Kindergarten Handbook Revised 09_10

Bridgeport Elementary p.1 Kindergarten Information

Teachers:

Teresa Hay Trudy Barker Carol Schortemeyer Barbara Stroud

Principal: Ms.Angela Lewis Vice Principal: Mr. Ben Markley Bridgeport School’s Informational Webpage: http://www.wayne.k12.in.us/bge/index.htm

Rooms: 19, 20, 21, 22 Class Hours: Full day sessions: 8:00 a.m to 2:25 p.m.

**(See insert ABC’s of Kindergarten for a quick reference to you Kindergarten questions)

BUS TRANSPORTATION~~

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Bus transportation will be provided for kindergarten children except those living in the walking area. Arrival: Pick up of children will begin at approximately 7:25 a.m. at the regular elementary bus stops. 7:40 Students will arrive at Bridgeport and enter the building at the West end where the buses park. For the first few weeks of Kindergarten, the K teachers will pick up the students and walk them in a line to their class. After several weeks the students will feel comfortable with this and do this on their own. Walkers: Will enter the building from several designated entrances. The entrance should be nearest your child’s walking path. (EAST or WEST end)-no child will enter the building before 7:45 a.m. please plan accordingly. All walkers in Kindergarten MUST be supervised by either a child in 3rd grade or above or an adult. This should be written on a walker form and in your teacher’s possession.

p. 3 Car riders will enter at the East doors as well but should not enter until the teacher (Sp. Area) has signaled your child to do so. Please do not let your child out of the car unattended during drop off times. The supervising teacher will let you know when it is time to enter the building. No earlier please! For the first few weeks of school car riders and or walkers will wait inside with a designated adult outside of their class until their teacher arrives back from picking up the bus riders at the West end of the building. This only occurs until the bus riders become comfortable with walking down the classroom unsupervised. Dismissal: Buses pull out at 2:30—your child should be home within 30 minutes of dismissal. This may be longer or shorter depending on where you are on the route. Also, at the beginning of the year the process is longer for all!

Kindergarten students will be dropped off at their designated bus stops Parents or guardians are asked to meet their child at their bus stop at the drop off times. An older sibling or neighbor can walk your child home from the bus stop. Kindergarten students ARE NOT TO WALK FROM TO NOR FROM THE BUS STOPS UNATTENDED.

p.4 Kindergarten Teachers walk the bus riders to the buses every day. Kindergarten Teachers walk the Y Program students to the Y every day. Car riders and Walkers remain in the Blue Common Area outside of the Kindergarten Classrooms under the supervision of the Special Area teachers. They are dismissed by those teachers. Car riders are called by name and or family name to go to their vehicle as it pulls up to the building. The parent and or guardian driving does not need to get out of the vehicle at dismissal, nor do you enter the building. This should be as quick as a process as possible to keep all vehicles moving. Cars do not park, but come in lined up in a circular pattern around the parked cars on the East side of the building by the Kindergarten Classrooms. As with any new procedure this will get faster with time and practice. BUS TAGS~~

Please have your child wear his or her bus

tag from Wednesday August 12th (they will wear them home on this day)to Monday August 17th.

Your child will be given a bus tag on his or her first day of school. This is a signal to the bus drivers that your child is a kindergarten student. It will have your child’s name and bus number on it. It is also very

p. 5 helpful for the kindergarten teachers in getting these students on the appropriate buses.

Communication with the Teacher~~ Some type of communication is REQUIRED WHEN: -your child returns from an absence and no message was left. -your child is late arriving -you do not want your child to go outside -something other than the regular transportation routine will be taking place. “Sue will be a car rider instead of a bus rider” -there is a change in address, phone, work phone, employment, or any information on the enrollment form. -your child has an emotional or physical problem -you have a question or would like to conference with the teacher Please either call the school office or contact the teacher through voice-mail and or e-mail for any of these above reasons. If you are changing your child’s transportation or the teacher needs information immediately- DO NOT leave the teacher a message or an e-mail/ it is best to call the office and the office will get the message to the teacher.

INDENTIFICATION~~

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Label everything (except supplies) your child brings to school. Backpacks and jacket tend to look similar and or identical. Please do not allow your child to bring toys, purses, sunglasses, extra money, etc... These things get lost or broken and can cause distractions and unhappiness. ***All supplies are community classroom supplies— please do not put your child’s name on his or her supplies. With the exception of art boxes, backpacks, folders. We share most supplies for easy replacement for lost or broken items. For the 09-10 school year a supply contract has been given to you for your signature and teachers are responsible for getting most supplies. There may be a few additional items that your child’s teacher specifically request that are not included in the supply fee. Thank you for these donations.

