(This is the letter Mrs. Burt sent home at the beginning of the year)
Dear Kindergarten Parents:
Welcome to Kindergarten at Sugar Creek Elementary School – Home of the sharks! It was a gorgeous Carolina summer and I am looking forward to a fabulous fall, especially with your children in my class. I also assume that some of the children (and parents) are a bit nervous about the first day of kindergarten. Honestly, I am too. Every year, I have butterflies when I walk into the classroom to
see all of the children!
I really hope your child is excited about beginning the school year...all of the anxieties about the “newness” will soon disappear and we will all be having such a great time as we start learning our routines and making friends to enjoy throughout the year. I am sure you have many questions about your child’s kindergarten year, so I hope this newsletter will answer many of them. If I do not answer all of your questions, please feel free to call on me. My email address is [email protected] or you can call me at school.
What to Bring to School and Communication:
Your child will need to bring a bag or backpack to school every day to carry home papers/projects from school. Please check the contents of this backpack daily! I will give each child a binder to keep any papers that we may have completed in school, as well as any important notes that come from the office or me. This folder needs to be sent back to school every day.
Inside the binder your child will have a Sugar Creek Agenda. You will find lots of important information in your child’s agenda including homework, behavior, classroom news, and field trips. It is very important that you check your child’s agenda every night, remove all papers from the front pocket of his/her binder, and sign that you have checked his/her daily behavior.
Every month your child will bring home a classroom newsletter. In the newsletter, you will see what we have been working on in our classroom. Also included will be some at-home activities to reinforce what we are doing in the classroom. You will also receive other news weekly through notes and flyers. “Tuesday Folders” (blue) will come home every Tuesday and will have information from administrators, front office staff, and the PTO. Please remove all papers and return the folder to school on Wednesday.
Homework
Please put your child’s name on all supplies. I also ask that you explain to your child that his/her supplies MUST stay at school. In addition to the items your child will leave at school, s/he will need crayons, pencils, scissors, and glue at home for homework.
Your child will normally bring homework home on Mondays. Please have your child return the homework on Friday. During the week, I ask that you work on the skills being taught and READ! A monthly homework calendar will be in your child’s agenda each month along with a reading log.
Your child will also need to have sneakers or athletic shoes to wear on gym days. If your child does not know how to tie shoes, it would be helpful (but is not necessary) if he/she has slip–ons or Velcro shoes for gym. It is helpful to send your child to school with these shoes on when it is gym day. There is no need to buy a separate pair of gym shoes (just make sure that your child has on sneakers on gym days)! If you have shoes for gym already, your child can leave them at school in the cubby area. Please write your child’s name (first and last) on shoes, jackets, backpacks, etc. as they do go missing occasionally.
Please dress your son/daughter in “play clothes.” We will get dirty! We will go outside daily as weather permits and will be painting, gluing, etc. Kindergarten tends to be messy.
Snack Time
A daily snack is very important in kindergarten. Your child will enjoy a snack around 9:45 every day. We are asking that all families that are able, to send in $50 a year for snacks. Checks are made payable to Sugar Creek and can be made in full, $25 now and again in January, or $5 per month.
Birthdays
Birthdays in kindergarten are FUN! Some children like to celebrate their special day with a birthday snack. District policy requests that any food that is brought in needs to be packaged with nutrition labels due to allergies that students may have. Sorry but we will not allow home-made items to be brought in. Please do not send in a cake, as it is very difficult to cut and serve. It is not mandatory to send in a treat for a birthday. Please email me in advance to let me know that you will be bringing in a treat. If your child has a summer birthday and you would still like to celebrate sometime during the school year, that is great too…just let me know when!
We are asking that NO red juice, frosting, soda, etc. be brought into the classroom!!!
What’s New in Kindergarten?
Kindergarten has changed greatly in the past years. It is no longer the kindergarten that you or I remember. South Carolina standards for a child leaving kindergarten are high…reading at least a Level D, writing sentences, counting to 100, skip counting, adding, and subtracting with a sum of 10 etc. It is a very exciting curriculum. We work on social skills, rules and singing songs. I know you will be fascinated when he/she learns ABC’s, 123’s, learning the sounds letters make, and adding and subtracting. Don’t worry…I will be discussing all of these things with you many times throughout the school year. Again, please call if you have questions, comments, or concerns.
