If you have a new kindergartner this year

[lemoncupcake]

Jul 28, 2021 10:10:56 GMT -5 calico said:

Jul 28, 2021 10:03:19 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

But they have to have a way to know who goes where! That wasn’t in any of the registration stuff I filled out in March.

I swear that I’m not a crazy overprotective mom. I just need to bare minimum of information here. I don’t even know if there’s a dress code I should be aware of when shopping? Just from seeing kids walking down the street I know it’s not uniforms, but who knows what else it is.

Our school has a website with a lot of information for parents (handbooks, etc), does your local school have one? I would expect better communication than you’re getting but my kids did preschool in the same building and so that is a different experience and awareness already. Someone at the school should be able to answer questions if you have no other resource.

The supply list is on their website, but that's really it. No handbook that I can find. There are a bunch of events posted for incoming students to the middle school and high school, though. 

[macmars45]

School starts in a month and I've heard nothing from my DS' school. I know that we'll get to meet his teacher a few days before school starts, that the first two days of official school they split the kinder classes in half so half go each one day to learn routines etc with a smaller class size. The week after Labor Day will be the first normal school days with the whole class at once.

I really want to know their COVID protocols will be. I've heard nothing on that front. They totally revamped the school website and it doesn't mention COVID at all. Apparently it's over in my red city.

His school is brand new this year. My parents really want a tour/open house type thing for the community so they can see the school too.

[calico]

Jul 28, 2021 10:18:44 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Jul 28, 2021 10:10:56 GMT -5 calico said:

Our school has a website with a lot of information for parents (handbooks, etc), does your local school have one? I would expect better communication than you’re getting but my kids did preschool in the same building and so that is a different experience and awareness already. Someone at the school should be able to answer questions if you have no other resource.

The supply list is on their website, but that's really it. No handbook that I can find. There are a bunch of events posted for incoming students to the middle school and high school, though. 

That’s too bad! I would try the district website then call up the district or school and ask how/where to get more school specific information. They must have someone there to answer parent questions. After we registered for kindergarten, the principal sent out informational emails and always had someone listed to contact for questions. There is even a video tour of the school now for new parents who couldn’t tour it.

[yellow23]

Last year we met my daughters kindergarten teacher on zoom the week before school. My kids stayed virtual all year so as a first grader she will be brand new to the building.

Pre-covid, parents have never been allowed in our building on the first day. Kindergarteners get teacher tags they hang around their necks, each bus is unloaded kindergarten first, the teachers are outside and they separate them according to their teacher tag immediately. Kids in all grades have their backpack tagged with bus number or other dismissal information as soon as they arrive so everyone ends up where they need to be at the end of the day. It is a slow arrival the first day as they tag everyone. I’m sure your school has a process in place to make sure everyone ends up where they need to be. Not to say you shouldn’t be nervous, I’ve always been nervous when my kids start kindergarten. I’m nervous for my 1st and 6th graders this year because they will both be in new buildings for the first time.

[loira]

No idea. We had a virtual meeting with the principal in June (to replace the typical tour and meet and greet they normally do for incoming kindies) and even he didn't seem to know. We don't start until after labour day, so I'll find out sometime in mid August.

Also, is it just A's school or are all schools terrible at communication? I've had to go asking for information for every single thing, and I swear there is some distribution list I'm not on.

[redheadk]

IME, since most staff doesn't start until about a week before school starts, you just won't know some of this until closer to the start of the school year.

School here starts Aug 10 and we just got Meet the Teacher info yesterday for next week.

If you have a parent organization at your school, try to find them on FB or Twitter. There might be info posted there. I'm the PTA president at DD's school; we've already posted all communications the school has sent out plus links to school supply lists and the lunch menu for August, info about a new families event, etc. People will also message us with questions sometimes, too.

[sdlaura]

Is there a Facebook group for our specific elementary school? That's what our parents groups use to organize summer meet-ups to meet other kids. They're organized by the parents rather than the school or school-related organizations, so the Facebook group or word of mouth are the only ways to find out about them.

[gastro]

Our PTA hosts a kinder play date a few days before school. My kids start (I have one kinder) Aug 9 and staff started back this week so we are just starting to get communication about back to school information.

