Pine City Elementary School

Dear Kindergarten Parents,

Welcome to the Pine City School system. This booklet will help you understand your child's first formal school experience. We feel that his/her first impression is most important, and want things to go smoothly. On the following pages you will find answers to many of your questions, so please keep this booklet for handy reference.

If you have an emergency, you are able to reach your child's teacher on the direct lines listed above. However, if the teacher is occupied with students or out of the room, you will receive "VoiceMail", or you can reach the e-mail at the following addresses. Please leave a message.

Reminders for the first two weeks of school:

1) Name Tag - it will be sent to you during the summer and should be worn for the first two weeks.
2) Paint shirt - print the child's name on it
3) 2 -Large glue sticks, 4- #2 pencils,12 colored pencils, large pink eraser, small pencil box (no handles), 1 large box of kleenex, and 2- boxes of 24 crayons
4) School Bag - print name on it
5) Physical exam papers and health records - if you have not already turned them in.

**When sending money to school with your child, it is imporant that you put it in an envelope and mark it with the child's name, teacher's name, and what it is for. If lost, it will likely be turned in if it is well marked.

Please DO NOT send:
1) resting mats
2) tablets
3) markers
4) scissors

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Communication between home and school is important. If your child is to go somewhere other than their regular place, they must show their teacher a note stating where or with whom to go. Children will not be allowed to change their routine without written permission.

PURPOSE OF KINDERGARTEN
The major purpose of conducting kindergarten is to:
- Make school fun for the child and help develop positive attitudes towards school.
- Teach the child readiness skills that will be needed later for learning the basic skills.
- Teach the child acceptable group behavior skills.
Newsletters will be sent home each quarter to inform you of activities we've done during that quarter.

ELIGIBILITY FOR ENTRANCE

According to Minnesota law, "No person shall be admitted to any public school as a kindergarten student unless he/she is a least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for which he seeks admission commences."

MILK MONEY AND SNACKS
We ask you to send $15.00 for snacks and milk for the year. Please make checks to your child's teacher and place it in an envelope. Mark the envelope with the teacher's name and write "snack/milk" on it.

BIRTHDAY TREATS

On your child's birthday, if you wish to send a treat, please do not send suckers for safety reasons.

VERIFICATION OF BIRTH DATE
A birth certificate, hospital certificate, or baptismal certificate should be presented to the school officials when the child is registered, and before entering school. This information is necessary to confirm the eligibility of the child for kindergarten, and to ensure that test scores obtained from the testing programs which are frequently based on a child's age and other data are accurate. Birth certificates may be obtained from the county courthouse from the county in which the child was born.

LEARNINGS IN KINDERGARTEN

Your child will learn to:
- share experiences by telling and listening
- work and play in a group
- get along with other boys and girls
- wait their turn
- share toys, crayons, paints, books, etc.
- develop responsibility
- make new friends
- express themselves through speaking, singing, drawing, acting, etc.
- play group games
- follow rules
- enjoy books

Your child will also learn to:
- recognize and print numerals 1-10 and count to 31
- recognize and print the alphabet
- know alphabetsounds
- participate in reading activities

All of these experiences and activities are purposely planned in order to
develop:
- the ability to enjoy other people
- readiness to read
- readiness to use numbers
- readiness to write

School Psychologist
This person is available to the student who is having difficulty coping with the normal school routine. A teacher or a parent may request his services.

Speech Therapy
All students entering kindergarten will visit with the Speech Clinician.
If a problem is detected, a follow-up conference will be held. If you have questions about your child's speech, please notify the teacher or the clinician through the school office.

Parent Volunteers
We welcome your help during the school year. Please feel free to call the school if you wish to spend some time with us. We will try to be flexible to fit different schedules. Here are some examples of things you might do: read stories to small groups of children, supervise play time, help the teachers prepare materials, share your special talents, and many other activities.

Tardiness
Training in punctuality and regularity of attendance is an important part of school life. Children are expected to be in school unless they are ill, and they are expected to be on time.

Absences
In the event your child is absent, please call the office and notify us of that fact.

Leaving the School Grounds
Once a child reports to school, he is generally not permitted to leave the school grounds. To leave during school hours, your child must have a note of explanation from parent or guardian. This procedure will help us to provide for the necessary safety precautions.

