Monthly Archives: August 2023

August 25, 2023

First Week

Reminders:

Next week begins our change to adults saying goodbye at the car or sidewalk. Your children are amazing and have already done a great job learning how to enter the school and classroom. Thank you for helping with this!

Some children needed socks when we changing into gym shoes. Please check your child’s backpack to see if he/she needs a pair. Thanks!

I try to send quiet time towels home on Fridays to be washed. This week we only used them for two days, so I will wait until next week to send them home.

What We Are Doing In Kindergarten:

This week we met our class! Some children knew each other from preschool or young 5’s and other friendships outside our school. It is amazing to see how God places these children together in one room and how quickly they become friends. We have been using circle times to sit around the edge of the carpet and share something. This week we learned about favorite color and favorite food.

During the first few weeks of school a lot of time is spent on routines. We have to learn what to do when we get to school (hang up back packs, put name tags on, move lunch name). Students should arrive between 8:25-8:40. Please remind your child that he/she may go outside once backpacks are hung up, name tags are on and lunch names are moved.

We have read a few books this week that have helped us learn more about school and our tools that we use. The books include: If You Take a Mouse to School, The Pigeon Has to Go to School and How to be Kind in Kindergarten. Each child received How to be Kind in Kindergarten as a gift from Zeeland Christian.

We have begun reviewing the alphabet. This week we focused on letter a, b and c. We are reviewing the sounds letters make and look for the letter in writing. We will continue reviewing the whole alphabet before moving on to word wall words and reading. We are building strong foundations for our year of learning.

This week we had specials for the first time. We enjoyed nature rich learning on Tuesday afternoon. We also enjoyed Music, Spanish, PE and Art later in the week.

We enjoyed one of the best parts of kindergarten-play! This is a time where children learn social skills like compromise, planning and negotiation. They are able to be creative and explore. It is a fun-filled time of learning!

Dear families of students in young fives and kindergarten,
What a great first week of school this has been! This has been a huge transition week for your child (and likely you as well). As your child’s teacher will attest, the kids have been amazing this week. They’ve learned so many new routines, procedures, and expectations which will support their learning for the year to come. They went to chapel, listened to stories, made new friends, tried new things, explored new places, and learned new words and concepts. What a big week! If your child is exhausted and/or emotional, that is completely normal. There is so much anticipation for the first week of school and the shift from the pace of summer is drastic. At school, kids work incredibly hard all day long to learn new procedures, routines, social skills, and content. A few (or many) meltdowns at home are to be expected during these first weeks of school. If your child is learning in a new language, they are constantly problem-solving all day to figure out new words and make meaning. Your child’s brain is growing and it is tiring! As you are able, it is helpful to prioritize sleep and down time at home in these initial weeks of school. That said, you’ll notice as the weeks pass that your child will acclimate more and more to the new schedule, expectations, routines, and rhythms of the school year. We are so proud of the incredible job your kids are doing at school. It has truly been a remarkable start to the year and you will be amazed at the many ways your child grows over the course of this school year.
In short, it has been a fabulous launch into this new school year at ZCS. We are so grateful for the opportunity to partner with you and support your child as we step together into this new school year.
At the core of our mission we focus on providing a high-quality Christian education which ignites each child’s full potential. We are grateful to partner with you. Please be sure to reach out and connect with your child’s teacher or with me when your questions arise. We are fully invested in your children and in you!  It is a privilege to serve your child and your family at ZCS!
Grateful for your partnership,
Betsy Koop
Elementary Principal