• Healthy Snacks – After the morning recess everyday, we will wash our hands and have snack in class.  I believe that eating a healthy snack mid-morning can help recharge our brains.  I will provide snacks for the first three days, but beginning the first full week of school, you will need to pack a small snack for your child everyday.  If snack is forgotten, students may have some from the classroom supply.  If providing snack for your child everyday is a problem, I welcome donations to help with the cost of purchasing food for my classroom snack supply.  Thank you.
• Examples of good snacks to pack:  crackers, pretzels, grapes, carrot sticks, raisins, and apple slices.
• Please do not send your child to school with snacks that contain peanuts.  Cookies, pudding, and other sweets are not appropriate for the morning snack either.
• Please discuss with your child that the snack you pack for her/him is only for her/him.  I will not allow trading or sharing of snacks.  The purpose of this policy is to prevent unwanted reactions to food allergies and feelings of unfairness (e.g., “You gave her two pretzels and only gave me one!”).

• Celebrating Birthdays – Sending treats to share with the class is optional.  If you do choose to celebrate your child’s birthday in this way, treats should be brought into Room 201 at 2:45 p.m. and set up on each desk by the parent/guardian.  If your work schedule does not allow for you to come in at this time, please send a treat with your child in the morning that is easy for me to store and distribute.  Also, please provide napkins.  At 3:00 p.m. we begin cleaning the desks and floors for dismissal.  Please let me know a few days in advance if you are planning to bring treats.  Thank you.  Summer birthdays may be celebrated in class whenever you and your child think it would be appropriate.

• Temporary Changes in Bus Stop or Routes – If your child plans to ride on a different bus than s/he is signed up for, get off at a stop that is different from the usual stop, or go to a friend’s house via her/his bus, a parent must send a note to school on that day.  The note must include the following:
•  date effective, 
• child’s full name (please print), Room 201 (so they know which teacher to give the “green card” to), 
• the first and last name of the student your child is accompanying home, 
• the Bus Route #, 
• and your name and daytime phone number in case of questions.  

• Friday Letters

Every Friday your child will write a letter to tell you about the activities and learning that took place in class during the week.  Letters will be written on stationery designed especially by your child!  A copy of the stationery on a different color paper will be provided for you to write back.  Please take a few minutes over the weekend to read your child’s letter and write back to her/him on the paper provided.  Any other 8 ½” X 11” paper will do, also. (Note:  You do not need to edit your child’s letter.)