The 
's Of Mrs. Shutter’s Class
**I know a lot of you are new to Gardner Road. I put together this packet to help organize all the information. I hope you find it helpful, however, please feel free to contact me with any questions.**
Absence If your child is ill, please call the office and inform us of your child’s absence and the reason for it. This is for your child’s safety. If a student must leave early for a doctor’s appointment, go to the office to sign him/her out and the secretary will call him/her to the office. Never send another person to pick up your child without informing me or the secretary.
Attendance A successful school experience is the responsibility of the child, the parent and the school. Your child's progress, both academically and socially, is influenced to a great extent by daily participation. Regular attendance without tardiness is a key.
Arrival and Dismissal Students should arrive between 8:50 and 9:00 AM and wait in the school cafeteria with an adult. School begins promptly at 9:00 AM, with a tardy bell at 9:25. Afternoon dismissal is at 2:00 PM. We ask that you wait in the cafeteria and sign out your child on the clipboard. Please pick up your child promptly.
Backpacks To help your child carry messages and information to and from school, you are asked to provide a backpack. Students will use their folder to carry notes and information to you and from you. Please remove the notes and papers daily from the folder. Also please put your child’s name on everything including backpacks, coats, etc…
Birthdays Birthdays are special occasions for young children. If your child wishes, he/she may bring a store bought treat for the class. We are a class of 18 students. We will celebrate summer birthdays during the last few weeks of school. Also it is school policy that no birthday invitations be sent through the classroom.
Book Orders I will send home a Scholastic Book Club Catalog for you and your child to look over. These clubs offer wonderful books at reduced prices---what a great way to build your home library! All orders can be placed online using our class activation code.
Computer We are fortunate to have an Interactive Whiteboard in our classroom. The students will get several opportunities to play with it daily. We will also be using the school computer lab. Be sure to send in headphones.
Discipline Our classroom is a small community where teamwork and good relationships are expected. We will spend time learning class procedures and practicing them. Each student is expected to act within our standards of behavior. To establish good order and help the children learn self-control, they will be guided to respect themselves and their companions through specific directions, positive reinforcement, suggested new activities and responsible actions.
E-mail You can contact me via my email address:
kshutter@horseheadsdistrict.com
I will check my email on a daily basis. If you need to discuss something urgently, please call me at school instead.
kshutter@horseheadsdistrict.com
I will check my email on a daily basis. If you need to discuss something urgently, please call me at school instead.
Emergency Card Please complete and return the emergency card promptly. If your home or work phone number changes inform the office so you can be located quickly if an emergency occurs.
Emergency Closings If our district has a 2 hr delay, Pre-K will be asked to come to school at **10:30**.
Fire Drills Fire drills are held throughout the school year. All students will participate and are expected to walk quickly and quietly to their designated exit. We will practice and become familiar with procedures before our first scheduled drill.
Half Day If the district has a half day Pre-K students will be dismissed at **10:30**.
Hands-on Learning I feel that the best way to help children learn is to make learning fun. Important concepts can be learned by doing meaningful hands-on activities. There are times when seatwork is required and necessary, but for the most part, our classroom will be an active learning environment.
Health Please let me know of special circumstances which may affect your child. These could include medication that may make him sleepy, a death in the family, etc. Also, please let me know of any allergies your child may have, especially food allergies. We sometimes do food activities to compliment lessons in pre-kindergarten and it would be helpful to know when I plan our recipes.
Illness The question of when to keep your child home from school is often a difficult one, especially when decisions must be made first thing in the morning. It is important, however, to keep your child home if he/she is ill. This helps to make them more comfortable and prevents others from becoming ill. Children function more effectively in the classroom when they are healthy.
Independent Reading Because children learn to read by reading, they need plenty of opportunities to read independently. Sufficient time and appropriate materials are necessary to develop and strengthen reading abilities. By giving the children time to read both at school and at home, we can work together to provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love of reading.
Journals One strategy that will be used to help convey the vital concept that “print conveys meaning” is the frequent use of journal writing. In these journals the students combine their emerging writing skills with their drawing skills. As the children are exposed to a variety of phonics and reading experiences, journal entries will move from drawings and to “inventive” spellings.
Kindness Students in our classroom are encouraged and expected to treat all members of our class as well as others with kindness and respect. Bothering others, bullying and interrupting learning will not be permitted.
