Junior/Senior Kindergarten New Central Public School

1. Welcome Junior/Senior KindergartenNew Central Public School

2. Purpose of our Evening.. • Meet other Kindergarten parents and school staff • Learn briefly about the school/additions, school day, routines and our ‘K’ program • Looking ahead to September

3. Your Staff Principal – Mr. Merrill Mathews Kindergarten Teachers- Mrs. Melisa Robertson Mrs. Susan Cvitkovitch School Secretary- Mrs. Katherine Hogg

4. Additions to New Central On the Board Website- more detailed pictures- here is the link to get you to the plans.

5. The Kindergarten Years Our Kindergarten Teachers in Action!

6. Let’s Take A Closer Look A Halton Kindergarten Years Classroom • Classes are blended JK/SK • 2 year Kindergarten Program

7. Program Focus • Physical health and well being • Social development • Emotional maturity • Cognitive knowledge • Communication skills and general knowledge What does this mean?

8. What We Know Young children at school - have skills, knowledge and attitudes that they have learned at home, daycare and community settings - come from different backgrounds and different experiences - learn best by participating in activities relevant to their lives - learn best by playing with materials - learn best by using all their senses

9. What We Must Do At school we provide - a wide variety of activities and experiences - a positive, supportive and loving environment - set routines and expectations that are consistent providing a framework to develop independence - an environment that will help build self-esteem and encourage risk taking in learning - a balance of structured activities and free exploration of the classroom - activities that stress learning through all the senses - play based activities are important for development of literacy, numeracy and social skills

10. Typical Day: Full Day/ Alternate Day

11. Parent Support How Can I Help My Child? Build Independence Skills • Putting on own coats, clothes, shoes, socks • Toileting skills – from beginning to end • Hand washing • Blowing his/her own nose properly • Eating skills

12. Parent Support How Can I Help My Child? Fine Motor Skills • Block building, lacing • Colouring, painting and gluing • Practice using scissors –“thumb on top” • Support correct pencil grasp • Tripod grip – pincer • Begin name writing – First letter capital and the rest lower case • Tall letter go up and short letters go down • Round letters go counter clockwise

13. Parent Support How Can I Help My Child? Early Literacy and Numeracy Skills • Sing lots of songs, alphabet games • Learn short poems and rhymes • Count objects • Look for numbers and letters in everyday places Read Read Read !

14. Helpful Hints: What Should I Know? • Nutrition Breaks: 1 Large Lunch Bag with two substantial snacks in separate containers marked “Snack #1” & “Snack #2” (to avoid waste, make sure the items are nutritious but also those your child will eat) Litterless Please!!! • Backpack (Large) • Name labels on EVERYTHING! • 1 Ziplock bag with one FULL change of clothes, incl. socks • Velcro shoes to leave at school (need indoor and outdoor shoes)

15. School Routines • Attendance check • School safety procedures (medication, allergies, special needs) • Volunteer police check

16. Allergies – Peanuts and nuts Please do not send any food products for your child that may contain nut products. If you send treats to be shared, either purchased or home-made, please provide a list of ingredients to the teacher in advance. If your child is diagnosed with an allergy, please let the teacher and the office know before your child starts school.

17. Volunteers Volunteers are essential to the successful running of our kindergarten program. Volunteers must have a current Criminal Background Check (form available from the Police Station) and a Vulnerable Sector Screening (form available at the school) on file at the school in order to volunteer in any capacity, including on field trips. There are many ways to volunteer in our classrooms, some of which are: preparing crafts, making playdough, helping at learning centres, listening to children read, and field trip/special events supervision. Our Hug-a-Book and Mystery Reader programs are totally dependent upon volunteers. Lunch supervision is always appreciated.

18. Calendars A. School year Calendar • B. At a Glance Calendar • A – Monday and Wednesday • B – Tuesday and Thursday • Alternate Fridays

19. What’s Next? • Transportation • School visits and Gradual entry • First Full Day

20. Transportation The Halton District School Board provides transportation for students in JK-Grade 8 who live further than 1.6 km (1 mile) from school. Transportation is not provided for students who attend under Optional Attendance. We ensure safety of our JK/SK students through: • coded tags showing bus number, stop, pick-up and drop off times; • --Bus Buddies (where/when possible) to support younger students; • -Bus drivers will not allow JK/SK student to get off the bus unless there is an adult waiting for them at the bus stop; children are returned to the school and parents are called to come and pick them up; (however, it is the parent’s responsibility to be at the bus stop when the bus arrives) • -Bus companies provide orientation days in August for students and parents (check your local newspaper for notice);

21. September/Staggered Entry There are 3 visits prior to the first day full day . Watch for a letter in the mail. 1. Parent/child Teacher Interview - during the first week of September you and your child will have a scheduled interview with her/his kindergarten teacher 2. 1/3 of the class - only 6 or 7 children come in for an hour to become familiar with the teacher, learn routines and settle into the classroom 3. 1/2 of the class come in for 2 hours to continue to become familiar with the teacher and class routines

22. First Full Day All the children come and stay for their first full day and bussing starts on the first full day: Track A – Monday September 20 Track B – Friday September 17

23. The First Day-Transitions • Past experience does not always prepare you. It can be hard to predict if your child will have a difficult time saying good-bye. • Take some time to talk with your child about school and that moms and dads don’t stay for the day. • Come early, not in a rush, to ease your child into the transition from home to school. • Parents’ anxiety is easily felt by the child – watch what you say and do.

24. Questions:

25. Think of a Time… …you were very happy at school.

26. Our School Philosophy subhead

27. What did you do today? When children come home at the end of the day, The question they’re asked as they scurry to play is, “Tell me, what did you do today?” And the answer they may give you makes you sigh in dismay. “Nothing, I did nothing today!” Perhaps nothing means I played with blocks Or, counted to 10 with…. Maybe I painted a picture of red and blue Or, heard a story about a mouse that flew.

28. What did you do today? Maybe I watched the gerbils eat today Or, went outside on the swings to play. Maybe today was the very first time That my scissors followed a very straight line. Maybe I led a song from beginning to end, Or, played with a special brand new friend. When you are only 5 and your heart has wings, Nothing can mean so many things.

29. Before and After School Program • Welcome Jan Spiers • YMCA Survey • Program Details

30. Our Thanks!