Dear families,
I hope you are enjoying this beautiful weekend weather!
Next week will be our first Sharing Assembly, and we will be celebrating the TDSB Character Trait of Respect. If your child will be receiving an award you will receive a note in your child's backpack. The Assembly will take place in the Gym at 9:00 a.m. We hope to see you there!
We have been reading several books about Respect - for others, and for ourselves - such as "And Here's To You" "Please Don't Interrupt" and "I'm Gonna Like Me." We have also been talking about Feelings to tie into our unit "All About Me." Next week we will continue working on our little books. Please encourage your child to read them to you when they go home. They have been working hard on them!
The first Scholastic Orders are due at the end of the month, September 30. The next Scholastic Order is due on October 31. You will receive October's package in this Friday's mail bag.
The homework for the Seniors this weekend is to complete the page about Rules at School - in the classroom, on the playground, in the bathroom, and in the lunchroom. The homework for the Juniors is to practice writing their name by tracing the dots on the name page I made for them. Top to bottom, left to right :)
After lunch the children have about 1/2 hour of quiet time, when they lie in their spot quietly and listen to music or nature sounds on a CD. If you would like to provide your child with a pillow please make sure it is very small because space is so limited.
The children's first Pizza Lunch is going to take place on Friday. Thank you for submitting your forms/money on time (the due date was Friday). The remaining Pizza Lunches will be registered online via email. See "Important Upcoming Dates" for the dates.
We had our first Mystery Reader on Thursday! Many thanks to Theo's mom who read two great books to the children about a Library Lion and a hockey player. Your children love to see you in their classroom - please consider being a Mystery Reader volunteer (Thursdays 9 a.m.). Please contact our Grade Parents Trudie and Erica if you would like to volunteer.
It is time to start bringing in indoor shoes for your child to keep in their cubby and wear inside. Please label the shoes. Crocs or slippers work really well - shoes that are easy for your child to get on and off by themselves. This is also a good time to start practicing doing up zippers as Autumn and cooler/rainy weather approaches.
Now that the children are quite used to the classroom routines we will be seating them in table groups (combined JK-SK) to help them with transitions and centres. Each table is a different colour to help the children find them and know where to go. I think they will enjoy having their own special table and chair/seat-pocket where they do their written work, as well as transitioning between tables as a group for play-based centre time. Routines are so important for little ones.
Finally, thank you so much for assisting your child's successful beginning and end to the day by being on time and saying a cheerful good bye. The children are all doing so well and they feel proud to know the routines!
Have a terrific week - the last week of Summer!
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Week of September 15-19
Dear Parents,
I hope your children had a terrific second week of school!
Thank you for attending Curriculum Night. I hope it was informative and helped you better understand the Full Day Kindergarten program. The Ontario Curriculum Document is available online as well. Thank you as well to all the parents who signed up to volunteer at our various craft days throughout the year, as well as for Thursday Mystery Reader. The children love to see their parents in the classroom! Once I have the confirmed date for Scientist in the Classroom (this year: "I Can Be A Scientist!"), I will forward that to Trudie and Erica, our wonderful Grade Parents, and they will coordinate the volunteers.
This week was the kick off to all that Lambton Kingsway does in preparation for the Terry Fox Run/Walk (the Kinders walk around the school 2, 3 times). The children were wonderfully attentive at their first assembly in the gym and listened as a guest speaker and Mrs. Gibson explained who Terry Fox was and why he is important. There was also an inspiring mini documentary about Terry's life at the assembly, and I have to share that one of the children looked at me and said, "When is the Batman movie going to start?" Well, Batman is a hero is a child's eyes and so is Terry Fox. :)
In the classroom, we read a book about Terry and talked/brainstormed about why he is a Canadian hero. The children then completed the sentence "Terry Fox is..." and drew a picture of him. They are on display on the hall bulletin board. Next week we will talk about how Terry was brave and never gave up, and the children will write and draw a picture about a time they were brave, too. I hope that they understand Terry Fox to be a Canadian Hero who is inspiring to all of us.
This week we completed a small folder about "School" and it would have come home in Friday's mail bag (the white TDSB bag). Please take the time to look at your child's work with them and to ask them what their drawings are about. What we see as circles and lines is a whole picture story to your child. I would also like the children to see themselves as authors and artists, writers and illustrators, just like in the books we read every day.
We also continued our fun Author Study of David Shannon, who wrote the funny and award-winning "David Goes to School," "David Says No," "David Gets in Trouble," and several other books that children love. The children made a cut-and-glue picture of David which is hanging in the classroom. They look great!
As a follow up to the David books, we talked and brainstormed about "peacemakers" and "peacebreakers" in the classroom and what they did. The children's ideas on on our class bulletin board. This was a fun way to introduce and reinforce classroom rules and routines. The children also made a little book called "__________ (their name) Goes to School" and wrote and drew a "Yes!" rule and a "No! rule. Next week we'll finish this mini unit.