Helping Your Child Feel Independent
Coming to kindergarten is an important milestone in your child’s life. We will encounter many new experiences. If you bring your child to kindergarten or if you pick up at the end of the day, I am asking that you say your good-byes outside of the classroom door. One of our goals is to help your child become a responsible and independent learner. Each child needs to be
able to hang up his/her jacket and backpack by his/her self as well as take care of other classroom duties. PLEASE do not worry if your child needs help…we will be there. I am sure you will agree that hearing your child say, “I can do it all by myself!” is a good feeling! Thank you very much for helping your child grow in this matter. On the first day of school, you are welcome to
come in to the classroom with your child to share the first experience. Although it may be an emotional time for some of you, to make the transition more smoothly for your child, it is important that you say your good-byes in a timely manner as your child will begin to grow wings and explore on their own as we begin our day first day of kindergarten.
Book Orders
I will be sending home Scholastic book orders. The book orders often have great selections for reasonable prices. If you would like to purchase books please send it back to school with the payment by the date I have requested.
Safety
If your child needs to go home a different way than normal, , you must send a note to your child’s TEACHER (NOT the bus driver) or call the school office. THE RULE IS: YOUR CHILD MUST FOLLOW HIS/HER NORMAL DISMISSAL ROUTINE UNLESS WE HAVE A NOTE OR PHONE CALL FROM YOU TELLING US OTHERWISE. Please note that email is not a sufficient way to communicate transportation changes.
If your child needs to ride a different bus home than the one that picks him/her up, then a special request must be made to the Director of Transportation (802-1998). Students will be allowed to ride a different bus ONLY if prior approval is given.
You will spare your child anxiety and tears by simply informing us of any transportation changes. Thank you in advance.
Lunch Number
Your child’s lunch number was sent home in their agenda. Please help him/her to memorize this if he/she will be eating hot lunch or breakfast at school.
A Little about the Teacher
My name is Courtney Burt. This will be my first official teaching at Sugar Creek (although I substitute taught here the first year it was open). This will also be my first year teaching Kindergarten. Previously I taught 1st Grade, and Preschool. I am hoping now that I know where my students are coming from and the grade that they will be continuing onto will be an advantage for us. I have an undergraduate degree in fine arts from East Carolina University (Go Pirates), and a MAT in Early and Elementary Education from UofPhoenix, and I endorsed for Gifted and Talented. Teaching children is a wonderful job...there are probably no careers better than this one! I love seeing children grow. At the beginning of the year, they are just babies, but by the end, they are “big kids.”
Besides teaching, I love to spend time with my 5 year old son Noah, my 3 year old son Nathan, my husband Will, family and friends, dog Buddy, my cat Ernie, my many fish, and 4 Hermit Crabs (Turbo, Hermie, Shorty, Moe).. I also enjoy watching movies , reading, and doing anything outdoors.
A Little about Teacher’s Assistant
Hi! My name is Paula Stone. This is my 3rd year at Sugar Creek as a Kindergarten Academic Assistant. My husband, Mike and I have 4 children together. Christian is 22 years old and attends UNC Asheville, Madison is 20 and is currently enrolled at York Tech, Lucas is a senior at NFHS and last but certainly not least our little miracle baby Mylie, she is 8 and a 3rd grader here at SCES. We are a big musical theater family. Where you see singing, dancing and acting, you will see us. I was born in Texas, grew up in Mint Hill, NC then finally landed in the BEST city there is – Fort Mill. I have taught pre-school for over 15 years, subbed in the district for 5 as well as coaching in the FMSD for 7. I love working here at Sugar Creek and especially love working in Kindergarten. The best part of our kinders is watching them grow each and every day. I am super excited to have your little one in our class. We are going to have a TERRRIFIC year!
Communication between home and school
I am excited for our “team approach” concerning your child’s education. We all have the same goal – for your child to be happy, challenged, comfortable, and secure at school. We need to work together in order for your child to reach maximum success. I am asking that you please review things we have learned at school on a daily basis. There is no need to spend hours at night drilling skills. Have fun…read books daily, play word games, review letters/sounds, numbers, etc. I will be sending home some ideas for you throughout the year. We will have homework. It is your child’s homework. You will need to help your child, but encourage your child to do the majority of the work. Please read the newsletters I send home with your child. They will tell you everything that we are working on in school.
Writing notes, calling, or emailing are great ways to share information with me. Please call anytime you are unsure about something. I have a special mailbox in my room that your child will become very familiar with. Each child will be responsible for checking his/her folder every day for important papers/notes that come from home to be placed in the mailbox. You may also send lunch money this way and we will make sure all important information gets to the office or its designated
place.
Together we will make your child’s kindergarten year the best ever!
