Welcome to Kindergarten

Middletown Public Schools

DAILY SCHEDULE

Arrival:

• Children arrive between 8:45 – 8:50 am

• Buses unload at 8:45 am; Parent Drop Off starts at 8:45 am

• Important for children to be in class at 8:50 a.m. – routines established

• 2 hour Delayed Openings (usually due to weather) students arrive at 10:45 am

Dismissal:

• Regular School Days - School ends at 3:45 pm

• Scheduled Early Dismissal Days – School ends at 1:25 pm

• Unscheduled Early Dismissal Days – An unscheduled Early Dismissal is

usually because of weather or other circumstances. Time will be announced

the day of dismissal and can be found on our

webste www.middletownschools.org

Arrival and Dismissal from School• Students who live less than a mile from school will be designated as a walker.

Even if you live right across the street from the school and/or your child may

have an older sibling, parents must pick up and drop off Kindergarten students

• All other students will be assigned a bus stop from DATTCO whether you use

the bus or not

• Bus stop information and times will be available on our website

(www.middletownschools.org) in mid-August

• Recommend being at stops 10 minutes before suggested time

• Kindergarteners sit in the front on the bus

• AM Parent Drop Off – children are dropped off by the curb; staff will direct

you. Please do not park your car in the drop off line, as this will slow down the

arrival process

• PM Parent Pick Up – Please follow staff’s directions as to the location of

where to pick up your child. Please bring photo ID to sign out your child. Only

adults you list on your dismissal form can pick up children

• Change in dismissal: You must notify the school (preferably in writing) about

any change in dismissal. This includes if someone other than the

parent/guardian will be picking up your child early

Opening/ Circle Time

• Each day the children

will talk about the day,

date, days of the week,

weather, vocabulary,

sight words, numbers,

share their journals,

and work on learning

new concepts.

Story Time

• An important part of the

day is listening to and

discussing stories. This

reinforces pre-reading

skills

• Discuss characters,

setting, and events

• Forming opinions and

supporting them with text

evidence

• Encourage reading as a

daily habit – reading log

Fine Motor Development

• Work time will include

fine motor skills, such as

cutting, gluing, & coloring

• Proper formation of letters

and spacing – writing

words and sentences using

sight words

• Fine motor skills can be

practiced at home prior to

kindergarten

• Pencil grip will be

emphasized

Choice Time

• Centers help reinforce

sharing, creativity,

language and social

skills

• Children encouraged

to explore various

centers

• Emphasize student

choice

ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS

• By end of November, students know all uppercase and

lowercase letters

• Letters make sounds – beginning/ending of words

• Pre-reading activities – sight words, using picture clues to

predict, infer, question

• Writing words/sentences – spell sight words

• Thinking Skills – children explaining how they think and

forming opinions with evidence, talk about stories

• By end of December, students recognize a minimum of 20

sight words

• Counting, addition, subtraction, shape recognition,

problem solving

Breakfast Options• Each school serves breakfast

• Breakfast menus are published each month

• Bielefield, Farm Hill, Macdonough, Snow & Spencer – Community Eligible Provision Schools

and offer FREE breakfast to all students

• Lawrence, Moody & Wesley– You can fill out an application to see if

you qualify for free or reduced priced meals

– Students pay $1.50 per day for breakfast ($0.30 per day if you qualify for reduced price meals)

– Each child has a Pin # assigned to their meal account

– Families can add money meal account

• More info will be sent from your child’s school over the summer

Lunch Options

• Bielefield, Farm Hill, Macdonough, Snow & Spencer

– Community Eligible Provision Schools offer FREE lunch to all students

• Lawrence, Moody & Wesley– You can fill out an application to see

if you qualify for free or reduced priced meals

– Students will pay $2.50 per day for lunch ($0.40 per day if you qualify for reduced priced meals