[expectantsteelerfan]

In normal years, our school district has kinder orientation (with a parent or caregiver) sessions during the regular 1st day of school for all other students, and then their regular 1st day is the next day. So if you have an older kid, on the 1st day, they get on the bus or get dropped off and have a full day, but then you take your kindergartner to their orientation 'session' which is an hour or two long. At that session, the kids meet their teacher and many of the special teachers, get walked to their classroom and shown their desk, get put on a bus, driven in a loop and then back to school where they then practice getting off the bus and going to where they will go in the morning (the gym) and then going from the gym to their classroom. While this is happening, the principal and guidance counselor meet with all the parents in the library and go over important info. and answer questions, then a PTA rep. talks, and then parents are given the opportunity to sign up for volunteer opportunities at the school.
It is a little weird that kindergartners start a day later than everyone else in the district, but it does make sense to get them all there and 'practice' while the parents are there getting important info.
This year they actually have 2 days of orientation before they start, not sure why, but saw it posted about recently.

[Susie]

I had a new kindergartener last year (my oldest), and it was a really awful, rocky start to the school year.  There weren't any events/meetings/tours before school began, and information was really scarce.  I wish I had something more helpful to say, but all I can say is that the first two weeks were really hard, probably hardest on me, and it did get better.  Hopefully this year is better than last because they will have done this once before with last year's brand newbies.

[magpie]

I'm a parent of a new kindergartner this year and a teacher at his (public) school. This year, we are not allowed to let parents in the building to walk them in on their first day (or any day), but we are providing a "meet and greet" event a few days before school starts where families come, find out who their teacher is and meet them, enjoy some ice cream and walk in for a quick peek at the classroom. Everything is outside other than the walk into the classroom, which will be done in small groups and be super quick so we can get everyone through. We've spread grade levels out over a few days in hopes of avoiding chaos and crowds. We've got a virtual kindergarten parent session with the k teachers and principal the week before school starts. We did have a playdate, but it was organized entirely by the PTO and was very, very unofficial and purely organized on facebook.

As for the walk in, we have specific welcome videos for each grade level that show a teacher pretending to be a student and walking into the classroom, helping kids learn the way. We also have every staff member who can be available on welcome duty for the first few days. We always have teachers at each door to welcome kids (and hand out masks and make sure no adults who don't work there enter the building), but we make sure to have extra hands on deck for the beginning. I literally stand just inside the front door with a big welcome sign and walk them to their classrooms. I'm pretty sure most schools will have someone doing this. When we came back from virtual last year, it was just like this--kids (and their parents) who had never set foot in the building before--and we did our very best to make sure the process was as easy and stress free for the kids as possible. I really hope we can someday go back to having parents walk their kids to the classroom because, to me, it is absolutely the best part of the day in a small, neighborhood school. For now, I hope it helps keep us all safer by limiting the contact.

I will say that our school communication usually ramps up about two weeks before the school year begins. I'm not sure where you are on your calendar, but don't be shocked if you aren't hearing much before then.

[secretagent]

They had a 30 minute "orientation" in June where they got to color a picture and we were handed a folder of stuff. It was a total waste. No tour, etc.  There is nothing else upcoming.

My rising middle schooler also has had nothing. They "might" have an orientation 3 days before school starts.  My older kids did 15 (30?) min individual evaluations in April before starting K, so I feel like our district is starting wayyyyy behind the 8 ball here. We were also virtual most of last year (not by choice) and haven't had a full day since March 2020 so I think the start of school is going to be messy in general. I feel for the teachers!

[nellgirl]

We have had no tours or anything, no ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ event in the spring, and only bare bones information. There is a meeting with the parent/child/school team individually in the fall during the first week, but nothing beyond that. We have yet to be told if the meeting is in person or virtual.

[ellipses84]

They aren’t 😞. They had a zoom orientation scheduled in Spring which I forgot about but apparently nobody from the school called in, they said they’d reschedule and I never heard anything more. Most schools are not staffed during the middle of the summer, not even with admin, but they usually come back a week or two before the start of school and you may hear more or can call. My older son goes to the school already but I remember feeling so lost when he started K at his old school even with the orientation.

If you have a neighborhood or school parents fb group, you can ask questions there and hopefully parents with older students can answer. I know some in mine have set up park play dates on their own so their Kinder kids get to know some future classmates.

