Q: What school supplies do I need to purchase for my Kindergarten student?
A: School supplies (pencils, notebooks, crayons, etc.) have already been bulk purchased by the school to reduce costs for families. In September, your child's teacher will let you know how to pay the school supply fee online.
Q: What other items should my child bring to Kindergarten?
A: Your child will need the following items (please label everything with your child's first name and last initial):
- A proper sized backpack, like the one shown on the left in the photo (the one on the right is too small.). The backpack should be able to hold a lunchbox, reusable water bottle, and should be big enough to easily hold books the size of a duotang (the red book in the photo).
- Inside running shoes (to be left at school)
- A leak-proof, reusable water bottle
- A lunchbox/bag
- Pants, shirt, underwear, 2 pairs of socks (to be left at school)
- Rain boots
- Rain coat
Q: What should I be doing at home this summer to help my child get ready for Kindergarten?
A: Please practice the following skills:
- Hand washing (rinse with water, rub with soap for 20 seconds, rinse with water, dry hands)
- Nose blowing (into a tissue, dispose of tissue in garbage can, wash hands after)
- Putting on and zipping up their own coat
- Putting shoes/boots on and off independently
- Using the washroom independently (shut and lock the washroom door, wash hands first, wipe themselves, flush, wash hands again)
- Taking their lunchbox in and out of their backpack
- Unpacking and repacking their lunchbox
- Opening every item in their lunchbox independently
- How to clean up a spill or mess
- Eating lunch in about 20 minutes
Q: Do Kindergarten students play outside in the rain and/or snow?
A: Yes! Outdoor learning is a big part of our Kindergarten program. We will be outside multiple times daily so your child needs to be dressed appropriately for the weather. We suggest dressing in layers and proper wet-weather gear (rain boots and rain coat) for the rainy season and cold-weather gear (mittens, toques, winter coats) for the winter season.
Q: Why does my Kindergarten child only attend for short periods of time for the first weeks of school?
A: This gradual entry period allows our young learners to build the stamina needed to be in school full-days. It also allows the Kindergarten teachers to have smaller groups of students to be able to get to know students more quickly as well as teach the routines and expectations of the classroom more effectively.
Q: What is the Welcome Conversation and who should attend?
A: The Kindergarten child and one or both parents should attend the Welcome Conversation with the classroom teacher. On the first day of school you will sign up for a Welcome Conversation, which will take place the first week of school. This meeting is a time for the teacher to get to know your child and family and to answer any questions you may have. As this is a time to focus on your Kindergarten student, we respectfully ask that you do not bring siblings to the Welcome Conversation.
Q: What do I need to do if my child will be absent from school?
A: If your child is ill, please keep them home from school. Use the Absence Report button on the homepage of the Glen website to submit the absence to the office. After doing so, send your child's teacher an email to let us know of the absence - we appreciate knowing before the day begins who will be away.
Q: What do I do if we arrive late to school?
A: Please make every effort to arrive on time each day. When students arrive late it is disruptive to the learning environment for all. If unforeseen circumstances occur which make you late, you must take your child to the office through the front doors and sign them in. A staff member will escort Kindergarten students to their classroom with a late slip to tell the teacher they have been signed in. Teachers will not answer knocks on outside doors after they have been closed at the morning entry time, due to safety reasons.
Q: What do I need to know about snack and lunch in Kindergarten?
A: Here are some tips about eating in Kindergarten:
- We are a nut-aware school and ask that you do not send nuts or nut products (such as peanut butter, Nutella, almond butter, or trail mix with nuts, etc.) to school, please
- Involve your child in choosing and packing their snack and lunch items (to encourage them to eat more)
- Use a thermos to send hot food
- Don't forget a spoon or fork!
- We do a boomerang lunch and send home all waste and unfinished food so that parents can see what was/not consumed
- We strongly encourage water only as milk and juice often create sticky messes!
Q: What is the PAC?
A: The PAC stands for the Parent Advisory Council. All parents are automatically a part of the PAC at Glen. It's purpose is to enhance the school environment and support the teachers, administrators, and especially the students of Glen. You are welcome and encouraged to participate in their monthly meetings to be more involved in your child's school community and to meet other families. There are many opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. An active PAC helps to build a strong school community and allows students to have a variety of unique experiences. In the past, the Glen PAC has provided funds for terrific in-school workshops (such as a week-long Hip Hop program for all students), special presentations (such as the Duffle Bag Theatre), and subsidized field trips. They host movie nights and do fundraisers, including monthly hot lunches (yum!) to provide extra special opportunities for students. Please consider participating in the Glen PAC - you can check out their Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/glenPAC
