Mrs. Walker’s Pre-Kindergarten Handbook

Shattuck Elementary School

2023-2024

CONTACT INFORMATION

Parent  Communication is very important in order for us to have a  successful school year.  Please keep a few things in mind this year on correspondence.

_____________________________________________________________________________

• Please relay if your child is going to be absent to the office by 8:05 am. and they will get that message to me first thing that morning.

•  If there is a change in how your child goes home on a given day, Please DO NOT email or try to message me on SEESAW. IF I AM BUSY IN CLASS, I MAY MISS THEM SO ITS BEST TO GO THROUGH THE OFFICE SO THEY CAN RELAY THAT INFORMATION TO ME BY 3:00 PM. 

1

Seesaw is a simple way for teachers and students to record and share what's happening in the classroom. Seesaw gives students a place to document their learning, be creative and learn how to use technology. Each student gets their own journal and will add things to it, like photos, videos, drawings, or notes.

Please look at the attached sheet for directions on how to load SeeSaw to your phone. Please make sure to download by the first morning of school that way you can see First Day of School Pics that I will post for you as well as brief updates on how our first day is going. 

A Few Things About SeeSaw:

1. MESSAGING: I will be able to send you notes out on an as needed basis. Sometimes, I DO this in place of paper notes in the Thursday Folder!

If its an announcement, you won’t be able to respond back but a conversation you will be able.  You can also comment on anything I post to your child’s journal and I will be able to see those comments. 

2. LEARNING ACTIVITIES: SeeSaw has an actvity library that has numerous digital learning activities. Later on, I will upload math and alphabet activities for the children to complete during I PAD time.  See Saw will notify you when they are completed so you can see their work.  

3. YOUR CHILD”S JOURNAL will be a collection of pictures, activities, art projects, and other keepsake reminders for this school year. You will have the opportunity to save it ALL at the end of the year to have as a keepsake of their first year in school. 

Pre-K is a time for happiness however, sadness is normal for those moms whose little ones are leaving for school for the first time. I have been in those shoes, and I understand the emotions you feel, however I hope you will feel more at ease knowing that I love to take pictures of what we do here at school and send them to you via our See Saw app. A lot of times during the day, I will video the kids individually and  (whole group)  to show you things we are working on in the moment. I truly get excited when I see them working hard and having fun and I want you to see it first hand, too.

2

Personal Classroom Policy Regarding FACEBOOK 

I have made it a personal policy not to engage in school communication through FaceBook.I respectfully ask to please not send any school related messages through Messenger. I like to save Facebook and use it mostly for when school is out in May to keep in touch with your families and the kids once school is out. 

 Thank you for your understanding.

___________________________________________________________

Our School Day:  Things to Know

• A Good Night’ Rest is Going to be Important for your Pre-K child. We have a VERY structured schedule at school and even though we have rest time, your little one is going to come home extremely tired these first few weeks of school. It will take their body a few weeks to get accustomed to their new schedule.  

• Doors Open at 7:45

• Children Arrive From: 7: 45-8:05

• Dismissal is at 3:00…

 We will walk out front on the sidewalk up under the eave next to Mrs. Crowder’s Kindergarten room. Parents will need to walk up and get their child from the teacher. Children will not be dismissed to the parking lot.

Separation Anxiety:  

Pre-K is sometimes a time for anxiety for parents, as well as the child. Seperation anxiety is normal for everyone. I encourage one kiss, one hug, mom will see you later and go. Lingering and prolonging the depature typically will make an upset last longer. I just want to assure you that when they step in my doors each day, they are going to be loved and cared for as my own. My students are “MY KIDS” and I am here to make this FIRST year of school a great one for them. :) If anxiety persists more than 2 weeks, I will reach out to you to discuss some things we can try at that point. 

For the first 9 weeks, it is fine to walk your child down to the classroom door each morning. However, as we approach the end of the 1st 9 weeks, I will send a note out (mid October) asking that they be allowed to walk down the sidewalk on their own or a Pre-K classmate that is in the room with them.  It may sound scary now, but I promise when the time is right. IT IS A VERY BIG DEAL TO THEM!”  This will allow for increased independence which is a BIG GOAL being a Pre-K Student. 

Rest Time:

Each afternoon, we will have a short rest time. Rest time will include either listening to soft music or laying quietly for a video.  Children do not have to go to sleep, however will be asked to lay quietly and not bother those around them. Children will be asked to leave shoes and socks on as well.

 Pillows, blankets and stuffed animals will not be allowed during rest time.

End of Day Changes:

 THE END OF THE DAY IS BUSY FOR US. If there are any changes in the way your child goes home in the afternoon, I ask that you please call the school by 2:00 p.m. or send a note.  ALL CHANGES NEED TO GO THROUGH THE OFFICE AND THEY WILL NOTIFY ME.  If I do not hear from you, I will assume the normal every day procedure is to be followed. 

Thanks for your cooperation!

—------------------------------------------------------------------

Birthday’s:

If you would like to send a special snack in honor of your child’s birthday that is fine just let me know beforehand please. We will celebrate birthdays during our snack time part of the day. Please only send birthday invitations to school if you are inviting the whole class.  Thank you for your cooperation!!

____________________________________________________________

Snacks: 

 On the last week of every month, I will send home a snack calendar. Each child will take a turn bringing a snack for the classroom that day. You may send the snacks in your child’s backpack on their given day. With the class being small, its going to require 2 to 3 snack days a month for each student. If you ever get in a bind, where you are unable to bring, please just let me know privately via my school email so other arrangements can be made. NO DRINKS ARE NECESSARY, AS WE WILL HAVE JUICE PROVIDED FROM THE CAFETERIA  EACH DAY DURING SNACK TIME.

