During a week of glorious sunshine, we began a new school year with our Kindergarten children.  We’ve really enjoyed meeting our Kinder Cuties, and considering it’s the first time they’ve been to school, they have settled in beautifully to their new classrooms and become familiar with their new teachers and classmates.  Gradual Entry is a gift of time so no one needs to feel rushed. We’re on an exciting, magical journey of learning and laughter, surrounded by the love and support of each other, and taking as much time as we need.

Right now we’re in the middle of Gradual Entry, where our children have been attending Kindergarten for two hours a day this first week of school.  We have about half of the class in the morning and the other half in the afternoon; we’re a mix of genders, language and abilities learning together.  The past three days have been focused on creating a calm and peaceful classroom environment, classroom routines and expectations. We’re already introducing the language of self-regulation with our children, going outside to play and met the many teachers who will become an important part of our school life.

Starting on Monday, the children will be able to meet everyone in their class and we know this will be a very joyful experience as there are lots of preschool friends who want to see each other.

Here’s what you need to know for next week:

Monday, September 9:  Children attend Kindergarten from 8:50 am-12 pm.  Please send a non-spill water bottle (no screw top lids) and a healthy snack.  Kindergarten dismisses promptly at 12 pm so we can commence with the first interview for 12:10 pm.

Tuesday, September 10:  Children attend Kindergarten from 8:50 am-12 pm.  Please send a non-spill water bottle (no screw top lids) and a healthy snack.  Kindergarten dismisses promptly at 12 pm so we can commence with the first interview for 12:10 pm.

Wednesday, September 11:  Children attend Kindergarten from 8:50 am-12 pm.  Please send a non-spill water bottle (no screw top lids) and a healthy snack.  Kindergarten dismisses promptly at 12 pm so we can attend the Kindergarten Teachers’ Professional Afternoon which starts at 12:15 pm.

Thursday, September 12:  Here we go!  Our first full day…Children attend Kindergarten from 8:50 am-2:55 pm.  Please send a non-spill water bottle (no screw top lids), lunch and two healthy snacks.  It’s going to be a long day for our Littles so let’s try to remember they are just in Kindergarten.

Friday, September 13:  Children attend Kindergarten from 8:50 am-2 pm to “Meet My Teacher.”  You will be able to come into the classroom and your children can show you around  The children probably need just their water, lunch and one morning snack as they can attend the ice-Cream Social immediately following your classroom visit.   Please note:  you can “Meet My Principal,” Mr. Warren Zerbe, in the gym at 1:45 pm.

Notes to You:

We have incorporated many forms of parent communication into our Kindergarten program so that you are always in “the know.”  

-please sign up for Remind if you have not already done so – we will send you text messages with updates, reminders and the link to our website, theselfregulatedteacher.com where the weekly newsletter will be posted sometime over the weekend (occasionally a Monday depending upon what happened on the weekend)

-our website, theselfregulatedteacher.com, contains our archived newsletters over the past five years, and lots of articles about our current thinking about Kindergarten:  it’s a wealth of information for you and your family. Please take the time to read through some of our blog posts – we’ve tried to make them fun and informative (like a blog should be) and we work hard to stay away from “edu-speak” and jargon so you can just enjoy reading about what your child is learning at school.

-we’re happy to meet with you any time, but it’s best to ask us (send a note or email) for an appointment.  We are unable to have any in-depth conversation with you at drop-off.  Our focus is always on calmly bringing into the classroom, and following the classroom routines at the start of the day.  Please recognise that you ask us for “just a minute,” realistically, it’s going to take much longer and that time takes away from settling the children so let’s meet to talk that’s mutually agreeable.

This week we asked you to:

-sign-up for Remind, the teacher app to receive text messages about our class

-sign-up for a Parent-Teacher Conference on Monday or Tuesday next week

-think about the questions on the Kindergarten Gradual Entry Developmental Questionnaire (yellow sheet) to discuss at our conference

-review your Student Verification Forms to return next week

-post the Kindergarten Homework Calendar (blue sheet) on the fridge and help your child to complete the daily activities (this is optional, but fun)