In between our writing time the children have also been enjoying working at their inquiry-based centres; they have been counting and patterning, building, shaping, sorting, numbering and classifying several items at their tables. They're really enjoying this time! Of course they are also enjoying the more dramatic-play area such as "Home Centre" and "Puppets." These centres teach social skills such as cooperation so well, and help the children make new friends and get along as a group.
I think the Juniors are really getting to know the classroom as well - they know which table is the "Yellow" or "Purple" table, for example (they have matching pencil cubbies and chair covers), they know where their white boxes are, they know where their unfinished work goes (all the green bins are for the Juniors, Yellow for Seniors), and so on. Wow! Terrific!
Next week we'll work in smaller groups at the Smart Board (JKS - name recognition, letter formation; SKs more complex reading and writing tasks).
We are learning a new song ("Rise and Shine") and a new poem ("Circle of Friends") in class. I send the words home each week and I hope you have fun saying/singing them with your children. This reinforces their reading skills!
We met our Reading Buddies from Ms. Sunde's class for the first time this week! This year we have decided to meet in the much bigger Lunch Room and it is working really well so far - lots more space for the children!
The children are also making "Alphabet Art" in class; I shaped the first letter of their name with masking tape on a piece of card stock and the children paint on top, then we'll remove the tape when it is dry.
I have sent home the September-October Special Person of the Day Calendars. The Show and Tell item for these months is "something that starts with the first letter of my name." For example, Stella brought it sea shells (two Ss! wow!). I have scheduled it such that your child's birthday is on his/her Special Day. Feel free to bring cupcakes/cookies for your child's birthday, as long as they are commercially made and labelled nut-free.
Also, your child's first Scholastic order forms went home this week. A big thank you to Megan and her mom for collating the order forms each month!! Please send in your orders and cheque (payable to Scholastic Canada) in your child's white bag. Books make wonderful gifts and help provide new resources in the classroom. If you would like your child's order to be a surprise, please just write "Gift" or "Surprise" on the order form and I will hand the books personally to you (rather than putting them in your child's backpack) when they arrive. Thank you for supporting Scholastic!
Also a big thank you to Lauren's family for taking such excellent care of Bubbles the Beta Fish over the Summer!
Finally, I would like to send out a friendly reminder to please LABEL everything of your child's. There are 31 little people in our classroom with shoes, jackets, hats, umbrellas, snack boxes, lunch bags, (soon there will be mittens, gloves), etc. etc. Labeling your child's items guarantees the items won't be lost. I found that Mabel's Labels were terrific for my kids, and they liked putting them on their things. Put a label on each item in their lunch box please. Masking tape works too! :)
A big thank you for saying such terrific good byes at the outside door - this really helps your child look forward to school and makes the transition so much easier! Yes, sometimes there are tears, but they quickly disappear with a little sip of water, a tissue, and the hand of a friend.
There will be a little change of the Sharing Assemblies this year; they will be in the GYM and will be from approximately 9:00-9:20 (they'll start right after Announcements).
I've sent home some reading tips. Learning to read starts with letter recognition, letter sound recognition, then moves slowly to blending sounds, sight words, and so on. The most important thing to do now is encourage your child and read with them regularly (before bedtime works well). Remember, if you can read it, you can write it!
I hope you have a terrific week!
Mrs. Tyndall
I hope your children had a terrific second week of school!
Thank you for attending Curriculum Night. I hope it was informative and helped you better understand the Full Day Kindergarten program. The Ontario Curriculum Document is available online as well. Thank you as well to all the parents who signed up to volunteer at our various craft days throughout the year, as well as for Thursday Mystery Reader. The children love to see their parents in the classroom! Once I have the confirmed date for Scientist in the Classroom (this year: "I Can Be A Scientist!"), I will forward that to Trudie and Erica, our wonderful Grade Parents, and they will coordinate the volunteers.
This week was the kick off to all that Lambton Kingsway does in preparation for the Terry Fox Run/Walk (the Kinders walk around the school 2, 3 times). The children were wonderfully attentive at their first assembly in the gym and listened as a guest speaker and Mrs. Gibson explained who Terry Fox was and why he is important. There was also an inspiring mini documentary about Terry's life at the assembly, and I have to share that one of the children looked at me and said, "When is the Batman movie going to start?" Well, Batman is a hero is a child's eyes and so is Terry Fox. :)
In the classroom, we read a book about Terry and talked/brainstormed about why he is a Canadian hero. The children then completed the sentence "Terry Fox is..." and drew a picture of him. They are on display on the hall bulletin board. Next week we will talk about how Terry was brave and never gave up, and the children will write and draw a picture about a time they were brave, too. I hope that they understand Terry Fox to be a Canadian Hero who is inspiring to all of us.
