Welcome to Kindergarten at Kendall!

What an exciting time for your child! (And you!)

It is our honor to welcome our Kindergarten students and their families to the Kendall Community. Whether you are a returning family or new to Kendall, we hope you will quickly feel a part of our school family.

This newsletter provides information about events just for Kindergarten students leading up to their very first day of school. This should answer many of your questions but if you need more assistance, you are always welcome to call our main office for support.

Welcome Patriots!

Breah Jerger

Principal

Kendall Elementary School

All of our incoming Kindergarten students are invited to our OPTIONAL Kindergarten Screenings. Screening students allows our team to build balanced classrooms to maximize learning opportunities for students. Students are screened in groups of 8 for approximately 45 minutes. They will complete a variety of activites and enjoy a read aloud with their group. The screenings are informal assessments so no data is provided to parents after the screening.

Please complete the form below to sign your child(ren) up to participate in the screening. Please be sure to write down the time you selected on your calendar. A reminder will be sent the day prior to your screening. Please arrive at Door 9 (on the back of the building) a few minutes before your scheduled time. Students will go with our teachers and adults have the option to wait in the LMC or outside. One adult should remain on the property during the screening. If you need to change your time, please call the office at (630)428-7100.

If you are not able to attend either date, do not worry! Our educators will assess your child the first few days of the school year.

All of our Kindergarten students and 1 adult are invited to enjoy lunch together either in our Kendall Cafeteria or picnic style on the blacktop on July 16th from 12:00 to 12:30. This event is OPTIONAL.

This is a great opportunity to experience our lunchroom and practice using a school lunchbox. We will talk a bit as a group and meet new friends. All students and guests should bring their own lunch as our food service will not be available for purchase. We will be able to have students who plan to take hot lunch practice the hot lunch line. Following lunch, students will be able to enjoy a first recess under the supervision of parents!

All guests must RSVP below to ensure that we have enough tables set.

Please arrive at Door #8 (on the back of the building) a few minutes before 12:00. Doors will be opened by staff a few minutes before 12:00. If the floors are not yet complete, we'll be on the blacktop. Rain date will be July 17th.

Now is the time to start practicing for school with your Kindergartener.

• Decide how you will drop your child off each morning (Information Below)
• Decide how you will pick your child up each afternoon (Informatino Below)
• Practice both arrival and dismissal with your child so they are familiar with the plan.
• Practice having your child buckle, unbuckle, and get in and out of the car on their own. (They must be able to do this to use the car line as parents cannot get out of the car to help.)
• Have your child practice opening and closing their back pack on their own.
• Have your child practice putting items in and taking items out of the backpack.
• Begin giving your child their lunch in their lunchbox at home. Allow them to practice opening and closing bags, containers, drinks, etc. on their own.
• Teach your child to tell the difference between their lunch and their morning snack.
• Teach your child what in their lunchbox should be thrown away and what should come home. Have them practice this on their own.

Teacher Assignments will be posted in ParentVue on Monday, August 12th after 4:00 p.m.

To learn your child's classroom, you will need your ParentVUE log-in and password. If you do not have your log-in, please use the site features to access this information. Our school office does not have access to your password.

If you are transferring from another 204 school or have an older child, your ParentVUE Log-In remains the same.

Kindergarten Teachers for the 2023-2024 School Year:

Kristy Brown (KB)

Greta Inskeep (KI)

Amy Jones (KJ)

Lindsay VanderLaan (KV)

Erica Runde (RISE)

All students and families, grades K through 5, are invited to find their classroom, meet their teacher, and drop off school supplies on Monday, August 19th from 2:30 to 3:30. This is a LARGE event with almost 600 students and their families in the building. Parking will be extremely limited and walking is recommended if possible. Families may enter through Doors 1, 2, 5, 11, or 12. Our PTA will also have treats for students on the blacktop after this event.

Do not worry if you are not able to attend as you will also be able to drop off school supplies during the Kindergarten Orientation.

Monday, August 19th

5:15-6:00 Students with last names beginning with A-M

6:15-7:00 Students with last names beginning with N-Z

Please arrive at Door 1 (main entrance). Your child's teacher will meet you there. Parents and students will walk to their classroom together for orientation. Kindergarten students will leave with parents at the end of orientation.

The first full day of attendance for Kindergarten students is Thurday, August 22nd. Classes meet on the blacktop in the morning and walk in to class together. Bus riders will be escorted to meet their class on the black top.

