Classroom One - MWF
SOPHIA GARCIA
SUE DUDLEY
KATHY PROPHETE
Staff contact information:
Classroom One Teachers – teachersmwf@littleschool.org
Little School main number – (415) 567-0430
Drop off & pick up your child:
The class meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:45am - 12:30pm (Drop-off window 8:45-9:00am)
Children staying for the afternoon program can be picked up between 12:30-5:30pm (Except during rest time 1:00-3:00pm for children who nap)
We meet in Classroom 1 in the Little School Main Building.
Additional Notes from Sophia, Kathy & Sue:
Welcome to the Monday/Wednesday/Friday summer program! This letter is meant as an addition to the Little School parent handbook, which will give you a sense of our basic program.
MWF PHASE IN AND SEPARATION
If this is your child’s first drop-off school experience, we have a golden opportunity to help your child work through the developmental milestone of separation. It can be challenging and a little scary, but handled sensitively, can be a source of tremendous growth and pride. If your child is new to Little School, a caregiver has the option of joining us for the first class session (June 11th) to help your child acclimate to school and teachers.
Please join us for an optional short orientation visit on June 9th. Please note that if you cannot attend during your assigned time, you may come to one of the other designated time slots - but please check in with your child's teacher first. Please see your child’s scheduled time for the daytime orientation:
GENERAL CLASSROOM ONE INFORMATION
We’re looking forward to a lot of fun, excitement, discovery, and connection this summer!
Here’s what your child’s day will look like:
TYPICAL DAILY SCHEDULE
8:45 - 9:00 Drop-off Window
8:45 - 10:15 Open Choice
10:15 - 10:25 Clean-up
10:25 - 11:35 Circle
10:35 - 11:00 Snack
11:00 - 11:50 Yard
11:50 - 12:30 Lunch
*12:30 Morning Program Pick-Up
12:30 - 1:00 Transition to rest time
1:00 - 3:00 Rest or Yard Time
3:00 - 5:30 Snack, Open Choice, Yard Time
BACKPACKS
Every child should bring a backpack to school every day. The backpack should be large enough to hold a set of extra clothes* and a jacket.
*Please keep a plastic, ziplock bag with a full change of clothes for your child in their backpack daily, and check it often to see if anything needs replacing. Feel free to include a bathing suit for water play on hot days. No need to provide diapers, as we have them already.
Additionally, please label all items of your child’s clothing.
WATER BOTTLES
Please send your child to school with a labeled water bottle every day.
LUNCH AND SNACK
In the three-year-old program, we all eat lunch together. Please send your child to school with a lunch. We are a nut-free school. We’ve found that bento-style lunch boxes work best. Families have had success with Bentgo, LunchBots, and Yumbox. A thermos is also great to keep food warm.
Little School will provide all snacks.
COMFORT ITEMS / "LOVIES"
If your child has a comfort item or lovey, please feel free to send it to school with them.
FAMILY PHOTO ALBUMS
If your child is new to Little School, we will send home an empty “family photo album” for your child. Photos should reflect your child’s home life: Pictures of family members, friends, pets, favorite places, birthday celebrations...whatever is important to your child. Please place a headshot of your child in the front window. These albums will help your child to bridge home and school, learn about and celebrate each child’s individual identity, find comfort from separation anxiety, and connect with friends.
If your child is continuing on from TTH, please feel free to update their album with some new photos, if desired.
DIAPERS AND TOILET LEARNING
We provide diapers and wipes. We check diapers frequently and change when needed. Having a diaper changed or going potty at school for the first time is a vulnerable interaction. So, until a trusting relationship with your child is formed, if your child strongly resists a diaper change or using the toilet at school, we often respect this and wait for parents to return.
We are happy to partner with you to support your child as they make the transition to underwear at school.
Please let us know what support your child needs to successfully use the toilet at school (for example, some children do best when given complete autonomy, while others benefit from frequent requests to use the toilet).
DRESS FOR WEATHER & MESS
We will plan to play on the yard in all weather conditions. Please send warm layers as needed. Please send a raincoat, rain pants, and rain boots to school with your child on rainy days. On sunny days, please apply sunblock to your child in the morning before arriving at school for drop off.
We do lots of messy activities at LS, and children often get dirty on the yard! So that your child feels free to take part in these valuable learning opportunities, please dress them in clothes that they and you will feel comfortable getting messy in.
PARENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION
Each Friday, we will send an email to you titled “Weekly News” with photos from our day together. This is intended to be a window into your child’s time at school, and looking at it with your child is a great way to start conversations about their school life. We’ll also often include important information and dates with Weekly News, so please make sure to read it every Friday.
If your child is not going to be at school, please email us to let us know. Please note that, while we do often read email outside of our work hours, we primarily respond to emails during our off-the-floor work hours. For time-sensitive issues, ProCare Messenger is a great way to get a message to us while we are with the children. Of course, quick check-ins at drop-off and pick-up are great. We are also always happy to talk at greater length over the phone, via Zoom, or in person – just ask! Connecting and collaborating with families about their children is one of our very favorite things to do! Please know we are always happy to connect with you about your child.
Looking forward to a wonderful summer together,
Sophia, Kathy & Sue