Keenoo Kinder Chronicles
September 27
Dear Kinder-parents and children,
Can you believe that four weeks of Kindergarten have flown by? I know I'm wondering how we can be almost at the end of September!! It has been so much fun for me to start getting to know the children and their cute/quirky ways. Everyday is an adventure and I truly enjoy being a part of their lives. Please contact me at any time if you have questions, comments or concerns.
Rewind & Review
This past week we all enjoyed the Library again - please remember that the children need to bring back their books in order to be able to take out a new one. Sad faces and pouty lips are no fun!
**Morning Library is on Tuesdays and Afternoon Library is on Mondays
Miss Teresa, our Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) came back and we practiced our scissor skills by cutting paper and making a rocket ship! We heard several of the children say "I don't have scissors at home." They are getting practice at school and with your watchful eyes at home they are up for the challenge if you are willing! We have talked about scissors being for paper only - not our clothes, not our hair, not our friends.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
As mentioned before, please contact me if you ever have questions or concerns.
Thank you for a fabulous week!
Karen
Keenoo Kinder Chronicles
September 18
Dear Kinder-parents and Children,
Kindergarten routines are getting established and we are having a lot of fun learning about apples, remembering how to hold our scissors (thumbs up to cut) and figuring out how to “alligator bite” our pencils so we don’t get sore hands and wrists while we are colouring and printing. It is a lot to remember but the kids are doing a fantastic job! I am so proud of them!
Rewind & Review
The Afternoon children had their first visit to the Library on Monday with Mr. Tripp – if anyone came home talking about “that man” – it was Mr. Tripp filling in for Mr. Erickson!
We had a fabulous in-school field trip where we learned all about being safe on and around buses. We saw where all the EMERGENCY EXITS were and heard the sound they made if we played with them when we shouldn’t be touching!! We also got to jump out the back door and walk to the Safe Zone. (No hanging around and playing in the Danger Zone). *The Morning children missed Library so we will be going next week.
Please make sure Library Books come back in time so your child can take out a new one on their library day. Monday for Afternoon Kinders and Tuesday for Morning Kinders.
Both classes experienced a Lock Down this week – this is where we all move to a safe spot in our classroom, turn the lights off, lock the door, close the curtains, and sit silently until we hear Mr. Erickson’s voice with the announcement that Lockdown is over. The Kinder kids did a fantastic job of being super quiet and following instructions! Well done!
We also had a visit from our Occupational Therapists (OTs and OTAs) this week. They taught us how to draw a person using Mat Man! We are working on drawing people who have a head, eyes, ears, a nose, a body, two arms, two hands, two legs, two feet, and of course hair! Thank you Miss Kirsten and Miss Teresa - we had fun working with you.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
· School fees for Kindergarten are $220 for the year. This covers field trip entrance fees & busing, supplies, learning materials, the Agenda, Friday Envelope, and Kinder t-shirt (hopefully arriving soon). You can pay by cash, cheque (made out to St. Albert Public Schools) or by credit card online at http://www.spschools.org
**Click on the Store tab, then Schools, and then choose Keenooshayo.
· Parking at school can be a challenge!
o If you are picking up your Morning child you can use the bus lane but please keep in mind that we do have a school bus trying to get in to pick up our bus kids. It is with their safety in mind that we are asking you to please leave some room in the lane closest to the school for their bus.
o If you are picking up your Afternoon child you CANNOT park in the bus lane. We have over 10 buses that are on a very tight schedule in addition to the 360+ children that are trying to leave the school. Please find street parking.
o The handicap spot is for parents dropping off and picking up their special needs children. Please do not use this spot unless you have the handicap placard for your child. We have several students in our school who legitimately use this spot everyday and it is difficult for them if the spot is taken.
· Once all the blue parent forms come back with an email contact I will be sending out Class Directories so you can contact your child’s friends for playdates and get-togethers.
· Volunteer Coordinators – we have a Morning Coordinator and are still hoping for an afternoon person to take on this job! It will entail contacting parents to volunteer for field trips, filling in the class calendar for classroom help, out-of-classroom help (cutting, stapling, assembling, etc), providing food for parties, etc. Please let me know if you are interested in being our Afternoon Volunteer Coordinator!
