Welcome to Kindergarten�

Groton-Dunstable Regional

School District

2024�

Swallow Union Elementary School

Jill Jarvis - Principal

Helen Dzwonek - Administrative Assistant

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Margie Lattini - Kindergarten Teacher

Krissy Olson - Kindergarten Teacher

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Jen Gervais - School Nurse

Kate DeLoureiro - School Nurse

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Megan Mastroianni - Peter Twomey Center

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The Kindergarten Experience

The Kindergarten Day

*Sample schedule - changes are made yearly

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Kindergarten Video

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Wondering how you can help your child be ready for kindergarten both socially and academically?

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Kindergarten Readiness

School ready children have social and academic knowledge, skills and behaviors for school success.

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• Social Emotional Development
• Language Development
• Cognitive Development
• Emergent Literacy
• Mathematical Thinking
• Science and Social Studies Concepts

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Emergent Literacy

• Listens, tells and engages is story being read
• Retell stories from favorite books and personal experiences
• Participates in singing songs and saying rhymes
• Tell if two words rhyme
• Holds book right side up, turns pages one at a time from front to back
• Writes first name
• Recognizes and names some letters of the alphabet, especially in own name
• Identifies some letter sounds

Reading aloud enriches vocabulary, comprehension and the skills required for independent reading!

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Mathematical Thinking

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• Counts up to twenty
• Understands and uses terms such as first, second, last
• Counts ten objects, pointing to each one
• Recognize numerals 1-10
• Recognize four objects in a group without counting
• Recognize and name basic shapes
• Sorts objects by color, shape and size
• Understands and uses words such as inside, outside, up, down, over and under

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Mathematics surround our children! Take time to count, sort, and estimate together!

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Social & Emotional Development

• Separates from caregiver to another trusted adult
• Shares, takes turns and plays cooperatively with other children
• Expresses basic emotions such as happy, sad, mad, or scared
• Is learning to work well alone and can do many tasks independently
• Is learning to use self-control

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Consistency is SO Important!

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Bedtime routines

Time to rise each morning

Expectations of behavior

Eating meals independently

Helping with family chores

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Additional Skills

• Put on coat and zip
• Put on shoes
• Use bathroom by self
• Put on backpack
• Hold a pencil
• Cut with scissors
• Put things away
• Hang backpack on a hook
• Wash hands with soap
• Use a tissue to wipe nose
• Cough into elbow
• Stand in line
• Sit quietly and listen
• Raise hand and wait to be called on

Remember!

If your child hasn't developed some of these skills, don't worry! Remember that children grow and develop at different rates.

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Transportation

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• All students will be assigned to a bus route
• Bus routes will be posted by late August
• Parents can drop off and pick up

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Bus Guidelines

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• The bus driver will not release a kindergarten student off the bus if an approved adult is not at the bus stop. The child will be returned to school and a parent/guardian will be contacted for pick up.

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• Kindergarten students are assigned to the front seats of the bus.

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Registration

• Begins Friday, March 8th, 2024
• Pre registration form needs to be completed prior to registration
• Incoming kindergarten students need to be 5 years on or before August 31st.
• Full Day Tuition Deposits must be received by May 15th. If your deposit is not received, your child will automatically be enrolled in Half-Day Kindergarten.

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Please note: Current Boutwell Students need to complete the Pre-Registration Form ONLY. Current students do not need to complete the online Registration. You should log into the Portal and confirm all of your information is correct.

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Registration

You can upload all required and additional documents directly through the online registration module.

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If you run into any problems or have questions on uploading documents please email:

studentregistration@gdrsd.org

For new students only: The next step in the Registration process is for you to complete the Online Registration in our SchoolBrains Online Registration Module. This is a multi-step process:

1. Create an Account
2. Login with your new account and begin the registration process. You must get to the last page and submit for the registration to save. You can always go back and add / edit information.
3. If you do not receive an email confirmation of your registration please reach out to studentregistration@gdrsd.org so we can look further.
4. Your Online Registration Account will contain messages and reminders for missing information. Be sure to check for and complete all missing information.
5. Important Note: If your child currently attends Boutwell, please DO NOT Re-enroll. You only need to complete the Pre-Registration Form.
6. You can upload all required and any additional documentation within the Online Registration module.
7. Your Registration is not considered complete until all missing information is completed and all required documentation has been submitted.

*Please do not use ALL CAPS when submitting your registration.

Kindergarten Screening

The state of Massachusetts (Chapter 766) and federal law (PL 94-142) requires that all students are screened as a process to understand the development of all children participating in kindergarten programming. Please keep in mind that the screening is exactly that - just an opportunity to give us a snapshot of what your child is able to demonstrate. This is not in any way a formal assessment of skills or any type of intellectual testing.

