KINDERGARTEN NOTES

Dear Parents: I hope you had a restorative, fun, or productive long weekend - whatever your family needed most! FULL BACKPACKS The weather has been variable, and there are so many things that the students "might" need for clothing...sometimes just in one day! In addition to running shoes for Phys. Ed. every day, a lunchkit and bookworm bag (see more below on this), thank you for ensuring your child has: an excellent sun hat with a wide brim sunscreen a water bottle with their lunch every day a jacket and footwear for wet conditions (playing in many conditions is so very fun for children when they are dressed for it!), for cool conditions, and for hot conditions LAST NAME (and first, if you desire) PRINTED ON EVERY ITEM ON THE TAG OR WHEREVER IT CAN BE FOUND IF/WHEN IT IS ACCIDENTALLY LEFT BEHIND SOMEWHERE AT SCHOOL. Please let your child know your expectations for whether these items stay on the top shelf of their locker at school or if they need to go home every day. Each family has different variations of expectations in this regard and the children are working to responsibly carry out yours (with room for error as they learn, of course). Our school expectations are just that these items be available at school during the day. The children have reached a time of the year when Kindergarteners are generally developing well in their personal management of items using the storage systems at school, but the labels are critical for retaining as many items as possible. There is an alarming amount of wonderful clothing in the Lost and Found benches in the hallway. The children often vehemently claim none of the items are theirs! Please visit when you have a moment before the end of the school year. Unclaimed items will be given to families in need through Goodwill. BOOKWORM BAGS...are also overflowing. READING FOLDER: Please ensure your child returns their visibly striped reading folder and book every day with the record (pizza) sheets filled in (the happy/serious/sad faces are important, too). I am happy to clarify anything from the information pages that are attached on the back of the "pizza sheets" for parents. Have F.U.N.! CHIME IN FOLDERS will come home less frequently, but when they do, please return them on Friday, as per the information sheet included in the home communication. EVENING OF THE ARTS (BSLS Students' Spring Concert) - next Wed., May 30th The children are working on songs in Music Class with Mr. B. I am also excited to hear their performance. The children will be sitting with their class for the duration of the performance (I will be with them the entire time) and parents will be seated in the centre of a Circle of Performance. If you have any questions, contact bbadiuk@bsls.ca. Come for a relaxing evening on a lawn chair (we are praying the mosquitos continue to be held at bay). Format details are available in Mrs. McCrea's weekly update as well. KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION will be held on the last day of school at 9 a.m. in the gym for approximately 30 minutes, during which there will be a few short songs/presentations by the Kindergarteners in addition to a short ceremony. If your child will be "dressed up" for this event, please bring a change of play clothes (those they would normally wear to school that could get dirty without stress), let me know when your drop your child off at school that morning, and you may pick up your child from the gym after photo opportunities (there will be a "photo spot" set up in the gym to take photos of them in their Kindergarten mortarboards after the short ceremony), and assist them in changing in the hallway or technology lab washroom. CLASS STARS Thank you for your participation in this program that is so exciting and educational for each student. Again, I know it takes a lot to coordinate the estimation items, mystery item and clues, photos, and special items that you send with your child on the morning of their special day, and we appreciate it very much, very often extending Star Student priveleges for two days! I also appreciate your e-mails or after school conversations to confirm your time preference and subject matter for your visit. We love to find out about your family's cultural or holiday traditions. We have met several pets, learned about nursing, some human body functions, marked Earth day, read many favourite stories, and learned more about one another in ways that Kindergarteners might not usually explore independently. Buddy has had a few side adventures that have affected his sleepover plans, but will stay at each child's house before the end of the school year if he has not stayed with your child already. As with all safe food-sharing treats at school, I also thank you for checking in advance if food is any part of your presentation. May God bless and keep you, Mrs. Lorianne Butterfield Kindergarten Teacher, BSLS "Everyone has the right to be respected and the responsibility to respect others, in person AND online."