Kindergarten Great Beginnings

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Mandatory Forms

 Register for Kindergarten
Registration opens mid-January for students turning 4 years of age before the end of the calendar year.  Select the appropriate school year for September start DDSB Register for Kindergarten link
 Parent Questionnaire
 If requested, the Kindergarten Parent Questionnaire assists the teacher in making the transition for your child easier
 Immunization Reportable Online 
 Every time your child is immunized you need to report it to Durham Region Health Dept

Ready for Success

 Toilet Training 
Before coming to school it is important that your child is toilet trained. Each of our Kindergarten rooms have a washroom located inside our classroom. We teach our students to listen to their bodies and use the washroom as needed. If you require a resource to help with toilet training, click Resources
 Velcro Shoes and Boots
We highly recommend the purchase of Velcro footwear (labelled) to aid students' independence when entering and exiting the classroom. They should have two pairs of Velcro shoes, (one pair for indoor use and one pair for home use.) Velcro boots or slip-on boots (no laces) are also recommended when winter arrives.
 Lunch/Snack Box
When choosing a lunch bag, make sure it is big enough to hold the food storage containers you plan to send for lunch. Have your child practise opening and shutting their containers before school begins. It is also a good idea to have them practise packing their food containers inside their lunch bag so they know how everything will fit. Label all containers and lunch bags.  
 Reusable Water Bottle
A water bottle should be sent to school daily. Do some investigation into water bottle quality before making a purchase. Leaky water bottles are frustrating! It is a good idea to have back-up water bottles at home as well. This is the item that is most often misplaced at school. Please label lids and bottoms.  
 Extra Clothing - labelled with students name
Students should always have an extra set of clothes at school. Accidents happen! Sometimes it's caused by a little too much fun in the art or water-play centers. Soiled clothes will be sent home that day with a note from the teacher. Please label each clothing item sent to school.  
Practice dressing for outdoor weather
Getting dressed for winter weather can be frustrating for students in Kindergarten. Zippers won't go up, boots get stuck and snow pant straps get twisted. Before it's time to begin wearing winter items, give your child time to practise getting dressed in their outer clothing at home. Label everything, We recommend a special ribbon on jackets/snow pants that is easy for your child to recognize.
 Safe Pickup List for the end of the day
Children will be dismissed at end of day based on the names submitted on the registration pick up list, (even if we know them well.) The school will follow information from the DDSB Parent Portal which requires an annual update.  Contact office if a change is requested.
 Recommended Reading Lists
The Early Years Department is pleased to share additional reading resources.

Full Day Kindergarten Program

 Playing is Learning
 

The Full day Kindergarten is a child-centred, developmentally appropriate, integrated program of learning for four and five year old children. The purpose of the program is to establish a strong foundation for learning in the early years, and to do so in a safe and caring, play-based environment that promotes the physical, social , emotional, and cognitive development of all children.The Kindergarten Curriculum", 2016, pg.8.   Playing is Learning. 
 Four Frames in Kindergarten
 

The frames- Belonging and Contributing, Self-Regulation and Well-Being, Demonstrating Literacy and Mathamatics Behaviours and Problem Solving and Innovating are designed to support an approach that aligns with the way children's learning naturally occurs and that focuses on aspects of learning that are critical to young children's development. The frames reflect the integrated way in which learning occurs during children's play and inquiry in Kindergarten. The Kindergarten Curriculum, 2016, pg 13

The Kindergarten Program-Overview of the New Kindergarten Overall Expectations
 Belonging and Contributing

This frame encompasses children's learning and development with respect to:

  • their own thinking and feelings, and their recognition of and respect for differences in the thinking and feelings of others

  • regulating their emotions, adapting to distractions, and assessing consequences of actions in a way that enables them to engage in learning

  • their physical and mental health and wellness. The Kindergarten Curriculum, 2016, pg 15
 Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours
 This frame encompasses children's learning and development with respect to:

  • communicating thoughts and feelings - through gestures, physical movements, words, symbols, and representations, as well as through the use of a variety of materials

Literacy Behaviours:

  • evident in the various ways they use language, images, and materials to express and think critically about ideas and emotions, as they listen and speak, view and represent, and begin to read and write .

  • The Kindergarten Curriculum , 2016, pg 15

Mathematical Behaviours:

  • evident in the various ways they use concepts of number and pattern during play and inquiry; access, manage, create, and evaluate information; and experience an emergent understanding of mathematical relationships, concepts, skills , and processes. The Kindergarten Curriculum, 2016, pg 15)
Problem Solving and Innovating

This frame encompasses children's learning and development with respect to:

  • exploring the world through natural curiosity, in ways that engage the mind, the senses, and the body

  • making meaning of their world by asking questions, testing theories, solving problems, and engaging in creative and analytic thinking

  • the innovative ways of thinking about and doing things that arise naturally with an active curiosity, and applying those ideas in relationships with others, with materials, and with the environment. The Kindergarten Curriculum, 2016, pg 15)

Zones of Regulation

Red Zone*Blue Zone*Yellow Zone*Green Zone

The Zones of Regulation is an approach we use to teach self-regulation by categorizing the different ways we feel in to four coloured zones. The Zones help students recognize and label the emotions that they are feeling and use strategies that support self-regulation skills. 

  • Blue Zone is used to describe down feelings such as when one feels sad, tired, sick and bored
  • Green Zone is used to describe a calm state. A person may be described as happy, focused, content, or ready to learn when in the Green Zone. This is the zone where optimal learning occurs.
  • Yellow Zone is also used to describe elevated emotions such as stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, the wiggles, or nervousness.
  • Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states. A person may be elated or experiencing anger, rage, devastation, or scared.
Calming Strategies
  • Visualization and Meditation;  Students can use a variety of tools and strategies to help feel calm such as taking a break, reading a book, drawing a picture or taking deep breaths. Shutting your eyes and visualizing relaxing places or events are also strategies to help feel calm
  • Calm Breathing techniques;  Breathing techniques can help promote calm and relaxation. Lazy 8 Breathing is just one technique used that can help reduce anxious feelings and allow students to re-focus.