Water Bottles: 

Children will need to have a water bottle with a lid each day at school. Water Bottles will be sent back home each day for you to wash and send back the following morning. Thank you!

Breakfast and Lunch: 

The menu’s for our meals will be posted on the Shattuck Public Schools Web Page. When I receive a paper copy, I will send you a copy home in Thursday Folders and/or on SeeSaw for you to have at home. If you know your child won’t eat what the school meal is that day, I highly recommend you pack a lunch box and send with them. It’s a long time till snack in the afternoon, and I don’t want them to be starving by the time they get back home in the afternoon. 

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Classroom Rules and Procedures for the Pre-K Classroom!

OUR CLASSROOM RULES:

1. Looking Eyes

2. Listening Ears

3. Helping Hands

4. Inside Voices

5. Walking Feet

These rules will be posted in our group time area in picture(rebus) form. At this age, these rules will be reinforced each morning during group time as well as many times throughout the day.

**PARENT COMMUNICATION**:  

1. Brag Notes on SeeSaw

2. Notes in Thursday Folder

3. In Person Contact

**STUDENT REWARDS FOR POSTIVE BEHAVIOR**

1. PRASIE, PRAISE, PRAISE!! 

I use the phrase “I like the way you are sitting. “Criss Cross Applesauce”

2. Brag Notes sent out on SeeSaw

3. Brag Notes send out in Folders

4. Stickers, Suckers, Treasure Box on Fridays

Procedures: Procedures are a part of life. They are essential in society in order for people to function in an organized manner. Think of what life would be like if we didn’t have a procedure for a traffic light, or on an airplane. Procedures help us by demonstrating what is acceptable. In Pre-K, the children will be learning Procedures during each part of the day. 

SOME OF THEM INCLUDE:

Arrival Time- Hanging up Bag, etc.

How to Sit at Carpet 

How to Be a Good Listener

How To Line Up

Cleaning Up Centers

Cafeteria 

Rest Time

Snack Time 

 Dismissal

At the Pre-K level, Rules and Procedures have to be enforced many times throughout the day and having to go back and do things over can cause emotional upsets or tantrums at times out of frustration. Therefore,I will be utilizing a “Calm Down Corner” in the classroom. In the event of an emotional upset, which is common at this age. I will transition the child to this area, sometimes with the teacher present, sometimes without. 

It is a place to think about choices the child has made. Sometimes the teacher may go with them, other times they may go alone. It is an inviting place where children can figure out what they are feeling and process them in an appropriate manner. There will be books, feelings chart, and problem solving cards to help your child work through their upset.   —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday Folders

Each Thursday, your child’s red pocket folder will come home. It will include notes from the office and/or myself. Please make sure to check their folder and initial the sheet inside to indicate you have seen what is inside. 

Please RETURN folder in your child’s backpack each Friday morning. 

Sickness- It seems the moment school start, is when we start seeing a lot of sickness. Please make sure your child is symptom free of fever and/or diaherra before returning to school. I use a LOT of Chlorox Wipes and Lysol during the school year. If you are willing to supply EXTRA of these things this year, I would greatly appreciate it. I have my oldest on immunosuppressant medication for a medical condition she has so I try really hard to make sure we are taking care of our health in here for everyone’s sake. :)

Absent: If you child is absent, I will save their papers from that day, and send them home in their Thursday folders the next time they go out. The make up work in NOT mandatory to be sent back, however it is recommended just to help keep your child on track of what they missed that day. 

Assessments:  Each 9 Weeks I will assess your child on the skills we have been working on during that time frame. These assessments will be sent home for you to view to give you an idea of where they are at and what they may need extra practice on. A final report card will be issued in May for you to have as a KeepSake. 

Classroom Parties: We will have Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter during our snack time part of the day. Information on those will be sent at a later date. 

TRACING NOTEBOOKS AND FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

 Fine motor skills refer to precision, dexterity, and coordination of the hands. These are the skills that allow us to use our hands to manipulate materials like pencils, containers, clothing fasteners, and little objects (We work on these skills every DAY, all year long.  I have  a lot of ideas for things you can Do at HOME to help foster this for your child. I will share more later on. 

 Developing these skills is a process for children. It does not and will not happen over night. One of our big goals this year is to turn your student into a beginning writer.  One way we will work on this is with Tracing Notebooks. 

 The 3 ring binder and sheet protectors you supply will be used for a tracing notebook. The notebook will begin with the first letter of their name, first name and  basic Pre-Writing Lines and Shapes.. Then when we start the alphabet and numbers, I will add one page a week in it for them to reinforce what we are working on in class.

 In the beginning it will be very common to hear things, “Like My Hands Are Tired.” You will also see what’s called a fist grasp most likely around their tracing marker. This is NORMAL, some will even want to scribble all over it at first. Just get behind them and model hand over hand and show their hands how to do it. They will get the hang of it, pretty fast. 

HOW CAN YOU HELP AT HOME?

1. NOTEBOOKS WILL BE SENT HOME EACH THURSDAY ALONG WITH THURSDAY FOLDERS… PLEASE KEEP THE NOTEBOOK AT HOME TO PRACTICE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. PLEASE SIT WITH YOUR CHILD AS THEY WORK ON THEIR TRACING. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO  MAKE THIS A LONG SITTING SESSION. SHORT 4- 5 MINUTE PRACTICES A DAY ARE VERY EFFECTIVE AND HELP MORE THAN YOU KNOW.

2. RETURN NOTEBOOKS IN BACKPACK EACH MONDAY MORNING FOR THE NEXT WEEKS SHEET TO BE ADDED.