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Get ready for the new school year! Welcome to River Springs Elementary! We have tips and information to help your kindergartner have a successful year. Meet our school team, library staff, nurse, and counselor. Our experienced kindergarten teachers are skilled at nurturing every child. Plus, read our article on preparing your child for a wonderful year. Don't forget to establish routines and promote independence in your child.
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ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN(and at the RSES kindergarten orientations)Getting ready for the 2019-2020 school year!
Welcome to River Springs Elementary ! First time to have a kindergartner? Experienced at having a kindergartner? We are here to answer your questions and offer some tips to help your kindergartner have a successful year! Meet Our School Team…
Our Office Ladies Teri Applegate Enrollment and Attendance Leslie Kulp Receptionist
Welcome to Our Library Ellen Hinrichs, Librarian Karen Sibert Library Assistant
“Nurse Filly” Filomena Stucker, School Nurse
Cynthia Thibault ,School Counselor And the Ladybug!
Everyone is welcome in Guidance ! Classroom lessons –with life skills for every student! Using SC and National Standards in the domains of Learning to Live – personal / social Learning to Learn – academic Learning to Work - career Individual and Small Group Counseling School wide expectations (Gator Goals and “Are you helping or hurting?”) Parent Consultation- Formal and Informal Please feel free to call me anytime!
We have the best Kindergarten Teachers in the World! Our teachers and their instructional assistants…… are nurturing and skilled at bringing out the best in every child !
Meet our kindergartenstaff….. Phyllis Griggs, Teacher and Amy McGuire, Assistant Rona Sample, Assistant and Gloria Cook, Teacher
Tracey Ramage, Assistant and Jessica Lindler, Teacher
These teachers are skilled at taking every child -where they are- and helping them grow to their fullest potential!
Related Areas- Music, Art, French, PE, Computers and Library
Your children are seeing a slide show today that talks about their room, parts of the day, recess, lunch, etc. You will be able to view it on our website with your child this summer if you like.
Our kindergarten program offers many wonderful opportunities for learning……we want your child to be ready to participate and gain the most from each day. So this summer……
READ, READ, READ! • Reading aloud to your child daily provides the building block for your child to become a fluent reader in the future. Include a wide variety of things you read to them- picture books, magazines, “how to” books and directions. • Try to help your child practice the skill of sitting and listening to one whole book before they get up to do something else…at home, at the library. • Keep a healthy balance about “time with technology” and time for real life learning, playing with friends, time with family and exploring books!
READ, READ, READ! • Encourage them to look for signs, brand names, etc. that they may already be able to read. (They can even start a collection!) • Enroll in the summer library programs and plan ahead for vacations- check out books on tape for the trip and plenty of books to take with you. • Encourage family members to be summer pen pals! What a great way to enjoy reading- a post card in the mail just for your child. Your child can even write back! • Let your children see you reading! Talk to them about what you like to read.
SELF-CARE Independence in these areas will help their self-confidence and will leave time to learn other things… • Getting coats on and off • Zipping and unzipping pants and coats • Buttoning and snapping • Tying shoe laces • Toileting needs • Washing hands after bathroom breaks • Blowing nose and coughing into their elbow to cut down on the spread of germs
Helpful Hint: A sharpie marker will be your best friend!! Put your child’s First and Last Name on everything! (coats, sweaters, lunch boxes, book bags, etc……) Our “Lost and Found” overflows with unclaimed items that must be donated to charity !
ROUTINE • Start your “school” routine a week before school starts- both bedtime andmorning routines…..so everything is not new the first week. • Prepare for the morning the night before. Have clothes and book bag ready to leave. (Be sure to buy a regular size book bag.☺) • Pack an extra set of clothes and underwear in a large ziplock bag and send to school with your child’s supplies. Accidents happen. • Establish a regular bedtime and a calming routine that leads up to bedtime. • And…….
Involve your child in planning a positive and consistent morning routine. • Provide a healthy breakfast at home or at school. Breakfast is served from 7:15 -7:40 each school day. • Getting to school early helps ensure that your child can have those important social times and has an unrushed start to the day! • And….
Help your child be independent about coming into school…walking in on their own, unpacking their book bag,turning in their take home folders,signing up for lunch choice, etc.This is their chance to Shine!!!
The morning routine for each class is filled with teachable moments and time for friends. They grow when they do this on their own.
Take time to let your child know how his/her day after school will look. This is a common worry with some kindergartners.K teachers and assistants take K students to each transportation areabefore the older students are dismissed. This includes walkers, daycare riders, bus riders, car riders and Lator Gators.
INDEPENDENCE • Involve your child in cleaning up after a snack or craft activity. • Have your child practice carrying a tray at a restaurant. Also let them open their ketchup and milk at McDonald’s or Chick-fil-a. • Give 2 or 3 directions at a time to complete a task. It can be a game! • Eat dinner at the family table and have your child sit and wait until everyone has finished eating. This is a good time for family talks and plans.
