Contact Information
- My name is Rosanne Schwartz and I am excited to be your child's teacher this year! You can contact me via email or phone. I try to check these at least once a day, but if you have important information that I need to know that day or even the next, please send a note with your child so I receive the information in a timely manner. In the event of an emergency, please contact the office at 619-956-5400 or 619-956-5401.
Communication
- Communication between home and school is vital for your child's success. I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I have found that e-mail is one of the most effective ways for us to communicate. Please make certain I have an e-mail address for you.
- With advances in technology and teaching methods as well as reductions in school funding, we are trying to communicate and work with less paper this year. I will be conveying a lot of information via email and my web site that may have been previously sent home on paper. If you do not have web access, please make sure that you let me know so that I can make sure that you receive all important information.
Attendance
- Attendance at school is very important and is a Santee District priority.
- Please call the absence hotline at 866-704-5952 when your child is going to be absent.
- Your child's progress is greatly influenced by daily participation. If your child will be absent for 3 days or more because of travel plans or an extended illness, you can obtain an Independent Study Contract with work for your child to complete during the time they are absent. If you get an ISC and your child completes the work, those missed days are not counted as absences. Students are now limited to 10 absences (excused and/or unexcused) before attendance measures are taken. Please contact the attendance clerk in the office to get an ISC contract and email me so I can gather the work. ISC requests should be made at least 5 days in advance except in the case of emergency or illness.
School Hours
- School starts at 8:30. Supervision begins at 8:15 when the gates open. Students will line up in our class area which is the fourth class on the right side of the patio as you look at the amphitheater (TK lines up on the right side of the tree. Ms. Babbush is on the left side of the tree and we line up next to her class.)
- Students getting a school breakfast can go through the office at 8:00 and walk to the cafeteria/kitchen.
- Dismissal for Kindergarten students is at 2:10 to help with the flow of traffic. I will be walking the class to the Kindergarten gate by the playground. Initially, please walk to the K-1 side of the gate and let me know who you are picking up. Once I recognize everyone, I will call out your child's name to release them through the gate when I see you in sidewalk area. Any children going to Extended Learning Program (ELP) will be picked up by our classroom by the ELP staff. In the event of an emergency, your child will be walked to the office at 2:20.
- In an effort to ensure safety, the children will not be allowed to play on the playground or lawn areas after school. Families waiting for older students will need to keep their Kindergarten student with them.
- Students may only be released to persons who have been authorized to pick them up. Please let me know who will primarily pick up your child. If someone else is going to pick up your child, let me know in advance and make sure that person is listed on your child's emergency card. Your child's safety is my priority!
Volunteers
- Volunteers are welcome in our class! Typically volunteers assist with students and do prep work for upcoming activities. Volunteers must have completed the online volunteer form and been cleared on the Meghan's Law web site before they will be allowed to work in the classroom.
- Any person assisting with a school/class activity such as a field trip, class party, etc needs to have the form completed prior to the event so it is always a good idea to fill it out even if you don't intend to work in the class on a regular basis.
- Just click the link to complete the required forms.
- Volunteer paperwork link
iPads and Headphones
- Students use their iPads daily as a part of their educational program.
- It is really helpful if all families select the Power School option to take home their iPad each night. This allows your child to work on school work if they are out sick, complete any unfinished assignments, do at-home activities, and practice skills on learning apps. If you have already completed this form on Power School and need help changing your designation, please see Jenn Weese in the office for assistance.
- I think it is important for families to be a part of their child's learning and be aware of whether their child is able to complete on grade-level work independently or needs additional assistance so I assign a short activity at the end of each day with the intention that students complete it at home. Students who do not complete the activity at home will need to complete it as part of their class work the next day before moving onto free choice activities.
- It is really distracting to hear 24 devices all saying different things at the same time.
- Please send in a pair of Type C over the ear headphones (not ear buds or blue tooth) for your child's use. The headphones need to be TYPE C (the small flat connector, NOT the traditional round jack) in order to connect to the iPad without an additional connector. I have some connectors available for students to use if their headphones are not Type C but they break easily and are problematic for classroom use.
- Here is an Amazon link for the type of headphones needed, but you can send in any type of this style.
- Type C headphone link
- Please contact me if you are unable to provide a pair of headphones for your child's use.
Supplies
- A wish list of school supplies is on my website. These donations really help to stretch our classroom budget! Supplies do not need to be brought to school on the first day. Please let your child know to give me any school supplies in their backpack and I will make sure they get to the correct location. They do NOT need to be labeled with your child's name.
- We also have a class Amazon wish list. We really appreciate any donations of supplies that support our in class activities and learning.
- If you purchase only items from our wish list, the items will be sent directly to the school or my address. If you are also getting personal items, it will send them to your home address. You can put any of those items in a bag and send them with your child. Some of the items will be "surprises" left by our gingerbread man so please keep them a secret.
- Amazon Wish List link
Backpacks and Water Bottles
- A backpack brought to school each day is the easiest way for your child to transport materials back and forth. The backpack should be big enough to hold a legal folder.
- Drinking fountains are available for student use. If you decide to send your child with a water bottle, please make sure that is easy for them to open and limits spills (not one that needs the lid to be unscrewed to drink from). Make sure to label it with your child's name.
Snack and Lunch
- There is time scheduled each day for a snack break as well as lunch. Your child may bring a small NUTRITIONAL snack to be eaten at recess time. Please pack your child’s snack separately from their lunch to avoid confusion. I recommend the small zipper pouch on the front of the backpack. Please make sure your child’s snack is in a self-contained bag or container and labeled with their name.
- Lunch will be at 11:55. Your child may get a free lunch at the cafeteria or bring a packed lunch from home. You may want to email me if your child’ will be getting a school lunch until they are familiar with the procedure so I can make sure they get in the correct line. Please make sure that all food items are sealed securely to help avoid ants. Uneaten food needs to be thrown away unless it is in a sealed bag or container. Please wash your child’s lunch box and backpack occasionally to help get rid of any residual food particles—especially if your child told you that there were ants on his/her lunchbox or backpack.
Dress Code
- Please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for energetic and sometimes messy learning and play at school. Clothing should be washable and comfortable. Shoes should be sturdy and be enclosed or have a back strap. No flip flops or clogs. PLEASE LABEL ALL JACKETS AND SWEATERS!
Toys
- The school has a no toy policy at school. If your child brings a toy to play with at daycare or ELP, please make sure that they understand that it needs to stay in their backpack during the school day.
Birthday Celebrations
- To honor the Santee District Wellness policy, we will be celebrating each child’s birthday in class but will no longer be serving edible treats brought from home. Your child will be recognized with some special in-class activities designed to make them feel special on their important day. Some families send goody bags with small novelty gifts instead of food items, but this is completely optional.
Saying Goodbye
- Saying goodbye at school can be very emotional for you and your child. A major goal in kindergarten is to allow children to separate and feel a little more independent. Only students are allowed on campus so please prepare your child beforehand. Give them a hug, tell them that you will be picking them up at the end of the day and can’t wait to hear all their exciting news, then wave goodbye at the gate. At the beginning of kindergarten some children may cry. This is a very natural reaction and one that I am comfortable handling. This reaction usually subsides quickly and soon the crying child is confident, happy, and engaged in class activities.