Everyday Procedures at Badger Clark and in Our Classroom

  AM Arrival:  At Badger Clark, all students will either go to the playground or to breakfast (if they wish) before the bell rings at 8:05. Children eating breakfast at school may enter the building and go directly to the cafeteria. Be sure to discuss with your child whether or not they should eat breakfast at school.  Parents are often surprised to find lunch money depleted because their child has been enjoying a second breakfast at school. Students who are not eating breakfast should go directly to the playground. Students will line up on the playground at 8:05 when the bell signals the beginning of school. If you and your child arrive at school after that time, you must escort them into the Badger Clark entrance and sign them in at the office.

Office Procedures:  Visitors to the building will be required to stop at the office for a pass before proceeding to the classroom (even for brief visits). If you need to pick up your child during the school day, you must go to the Badger Clark office FIRST to check your child out.  The office staff will call the classroom and ask your child to come to meet you. 

Dismissal: I will accompany each student to their bus or pick-up spot in the cafeteria each day. If an emergency demands that you pick your child up from the bus line as we are dismissing, you must check your child out from the office first.  They will not be dismissed from the bus line or off the bus without authorization from the Badger Clark office.

Children picked up after school will be waiting for their ride in the cafeteria at approximately 2:50 pm. Our class will have a designated pick-up spot in the cafeteria where we’ll meet parents. Please catch my eye and say goodbye before leaving with your student. 

After School Arrangements:  If there is a change in your normal after-school arrangement, you MUST send a note or call the office to let us know.  Please do not try to contact me with an e-mail to make changes.  Also, we CANNOT take a child’s word for any changes.  If someone other than you will be picking up your child, be sure to have that person’s name on your child’s records in the office.  We want to ensure the safety of our students!  Please make every effort to keep changes to a minimum.

Backpack Tags:  I’ll prepare a tag for each student’s backpack with the details of where they go after school – parent pick-ups, bus numbers, etc.  Please be sure this tag stays on your child’s backpack throughout the entire school year. Again, if a change in after-school arrangements is required, please notify me or the office.

Classroom Snacks: Each month you will receive a snack calendar from our classroom.  Please note the day on which you are asked to provide snack for the whole class. Simple, inexpensive snacks are best.  Douglas School District policy requires that only pre-packaged food items be served at school.  We are not allowed to serve home-made treats.  A “Snack Sack” bag will be sent home on Fridays for the group of children responsible for bringing snack sometime during the following week.  Hopefully, this will be a reminder that your turn is coming soon. 

Sending Money to School: Each time you send money to school, we ask that it be in a sealed envelope with your child’s name, my name, room number (29), and the purpose for the money written on the outside (lunch, book order, etc.)  I send all lunch/milk money directly to the food services staff each morning and they in turn create a receipt for you.  Please, never send money to school without putting it in an envelope with the required information!  I won’t open these envelopes, so please remember to keep classroom notes separate.

Book Orders:  Firefly and SeeSaw Book Orders will accompany each month’s newsletter.  Each offers a wonderful selection of books geared for the Kindergarten student.  

Daily Book Exchange:  Have you heard?  The single most important thing you can do to help your child become a reader is to read to them on a daily basis!  To support that effort, students can bring home a book from our classroom library each day.  Books from the classroom will arrive in a Ziploc bag for protection.  Whenever possible, please send the book and the Ziploc bag back so that your child can choose another book to enjoy.

Independent Reading: As students begin to read independently, they'll bring home books from our literacy resource room to practice with you! Encourage your child to read each book multiple times to build confidence and fluency.   

Birthdays:  Birthdays are celebrated on the day of your child’s birthday whenever possible.  If a birthday falls on a holiday or weekend, we’ll celebrate beforehand.  When a student celebrates his/her birthday, you are invited to send treats for the whole class.  Cupcakes, cookies, or more nutritional treats are welcomed.  Again, only pre-packaged snacks can be served at school.  We will celebrate summer birthdays in the month of May.    

Parties:  We will have two classroom parties during the school year, one at Christmas and the other on Valentine’s Day.  As those holidays approach, I will send home sign-up sheets for families willing to send treats. 

Special Area Classes:  Your child will attend specials several times during the week to meet the goals of our curriculum.  Students will enjoy music, gym, computer, and library classes. Badger Clark students also participate in art class. 

Backpacks:  Please make it a habit to check your child’s backpack daily.  Not only does it provide an opportunity for you to hear about and show your interest in their school day, it ensures that you receive important notes and information in a timely manner. Your child’s yellow folder will be used as a daily “take-home” folder.  We’ll establish the routine of bringing that folder into the classroom each morning, checking it for homework or notes, and putting it away until the end of the school day.  You’ll also see a special blue “Friday Folder” containing information from the Badger Clark office or the school district. Please return this folder after you’ve checked it.