Kindergarten Gradual Entry: September 2024

As the new school year begins, I want to assure you that your child is ready for kindergarten, no matter where they are in their learning journey. Our team of dedicated teachers is here to support and nurture your child as they embark on this new adventure.

To help make the transition to kindergarten smooth and enjoyable, we have arranged a gradual entry schedule for the first few days. This schedule will allow your child to ease into their new environment, meet their new teachers, and start to build connections with their classmates.

Here is the schedule for the first week:

Schedule

Date	Time	Details
Tuesday September 3	No School	No school for Kindergarten students.
Wednesday, September 4	8:45 to 11:30	Meet outside at the flagpole entrance. The new kinders will spend a half-day session with all three kindergarten teachers. Note: Kindergarten Gradual Entry starts 15 minutes later than the rest of the school to allow for a calmer arrival in the building. Pick-Up at 11:30 will be on the Primary Playground by the Bus Loop (the red, blue and yellow playground structure). Please check-in with one of the teachers before taking your child home.
Thursday, September 5	8:45 to 11:30	Meet outside at the flagpole entrance. Half-day session with all three kindergarten teachers. Note: Kindergarten starts 15 minutes later than the rest of the school.
Friday, September 6	No School	No school for Kindergarten students. We will email you to inform you of your child’s class assignment.
Monday, September 9	8:30 to 11:30	Half-day session in their assigned class. Note: Kindergarten starts at the regular time.
Tuesday, September 10	11:30 to 2:40	Half-day session in their assigned class. This will be a practice day for lunch, long recess, and dismissal. Please send a full lunch in their backpack. Students are dismissed at the same time as the rest of the school
Wednesday, September 11	8:30 to 2:40	Kindergarten’s first full day of school. Please send indoor shoes that can be left at school, a full lunch and several snacks plus a water bottler in their backpack.

Drop Off

Please meet kindergarten teachers to drop off your child at the flagpole entrance on September 4th and 5th. Starting on Monday, September 9th, please drop your child off at their classroom.

Pick Up

Pick up at the kindergarten playground (this will also be where you pick your child up at the end of the day all throughout the year.)

Be sure to inform either Ms. Kim, Ms. McCance and Mr. B when you are leaving with your child (this is important for safety as the teachers need to know where all the children they are still supervising are).

During the half days in the first week, your child will spend time with all three kindergarten teachers. They will be grouped with the same peers from their orientation in the spring, providing a familiar and comfortable setting. Each group will have several grade 7 students assigned to them to allow for a caring and familiar person. This will not be their permanent, year-long grouping. They will be assigned to their permanent class on Friday, September 6th and you will be informed via email who their classroom teacher will be. They will begin in their permanent class on Monday, September 9th.

Each day, please send your child with a backpack and a snack for each morning half-day session and a lunch for the afternoon half-day session. They will practice entering the school, taking care of their belongings, having a snack, and tidying up.

We are here to support you and your child every step of the way. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Your first line of contact, once you have your classroom teacher, will be the classroom teacher. Until then, you can email me!

It takes a village to raise a child, and we look forward to working with you to support your child!