Arrival: School doors open and adult supervision begins at 8:50 a.m. (9:00 a.m. on late-start Wednesdays).

Bus riders will enter through Door 2 (front entrance).

Car riders will enter through Door 5 (gym entrance).

Bike riders will enter through Door 11 (bike rack).

Walkers may enter through Door 2, 5, 11, or 12.

All pedestrian traffic is to use sidewalks and MUST cross only where crossing guards are present (Intersections of Meadow Lake/Pradel or Meadow Lake/Royal Worlington). This applies to both students and adults. Crossing at other locations poses a significant threat to safety during this time of increased traffic.

All bikes, scooters, etc. are to be walked once on school property.

The front circle drive is closed to all regular traffic during arrival. Only school buses, daycare buses, and private cars with a front circle permit displayed may access the front circle drive.

Car riders should approach (and line up if needed) on Pradel Drive either north or south of the parking lot circle entrances or on Meadow Lake Drive. Cars must take care not to block the driveways of any of our neighbors while in line. Cars at the Pradel/Meadow Lake Intersection should alternate. Cars should enter the parking lot drive following an alternating pattern. Drivers should follow directions of all staff outside and pull all the way forward to the car in front of them. Leaving space between cars so that you can pull around creates a safety hazard and increases the wait time for all cars in line. Students should only unload from cars when and where staff are present. Adults should not exit the car at any time. If your child is not able to unbuckle or exit the car independently, you are asked to walk to school or use the district transportation (for those who qualify).

Drivers should use extreme caution during arrival and dismissal. Refrain from using cell phones during this time, obey all traffic signs and crossing guards, and maintain a cautious speed while approaching school.

Dismissal: The elementary school day ends at 3:35.

Bike riders will exit through Door 11 (bike rack).

Walkers will exit through Door 2, 9, 11, or 12.

Bus riders will line up in the building and exit when their transportation has arrived.

Car riders will line up in the gym and exit when their transportation has arrived.

All pedestrian traffic is to use sidewalks and MUST cross only where crossing guards are present (Intersections of Meadow Lake/Pradel or Meadow Lake/Royal Worlington). This applies to both students and adults. Crossing at other locations poses a significant threat to safety during this time of increased traffic.

All bikes, scooters, etc. are to be walked once on school property.

The front circle drive is closed to all regular traffic during dismissal. Only school buses, daycare buses, and private cars with a front circle permit displayed may access the front circle drive.

Car drivers should approach (and line up if needed) on Pradel Drive either north or south of the parking lot circle entrance or on Meadow Lake Drive. Cars must take care not to block the driveways of any of our neighbors while in line. Cars at the Pradel/Meadow Lake Intersection should alternate. Cars should enter the parking lot drive following an alternating pattern. The students’ Car Line Number should be prominently displayed in the car window. Drivers should follow directions of all staff outside and pull all the way forward to the car in front of them. Leaving space between cars so that you can pull around creates a safety hazard and increases the wait time for all cars in line. Students should only load in cars when and where staff are present. Adults should not exit the car at any time. If your child is not able to enter the car and buckle themselves independently, you are asked to walk to school or use the district transportation (for those who qualify).

Drivers should use extreme caution during arrival and dismissal. Refrain from using cell phones during this time, obey all traffic signs and crossing guards, and maintain a cautious speed while approaching school.

Just a reminder that our school will have on site before and after school childcare for the 24-25 school year provided by Right at School. For details and registration please go to https://www.rightatschool.com/. If you are looking for employment opportunities go to https://www.rightatschool.com/careers/RAS.news/careers.

Please read this story with your child as the school year approaches. This will help them to understand what to expect as they start their school journey!

Welcome to Kindergarten!

• Tuesday, July 16th - Kindergarten Screenings 8:15 - 4:00
• Wednesday, July 17th - Kindergarten Screenings 8:15 - 12:00
• Tuesday, July 16th - Kindergarten First Lunch & Recess with Parent (7/17 Rain Date if picnic)
• Monday, August 12th - Teachers posted in ParentVue
  
• Monday, August 19th - Meet and Greet 2:30 - 3:30
• Thursday, August 22nd - First Day of School for ALL Grades

Website: http://kendall.ipsd.org/
Location: 2408 Meadow Lake Drive, Naperville, IL, USA
Phone: (630)428-7100