(This is the letter Mrs. Carlson sent home at the beginning of the year)
Dear Kindergarten Parents:
Welcome to Kindergarten at Lake Linden – Hubbell Schools! It was a gorgeous U.P. summer and I am looking forward to a fabulous fall, especially with your children in my class. I also assume that some of the children (and parents) are a bit nervous about the first day of kindergarten. Honestly, I am too. Every year, I have butterflies when I walk out to the playground to
see all of the children!
I really hope your child is excited about beginning the school year...all of the anxieties about the “newness” will soon disappear and we will all be having such a great time as we start learning our routines and making friends to enjoy throughout the year. I am sure you have many questions about your child’s kindergarten year, so I hope this newsletter will answer many of them. If I do not answer all of your questions, please feel free to call on me. My email address is [email protected]
or you can call me at school 296 – 6221.
What to Bring to School:
Your child will need to bring a bag or backpack to school every day to carry home papers/projects from school. Please check the contents of this backpack daily! I will give each child a folder to keep any papers that we may have completed in school, as well as any important notes that come from the office or me. This folder needs to be sent back to school every day.
The school purchases our school supplies, but if you would like to donate anything to the classroom, we would put it to good use. I have a huge supply of crayons, so they will not be needed. You will not have to send in paper, pencils, or folders,. to school because these items are supplied as well. It would be excellent if each family could purchase a box of Kleenex and a
bottle of hand sanitizer. Thank You in advance!
If you would like to purchase any of the following items that we will use through out the school year, please feel free to do so. However, please do not feel obligated. Clorox/Lysol wipes coloring books glue sticks foam letters/numbers (you can find these in the craft section at Wal-mart) paper plates (small and large size) Play-doh (homemade kind is fine too)
Your child will also need to have sneakers or athletic shoes to wear on gym days. If your child does not know how to tie shoes, it would be helpful (but is not necessary) if he/she has slip–ons or Velcro shoes for gym. It is helpful to send your child to school with these shoes on when it is gym day. There is no need to buy a separate pair of gym shoes (just make sure that your child has on sneakers on gym days)! If you have shoes for gym already, your child can leave them at school in the cubby area. Please write your child’s name (first and last) on shoes, jackets, backpacks, etc. as they do go missing occasionally.
Please dress your son/daughter in “play clothes.” We will get dirty! We will go outside daily as weather permits and will be painting, gluing, etc. Kindergarten tends to be messy.
Snack Time
We will be having a small snack daily provided by the school.
Birthdays
Birthdays in kindergarten are FUN! Some children like to celebrate their special day with a birthday snack. If you would like to send in a treat, please try to let me know in advance. Cupcakes, cookies, finger jell-o, and fruit are always popular. Please do not send in a cake, as it is very difficult to cut and serve. It is not mandatory to send in a treat for a birthday. If your child has a summer birthday and you would still like to celebrate sometime during the school year, that is great too…just let me know when!
We are asking that NO red juice, frosting, soda, etc. be brought into the classroom!!!
What’s New in Kindergarten?
Kindergarten has changed greatly in the past years. It is no longer the kindergarten that you or I remember. Michigan’s standards for a child leaving kindergarten are high…reading at least 18 words, writing sentences, counting beyond 150, skip counting, etc. It is a very exciting curriculum. We work on social skills, rules and singing songs. I know you will be fascinated when he/she learns ABC’s, 123’s, learning the sounds letters make, and adding and subtracting. Don’t worry…I will be discussing all of these things with you many times throughout the school year. Again, please call if you have questions, comments, or concerns.
Helping Your Child Feel Independent
Coming to kindergarten is an important milestone in your child’s life. We will encounter many new experiences. If you bring your child to kindergarten or if you pick up at the end of the day, I am asking that you say your good-byes outside of the classroom door. One of our goals is to help your child become a responsible and independent learner. Each child needs to be
able to hang up his/her jacket and backpack by his/her self as well as take care of other classroom duties. PLEASE do not worry if your child needs help…we will be there. I am sure you will agree that hearing your child say, “I can do it all by myself!” is a good feeling! Thank you very much for helping your child grow in this matter. On the first day of school, you are welcome to
come in to the classroom with your child to share the first experience. Although it may be an emotional time for some of you, to make the transition more smoothly for your child, it is important that you say your good-byes in a timely manner as your child will begin to grow wings and explore on their own as we begin our day first day of kindergarten.
The first day is such a busy one…a little chaotic, but usually organized chaos. I will be on the playground at 8:00 on Tuesday to meet all of the kindergartners and we will all walk into our classroom together.