Practice leaving YOU behind.
Be Positive About Teachers and School • No “horror” stories about school. Ask older siblings, friends, and relatives to relate only their positive school experiences. • Watch for negative and hidden messages: • “My baby is going to school. What will I do all day without him?” • “I don’t think she’s going to handle the separation well. I remember how it was when I left her at preschool the first time.” • You won’t be scared to go to school will you?
You Don’t Have to Have All the Answers About School…… • It is fine to point out the obvious and answer general questions….Will we have lunch? Is there a playground? Will we read books? • But some children are anxious and ask questions about the questions…. It is fine to say “I know you’ll have snack. You’ll have to find out what it is and let me know” • “I’m not sure if the teacher will read books about cars. You can tell me about the books you hear the first day.”
The First Days:Stay Calm • Your child will take his/her cues from you. • Some children worry about what you will do without them. Tell your child how you plan to spend your day. • Please follow the guidelines we will share with you. It is very difficult for children to understand when some parents follow the procedures and some do not. • Recognize that some of your child’s feelings about school may be a reflection of simply feeling tired. The first days are long ones for little ones.
We plan for the transition of parents and children. Please know we have your child’s best interest in all that we do. Here are some events that will help with the transition………
“Kindergarten Only • Back To School Bash” • We’ll have an event just for kindergartnersand their parentsonThursday, August 15, 2019from 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM • To be followed by New Kids Orientation - Grades 1 -5 from 3:15 – 4:00 PMand our regular“RSES Back To School Bash” from 4:00 – 6:00 PM • This is a very important transition event for students!
“Kindergarten Only Back To School Bash” Students will meet their teachers, see their classroom, meet their classmates and start to learn their way to their room! Parents will have a short orientation with administrators and our school counselor to receive the latest information about the upcoming school year. Right after our “K Only Bash” you will be able complete your information packet. This is also a great time to purchase spirit wear, sign up for PTO, pay lunch money, etc. Teacher Request: Please keep talks this day with the teachers brief as they need to meet and greet all parents. You can set up a conference time if you need to share more information with them.
No School Fees or Snack Fees- Kindergarteners will bring their own snacks this year.If you should need us this summer our school office is open Mondays – Thursdays from 7AM – 5PM. (You have already provided the proof of residence for your kindergartner.)
1st Day for Kindergarten 2019-2020 School Year Kindergartners will begin on the same day as all other students- Wednesday, August 21st (There will be no staggered start for kindergarten.) Your children will have a busy first week meeting new people and learning their daily routines. Make sure they get plentyof sleep this week!
And on your child’s“First Day of School”…… • Parents may walk their children to the classroom door that first day, but not into the classroom. This really helps with the transition. Let your child know you have to leave at the door. That’s the rule. • We provide a parent group called “Tissues and Tears”(with juice and coffee) in our library on the first day of kindergarten.This is a great way to meet other moms and dads of kindergartners. • (You don’t have to be crying!)
We’ll continue to keep you “up to date” with…… • Kindergarten Curriculum Night-Thursday, Sept. 5th at 5:00 PM. Parents will receive specific information about the year’s academic curriculum and other plans. It will last about one hour. This event is for parents only please- not students.Other grade levels that night start at staggered times: 1st at 6 PM and 2nd at 7 PM • Wednesday, Sept. 4th Curriculum Night will be for 4K Excel and 3rd at 5PM, 4th at 6 PM and 5th at 7 PM. RSES Weekly Newsletter- via e-mail…We are a GREEN school.Nightly Take Home Folder, Kindergarten Classroom Newsletters and Teacher Websites. • We provide lots of opportunities to be involved with River Springs! (please wait a few weeks to give your child time to get settled in their routine.)
SCHOOL INFORMATION • Students may enter the building at 7:15 a.m. • First Bell will ring at 7:45 am…and our school day begins with the next bell at 7:50 a.m. • Dismissal at 2:40 p.m. • Car Riders- Connie Wright Entrance • Buses and Day Care Only- Kennerly Road Entrance • Walkers- Back Door on Green Hall by the portables. • Later Gators – Held here at RSES
Later Gators Afterschool Program Twala McCray, Director
Keeping Everyone Safe • Every day after school starts at 7:50 AM you will only be able to enter at the front door through our secure entrance. • Be sure to have your driver’s license with you for each visit so you may check in via Lobby Guard.
Red Hallway Red Signs Red Ladybug Sign • Color coded hallways make it easy for our students to learn their way around! K and 1st 2nd and 3rd 4th and 5th Related Areas, Cafeteria, Gym, Mini Theater