Finding Joy in the Journey,
Mrs. Burt
Dear Kindergarten Parents:
Welcome to Kindergarten at Sugar Creek Elementary School – Home of the sharks! It was a gorgeous Carolina summer and I am looking forward to a fabulous fall, especially with your children in my class. I also assume that some of the children (and parents) are a bit nervous about the first day of kindergarten. Honestly, I am too. Every year, I have butterflies when I walk into the classroom to
see all of the children!
I really hope your child is excited about beginning the school year...all of the anxieties about the “newness” will soon disappear and we will all be having such a great time as we start learning our routines and making friends to enjoy throughout the year. I am sure you have many questions about your child’s kindergarten year, so I hope this newsletter will answer many of them. If I do not answer all of your questions, please feel free to call on me. My email address is [email protected] or you can call me at school.
What to Bring to School and Communication:
Your child will need to bring a bag or backpack to school every day to carry home papers/projects from school. Please check the contents of this backpack daily! I will give each child a binder to keep any papers that we may have completed in school, as well as any important notes that come from the office or me. This folder needs to be sent back to school every day.
Inside the binder your child will have a Sugar Creek Agenda. You will find lots of important information in your child’s agenda including homework, behavior, classroom news, and field trips. It is very important that you check your child’s agenda every night, remove all papers from the front pocket of his/her binder, and sign that you have checked his/her daily behavior.
Every month your child will bring home a classroom newsletter. In the newsletter, you will see what we have been working on in our classroom. Also included will be some at-home activities to reinforce what we are doing in the classroom. You will also receive other news weekly through notes and flyers. “Tuesday Folders” (blue) will come home every Tuesday and will have information from administrators, front office staff, and the PTO. Please remove all papers and return the folder to school on Wednesday.
Homework
Please put your child’s name on all supplies. I also ask that you explain to your child that his/her supplies MUST stay at school. In addition to the items your child will leave at school, s/he will need crayons, pencils, scissors, and glue at home for homework.
Your child will normally bring homework home on Mondays. Please have your child return the homework on Friday. During the week, I ask that you work on the skills being taught and READ! A monthly homework calendar will be in your child’s agenda each month along with a reading log.
Your child will also need to have sneakers or athletic shoes to wear on gym days. If your child does not know how to tie shoes, it would be helpful (but is not necessary) if he/she has slip–ons or Velcro shoes for gym. It is helpful to send your child to school with these shoes on when it is gym day. There is no need to buy a separate pair of gym shoes (just make sure that your child has on sneakers on gym days)! If you have shoes for gym already, your child can leave them at school in the cubby area. Please write your child’s name (first and last) on shoes, jackets, backpacks, etc. as they do go missing occasionally.
Please dress your son/daughter in “play clothes.” We will get dirty! We will go outside daily as weather permits and will be painting, gluing, etc. Kindergarten tends to be messy.
Snack Time
A daily snack is very important in kindergarten. Your child will enjoy a snack around 9:45 every day. We are asking that all families that are able, to send in $50 a year for snacks. Checks are made payable to Sugar Creek and can be made in full, $25 now and again in January, or $5 per month.
Birthdays
Birthdays in kindergarten are FUN! Some children like to celebrate their special day with a birthday snack. District policy requests that any food that is brought in needs to be packaged with nutrition labels due to allergies that students may have. Sorry but we will not allow home-made items to be brought in. Please do not send in a cake, as it is very difficult to cut and serve. It is not mandatory to send in a treat for a birthday. Please email me in advance to let me know that you will be bringing in a treat. If your child has a summer birthday and you would still like to celebrate sometime during the school year, that is great too…just let me know when!
We are asking that NO red juice, frosting, soda, etc. be brought into the classroom!!!
What’s New in Kindergarten?
Kindergarten has changed greatly in the past years. It is no longer the kindergarten that you or I remember. South Carolina standards for a child leaving kindergarten are high…reading at least a Level D, writing sentences, counting to 100, skip counting, adding, and subtracting with a sum of 10 etc. It is a very exciting curriculum. We work on social skills, rules and singing songs. I know you will be fascinated when he/she learns ABC’s, 123’s, learning the sounds letters make, and adding and subtracting. Don’t worry…I will be discussing all of these things with you many times throughout the school year. Again, please call if you have questions, comments, or concerns.