Procedures for Administering Medications in School
Recently, a state law was enacted which changes the procedure for administration of medication to students in the school setting. The Pine City School Board has approved a medication policy which provides guidelines to follow.
In many cases, a schedule can be arranged so that medication can be taken outside school hours, but there will be instances where one or more doses must be taken during the school day. For any prescription medication to administered at school, the following are required:
1) Written permission from the physician. A form is providedfor this. This permission should include the child's name, the condition being treated, the name of the medication, the dosage, the time it is to be given, side effects, duration to be given, and the physician's name, address and phone number. Verbal consent may be given if followed by a written permission to school within 48 hours. A new statement is required each new school year or when medication is changed.
2) Medication container appropriately labeled by the pharmacist.
3) Written permission from parent or guardian. A space is provided for this consent on the medication form.

Non-prescription medication can be given only if supplied in the original container and a statement of directions as to when to administer and for what period of time from the parent or guardian.
Copies of the consent form are available from the elementary office and at each clinic in the immediate area. If you have questions about the medication policy, please call Mrs. Christianson at 629-4214.

Emergency Contacts:
You will always be informed if your child needs to be sent home because of illness or injury. You will fill out an emergency referral form. This is a necessary precaution so that we may know who to contact if we cannot get in touch with the parent. It is extremely important that the information of each form is accurate and up to date so we will be able to locate you quickly when necessary. If there is any change in the information during the school year, please contact us.

If Your Child is Injured or Becomes Ill at School:
- Your child will be cared for temporarily by the school nurse or other office personnel.
- We will render simple first aid ONLY.
- If emergency medical attention is necessary, YOU WILL BE CALLED FIRST.
If we are unable to reach the parent, your child will be taken to the closest physician.

Transportation:
Westerman 's Bus Company is responsible for transportation services throughout the school district. All major questions regarding transportation services should be directed to the operator. Concerns regarding transportation that cannot be resolved after contacting the operator should be reported to the Elementary Principal. The telephone number of the operator is:
Westerman's Bus Company - 629-2032

The majority of children attending the local school district are transported to and from school. Riding the bus for the first time can be an adjustment for many children who are entering school. Children may become confused about which bus they are to ride, where and when they are supposed to deport, etc. These are ways parents can greatly help their child adjust to this experience:
1. Make sure that your child wears their name tag the first two weeks of school.
2. Teach the child his full name before he starts school. (According to the kindergarten screening tests, several children did not know their full names.)

3. Teach the child the approximate location of his home. Often when a child is asked the question, "Where do you live?", the response is too frequently, "I don't know."

Progress Report to Parents
Report cards are given in kindergarten at the end of the second and fourth nine week period. Your child's progress is judged by his daily participation, his test scores, and his success with school assignments. You are strongly urged to use conferences with teachers and principal to supplement information on the report card.

Parent-Teacher Conferences
There will be a time set aside for parent-teacher conferences in the fall. We hope to see you then, but we want you to know that you may call on us or come in and talk with us anytime. We are here to help your child experience a positive, warm and fun year.

Conference With the Principal
The principal will be happy to make an appointment to discuss any matter with parents concerning their child.

Telephone Calls
Please do not make phone calls to your child during school hours unless there is an emergency. We too will discourage your child from phoning you at home for trivial reasons.

Change of Address
When a family changes address or telephone number, but continues residence within the school district, it is important that the school office be notified immediately.

SUGGESTIONS FOR VISITING
If you plan to visit your child's class sometime during the school year, we suggest you:
-Visit after mid-October when the children have adjusted to school
-Make an appointment for your visit with the teacher to avoid schedule conflicts
-If you wish to see the academic work, it is best that you plan your visit for morning, however, you are welcome at any time.
-Curtail visits the week before Christmas and the last week of school because of schedules being unusual.
-Parents should come for visits unaccompanied by younger children.
-Out of town children who are visiting your home as guests should not be sent to school. We cannot take the responsibility of supervising children who are not enrolled in our school.
Your child will sense and value your interest and cooperation in his school. It will give him and added feeling of security to know that his parents, teachers, and principal are working together for his welfare.