This week we completed a small folder about "School" and it would have come home in Friday's mail bag (the white TDSB bag). Please take the time to look at your child's work with them and to ask them what their drawings are about. What we see as circles and lines is a whole picture story to your child. I would also like the children to see themselves as authors and artists, writers and illustrators, just like in the books we read every day.
We also continued our fun Author Study of David Shannon, who wrote the funny and award-winning "David Goes to School," "David Says No," "David Gets in Trouble," and several other books that children love. The children made a cut-and-glue picture of David which is hanging in the classroom. They look great!
As a follow up to the David books, we talked and brainstormed about "peacemakers" and "peacebreakers" in the classroom and what they did. The children's ideas on on our class bulletin board. This was a fun way to introduce and reinforce classroom rules and routines. The children also made a little book called "__________ (their name) Goes to School" and wrote and drew a "Yes!" rule and a "No! rule. Next week we'll finish this mini unit.
In between our writing time the children have also been enjoying working at their inquiry-based centres; they have been counting and patterning, building, shaping, sorting, numbering and classifying several items at their tables. They're really enjoying this time! Of course they are also enjoying the more dramatic-play area such as "Home Centre" and "Puppets." These centres teach social skills such as cooperation so well, and help the children make new friends and get along as a group.
I think the Juniors are really getting to know the classroom as well - they know which table is the "Yellow" or "Purple" table, for example (they have matching pencil cubbies and chair covers), they know where their white boxes are, they know where their unfinished work goes (all the green bins are for the Juniors, Yellow for Seniors), and so on. Wow! Terrific!
Next week we'll work in smaller groups at the Smart Board (JKS - name recognition, letter formation; SKs more complex reading and writing tasks).
We are learning a new song ("Rise and Shine") and a new poem ("Circle of Friends") in class. I send the words home each week and I hope you have fun saying/singing them with your children. This reinforces their reading skills!
We met our Reading Buddies from Ms. Sunde's class for the first time this week! This year we have decided to meet in the much bigger Lunch Room and it is working really well so far - lots more space for the children!
The children are also making "Alphabet Art" in class; I shaped the first letter of their name with masking tape on a piece of card stock and the children paint on top, then we'll remove the tape when it is dry.
I have sent home the September-October Special Person of the Day Calendars. The Show and Tell item for these months is "something that starts with the first letter of my name." For example, Stella brought it sea shells (two Ss! wow!). I have scheduled it such that your child's birthday is on his/her Special Day. Feel free to bring cupcakes/cookies for your child's birthday, as long as they are commercially made and labelled nut-free.
Also, your child's first Scholastic order forms went home this week. A big thank you to Megan and her mom for collating the order forms each month!! Please send in your orders and cheque (payable to Scholastic Canada) in your child's white bag. Books make wonderful gifts and help provide new resources in the classroom. If you would like your child's order to be a surprise, please just write "Gift" or "Surprise" on the order form and I will hand the books personally to you (rather than putting them in your child's backpack) when they arrive. Thank you for supporting Scholastic!
Also a big thank you to Lauren's family for taking such excellent care of Bubbles the Beta Fish over the Summer!
Finally, I would like to send out a friendly reminder to please LABEL everything of your child's. There are 31 little people in our classroom with shoes, jackets, hats, umbrellas, snack boxes, lunch bags, (soon there will be mittens, gloves), etc. etc. Labeling your child's items guarantees the items won't be lost. I found that Mabel's Labels were terrific for my kids, and they liked putting them on their things. Put a label on each item in their lunch box please. Masking tape works too! :)
A big thank you for saying such terrific good byes at the outside door - this really helps your child look forward to school and makes the transition so much easier! Yes, sometimes there are tears, but they quickly disappear with a little sip of water, a tissue, and the hand of a friend.
There will be a little change of the Sharing Assemblies this year; they will be in the GYM and will be from approximately 9:00-9:20 (they'll start right after Announcements).
I've sent home some reading tips. Learning to read starts with letter recognition, letter sound recognition, then moves slowly to blending sounds, sight words, and so on. The most important thing to do now is encourage your child and read with them regularly (before bedtime works well). Remember, if you can read it, you can write it!
I hope you have a terrific week!
Mrs. Tyndall
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Week of September 8-12
Dear Parents,
Thank you to everyone who attended the Kindergarten Open House last week. I enjoyed meeting you and I am looking forward to being your child's teacher this year.
This week we reviewed/learned classroom routines and the children enjoyed playing at various inquiry-based centres. They are a wonderful group and I have noticed already what excellent listeners they all are! The children are making new friends quickly which is terrific.
A note about outdoor play: it was very hot and humid last week and the children do play outside for about one hour in total. Please ensure they are adequately dressed for the weather.
