My name is Mrs. Riley Baer, and it's a joy for me to share that I'm going to be your principal at Kindergarten Academy! I grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina and received my Bachelor degree in Elementary Education with minors in Special Education and English-Language Arts from Appalachian State University. I've also earned a Master degree from Shippensburg University in Educational Leadership. Most recently, I wrapped up my Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility program, and I'm continuing on to receive my Doctorate from Shippensburg this fall!

I've been a Wildcat since 2017, previously teaching fourth grade at both Northside Elementary and Elmwood Academy! I served as Elmwood's assistant principal for three years before transitioning to Kindergarten Academy this summer. As an undergraduate, my dream was to work with primary-aged students, so I'm thrilled to be getting back to those roots with our youngest Wildcats at KA!

I believe in the importance of balancing academics, belonging, and social development for all students, and this will be a primary driver for me as your building principal. It takes a village to raise our children, and we are grounded in the belief that our students flourish when we are a united team. I'm honored to be partners with you in education!

This newsletter will come to you periodically through your Sapphire announcements to provide building-wide updates and events. Welcome to Kindergarten!

Please mark your calendars for Kindergarten Orientation on Thursday, August 22nd! At this event, you will have an opportunity to get pertinent information from Mrs. Baer, meet your child's teacher, and ride a school bus! Our goal with this event is to warmly welcome you to the building and to our school district while also providing information that will give you a strong start to the year! The schedule for the evening is as follows:

• Families with a Last Name of L-Z
• 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM (Arrival, peruse informational tables, check dismissal information, and drop students off in their classrooms)
• 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM (Students with teachers in classrooms, parents with Mrs. Baer in the Multi-Purpose Room)
• 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM (Parents join students in classrooms for a scavenger hunt)
• 3:45 PM - 4:15 PM (Parents and students go out front for chalk, bubbles, and school bus rides to get comfortable on the school bus and learn the expectations for riding to school or field trips)
• Families with a Last Name of A-K
• 4:15 PM - 4:30 PM (Arrival, peruse informational tables, check dismissal information, and drop students off in their classrooms)
• 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM (Students with teachers in classrooms, parents with Mrs. Baer in the Multi-Purpose Room)
• 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM (Parents join students in classrooms for a scavenger hunt)
• 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM (Parents and students go out front for chalk, bubbles, and school bus rides to get comfortable on the school bus and learn the expectations for riding to school or field trips)

At Kindergarten Orientation, you will receive a bus tag for your child that has their classroom symbol, their name, and their dismissal assignment. Students must wear these tags daily for the first 3-4 weeks of school! These allow us to ensure that students are safe and in their assigned spaces at the right time. After we get a little further into the school year, we will swap their bus tags for backpack tags with similar information.

We’re excited to announce the launch of our brand-new Mechanicsburg Area School District Facebook page. You can find it at this link! Like and follow the page to stay updated on the latest celebrations, news, and updates from across the district.

Being at school is a huge part of ensuring that students are making academic progress, are developing socially, and are connecting to their school community. It is important that your child is at school every day!

When absences occur, our district follows the compulsory attendance expectations of the Commonwealth, and these expectations apply to Kindergarteners too! If your child is going to be absent, email us at KAOffice@mbgsd.org to let us know by 8:30 AM. Emailing us counts as both a phone call and a written excuse, so this method of communication covers all of your bases! If your child is absent from school for more than five days, we require a doctor's excuse be turned in within three days of the child's return to school.

Our Kindergarten Academy PTO is a fantastic opportunity to get connected and involved in our school community! We offer opportunities for parents to speak into fundraising opportunities, hospitality events to support our teachers, and the development of our school yearbook! At our PTO meetings, there will also be an opportunity to hear from your principal, Mrs. Baer, about upcoming events and celebrations at Kindergarten Academy! Please use the form below to show your interest in PTO and the opportunities we offer!

We will also be at Kindergarten Orientation at an informational table out front! We will be having fun with chalk and bubbles while families get to ride school buses! Come say hi and learn more!

Please join us on September 19th from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM for Curriculum Night! This is a parents-only event for you to get to learn what Kindergarten is all about from some of our most important people - our teachers! At this event, you will learn more about what your students will be learning and details about the procedures of the classroom and the school year!

Kindergarten Academy will be receiving Title 1 funding this year. Please take note of the attached letters which includes the Parent and Family Engagement Policy and the Right to Know Qualifications.