Book Orders
I will be sending home book orders. The book orders often have great selections for reasonable prices. If you would like to purchase books please send it back to school with the payment by the date I have requested.
Safety
For your child’s safety and well being, please let the school know of any change in his/her schedule to go home. If your child goes to a babysitter, please let me know what days this occurs. If an older sibling walks home with your child, I also need to know this to eliminate any confusion and to keep every child safe.
Lunch Number
Your child’s lunch number was sent home or picked up at the social. Please help him/her to memorize this if he/she will be eating hot lunch or breakfast at school.
A Little about the Teacher
Teaching kindergarten is a wonderful job...there are probably no careers better than this one! I love seeing children grow the way kindergartners do. At the beginning of the year, they are just babies, but by the end, they are “big kids.”
Besides teaching, I love to spend time with my 4½ year old daughter Jynna, my 3 ½ year old son Louis, my husband Mike, family and friends and my 2 border collies Dallas and Little Bear. I also enjoy watching the Red Wings, reading, and walking.
A Little about Teacher’s Assistant
I have the pleasure of working with Melanie Nieuwenhuis this year, as she has accepted a position at LLH schools. She will be in the classroom daily helping your child learn. Melanie is a certified teacher with her master’s degree. It will be wonderful to have 2 adults in the classroom.
Communication between home and school
I am anxious for our “team approach” concerning your child’s education. We all have the same goal – for your child to be happy,
challenged, comfortable, and secure at school. We need to work together in order for your child to reach maximum success. I am
asking that you please review things we have learned at school on a daily basis. There is no need to spend hours at night drilling skills. Have fun…read books daily, play word games, review letters/sounds, numbers, etc. I will be sending home some ideas for you throughout the year. We will have homework occasionally. It is your child’s homework. You will need to help your child, but encourage your child to do the majority of the work. Please read the newsletters I send home with your child. They will tell you everything that we are working on in school.
Writing notes, calling, or emailing are great ways to share information with me. Please call anytime you are unsure about something. I have a special mailbox in my room that your child will become very familiar with. Each child will be responsible for checking his/her folder every day for important papers/notes that come from home to be placed in the mailbox. You may also send lunch money this way and we will make sure all important information gets to the office or its designated
place.
Together we will make your child’s kindergarten year the best ever!
Sincerely,
Erin Carlson
Dear Kindergarten Parents:
Welcome to Kindergarten at Lake Linden – Hubbell Schools! It was a gorgeous U.P. summer and I am looking forward to a fabulous fall, especially with your children in my class. I also assume that some of the children (and parents) are a bit nervous about the first day of kindergarten. Honestly, I am too. Every year, I have butterflies when I walk out to the playground to
see all of the children!
I really hope your child is excited about beginning the school year...all of the anxieties about the “newness” will soon disappear and we will all be having such a great time as we start learning our routines and making friends to enjoy throughout the year. I am sure you have many questions about your child’s kindergarten year, so I hope this newsletter will answer many of them. If I do not answer all of your questions, please feel free to call on me. My email address is [email protected]
or you can call me at school 296 – 6221.
What to Bring to School:
Your child will need to bring a bag or backpack to school every day to carry home papers/projects from school. Please check the contents of this backpack daily! I will give each child a folder to keep any papers that we may have completed in school, as well as any important notes that come from the office or me. This folder needs to be sent back to school every day.
The school purchases our school supplies, but if you would like to donate anything to the classroom, we would put it to good use. I have a huge supply of crayons, so they will not be needed. You will not have to send in paper, pencils, or folders,. to school because these items are supplied as well. It would be excellent if each family could purchase a box of Kleenex and a
bottle of hand sanitizer. Thank You in advance!
If you would like to purchase any of the following items that we will use through out the school year, please feel free to do so. However, please do not feel obligated. Clorox/Lysol wipes coloring books glue sticks foam letters/numbers (you can find these in the craft section at Wal-mart) paper plates (small and large size) Play-doh (homemade kind is fine too)
Your child will also need to have sneakers or athletic shoes to wear on gym days. If your child does not know how to tie shoes, it would be helpful (but is not necessary) if he/she has slip–ons or Velcro shoes for gym. It is helpful to send your child to school with these shoes on when it is gym day. There is no need to buy a separate pair of gym shoes (just make sure that your child has on sneakers on gym days)! If you have shoes for gym already, your child can leave them at school in the cubby area. Please write your child’s name (first and last) on shoes, jackets, backpacks, etc. as they do go missing occasionally.
