Welcome to Kindergarten at Salem Elementary!
We are so glad to have your family join ours!
How to prepare your student for Kindergarten:
- Build and tune fine motor skills
- Practice gripping a pencil, spoon, and fork - Practice using scissors to cut on a line - Practice catching games - Practice social skills - Work on communicating wants and needs - Practice using the names of others - Play games that use following directions such as "Simon Says" or giving a list of 4-5 easy tasks to do in row - Practice sharing and taking turns - Teach Health and Wellness - Practice with buttons and zippers on clothing - Practice using the bathroom independently and taking care of all toileting needs - Practice washing hands with soap |
How to get your student excited for Kindergarten:
- Talk to your student about how excited you are for them to go to Kindergarten
- Talk about other "first" your child has experienced and how much they enjoyed that thing
- Seek our familiar faces in your community who will be in Kindergarten. (Go on a school door and play dates offered)
- Answer all questions your student may have about starting school
- Who is going to help me? Teachers, Teacher Assistants, School Staff
- How do I get to school? How do I get home?
- What happens when I have to go to the bathroom? Kindergarten classrooms have bathrooms in the classroom.
- Will there be other kids like me?
- What do I eat for lunch? You can find the Cafeteria lunch and breakfast menu here
- How do I know where to go? Teachers will make sure you are always in the right places.
- Stay positive!
- Talk about other "first" your child has experienced and how much they enjoyed that thing
- Seek our familiar faces in your community who will be in Kindergarten. (Go on a school door and play dates offered)
- Answer all questions your student may have about starting school
- Who is going to help me? Teachers, Teacher Assistants, School Staff
- How do I get to school? How do I get home?
- What happens when I have to go to the bathroom? Kindergarten classrooms have bathrooms in the classroom.
- Will there be other kids like me?
- What do I eat for lunch? You can find the Cafeteria lunch and breakfast menu here
- How do I know where to go? Teachers will make sure you are always in the right places.
- Stay positive!
Expect some anxiety and fatigue during the first few weeks
In addition to attending a new school, starting Kindergarten could mean some BIG changes for your student. Below are some things to keep in mind that could be affecting your student's behavior:
- First separation from guardians (or longer day of separation for some)
- First high expectations of independence
- New feelings
- New friends
- New schedules, routines, and rules
- New specials (music, art, STEM, media, PE)
- New experiences!
- First separation from guardians (or longer day of separation for some)
- First high expectations of independence
- New feelings
- New friends
- New schedules, routines, and rules
- New specials (music, art, STEM, media, PE)
- New experiences!