Dear Parents:

We welcome you and your child to Kindergarten at Silver Springs School. We will endeavour to see that your child has an enjoyable and successful start to their school career.

Hours

Kindergarten am -  Monday-  Thursday 8:30 AM to 11:20 AM

Kindergarten pm -  Monday- Thursday 12:10 AM - 3:00 PM

Fridays - 8:30 -12:35, AM and PM classes alternate each week. Please see school calendar.

The Principles of the Kindergarten Program

Principle #1: Young children learn best when programming meets their developmental needs.

Principle #2: Young children develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that prepare them for later learning.

Principle #3: Young children with special needs, through early intervention strategies, develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that prepare them for later learning.

Principle #4: Young children build a common set of experiences through interaction with others.

Principle #5: Parents have the opportunity for meaningful involvement in the education of their young children.

Principle 6: Coordinated community services meet the needs of young children and their families.

What Will My Child Learn?

The Kindergarten Program Statement provides clear learner expectations for children’s development in these learning areas.

  Language Arts/Early Literacy

• the child listens, speaks, reads, writes, views and represents to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences
• the child develops pre-reading skills

Math/Early Numeracy

Expectations are organized within four strands:

• Numbers: the child is familiar with numbers to 10
• Patterns & Relations: the child identifies and creates patterns
• Shape & Space: the child develops awareness of measurement, the child sorts and classifies and builds real-world objects
• Statistics & Probability: the child collects and organizes data (with assistance)

Community and Environmental Awareness

• the child learns about the community and environment

Personal and Social Responsibility

• the child develops positive attitudes toward learning
• the child accepts responsibility
• the child expresses feelings in socially appropriate ways

Physical Skills and Well Being

• the child explores movement in a variety of environments
• the child develops fine motor skills
• the child develops attitudes & behaviors that promote a healthy lifestyle

Creative Expression

• the child explores self-expression through language, movement, music and drama
• the child becomes aware of a variety of different cultural groups and traditions

Citizenship and Identity

• the child learns ways in which they are unique and how they belong

• the child learns ways to cooperate, make decisions and problem solve

Commonly Asked Questions About Kindergarten

What will my child’s classroom be like?

The classroom setting in our Kindergarten program is not one composed of rows and desks but rather a more flexible unit containing a number of “Learning Centres” (i.e. house centre, block centre, art centre, water/sand centre, story centre, writing centre, number centre, etc). This lends itself to the fact that young children learn most naturally and effectively through play. As children explore their environment, they learn a great deal about their work through the manipulation of objects and direct interactions with each other.

Please check out Mrs. Wilkes wonderful website to see more of the amazing work that students are doing here at Silver Springs School. https://mwilkes.weebly.com/

What will my child need to bring?

• A backpack large enough to carry library books, notices and special creations would be ideal. Please ensure that your child’s school bag is made out of sturdy material, kept in good repair and brought to school each day.

• For health and safety reasons and in the event of a fire or fire drill, all children are required to wear indoor shoes, Non-marking running shoes are best, as we don’t want to mark up the gym floor. A place will be provided so that indoor footwear can be left in the classroom. It would also be helpful if you could teach your child to put on his/her shoes independently (Velcro tabs may initially be easier than shoe laces)

• PLEASE LABEL the school bag (backpack) and both pairs of shoes with your child’s name.

Should I send a snack with my child?

We ask that you provide a small, nutritious snack for your child. You may also want to send in a water bottle, but please do not send in juice. A yogurt tube, apple, granola bar, or cheese and crackers are all excellent choices for snack. As we have students with allergies, we ask that you do not send in foods with peanut or peanut products.

What should my child wear?

Learning can be messy so please send your child in play clothes. In addition, clothes should be easy to fasten and unfasten. Please ensure that you child has a mask to wear during centers and when they are in the hallway.

PLEASE LABEL all outdoor clothing and footwear. Students of this age often have the same outdoor boots or coats so writing their name inside or on a label can be a big help.

 What should I do if my child is absent or late?

If your child needs to be absent for any reason, just phone the school’s Attendance Line 777-6070 #1, and leave a message. If your child is late, he/she is to report to the office and get a late slip, and then quietly proceed to class. A “phone for safety” program is in place at our school. If you forget to notify the school of an absence, a school staff member will telephone your home.

