Week of 8/14

I'd like to welcome you and your children to my kindergarten class, and I enjoyed meeting you and your child at the orientation today!

My primary form of communication is via e-mail, so hopefully, you were able to provide an e-mail address to me at the orientation.  If not, please make sure to do so between now and Back-to-School Night by filling out this form.  I will send a few test e-mails between now and then, too, so look for those in your inbox.

I love to have classroom helpers, and the school's enrichment programs depend on them! Please sign up to be a part of the Home & School Club and to pay the "Consolidated Classroom Payment" (a one-time fee we ask you to please try and contribute to, which allows us to offer many extras such as field trips, special class projects, etc.) You can sign up and pay here  The invitation code is AltaVista.  We greatly appreciate your support with this.

Through September 27th:

• 8:15 to 11:35

Starting September 30th:

• 8:15 to 1:40 Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
• 8:15 to 1:15 Wednesdays

For tomorrow:

• Please arrive on time and have your child ready to enter the classroom at the start time.
• Please say goodbye to your children at the door, rather than following them into the classroom and prolonging the goodbyes. I will comfort any children who need an extra hug!
• Pack a healthy snack for your child that includes a drink.  If your child is attending day care either before or after kindergarten, it is a good idea to separate the snack items from the lunch items, as kindergartners often get confused and will eat all the food in one sitting!
• All supplies are provided for your children, but I do appreciate donations of baby wipes, tissues, glue sticks, and Clorox/Sanitizing Wipes.
• The kindergarten parking lot will continue to be closed this year at all pick-up times. This is due to traffic congestion problems.  Please plan on walking or parking on Westchester. At pick-up time (11:35 and 1:40), you are permitted to park at the curb in front of the school on Blossom Valley.
• NEW THIS YEAR: The kindergarten playground gates will be locked for the duration of the school day. We will be entering AND exiting through the door on the redwood tree-side of kindergarten.
• This week in class will of course be all about procedures and getting to know the children.  We will be reading many Back-to-School stories, as well as "No David" to familiarize your students with school routines. 

I hope you are all coming to Back-to-School Night tomorrow night, August 14th.   The schedule is as follows:

• 5:30-6:15 PM Class Presentation in K2
• 6:15-6:45 Home & School Club Presentation in the Cafeteria

I will go over classroom policies and procedures, discuss the curriculum, and answer any questions that you may have. Of course, if you have any questions after that, please feel free to ask! I am very responsive over e-mail.

You have received the Alta Vista Parent Handbook electronically. If you have not had a chance to review that yet, please do and then sign the back page of the handbook. Some of you turned those in today. The District Parent's Rights Handbook will likely be received tomorrow at Back-to-School Night.  Please return the final page of these booklets as soon as possible, as well as sign up for a Membership Toolkit account to receive communications from the Home & School Club.

I am looking forward to an exciting year!