• Each child has a PIN # assigned to their meal account

• Families can add money to their child’s meal account

• More info will be sent from your child’s school over the summer

• Children can bring their lunch from home• please label lunch box with students

name• Each school serves lunch• Lunch menus are published each

month• There are a variety of options offered

each day• Milk can be purchased separately• Lunch period is 25 minutes• Children sit with peers in assigned

sections/seats

Daily Recess • Children will have indoor or outdoor recess

every full day for 25 minutes

• Rain, snow, or very cold weather may keep

us indoors

• Bringing hats, gloves, and winter jackets to

school when it is cold is recommended

• Labeling jackets and other clothing items

(gloves, hats, sweatshirts, etc) is helpful;

sometimes items are lost or misplaced. It is

also helpful to label your child’s lunch box,

backpack and other personal items

Special Areas• Each class has 45 minutes

with a certified art, music, and physical education teacher each week. Sneakers are needed for gym

• Teachers will let you know their gym day prior to school starting

• Children go to the library for book selection and media study each week

Being Prepared for each Day

• Bring a back pack

• Return homework/notes in provided folder; best way to communicate daily

• Please look through folder each night

• Coming to school on time is critical

• Wear safe footwear, no flip flops/shoes with no back. Sandals should have a strap around the heel

• Wear sneakers on days you have PE (Physical Education)

• Families can provide a daily snack

• Healthy snacks are recommended

• Your child’s teacher or principal will notify you of any restricted food items due to allergies

Birthday Celebrations • The BOE adopted a policy that students are not allowed to bring

in treats other than fruits and/or vegetables for birthday

celebrations.

– Many typical sweet birthday treats often exclude those children

with food allergies, diabetes, celiac disease or other dietary

restrictions

– We want all children to be included

• Other non food options such as bringing in birthday pencils or stickers,

reading a book to the class, etc are encouraged

• If you would like to bring something in for your child’s birthday it

must be arranged with their teacher ahead of time

• If students have allergies to fruits or vegetables, your child’s teacher

will inform the families what is not allowed

• Birthday Party invitations can only be handed out in class if you are

– Inviting the whole class

– Inviting all the boys or all the girls in the class

Importance of Attendance• Please have your child attend school every day and on time unless

your child is ill

• Regular attendance helps children internalize routines and

maximize growth

• Please review this document to help familiarize yourself with our

attendance policies: Middletown Schools Attendance Q & A

• Please call your school the morning your child will be absent due

to illness.

• Hand-written notices are required for absences within 10 days

of absence.

• Scheduling doctor’s appointments and vacations around the school

calendar is appreciated and benefits your child

• School Year Calendar can be found here (subject to change):

Middletown Public Schools Calendar 2020-2021

HOMEWORK

• Given periodically throughout the week

• Takes 5-15 minutes to complete, in pencil

• Daily reading to increase comprehension, fluency, sight word recognition

• We encourage parent participation – review directions with children

• Ultimately, it is the child’s work – foster independence

• This should not be stressful – please talk to teacher if your child has difficulty

FREE LITERACY APPS FOR

MIDDLETOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Middletown Public Schools is providing Clever Kids University®

and Footsteps2Brilliance® bilingual mobile apps for FREE to

families with students ages PreK – 1st grade.

1. Register for your FREE account at

www.myf2b.com/register/middletown

2. Download the apps from your app store.

Supplies Needed

• Back pack, preferably with no wheels

• Folder – Most teachers provide the first one

• Change of clothes – accidents happen

• Temperature varies throughout the year and throughout the

building

– Layers: It is helpful to have a sweatshirt or layers children can

add/remove as they are hot or cold

– Labeling clothing is helpful in case the item is lost or misplaced

• Sneakers on most days

• Teachers will supply all other items students will need at

school

• At home, please have pencils, crayons, scissors, glue

sticks, & books

Tips for a Successful Year• Make sure your child is well rested

• Gather school items the night before

• Set a routine for homework completion

• Check your child’s folder every evening

• Communicate with teacher or staff as needed

• Read our newsletters, PTA/PTO correspondence and monthly calendar, teacher’s notes, and check out our website

• Participate in School Governance Councils, Family Events, and Family Conferences

• To volunteer at school you must fill out required paperwork, this is done

online through App Garden

– App garden link: Volunteer Online Paperwork

– Please note there is an additional form you must fill out and attach to

the application before sending

• Sign up for text reminders from the school

– You must opt in to receive text reminders

– You can do so by texting the word Yes to 67587

Online Registration Now Open

Middletown Public Schools use an Online Registration system

with PowerSchool called “Forms” Parent Portals need to be set

up to use this system within PowerSchool. This site is used to

register a new student including incoming kindergartners,

students coming back to the Middletown District and updating

your student's important information. “Forms” are a

requirement in order for your child(ren) to start

school in Middletown.