BOOK RENTAL: Kindergarten—$ 104.40

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Students who qualify for free or reduced meals will also qualify for textbook assistance. Fees are payable in the school office. If you send checks to school, please mark the envelope with the amount, book rental, child’s name and teacher’s name. The office will send a receipt of payment home with your child. IMPORTANT!!! Anytime you send money to school be sure to mark the envelope with your child’s name, what the money is for, amount, and teacher’s name! SNACK/Craft fee: Students in the kindergarten classes will participate in several snacks and arts and crafts throughout the school year. This is sometimes based on a theme or lesson we are learning. This fee is $25.00 for the year... We have provided you with an envelope for this payment. p.8 This is separate from any school fees and must be paid in cash or check directly to your child’s teacher. Checks payable to the classroom teacher: Mrs. Teresa Hay Ms. Carol Schortemeyer

Mrs. Barbara Stroud Mrs. Trudy Barker

MEALS IN THE CAFETERIA~~ All students at Bridgeport may participate in the Universal breakfast program. It is free for all students. Food items are listed on the school menu. Please let your teacher know if your child is eating breakfast at school daily. (Form to fill out) Students need to arrive with their bus or by 7:50 at the latest to participate in the breakfast program. All students eat in the room and are finished at 8:00 a.m. Students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. will not be allowed to eat breakfast at school.

You are encouraged to look at the monthly menu with your child. If you fill out a form for your child to eat daily, but he or she does not like the food served it is a disadvantage to your child to participate. All students need to eat breakfast either at home or at school for great school performance.

MEALS in the Cafeteria con’t: p.9 If your child has any allergies please let your child’s teacher know and be sure you have indicated the allergies clearly on their enrollment form and nurse

form. We will need to let all parties involved with your child especially the cafeteria staff know

Cafeteria Manager: Judy Allen 227-1291 Students are set up with an account and a card at school. They do not handle cash nor coins. The teacher collects and marks the money and sends it to the café. It is better to pay by the month or week. Please DO NOT send in MONEY daily. The student lunch card in NOT a charge card but only a card that keeps a positive balance. If your child’s card is negative it is your responsibility to be aware and keep the money up to date. You can check your child’s account at any time by calling the number listed above or you can pay on line at www.mylunchmoney.com Students will not be served a regular school lunch with a negative balance but an alternative lunch, which consist of peanut butter and jelly and milk. Please do not let this happen. Teachers are unaware of your child’s account balances as well. You will sometimes receive a letter for a negative balance, but again please keep track of your child’s account.

MEALS in the Cafeteria con’t

COST FOR MEALS:

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cost for milk only:

$ .40

weekly lunch Regular price $ 7.50 Weekly lunch Reduced Price $2.00

1 day lunch price $ 1.50

1 day reduced lunch price .40

breakfast -----FREE!! A menu is available on line for the monthly food choices. Go to: http://www.wayne.k12.in.us/bge/index.htm It is a rotating menu. Students may also bring their lunch to school. If not provided a drink they may purchase milk at school-money needs to be in their account ahead of time for all meals and not sent each day. Please fill out the proper paperwork if you will be participating in the free or reduced lunch program. Parents must receive paperwork by mail stating that your child is approved. All students are charged the full amount until this is approved.

MEALS in the Cafeteria con’t

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Parents and or visitors are welcome to come and eat with your child during their designated lunch period. Please be aware that school policy is that no outside restaurant food can be brought into the cafeteria. Visitors may purchase a school lunch with CASH. You may not use your child’s account card for your purchase. The amount of an adult lunch is slightly higher than a student’s lunch.

OTHER OCCASIONS FOR FOOD: Birthdays etc.. Unfortunately, due to many allergies that students have it is never a good idea to show up with any type of unapproved treats and or food items. Please discuss any intention to bring in food and or treats with your child’s teacher ahead of time. There are some occasions when approved items will be permitted for celebrations. Classroom birthday celebrations for individual students are not permitted. We encourage parents and guardians to celebrate student birthdays with family and friends outside of the school day, Birthday and or Party Invitations are not to permitted to be distributed at school. (Before, during. or after) Please refer to the Bridgeport Handbook for the complete policy on invitations.

DRESS~~ Washable, comfortable clothing appropriate for participation in all activities should be worn. The school policy is knee-length shorts, however for the young students please be cautious of length. The room is air-conditioned which makes tank tops uncomfortable. “Spaghetti straps are not permitted.” Opened back shoes and flip flops are not permitted and may interfere with some activities. Students wearing opened back shoes or flip flops will not be allowed to participate in recess. Refer to the school dress code for a complete list of appropriate clothing for school. Children should always be dressed for the weather. We will go outside whenever possible. When children do not have appropriate clothes for outdoor weather they may be sent to another kindergarten room during outdoor recess.

Changes due to inclement weather!

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If school is not in session or we start on a delayed schedule you will see Wayne Township Schools listed on the television broadcast systems. In the case of delayed starts:

Example: Wayne Township is on a 2 hour delay This means we will start 2 hours after the regular schedule. Regular start time 8:00 a.m. delayed time 10:00 a.m. All kindergarten classes would come to school at the 10:00 a.m. time. They would catch the regular bus 2 hours after their normal pick-up time. These students would then stay the remainder of the day. Until 2:25. They would eat lunch and ride the regular buses to their regular bus stop.

Bridgeport Elementary School

Kindergarten Handbook