We are so excited to welcome our new kindergarten students to their very first day of Kindergarten and look forward to sharing some awesome photos with families once we have a chance to review our media opt out policy.
Dear Kindergarten Families,
We are excited to announce that the kindergarten team from the Integrated Arts Academy will be participating in a new pilot program this year, the Kindergarten Family Connection Project! Each kindergarten teacher will be available to meet with every new kindergarten student and their family at their home or a location of their choice. What is the family connection project? We will be having short and informal connection meetings between each classroom teacher and every kindergarten student and their family. The teacher and another member of the teaching team from IAA will meet with the student and their family for a casual conversation. Each visit will be approximately 30 minutes and our team is hoping to offer a variety of times to fit the many different schedules of families. During each visit, we will talk a little bit more about your hopes and dreams for your child’s kindergarten year. We will ask your kiddo some questions to get to know them better and bring a small activity to complete together! We will answer any questions you might have (to the best of our ability) and also share a resource that we plan to use this year in the classroom. These visits can take place in a variety of locations. Why are family connection meetings important? Research shows that home visits from early educators have a wide range of benefits to both the families and teachers. These visits allow parents and teachers to establish a connection early on, so parents feel more comfortable in the school environment. Home visits also help teachers get to know children—their interests, siblings, pets, etc. —so they can make learning more meaningful and personal. Developing strong relationships with each student and family is key to success in the classroom and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in this project. Families know their children best and we are looking forward to meeting one on one with each family to get to know each student before the first day of school. Where will we meet? We realize that everyone might not want to take part in this project, but we are prepared to be flexible to make sure it meets the needs of your family. We are open to visiting your home, inside or outside, a nearby park or another location. We could even have a one on one meeting at school, but would prefer to meet somewhere that is meaningful to your child. Participation in the family connection meeting project is optional, but we would love the opportunity to spend some time with your child before the first day of school! When will we meet? At this time, our tentative dates for visits are: Ms. Emily: Thursday, Aug. 12 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Saturday, Aug. 14 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, Aug. 17 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Ms. Holly: Wednesday, Aug. 11 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Saturday, Aug. 14 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, Aug. 17 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM How do I sign up? In the next few days, your child’s kindergarten teacher will reach out to your household to schedule a visit. If you would like to schedule a visit sooner, please give your classroom teacher a phone call! Ms. Emily (908) 303 4097 or Ms. Holly (802) 264 9848 If you have further questions about the Kindergarten Family Connection Project, please feel free to direct any questions to Victor Prussack, Coordinator of the Office of Engagement, [email protected]. We look forward to meeting with you soon! Thank you, The Kindergarten Team Ms. Holly and Ms. Emily |
AuthorsMs. Emily and Ms. Holly are the kindergarten teachers at the Integrated Arts Academy at H.O. Wheeler in Burlington, Vt. Archives
August 2021
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