Week One

What an exciting week!  I am very impressed by how well your children did – especially considering the heat!  Dr. Wendy told us we broke a record on Tuesday: 101 degrees at 1:45.  After recess I have been breaking out my trusty spray bottle and nature sounds CD and having “Rainforest.”

We have covered a lot these first three days.  We learned about morning work centers and activity time.  We visited some other classrooms and some of the staff who help us.  We found out we can go in the garden but we have to ask before we pick something.  We did some singing together and talked about the pets we have and the pets we wish we had (and drew pictures of them).  And on Thursday we had our first art class with Miss Bell. 

This group of students loves dress ups and the guinea pig.  I have book lovers and lego fans and several who like to show off their gymnastics skills.  I’m learning who believes in fairies, who has new shoes, and who’s Dad drove from Seattle to San Diego with two birds and a frog (very impressive).

Thank you to the many helpers we have benefitted from this week – parents who help with centers, parents who kept things clean, parents who donated badly needed supplies (water and cups!), and parents who helped us be organized.  Thank you for freeing me to concentrate on your children.

This week I will be conducting short, one to one assessments with each child.  This will help me plan curriculum that challenges each child where they are.  Don’t be alarmed if the work right now seems too easy.  The academic teaching will start after the assessments.

Now some Don’t Forgets:  On Friday we have our first mandatory class parent meeting.  Sign up for child care in the classroom.  Also we still need items for our found art box.  Look for a list on our class blog.  And last, please be sure to bring a change of clothes for your child.  Kindergarten can be messy.

Thank you for everything,

Ms Morgan

One More Day!!!!!!

I had a great time at both gatherings meeting my new friends and their families. I sincerely feel that this is a great class of children and parents. I appreciated hearing that some of my new students are a little less nervous about this thing called kindergarten, especially after the classroom preview. Hopefully some of you parents are also :)

This week my goal for our class is simple: I want the children to begin to feel comfortable being at school. We will be learning new customs, such as raising one’s hand to speak at group time, and some new vocabulary (“activity time,” “writer’s workshop,” “special (enrichment) classes”). We will be getting used to our daily schedule and leaning where things are around the school and around the classroom. We will focus on getting to know our classmates and the school staff.

First Day of School

School begins at 8:30; however parking can be really difficult, so give your self plenty of time. The playground opens at 8am. When you come in, there will be a place for lunches over the cubbies. The children will choose where to put their cubbie in the shelves. They will also be asked to make a nametag. If they arrive early, they may play outside, but not in the classroom. I don’t want them to get started in play and be interrupted when it’s time to come to group. As close to 8:30 as possible, I will welcome the children to the circle, where we will have a group time focused on learning some basic things about our class. After that, I will release them to the centers: art, math and language arts.

You are welcome to stay for as much of the day as you think will help your child feel comfortable and will support their growing independence. You should let your child know the plan before you come to school, (i.e., “I am going to stay until you go to centers,” or “until you sit down for group.”) Make sure you tell them exactly when and where they will see you again, and how fun it will be for you to hear how their day went. If you need to leave and are having trouble with separating, please let me know. If you stay, I will likely put you to work.

If you leave and would like an update as to how your child is doing, you may call the office and Joan will come and check in with me and let you know.

What to Bring:

-Labeled lunch box or bag containing a snack for the morning and a nutritious lunch (if they are not getting a school lunch). I am known for my strong feelings regarding the connection between children’s ability to learn and the availability of healthy food. I suggest things such as fresh fruit, crunchy veggies, pasta, crackers (preferably whole grain), a sandwich, protein such as beans, cheese, tuna, nut butter, yogurt or meat, and a minimum of sugar or junk food. No candy or soda is allowed for snack or lunch. I am happy to play the “heavy” here; you can say, “Ms Morgan doesn’t allow candy.” I can’t warm or refrigerate food, so I suggest using an ice pack or thermos.

-A change of clothes. Even if your child doesn’t have bathroom accidents anymore, they may be needed for art or juice spills.

- If your child needs it, they can bring one small stuffed animal or transitional object. He/she/it will probably stay in your child’s cubbie most of the day, but just knowing it’s there can feel comforting.

Please do not bring backpacks or other objects too large to fit in the cubbies. We are kind of tight on space and your help is appreciated.

Please feel free to email me with any questions about Tuesday. Beginnings are so important, and I am looking forward to a great one!

I want you to know I am very aware of the honor you are doing me by trusting me to teach and nurture your children. Thank you for that trust and for the great year we will share together.

SDCCS Board Meeting

School districts are governed by an elected school board. We are governed by the board of our not-for-profit corporation: The Theresa Hessling Charter School Project. In 2000, the THCSP received approval for our charter from the state of California through San Diego Unified School District, our chartering agency. The members of the board are pledged to uphold the charter. Members duties include fiscal oversight for SDCCS and contracting with administrative staff, including the principal. Most of our board members are parents. Members are appointed by the board after they submit and application to the bard membership committee. Our board members include two representatives of our teaching staff and a liaison from our parent staff association. Our principal, Dr. Wendy Ranck Buhr, also attends board meetings (thought not as a voting member). Our legal documents, including board bylaws, or charter, and board policies, can be found on our website under Board.