A lot of information/paperwork was sent home on Friday. Please complete all the required forms and return them in your child's white TDSB bag by Monday.
A note re: snacks: Please LABEL your child's snack as "SNACK" so that they know what to eat for snack and what to eat for lunch. Thank you!
The children will be eating their snacks in class and their lunch in the lunchroom at 12:00 with he other Kindergarten classes. Please ensure that all your child's belongings, including his/her lunch bag, are clearly labelled with their name.
Curriculum Night is on Tuesday from 5:30-6:00 p.m. in the gym. I am looking forward to seeing you then. After our talk about Kindergarten Curriculum and Routines, you are welcome to return to my classroom to sign up for volunteer opportunities in the classroom this year. Thank you in advance to our Grade Parents Trudie Hynes (JK) and Erica Bower (SK) for doing the volunteer scheduling and calendars.
Here are some tips to start out the year:
- read stories to your child that are suited to their interests and comprehension level
- answer questions and encourage curiosity
- teach responsibility by asking your child to tidy up and care for personal items such as clothes and toys
- invite your child's peers, classmates to play dates
- supervise the amount and kind of media your child watches
- provide materials for active play -- balls, tricycles, etc.
- discipline- suitable consequences for misbehaviour, rules that are easy to understand and fair; provide explanation for the consequence, make sure your child understands why. Fairness is key.
- give your child plenty of time to get ready for school
- allow your child to do things s/he can in order to foster independence
- talk to your child about school as an interesting place to go; a place where s/he will have fun and learn many new things with friends
- arrive on time to school, say good bye cheerfully at the door, arrive on time to pick your child up
I'm looking forward to speaking to your further at Curriculum Night.
Have a terrific week!
Mrs. Tyndall
Thank you to everyone who attended the Kindergarten Open House last week. I enjoyed meeting you and I am looking forward to being your child's teacher this year.
This week we reviewed/learned classroom routines and the children enjoyed playing at various inquiry-based centres. They are a wonderful group and I have noticed already what excellent listeners they all are! The children are making new friends quickly which is terrific.
A note about outdoor play: it was very hot and humid last week and the children do play outside for about one hour in total. Please ensure they are adequately dressed for the weather.
A lot of information/paperwork was sent home on Friday. Please complete all the required forms and return them in your child's white TDSB bag by Monday.
A note re: snacks: Please LABEL your child's snack as "SNACK" so that they know what to eat for snack and what to eat for lunch. Thank you!
The children will be eating their snacks in class and their lunch in the lunchroom at 12:00 with he other Kindergarten classes. Please ensure that all your child's belongings, including his/her lunch bag, are clearly labelled with their name.
Curriculum Night is on Tuesday from 5:30-6:00 p.m. in the gym. I am looking forward to seeing you then. After our talk about Kindergarten Curriculum and Routines, you are welcome to return to my classroom to sign up for volunteer opportunities in the classroom this year. Thank you in advance to our Grade Parents Trudie Hynes (JK) and Erica Bower (SK) for doing the volunteer scheduling and calendars.
Here are some tips to start out the year:
- read stories to your child that are suited to their interests and comprehension level
- answer questions and encourage curiosity
- teach responsibility by asking your child to tidy up and care for personal items such as clothes and toys
- invite your child's peers, classmates to play dates
- supervise the amount and kind of media your child watches
- provide materials for active play -- balls, tricycles, etc.
- discipline- suitable consequences for misbehaviour, rules that are easy to understand and fair; provide explanation for the consequence, make sure your child understands why. Fairness is key.
- give your child plenty of time to get ready for school
- allow your child to do things s/he can in order to foster independence
- talk to your child about school as an interesting place to go; a place where s/he will have fun and learn many new things with friends
- arrive on time to school, say good bye cheerfully at the door, arrive on time to pick your child up
I'm looking forward to speaking to your further at Curriculum Night.
Have a terrific week!
Mrs. Tyndall
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Welcome to Room 166!
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Mrs. Tyndall’s Full Day Kindergarten Class at Lambton Kingsway Junior Middle School! I am delighted to have your child in my class this year. I am looking forward to a wonderful year and I know you are, too. We are going to be learning a lot this year and it is my goal to do everything I can to make sure my classroom is a welcoming place full of learning, fun and friends. Please also join me in welcoming ECE Tsering Paldon to our classroom.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the Kindergarten Open House on Tuesday, September 2. This is an informal chance to meet me and classmates, and to see the classroom. The Senior Kindergarten students are welcome to visit the classroom between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The Junior Kindergarten students are invited to visit from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Kindergarten is a two-year program and our classroom has both Juniors and Seniors. I encourage you to have conversations with your child about what we are doing in school. Parental involvement is very important. Your participation and support will help instill a positive attitude about learning. When we all work together, students are successful! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns during the school year. Please also read my LKS BLOG: mrstyndallslksblog.blogspot.com for weekly updates and important classroom information.