There are three easy steps to our on-line registration. Please click

on the following link to start. Kindergarten Registration

Registration DocumentationDocuments needed:

– Full Page Birth certificate with raised seal

– Proof of residency (i.e., copy of valid lease, mortgage contract, real estate tax bill, current utility bill.) If you are living with another Middletown resident, you are required to submit the following: Residency Attestation: 1) Notarized Certification of Residency Form. a) Contact the school for this form. b) must be completed and signed by both the parent/guardian and the Middletown resident you are residing with. c) the resident signing the form must be the one holding the lease or mortgage contract. d) Both signatures must be notarized. 2) A copy of a valid lease, mortgage contract or real estate tax bill from the Middletown resident with whom you are residing

– Health Immunization Records(Latest Physical and Immunizations)

– due prior to 1st day of school

– Photo ID of Parent

– Any Applicable Court Ordered Documentation regarding custody or guardianship of child

– You can upload these documents using FORMS in your PowerSchool Portal on your students page under Consent, Acknowledgement and Document Uploads. You may be asked to also bring documents into school to be copied

Summer Registration • Middletown is planning a summer registration

with dates to be determined

• Please complete the online registration forms ahead of time and as soon as possible. This is very important as we start planning for classes and class sizes. For families who cannot upload documents in online registration, you can bring them in person during the summer registration. Families may be required to bring in hard copies of the uploaded documents

• Snow School Prek students coming to Kindergarten in 2020-2021 will have their records transferred, you still need to fill out “FORMS” in PowerSchool. You will be required to provide an updated proof of residency

What can you do to prepare your

child for Kindergarten?

• Read to your child

every day. Visit the

Russell Library to get

excited by books.

• Help your child

practice his/her cutting

skills with scissors

• Practice counting and

recognizing uppercase

& lowercase letters

• Play interactive board

games with your child

to facilitate language

development, turn

taking, counting

• Help your child learn

safety information:

full name, address,

telephone number,

birthday

Preparing for KindergartenOnce the schools are reopened

• Come to Open House in Summer 2020, dates to be

determined by schools

• Practice waking your child early – it is vital that

children come to school on time

• Foster Independence by having your child take off

jacket on own, zip jacket, pack own book bag, place

papers in a folder, open snacks, milk, and juice box

containers

• Bring your child to the playground to play once they

reopen

• Take a tour of the school (schools will reach out with

more information when school reopens)

If you need any help with registration please reach out to the

school secretary:

Bielefield School – Marie Arce at arcem@mpsct.org

Farm Hill School – Brooke Carta at cartab@mpsct.org

Lawrence School – Karen Mosca at moscak@mpsct.org

Macdonough School – Kaysha Cornier-Torres at corniertorresk@mpsct.org

Moody School – Erin Stevenson at stevensone@mpsct.org

Snow School – Kristan Dontfraid at dontfraidk@mpsct.org

Spencer School – Tammi Serrano at serranot@mpsct.org

Wesley School – Yvonne Kitchel at kitchely@mpsct.org

For technical support – Kelli Swan Romanek at swanromanekk@mpsct.org

Need help with Registration

Let’s Have a Great Year Together!

• Suzanne Shippee Lopez, Bielefield Principal shippeelopezs@mpsct.org

• Jennifer Calabrese, Farm Hill Principal calabresej@mpsct.org

• Jim Gaudreau, Lawrence Principal gaudreauj@mpsct.org

• Damian Reardon, Macdonough Principal reardond@mpsct.org

• Jennifer Cannata, Moody Principal cannataj@mpsct.org

• Colleen Fitzpatrick, Snow Principal fitzpatrickc@mpsct.org

Richard Henderson, Spencer Principal hendersonr@mpsct.org

• Tom Cannata, Wesley Principal cannatat@mpsct.org

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU SOON!