This Tuesday a board meeting will be held at school in the office. Meetings are open to the public and all parents are encouraged to attend at least once to see our governance process in action. I go to just about every board meeting just to stay in the know. I'll be there Tuesday at 5:30 if you would like to join me. Meetings last any where from two to three hours, but you can leave whenever you need to.

Hope to see you there!
earth day parade

Two Quick Thoughts

First day of school two years ago. Can you spot the big sisters?
On getting ready for school: It is a little early for most almost-kindergardeners to figure out what "School starts soon!" really means. It's not uncommon for your child to begin asking, "Is it today?" everyday for the next four weeks. My advice is to hang a calendar low (if you don't have one already) and help your child count the days and mark them off. This is also a way to start getting in a little counting practice.

Our kindergarten is emphatically not academics-based. I focus on building community, developing social skills, supporting children's curiosity, and creating an ownership feeling about learning in each child. That being said, we have projects everyday that allow the children to build and expand academic skills.

Every year I have students beginning kindergarten who can read at higher grade levels and children who don't know letters from their left foot. The beauty of the SDCCS individualized approach is that I meet each child where they are and we go from there. I want to let you know that I do a quick check with each child privately at the beginning of the year to determine these things: can they recite the alphabet letters? Do they know the name of each letter? Do they know some of the sounds associated with each letter? How about counting and reading numbers? Can they write their first name?

Now, the last thing I want you to do is to start drilling your child before school starts. I hope most of my new friends are spending their time playing, going on family trips, and being with their friends and families. However, IF your child is showing an interest in letters and numbers, you may want to draw their attention to letters and numbers in their environment, show them what the names of the members of their family look like (don't forget the pets), share (library) books with them that focus on counting or the alphabet, count with them in the car or while on a walk (count steps). A lot of this just involves either auditory or visual memorization at this point. Brain research (which I love) is showing us that memorization is more effective when one is exposed to multi-sensory input. So counting while you jump or clap offers tactile stimulus along with the auditory sounds of numbers, and children learn more quickly and more thoroughly. Use these suggestions or not, but remember: have fun with it!

My second thought, by way of an SDCCS parent posting on our school facebook page, is about the importance of sleep and the effect lack of enough sleep has on young children. I have to say, I see this every year. As a parent myself, I know how hard those last hours of the day can be. What worked for us was to put my child to bed before she got sleepy. I know that sounds counter intuitive, but my daughter was much more reasonable when she wasn't sleepy, and so was I. Here is a great link on this topic: http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/health-nutrition/620-sleep-the-secret-weapon-for-school-success.gs?page=all Thanks Amy Besnoy.

Hi, everyone! I am writing to start connecting us all – children, teacher, and parents – as we begin our wonderful kindergarten year together.

First, I'd like to introduce myself. I was born and grew up near Los Angeles, and went to college in Northern California. I moved to San Diego in 1977. I began teaching in 1980. I have taught many grade levels, but I love kindergarten best. I love the opportunity to help children fall in love with school, to consider it the place they can be their best selves.

I was a founder of SDCCS. I had a vision of a school that would create a community that would serve the needs of all kinds of families, of adults as well as children. That vision has developed a life of it's own, just as it should, and is growing and changing with the input and imaginations of all those who come here.

My children are Molly, who is almost 20 and beginning her second year of college (she graduated from SDCCS in 2006). She and her best friend, also an SDCCS graduate, are moving to Santa Cruz. John is my partners' son, who was a member of our first class to attend SDCCS from kindergarten through 8^th grade. He is beginning high school at San Diego High – School of International Studies. Bill, my partner for 11 years, works for the city of San Diego. Our family likes to watch movies, go to museums, read, practice karate (kids), and yoga (me). We LOVE to travel. We have 2 dogs (one lives with John at his Moms' house) and 1 cat.

I am excited and delighted to get to know all of you. School starts in 4 WEEKS! As we get ready for the big day, we will have several opportunities to get together. The first will be a Get To Know You play date at Trolley Barn Park in University Heights, on Saturday, August 27th, from 3 to 4:30pm. This is an opportunity for the children to get a look at each other before school starts, and for the parents to begin to know the folks you will be spending this year with. I will be happy to answer your burning questions at this time as well. Bring folding chairs, snacks and sunscreen. I will bring ice, bottled water, and lemonade. I am going to call everyone by Wednesday, August 24th. If you don't hear from me, please give me a call on my cell phone: 619-723-5368.

I am ready for a great year full of learning, growing, playing and exploring together. I hope you are too!

-Ms Morgan