Dear Parents,
With the information we collected from our Welcome to Kindergarten we have begun to make tentative class placements. Final placements will occur after we see how the children interact with each other and when they are alone in the first week of gradual entry. The process takes many things into consideration (early and late birthdays, boys/girls, those already attending daycare together, ELL, Ab. Ed, Speech and Language concerns, any identified regulation or behaviour issues, parent requests/concerns, academic abilities). Our goal is to make equal classes where all student have an opportunity to grow and thrive.
An email has been sent home to determine which group your son/daughter is in. The A/B group is NOT your child’s placement, it is just a division of those who attend in the morning or afternoon to break up the groups and for teachers to welcome students with a smaller group for the first 2 weeks.
The students will be meeting this week in the OUTSIDE OF THE KINDERGARTEN ROOMS AT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL and will be picked up from the SAME LOCATION.
Group A:
an email has been sent home to let you know which group your son/daughter is in. Please email: catharine_watkins@sd42.ca if you did not receive an email
Group B:
an email has been sent home to let you know which group your son/daughter is in. Please email: catharine_watkins@sd42.ca if you did not receive an email
Kindergarten Teachers – Fairview Elementary
Information for Parents: We will be buying student school supplies in bulk this year for all our primary students. The cost will be $55 per student. This will cover all their school supplies. This money is collected at the welcome meetings in September.
New this year for our new K students is a chance for your child and yourself to meet your new teacher and play in your classroom on the first day of school. On Tuesday, September 3rd we invite all children and families to attend an Open House from 845am-10am. This event will allow for some time to play in the classroom, enjoy a circle time with their teacher and children/families will have the opportunity to share in a typical kindergarten day with their child.
Gradual Entry TIMELINE forFAIRVIEW KINDERGARTEN 2019/20
**PLEASE NOTE: IF YOUR CHILD HAS A * NEXT TO THEIR NAME, YOU WILL BE HAVING YOUR WELCOME MEETINGS ON THURSDAY SEPT 5 AND FRIDAY SEPT 6, IN THE AFTERNOONS FROM 1145-230
Mon. Sept 2 | Tues. Sept 3 | Wed. Sept 4 | Th. Sept 6 | Fri. Sept 7 | |
8:30 – 11:05 | Labour Day | 845am-10am
Open House |
1/2 class (Group A) | 1/2 class (Group A) | 1/2 class (Group A) |
11:45 – 2:20 | 1/2 class (Group B) | 1/2 class (Group B) | 1/2 class (Group b | ||
Parents will then sign up for Intake meetings on Monday, Sept9 or Tuesday, Sept10. If you would like to book your Welcome meetings please email: Julia_vanBuuren@sd42.ca with the time and date that you would prefer. The meetings will be 1/2 hour in length.
Thursday/Friday times available: 1145-215pm (half hour spots)
Monday/Tuesday times available: 830-12pm and 12:30-230pm (half hour spots)
please email Julie to book: julia_vanbuuren@sd42.ca
Mon. Sept 9 | Tues. Sept 10 | |
8:30 – 11:05 | Welcome Meetings | Welcome Meetings |
**attend at scheduled appointment time (Parent and Child)** | ||
11:45 – 2:20 | Welcome Meetings | Welcome Meetings |
**Bring inside velcro runners to leave at school, change of clothes in WTK bag to leave at school, and a snack and lunch your child can open on their own on these days***
Wed. Sept 11 | Thurs Sept 12 | Fri. Sept 14 | |
8:30 – 1:00 | All Students | All Students | All Students |
Mon Sept 16 | Tues Sept 17 | Wed. Sept 18 | Thurs Sept 19 | Fri Sept 20 | |
8:30 – 2:20 | Regular Hours Begin | Regular Hours | Regular Hours | Regular Hours | Regular Hours |
What do you need to bring to school?
Fees – $55.00 – Fairview teachers purchase group supplies best suited for your child’s developmental level and the curriculum being taught. Each family will need to provide payment of $60.00 on or before their scheduled welcome meeting in September. This fee will include a student planner and all supplies for the school year except fees for field trips.
Inside Velcro or Slip-On Runners – Each child will need a pair of “velcro” or slip on runners to be left at school all year. They will be required to change their shoes every day in order to keep our floors clean for sitting on and to provide safe traction for running in the gym.
Large Backpack – Each child will need a regular sized sturdy backpack that is big enough to hold a lunch bag, a library book, and a planner. Please make sure each backpack is labeled with your child’s name.
Change of Clothes – During a kindergarten day many mishaps can happen (spills, puddles, bathroom accident, etc.). Having a full set of extra clothes (socks, underwear, pants & shirt) to change into helps to ease any upset that might be caused otherwise.
