Welcome to Kindergarten

Now Starring: Ali Coe Jennifer Craig Desiree Gotses Laura Newman*

School Information Bolin Facts: *We are the Bolin Blazers *School Colors are Red and Gold *Our horse mascot’s name is Blazer *We are in our 16 th year Bolin Elementary

What to Expect in Kindergarten…

“Connecting Home and School makes us a great community of learners!”

We will send home a communication folder each day with your child. Please check, empty, and initial the folder each night. Most information will be coming home via , so please make sure to check it daily for important dates and events. A Kindergarten newsletter will be ed weekly. PLEASE be sure that you check your and update your information if you have any changes throughout the year.

On Tuesday, a school folder will come home. Please check these folders, remove all papers, and return the folder the next day. The school will also send out an electronic PTA newsletter each week.

Conferences We will schedule a parent conference on an “as needed” basis. However, parents are more than welcome to request a conference at any time. Please make sure to call or us so we can schedule a good time for both parties.

Current information, dates, and upcoming events can be found on the Bolin website. Every teacher has a webpage. You can locate these under the Faculty/Staff drop down menu on the Bolin website.

We try to check our during the day and after school. This is the best way to contact us. Important messages regarding a change in dismissal will require a call to the office. If you send an to your child’s teacher, please allow 24 hours for a response.

Getting Ready for School

Please be sure your child has a backpack large enough to accommodate a jacket, change of clothes, lunch bag, etc. We prefer ones without wheels. Please do not send toys, play make-up, stuffed animals, blankets, money, “treasures”,etc. to school. In the past some of these items have disappeared, so one way we can fix this problem is to not bring these items to school.

We ask that all students wear shoes they can put on and fasten by themselves. If your child cannot tie their own shoes, please continue to work with them at home on this skill. With the weather constantly changing, please send a jacket each day during cooler weather. We go outside if the wind chill is above 40 °. We will be having two recesses next year, so there could be a big difference in temperature between the morning recess and the afternoon recess.

*Independence is a goal for students because it helps build self-esteem and self-confidence. Kindergarteners are very capable of doing many things on their own and we encourage them to do as much as they can for themselves in the classroom. *Please work on the following self-help skills at home with your child: zipping, tying, dressing, cutting with scissors etc.

It is very important that the children learn to be responsible. They will be learning how to unpack and pack their belongings at school and it is important that they be allowed to do this on their own. This will help us in teaching your child responsibility and will help their self-confidence bloom! Skills your child will practice to develop their independence will include: opening lunch items, packing and unpacking their belongings, zippers, buttons, shoe tying, bathroom procedures, completing their work, responsibility for own actions/choices.

Students should be able to take care of all bathroom needs on their own. Students should keep a change of clothes in their backpacks at all times. (Be sure to keep seasonally appropriate clothing in backpacks.) Please discuss with your child the importance of asking to use the restroom and taking advantage of all restroom opportunities to avoid accidents. All toilets at Bolin are automatic flushing. Please practice using an automatic toilet so that your child is comfortable with the noise and flushing.

Lunch and Snack

The lunch menu and payment system is online. It can be found on Bolin’s website. Click the Cafeteria link under “Quick Links for Parents”. If you do not want to pay online through Paypams, please send a check or cash in an envelope with your student’s name, pin number, teacher’s name, and amount on the front of the envelope. Your student will turn it in to the cafeteria. *Helpful tip: Practice with your child to learn their lunch code number. (Make it a game )

Kindergarten classes go to lunch beginning at 11:00 a.m. If you want to meet your child for lunch, please be prompt. Remember that it takes time to sign in at the office. Parents will need to remain on the stage to eat lunch with their child. We ask that you DO NOT meet your child for lunch during the first 2 weeks of school. Learning the routine and practicing lunch room procedures is important during this time.

The students may bring one healthy snack item. If a child forgets their snack, the school is unable to provide one for them. Our snack time will be during center time. Students will have the choice to go to their center or eat their snack at their table before going to centers. Students that bring a snack must be able to open their snack and clean up after themselves. Please pack the snack separately from their lunch. Please do not send anything with peanut or peanut products for snack time. Please know that there will be some days that we will not be able to have centers, therefore snack will not be offered on those days. Thank you for understanding. Water bottle- Your child may bring a water bottle with them each day. All water bottles MUST have a “sport” top to avoid accidental spills. Please fill with water only.

“Ins and Outs” at Bolin

Unless your child is ill, please make every attempt to have your child present at school and on time. Doors open at 7:25 a.m. Students will wait in the cafeteria until 7:45 a.m. This is also the time they can eat breakfast in there, if you so choose. Students will begin entering the classrooms at 7:45 a.m. Our day begins promptly at 7:55 a.m. and the dismissal time is 2:45 p.m.

If your child is absent, you are required to provide a written note within 3 days that your child returns to school. Please include the date, duration, and specific reason for the absence. Tardies may not be excused without a doctor/dentist note. Students are considered tardy after 7:55 a.m.

Dismissal

This pick up is for parents who are parking and then walking up to get their child or students that will walk with siblings. The students will be walked to the North side (by the gym) of the school by the large parking lot. Students must wait to “high five” their teacher before they leave.

This is for parents that will be remaining in their car. Teachers will take students to the front of the building to be placed in cars. Please do not get out of your car. Teachers will direct students to their cars. Please display your pink sign that you will receive at Meet the Teacher. *See attached Traffic Flow Map.

Bolin Traffic Flow This is a system that has been developed in collaboration with Allen city traffic engineers. We appreciate your cooperation in following this map when delivering and picking up your children from school each day.

AISD Bus & Day Care Students – The students are walked by a staff member to a designated area where they will wait for their transportation. Kid’s Club Students – The students are walked to the cafeteria where they meet the Kid’s Club staff. Once students have been dismissed to a parent, it is an expectation that students stay with their parent if waiting for siblings. Students should not be playing, running through the dismissal lines, or chasing each other. If someone else is picking up your child you MUST notify the office via a written note. They will have to be added to the approved list for your child. Please let the teacher know if your child is going home with someone else or if changes need to be made on how your child gets home.

Patience, patience, and more patience. Walkers will meet in the gym. Please have your pink sign with you. Carpool will stay the same. Please display your pink sign and a teacher will walk your child to your car.

Volunteers

Whether you are volunteering to chaperone a field trip or work in the classroom, you must complete a background check. No parents are allowed to assist in the classroom or chaperone a group of children unless this has been completed. To complete the background check, you will need to go to and fill out an online form. The new window for opens on July 1 st. It takes approximately 2 weeks for approval. We suggest that you complete the form ASAP. This form will have to be updated every school year. *Field trips are a special learning experience for our kindergarten students. Therefore, we ask that no siblings attend our field trips.

Be involved in your child’s school: PTA – Parent Teacher Association Rachel Mitchell- President Watch D.O.G.S. – Dads of Great Students Daniel Silva- Coordinator

Teacher letters will be mailed the 3 rd week of August. The 4 th Annual Back to School Parade is on Thursday, August 18 th at 9:00 a.m. Meet the Teacher will be that night.

Thank you for coming!