lunch.  We had our first lunch as a whole class on Monday!  There was a lot of hand washing going on in the washrooms and classrooms before we sat down to eat.  The children are free to choose their own tables to eat with their classmates, compared to when we assign tables for working.

We’re enjoying listening to a variety of music from the songs of “Frozen” to the Jazz strains of Vince Guaraldi from “Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown,” while quietly eating and chatting with our table mates.

We’ve compared our bodies to a car.  The children know that a car needs gas or fuel to move; without it, the car goes nowhere.  In the same way, food is fuel for our bodies. If we do not eat enough, our brains and bodies may have difficulty “running.”

We’ve written further about our lunch routines in our Kindergarten Handbook.

First Fire Drill.  Imagine our excitement at participating in our first fire drill on Monday morning!  We front loaded the children by telling them ahead of time that we would be having a fire drill and that it was just practice.  Our classes exit through the back doors and we walk across the playground, down the stairs and onto the grass field.  The expectation is that no one is speaking at that time as the teachers take attendance and students from each class report back to the Principal.  We are timed on our exit, and student behaviour is carefully observed to ensure that we are all following the safety rules.

First Library Class.  During our first Library Class Mrs. Kennedy, our Teacher-Librarian, reviewed her expectations for student conduct in the Library.  We will be able to borrow a book weekly.  Children will be allowed to borrow a new book each week provided they have brought their book back from the week prior.

First Music Class.  We have Music twice a week with Mrs. McKanna, our Music Teacher.  All Music classes take place in the Music portable.  It was very fun for our children to walk across the playground and then up the ramp.  The children learned some new songs and were treated to wonderful demonstrations of percussion instruments by Mrs. McKanna.

First Alphabet Letter.  We’ve started our Alphabet work beginning with the letter A.  Each week we usually teach a new letter and we’ll be going alphabetically from A to Z.  A short school week, or schedule changes, can result in a letter being taught over two weeks.

We teach each letter name and sound, and the correct printed letter formation for upper- and lowercase letters.  We also brainstorm words beginning with the letter of the week, draw and label pictures and make a special alphabet craft to bring home.  You can save each alphabet craft and make your own Kindergarten alphabet wall at home with your child.

First Self-Portrait.  At the beginning of each month the children draw a self-portrait.  Each portrait is glued to a themed background that the children have made.  

Our criteria for each drawing is “Big, Bright and Beautiful.”

Big means to fill your space on the paper.

Bright means to use five crayon colours or more.

Beautiful means to do your personal best.

We display these adorable pictures for the month and save them for the Kindergarten scrapbooks we send home at the end of the year.

This Week in Our Room:  September 14-18

Thank you again, Moms and Dads, for arriving promptly for pick-up at 12 pm on Thursday and Friday.  We were able to start our parent-teacher intake conferences promptly.  We’ve enjoyed meeting and chatting with you.

We’ve had several parents ask us about rainboots.  When the rains inevitably arrive, we will still be going out for recess.  It’s preferable for the children to have a pair of rainboots to change into for outdoor play as we try very hard to keep our carpets clean and dry.  Please feel free to leave an older pair of boots in your child’s cloakroom space.

Please remember to speak personally to your classroom teacher if you are not picking up your child after school, particularly if another parent will be taking your child home.  If we are not informed directly by you, or if plans change (such as you must work late), we must be informed by the school office.  Please call Mrs. Lytle, our Administrative Assistant, at the school office and then she can inform us. The safety of your child is our highest priority.

Monday, September 21 is Individual Picture Day.

A reminder that next Friday, September 25, is a Professional Day.  School is closed for students.