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• Kindergarten Screening will be on May 30th and May 31st
• Be on the lookout for information about your child’s screening appointment in early May

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Florence Roche and Swallow Union Elementary School Nursing Offices

Massachusetts School Immunization Requirements

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No student, as defined in 105 CMR 220.400, shall attend kindergarten through 12th grade without a certificate of immunization or a copy of a school immunization record that the student has received at least the following immunizations:

1. 5 Doses of DTaP Vaccine (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis)
2. 4 Doses of Polio Vaccine-4th dose must be given after age 4
3. 3 Doses of Hep B Vaccine (Hepatitis B)
4. 2 Doses of MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
5. 2 Doses of Varicella (Chicken Pox)

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**Religious exemptions for immunizations must be renewed yearly

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Other Requirements for Kindergarten Entry

Medical History Form (find online)

Lead Test- Date and Result

Current Physical Exam- August 2023 to August 2024

**Please don’t mail paperwork in the summer

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Prescription Medications

Prior to the initial administration of the prescription medication, the school nurse shall

assess the child’s health status and the following must be in place:

(a) First dose of any new medication CAN NOT be given at school.

(b) Medication MUST be in original container with:

NAME OF STUDENT� NAME OF MEDICATION� DOSE OF MEDICATION � DOSING INSTRUCTIONS

(c) Order form from the physician must be signed

(d) Parent consent for medication administration at school

(e) Any known allergies to food or medications must be documented by physician

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Medications at School

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Prior to ANY medication being given at school:

1. Doctor’s Order is required
2. Parent Permission form is completed

Medications CAN NOT be transported to school by a student

*With exception of emergency medications-Inhalers and Epi-Pens

Medication Forms

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• Licensed Prescriber Medication Order Form
• Anaphylaxis Treatment Plan and Physician's Order Form
• Parental Consent for the Administration of Epinephrine in School
• Parental Consent for the Administration of Medication at School

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Jennifer Gervais BSN,RN,NCSN

Kate Deloureiro BSN,RN

Swallow Union Elementary School

Phone: (978) 649-7281

Fax: (978) 649-5078

Email: jgervais@gdrsd.org

kdeloureiro@gdrsd.org

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**Need to meet to discuss your child?

Please call or email to set up a time.

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Website:https://sites.google.com/gdrsd.org/swallowunionnursewebsite/home

Groton Dunstable Extended Day and Community Education

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GD Extended Day offers quality before and after school care for children grades K-8 in an atmosphere that is friendly and offers enriching activities in a supporting and nurturing environment. The program’s focus is on the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth of its students, while maintaining affordable tuition rates for parents in need of before and after school care. Registration will open on April 6th.

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For more programs information visit our GDCE webpage https://gdrsd.myrec.com/info/default.aspx

For registration questions please contact Megan Mastroianni mmastroianni@gdrsd.org

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Dunstable Public Library

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• Dunstable Public Library offers storytimes and events for children. They offer preschool story hours and other fun events for children! Check soon to see their offerings! Kids age 6 and older can get their own library card.

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• You can reach Mrs. D, Children’s Librarian at kdebreceni@dunstablepl.org for more information.

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Look What’s New at the Dunstable Library!

VOX Audiobooks combine:

• outstanding picture books
• chapter books
• non-fiction titles

These audio recordings capture children’s attention and make learning and literacy development fun!

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Community Partnerships to Support Incoming Kindergartners and Families

• Check out the “Kid-Friendly” Groton Trail walks to do with friends and the interactive trail map for summer explorations. Be on the lookout for a guided walk and activity for our incoming K students organized through the Prescott Community Center.

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• The Family Partnership Center is organizing “Countdown to Kindergarten” this summer including a puppet show and play date! They will also be hosting a School Bus Story Hour in May.

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• Learn more about extended day and community education offerings here. There is even a Bike Rodeo in April for children 5 and up!

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Community Partnerships to Support Incoming Kindergartners and Families

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• The Groton-Dunstable Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) is a coalition of parents of students with diverse abilities. We seek equity and inclusion for all students. We seek to advise the district on matters related to special education and provide workshops that benefit the whole community. Email GDSEPAC2@gmail.com with questions or find us on Facebook!

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• The Swallow Union PTO is an organization that supports the students, families and staff in our school. They hold a variety of events such as a Welcome Back Fall Social and Book Fairs. For more information

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• GDEF is a local, non-profit, volunteer organization which supports all 5 District Schools with grants that directly benefit GDRSD students. See examples of grants they have awarded here. Go their website to learn more about volunteer opportunities and ways to support GDEF.

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Questions?

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Here’s how to stay connected with

Groton Dunstable Regional Schools

https://www.gdrsd.org

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A Day in the Life of a Kindergartener

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We look forward to working with you to nurture confident, cooperative, and independent kindergarten learners.

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