· We are working on the concepts of “Hands to Self” and “Stay in your Bubble” at school. Excitement and exuberance often lead to hurt feelings or hurt bodies so we are putting a lot of time into setting up personal boundaries. We are encouraging the children to speak for themselves with the understanding that we will help them if situations cannot be resolved. If your child is having a problem please let me know and we can work on fixing it.
Thank you for a terrific week!
Take care everyone,
Karen
Keenoo Kinder Chronicles
September 12, 2015
Dear Kinder-Parents and Children,
Week 2 is over and done! Time really does fly when one is having fun and that is our aim in Kindergarten.
Rewind and Review
With Labour Day behind us we started Week 2….the Morning Class had their first trip to the Library on Tuesday. Please make sure to send the books back before next Tuesday so we can take out new ones. Afternoon children will get their first trip on Monday, Sept. 14th with Mr. Erickson.
Mother Nature interrupted our first attempt at Fire Drills but both classes have now successfully performed and survived exiting the school with the alarms blaring and the lights flashing. Way to go, Kinder-kids – I am proud of you!
In class we have worked on learning the names of our new friends, counting and singing for Calendar time, discussing a new class rule: “You get what you get and you don’t get upset (or throw a fit)”, sharing, and taking turns. Things are moving very quickly in the right direction!
Our first Scholastic order has been sent – thank you to all who ordered books this time. We should see them in 2-3 weeks!
Also thank you to all our parents who have completed their forms and sent in spare clothes. Hopefully we won’t need them but better to have them for those just-in-case moments.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
Thanks for another great week everyone! Enjoy the sunshine.
Karen
Keenoo Kinder Chronicles
(The first one is always big – they will get shorter!!)
September 7, 2015 (at least that’s when I attempted to start this website – technology & I don’t always see eye to eye!!)
Dear Kinder-Parents and Children,
With the first week behind us I am confident in stating that we have an incredible year to look forward to! I have two fabulous half-day programs with 31 amazing students registered.
At this time I would like to take a moment to clarify the classroom dynamics as there has been some confusion as to whom the teacher is! I (Mrs. Gysen) only have a part-time position here at Keenoo so I share the teaching time with Mrs. Herman in the morning and Mr. Erickson in the afternoon. All three of us are working on being consistent so the children have the most productive learning environment. Your little person is right when they come home and tell you they have two teachers! Please feel free to talk to any one of us if you ever have classroom concerns. If you have a school concern please contact Mr. Erickson or Mr. Tripp.
Rewind & Review
Week 1 was a hoot as we chased our gingerbread cookies all over the school and finally found them waiting in our classroom! Be sure to check out the Photo Gallery for some pictures.
Thanks for coming to the School BBQ on September 3rd. It was a fun evening for the children to show off their new room to Moms, Dads, and other special people in their lives.
We also got to meet our Grade 5 & 6 Buddies for the Corn Roast on Friday, Sept 4th. The Morning Class has paired up with Mrs. Boljkovak’s Grade 6s and the Afternoon Class has paired up with Mr. Burton’s Grade 5s. We shucked some corn, played with our new big friends and then went to eat the corn. Thank you to all the school volunteers who made this happen. We will have many opportunities over the year to spend time with our Buddies – this is definitely a highlight for all the kids, big and small.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
I think that is all for Week One! Thank you for sharing your little person with me – I am looking forward to our fantastic year. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments please feel free to email me: [email protected] or call the school at 780-459-3114.
Yours truly,
Karen Gysen
September 27
Dear Kinder-parents and children,
Can you believe that four weeks of Kindergarten have flown by? I know I'm wondering how we can be almost at the end of September!! It has been so much fun for me to start getting to know the children and their cute/quirky ways. Everyday is an adventure and I truly enjoy being a part of their lives. Please contact me at any time if you have questions, comments or concerns.
Rewind & Review
This past week we all enjoyed the Library again - please remember that the children need to bring back their books in order to be able to take out a new one. Sad faces and pouty lips are no fun!