Kindergarten Schedule
8:45-8:50 Entry
8:50-11:20 Morning Program
11:20-12:30 Lunch
12:30-12:35 Entry
12:35-3:05 Afternoon Program
Your child will need a regular-sized backpack for Kindergarten. This backpack should be large enough to carry snacks, lunch (if your child is not going home for lunch), a library book, small reading books, as well as a white TDSB plastic bag (provided by me) that will include notes from school, classwork, art projects, etc. Please return this bag to school the day after it goes home (twice a week) and remind your child to hand it in to the bin provided when s/he enters the classroom. Please give your child opportunities to practice opening, putting things in, taking objects out of the backpack and then zipping the backpack closed.
As your child enters school, independence (and attempting to be independent) is very important. Saying a cheerful goodbye at the outside door will ensure your child has a smooth transition to classroom routines and independence.
The beginning of the day, end of the day, and lunch time are busy times, with children coming and going to before and after school programs, taking the bus, daycare, Oxford, Little Readers, Montessori, etc. My first priority is ensuring that each of my 31 children is dismissed safely to parents and caregivers, bus attendants. etc. If you wish to speak with me about your child's progress, please send a note and I’ll be happy to make an appointment to speak to you at a time convenient to all.
We encourage children to go home for lunch each day as it is a nice break for them in a busy school day.
Please note that the Kindergarten Playground/Yard is CLOSED after school each day as it is reserved for the After School Program. Thank you.
Important Numbers:
School Office: 416-394-7890
Please leave a message with the office if your child will be absent from school. Messages can be left 24 hours/day. Please give your child’s name, teacher name, and reason for absence.
My Program:
In keeping with the Ministry of Education’s Full Day Kindergarten Curriculum, the Kindergarten Program is Play-Based. I will also be doing a lot of educational and interesting theme-based literacy and numeracy activities with the children adapted to their level and interests, which also helps prepare them for SK/Grade One Curriculum. The children will bring these themed units home in folders when they are completed, so that you can see all the hard work they have been doing in class!
Each child is unique. Young children grow and develop at their own rate. When provided with opportunities to play and interact with their peers and guided by adults, children have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and solve problems through everyday activities. While there will be large group discussions, much of the interaction between your child and myself and Ms. Paldon will be in small groups or one on one. As a result, children will be able to receive as much individualized attention that is geared to their interests as well as their development and abilities.
Centres:
The Kindergarten classroom is set up as a number of centres. Independence is key to the program and, as such, the learning materials are housed in storage shelves and containers that allow children to find and reach them on their own. The children are expected to help keep our classroom clean and organized by cleaning up their activity when finished with it and returning it to the proper place.
While centres will change through the year (according to which theme we are working on), some remain, with the materials changing to meet our learning expectations. Some centres that you will find in our classroom are:
- Blocks
- Paint and Visual Arts
- Sand and/or Water
- Math (Numeracy)
- Writing
- Reading/Books/Mini Library
- Science/Discovery
- Computers (2)
- Dramatic Play
During play times, children are free to choose the activities that they are interested in. They will also be encouraged to rotate through all the different centres. As a rule, children will play in small groups of 2-4 children.
Additional Activities:
Library and Computers – We are fortunate to have a Teacher Librarian who maintains a wonderful primary resource centre. Each week we will have an opportunity to visit the library for a read aloud or learning activity, as well as a book exchange. The library is also next to our Computer Lab where the children will have an opportunity each week to explore a variety of programs and learn how to use the computers.
Physical Education – Our gymnasium and outdoor kindergarten playground are large open spaces where children will be able to participate in activities to promote healthy living. Co-operative games and moving safely are the major components of the kindergarten gym program.
Volunteers:
There are many opportunities for parents to volunteer in the classroom. Any person wishing to volunteer at the school requires a recent, valid police check from the Toronto Police Department. Annual Declarations are required for any current volunteers. The office has the required forms. Please contact your Grade Parent if you wish to volunteer for classroom activities.
Safety:
Ensuring the safety of the students, staff and visitors at Lambton Kingsway is a priority. Students in Kindergarten enter and leave through their classroom doors to the kindergarten yard. Should you need to enter the school, please use the front doors and sign in at the office each time you visit us.
A note from home is required for changes to regular routines (i.e. a child who normally stays at school for lunch will be going home, or a child who normally takes the bus will be picked up by a caregiver, or a child is going on a play date after school and will be picked up by another caregiver). For the safety and security of your child, we cannot change your child’s routine if a note is note provided. Please do not assume that if a note is left in your child’s backpack your child will remember to give it to his/her teacher. Please hand the note personally to me first thing in the morning and/or call the office with the change to routine.