*Please save your WTK bag, and use it to send the extra clothes in*
The School Day
Beginning of the Day – School starts at 8:30 am. Please wait with your child outside the class door until the bell rings. We start our day with a gradual entry, time to adjust, have the students get themselves unpacked, change their own shoes, and do their morning jobs. Parents are encouraged to stay and participate in family reading for the first 15 minutes, then say a quick goodbye as the children transition to their morning meeting. After the children are settled into their routines, we will invite parent helpers into the classroom. The kindergarten classroom is always a busy place and parent helpers are a vital part of the program.
Recess – Recess outdoor break is 10:20-10:35 (15 minutes). Students go out rain or shine. However, the Kindergarten classes will go out at 10:00 in order to allow them to have their own time on the play equipment before the rest of the school.
Kindergarten students will wear yellow vests to help supervisors identify them. Kindergarten students will be restricted to one playground area. This break is supervised by teachers and EA’s (Educational Assistants). Your child will eat their snacks in class after the outside play time. Please ensure you leave time for a full breakfast in the mornings so your child can wait until this time for a snack.
Lunch – The lunch break is from 11:50-12:30. For the first few months the kindergartens will have an alternative time on their own to help ease them into this new routine. After the transition time, they will be going out to play first, eat second like the rest of the school.
End of the Day – School ends at 2:20. Children are expected to be picked up at our outside door at this time. We hand off your children directly to you or their caregiver. Please let daycares and other caregivers know to pick up from the classroom outside door.
Getting Ready to Start School
- Give your child confidence and help them to look forward to this new adventure.
- Help your child learn how to build relationships and talk to adults and peers.
- Help your child master pre-school skills they may still be working on: wash and dry hands, tidy up and put away food and toys, use a tissue to blow nose, put on and take off jackets and shoes, hold a crayon in the “pincher” grip, cut with scissors, use a glue stick, and have some self-regulation (e.g. be able to wait their turn and sit to listen to a story)
Useful Websites:
- thelearningpartnership.ca/WTK
- http://schools.sd42.ca/fairview/
- http://www.sd42.ca
- https://www.facebook.com/Fairview-Elementary-School-1653932334850900/
Separation Anxiety During the First Days of Kindergarten
Tips for Parents
BEFORE the first week of school:
- Talk about going to school in positive ways.
- Talk about shared likes and interests, e.g. “I heard Mrs. O’Riordan has a dog, and you do too! I wonder if she likes animal books too?”
- Have your child draw a picture for the new
- Help your child think of something special to tell the teacher.
- Playing hide and seek gives your child “safe” separation practice
- In anticipation some children may cry or act scared. It’s important for your child to feel heard, so sitting with the child with calm confidence is important
It is natural for a young child to feel anxious about separating when starting the school year.
It can also be a stressful time for parents. As a parent, the first thing to do is check in and be honest with yourself. Are there feelings of apprehension about leaving your little one at school? Do you get frustrated at your child’s resistance, and/or meltdowns? Do you worry whether your child will be OK? It is natural to have mixed emotions about this big step.
*Acknowledging and taking care of your own feelings will help you find that calm, confident parent inside of yourself that your child is going to need during this transition.*
- Find some children’s books on helping with separations.
- Create a special “transition” photo book of the steps for school drop off and pick up (e.g., putting on shoes, getting in car, front door of classroom, waving goodbye)
- Make sure your child gets enough rest. Start turning back bedtime by 15 min increments few weeks before school. Wake up your child in the morning at the new school time a week before. Little ones need lots of sleep, 10-12 hours of sleep a night.
- Have adventures in and around the school. Plan frequent, short trips to the playground
- Talk about what your child will be able to see from the classroom window, give the landmarks secret or silly names, suggest favourite things to do at recess or lunch, and games children might play in the field.
The Morning(s) of School Days:
- Remind your child about the fun things that are happening at school that day. Paint a mental picture for your child of what to expect.
- Give your child an item of yours to hold on to for the day until pickup, or buy something special that is the same, such as matching bracelets.
- Draw a heart or put a sticker on the child’s hand and on your own hand, and say every time your child looks at it throughout the day, you will think of each other.
- Together, make up a special goodbye handshake or secret parting ritual.
- Leave an encouraging note or drawing in your child’s bag to look at during lunch.
Being hungry can make separation issues worse. Even a small protein snack just prior to leaving the house can help. Focus your child’s attention on the reconnection after school. “After school, let’s sit together and you can tell me the most fun things you did at school today.”
At Drop off:
This is the time to maintain a stance of warm confidence.
Spend time talking about something fun or interesting you both see in the classroom.
- Talk about how you can’t wait until after school to see the craft project for the day.
- Transitioning or ‘handing over’ your child to the teacher shows your child you trust them and they have nothing to worry about. Do not hesitate or ask for one more hug at this time. This should be a quick confident goodbye with no hesitation on your part.
