Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten Academy
Home of the Little Giants - August 24, 2018
Principal's Message
Greetings from the Principal's Office
It's hard to believe we've been in school for FIVE WEEKS!!! Time really does fly when you're having fun and learning.
Our Little Giants have been working really hard on important reading skills and math concepts. You really should take a moment and ask them if they can read the sight words below, or if they can help you find a triangle, rectangle, or trapezoid in your house. I'm amazed at the amount of growth they've already shown this year.
Early in the week, I met with all of our students to share the story, What Do You Do With A Problem?. During this time, we talked about the idea that problems are really opportunities to learn and grow. We discussed being a problem solver, and working hard to overcome challenges. Students shared with me that they can do things now that they couldn't do when school started. (Writing that lowercase e was a challenge MANY of our students were extremely proud about!)
Since our school vision is to build kind, confident learners, our hope is that they can embrace problems and become great thinkers! We want them to understand that they can do anything, they just haven't figured it out yet! Take a moment and ask your child, "Has your teacher given you a good problem today?"
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve your child. They bring me SO MUCH joy! I was able to capture some of that joy in the adorable pictures below! Enjoy!
Love,
Mrs. Hansell
SIGHT WORDS:
Congratulations to our Little Giants of the Week!
Important Things to Know About the School Bus
Here are a few things that might help make the commute to and from school more understandable:
*Kindergartners will only be let off of the bus and released to a parent or designee. Drivers will NOT release your child without an adult present.
*Parents need to be out at the stop, visible to the driver.
*If you are not at the stop when the bus arrives in the afternoon, your child will be brought back to school and you will have to pick them up as soon as possible.
*Kindergartners work hard all day, and often can fall asleep on the bus. If the student is sleeping, they may not hear the driver call their name to get off at that stop. Our drivers are instructed to walk the bus at the end of their route. If a sleeping child is still on the bus, they will be returned to school and we will call you immediately.
*If you are concerned that your child might have missed their stop, you can call the transportation department at (317) 789-6221, or you may call the main office at school (317) 782-2240.
The main thing we want you to know is that we are not going to leave school until all children are safely home. So, if by chance your child misses the stop for any reason, please know we will be here to receive them and keep them safe until you can come get them. We LOVE our Little Giants, and keeping them safe is our number one priority!
Bus Information
A parent or guardian MUST be home to receive children in grades K-2 from the school bus at the end of the school day.
If no one is home upon the young student’s arrival, the child will be returned to the school where the parent will be required to pick up the student. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Also, please remember that Wednesdays are an early release day. Please be at the bus stop 30 minutes earlier on those days.
Teacher Spotlight
Name: Brooke Gagliola
Number of years: Year 2 of teaching
Family Info: I have a fiance and two cats at home.
Favorite Hobbies: Traveling, hiking, going to concerts, and reading :)
Interesting fact: I received my Bachelor of Science in Education from the greatest university in the world (IU Bloomington) GO HOOSIERS!
Staff Spotlight
Name: Shelly Applegate
Number of years in the profession: 5 years
Family Info: My husband, Tom, and three kiddos, Alex, Lily and Zach
Favorite hobbies: Reading
Interesting fact: I have twins!
Attendance & Timeliness
Car Rider Etiquette
As always, we ask that parents pull into line, and wait patiently to get our arrival process started. We begin letting students out of cars at 7:50 a.m. While we don't officially start until 7:50, we ask that you pull into line once it has formed. NO ONE should bypass the line once it has started to form. Students will not be allowed inside of the building until 7:50, so please do not skip the line and try to release your child beforehand.
The ONLY exceptions to this would be if you have a meeting with your child's teacher or you are using the YMCA before school care program. Parents of the YMCA may pull up and drop off before 7:45. After 7:45, ALL parents should get into line for drop off, as the YMCA will be finishing up around 7:45.
Thanks in advance for your help ensuring our drop off line if safe and efficient for our Little Giants!
Important Dates
- Wednesday, August 29th - Early Release
- Monday, September 2nd (Labor Day) - NO SCHOOL
Visitor Policy
Volunteer Policy
The new background check is only $5 and can be completed online. The link for the background check is included below. Please do this soon as it can take several days to process a background check! This background check will be good for the 2018-2019 school year. A new background check will need to be completed each school year.
Background Checks are Needed for:
- Volunteering in school and classroom
- Attending field trips
- Helping at class parties
- Working with other students
- Other times as deemed appropriate by school administration
http://www.perryschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/VOLUNTEER-POLICY-2018.pdf
A Message from Our Nurse
Polo Shirts for Sale
Snapshots of the Week
Coach Hathaway's Running South 2018
Coach Hathaway's Running South is on Saturday, September 22nd at Southport High School. You must register by Wednesday, September 12th, if you want to guarantee a shirt with your preferred style and size. Shirts are optional for $15 and must be picked up on race day. Online registration closes Thursday, September 20th at 11:59 pm. All paper registration forms must be received by PTEF before Thursday, September 20th. This year we have English, Chin, and Spanish registration forms. Participants may register the morning of the event for an additional $5. If shirts are remaining they'll be sold on race day after the 1-Mile.
LEARN, GROW, AND THRIVE WITH THE YMCA
Summer may be over, but we’re ready to continue the fun this school year! The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis is proud to be the before and after school provider in Perry Township. We provide enrichment programming for children in an environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive in a safe environment! For more information, or to register for the YMCA Before and After School Program, please visit us at www.indymca.org/youthdevelopment.
What's going on around the community?
Southside Indy Aquatics
Competitive Swimming- SIA offers year-round swimming for children of all ages that focuses on stroke technique, competitive swimming and having fun! If your child is thinking about swimming in middle school or high school this year, sign them up to swim this Fall to get an edge on the competition!
Evaluations and registration for competitive swimming will be on Monday, August 20th at Southport High School from 6:00-7:30 pm. Enter door 8. Please email Stacy Reinke for more information at sreinke@southsideindyaquatics.com
Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten Academy
Website: http://www.perryschools.org/jk/
Location: 5225 Gray Road, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Phone: (317) 782-2240
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JGKALittleGiants/
Twitter: @JGKAPrincipal