faq

All About Kindergarten
This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. What are the school hours?
School begins promptly at 8:30 am and ends at 2:55 pm. There will be a teacher supervising the kindergarten play yard from 8:10 am until 8:30 am. Lunch for the kindergarten children is from 11:55 am - 1:15 pm.
2. What is the procedure for after school pick-up?
The dismissal bell rings at 2:55 pm. If you are picking up your child, please wait at the fence in the kindergarten yard. The children will wait by the wall outside of the classroom and are dismissed when the teacher sees you. The children who are bussed are met by a Bus Buddy (an older student) who will walk your child to his/her bus.
3. What do I do if my child is going to be absent?
Please call the front office at 905-851-0043. You may also leave a voice mail message with your child's teacher.
4. What can I do to help my child succeed in Kindergarten?
You are your child's first teacher and we will work together to help your child learn and grow. It truly is a partnership! The best thing you can do is READ with your child every day. The more experience your child has with reading, letters and numbers, the easier the transition to kindergarten will be.
5. If my child loses something, where can I find it?
Each classroom has a lost and found bin for all unlabeled items. If they go unclaimed, they are placed in the general school lost and found box.
6. What is outdoor play?
Each classroom teacher will take their class outside for outdoor physical education at the individual teacher's discretion, as their schedules allow. A strong emphasis is placed on academics, but the need for fresh air and exercise is essential. All children should come to school dressed appropriately for the weather each day. A permission slip will go home at the beginning of the year for parental permission to go on neighbourhood walks and to visit the park and playground behind the school.
7. Will my child have recess with the rest of the school?
There are two recesses at Blue Willow. The first recess(morning recess) is at 10:15 - 10:35 am. The second recess (lunch recess) is from 12:35 - 1:15 pm. The kindergarten children will go outside during the second recess (lunch recess). The children will play in the fenced kindergarten play yard and will be supervised by our School Assistants. Near the end of the school year, Senior Kindergarten students will go outside for morning recess to prepare themselves for grade one. The teachers on duty are informed and the children are well supervised. This is done to allow our SK's to prepare for the transition to grade 1. They gain knowledge of what is expected and how they are to behave during recess periods.
8. What is the student to teacher ratio?
Presently the ratio is 1 teacher to 25 students. We always welcome parent volunteers.
9. When can I volunteer?
When your child has his/her initial visit with the classroom teacher, the teacher may have a sign-up sheet where you can sign up and indicate what days and times are best for you. A parent volunteer schedule is usually set up and sent home for you to follow. If you are scheduled to assist and can't on a particular day, please leave a voice mail message with your teacher or send a note in your child's Communication Folder.
10. What is my child going to learn and how can I help them?
Kindergarten teachers follow the curriculum as outlined in the Ministry of Education document called The Kindergarten Program (1998). The expectations followed are to be mastered by the end of Senior Kindergarten. This document is available by calling 1-800-668-9938 or check the Ministry of Education and Training's Web Site at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca. The most important thing you can do with your child is to read with your child every day.
11. How can teachers deliver the same program to both JK and SK children?
The Kindergarten teachers realize that at this age, there are many different degrees of abilities. The same activities are offered to all of the children and we ask that all children attempt them. How the products are evaluated differ. When your child's teacher assesses their progress she will take into consideration the age and stage of development of each child. Also, children start school with different abilities. A Junior Kindergarten student may start school with the ability to read and a Senior Kindergarten student may return still needing alphabet recognition development. The important thing to remember is that each child develops at his/her own rate and the program that they receive will reflect that.
12. Will my child be bused to school?
Our board policy states that for children in Kindergarten to grade 3 who live within 1.2 kilometers from school shall not be entitled to transportation. Therefore, students living greater than 1.2 km away from school are entitled to busing. The children are picked up and dropped off at a designated point, close to their home. Upon arrival to school, a staff member meets all children in the bus loop. The Board's transportation department organizes our bus routes. Confirmations of busing arrangements are mailed out in August. You may also call Student Transportation Services for pick-up, drop-off locations and times at 905-713-2535 or www.schoolbuscity.com.
13. What happens if my child has a bathroom accident at school?
Always send an extra set of clothes (including socks and underwear) to school. These types of accidents do happen when children become involved in activities and forget to use the bathroom. If children wet themselves they will be instructed to change in the class bathroom without assistance. Teachers are not permitted to assist children. The wet articles are placed in a plastic bag and put in their backpack. If your child has a bowel movement accident, you or your child's caregiver will be contacted to come to the school to help. In some cases your child may need to be taken home and may return to school when they have been helped.
14. What happens when my child gets sick or hurt at school?
Either you or your child's caregiver will be contacted to make you aware of the situation and provide you with details that will enable you to make an appropriate decision regarding the pick-up of your child. We ask that you do not send sick children to school. An appropriate rest at home will speed your child's recovery and prevent the spread of germs to others.
15. Why can't my child eat peanut butter at school?
It is our responsibility as a school community to ensure the safety of all of our students. We understand the difficulties associated with providing a nut safe environment and appreciate the inconveniences that it creates for all of us.

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