Welcome to Miss Mealy’s Kindergarten Class

2021-2022 Quick Reference Guide

Transportation

Transportation changes will be very limited.  Please call the office if there is an immediate need for change.  Routine is the best for successful dismissal. 

·        “Walkers” – Students who walk home leave the building at 2:50 p.m. 

• “Bussers” – Students who ride a bus are then dismissed.
• “Pick-Up” - Students who are picked up at the front door of the school.

Lunch

Lunch is served daily.  Your child has several options. 

1.     Pack a lunch from home.

2.    Pack a lunch from home and buy a milk at school.

3.    Purchase lunch from the school cafeteria.

There is a school lunch account that acts like a debit card. 

Please let me know if your child has any allergies that I need to be aware of during the school day.

 Snack

Morning snack is provided by the school district.  You may provide a drink or purchase milk from the cafeteria for 60 cents.  You may send in an alternative healthy snack for your child.  The cafeteria will not allow milk purchases to students with a negative balance in his/her lunch account. ALL STUDENTS MUST PAY FOR SNACK MILK.  IT IS NOT PART OF THE FREE/REDUCED LUNCH SYSTEM.  If you choose to send a snack/drink with your child, please label it clearly.

G.O. (Get Organized) Book/Folder

 Please use the G.O. Folder as the key form of communication to and from school each day.  It is the best way to ensure papers, lunch money, book orders, homework, etc. get to school.  Please check this folder each evening.  If you have a note that you are sending with your child, this is also the best place to put it as I check these folders each morning.

Specials

Specials follow a 4 day rotation.

Library – Borrowing books begins later in the fall.

Gym – Please wear sneakers.

Music – Bring your listening ears!

Art – Please send an art shirt.  Example: an old large t-shirt.

Arrival

7:50 – Student arrival

8:00-8:20 a.m. – Students are allowed to have quiet play in the classroom, socialize with friends, and eat the school breakfast.

8:20 a.m. – If students arrive after 8:20, they are considered late.  Please stop in the office.

8:20 a.m. – Instruction begins.

Shutterfly

I will set up a Shutterfly account for our class.  This is where I will load the majority of pictures from our classroom activities.  It is by invitation only.  Only the parents from our class will be invited to join.  I will invite you to join our classroom site as soon as I receive your Shutterfly permission slip and email address.

Book Orders

Classroom Scholastic Book Orders should come home about once a month.  This is for your convenience only and not required.  Checks may be made payable to SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUBS or you may use the on-line book club.  I will send the codes with the first order.  It is a great way to get inexpensive books. 

Label It

Label everything!  Place name or initials in coats, sweatshirts, lunch pails, backpacks, boots, etc. with a permanent marker.  This becomes extremely important during snow season.

Children have a really hard time identifying their belongingsJ

Also, please return anything your child takes home that does not belong to him/her.

Homework

Homework will begin once school gets started.  It is a weekly paper that is returned on Fridays.  Homework is meant to be a fun review.  If it becomes too challenging, please let me know.

Reading

Reading to children, with children, and by children is one of the key building blocks to developing successful readers.  The kindergarten goal is for each child to read 100 books by the 100^th day of school.  Please read as many as you can.  I reward the students after ever 25 books!

Rest Time

In the fall, we will have a short rest time daily.  We typically phase it out when there is no more need.  Please send a rest mat, blanket, or large towel for your child to use.  All rest materials are stored in their lockers.  Space is limited.   

Birthdays

We love birthday celebrations.  Your child’s birthday should be on their special day.  If it is not, please let me know.  You may send a store- purchased, individually wrapped, prepackaged treat for your child’s birthday.  We will share it at 10:00 for snack.

On a more sensitive note, do not send birthday invitations to school unless they are for everyone in the class, all the boys or all the girls.  I will not pass them out unless all students are included.  Please use the classroom directory if you want to have a smaller party.

Extra Clothes

Extra clothes are always appreciated for those occasional accidents such as bathroom, milk spills, mud puddles... You can keep them in a Ziploc or grocery bag in the locker or in the bottom of the backpack.  You may also want to send in a sweatshirt as the classroom tends to run on the cool side.

If your child borrows clothing from the nurse, please return them laundered as soon as possible.  Also, the nurse accepts donations of gently-used outgrown clothing.

Communication

I will do my best to communicate each week with a newsletter and through the classroom website link at www.paes.pasdedu.org.  I encourage you to reach out to me if you are having any concerns.  You can call, email, or send a note.  My email address is bmealy@pasdedu.org.  The school number is 642-9557 between 7:40 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.  Join my Remind community by entering this number 81010 and texting @f8beab to receive text message updates.  I want to hear from you!