Braintree Kindergarten

Parent/Guardian Information Night February 4, 2015

Welcome (Back?) to Kindergarten!

- a very special year It is a joy to learn and grow with our students.

It is a pleasure to be partners in education with you.

Topics To Be Covered This Evening

• Introductions • Description of the Program – Facilities – Staffing – Class Assignments – Curriculum – Transportation – In order to enter school… – Time Line

Who’s Who?

• • • Dr. Maureen Murray -Superintendent Elementary Principals • Dr. Nancy Pelletier – Highlands School • Mr. Tim MacDonald- Hollis School • Ms. Stacey Soto – Flaherty School • Ms. Ilana Bebchick – Liberty School • Mr. John Riordan – Morrison School • Ms. Donna Bonarrigo – Ross School • Ms. Donna Anderson – Monatiquot School Kindergarten Center MSKC Parent – Kerrin Driscoll

Braintree Kindergarten

Facilities

• • • • •

Monatiquot School Kindergarten Center

25 Brow Avenue 12 classroom school – 7 half day, 7 full day, 1 D1 2 wings – bathrooms in each wing Main Office, Nurse’s Office, School Psychologist’s Office A Cafe-gym-a-torium • Tables are up – it’s a gym or an auditorium • Tables are down – it’s a cafeteria Small group instructional spaces • Remedial Reading, ELL, Resource • Speech • OT and PT • Large outside space for recess

A current classroom at MSKC

Cafe-Gym-A-Torium!

Security

• • We are committed to safety Monatiquot School Kindergarten Center has the same security features present in other schools • Locked doors • Cameras at the door • Visitor badges • Safety drills • CORIs required for volunteers • Community Police Officer

• • • • • • • • • •

Staffing

Administration Principal Administrative Assistant Nurse School Psychologist Specialists (Art, Music, P.E., Media) SPED Team (O.T., P.T., Speech, Resource) Experienced Kindergarten Teachers Paraeducators Custodians

Class Assignment

• • • We keep children clustered with peers from elementary schools, but not just one school in each room Half Day Students will be notified of AM or PM session in late June You will be notified of your kindergarten child’s teacher in August, similar to students in grades 1-5

Two Additional Full Day Kindergarten Classes • Hollis School – 482 Washington Street Principal - Mr. Timothy MacDonald • Morrison School – 260 Liberty Street Principal – Mr. John Riordan • • Similar facilities, security, and staffing Identical curriculum

Curriculum

We are very pleased with the kindergarten curriculum.

• • • Developmentally Appropriate Challenging Can be differentiated to meet varying needs of our students

Curriculum

• • • • • Math – Braintree has aligned our curriculum to the Common Core ELA – Reading Street by Pearson/Scott Foresman Science – Hands On Discovery • Trees • My Five Senses • Properties of Matter

Social Studies

• Community • Celebrations/Holidays • Families • Maps Second Step – Skills for learning and conflict resolution

There will be more information shared about the curriculum at Kindergarten Orientation in May, and Open House Night in September.

Transportation for All Students

• • • •

Arrival

Students will take bus or be dropped off at their “home” elementary school Upon arriving, they will go to designated meeting area for kindergarten students. This area will be supervised by a paraeducator Paraeducator will escort and ride with students to MSKC Families may opt to walk or drive their children to MSKC – rolling valet service!

• • •

Dismissal

At Monatiquot, board a bus traveling to “home” elementary school Paraeducator will escort and ride with students to “home” elementary school Follow clearly established routine for transferring to elementary bus

Midday Transportation

Morning kindergarten students (half day) are dropped off at their homes (in some cases, very close to) after school.

Afternoon kindergarten students (half day) are picked up at their homes (in some cases, very close to) before school.

Otherwise, “neighborhood bus stops” are used.

* Kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop or at school by an authorized adult.

Transportation

• • • Advantages: Students develop familiarity with elementary school Students ride to elementary schools with older siblings Neighborhood bus stop

Surround Care

• • This year at MSKC, there was enough interest in B.A.S.E. to offer an on-site morning program, 7:00 A.M.-8:55 A.M. In the afternoon, B.A.S.E. students depart MSKC by bus at 2:35 and travel to B.A.S.E.’s Pond Street location. B.A.S.E. supports all Braintree elementary schools.

Children of America provides before school, midday, and after school care. C.O.A. transports students by van to and from their Granite Street location.

In order to enter school, each child needs:

•

An Updated Physical Acceptable date 09/01/14- but prior to first day of school 09/2015

• • • • •

Updated Immunizations

Dtap/DTP 5 doses Polio 4 doses MMR 2 doses Hepatitis B 3 doses Varicella 2 doses

Other information required:

• • • • Lead screening by MD, with result and date as noted on physical exam form Vision screening with stereopsis: In accordance with M.G.L. c. 71, s. 57, upon entering kindergarten, the parent or guardian of each child shall present certification that the student within the previous 12 months has passed a vision screening conducted by his/her primary care provider or eye specialist. There are two components of the kindergarten vision screening: visual acuity and stereopsis. Please make sure both are marked on the physical forms. For students who fail the screening and for students diagnosed with neurodevelopmental delay, evidence of a comprehensive eye examination by a vision specialist shall be provided to the school. BPS Medical history form to be completed by parent/guardian

Emergency information card

• • • • • • • •

Timeline

Kindergarten Lottery - January 22, 2015 Notification of Lottery results by email – Jan. 23, 2015 Kindergarten Information Night – February 4, 2015 Orientation Meeting For Parents – May, 2015 Notification of AM or PM Session – late spring or early summer Assignment letters – August, 2015 Classroom visit and meet the teacher: Kindergarten Story Hour– September 2, 2015 Exact starting date of Kindergarten - September 3, 2015

Payment Schedule for FDK

• • • • • March 1 – $300 deposit April 1 – $450 Remainder of first quarter payment due July 1 - $750 2 nd Quarter Payment due Oct. 1 - $750 3 rd Quarter Payment due Jan. 15 - $750 4 th Quarter Payment due Payment Options: We are able to offer the options of paying tuition by credit card and electronic check, in addition to personal check or cash. If you are paying by credit card or electronic check, go to the following website for more information and to set-up an account ( https://unipaygold.unibank.com

) There is a convenience fee for credit card use and electronic payments.

Thank You!

Thank you for attending our Kindergarten Information Night! We look forward to working with you and your children during the coming year.

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Questions?