[ellipses84]

I’ll add that schools for parents and staff have been a frustrating mess the past 1.5 years so try to have some patience with them. We had staggered starts to grades in the spring when kids finally went back after Covid, but we have no idea about start times for fall which isn’t like a normal year. A lot of info will be communicated the first week of school and a few days before.

[lemoncupcake]

Jul 28, 2021 13:26:23 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Is there a Facebook group for our specific elementary school? That's what our parents groups use to organize summer meet-ups to meet other kids. They're organized by the parents rather than the school or school-related organizations, so the Facebook group or word of mouth are the only ways to find out about them.

There's a school facebook page, a PTA group and a separate parent group. None had a post since May 

Through a friend of a friend I was able to track down the PTA president and messaged with her a bit, but no real info is available yet. She said that she would ask the admins at the school so she could start sharing posts. 

My mom actually works at the front office of an elementary school (not in our city) so I promise that I'm being totally polite to the school staff! It's just frustrating that some campuses seem to do a good job with this stuff and others have *nothing*. It seems like it would be better to be proactive and communicate to everybody rather than field tons of calls and questions.

[waverly]

We already got out back to school info. It's pretty similar every year. Honestly, ours is a huge mess, so I think we are skipping ours and going to the water park instead. But, I wouldn't in Kindergarten. Just be patient, some don't have events before school starts and some only communicate a week before. Hopefully they aren't communicating a day before.

For K, I don't think dress codes are really a thing. I mean what teacher is going to say the kids shorts are too short? I guess that still happens, but anyway send them in clothing appropriate for weather, and I am sure you will be fine. I would send in tennis shoes to start in case they have PE class until you get the PE schedule. In our school, prior to Covid, they had PE daily which I love, so I always sent them in tennis shoes.

ETA- at back to school night ours get a lanyard that says their name, classroom and bus.  Staff help them get to all those places until they learn the routine. 

[preppy]

DD1 starts K this September and they are doing a summer intro day in August and a “slow open”.

The intro day is in small groups of up to 10 kids, where the kids all get to meet the teachers and tour the school and the parents also tour but sit in on some presentation/Q&A about the school. Then the first day of school K is only in for an hour (why I do not know), then half the kids start day 2, half day 3, then finally all for the following Monday.

ETA: school starts Sept 9 here so we are still quite a ways out. Also the school has an app I downloaded when I registered her and it’s been super helpful. They post regular updates by grade, added a “K prep” calendar for August, have the school year calendar up etc. I’ve been very impressed by the level of communication.

[krystee]

Jul 28, 2021 9:26:24 GMT -5 lessel said:

Jul 28, 2021 9:20:42 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

I won’t be upset about not walking her in on day 1 if I’m confident that she’s comfortable with where to go and what to do.

I mean, I’m not being unreasonable, right? To just pull up and expect my 5 year old to walk into a building she’s never been in before? She’s confident when she warms up but jeez.

I don't think you're being unreasonable. I had that anxiety too. But really, that's literally what we had to do last year. Like I just dropped him off on the curb from car rider line and he walked into a door and the rest sorted itself out.

ETA: We also had to switch daycares for DS2 last year (he was 2 then and is now 3). I have not stepped foot in that daycare building beyond the lobby. I've never met his teacher in person. It is WEIRD. 

Same. We got no information on how to do the drop-off lane or anything. I was anxious about that and it felt so weird that I could not tell him a single thing about what to do or where to go when he got inside. He definitely developed some major independence last year! I think they could have done much better preparing new kindergarten families, but fortunately it all worked out.

[jewel]

My kid is starting 1st grade, but K was all online and TK was at another school. We have never set foot on this campus, except to pick up his school work from the front office.

School starts next Thursday. I don’t think we get a teacher assignment until Tuesday. At this point, all I know is what time school starts and ends. I have no idea where to drop him off or pick up, or how he figures out where his classroom is. I’m hoping that I get the teacher’s email address when we get classroom assignments, and I can email them to confirm the basics before school starts (if there isn’t any more info volunteered). Otherwise, I guess we just show up and figure it out. I imagine there will be lots of people who are in the same boat.

[dontlook]

I just wanted to say you aren’t being unreasonable but after having 2 kids start school it is always a mess. Teachers don’t start back in the building until a week before school and that seems to be when we get all of our info. It feels very rushed and last minute but I remind myself they do this every year and have it down to a science. Our school mails out lanyards with bussing information for kids to wear the first few weeks. The lanyards help them get the kids off the bus and to the right room and back home/to after school programs. It takes every adult in the building to pull it off but they get it done. Good luck and try not to worry. I know it’s easier said than done.

