ABC's of PREK 4

ABCs OF Pre-K 4

About the teachers: Mrs. Driscoll: I am a graduate of Neumann University. I was a kindergarten teacher at Nativity BVM for 27 years and I joined Mother of Providence when the schools merged in 2012, teaching kindergarten and then Pre-K 4 for the past 5 years. My promise to you is to do everything that I can to make this a safe, happy, growth-filled school year for your child!

Mrs. McTaggart: I am the classroom aid. My husband and I have three children, the youngest is in 9th grade at O’Hara. I graduated from Keystone Business School and earned a paralegal degree. I was a paralegal in a medical malpractice firm for 8 years and then went on to open my own cafe in an office building which I enjoyed for 25 years. I am now in my dream job working with your children each day!

Absences: If your child is absent please email me and the school office ([email protected])   The email should include specific reasons for the absence and the email will be printed and used as the absent note. If you call the school office instead of emailing please send a written absent note upon your child’s return. Absent slips are available on the school website. Children who are absent for three or more consecutive days for illness need a doctor’s note upon their return to school.

Arrival: 8:00-8:20 Parents park in the parking lot and walk your child down to the sign-in station. More details to come about Brightwheel, our pre-k sign in/out app.

Backpacks: Students should bring a backpack to school everyday. Please mark your child's name outside his/her backpack for easy identification. Please make sure the backpack is large enough to accommodate the take-home folder.   Toys should not be in the backpack unless they are for show-and-tell on Friday.

Behavioral Expectations:  Students are expected to follow directions and be kind. Green choices is the term used for desired behaviors, red choices are the behaviors not desired. Class bees can be moved from green to yellow and red and are used to remind students that they are choosing to make red choices repeatedly. Visit to Mrs. S.

Belongings: Please mark all belongings (backpack, lunch box, gym sweatshirt, jackets and coats, school sweater  etc.) with the first name and the last name of your child. 

Birthdays:  The children will be recognized  in the classroom  on their Birthday (during May for summer birthdays) and will receive a dress-down pass. You are welcome to send in a treat for the class. If you would like to invite class members to a birthday party for your child you must include all girls and/or all boys. Invitations can be in paper form and sent to school to be distributed or you can email an evite to me and I will send it to the class parents.

Book Orders: Every month I will send home a Scholastic Book Order Form.  This is an opportunity to order reasonably priced books on your child's level.  When you purchase books our class is credited with points which I use for additional books for our class library. You can place your book order online https://orders.scholastic.com/LG6ZV or send in the order form with a check made out to Scholastic.    https://orders.scholastic.com/LG6ZV

CARES: MPRCS has a before and after school program.  Information regarding the CARES program can be found on the school website.  Details can also be requested from the school office. If your child is staying for CARES after school you need to let me know via email, message on Brightwheel app or note. If your child is scheduled for CARES and you want to pick them up in the car line please message me by 2:15 p.m. 

Communication: Every week (Friday) I will send you a brief email (this may change to Brightwheel messaging) with information about the week to come and important events.  Please read the weekly message so that you will know what is happening and your child will be a full participant in school activities. 

Please feel free to email me any time or message on the Brightwheel app. I will reply at the very soonest possible time. If you want to have a phone chat or in-person meeting feel free to request that. 

Please read the email messages that are sent home each week from the school office. These emails contain information and links for the hot lunch program, pretzel orders, and many important events that occur throughout the school year.

Conferences: Parent-Teacher conferences are held in mid-January. Each family is scheduled for a fifteen minute conference.  This is the only scheduled conference for the year.  However, conferences can be arranged any time the parent or teacher feels they are necessary. 

Curriculum: D.I.G. (Develop, Inspire, Grow) The imaginative world of the Letter People: Their stories, songs, and real-life scenarios coupled with research-based developmental progressions and proven instructional approach provides what little ones need to become readers, writers, and communicators. We will also be integrating the fundations reading and writing for pre-k into the DIG program. 

