We survived the first week. No one was sick, everyone stopped crying by day 3 and everyone got home to the right parent. Bring on week #2!
Please subscribe to the blog. Add your email address in the top right corner of this page. A 'Feedburner' message will be sent to you (check your inbox or junk). Click on the Feedburner message and agree or accept (I can't remember) and my blog will be sent directly to you. All you need to do is click on the email and my blog will open. You only receive emails when I post something new.
There are 3 adults in our room. Myself, Mrs. Mah-Doucette is our DECE (designated early childhood educator ) and has black hair and Mrs. Crossley our EA from last year. She has blonde hair and glasses. You will likely see her walking students to and from the bus. These women are amazing and I am so fortunate to work with them this year.
There are 27 students in the class. 15 JK's and 12 SK's. 16 boys and 11 girls. Ms. Wand has 25 students. We ask that you LABEL EVERYTHING!!! If something comes to school unlabelled, you may find I have taken a sharpie and written your child's name in the piece of clothing. 52 students times the jackets, shoes, hoodies, snow pants, hats, mittens, lunch containers and drink bottles is just too great number for me to keep track of. Put the sharpie you were given at the orientation in a convenient spot (a kitchen drawer perhaps) so it's handy or email Mabel (Mabel's labels).http://www.mabelslabels.com/
I have 3 main forms of communication: this blog, the iBag and email. This blog is my main form of communication. Please check it daily to know of upcoming events, the star of the day and classroom information. The iBag is also an important communication tool. It must come to school everyday and we will return each day. You can let us know of dentist appointments, vacations, pick up issues, etc. by writing a note and placing it in the iBag. We send home work, letters and permission forms in that iBag. If your child would like to play with a classmate (this is where friendships begin), please put a note including your name and contact information in the bag and we will be happy to pass it along. I cannot share personal phone numbers or email addresses. I will also send out emails to you individually and in a group as needed. My email is regan.scott@yrdsb.ca if you need to reach me. I do like to send you photos of your child at school. Imagine clicking on your "you've got mail" button and seeing your child's sweet little face pop up.
Please send indoor shoes and pack a spare set of clothes in your child's backpack. Make sure your child has a refillable drink bottle. With the heat we had last week, many students filled up several times a day. We can't refill a juice box and do not have a drinking fountain in the classroom.
I am trying to eliminate 'the juice box' this year. It leaves behind garbage (the straw and wrapper) and often a mess as juice spills out as the students squeeze it. Please take a second to imagine cleaning up 27 messes twice a day. This is the mom in me, imploring you to consider how much time it takes to clean up after that many children. Instead of mopping and wiping, we would rather be teaching, playing and singing. I strongly recommend only sending water. It's refreshing, won't spoil and if it happens to spill in a backpack or the lunchbox itself it won't make everything sticky. It evaporates! If you do feel the need to send juice, please pour it into a refillable container so the child can refill it with water if needed. We do go outside at least twice a day and have gym twice a week. The students will get thirsty.
Did I mention: LABEL EVERYTHING!!!!!
Ms. Wand is the Kindergarten teacher next door and Ms. MacDermaid is the DECE. Ms. Wand is a Monarch butterfly expert and goes across Ontario teaching teachers how to use them in their programs. She has brought in caterpillars and chrysalises for the students to observe and then release. In class, we are talking about the life cycle and changes this amazing creature goes through. We have poems and songs to support this. Your child may have sang some to you already.
My other blogs won't be this long. I promise!
No comments:
Post a Comment