Welcome to Barkley School! We look forward to working with your child(ren) this year on many interesting projects and activities. In addition to the school district's reading and math curriculums, your child(ren) will be exposed to the writing process, musical activities, art projects, movement activities, snacks, storytime, the Letter People, field trips, special school assemblies, and classroom learning centers. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in special holiday celebrations and related activities, also!
 

Kindergarten has classroom parties to celebrate Halloween, Christmas/Hanukkah, Valentine's Day, and Easter. Also, this year we will be holding our 15^th annual Thanksgiving Feast. All of these celebrations require your help. At the September 28^th Open House (Meet The Teacher Night) at school, we will have a sign-up list to volunteer your talents for 1 or more of the classroom parties. It is only fair that all parents/guardians be somehow involved with some of the parties! Please be ready to help!

By Monday, please be sure that your child(ren) have all the supplies listed on our supplies list. (Copies are going home today.) Please be sure that a backpack is brought to school every day! On most days, there will be papers that need to be sent home. No matter how adept you feel your child(ren) is (are) in the fine-motor department, papers and other items are lost or left on the bus when these things are not kept in some sort of a zippered bag! If you don't believe us, come to school at 3:30 some day and check the hallway floor and outdoors!!! Occasionally we will be looking for something needed for a special project and we hope for your help.

Each afternoon there is a snacktime. Attached to this note is a snack calendar for September. Each month a new calendar will be sent home. Please supply a nutritious snack for the class (as of today, 20 children.) One child is allergic to peanuts and peanut products, so do not send in any snacks containing that. Please, no candy, soda, sugary sweets, etc. “Special snacks” (cupcakes, etc. ) provided for the entire class are welcomed on a birthday! We especially appreciate snacks that are individually wrapped. Dividing up snacks can become very time-consuming
 

Along with a class snack, children can choose to bring in their own drink (no soda!) or can order milk at a cost of $1.50 per week at school. Chocolate, 2% white and skim milk are available. Snack milk cannot be bought on a daily basis. Weekly snack milk money is collected on Friday mornings. If you would like for your child(ren) to receive snack milk, please be sure that the money arrives to me on the correct day. Please put the correct amount in an envelope labeled with your child's name, the teacher's name, and the kind of milk desired.Refrigeration is available in our classroom, but only for that day's snack drink. 

Kindergartners participate in the lunch program. Lunches cost $1.00 a day, but you may send in multiple dollars, which will go into your child's lunch account. At lunch time, they “swipe” your child's card, and that amount is automatically deducted from his/her account. Please feel free to visit the ladies in the lunchroom to discuss how this works. Make sure that any money for the lunch program is in a sealed envelope and labeled. We do not have anything to do with lunch money!

Please dress your child(ren) in clothing suitable for kindergarten. Children spend some of each day “criss-cross-applesauce” on the floor, and outdoor play will be an everyday activity during all four seasons, so take that into account when shopping! Boots, snowpants, hats, and mittens are MUSTS when the cold weather arrives! Make sure that your child(ren)'s name is (are) on any outer clothing and boots. There will be identical coats, boots, etc. with at least 22 children in a room! On days that the children have physical education classes, it is necessary for them to wear sneakers. Our kindergarten class will be having P.E. Classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. As teachers, we think sneakers are the best everyday shoe! We do not allow any climbing on the playground without sturdy rubber-soled shoes/sneakers that have backs!

On Friday mornings, kindergarten has Show and Tell. Each week we share different topics, of which you will be made aware several days beforehand. Your child is expected to participate every week! Please be sure to send in only items that relate to that week's topic. Children are welcomed to bring in more than one thing. Talk with your child(ren) as to what he/she wishes to share, as well as what he/she is going to say.

Kindergartner's session is 8:40-3:00. When children arrive in the morning, they are to wait in the music room (after 8:30) until the 8:40 bell rings, at which time they will be escorted to our classroom. At dismissal, walkers leave through the front doorway. Please wait for your child(ren) there. Bussers will be escorted to their buses. If your child's method of going home is changed, please send us a note stating the change.

When your child(ren) miss(es) school, send in an excuse stating the date(s) of absence, your child's name, the reason for the absence, and your signature. This is a legal procedure, so please be prompt sending it in.

We hope that this answers many of your questions.  When you have a need to relate something to us, feel free to send in a note or leave your name and phone number with Mrs. Richards, the school secretary, at 843-1850 and we will get back to you ASAP.

Thank you so much!

Mrs. Blance and Mrs. Douglas

In addition to the supply list: PLEASE SEND IN AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FOR THE CLASS:

1. A RECTANGULAR BOX OF BABY WIPES FOR CLEAN-UP

2. A BOX OF KLEENEX

3.  A PUMP-STYLE HAND SOAP