Welcome To Kindergarten
The beginning is the most important part of the learning. - Plato
"Kindergarten has a whole different style. It is for Fives. It is geared to Fives. It is custom made to fit children of this particular age. The key question, then is: What are Fives like? For one thing, although they talk big and brave, inside of themselves Fives are very soft. They are essentially shy. They put on a show of big, but they know that the world is pretty overwhelming. They are timid, even the toughest of them.
...What else about Fives? A note that always strikes me is that they are doers. They are forever on the go. They are into everything. Their nature will change as they grow older but right now, Fives are not good sitters; they are not youngsters who can keep quiet for very long; and they are not good listeners, either. Instead, they have another quite wonderful quality: They want to see and do for themselves.
What does this mean for a kindergarten? It means that the emphasis has to be on reality and on action: on animals, on jobs the children do, on activities they carry out, on trips they take, on workers of all kinds who come into the classroom. The emphasis has to be on chances for children to use their hands and to work tools: magnets, magnifying glasses, saws, hammers...to work even with what look like playthings: clay, blocks, paint, puzzles, sand...Kindergarten is not a place tor teaching children by talking at them, not a place for grownups' lectures. It is a place where active children are involved in the goings-on. Fives learn best that way."
James L. Hymes Jr. Is a Past President of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and author of many publications for parents and children. Text taken from
Mr. Fontanella's Kindergarten Page
Kindergarten Handbook 
Learning acquired in youth is an inscription on stone. - Indian Proverb
Here is some useful information:
- School starts at 7:50 AM and ends at 2:40 PM
- If your child is going to eat breakfast in school he must be here by 7:30 AM
- Whenever you come to the school you must enter by the front door, sign in at the desk and receive a visitor's pass. When you leave you must sign out at the same desk and leave your pass.
- The school has a free clinic where you can register your child. Whenever your child gets sick they will call you before treating him. The clinic can write prescriptions, give vacinations and take throat cultures. All this without your having to take time off from work to take your child to the doctor's office!
- The children eat lunch from 11:45 to 12:45. They play outside until 12:10 then they come in and eat from 12:15 to 12:45. The children go outside EVERY DAY unless it is raining or bitter cold. It is important that they come dressed to go outside. As it gets colder boots, hats, gloves, scarves and even snowpants will be necessary. Please dress your child for the weather.
- Snack will be in the morning around 10:00. We will be alternating who brings in our daily snack for the entire class. You will receive a monthly Snack Calendar. Each child will rotate about every 20 days, depending on the number of children in the class at the time. Here are some examples of what you can send.
- Juice in the can
- 100% juice such as Juicy Juice
- apple juice
- orange juice.
- Please don't send in drinks or punches that contain more sugar than juice. Also, no soda.
- A snack
- crackers
- bagels
- cut up fruit
- vegetables and dip
- yogurt
- pretzles
- Jell-o
- muffins
- apples
- cheese
- Any other healthy food
- Please don't send candy, chips or other junk foods.
- Specials - The children go to at least one special class conducted by a special area teacher every day. Our schedule for this year is:
- Monday - Gym - 9:20 AM
- Tuesday - Music - 9:20 AM
- Wednesday - Art - 1:25 PM
- Thursday - Library - 9:25 AM and Music - 1:15 PM
- Friday - Gym - 9:20
- Sneakers - The children will need to wear sneakers every gym day in order to participate in the class. I recommend that they wear the sneakers every day because they do go outside and the sneakers are safer for playing in the playground.
- Art Shirts - The children need to have a paint shirt when they go to Art. Please give your child an old, adult size tee shirt to use. Please label the shirt with your child's name. It will be left in his/her cubbie for the whole year.
If you would like to get in touch with me please e-mail me at
[email protected]
You are my  visitor.
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