Margaret Kiel's Webpage

 

Welcome to Room 203!

 

Kindergarten Specialist Schedule:
 

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Music	Maker Space	Maker Space	Library	Spanish
Gym	Gym	Spanish	Gym	Music
Library

6/03/2022

Monday, June 6th at 1:30 PM is Fishing at Lake Harriet with our Special Friends. No need to send in fishing poles or tackle from home. Poles and tackle will be provided. Come and join us for the afternoon. Volunteers are Max Fry, Emily Aviles, and Brian Sheposh - Thank you! Please arrive to school at 1:15 PM. Out of uniform day!
The night before children can dig for worms to use for fishing! More information was sent home today.

Birthday Pinata Celebration: We made our birthday Pinata - a popsicle! The children worked together to create our beautiful pinata. We will have our Birthday celebration on Tuesday June 7th. Children with summer birthdays can dress out of unifofm to celebrate their birthdays. Thank you to everyone who contributed items for our pinata - I know the children will love these special items. 

June 6th is Lower Campus Field Day: We will walk to Linden Hills Park and enjoy spending time together outside. Out of uniform day! Consider applying sunscreen before school on Monday - it is supposed to be sunny! Please have your child bring a waterbottle as well. 

Kindergarten Celebration:  Please mark your calendars for the Kindergarten Celebration on Thursday, June 9th at 10:00 A.M. This is a very special morning! We hope you can join us in celebrating your child's accomplishments and year in kindergarten.  At the end of this celebration, summer vacation begins for the kindergarteners. Attire for the kindergarten celebration is out of uniform.  The children can wear whatever makes them feel special. A picnic is being planned following the Kindergarten Celebration at Beard's Plaisance. Summer begins for kindergarteners after the celebration. 

Space Story Party: Was so much fun! We celebrated being published authors by reading our book together and having a special treat: fudge popsickles! The children enjoyed looking at their books and sharing thier stories with each other. Our classroom was filled with endless smiles and laughter - fun and joy was had by all. I am so proud of them and all of their hard work that went into making this beautiful story happen. 
 
Highlights: Assessments for Report Cards, Scout's Birthday, Pinata, Sunny Weather,  Space Party, Mrs. Lodermeier's First Grade Play, Fire Drill

Dear Families,

Wow! What a year it has been. I can't believe this is our final newsletter and that we only have one week left of Kindergarten before Summer begins. It has been an honor to teach your children this year. Thank you for trusting and allowing me to be your child's teacher - I have loved spending the year with them. They have brought me incredible joy and I am going to miss having them in my class.

This has been an incredible year. It feels like just yesterday we had our first day of school and started this amazing adventure in Kindergarten. The children learned and mastered many skills and have become great friends. They learned their numbers, abcs, adding, subtracting, how to weave and sew, hammer nails, sand wood, planet names and facts, and so much more. They were excited to read books, write, solve math problems, make predictions, conduct experiments, play together, and form friendships. Our classroom was filled with laughter and smiles, curiosity, imagination, excitment, kindness, and an endless love for learning and for each other. Each of your children hold a special place in my heart and I am going to miss them dearly.

A special thank you to you all, for all of your contributions, help and support in the classroom and in your child's learning in Kindergarten. We made a great team! Enjoy the space books and scrapbooks (look for them next week) filled with beautiful artwork and Kindergarten memories. I have appreciated working with you this year. Have a great Summer and stop by for a visit in the Fall! 

-Ms. Kiel

Art: This year ... we created beautiful pieces representative of each child's vision. We used many media and tools - crayons, markers, chalk, charcoal, paint, watercolors, paper, tissue, paper, paper towels, fabric, wood, recycled materials...

Religion: This year ... we prayed everyday and gave thanks for all of God's beautiful creations. We learned how to work together and love one another. We learned to say sorry and I forgive you. 

Communication: This year ... we had fun learning our letters and sounds, many sight words, inventive spelling and publishing a book about space. Keep encouraging your children to write. Start a new Summer Journal. Have your children write a letter to someone special. Keep reading this summer! Take many field trips to the library, join the Library Reading Club or start your own "Books I Have Read This Summer" list.  


Math: This year ... we learned many skills, adding, subtracting, naming, counting, and writing numbers to 100, time, measurement, graphing, patterns, shapes, sorting, money... Keep practicing and playing math games this summer. 

Social Studies: This year...we learned about the world around us and how to work together as a community. We learned our phone numbers and addresses. 

Science: This year ... we learned about wood, fabric, nature, and animals. We learned how to make predictions and conduct experiments. We loved going outside. Go on nature walks and explore the beautiful outdoors this Summer. Make discoveries and keep a science journal. Go to the museum and Richardson Nature Center and keep being Earth Keepers. 

Parents. Enjoy your summer vacation! Enjoy the slow pace and curling up with a great book on a hammock.  Enjoy a swim in the lake and baking cookies...You deserve it! Come back and visit next year and tell me all about your summer adventures.

See you on Thursday, June 9th for our Kindergarten Celebration! Our celebration begins at 10:00. Picnic at Beards Plaissance to follow.  

Happy Summer!

-Ms. Kiel

Some weekly reminders for parents:

1. Please read this website every weekend for very important weekly kindergarten information. I will send an email alert on Fridays letting you know when my website is ready.
2. Please read the Carondelet Catholic School news notes every weekend too  .
3. Please read through the information in the Big Green Envelopes (BGE) on Wednesdays and then return them. 
4. Remember to send a fruit or vegetable snack daily with your child. Please no granola bars or nuts. 
5. Please put your child's name on their lunch boxes, water bottles and sweaters.

