jennifer_shonelle_kindergarten

Welcome to Jennifer and Shonelle's 2018-19 K ICT Class!

July 2018

Dear Friends & Families,

Welcome to our Kindergarten class at The Earth School! We are happy to be the co-teachers in this Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) classroom. We are excited about our plans for the new school year and look forward to seeing all of you in September. We hope you are having a relaxing and fun summer.

From Shonelle: Hello! I am so excited to be working with all of you this year!

I had recently taken some time away from teaching to focus on my health and well-being, which luckily resulted in my family welcoming our newest member: Pepper Lee! We are so grateful for her arrival. She’s crawling and exploring and enjoying life. She’s babbling, too - boy, does she have a lot to say! Pepper has brought so much joy - and spice - to our lives and we could not be happier. Hopefully, you will all get a chance to meet her soon. Pepper and her 2 older brothers, Dashel and Hunter, are having a blast this summer. Dash is looking forward to 3rd Grade at The Earth School, and Hunter, an Earth School graduate, is excited to be entering 7th Grade at Tompkins Square Middle School. I joined the Earth School staff back in 2005 as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher and I have loved every minute of it! My family and I have grown within this special community and we can’t wait to welcome you into its warm, nurturing embrace.

From Jennifer: I am happy to be joining my good friend Shonelle as co-teacher in our Kindergarten class. I joined the Earth School community in the year 2000 as a first and second grade teacher and over the years I have had the opportunity to teach across the grade levels. In 2016, I joined the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten teaching team, and I have been really enjoying my time with this age group. I love spending my days playing, singing, exploring and discovering alongside our littlest learners.

In addition to being an Earth School teacher, I am also a parent of two second grade Earthlings, Graham and Phoebe, and one recent Earth School graduate, Jamison, who moves on to Tompkins Square Middle School this year! This summer my family and I have mostly been enjoying a quiet New York City summer. We are spending a lot of time at our local park (Astoria Park, in Queens) with its tall trees, rolling hills, and view of the swiftly moving East River - we are doing our best to find peace in our lively city! We all look forward to meeting our new friends and hearing all about your summer adventures in September!

From both of us:

Early Childhood Education at the Earth School Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten teachers at The Earth School are committed to supporting children in learning and growing through play and discovery. Teachers strive to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment in which children’s interests and strengths are celebrated. Our hope is that during Pre-K and K, children develop a deep love for learning, awareness of themselves and others, and confidence to pursue their interests.

Beginning of Year Curriculum In September and October, we start by learning new routines, learning about each other and building a strong classroom community. Early in the year, we will begin focusing on self care and independence. We also begin the year with an emphasis on social and emotional learning. We will be learning to identify and manage our own feelings, while seeking to understand how others feel. We will be learning to take turns, share and practicing peaceful ways to resolve conflicts. At the Classroom Kick-Off Evening in the fall, we will talk in depth about the curriculum and how this is implemented in our classrooms.

Family/School Partnership At The Earth School, we encourage a strong family/school partnership. There are many ways for families to be a part of the school community. Some examples include being a class parent, being part of the Parent Association, or volunteering for school events. You can also share your talents with the class, run a club or read a book to the class. We welcome your input and new ways to bridge the home and school environments.

If there is anything that you would like us to know about your child (i.e. asthma, medications, allergies, custody arrangements, etc.) to ensure a happy and healthy year, feel free to email us. We are looking forward to meeting you all in September!

Sincerely,

Shonelle Cooper-Caplan and Jennifer Townsend shonelle@theearthschool.org jennifert@theearthschool.org (note the “t” after Jennifer’s name)

Shonelle & Jennifer’s Supply List

Family Photos Please bring in 4 or 5 pictures of the important people in your child’s life - not just mom, dad, brother, and sister, but grandparents, aunts, uncles, baby sitters, and pets, too! We will be adding these photos to our “Feelings Area” in an effort to build our classroom community and to help us feel better when we miss someone we love. We will be creating a collage with each student and posting the photos in the “Feelings Area” for the duration of the school year. THE PHOTOS WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO YOU SO PLEASE SEND IN COPIES. Thank you!

Mandatory Items

● A change of clothing (shirt, underwear, socks, pants) in a Ziploc bag.

● an extra pair of sneakers (to be left in school)

● one backpack or small reusable bag

● 1 green two pocket folder and 1 box of tissues (This is a request from our Earth Studies teacher, Emmy.)

Optional Supplies *

● New York Times newspapers

● thick glue sticks

● Crayola washable markers - thick or thin

● replacement rolls of scotch tape (for tape holder)

● black felt tip pens (thin Sharpie markers or Paper Mate Flair )

● colored pencils

● Post-it pads

● school glue (Elmer’s glue)

● spray bottle of plant-based (non-toxic) spray cleaner

● 1 package of Ziploc clear plastic bags - gallon or quart-sized

● 1 box of tissues

● 1 roll of paper towels

● baby wipes

● hand sanitizer (travel-size)

● antibacterial hand soap

*We understand that some families may not be able to supply us with items from the optional portion of the list. We are grateful for anything that you are able to share with our class and we thank you in advance. Please label all “mandatory” items with your child’s name. All other items will be shared by the class.

Thank you!