**Morning Library is on Tuesdays and Afternoon Library is on Mondays
Miss Teresa, our Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) came back and we practiced our scissor skills by cutting paper and making a rocket ship! We heard several of the children say "I don't have scissors at home." They are getting practice at school and with your watchful eyes at home they are up for the challenge if you are willing! We have talked about scissors being for paper only - not our clothes, not our hair, not our friends.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
- Our Terry Fox Run will be on Wednesday, September 30th. Please wear red or white if you have it. Also, please send back the sticker, "I am running for ______". I will help put them on the children for the run. We are also accepting donations of loonies and toonies.
- There will be no Kindergarten on Wednesday, October 7th - the first Wednesday of every month is Staff Meeting day in the afternoon and there will NO KINDERGARTEN on these days.
- Our first away from school field trip will be on Thursday, October 15th to Prairie Gardens. This is an all day field trip! Students will need to dress appropriately for the weather and pack enough food and water for the day. ***Please send a bagged lunch - there are no facilities for warming up food.
- Morning students arrive at their normal time and will be with us all day. ***Busing is NOT available at home time so please make arrangements to pick up your child from school by 3:25PM.
- Afternoon students must be dropped off at school by 9AM and will be with us all day. ***Normal dismissal routines will be followed at 3:25PM
As mentioned before, please contact me if you ever have questions or concerns.
Thank you for a fabulous week!
Karen
Keenoo Kinder Chronicles
September 18
Dear Kinder-parents and Children,
Kindergarten routines are getting established and we are having a lot of fun learning about apples, remembering how to hold our scissors (thumbs up to cut) and figuring out how to “alligator bite” our pencils so we don’t get sore hands and wrists while we are colouring and printing. It is a lot to remember but the kids are doing a fantastic job! I am so proud of them!
Rewind & Review
The Afternoon children had their first visit to the Library on Monday with Mr. Tripp – if anyone came home talking about “that man” – it was Mr. Tripp filling in for Mr. Erickson!
We had a fabulous in-school field trip where we learned all about being safe on and around buses. We saw where all the EMERGENCY EXITS were and heard the sound they made if we played with them when we shouldn’t be touching!! We also got to jump out the back door and walk to the Safe Zone. (No hanging around and playing in the Danger Zone). *The Morning children missed Library so we will be going next week.
Please make sure Library Books come back in time so your child can take out a new one on their library day. Monday for Afternoon Kinders and Tuesday for Morning Kinders.
Both classes experienced a Lock Down this week – this is where we all move to a safe spot in our classroom, turn the lights off, lock the door, close the curtains, and sit silently until we hear Mr. Erickson’s voice with the announcement that Lockdown is over. The Kinder kids did a fantastic job of being super quiet and following instructions! Well done!
We also had a visit from our Occupational Therapists (OTs and OTAs) this week. They taught us how to draw a person using Mat Man! We are working on drawing people who have a head, eyes, ears, a nose, a body, two arms, two hands, two legs, two feet, and of course hair! Thank you Miss Kirsten and Miss Teresa - we had fun working with you.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
· School fees for Kindergarten are $220 for the year. This covers field trip entrance fees & busing, supplies, learning materials, the Agenda, Friday Envelope, and Kinder t-shirt (hopefully arriving soon). You can pay by cash, cheque (made out to St. Albert Public Schools) or by credit card online at http://www.spschools.org
**Click on the Store tab, then Schools, and then choose Keenooshayo.
· Parking at school can be a challenge!
o If you are picking up your Morning child you can use the bus lane but please keep in mind that we do have a school bus trying to get in to pick up our bus kids. It is with their safety in mind that we are asking you to please leave some room in the lane closest to the school for their bus.
o If you are picking up your Afternoon child you CANNOT park in the bus lane. We have over 10 buses that are on a very tight schedule in addition to the 360+ children that are trying to leave the school. Please find street parking.
o The handicap spot is for parents dropping off and picking up their special needs children. Please do not use this spot unless you have the handicap placard for your child. We have several students in our school who legitimately use this spot everyday and it is difficult for them if the spot is taken.
· Once all the blue parent forms come back with an email contact I will be sending out Class Directories so you can contact your child’s friends for playdates and get-togethers.
