SMCS families, I am honored to introduce myself as the new kindergarten teacher for the upcoming school year. My name is Rebecca Sanchez and I look forward to meeting each one of you. This will be my first year teaching and I hope we can work together to make this an enriching experience for our kinder class.

Transitioning into kindergarten can be a challenging time for children. Children benefit greatly from home support as they enter this new phase of their education. The time and energy you spend helping your child’s first impression to be a positive one is time and energy well spent. Most kids take to kindergarten like fish to water, but the more you can mentally, physically and emotionally prepare your child for the transition, the easier it will be.

Some suggestions for you:

• Remember that you are setting the tone for how your child views this experience. Discuss how excited you were when you attended your first day of school. If older siblings have had positive experiences, involve them in the discussion. 

• Read stories about kindergarten and school. Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson, The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing and Julie Durrell, and Mrs. Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate and Ashley Wolff are great “getting ready” books. 

• During the month preceding your child’s entry into kindergarten, begin routines that will work during the school year. Paying attention to bedtimes and diet prior to school starting will make a big difference for your child. 

• If your child has not had experience being around other children, set up playdates with neighbors, family, and/or friends. A big part of the kindergarten experience requires that children know how to relate to others. 

• Make sure that you’re emotionally prepared; it won’t be easy to walk away if your child is crying, but staying will only make the situation more difficult. Simply say goodbye and remind your child that you’ll see him or her soon. 

• Familiarize yourself with the St. Mary’s Catholic School website. There you will find a curriculum overview, the Kindergarten sight words, and other helpful information. 
   

Some suggestions for your child:

• Know his/her full name-They are expected to recite their full names –and know how to write their first name. 

• Practice fine-motor skills- A typical day in Kindergarten involves cutting, coloring, pasting, tracing, holding a pencil or crayon, etc. Beginning writing depends on these types of skills so be sure to spend some time engaging in these types of activities at home so your child is not frustrated or lagging behind at school. 

• Function independently- While at school your child will be expected to manage bathroom needs independently, fasten and unfasten simple buttons, put on and take off their coats, etc. Encourage this at home so that they feel confident doing these things for themselves. Tying shoelaces is NOT expected - this is developmental and many children do not learn this until 1st grade or so. If your child does not know how to tie their own shoes it would be wise to use shoes or sneakers with Velcro or straps. It becomes tedious and tiring for a teacher to tie children's shoelaces all day long. 

• Use good social skills- Much of Kindergarten involves working and getting along with others. Your child should be able to feel comfortable doing this. Help your child refine essential social skills such as turn-taking, sharing, compromising and problem-solving. 

• Recognize basic letters and numbers- Though they are not expected to know all the letters of the alphabet going into Kindergarten, they should know the letters in their name and as many of the other letters as possible. Children are expected to be able to count from at least 1-10 and be able to recognize these numbers as well as know some basic shapes and colors. 

• Sit and listen to a story without interrupting- In Kindergarten children must be able to concentrate on what the teacher is saying, listen and follow simple directions, etc. The best way to prepare children for this is to sit and read with them and encourage them to focus on the story. This fosters retention and understanding. To encourage them to be able to follow simple commands - practice at home. Give your child simple 2 or 3 step directions such as - pick up the toy from the floor, put it into the toy box and close the lid. This will prepare them for when their teacher asks them to complete work at school.

 Classroom Rules: 

• Rule 1. We are safe.

• Rule 2. We are respectful.

• Rule 3. We follow directions the first time.

• Rule 4. We raise our hand to speak 

• Rule 5: We work hard and try our best.

Dress Code: All Uniforms must come from Risse Uniform Company

• Boys are to wear blue and white striped shirts (Mass uniform) or light blue polo shirts with school logos daily. On Mass days (Thursdays) and Holy Days of Obligation, boys must wear mass shirts, pants, belts, and ties. 

• Girls may wear light blue polo shirts with school logos and navy skorts or navy jumpers with school logos and white shirts. On Mass days (Thursdays) and Holy Day of Obligation, girls must wear their jumper with a school logo and white shirt.

• Spirit Days will take place every Friday. Spirit Day dress is as follows: Gray St. Mary’s Catholic School T-Shirt, properly fitted blue jeans with a navy, black, or brown belt, and school shoes. Capris and walking shorts are also allowed.

• Only school sweaters and school-emblem fleece jackets can be worn inside the classroom and church during Mass. Coats for outside play do not have to be uniform. Each child has a hook in the classroom to hang up winter coats or rain jackets. 

Drop-off and Dismissal:

Students may be dropped off in the cafeteria beginning at 7:00 a.m. before school. They will be supervised until 7:45 a.m. when they will be released to their classrooms. You may choose to park and walk your student inside the building beginning at 7:45 a.m. All students should be prepared for the day by 8:00 a.m. to join the school in the Pledge of Allegiance and opening prayer. It is extremely important that your child is in the classroom by 8:00 a.m.

We will dismiss at 3:20 p.m. after closing prayer. Students will be escorted to the cafeteria by the teacher unless you meet them at the classroom door immediately after announcements and prayer. Additional guidance on Drop-off/Dismissal was sent out with specific changes.
 

Snack and Lunch:

Kindergarten will have a snack each day.  Please have your child bring one snack (labeled with their name) and a re-usable, spill proof water bottle to school each day for snack time.  Please let me and the office know if your child has any food allergies. Lunch will be from 11:10am - 11:40am on non-mass days. Mass days lunch will be from 11:30 -12:00 pm.

Birthdays and other celebrations:

The school has birthday stickers and we have a bulletin board recognizing their special days. If you would like to send some cookies or cupcakes on their birthday, please let me know ahead of time. Celebrations will take place in the afternoon.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  

My email address is: rsanchez@stmarys-temple.org

Blessings,
Mrs. Sanchez