If your child is going to be absent from school for a planned activity (i.e. doctor, dentist, early or extended holiday) please send a note in advance so that it can be forwarded to the office. For unexpected absences, please call the safe arrival system (416-394-7890) and leave a message with your child’s full name, teacher, and reason for absence.
Classroom Rules and Routines:
One of the main goals in Kindergarten is to develop self-regulation. I work with the children to help them maintain control of their actions and behaviours. Our classroom expectations are to:
- Listen to others - Sit while in group
- Use a quiet voice - Walk while inside
- Keep hands to yourself
Most children follow these rules and routines easily while at school. When a child chooses not to follow these class expectations, my class discipline plan is:
- Receive a reminder of expectations (verbal warning)
- Yellow card is handed out (2nd warning)
- Red card is handed out and time-out is used for a few minutes when a child is “out of control”/not following rules, followed by a discussion with the teacher about expectations.
- Should problems continue, you will be notified of the issue, and together we will come up with a plan of how to best remedy the situation.
Home Communication:
Communication between home and school is essential. Every Sunday evening, I update my blog (www.mrstyndallslksblog.blogspot.com). Please make a habit of checking it regularly for important dates, information about what we are doing in class, and other updates. Each day items such as notes, newsletters, permission forms, etc. may be sent home. Children in my Kindergarten class use a communication bag (a white plastic TDSB bag with their name on it) to carry items between home and school. Please place notes from home, or any money for pizza, Scholastic Book Orders, field trips, etc. in the bag. Please do not lose this bag as I only have a few extras. Thank you.
To help keep orders safe and contained, please seal any required money inside an envelope or zip-lock baggie, and put your child’s name on it, along with the purpose for the money being sent.
Calendar:
A classroom calendar will be sent home during the last week of each month (or earlier) for the next month. Please post in a special place so that you and your child are prepared for all designated activities. Please make note of special dates such as your child’s Special/Snack Day, due dates for pizza and book orders, etc.
Reading Skills:
Reading is an essential skill that lasts a lifetime. It is your and my responsibility to ensure that your child develops early reading skills. An at home reading program will be provided, beginning in the first term. A folder with a reading log, as well as early reading “snuggle up” books will be provided. Your Snuggle Book needs to travel to and from school in your child’s white TDSB bag. More information will be provided once we begin the program in October.
Spare Clothing:
Children occasionally don’t make it to the washroom on time. They also like to “find” puddles or go down slides that aren’t quite dry. To make such instances easier for everyone, please send a change of underwear, pants and socks to keep at school. Wet clothes will be placed in a plastic bag and sent home. Please be sure to replace used items the next school day.
Library:
We will have a scheduled library period for a visit and book exchange each week. Children are responsible for the books that they sign out. They will be provided with a library bag to bring their book to and from school.
Snacks and Lunches:
Your child should bring two healthy, nut-free snacks each day. Children will have an opportunity to eat in each of the morning and afternoon nutrition breaks. The purpose of these breaks is to provide energy and nourishment for your child. Please choose healthy items that your child enjoys. Due to food allergies, children must not share their food with others. We continue to strive towards being a nut-free school for the safety of the children with nut-based allergies. Children will NOT be allowed to open or consume any items known to contain nuts.
Please do not send cans of pop/juice for your child. Cans are difficult for students to handle and they rarely finish the entire drink. Keeping the can throughout the day is troublesome as cans spill and attract ants. Please use juice boxes or water bottles instead. There is also a water fountain in our classroom.
Scholastic Book Orders:
This is a voluntary book club for children. Each month a book flyer will be sent home. Please choose the books you would like on the order form, and return the order form and a cheque (payable to Scholastic Books). Orders are placed the day after the due date (found on the order form or on the class calendar), and orders are usually received within a week. Your child will bring home their books in their backpacks, to be opened at home. If you wish to purchase an item as a gift, please send me a note with your order.
Personal Items:
PLEASE LABEL ALL CLOTHING, SHOES, AND OTHER ITEMS BROUGHT TO SCHOOL.
Toys should be left at home.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions that have not been covered. Please keep this newsletter for future reference. I will also post all of this information on my blog.
I’m looking forward to a wonderful year!
Kind regards,
Mrs. Beverley Tyndall
betyndall@rogers.com
mrstyndallslksblog.blogspot.com
416-394-7890
Welcome to Mrs. Tyndall’s Full Day Kindergarten Class at Lambton Kingsway Junior Middle School! I am delighted to have your child in my class this year. I am looking forward to a wonderful year and I know you are, too. We are going to be learning a lot this year and it is my goal to do everything I can to make sure my classroom is a welcoming place full of learning, fun and friends. Please also join me in welcoming ECE Tsering Paldon to our classroom.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the Kindergarten Open House on Tuesday, September 2. This is an informal chance to meet me and classmates, and to see the classroom. The Senior Kindergarten students are welcome to visit the classroom between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The Junior Kindergarten students are invited to visit from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Kindergarten is a two-year program and our classroom has both Juniors and Seniors. I encourage you to have conversations with your child about what we are doing in school. Parental involvement is very important. Your participation and support will help instill a positive attitude about learning. When we all work together, students are successful! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns during the school year. Please also read my LKS BLOG: mrstyndallslksblog.blogspot.com for weekly updates and important classroom information.