Lunch Children may bring a packed lunch from home or eat a school lunch. I strongly recommend using the PaySchools lunch account. Lunch is $1.95. If you do send money in please send it in an envelope with their name on it. Please refer to the lunch calendar to review the daily choices with your child. They will be choosing their lunch with you at drop off time. Also please discuss with your child the difference between lunch and snack so they don’t each lunch for snack or vice versa.
Math The Pre-kindergarten mathematics curriculum provides students with mathematical experiences that help them develop number sense and a positive attitude towards mathematics that will continue through their school career and their lives. We employ a hands-on approach. We are currently are using Everyday Math Program
Nurse Our nurse will tend to minor scratches and scrapes, as well as sudden illnesses. For more serious injuries, she will contact you. Please be sure to send in any change of contact numbers in case she needs to get in touch with you.
Parent Involvement Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school! We are always happy to have your help for special activities in the classroom. I will try to let you know at least a week ahead of time if I need help. I hope that you can come and join in the fun!
Questions Since so many of you are new to Gardner Road Elementary School this year, I’m sure that you may still have some unanswered questions. Please feel free to call me at school 739-6347(between 8:00-8:30a.m. or between 2:30-3:00p.m.). Or you can always write a note or email me at: kshutter@horseheadsdistrict.com
Recess The children will play outdoors or in the gym for 30 minutes each day. Please keep this in mind when helping your child to select clothing for the day.
Report Cards Pre-K students receive report cards and 20 & 40 weeks. Pre-K will have parent teacher conferences at 10 & 30 weeks. These reports reflect the progress your child has made toward various pre-kindergarten objectives and uses a grading system that reflects the developmental nature of pre-kindergarten learning.
Restrooms Have your child use the restroom shortly before coming to school. We are fortunate to have a restroom in our room and the students will be allowed to use it whenever needed. Please practice bathroom routines with your child as they will be required to use it independently. Please make me aware of any medical problem that might require more frequent restroom trips.
Snack We will have a snack every day. Please send in a healthy snack that is quickly eaten, such as a box of crackers, fruit roll-ups, raisins, apples, etc. Students can bring in drinks however we do have a water fountain. Sometimes students forget snacks and we will provide them with one. Any snack donations of animal crackers, fruit snacks, raisin, and crackers are greatly appreciated.
Supplies A supply list has been sent home to all students. There will be times towards the end of the school year supplies may be getting low and we may ask for help in replenishing them.
Toys Bringing toys to school is discouraged because they distract the children from learning. If a toy is accidentally lost or broken, feelings will be hurt. Students may bring in books that are clearly marked with your child's name.
Toys Bringing toys to school is discouraged because they distract the children from learning. If a toy is accidentally lost or broken, feelings will be hurt. Students may bring in books that are clearly marked with your child's name.
Unique Pre-Kindergartners learn that they are special and unique.
Pre-Kindergartners have opportunities to describe how they are alike as well as different from others. They share their culture and learn about different cultures within the class.
Pre-Kindergartners have opportunities to describe how they are alike as well as different from others. They share their culture and learn about different cultures within the class.
Visitors Gardner Road has a policy that ALL GUESTS (including familiar faces) are required to check in at the school office. Gardner Road welcomes and encourages family involvement. It is important to remember that while this may seem inconvenient to frequent visitors, it is the goal and responsibility of the school to create a safe learning environment.
Writing Our writing program builds on what each child already knows. Writing begins with scribbles and proceeds to lines and circles, random strings of letters, words and spaces and eventually sentences. Your children will be encouraged and praised for all attempts and accomplishments in writing. Providing a risk-free environment is paramount to your child's progress in writing. If possible, please provide your child with writing tools, such as pencils, crayons, markers and paper at home.
XVIII We have eighteen children in our class. Please keep this in mind when sending in things to be distributed to the whole class.
Younger Siblings It is in your child’s and the program’s best interest to have our parent volunteers available WITHOUT younger children. This not only allows your full attention to be focused on the class, but also allows for some special time between you and your pre-kindergartner. Thank you for making childcare arrangements for younger siblings.
Zzzzs Make sure that your child gets plenty of rest. Setting and keeping a bedtime is a wonderful gift you can give to your child. It will help them to be alert and ready to learn each day! Our class will rest for about 30 minutes each day in the afternoon. Your child is not required to sleep but must rest and relax quietly during this time. Rest time will be decreased gradually throughout the year as needed.