I am so happy  to be spending the year with you and your children.

Ms. Kiel

For Your Calendar:
6-7-2022 Summer Birthday Pinata Celebration
6-6-2022 Field Day/Fishing with our Special Friends 
6-9-22 Last Day of School and Kindergarten Celebration - 10:00 AM
Summer Birthdays - Cary, Teddy, Clayton, Hannah - Happy Birthday!

Here are some  super important notes for kindergarten parents:

Dismissal Procedures:  A big part of every day is going home.  We have your transportation plans on file and in the classroom.  It is so important to us and to your child that they know where they are going after school. Often there are changes, such as doctor appointments, piano lessons or play plans with friends.  If you have a change in plans, other than what you indicated on forms, you MUST Email Holly before 3:00.   

Post the monthly  kindergarten calendars your child brings home. 

If your child has “ kindergarten tummy” (is missing you, which is normal, and often it happens more the 2nd and 3rd week of school) help your child by putting a photo of you in their backpack or pocket.  They can take a peek whenever they want to. 

Sometimes children have food allergies in the kindergarten class, as is becoming the norm in schools.  If a class has a student with allergies, that class will follow allergy awareness procedures and will not bring any food or drink besides water into the classroom. An exception is on days we cannot eat in the cafeteria, safe procedures will be in place on these days as well. To help encourage good hygiene and prevent the spread of germs, the children will wash their hands before starting their day. This will help in reducing illnesses. 

Kindergarteners have an  afternoon snack: fruit or vegetable (parents provide). Please no dips. You may want to chat with your child about saving that afternoon snack food in their lunchbox. 

Birthday Celebrations:  Out of concern for students’ overall wellness, Carondelet has decided to eliminate birthday treats from the school day. Instead, students will be given an out-of-uniform day on their birthday. Teachers will also have their own classroom traditions.  We celebrate summer birthdays during the last week of school with a classroom piñata. We love Birthdays!!

Communication/Newsletters:  Parents must read the important details from the Classroom newsletters that are posted online each Friday (end-of-day, around 5:30). The All-school on-line  newsletter is emailed to parents each Friday. 

It's going to be a GREAT year!!

Kindergarten Tips & Reminders:

Here are some tips about Kindergarten that will help you know some important details about how our classrooms work.  Of course, make sure you read the Carondelet Catholic School Handbook.  Save this information for future reference. 

Books in a Bag:  During the year, we will be sending home, classroom books, beginning readers and Book projects or Math games.  If your child brings one home, help them read the book or play the game and send it back to school.

Dismissal Information:  If your regular plans change, send the information via Email to Holly in the morning or by 3:00. Please no written notes.

Friday News: The Kindergarten Newsletters will be available on-line on Fridays after 5:30.  Please read it.  It gives details about our classrooms, volunteer opportunities and gives you highlights of our week.  Look for a monthly calendar in your child's backpack.

Gym:  Our class has gym on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.  Children should wear gym shoes on gym days.  It is best if they wear gym shoes all day.  

Homework:  We believe that every day, a kindergarten child’s “homework” should be playing outside and reading a book or books with parents.  Readers grow by being read to and children need to run and exercise and play outside in nature and plan their own time.  We will give “fun” homework occasionally, like finding something made of wood to bring in to share, bringing in a favorite folktale, or measuring a favorite animal, as well as Math and communication homework.  

Some children excel in Math.  If they want and are self-motivated to do extra work, we will send home "Challenge Math" starting in October. Additionally, if children excel in reading, we will send home Book projects or extra literacy work. 

But, generally, kindergarten kids work very hard listening and following directions all day and we believe they need unstructured time and family time. 

Library:  We have library on Mondays and Thursdays.  Please help your child remember to return their books each week.

Makerspace: Our class has Makerspace on Tuesdays. and Wednesdays.

Music: Our class has Music on Mondays and Fridays.

Money:  You will be billed for most expenses for school, like Field Trips, lunches etc.  If you do need to send money to school, attach it to the appropriate form.  It is best to send money in a sealed envelope and please include:  your child’s first and last name, the date and the amount of money.

Names on clothing and school items:  It helps if you put your family name on all clothing items; even boots and snow pants.

Snacks:  Every afternoon we will have a “fruit/vegetable break” with a free milk.  Please send one portion of a fruit or vegetable for your student.  Example:  banana, apple, peach slices, carrots, celery.  (No dips please!)  

We additionally will have special snacks to celebrate Holidays and special events.  We will get the word out, and families can volunteer to send a wrapped treat if it is convenient.  We will alert you about when the snack is needed and give a suggestion of what to send.  We will take into consideration any food allergies so that everyone can enjoy.  

Volunteers and Field Trip Chaperones:  All adults need a background check, Virtus training and sign a Code of Conduct form as mandated by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to participate in activities.  All families received the necessary forms. There are more in the office.  Watch for Virtus training dates for our school on the Web site or go to    www.Virtus.org. 
                                                        
We invite you to contact us by email for quick notes.  But, if you have a pressing issue, please let’s talk on the phone or conference together so we can have an open exchange.  We will be checking email several times between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm.

Questions?    

Send us an email or call our voicemail
                                                           
 We invite you to contact us by email for quick notes.  But, if you have a pressing issue, please let’s talk on the phone or conference together so we can have an open exchange.  We will be checking email several times between 9:00am and  4:30 pm.

Additional Kindergarten Information

Kindergarten Behavior Plan:

To read the Kindergarten Behavior Plan   click here.