Where should I drop off and pick up my child?

 If you need to pick up your child early, please check in with the office and they will phone the class and have the teacher send your child down to meet you outside the front door.

 What should I do if I am late picking up my child?

If you are late, please call the school. Your child will wait fin the office. Parents are asked to buzz at the front door and we will send your child out to you. 

What should I do if I need to speak to my child’s teacher?

Arrival time is a very busy time of the day and is not the best time to ask questions of your child’s teacher. If you would like to speak to your child’s teacher, please phone the school at 777- 6070 and ask to be put through to my voice mail.  My email is mlwilkes@cbe.ab.ca.

Staff

The kindergarten staff is comprised  of the classroom teacher, Mrs. Wilkes. She receives school based support from the principal and vice principal and may receive classroom support from an educational assistant. System based supports may include the school nurse, an Occupational Therapist and/or a Speech Therapist. 

Reporting

During the course of the school year, parents will have the opportunity to learn about their child’s progress in Kindergarten by two written report cards (similar to the grade 1 – 6 report cards) and will have the opportunity to meet three times for parent/teacher conferences. 

Daycares/Babysitters

With many working parents, we will be coming in contact with various daycare personnel or baby sitters as your representatives during the day. We encourage all daycare personnel and babysitters to introduce themselves to the teacher. Kindergarten newsletters will be provided for each daycare and babysitter. Please inform your child’s teacher if there are any changes with your childcare arrangements.

Community Services

• Our kindergarten program liaises with some community services (i.e. Calgary Regional Health, speech, community health nurse). These community workers offer programs, which serve to enrich our total program. We strive to include as many of these programs into our school year. 

What is a “Field Trip” or “Off-site” Activity?

• A wonderful way to learn about something is to see it or experience it first hand. In the past, our Kindergarten students have participated in “first hand” experiences or “field trips” which happen “off-site”. Since learning is an ongoing process and by no means confined to the classroom, we try to capitalize on the resources available to us within the community. We have taken walking tours around the community, the Zoo, a grocery store, etc. Our school also does a swimming program in June as well as walks to Bowmont Park. The types of trips and special projects depend on the following factors:

• Availability, timing and locations of various activities
• Kinds of experiences teachers/parents want their children to have
• The amount of money available for such activities
• The number of parents willing and available to help supervise
• Availability of transportation
• Demonstrated clear connections to classroom curricula

What are Professional Development Days?

• As a member of the school staff, the Kindergarten teacher will be involved in professional and organizational days and the children will not attend school on these days. On Professional Development Days, staff will work together on topics and issues that will help them enhance their professional knowledge and teaching skills. On Organizational Days staff will engage in activates related to organizing instruction and school-wide planning.

How to help your child in school:

• Keep in touch with what is going on in your child’s school life
• Teach your child the letters and sounds of the alphabet.
• Keep your child healthy. Seeing, hearing and feeling well are essential to learning.
• Give your child fine motor experiences, including cutting, drawing, coloring and printing. Climbing on large outdoor equipment also helps to build muscles needed for writing and fine motor activities. 
• Encourage your to talk about their activities. They will learn to express themselves if they know they have your attention.
• Celebrate little wins with them. Recognition and approval reinforce a positive sense of self.
• Set a bedtime and stick to it. Learning is hard work and requires full use of all faculties. Your children will be ready for it only if they are well rested.
• Make use of mealtime. It can be the ideal setting for sharing events and discussing problems and goals. In a relaxed family atmosphere, children have a chance to test their debating skill in friendly conversation about differences of opinion. Such discussion will help develop your children’s self-confidence and encourage them to speak up in the classroom.
• Make media your servant, not your master. Help your children choose appropriate programs and apps. Participate with your children and discuss what you have seen and experienced. 

• Read aloud, talk it over – reading to your child is the biggest boost you can give them toward reading for themselves. Make it a happy time: one they will look forward to eagerly. Let them pick the book, turn the pages, “act out” what’s happening in the story. Ask them a question or two about what they have heard. Discuss the story.