Journey Into Learning: An introduction to Kindergarten at St Journey Into Learning: An introduction to Kindergarten at St. Alphonsa School May 2nd, 2018 “May the Spark of Faith Ignite in our Hearts”

Opening Prayer God, our Father,
Creator of all good things
in the world and within our school community:
We thank you for the gift of this day,
for our families and friends
and for this safe place to learn and grow.


We ask You to bless all who teach and learn.
Through Your Holy Spirit,
guide us as we grow in faith and love
and give us the courage
to be more like Your Son.

We ask this, in Jesus' name.

Amen.

St. Alphonsa School Staff Principal - Mr. Cassar Teachers  Mrs. Malungkit & Mrs. Mateus (DECE)  Ms. Trauzzi & Miss Marotta (DECE) Mention: support from sert, speech and language, erw as needed, child and youth worker, planning time subjects taught by a different teacher, librarian

Getting Ready for School Our goal is that children become life long learners at home and school Our belief is children are competent learners who learn through active, engaging and meaningful experiences The best way parents can support learning is through talking, exploring, experimenting and wondering about things in everyday life

Skills to Develop Before Kindergarten Through everyday experiences and meaningful play, parents can help to develop important foundational skills such as: Independently dressing & undressing for outdoor play (zippers, buttons & Velcro/slip on shoes) Saying his/her first and last name Recognizing his/her first name in print Recognizing some basic colours Recognizing the letters in their name Counting to 10 and beginning to count objects in everyday life Independent toileting i.e. – wiping & redressing independently Pincer pencil grip Scissor skills Following simple directions Arrange play dates to develop social and play skills Mention scissors in the bag & practice cutting – simple line cutting works

Getting Ready for the First Day Your child will need: Regular backpack Running shoes for indoor and gym use to be kept at school in their cubby (*Velcro) Two or more healthy and nutritious snacks A healthy and nutritious lunch Rest time blanket 2 boxes of Kleenex Change of labelled clothes (underwear, socks, pants, top) Emphasize LABELING clothing & shoes Size backpack: they will see samples in class; no wheelies They will get a copy of this in the loot bag

On the FIRST day of school Information & tips for parents: Year 2 students (SK only) will start school on Tuesday, September 4th, 2018. Year 1 (JK) students will begin in a staggered entry format. You will be notified of your child’s starting date in the summer. Trust your child is in good hands. After your kiss goodbye at the gate, we ask parents to please leave your child with us in the kindergarten yard. This will help foster your child’s independence from day 1 Emphasize LABELING clothing & shoes – speak to the difficulty of leaving children at the gate but they MUST

The Full Day Kindergarten Program The program document lists the knowledge and skills children should develop by the end of Kindergarten in four frames: Belonging and Contributing Self-Regulation and Well Being Demonstrating Literacy and Math Behaviours Problem Solving and Innovating In classroom, parents will see more detailed information about the frames

The Full Day Kindergarten Program Continued… The Full-Day Kindergarten Program involves: Teachers and Early Childhood Educators working together to help children learn and grow A balance of learning through inquiry-based play and academic skill preparation A combination of whole group, small group and individual instruction

Learning Areas Throughout the day children will engage in learning at Inquiry-based play Areas: Prayer Centre/Sacred Space Dramatic play Blocks and Building Reading and Writing Sensory Play (e.g. water table, sand table) Creative Art Inquiry/Wonder Technology (SmartBoard) Science Math

Daily Outdoor Play Opportunities The benefits of outdoor play include developing gross motor skills, coordination, physical fitness, releasing built-up energy to improve focus and self-regulation. Outdoor play allows opportunities for a change in learning environment and investigation of our natural world. Be sure to dress your child appropriately for the weather conditions to allow them to engage fully in daily outdoor play. 2 x 30 minute blocks

Rest and Quiet Time A full day of learning is exciting and tiring. Children can become over-stimulated and in need of rest or time away from stimulation Rest/Quiet Time will be part of the day. Children can bring a small blanket. Self –Regulation This is where knowing each child’s needs is important and home-school communication is necessary to know the needs of your child We will need to know if they are use to napping, if you want naps to continue, if your child had a late night, some trouble sleeping so that they may need more rest the next day ….if is important to communicate that

Parents as Partners Parents are a child’s first educators. We encourage and welcome parent involvement in their child’s education and the school community. Opportunities for Parent Involvement Include: Voluntary participation for school trips Participation in the School Council Communicate often with the Kindergarten team Attend Parent-Student-Teacher conferences Your participation does make a difference.

Thank you for coming! We hope you enjoy your time in the classroom Your name tag will indicate which room you will be going to If you have any questions, the educator team will be circulating among the rooms