Dear Parents,

Although you have received an E.H.C.A. Parent/Student Handbook, there is some information that pertains only to Kindergarten that is not included in that handbook. We thought it would be helpful to put that information altogether in one booklet. Please take the time to read through it. We’ve tried to include everything that we could think of, but there may be some things that may have been overlooked. Undoubtedly there will be more information sent home throughout the school year as the need arises, so please check those folders everyday! If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Though we are not able to come to the phone during school hours, you can send a note or call the school office and request that your call be returned. We strongly urge you to read the Parent/Student Handbook if you haven’t already done so as it also contains important information that you will need to know. We are looking forward to a wonderful year working together with you as partners in the training and education of your children.

In His Service,

Mrs. Rybicki

Mrs. Heinl

JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW…

Each Kindergarten class will have a web page that will be updated weekly. You may check the web page on Sunday for information for the coming week. To go to the web page, click on to www.ehcaonline.com. If you do not have access to the internet, please let your child’s teacher know at the beginning of the year.

DISCIPLINE

Sad faces are used for discipline in Kindergarten. We feel that this is the gentlest and least disruptive method. The children get upset when they receive a sad face. However, since they are intended to discourage inappropriate behavior, we would hope that they wouldn’t be pleased to get them!

Please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook for a description of this policy. In addition to being a warning, the first sad face also serves as a visual reminder that hopefully will keep the child from repeating the offense.

ABSENCES AND TARDINESS

Please read the information in the handbook concerning absences especially noting that planned absences must have a written request submitted to the office one week in advance. Also be reminded that a written excuse must be brought in the day the student returns to school. Excuse forms will be provided for you to use.

Again, please refer to the handbook concerning tardiness noting that your child must report to the office if he/she is tardy. If your child is tardy five days in a grading period, it will be counted as an unexcused absence.

Since the Kindergarten day is only from 8:30 to 12:10, the first 3 report periods, the times for tardiness and absences for the 1/2 day sessions are as follows:

Arrives after 8:30 but before 9:00—tardy

Arrives after 9:00 but before 10:30—1/2 day absent

Leaves after 10:30—is considered present that day

Leaves after 9:00 but before 10:30—1/2 day absent

Leaves before 9:00—considered absent that day

SNACKS

Your child will need to bring a snack to school every day unless we inform you otherwise. Please send only one thing—for example an apple or 2 or 3 cookies—something that can be eaten in 5 to 10 minutes. Do not send candy or homemade cake or cupcakes—they make too much of a mess. (Twinkies or Ho-Hos are okay.) It’s a great idea to put the snack in some type of plastic container to keep it from getting smashed in the bookbag. It is not necessary to pack the snack in a lunchbox – they take up too much room in the bookbag, and students are not permitted to bring a drink. If you forget to send a snack, you don’t need to make a special trip to school. We’ll keep a supply of animal cookies on hand for just such an occasion. Finally, please be sure to send a napkin with the snack—we spread them out to help keep the tables clean.

TWO HOUR DELAY AND CLOSINGS

If EHCA has a 2-hour delay, the Kindergarten school day will be from 10:30 to 1:10. If your district cancels school, you do not have to bring your child to school (unless of course you want to do so.) Or if your school district has either a 1 or a 2-hour delay and EHCA does not, your child can ride the bus and arrive late. He/she must report to the school office in that case. Someone will then bring them over to the modular. You and your child’s safety are more important than coming to school.

DRESS CODE

As stated in the Dress Code Handbook, the dress code applies to students in grades 1-12. However, Kindergarten students are expected to present a neat, clean, and modest appearance at all times. We would like to add that, even though it is not mandatory, we feel that Chapel is more special if the children dress a little nicer on Thursdays. And although Kindergarten does not follow the dress code this year, we strongly urge you to follow it if you are able to do so.

4th NINE WEEKS SCHEDULE

Beginning the first day of the fourth 9-weeks, our kindergarten day grows! In order to better prepare the students for the first grade, we shift to a full-day schedule. The start time will be the same but dismissal will be at 3:10 p.m. with the rest of the student body.

The school will notify the bus districts of the change. The transportation company may contact you with the afternoon drop-off changes.

During the fourth 9-weeks the kindergarten students will eat lunch with other elementary students. You will be contacted with the lunch details a few weeks before the schedule changes. Parents will be invited to come join the children for a “lunch run through” so both the student and parents will know what to expect.

SHOW AND TELL

Show and Tell will begin in September. A calendar will be sent home at the end of each month for the next month’s schedule. Only one person has Show & Tell each day. We go in alphabetical order and each child should have about 9 or 10 turns depending on the number of students. If your child is absent on his day or forgets to bring something in, we’ll just do his show and tell the next day or whenever they return to school. And yes, you are welcome to bring in a pet—just make prior arrangements. Encourage your child to tell about whatever they bring in and not just show it!

CURRICULUM

For the first several weeks of Kindergarten, THE LAND OF THE LETTER PEOPLE program is used to teach the letters and their sounds. For the remainder of the year we use the Abeka Phonics curriculum. We also use the Abeka curriculum for Numbers, Numbers Writing, Reading, Social Studies, Science, and Art.