Literacy Skills include letter and sound recognition, rhyming, syllables, recognizing word/sentence/punctuation, spelling, letter writing using correct letter form and line spaces.

Daily instruction in a wide-variety of math skills include topics such as: sorting, making patterns, counting to 100, comparing, measuring, shapes, and adding and subtracting objects from a group. DIG Math supports children in developing a deep understanding of essential early math concepts in a manageable, meaningful, and fun way!  

D.I.G. Integrates science and social studies as well and weekly STEM/STEAM/STREAM. Copybooks, Letter People Workbook, writing worksheets, whiteboards, art projects, centers, songs, smart board activities, circle time games, and Scholastic magazine are materials used in our program.

Religion instruction: We will be using: Loyola pre-K program:  Weekly leaflets teaching God’s love and stories of Jesus  along with the Children’s Bible, songs of praise, art projects, prayer circle, service projects, First Friday mass with prayer partners and special small class masses, seasonal activities for Advent and Lent, etc. We will say the name of Jesus many times every day as Jesus guides us to care for one another every day. (Jesus and Mary puppets) 

Dismissal 2:45-3:00 p.m.: Parents park in the lot and come to the sign-out station to pick up their child each day. 

Car riders with siblings in grades K-8 will be dismissed from the gym at 3:00. Please pull along the side of the gym in three lines.  The children will be brought out to the cars.

Students who are registered and scheduled for Cares will remain in lower church with the Cares teachers.

Early Dismissal: To request an early dismissal, please send a brightwheel message or email. Upon arrival come to the sign-out station to request your child.

Early Intervention: If concerns arise regarding your child’s speech or other developmental areas we will contact you to recommend seeking early intervention from the D.C.I.U. (Delaware county intermediate unit). You can do this on your own as well without a school recommendation if you have concerns. Go To: https://www.dciu.org/referrals-requests-for-services and scroll down to “Early Intervention Intake Form”

Emergency Change of Clothing:  Each student will need an emergency change of  clothing which must be a gym uniform (t-shirt, shorts and sweatpants), underwear and socks. Please send it in a ziplock bag with your child’s name on the bag and on each article of clothing.

Emergency Procedures: If an incident should occur, school will first contact the parents.  If the parents cannot be reached, they will contact those people you have designated on the emergency information form.  Be sure to update any phone number changes as needed throughout the year.  

Occasionally minor accidents happen during the day. I will not call you but I may send an email or Brightwheel message to let you know.  Examples: applied bandage, cleaned a cut or scrape.

If a child is brought to the school nurse for any reason she will contact the parent to let you know what occurred. Mrs. S also handles illnesses and injuries for pre-k children and may contact you if needed.

Field Trip: There will be a field in the spring for pre-k 4. Parents must have all clearances to attend the field trip. Elmwood Park Zoo

HASA: The Home And School Association organizes a number of programs that benefit both the school and the families of MPRCS.  There are  many ways for parents to become involved at MPRCS through HASA. 

Hot Lunch/snack/pretzels: Hot lunch and morning snacks are provided free to students. Each month I will send a menu home and you will need to circle items you want for your child on a paper copy of the snack (breakfast menu) and lunch menu and return it to school for your child to have those menu items ordered for them. Note: Please ask your child if they are eating the school food as each new item is served. This way you can pack snacks and/or lunch if your child is not eating school items.   

Snack – We will have a short snack every morning.  Free morning snacks will be provided and if your child is happy to eat that you do not need to send a snack to school.  There is an option of ordering a pretzel for a snack.  Order forms can be downloaded from the school website. 

Jewelry: No jewelry is to be worn with the school uniform except for a cross or a religious medal.  Earrings must be post-type earrings. 

Medication: If your child needs to be given any type of medication, you will need to come to school to administer it.  Emergency medications are kept with the school nurse and in the class medical emergency bag. Please contact the office or Mrs. Scarpignato with questions. 