· Volunteer Coordinators – we have a Morning Coordinator and are still hoping for an afternoon person to take on this job! It will entail contacting parents to volunteer for field trips, filling in the class calendar for classroom help, out-of-classroom help (cutting, stapling, assembling, etc), providing food for parties, etc. Please let me know if you are interested in being our Afternoon Volunteer Coordinator!
· We are working on the concepts of “Hands to Self” and “Stay in your Bubble” at school. Excitement and exuberance often lead to hurt feelings or hurt bodies so we are putting a lot of time into setting up personal boundaries. We are encouraging the children to speak for themselves with the understanding that we will help them if situations cannot be resolved. If your child is having a problem please let me know and we can work on fixing it.
Thank you for a terrific week!
Take care everyone,
Karen
Keenoo Kinder Chronicles
September 12, 2015
Dear Kinder-Parents and Children,
Week 2 is over and done! Time really does fly when one is having fun and that is our aim in Kindergarten.
Rewind and Review
With Labour Day behind us we started Week 2….the Morning Class had their first trip to the Library on Tuesday. Please make sure to send the books back before next Tuesday so we can take out new ones. Afternoon children will get their first trip on Monday, Sept. 14th with Mr. Erickson.
Mother Nature interrupted our first attempt at Fire Drills but both classes have now successfully performed and survived exiting the school with the alarms blaring and the lights flashing. Way to go, Kinder-kids – I am proud of you!
In class we have worked on learning the names of our new friends, counting and singing for Calendar time, discussing a new class rule: “You get what you get and you don’t get upset (or throw a fit)”, sharing, and taking turns. Things are moving very quickly in the right direction!
Our first Scholastic order has been sent – thank you to all who ordered books this time. We should see them in 2-3 weeks!
Also thank you to all our parents who have completed their forms and sent in spare clothes. Hopefully we won’t need them but better to have them for those just-in-case moments.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
- Our Kindergarten Parent Meeting has been moved to Tuesday, September 15th at 6:30pm in the Library.
- We have an “At-school” Field trip on Tuesday, September 15th – Safety on Board is coming to teach us about bus safety. We get to do some classroom activities and then go sit on a real yellow school bus! Some of us are pros at this already but it will be a first time adventure for others. (We might even get to jump out the back!)
- Library will start on Monday for the Afternoon class and Morning kids need to bring their books back so they can take out a new one on Tuesday.
- Please send me any allergy or medical concerns ASAP so we can be prepared in the classroom and on the playground.
- If your little person is going to be away please call the school and advise Mrs. Juse so we won’t worry when we don’t see their smiling face in class.
- If you are arriving late please stop at the Office on your way to the classroom and sign in at the binder on the counter and stamp your little person’s hand so we know you are “officially” checked in.
Thanks for another great week everyone! Enjoy the sunshine.
Karen
Keenoo Kinder Chronicles
(The first one is always big – they will get shorter!!)
September 7, 2015 (at least that’s when I attempted to start this website – technology & I don’t always see eye to eye!!)
Dear Kinder-Parents and Children,
With the first week behind us I am confident in stating that we have an incredible year to look forward to! I have two fabulous half-day programs with 31 amazing students registered.
At this time I would like to take a moment to clarify the classroom dynamics as there has been some confusion as to whom the teacher is! I (Mrs. Gysen) only have a part-time position here at Keenoo so I share the teaching time with Mrs. Herman in the morning and Mr. Erickson in the afternoon. All three of us are working on being consistent so the children have the most productive learning environment. Your little person is right when they come home and tell you they have two teachers! Please feel free to talk to any one of us if you ever have classroom concerns. If you have a school concern please contact Mr. Erickson or Mr. Tripp.
Rewind & Review
Week 1 was a hoot as we chased our gingerbread cookies all over the school and finally found them waiting in our classroom! Be sure to check out the Photo Gallery for some pictures.
Thanks for coming to the School BBQ on September 3rd. It was a fun evening for the children to show off their new room to Moms, Dads, and other special people in their lives.
