Snack
Our days begin everyday at 8:42 a.m. and ends at 3:05 p.m. Drop off starts at 830am. Students will eat their snacks inside after recess at the beginning of the year and during the cold months. I ask that you pack an extra, healthy item in your child’s daily lunch that they can have during snack time. The mornings can be a little bit long and we often need to refuel to make it through to lunch time, alert and attentive. We have a NUT FREE school, so please keep this in mind when packing your child’s lunch and snack. It is important that snacks and lunches are healthy. It will help with learning. We also talk about making healthy choices during the year with our health curriculum.
Transportation and how we go Home
You must register for busing. See more information on the Connaught website HERE. Students who attend after-school care will go as a group to the meeting place. Please let me know if your child will be walking home with an older sibling or friend. If you plan on picking up your son/daughter after school, we will have a specific door (back of the school where the playground is, the entrance that says BOYS above the doors). Children that are not picked up by 3:25 will be brought to the After-School Care program to ensure that they are safe as there is no supervision after that time. I make sure that students are ready and prepared to get on the bus, walk home, get to after-school care, or to meet you by the bell dismissal. (Please send a note in the agenda, or message through edsby if your child will be picked up by someone else or going home an alternate way than regularly done so.)
Supplies
Grade 1 supply list. Students are asked to bring a backpack to school everyday to carry notes and projects. They will also need a pair of non-marking gym shoes for gym class. I recommend sending a change of clothes in a plastic bag with your child early in the school year because accidents sometimes happen and your child would probably feel more comfortable in his/her own clothes. Please put this change of clothes in a Ziploc bag and keep it in the bottom of their backpack. Please be sure the LABEL all your child’s belongings.
Cool Weather Clothes
Please make sure that your child is adequately dressed for the weather every day. Don’t let him or her slip out the door under-dressed! Recess and lunch play time are very important to kids, and there is nothing more disappointing to children than having to stay in because they aren’t properly dressed for the weather. I recommend sending an extra pair of mitts and toque in the cooler months because kids do lose things! We can keep these extra clothes on your child’s hook in the event that items are lost or misplaced. An extra pair of socks in the spring also comes in handy – we all know how much fun puddles can be! Again, make sure it is all labeled! We often have a random mitt lying around unsure where it belongs.
Communication
The majority of our communication will happen through edsby and emails.
Parent Helpers
Parents are encouraged to help out with parent council events, hot lunches. In class there may be a need for an extra adult to help supervise on a field trip. There might be opportunities to read with the students.
We also would like at least one parent to join the parent council, meetings usually occur on the last Wednesday of the month at 630. More than one is welcome to join.
Birthdays
Treats for birthdays are welcome. Let me know if you're sending something.
Lunch Monitors
Grade 5 or 6 students lunch monitor in the class. Adults monitor in the hall and check in on the class. There are no more microwaves in the class, please do not send any heat up or cooking type foods. Our school does have a small canteen.
Library — Exchange of books
We will have library once a week. Books come home in a library bag and need to be returned the following library day for students to take out a new book. Library books rotate between French and English.
Sleep
Your child works and plays hard at school. Please ensure that he/she has ample rest in order to face each new day with energy and enthusiasm!
Behavior Plans
Please familiarize yourself with these plans so that you are aware of the routines our class will follow on a day to day basis. I am a big believer in positive reinforcement of good behavior. If a student does need to modify his or her behavior, it is important to look at the situation as a learning experience and to always treat the student with dignity. If a student has difficulty in this area on an ongoing basis, I will work together with you, the parents, to establish a plan that we feel will help the student to improve his or her behavior. The following are examples of what I have used in the past, they may change slightly, depending on needs of the class.
- Bucket Fillers
We talk about this as a way to explain feelings and understanding. Video here. - Les points
I will be using class Dojo points. Students will earn points when they are on track. They can also pay me their points if they are not making good choices. Students will be able to purchase a variety of things with their points, such as a toy, bring a stuffy to school, go without shoes for the day, invite your parents to lunch, have Mme order you lunch etc. - The Marble Jar
This is a positive reward system for the class as a whole. Whenever the entire class does an extra-great clean-up, or sits quietly and courteously through a lesson/guest speaker/assembly, they can earn marbles. Once the jar is full, the class will choose a reward. Some possible rewards are a PJ party, a movie, extra outside playtime, free-time, etc. - Speaking French
I will use Dojo points for speaking French. - Inappropriate Behavior
If an undesirable behavior occurs, the student will receive one warning, with a correction of appropriate behaviour. If the behavior continues, I will ask the student to remove themselves from the situation. If the behavior persists, I will ask the student to stay in with me at recess to discuss his or her behavior (what was inappropriate and what would be a better choice). Depending on the behavior, the student may then be asked to draw a picture of the correct behavior on a sheet of paper. If I need to keep your child in at recess, I will let you know about the situation when he or she is picked up, send a note, or call you at home.
- Not-so-good behavior may warrant a phone call home and/or a trip to the office.
- Great behavior may also warrant a phone call home and/or a trip to the office.
Expectations
We will arrive rested and ready to learn every day
We will use kind words with others
We will follow directions the first time they are given
We will treat others with kindness and compassion
We will keep our hands, feet and bodies to ourselves
We will use good manners such as “please, s’il vous plait”, “thank you, merci” “Oui Mme, yes” “non mercie, no thank you”.
We will share/partager
We will take turns/ prends les tours
We will apologize/ m’excuse
We will try our best / ferai ton possible
We will have fun /s’amuser bien!
We will do our best to speak French in the class / parler francais.
School Website
Our school website is https://connaught.mhpsd.ca/ . There is interesting information about events happening at our school on this website.
MY website is www.mmemadsen.weebly.com
Hopefully all of this information hasn’t completely overwhelmed you! If you ever have any questions or concerns about these or other matters throughout the year, PLEASE do not hesitate to discuss them with me. Feel free to contact me at the school (403-526-2392), or by email: [email protected]. I check my email daily. Open communication between home and school is, in my opinion, extremely important. I try to be very approachable, so please do drop in to see me.
I am looking forward to an exciting and productive year with your child!
Sincerely,
Crimson Madsen