Welcome to Kindergarten!

Dear Kindergarten Families,

Welcome to Hilltop Elementary School’s Full Day Kindergarten! My name is Mrs. Ross. Some of you may know me as the half-time kindergarten teacher. I have been teaching the half time kindergarten program for the past few years at Hilltop. I’m excited to be moving to the full day program. I’ll have so much more time to work with your children and get to know them better.

My husband and I have two children, a five year old and a nine year old. I know first hand that Kindergarten is a very special time in the lives of students and their parents! My little girl will be going off to kindergarten this year too! I am excited to teach your child this year and look forward to this important journey with them!

Kindergarten is an essential developmental step in your child’s educational experience. Students in our class will be learning social skills, routines, and what it means to be a self-directed learner. Children come to kindergarten with many different skill levels, abilities, and life experiences. Some children are excited and ready for any new adventure at school, while others are apprehensive about leaving home and coming to a new environment. I encourage you talk about school and the exciting times students will have as the new school year approaches. The Children’s Librarian at the Lynnwood Library can suggest several terrific books on starting school. There is also a terrific display of back to school books at the Lynnwood Barnes and Noble.

Upcoming school events you should be aware of include:

*Kindergarten Parent Orientation – On August 31st at 7:00 PM, we will have a very important, parents-only, meeting at Hilltop. We will discuss curriculum, bus information, and answer any questions you may have. Please meet us in the gym.

*Meet the Teacher – September 1st, at 4:00 PM kindergarteners and their families can come to room 18 to see their classroom! This fun afternoon is an important time for students to get acquainted with the classroom and begin to feel comfortable with the transition to Kindergarten. You are welcome to bring school supplies on this day as well! It really helps us to have these in advance, so our classroom is clean and orderly on the first day. Please be sure to sharpen all pencils before bringing them to school.

*All students will meet in the gym on the first day of school, September 7th. Parents are welcome to come on the first day. If parents choose to come into the classroom, please help your student find his or her desk and backpack hook. You are welcome to come to the classroom to take pictures and make sure we get settled in. Then, please say “good-bye” and wish your student well on an exciting first day of school! A quick and speedy farewell will help your child transition to our classroom more easily. Chances are you are more anxious about the first day of school than your child is! I know that was the case at our house when my son went off to his first day of school!

If you have any questions or concerns or if you would like to volunteer to help out you can contact me via e-mail @ Rossb@edmonds.wednet.edu. I do most of my communication through email, so I will be gathering all parents’ email addresses at the kindergarten orientation meeting.

Once again, welcome to Room 18, at Hilltop. Let’s work together to make this a great year!

Sincerely,
Becca Ross