Welcome to Kindergarten! We are going to have so much fun learning new and interesting things in Kindergarten. Our room will be a safe place for growing knowledge and feeling acceptance. I look forward to working together towards a successful year.
I have taught in many different school districts in Chicago, Boston and Michigan, but Saugatuck is by far my favorite. Our small community, in which I am lucky enough to live in, and the great families that make up the Douglas/Saugatuck area, make my job an absolute pleasure. I feel very blessed to spend my days with such wonderful children and supportive families.
Teaching has always been a passion for me. I have a love for learning and I work towards passing that desire on to my students. It is my goal to make my classroom a safe, fun and predictable place for my students, Children are different and not only desire, but require specific attention and affection for them to flourish. As your child’s teacher I do not take that responsibility lightly.
Lastly, I think it is imperative that we work together toward the success of our children. Please do not hesitate to call or email with concerns, questions or comments regarding your child. A heads up from home can mean the difference between a day at school and a great day at school.
I can’t wait to get started!
Important Information
Birthday Treats Birthdays are important and celebrating them is a large part of being a child. If at all possible, I ask that you attempt to include all children in the treat. As soon as I know, I will pass on to you any known allergies in our class. In addition, I am happy to help children celebrate summer birthdays, either on their half birthdays or any other time that works for you. As of Open House, we have 20 students. Please check the number of classmates prior to sending in a class treat. Lastly, please do not send birthday invitations to school if you are not including the entire class.
Classroom Management Two very important life skills I can help develop in your child are kindness and respect for others. I follow a program called Love and Logic by Jim Faye. It is a way of life for me with my children at school and my children at home. It is all about building self-reverence and accountability by giving children choices – allowing them to become responsible, respectful members of our learning community. I have had success with this process with prekindergarten students all the way up to teenagers and young adults.
Parent Volunteers Every parent or individual that would like to visit our room must fill out a Volunteer Form. This form must be filled out every school year. Please find the Volunteer Form on the Saugatuck website or in the front office with Lori Nichols.
Snack We are fortunate enough to have a Healthy Snack Program for the younger students provided by our Douglas Elementary Wellness Committee. Members of the community volunteer to help provide a healthy snack for all students in our TK and K programs. The purpose of the committee is to encourage healthy, and brain smart food for our young learners. It is also an opportunity to introduce new or interesting foods and experiences to our young learners.
We will serve the provided snack in the afternoon. If you are interested in participating in providing a healthy snack for our class, please let me know. A few examples of highly enjoyed snacks are apple slices, carrots, crackers, cheese sticks, granola bars, yogurt, and real fruits. We will avoid known food allergies as much as possible when we have that information. I have a small fridge and we have two office fridges to help cool snacks as necessary.
Dismissal Please send a note or call the office ASAP if your child will not be following the regular dismissal procedure. Any change in our daily routine can be very difficult. Children this age have a difficult time remembering on their own if they are pick up or bus. I even have to write the changes down! Please do not wait until 2:00pm to make the switch. Remember that we have many children to get to the right place at the end of the day. Please DO NOT rely on voice mail or email to let me know of changes in your schedule because I may not get it in time to make the necessary changes. It is my goal to know all of my students are safe and sound as I pass them on. Thank you for understanding and helping our afternoons run smoothly and safely.