BArrival: School begins promptly at 8:00am. The building door will open at 7:55am. Our class will enter through the main kindergarten entrance off of Beverly Rd. (door #3). If you arrive prior to 7:55, wait outside this door. Children will enter the building at this time and put their belongings in their cubbies with the support of teachers. Parents will not be allowed in the building so please say your goodbyes outside.
Attendance: Your child will be marked absent if they are not in the classroom when attendance is taken (8:00am).
Absences: If your child is going to be absent, please call the main office at (617) 879-4500 to inform them.
Allergies: Our classroom is a nut-free environment (this includes Nutella). Please do not send any nut products in your child’s snack or lunch.
Birthdays: Birthdays are exciting and we love to celebrate them in kindergarten! On your child’s birthday they are welcome to bring in their favorite book for me to read to the class. Please help your child to choose a book appropriate for a whole class read aloud. Due to food allergies, we will not be celebrating birthdays with edible treats. Also, please refrain from sending in a goody bag for classmates. We are not able to distribute invitations in school, unless everyone in the class is included. If your child’s birthday falls on a weekend or school vacation we will find a school day to celebrate. Summer birthdays will be celebrated at the end of the school year.
Breakfast: Breakfast is available daily beginning at 7:30. If you are interested in having your child attend breakfast at School email Vikki Castellano [email protected], Nancy Barrett [email protected], and Katherine Doble [email protected] letting them know your students full name and their class (KPI). Students will be met at the front door by a staff member and escorted to the Cafeteria. They will not be allowed into the building before then. Any student/s dropped off before 7:30 will be waiting outside unsupervised. Children must arrive before 7:45 to have enough time to go to the cafeteria, get their breakfast, and eat it before walking to their classroom.
Communication: Communication is vital to a successful school year. There are several opportunities for communication:
- Home-School Folder: Children are provided with a blue Home-School Folder that will travel to and from school with them every day. Please check and empty the folder daily for work and important letters and information. Also, if you need to inform me of anything, please feel free to leave a note in the folder. I check them every morning and will get back to you as soon as possible.
- Email: [email protected]. I check my email regularly and it is generally the best way to get in touch with me. However, if there is an urgent matter (such as a change in pick up) please call the front office at (617) 879-4500.
- Phone: Please feel free to call me at (617) 879-4500 with any questions. I will be able to take calls before or after school.
- Office Hours: Office hours are held on Wednesdays from 7:30-7:55 a.m. If you would like to meet during my office hours, please email me to coordinate.
- Seesaw: Seesaw is a website and app that allows families to view student learning through a personalized portfolio. It is currently used as a home-school connection and will become the primary platform for assignments if teaching and learning are done remotely.
Conferences: Conferences are held twice a year: November/December and April/May. Information about conferences will be sent home as they approach. If you wish you make use of Brookline's translation service, please let me know as soon as you select a conference slot so I can make arrangements.
Dismissal: The school day ends at 2:30pm Monday-Thursday and at 1:40pm on Friday. Children will be dismissed through the same door used at arrival. I will dismiss children as I make contact with the adult or sibling picking them up. If someone different will be picking up your child, please send a letter in his or her Home-School Folder or fill out a Dismissal Permission Slip and send it in your child's folder.
Dot System: At times I use a dot system on children's work to show the extent to which their work was completed independently. 1 or no dots indicates that your child's work was completed independently. 2 dots indicates that your child has some support from a teacher to complete their work and 3 dots indicates that they worked with a teacher.
English Learners (EL): All of Brookline, including our own classroom, has many students who speak English as a second language. If you are the family of an English Learner, or would simply like to know more about Brookline's EL program, please visit the Office of English Learner Education website.
Extended Day:
- The Extended Day teachers will pick up children attending the program at the end of the school day.
- Contact Info: 617-323-6661
http://bsed.org
Lunch: This year we will alternate eating lunch in our classroom and in the auditorium flex space each week. Free lunch is available for all children this school year. You do not need to preorder a lunch. Your child will be able to select what they wish to eat. I recommend having a conversation with them about what you might like them to have on a given day. The menu, as well as more information, can be found on the Food Services Website.
Masks: The Brookline Public Schools is a mask friendly environment. That is, masks are optional and children will be supported whether they choose to wear a mask or not.
Math: Check out the TERC Investigations website for resources for our math curriculum.
Nurse: Our school nurses are Ms. Ellyn Mulock and Ms. Diane Purcell. Please contact them if you have any medial concerns about your child or need to discuss any medications they must take during the school day.
Playdates: If your child is going home with a friend, from either our class or another class, you need to send me a note indicating your knowledge of the play date. I am not permitted to send any child home with another person without your written permission with whom your child will be going with.
- You can send me a note in your child's folder or bring a note during drop off
- If plans changes during the school day, you will need to call the front office at 617-879-4500
PTO: Baker School has a wonderful Parent-Teacher Organization. The Baker School PTO is supportive of students, parents and teachers. For more information, please visit the PTO website.
Recess: Kindergarteners attend recess daily (weather permitting). Children are encouraged to wear sneakers or footwear that is safely attached to their foot. Please be sure your child has appropriate clothing for the weather including jackets, hats, gloves, boots, and snow pants. Also, on those bright sunny days, consider applying sunscreen before school, as we cannot do this during the school day. All children will use hand sanitizer before and after recess.
SeeSaw: Seesaw is a website and app that allows families to view student learning through a personalized portfolio. It is the primary means of virtual learning for K-2 students this year and will be introduced to students in the classroom.
Snack: We will have a morning snack each day. Please send a healthy snack every day, including a drink, in a labeled snack bag. Snack and lunch should be sent in two separate bags and placed in the top shelf of your child’s cubby at arrival. This eliminates any confusion about what to eat for snack vs. lunch. Please be thoughtful about sending snacks that your child enjoys and can be successful opening and eating independently. If your child needs utensils for their snack, please send those as well.
Specials: Our class will attend a special each day. These specials are P.E., Music, Art, Library and Spanish. Children must wear sneakers on P.E. days.
Specialists: Check out the following specialists websites to learn more!
Guidance
Music
T-Shirts: Our PTO has graciously provided a yellow Baker School Kindergarten t-shirt for each child in kindergarten this year. The purpose of the shirts is to help foster a sense of community so children should feel free to wear their shirt on the playground and around town to connect with other kindergarteners. I will let you know of any events when your child should wear their t-shirt to school. With that in mind, please write your child's name on the t-shirt and keep it handy.
Teaching Assistant: Our classroom is fortunate to have a paraprofessional to support the children throughout the day. This year Ms. Bridgett Chaffee will be in our classroom. She holds a degree in early childhood education from Wheelock and has abundant experience working with young children.
Technology: This year each child will be provided with a Chromebook which will remain in school. Our Ed Tech specialist, Deirdre Siegert, will be working with the class to familiarize students with Chromebook usage.
Toys: Toys from home are not allowed in school. We want to eliminate the possibility of a toy being lost or damaged. We also have many toys to play with in the classroom. In addition, children should not wear any items that are valuable and/or can be a distraction (i.e., necklaces, bracelets, headbands, etc.)
Water Bottles: Children are highly encouraged to bring a labeled water bottle to school with them daily. Please send your child to school with a full water bottle daily. They may use it during snack and lunch and store it in their cubby to get a drink as needed throughout the day. Children will not have access to water fountains at this time.
Wishlist: Any donation of items from our Amazon wishlist are sincerely appreciated.