Trinity Lutheran School
40 W Nicholai Street
Hicksville, NY 11801
(516) 931-2211
Dear families,
Welcome to the nursery school class of 2021/2022! I am Ms. Pepitone. I will be your child’s teacher. I have worked as an early childhood teacher here at Trinity Lutheran School since 2014. I love working with children. Seeing the joy that young children gain from the simple experiences of everyday life brings me happiness. Mrs. Rotondi will also be working in your child’s classroom as a full time teacher’s aide. Her warmth and compassion makes our classroom a friendly and accepting place. We are looking forward to another exciting year.
Attendance:
Drop off and pick up will be at the side ECC entrance. Drop off is at 9 am and pick up will begin at 3:20 pm. If your child is ill or absent please contact the main office at 931-2211 option 8. Please also notify me in writing of any changes to your child’s dismissal plan. If an adult, other than the parent, needs to pick up your child, please notify me in writing and have that adult bring their ID with them so that their identity can be confirmed.
Please remember that separation anxiety is normal at this age. Separation anxiety can start, stop and begin again at any time, even after months without any issue. Staying calm and reassuring with your child can help a great deal when separating. Also following a consistent morning routine may help. Attachment items like blankies, photos, toys, and other such reminders of home are welcome in my classroom to make the transition to school smoother and more comfortable for your child. Please remember though that the classroom is no place for valuables, electronic equipment or precious items from home.
Communication:
I believe that communication is the key to your child’s success and to a great parent / teacher relationship. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. My email address is [email protected]. I also have a class dojo classroom blog and messaging app account. Please download the free app. There you will find photos, videos, updates and reminders from our classroom. There is also a messaging tool where we can message one another.
Your child is also expected to bring their communication folder to school daily. The folder will include newsletters, class work, projects and notes to/from home. The folder should be emptied daily.
Toilet Training:
All children are expected to be potty trained before entering school. It is still normal, however, for your preschooler to have accidents from time to time. In the event that your child has an accident in class, we will do our best to assist your child in changing into a clean change of clothes. If your child is soiled or has had a bowel movement and is unable to change themselves with assistance, you will be notified via both message and phone call. Your child should have a plastic shoebox stored in the classroom with a complete change of clothes in the event that your child needs to be changed.
Curriculum:
Each preschool day brings with it many opportunities to learn and interact with others. We follow an integrated preschool curriculum that we purchased from Mother Goose Time. It provides a variety of daily lessons based on the monthly learning theme. This month we will begin with the theme, “Wonder About Making Friends.”
Clothing:
Please dress your child appropriate for the weather daily. We will make our best effort to go outside each day. Please remember that our school days are filled with active play and that your child should be wearing sneakers. Flip flops and crocs are not permitted in school as they are a safety hazard.
Classroom Routine:
Although everyday brings with it new experiences and new interactions, our classroom routine remains relatively the same. We try to follow a consistent routine in class because this structure gives children a sense of stability and predictability. Our daily routine tends to follow the pattern below (all times are approximate):
9am – Drop off / Greeting
9:15 – Head down to classroom / Tabletop Play: Sensory, Manipulatives, Worksheets
9:30 – Circle Time / Intro to the daily theme / Good morning & attendance / Smartboard activities / Whole group lessons
9:45 – Snack Time (snack is provided by the school)
10:00 – Centers / Play time
10:30 – Outdoor Recess / Gym
11:00 – Story Time
11:15 – Carpet Time: Calendar & weather, music and movement
11:30 – Jesus Time
11:45 – AM dismissal / PM open play time and potty break
12pm – Lunch
12:30 – Nap
1:30 – Table Top Time / Playdough, writer’s workshop, math manipulatives, exploratory science
1:50 – Story Time / Music and Fingerplays
2:00 – Centers and play time
2:30 – Outdoor Recess / Gym
3:00 – Pack Up / Table top Time / Closing
3:15 – Dismissal: Our class pick up time is
3:20 at the side ECC entrance
I am looking forward to our nursery school adventure together!
Blessings,
Ms. Pepitone