Helping Your Child Feel Independent
Coming to kindergarten is an important milestone in your child’s life. We will encounter many new experiences. If you bring your child to kindergarten or if you pick up at the end of the day, I am asking that you say your good-byes outside of the classroom door. One of our goals is to help your child become a responsible and independent learner. Each child needs to be
able to hang up his/her jacket and backpack by his/her self as well as take care of other classroom duties. PLEASE do not worry if your child needs help…we will be there. I am sure you will agree that hearing your child say, “I can do it all by myself!” is a good feeling! Thank you very much for helping your child grow in this matter. On the first day of school, you are welcome to
come in to the classroom with your child to share the first experience. Although it may be an emotional time for some of you, to make the transition more smoothly for your child, it is important that you say your good-byes in a timely manner as your child will begin to grow wings and explore on their own as we begin our day first day of kindergarten.
Book Orders
I will be sending home Scholastic book orders. The book orders often have great selections for reasonable prices. If you would like to purchase books please send it back to school with the payment by the date I have requested.
Safety
If your child needs to go home a different way than normal, , you must send a note to your child’s TEACHER (NOT the bus driver) or call the school office. THE RULE IS: YOUR CHILD MUST FOLLOW HIS/HER NORMAL DISMISSAL ROUTINE UNLESS WE HAVE A NOTE OR PHONE CALL FROM YOU TELLING US OTHERWISE. Please note that email is not a sufficient way to communicate transportation changes.
If your child needs to ride a different bus home than the one that picks him/her up, then a special request must be made to the Director of Transportation (802-1998). Students will be allowed to ride a different bus ONLY if prior approval is given.
You will spare your child anxiety and tears by simply informing us of any transportation changes. Thank you in advance.
Lunch Number
Your child’s lunch number was sent home in their agenda. Please help him/her to memorize this if he/she will be eating hot lunch or breakfast at school.
A Little about the Teacher
My name is Courtney Burt. This will be my first official teaching at Sugar Creek (although I substitute taught here the first year it was open). This will also be my first year teaching Kindergarten. Previously I taught 1st Grade, and Preschool. I am hoping now that I know where my students are coming from and the grade that they will be continuing onto will be an advantage for us. I have an undergraduate degree in fine arts from East Carolina University (Go Pirates), and a MAT in Early and Elementary Education from UofPhoenix, and I endorsed for Gifted and Talented. Teaching children is a wonderful job...there are probably no careers better than this one! I love seeing children grow. At the beginning of the year, they are just babies, but by the end, they are “big kids.”
Besides teaching, I love to spend time with my 5 year old son Noah, my 3 year old son Nathan, my husband Will, family and friends, dog Buddy, my cat Ernie, my many fish, and 4 Hermit Crabs (Turbo, Hermie, Shorty, Moe).. I also enjoy watching movies , reading, and doing anything outdoors.
A Little about Teacher’s Assistant
Hi! My name is Paula Stone. This is my 3rd year at Sugar Creek as a Kindergarten Academic Assistant. My husband, Mike and I have 4 children together. Christian is 22 years old and attends UNC Asheville, Madison is 20 and is currently enrolled at York Tech, Lucas is a senior at NFHS and last but certainly not least our little miracle baby Mylie, she is 8 and a 3rd grader here at SCES. We are a big musical theater family. Where you see singing, dancing and acting, you will see us. I was born in Texas, grew up in Mint Hill, NC then finally landed in the BEST city there is – Fort Mill. I have taught pre-school for over 15 years, subbed in the district for 5 as well as coaching in the FMSD for 7. I love working here at Sugar Creek and especially love working in Kindergarten. The best part of our kinders is watching them grow each and every day. I am super excited to have your little one in our class. We are going to have a TERRRIFIC year!
Communication between home and school
I am excited for our “team approach” concerning your child’s education. We all have the same goal – for your child to be happy, challenged, comfortable, and secure at school. We need to work together in order for your child to reach maximum success. I am asking that you please review things we have learned at school on a daily basis. There is no need to spend hours at night drilling skills. Have fun…read books daily, play word games, review letters/sounds, numbers, etc. I will be sending home some ideas for you throughout the year. We will have homework. It is your child’s homework. You will need to help your child, but encourage your child to do the majority of the work. Please read the newsletters I send home with your child. They will tell you everything that we are working on in school.
Writing notes, calling, or emailing are great ways to share information with me. Please call anytime you are unsure about something. I have a special mailbox in my room that your child will become very familiar with. Each child will be responsible for checking his/her folder every day for important papers/notes that come from home to be placed in the mailbox. You may also send lunch money this way and we will make sure all important information gets to the office or its designated
place.
Together we will make your child’s kindergarten year the best ever!
Finding Joy in the Journey,
Mrs. Burt