Please dress your son/daughter in “play clothes.” We will get dirty! We will go outside daily as weather permits and will be painting, gluing, etc. Kindergarten tends to be messy.
Snack Time
We will be having a small snack daily provided by the school.
Birthdays
Birthdays in kindergarten are FUN! Some children like to celebrate their special day with a birthday snack. If you would like to send in a treat, please try to let me know in advance. Cupcakes, cookies, finger jell-o, and fruit are always popular. Please do not send in a cake, as it is very difficult to cut and serve. It is not mandatory to send in a treat for a birthday. If your child has a summer birthday and you would still like to celebrate sometime during the school year, that is great too…just let me know when!
We are asking that NO red juice, frosting, soda, etc. be brought into the classroom!!!
What’s New in Kindergarten?
Kindergarten has changed greatly in the past years. It is no longer the kindergarten that you or I remember. Michigan’s standards for a child leaving kindergarten are high…reading at least 18 words, writing sentences, counting beyond 150, skip counting, etc. It is a very exciting curriculum. We work on social skills, rules and singing songs. I know you will be fascinated when he/she learns ABC’s, 123’s, learning the sounds letters make, and adding and subtracting. Don’t worry…I will be discussing all of these things with you many times throughout the school year. Again, please call if you have questions, comments, or concerns.
Helping Your Child Feel Independent
Coming to kindergarten is an important milestone in your child’s life. We will encounter many new experiences. If you bring your child to kindergarten or if you pick up at the end of the day, I am asking that you say your good-byes outside of the classroom door. One of our goals is to help your child become a responsible and independent learner. Each child needs to be
able to hang up his/her jacket and backpack by his/her self as well as take care of other classroom duties. PLEASE do not worry if your child needs help…we will be there. I am sure you will agree that hearing your child say, “I can do it all by myself!” is a good feeling! Thank you very much for helping your child grow in this matter. On the first day of school, you are welcome to
come in to the classroom with your child to share the first experience. Although it may be an emotional time for some of you, to make the transition more smoothly for your child, it is important that you say your good-byes in a timely manner as your child will begin to grow wings and explore on their own as we begin our day first day of kindergarten.
The first day is such a busy one…a little chaotic, but usually organized chaos. I will be on the playground at 8:00 on Tuesday to meet all of the kindergartners and we will all walk into our classroom together.
Book Orders
I will be sending home book orders. The book orders often have great selections for reasonable prices. If you would like to purchase books please send it back to school with the payment by the date I have requested.
Safety
For your child’s safety and well being, please let the school know of any change in his/her schedule to go home. If your child goes to a babysitter, please let me know what days this occurs. If an older sibling walks home with your child, I also need to know this to eliminate any confusion and to keep every child safe.
Lunch Number
Your child’s lunch number was sent home or picked up at the social. Please help him/her to memorize this if he/she will be eating hot lunch or breakfast at school.
A Little about the Teacher
Teaching kindergarten is a wonderful job...there are probably no careers better than this one! I love seeing children grow the way kindergartners do. At the beginning of the year, they are just babies, but by the end, they are “big kids.”
Besides teaching, I love to spend time with my 4½ year old daughter Jynna, my 3 ½ year old son Louis, my husband Mike, family and friends and my 2 border collies Dallas and Little Bear. I also enjoy watching the Red Wings, reading, and walking.
A Little about Teacher’s Assistant
I have the pleasure of working with Melanie Nieuwenhuis this year, as she has accepted a position at LLH schools. She will be in the classroom daily helping your child learn. Melanie is a certified teacher with her master’s degree. It will be wonderful to have 2 adults in the classroom.
Communication between home and school
I am anxious for our “team approach” concerning your child’s education. We all have the same goal – for your child to be happy,
challenged, comfortable, and secure at school. We need to work together in order for your child to reach maximum success. I am
asking that you please review things we have learned at school on a daily basis. There is no need to spend hours at night drilling skills. Have fun…read books daily, play word games, review letters/sounds, numbers, etc. I will be sending home some ideas for you throughout the year. We will have homework occasionally. It is your child’s homework. You will need to help your child, but encourage your child to do the majority of the work. Please read the newsletters I send home with your child. They will tell you everything that we are working on in school.
Writing notes, calling, or emailing are great ways to share information with me. Please call anytime you are unsure about something. I have a special mailbox in my room that your child will become very familiar with. Each child will be responsible for checking his/her folder every day for important papers/notes that come from home to be placed in the mailbox. You may also send lunch money this way and we will make sure all important information gets to the office or its designated
place.
Together we will make your child’s kindergarten year the best ever!
Sincerely,
Erin Carlson