Kindergarten Schedule
8:45-8:50 Entry
8:50-11:20 Morning Program
11:20-12:30 Lunch
12:30-12:35 Entry
12:35-3:05 Afternoon Program
Your child will need a regular-sized backpack for Kindergarten. This backpack should be large enough to carry snacks, lunch (if your child is not going home for lunch), a library book, small reading books, as well as a white TDSB plastic bag (provided by me) that will include notes from school, classwork, art projects, etc. Please return this bag to school the day after it goes home (twice a week) and remind your child to hand it in to the bin provided when s/he enters the classroom. Please give your child opportunities to practice opening, putting things in, taking objects out of the backpack and then zipping the backpack closed.
As your child enters school, independence (and attempting to be independent) is very important. Saying a cheerful goodbye at the outside door will ensure your child has a smooth transition to classroom routines and independence.
The beginning of the day, end of the day, and lunch time are busy times, with children coming and going to before and after school programs, taking the bus, daycare, Oxford, Little Readers, Montessori, etc. My first priority is ensuring that each of my 31 children is dismissed safely to parents and caregivers, bus attendants. etc. If you wish to speak with me about your child's progress, please send a note and I’ll be happy to make an appointment to speak to you at a time convenient to all.
We encourage children to go home for lunch each day as it is a nice break for them in a busy school day.
Please note that the Kindergarten Playground/Yard is CLOSED after school each day as it is reserved for the After School Program. Thank you.
Important Numbers:
School Office: 416-394-7890
Please leave a message with the office if your child will be absent from school. Messages can be left 24 hours/day. Please give your child’s name, teacher name, and reason for absence.
My Program:
In keeping with the Ministry of Education’s Full Day Kindergarten Curriculum, the Kindergarten Program is Play-Based. I will also be doing a lot of educational and interesting theme-based literacy and numeracy activities with the children adapted to their level and interests, which also helps prepare them for SK/Grade One Curriculum. The children will bring these themed units home in folders when they are completed, so that you can see all the hard work they have been doing in class!
Each child is unique. Young children grow and develop at their own rate. When provided with opportunities to play and interact with their peers and guided by adults, children have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and solve problems through everyday activities. While there will be large group discussions, much of the interaction between your child and myself and Ms. Paldon will be in small groups or one on one. As a result, children will be able to receive as much individualized attention that is geared to their interests as well as their development and abilities.
Centres:
The Kindergarten classroom is set up as a number of centres. Independence is key to the program and, as such, the learning materials are housed in storage shelves and containers that allow children to find and reach them on their own. The children are expected to help keep our classroom clean and organized by cleaning up their activity when finished with it and returning it to the proper place.
While centres will change through the year (according to which theme we are working on), some remain, with the materials changing to meet our learning expectations. Some centres that you will find in our classroom are:
- Blocks
- Paint and Visual Arts
- Sand and/or Water
- Math (Numeracy)
- Writing
- Reading/Books/Mini Library
- Science/Discovery
- Computers (2)
- Dramatic Play
During play times, children are free to choose the activities that they are interested in. They will also be encouraged to rotate through all the different centres. As a rule, children will play in small groups of 2-4 children.
Additional Activities:
Library and Computers – We are fortunate to have a Teacher Librarian who maintains a wonderful primary resource centre. Each week we will have an opportunity to visit the library for a read aloud or learning activity, as well as a book exchange. The library is also next to our Computer Lab where the children will have an opportunity each week to explore a variety of programs and learn how to use the computers.
Physical Education – Our gymnasium and outdoor kindergarten playground are large open spaces where children will be able to participate in activities to promote healthy living. Co-operative games and moving safely are the major components of the kindergarten gym program.
Volunteers:
There are many opportunities for parents to volunteer in the classroom. Any person wishing to volunteer at the school requires a recent, valid police check from the Toronto Police Department. Annual Declarations are required for any current volunteers. The office has the required forms. Please contact your Grade Parent if you wish to volunteer for classroom activities.
Safety:
Ensuring the safety of the students, staff and visitors at Lambton Kingsway is a priority. Students in Kindergarten enter and leave through their classroom doors to the kindergarten yard. Should you need to enter the school, please use the front doors and sign in at the office each time you visit us.