- Once your child is attending to the teacher, leave. Resist lingering around the doorway or sneaking back and seeing how things are going.
- Have confidence in your child’s teacher to handle your child’s feelings and take care of your child. And believe in your child’s ability to cope.
Other things to keep in mind:
Your child may cry, cling, freeze, or become aggressive. Your child’s frustrating or difficult behaviours are coming from instincts to elicit a response from you to remove the ‘threat’ (=being left at school). The child just wants to feel better they are not acting this way to upset.
Children this age often don’t know how to calm themselves down, and are dependent on adults to help them feel more safe and secure. They may have no idea what is making them anxious, so asking ‘why” is not productive. Saying “Calm down!” “Don’t be afraid!” “You’ll be fine!” are not effective. Instead, using a calm, soothing tone, say “Let’s see what is in your new classroom.” “Your teacher looks so happy to see all the children!” “Let’s see if we can find your courage.”
It can be exasperating when your distressed child resists your attempts to calm, so stay tuned into your own emotions and behaviour when you feel your temperature start to rise. Your child will be very sensitive to your non-verbal cues and have a heightened focus on your tone and body language. Maintain a stance of calm confidence.
If you do not think you can be calm and confident for your child’s transition, it is better to send a less emotionally charged trusted adult to drop off the child, such as a grandparent, older sibling, or another caregiver.
Some children may not exhibit separation anxiety at all or may have a delayed reaction once the novelty has worn off and it really sinks in that this is not temporary. Or a child’s anxiety may reappear after holidays or after an illness. Be sensitive to these times.
Some children may also be upset and have a meltdown at pickup when they see you, or when you get home even if they have had a wonderful day. This is because your child is reminded of the separation, or is really tired from the long day. Tears at the end of the day are not sign of a bad day or being unhappy with school. Your child’s brain is developing and learning so much now, and there are many new things to figure out. But with lots of love and confidence in your child’s teacher and your childs abilities to cope independently, you’ll both get through this milestone!
When Mom (or DAD) Has Kindergarten Anxiety
Post 1: This morning Dalia started her first full day of kindergarten. She was excited. I was excited. We said a quick goodbye at the door and off she went into her classroom.
Post 2: I was holding back my tears until he got inside and then I lost it. I’m a complete mess. I haven’t been able to sleep at night. I’m so worried about everything that could go wrong. I don’t want to lose my baby. I keep getting choked up every time I think about how fast he’s growing up.
Can you relate?
It’s normal to feel some sadness and anxiety. After all, your child is growing up fast. Your fear of the unknown will make you wonder: Is he eating? Is he making friends? Will he cry? Will the teacher know how smart he is? Harder still, you won’t be there to witness in real-time all the new experiences he’s having and the things he’s learning.
Take a deep breath. It’s all going to be ok!
Part of normal child development is being able to separate and gain independence.
- You may suddenly feel you have too much time on your hands, or worry that as other people take on important roles in your child’s life, you won’t be as needed anymore. As hard as it is, letting go is part of your growth process as a parent. Clinging to a child so he needs you more is not a healthy part of the program. Acknowledge that you feel sad, lonely or empty. Then make time for self-care and create some structure for yourself throughout the day.
- If you’re going to fantasize, start thinking about everything that can go right. Imagine your child getting out of school and running into your arms. Imagine her telling you that she had an amazing day learning new things and making new friends.
- In some ways, you are losing your “baby” as he evolves into a school-aged kid.So while there may be a little bit of loss involved — of control, some aspects of innocence, or the routine you had, there’s so much more being gained. Focus on all that you and your child are gainingfrom this new chapter in your lives: fresh experiences, new friends, education, awareness of the world, social interaction, independence…
- Don’t take the basics for granted. Make sure your child knows proper bathroom etiquette and is not afraid to go to the bathroom alone. Fire drills are part of school days and often overwhelming for kids, as they have never experienced these types of activities before. Talk to your child ahead of time — let them know what is happening during these events, and make sure they understand that there is no need to be scared and the teacher will be there.
- Know that kindergarten is exhausting. Be prepared for kids to be exhausted after school. Don’t plan a lot of after school activities. This is a time to focus on smooth school transitions. Save sports and other extracurricular activities until adjusted. You can also help your little one recover from the long school day by setting a stringent bedtime and morning routine that allows kids as much sleep as possible.
- Your child will be fine, and so will you. Parents and teachers need to work together to make kindergarten a successful experience for each child.
www.anxietybc.com
Parents’ kindergarten anxiety is natural, but often anxiety in children reflects what parents are feeling. Children are looking for predictability, and the more the parents act calmly and confidently, the more likely the child will transition successfully. Parents need to remind themselves that all parents and all children go through this. Within in a few weeks, the first day worries will be a thing of the past.