[186momx]

Normal year everyone meets the teacher the Thursday before school starts. The school has a big meet the teacher night (about 30 minutes) which then the PTO does a hot dog BBQ dinner on the playground. Then K kids are broken into very small groups and go 1 day the 1st week of school. The 2nd week of school all K kids go half days and there is a parent teacher conference mixed in those first 2 weeks.

This year who knows what is going to happen. If the PTO does a BBQ I will be 100% surprised. I hoping for a long meet the teacher timeframe hopefully split up somehow so the school isn't wall to wall people.

[af1212]

I have a kid beginning K this year but also two older ones who started K pre-covid. My experience this year is exactly the same as the two prior times we have done it.

Register in February - get an acceptance of registration right away and then nothing for a long time.

Email in June with notice of AM or PM but no other info.

Last week of August when teachers are back to work we get email with teacher assignment, information about what time to show up for first day of school, welcome letter from teacher, etc.

So your experience matches what I am used to even without covid being a factor. I know it’s frustrating but try to hang in there! Remember that over the summer no one is contracted to work except for the principal and maybe the building secretary.

[nicolewi]

My youngest of 4 is now going into 1st. IMO, our school does a really shitty job welcoming K students, Covid or not.

[boiler717]

Jul 28, 2021 8:40:41 GMT -5 boiler717 said:

Last year everything was virtual. Kids weren’t allowed inside until the first day and parents weren’t allowed inside all year.
This year we’ve had several (not school organized but everyone invited) meet ups outside at parks. There is a back to school night Thursday where we find out his teacher. It’s mostly outdoors and masked, but kids and parents are allowed into the building to see the classroom. K students have their own entrance right next to the K rooms which is nice and I’m not worried about him getting lost! I am not having him eat breakfast at school because I don’t want him going through the cafeteria line and then having to figure out where his classroom is on his own (and don’t want the extra non-masked time).
I am also frustrated at the lack of communication. I have been trying to work with the parent coordinator and school admin for 2 weeks regarding food allergy issues and still have no idea if school lunch is safe for my kiddo. I volunteered yesterday in person so was able to corner some people but still don’t have an answer. School starts Monday.
Current mask policy is that vaccinated students can opt out with documentation (K-8 building) but otherwise masks required for all. I’m assuming that will change with the new CDC recommendations. This is a large, urban public school district.

Update on this. I sent a total of 7 emails and came by the school once. I was finally told by the school the Friday before classes that all he needed was a parent note and to check the menu for allergies; it wasn’t posted until Monday morning (first day of school).
DS said they tried to make him take milk the first day. The second day I get an email that there is a form that needs filled out by a doctor (the doctors note I had gotten just in case won’t suffice) and he can’t eat school lunch until it’s returned and we meet with the district dietician, which isn’t for a few weeks. It is maddening that I tried for weeks over the summer to take care of this and in a school district of 40,000 kids no one knew what to tell me ahead of time.

[devonpow]

I don’t have a kindergartener but I’m in my 4th year as PTO chair so I do a lot of welcome stuff/talking to K parents etc. For our school we start September 1st and we are supposed to be receiving teacher assignments this week. Generally once the teacher assignments come out more information does as well. The K teachers send a welcome email with details on drop off etc, materials needed, all that stuff. But in my experience (I now have a high schooler and 4th grader) you don’t get those details until a week or so before school starts. Teachers aren’t even checking their school emails until they come back for their two working days before school starts and admin is hit or miss when they are in the office. Our school secretary is there all summer and can answer general questions (you mentioned dress code etc). Also have you looked on the school web page? See if there is a link to the school handbook - that usually addresses a lot of the general questions. Also you can see if there is a PTO contact. I field a lot of summer questions from new parents.

So, I’m not surprised if you haven’t heard much yet, it’s pretty typical (but I know it’s hard!)

[lemoncupcake]

Thanks, everyone. School starts in two weeks and we just heard about a park meetup (which of course we have a thing planned and can’t attend) and a meet the teacher (mid day on a weekday) a few days before school starts. I feel better just wish we had the dates sooner - we are lucky that we are flexible enough to make the dates work.