Building a Strong Foundation for Preschool Success at ISD 622

1. A solid foundation for success

2. Meet The Teachers Julie Heroff General Ed Teacher This is Julie’s 4th year with ISD 622 Preschool. Julie is licensed in Early Childhood and Family Studies Maggie Butler Educational Assistant 1st year with ISD 622 Worked with kids for 10+ years

3. Specialty Staff Cathy Czeh Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Terri Satersmoen Speech/Language Pathologist Sally Glick English Learner Teacher

4. AM and PM Classes • Morning Green Class AM • Monday – Friday 8:45-11:15 • End Date: June 1st (a week early) • Afternoon Blue Class PM • Monday – Thursday 12:45-3:15 • End Date: June 7th (The last week is FULL DAY)

5. Pre-K Class Schedule Sign-in • (kids drizzle in from bus) Meal Time Circle Time Small Group Active Learning Circle Time Outside Regroup/closing Goodbye song AM Class 8:25-8:45 8:50 9:00 9:30 9:45 10:30 10:45 11:10 11:15 PM Class 12:40-12:45 12:50 1:00 1:30 1:45 2:30 2:45 3:10 3:15

6. Communication • Folders in Backpack –Thursday are “send home paperwork” day! • Emails: Julie’s Email: jheroff@isd622.org • Remind App (text for big announcements) • Monthly Newsletter (Paper copy and email) • Webpage: isd622.org/heroff_julie • Classroom Phone: 651-748-6724 • Feel free to stop by! • My Contact Info is on All Newsletters

7. Parent Pick up and Bus Routines • Any drop off or pick up parents will be responsible to sign-in and sign-out their child at the parent area clip board. • Check folders in backpack daily • Thursday’s will be the day we send home information in the backpack, and check folders. If you send something, it is helpful if you send an email so I be sure to look for it in your child’s backpack.

8. Backpacks • Send Backpacks EVERY DAY • Keep a clean set of clothes (shirt, underwear and pants) in a ziplock/plastic bag back at the bottom of the backpack. It can stay there all year. • Please send a backpack that will fit the size of a standard folder. Backpacks that are too small are difficult to send paperwork home. • Backpacks with wheels are not ideal for preschoolers

9. School Shoes • Please send shoes that are comfortable and strap on your child’s foot. • Preferably tennis shoes with easy straps • Kids will be active outside daily. • Avoid flip flops, boots and shoes your child can’t put on independently (tie shoes) • Send shoes in backpack during winter months Ok, if child can tie shoes

10. Outside Gear • Our class will go outside daily. • Please dress your child with proper outside clothing for the weather • continue to practice self-help skills while promoting independence dressing themselves

11. Skirts and Dresses • If your child wears skirts or dresses, please encourage shorts or leggings underneath. • Children sit crisscross and climb on the playground equipment and practice the monkey bars often. • Students are taught that underwear is a personal space and that area should be covered.

12. Dress for Mess • This classroom is set up to be a learning environment with hands on activities. • Send your child in comfortable clothes that allow your child to explore. Please understand that your child might be muddy, or have paint on their shirt, but it was a fun day!

13. Process Art • In preschool, we are encouraging more process art that facilitates learning through the process of doing. • There will be less “cute” crafts, and more art. Process art: There isn’t a wrong way to do it. The end result varies for all children. Craft: All look similar with one goal as an outcome

14. Holidays • Our district has a policy that encourages schools to be more culturally responsive. This means we will not be celebrating the typical holidays in the classroom. • Teachers will work hard to keep projects interesting, and engaging while being mindful of the many cultures in our district. • Families, if you would be interested sharing your culture with our class, please contact me!

15. Birthday Celebrations • We will celebrate birthday’s in the classroom with a simple crown. Please inform me if you do NOT celebrate birthdays. • Alternative ways to celebrate in our classroom: • Send in your child's favorite book and we can read it to the class that day.  • If your child has a Summer birthday,  we will encourage you to celebrate it on their half birthday!

16. AM Breakfast • Breakfast will be served to all preschoolers in the morning class. • We will serve it in the classroom in the beginning of the year, and hope to transition to the cafeteria by the end of the school year.

17. PM Snack Donations • Milk is served at snack daily (Thursday’s chocolate milk is served) • Please consider sending in a snack for the class to share (20 students) • This Room is Peanut and Tree Nut Free! Please do NOT send anything with nuts. • 20 students in the class.

18. Absent from School Page 6 of handbook • Sick: • If your child is sick, call, or email the teacher to inform them of the absence. • When in doubt, keep your child home! • Fever (100*), vomiting, diarrhea, contagious illness: • 24 hour rule means keep your child home for 24 hours after the last “episode” --that means they need to be healthy for 24 hours. • Vacation or personal reasons: • Still call or email and alert the teacher they will be absent.

19. Photo Opt Out • This green form is available to fill out if you do NOT want your child in any pictures for publicity materials or for sharing with other families in the class

20. Late Pick-Up • Handbook Page 6 (Correct the handbook change 15 minutes to 10 minutes) • First incident: warning and reminder of policy • Second incident: 20.00 for the first 10 minutes and 1.00 for every minute thereafter. • Third incident: 30.00 for the first 10 minutes and 1.00 for every minute thereafter.

21. Medical ConcernsAllergies • Please alert me to any medical concerns, allergies or transportation information • Check-in and be sure I know this important information!! • Alert staff to any changes that may come up during the school year.

22. Free and Reduced • Please consider filling out the free and reduced nutritional services form. The money will help serve our district preschool students breakfast and milk. • Fill out paperwork or online at www.isd622.org/freereducedonline • Parents that have filled one out already– did you add your preschooler as a child in school? If no, you can re-submit, listing all children that attend school, including your preschooler.

23. PTA for Early Childhood • Parent Advisory Council • Meets every other month • Helps plan fundraisers and makes decisions on how that money can better serve our youngest learners

25. Ready for Success Highest Available 4-Star Parent Aware Rated Preschool According to the Parent Aware website, “a program earning a Four Star shows that it is equipped to offer the very best in quality care, assuring parents that it is doing all it can to prepare their children for school.”

26. Ready for Success

27. Questions?