Welcome+Letter


 * Welcome to Kindergarten! **

Hello! Hola! Bonjour! Hallo! Ohayo! Nihao! We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with your child this year! This newsletter will give you some information regarding Kindergarten procedures at Wiley. __ Monday Folders __ - Every Monday, or the first day of the week that we come to school, your child will bring home a large envelope containing important school information and some of your child’s work from the previous week. Class and administrative newsletters will be sent by email for those who have email access; others will receive a paper copy in the Monday Folder. Please take time to look through the information carefully and to return papers as requested. __ Arrival and Dismissal __ - Children walking or riding in a car should arrive at school no earlier than 8:45 unless they are registered in the YMCA Before School program (see Wiley Handbook.) Your child should be in class before the tardy bell rings at 9:05. If your child arrives after the tardy bell, you should take him/her to the office to sign in and to get a tardy slip that should be given to your child’s teacher. If your child needs to leave school before 3:40 for doctor’s or other appointments, please go to the office to sign your child out before coming to the classroom to pick up your child. Afternoon announcements are made at 3:40 (2:40 on Wednesdays.) Following announcements, carpool students will be escorted to the second grade hallway by one of our teacher assistants. Walkers will be escorted to the front steps of the school. Beginning at 3:45 ( 2:45 on Wednesdays,) bus students will be dismissed as each bus arrives. To ensure the safety of your child, we have found that a consistent means of leaving school is very important. If your child’s dismissal plans change, even for one day, please send a note to your child’s teacher; call the office by 2p.m. for last minute changes only (856-7723.) __ Medications and Sick Students __ - All medications must be administered by the office staff with the appropriate paperwork from you and/or your child’s doctor. Please do not send in medicine, pain relievers, cough drops, or even lotion/ointments without contacting us first. Children with a fever of 100.6 or higher should remain at home until they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Refer to Wiley Handbook for additional information. __ Emergency Information Cards __ - It is very important that you keep your child’s emergency information card updated. Please contact us with any changes (phone numbers, emergency contact, and all other important information.) Only persons authorized on these white locator cards will be allowed to pick up your child. __ Change of Clothes __ - Each child should bring in a change of clothes (a pair underwear, shorts/pants, shirt, and socks) in a Ziploc bag with his/her name on it. When the weather gets colder, warmer clothes need to be exchanged. Children are much more comfortable if they can change into their own clothes after a spill or accident. Some classrooms can be chilly at times so keeping a sweatshirt or sweater at school is recommended. __ Meal Tickets __ - We encourage parents to put money in their child’s lunch and milk accounts rather than sending in money each day. (See Wiley Handbook) If you pay online, be aware that it may take up to a week for the amount to show up on the account. If you send a check, please include your child’s student number on the check. Any cash should be sent in a labeled, sealed envelope. __ Lunch Visits __ Parents may come for lunch visits beginning October 1st. It is important for children to get used to the routines and to feel confident about being at school before handling mid-day separations. You will need to sign in at the office first and then meet your child at the cafeteria entrance once the visits begin in October.

__ Snack Attack!- __ Please send a healthy snack for your child every day- please no sweets, candy, cakes, or sugary snacks. We suggest fruit, veggies, applesauce, graham crackers, mini-bagels, raisins, or other foods listed on the healthy snack sheet posted in each classroom. You may also pack juice or water; water is available from water fountains on each hall. __ Other Business __ - -We are very active and busy everyday. Please help your child get a good night’s sleep. Well rested kids are better learners.

-Please put your child’s name on all coats, sweaters, sweatshirt, lunch boxes, and backpacks that come to school.

I**f you have additional questions, please feel free to write a note, email or give us a call at school. We are looking forward to a fabulous year full of learning, growth and fun for your child! **


 * Sincerely, **

 
 * The Wiley Kindergarten Team **
 * Mrs. Patty Brown (pbrown2@wcpss.net) **
 * Ms. Jen Cater (jcater@wcpss.net) **
 * Ms. Judy Lobo (jlobo@wcpss.net) **
 * Ms. Gretchen Ross (gross2@wcpss.net) **