Rest Time: Soft roll-up mats (with attached blanket) are required for our daily rest time. Rest time is a 45 minute period in the afternoon. Rest mats are sent home every other Friday to be washed and returned the following Monday.  Please do not send an additional blanket as storage space will only fit the mat which has an attached blanket.

Schedule:   A copy of the student schedule has been provided so that parents are aware of student routines and when specials occur.  

Show and Tell: Every Friday your child will have a show and tell opportunity. The item they bring from home should fit in the backpack and begin with the letter of the alphabet that we are learning about that week which will be noted in the weekly email. No electronic or breakable items please.

Special Events: Throughout the year there will be LOTS of fun times and special learning events that will allow students to wear fun clothing or bring items to school. You will be informed of these fun times via email from me, the school office, and printed materials. Please be sure to read about the fun events as the info comes your way so that your child can be a full participant. Thanks!

Specials:  

Art- Our class will have Art on Thursdays with the Art teacher (Mrs. Rowland) in addition to weekly projects in the classroom.

Physical Education – Our class will have P.E. with Mrs. Meehan on Mondays. Your child should wear sneakers and the gym uniform every Monday. 

Library- Our class will have Library with Mrs. Jennings on Mondays and bring a library book home most weeks. Please return books by Friday each week. Books can be returned Monday if you forget by Friday. Children do not get a new book if the previous book is not returned. Lost books can be paid for with a $15.00 fee.  

Technology- Our class will have technology class on Wednesdays  with Mrs. Pry.. 

Music- Our class has music on Friday in addition to music every day as part of our learning and fun. 

Spanish- Our class will have Spanish every Tuesday with Ms. Alvarez .

Star Student: Each student will have the opportunity to be the Star Student.  Details are provided on the “Star Student” schedule.  

Student Behavior: Classroom expectations are taught and practiced with the children every day. Rules are designed to meet the  safety and social/emotional/educational well-being of every child. Rules review, Green/Red choices/Bees are used as visual aids to help the children. School-wide incentive PBIS Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports  will help children experience school expectations in a positive way. (Earn tickets and prizes)

Take-Home Folder: This is a communication folder which needs to be emptied every day because it will contain student work, notes and newsletters.   This folder must be brought to school every day.  Please put notes, money, and anything that needs to be returned to school in the folder. When sending in money, please put the money in an envelope  with your child’s name and what the money is for.   Do not send any loose money in the folder.  

Tattoos and Nail polish: As per the school Student Handbook, no student is allowed to wear any tattoos or nail polish.  If temporary tattoos or nail polish are applied over the weekend, please remove them before school. 

Uniforms: Grades PK3 & PK4 - Please keep in mind the students in PK can wear the GYM UNIFORM every day; however, when we attend mass the students should wear the school uniform.

● Khaki walking shorts, khaki pants, skirt or skort (girls) (leggings or tights may be worn under during winter months)

● Knee high socks and tights are to be navy blue for girls.

● Navy blue or white polo

● Navy blue polo dress (girls)

● Navy cardigan during winter months (in lieu of long sleeve)

GYM UNIFORM

● Powder blue t-shirt with logo (alone in spring and fall, and with the sweatshirt in the winter)

● Blue sweatshirt with logo (winter uniform)

● Navy blue knee length mesh shorts (spring and fall uniform); navy blue sweatpants (winter uniform)

● Mostly white or black preferably velcro sneakers

Please contact Mrs. Scarpignato with uniform questions. ([email protected])

Volunteers: There are many opportunities to volunteer in our school.  It is Archdiocesan policy that all volunteers have clearances before they can work in the school.  Please check the school website  for a list of the clearances needed to volunteer.

You- You are so important to us! We are here for you and your child. Please feel free to contact us with questions and concerns any time!!!

May God bless you and your family in every way!