The Association of Christian Schools International curriculum is used for Bible class. The children will learn a scripture verse for each letter of the alphabet. These verses will be recited individually on Wednesday or Friday. A list of the verses with references and the dates they are to be recited will be provided and will be posted on the web page. Although we practice the verses in class, please check to see if your child knows the verse and reference on Tuesday or Thursday evening. After the verse has been recited correctly, a card with that verse on it will be sent home.

We will begin a formal handwriting class using A Reason for Writing handwriting curriculum after we have completed the Letter People program. The children will not write their names on their papers until they have learned the correct formation of all the letters of the alphabet and have spent time practicing writing their names in school.

Kindergarten specials include gym, library and Chapel. Please be sure your child’s library book is in his bookbag the evening before class and that your child dresses appropriately and wears sneakers for gym class.

GRADED PAPERS, REPORT CARDS, HOMEWORK

Kindergarten students do receive report cards every nine weeks. They will begin to bring home graded Numbers papers first. Every graded paper is to be signed by a parent where indicated and returned the next school day. Other graded papers will be sent home beginning in the second grading period, but only the Numbers and Phonics papers are to be signed and returned.

There will be an individual assessment at the end of the Letter People program that will be used as part of the Phonics grade for the second nine weeks.

Your child may occasionally be required to finish a paper at home or the class may be assigned a paper to do as homework. The paper will be stamped at the top and must be returned the next school day. Homework will generally not be given on a regular basis until the second semester.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL

Kindergarten students will be picked up in the gym at 8:20. We generally wait until the older students have left the gym before leaving. If you drive your child to school, please bring him/her to the gym. If we’ve already left, you must walk your child over to the door of the classroom. If it is past 8:30, you will need to stop at the office to sign in your child before walking him/her over. Parents are not permitted to drive around to the back of the school to the modular.

Dismissal for the first three 9 week is at 12:10. Bus riders will be dismissed first from the modular. Parents picking up their children are to line up at the main school entrance and remain in their vehicles. Each child will be assigned a number. The first three cars to arrive may pull up along the sidewalk and display their numbers. We will then send out those children, and at that time you may get out of your vehicle. For safety reasons we ask that you do not pull out until the car(s) in front of you does so-do not go around another vehicle. After the first 3 vehicles have left, the next 3 may then pull up.

Please make every effort to be on time. If you are late, and all the other student have left, you will need to park your vehicle and come into the office for your child.

If there is any change in the way your child is going home-for instance, your child normally rides the bus, but that day you are going to pick up your child or if someone else is going to pick up your child—You must send a written note! Please do not ask your child to tell us—we want it down on paper so that we know it’s a certainty, and so that we won’t forget. (We post the note on the door as a reminder.) If your plans change sometime in the morning, call the school office, and we will be given the message. We don’t want to put your child on the bus if you are picking him/her up!

EARLY DISMISSAL

On the school calendar, there are days marked In-Service/Noon Dismissal. On those days all students at E.H.C.A. are dismissed at 12:00. All Kindergarten students who ride a bus to school are permitted to ride the same bus home even in those districts that do not normally bus Kindergarten students home.

If you choose to pick up your child even though they may ride the bus home, please send a written note. All parents picking up their children on these days need to be at school promptly at 12:00 and should park, Come in through the front school door and wait there until students riding home with their parents are dismissed. (One of us will bring the car riders to their parents, and one of us will stay with the bus riders.)

BIRTHDAYS

Birthday celebrations have become a tradition in Kindergarten. Though We don’t wish to force you to send in treats, neither do we want any child to feel left out. Our celebrations are simple affairs held at the end of the day. We sing to the Birthday child and eat the birthday treat while watching a character building video. Cookies, brownies or donuts are good treat choices (just make sure they are all the same please!) Cupcakes can be messy, but are acceptable. Please don’t send a whole cake or drinks. And don’t forget the napkins! If your child’s birthday is on a weekend, we can celebrate it on either Friday or Monday. Those children with summer birthdays will celebrate their “half-year” birthdays—June birthdays in December, July’s in January, and August’s in February. For instance, if your child’s birthday is July 20^th, we would celebrate his “half-year” birthday on January 20^th. This way everyone gets to have a special day during the school year.

By the way, your child will still need a snack for our regular snack time that day even if you’re sending in a birthday treat.

HOLIDAY PARTIES

Kindergarten has Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter parties. A parent for each child is required to help at one of the parties. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the classroom during orientation.

VOLUNTEERS

If you are planning to volunteer in any capacity at school including helping with parties or going on field trips, you must be an approved volunteer. It is highly unlikely that you won’t be volunteering in some capacity while your child is a student at E.H.C.A. We strongly suggest, if you haven’t already done so, that you complete a volunteer form. Forms are available in the school office, or you may send me a note or call the office to request one, and it will be sent home with your child. Forms only need to be filled in once and are kept on file for subsequent years. Forms will be accepted until September 30^th. Forms received after that date will not be approved until the second semester. No volunteer forms will be accepted after January 31^st. Kindergarten usually goes to the zoo in the fall and to the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum in the spring. So if you are planning to go with us on one or both of the field trips, please plan accordingly.