Ms Ross's Additional Welcome Letter


 * __ Additional Welcome Letter __**
 * __ Daily Folders- __** Every day folder will come home containing a Daily Report that needs to be initialed __everyday__ by a parent. Communication between the parent and teacher is vital! A Home Enrichment assignment sheet will also be included beginning in mid-September. All notes to me of any kind need to be clipped __inside this folder__.
 * __ Communication- __** There will be times you may need to contact me with questions or concerns. Please feel free to email me at gross2@wcpss.net or send me a note in your child’s Daily Folder. I check my email at least twice a day, however, please allow 48 hours for a response. Do not send a change in transportation notice to me through email because I need to receive those request with your signature. If it is a last minute change, please call the office and they will relay the message to me. I will schedule 2 parent conferences for each child: October and March/April. Understand that I do have meetings, planning and workshops most days, so showing up after school for an unscheduled conference is difficult for me to give you concerns sufficient attention. If you wish to have any additional conferences please send me a note or email including your request.
 * **Being on time and coming to school everyday is very important! You are modeling the importance and purpose for school by making sure they are at school and on time. Preparing backpacks, setting out clothes the night before, getting to bed early reduces morning setbacks. ** **
 * __ Field Trips __** - The Kindergarten classes will be going on many curriculum enriching field trips this year. The field trip Schedule and chaperone sign up will be available at Open House. The fee for field trips will be sent home once they are all planned and approved. Look for this in notice in your child’s Monday Folder soon.
 * __ Parent Involvement __** - There will be several ways parents can be involved in the class. Center Helpers, Story Time Readers, Pet Care, Field Trip Chaperones, Library Helpers, Class Parent, International Events, Sewing Project, and At-Home Assemblers. Sign up will occur at Parents Night on September 17th.


 * __ Birthday Celebrations __** - We will not be having birthday celebrations at school involving food this year, however, we will make an “All About __(child’s name)___” class book that day or week. Those children that have summer birthdays will have books made for them at some point during the year. Each month the entire kindergarten will do a group birthday celebration with an international twist. Any ideas are welcome!


 * __ Supply List __** - A supply list is included in today’s folder. Our class shares all materials so once the items are sent in, they will be added to our classroom supply. There is no need to label items. In every newsletter, I will list some things we need for classroom activities.


 * __ Snack Attack!- __** There is a daily snack in kindergarten after 7th period. Please pack a small healthy snack for them every day- please no sweets, candy, cakes, or sugary snacks like fruit roll-ups. We suggest fruit, veggies, applesauce, graham crackers, mini-bagels, raisins, or any of the other items on the safe snack food list in this packet. Since so many children these days have serious allergies, we are requesting snacks be nut free.

Parents may begin to join their child for lunch beginning the first week of October. It is important for the children get used to their routine and begin to feel confident about being at their new school.
 * __ Lunch Visits __**

Monday, August 31st, you will receive elective registration materials. Kindergarten students do not begin the year in electives except if a foreign language course is chosen. Since languages are year long, it is important that students begin at the same time. You may select a foreign language to begin ** 1st quarter **. If you have more than one choice for a language, please put a second choice on your worksheet. You will then make 4 choices for each period in ** 2nd quarter. ** Please contact Kitty Yarbrough, the Magnet Coordinator, if you have any questions. cyarbrough@wcpss.net
 * __ Electives __**

-All toys, games, trading cards, candy, and gum needs to stay at home unless requested by me. This avoids broken treasures and broken hearts.
 * __ Other Business __** -

-We are very active and busy everyday. Please help your child get a good night’s sleep. Well rested kids are better learners.

-Tying shoes, buttoning, zipping jackets, and learning home addresses and phone numbers are skills needed by your child this year. Practicing at home is encouraged.

-Please put your child’s name on all coats, sweaters, sweatshirt, lunch boxes, and backpacks that come to school.

-If your child has frequent toileting accidents, please do send in a change of clothes. Encouraging your child to have thorough toileting habits is a great help to your child and their teachers.

-Hats are not permitted at school inside the buildings- recess, yes, and unless it’s Hat Day.


 * __ NEWSLETTERS- __** I will send home a weekly newsletter every Monday (or the first day of each week) for this the week. Beginning in next week, I will email newsletter and home enrichment to those who have email access and hard copies to those who do not. This is part of Wiley’s Go Green effort to reduce paper. It will contain days to remember, a weekly review, and Lesson topics for the week to come, supplies needed, show and tell, home extensions, and reminders. Even though newsletters may look similar they contain VERY important information. PLEASE READ IT EVERY WEEK!


 * Again, if you have additional questions, please feel free to write a note, email me or give us a call at school. I am looking forward to a fabulous year full for learning, growth and fun for your child! **


 * Sincerely, **
 * Ms. Ross **


 * Ms. Ross Information: **
 * Birthday: May 22nd, 1973 (yes, that makes me 35) **
 * Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC (mom and school) Dallas, TX (dad) **
 * Education: Appalachian State University, B.S. Elementary Education minor-psychology 1995—worked on National Boards last year **
 * Teaching Experience: 13th year teaching Kindergarten, 10th year in Wake County- Baucom Elementary in Apex- 5 years, Wiley- 5 years **
 * Family: 1 Son, Peyton, almost 12year old and starting 7th grade at Daniels Middle School (former Wiley graduate) **
 * Pets: Vito the Chihuahua 2 years old, Rosie- Tarantula, TBA- gecko **
 * For Fun: Making jewelry, camping, Oakwood dogpark **
 * Favorite places to go: Charleston, Boone, Asheville **
 * Favorite Local Restaurants: Raleigh Times, Rockford, Third Place, Locopops **
 * Where In the World I Want To Go: Palau, Brazil, Tibet, Australia, Greece, and Morrocco **

(please keep this letter handy throughout the year for future reference)