A note from home is required for changes to regular routines (i.e. a child who normally stays at school for lunch will be going home, or a child who normally takes the bus will be picked up by a caregiver, or a child is going on a play date after school and will be picked up by another caregiver). For the safety and security of your child, we cannot change your child’s routine if a note is note provided. Please do not assume that if a note is left in your child’s backpack your child will remember to give it to his/her teacher. Please hand the note personally to me first thing in the morning and/or call the office with the change to routine.
If your child is going to be absent from school for a planned activity (i.e. doctor, dentist, early or extended holiday) please send a note in advance so that it can be forwarded to the office. For unexpected absences, please call the safe arrival system (416-394-7890) and leave a message with your child’s full name, teacher, and reason for absence.
Classroom Rules and Routines:
One of the main goals in Kindergarten is to develop self-regulation. I work with the children to help them maintain control of their actions and behaviours. Our classroom expectations are to:
- Listen to others - Sit while in group
- Use a quiet voice - Walk while inside
- Keep hands to yourself
Most children follow these rules and routines easily while at school. When a child chooses not to follow these class expectations, my class discipline plan is:
- Receive a reminder of expectations (verbal warning)
- Yellow card is handed out (2nd warning)
- Red card is handed out and time-out is used for a few minutes when a child is “out of control”/not following rules, followed by a discussion with the teacher about expectations.
- Should problems continue, you will be notified of the issue, and together we will come up with a plan of how to best remedy the situation.
Home Communication:
Communication between home and school is essential. Every Sunday evening, I update my blog (www.mrstyndallslksblog.blogspot.com). Please make a habit of checking it regularly for important dates, information about what we are doing in class, and other updates. Each day items such as notes, newsletters, permission forms, etc. may be sent home. Children in my Kindergarten class use a communication bag (a white plastic TDSB bag with their name on it) to carry items between home and school. Please place notes from home, or any money for pizza, Scholastic Book Orders, field trips, etc. in the bag. Please do not lose this bag as I only have a few extras. Thank you.
To help keep orders safe and contained, please seal any required money inside an envelope or zip-lock baggie, and put your child’s name on it, along with the purpose for the money being sent.
Calendar:
A classroom calendar will be sent home during the last week of each month (or earlier) for the next month. Please post in a special place so that you and your child are prepared for all designated activities. Please make note of special dates such as your child’s Special/Snack Day, due dates for pizza and book orders, etc.
Reading Skills:
Reading is an essential skill that lasts a lifetime. It is your and my responsibility to ensure that your child develops early reading skills. An at home reading program will be provided, beginning in the first term. A folder with a reading log, as well as early reading “snuggle up” books will be provided. Your Snuggle Book needs to travel to and from school in your child’s white TDSB bag. More information will be provided once we begin the program in October.
Spare Clothing:
Children occasionally don’t make it to the washroom on time. They also like to “find” puddles or go down slides that aren’t quite dry. To make such instances easier for everyone, please send a change of underwear, pants and socks to keep at school. Wet clothes will be placed in a plastic bag and sent home. Please be sure to replace used items the next school day.
Library:
We will have a scheduled library period for a visit and book exchange each week. Children are responsible for the books that they sign out. They will be provided with a library bag to bring their book to and from school.
Snacks and Lunches:
Your child should bring two healthy, nut-free snacks each day. Children will have an opportunity to eat in each of the morning and afternoon nutrition breaks. The purpose of these breaks is to provide energy and nourishment for your child. Please choose healthy items that your child enjoys. Due to food allergies, children must not share their food with others. We continue to strive towards being a nut-free school for the safety of the children with nut-based allergies. Children will NOT be allowed to open or consume any items known to contain nuts.
Please do not send cans of pop/juice for your child. Cans are difficult for students to handle and they rarely finish the entire drink. Keeping the can throughout the day is troublesome as cans spill and attract ants. Please use juice boxes or water bottles instead. There is also a water fountain in our classroom.
Scholastic Book Orders:
This is a voluntary book club for children. Each month a book flyer will be sent home. Please choose the books you would like on the order form, and return the order form and a cheque (payable to Scholastic Books). Orders are placed the day after the due date (found on the order form or on the class calendar), and orders are usually received within a week. Your child will bring home their books in their backpacks, to be opened at home. If you wish to purchase an item as a gift, please send me a note with your order.
Personal Items:
PLEASE LABEL ALL CLOTHING, SHOES, AND OTHER ITEMS BROUGHT TO SCHOOL.
Toys should be left at home.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions that have not been covered. Please keep this newsletter for future reference. I will also post all of this information on my blog.
I’m looking forward to a wonderful year!
Kind regards,
Mrs. Beverley Tyndall
betyndall@rogers.com
mrstyndallslksblog.blogspot.com
416-394-7890
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Summer
Dear families,
Thank you for a wonderful year! I hope you and your children have a terrific summer and I look forward to seeing you again in September!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Tyndall
Thank you for a wonderful year! I hope you and your children have a terrific summer and I look forward to seeing you again in September!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Tyndall
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