We also got to meet our Grade 5 & 6 Buddies for the Corn Roast on Friday, Sept 4th. The Morning Class has paired up with Mrs. Boljkovak’s Grade 6s and the Afternoon Class has paired up with Mr. Burton’s Grade 5s. We shucked some corn, played with our new big friends and then went to eat the corn. Thank you to all the school volunteers who made this happen. We will have many opportunities over the year to spend time with our Buddies – this is definitely a highlight for all the kids, big and small.
Things to Remember and Things to Watch For
- Agendas will be coming home every night with your child – please check the front pocket for notes, invitations, art work, etc. that are coming home. Also please check the appropriate calendar page for sticker-notes, hand-written teacher notes, or important things stapled in and then initial each day (even if there is nothing from us) so we know you saw the agenda and then return it to school with your child! Please feel free to write notes to us – we do check everyday, too.
- Thank you to everyone who has signed and returned their epic package of paperwork! If you still need more time please try and have them in by this week (Sept 8 – 11).
- Library and Computers will be starting soon!
- Our first Scholastic Book Order is due back at school with the completed order form(s) and payment by Thursday, September 10th. ***If you are paying by credit card please go to the Scholastic parent site: http://www.scholastic.ca/clubs/parentpay/ and complete your order online. The hitch with this is to pick “Abi Henneberry” as the teacher – we share the account for all three Kindergarten classes (A comes before K in the alphabet and Mrs. H was here first so she is the Kindergarten contact)! Also, please make sure to send the paper form(s) back to school. I do receive confirmation emails that orders have been submitted but I need the paperwork so I will be able to match everything up at the end to get the proper books to the right child! This is new this year so please bear with us as we sort out any hiccups!
- Friday Envelopes come home with a variety of information from the school, the classroom, the Keenoo Parents’ Association, etc. Please send it back to school on Monday (or Tuesday when there is a holiday). If you lose your Friday Envelope there is a small fee to replace it.
- Please LABEL EVERYTHING!!! Hoodies, shoes, backpacks, water bottles, snack bags, outdoor clothing and footwear – EVERYTHING! This helps minimize the “That’s mine!” arguments and assists us in returning wayward items to you. (I was amazed at how many pairs of black snow pants I had last year that had to be re-connected with their owners and the two pairs that nobody ever claimed!)
- If you send a water bottle with your child please make sure it is a tight sealing bottle. We have already had three soaked backpacks! Also, the bottles do not have to be large – we will take the children to the fountain to fill them up if need be.
- Thank you for sending “do-able” shoes to school! With 62 little feet coming to our room it makes things much faster and easier for the teachers if the children can put on their own shoes. It definitely helps us get on with the fun stuff in a timely manner!
- Please keep toys at home – it is very sad when they get broken or go missing. Children will have a chance to bring in some of their favourite treasures when we start Star of the Week.
- If you haven’t already done so, please consider getting your child’s vision and hearing tested. Being able to see and hear has a huge impact on a child’s success in and out of the classroom. Alberta Health covers vision screenings until children are 18 years old! Alberta Health has also partnered with the Alberta Association of Optometrists to create the Eye See, Eye Learn Program that provides a pair of free glasses to Kindergarten age students who need them.
- Please remember when packing your child’s snack bag that we only have 10-15 minutes for snack each day. One or two snack items (not a full meal) should be sufficient. We do keep an eye on the children and will let you know if we need an increase in food due to growth spurts or additional physical activities. We also insist on the children eating their “healthy” choices first (i.e.: veggies before cookies) as this ties into our nutrition component. Please discuss the food being packed with your child – “I don’t like this” is only something you can fix if you are aware of it! Children’s taste preferences do change so what worked last week might not be a sure thing this week – including your child in the choices might help prevent wasted food.
- Please advise me as soon as possible if your child suffers from any allergies or medical conditions plus appropriate treatment if you haven’t already done so. ***If medication is required it must be registered with the Office – see Mrs. Juse for the paperwork. I will compile and publish a class list of what we cannot safely have in the room once I am aware of our limitations.
I think that is all for Week One! Thank you for sharing your little person with me – I am looking forward to our fantastic year. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments please feel free to email me: [email protected] or call the school at 780-459-3114.
Yours truly,
Karen Gysen