With the passing of House Bill 2566 there are changes to the age children must be before entering Kindergarten or PreK.

Children entering Kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31 for the 2013-14 school year, and on or before Aug. 15 for all subsequent school years.

Children entering Pre-K must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 31 for the 2013-14 school year, and on or before Aug. 15 for all subsequent school years.

(For the Pilot Pre-K Programs (3 year old classes), children must be 3 on or before August 15 for the 2013-14 school year for all subsequent school years.)

The bill contains an exception: Children who participated in a pre-kindergarten program during the 2012-13 or 2013-14 school years may enter kindergarten in the 2013-14 or 2014-15 school years respectively.  If you are registering your child and he/she has a birth date falling between September 1-30 (for Kindergarten) or August 16-31 (for Pre-K) please make sure the person enrolling is aware and can explain what this change may mean to your family!  It’s tricky but we’ll be happy to help you!

If you need information on our make up registration for both Kindergarten and Pre-K you can contact your child’s teacher!

What to Expect at Parent Teacher Conferences

All families are encouraged to attend parent teacher conferences.  You can sign up for a time with your child’s teacher!

What can you expect?

• Art work and special projects will be on display for you to observe things your child has worked on at school.
• Teachers can pull up and discuss your child’s on-line portfolio.
• Teachers are willing to discuss goals and next steps with you overall or in specific areas of learning.

If you do wish to sit down one on one with your child’s teacher, we will be happy to do that as well.

Family Night!

See your child’s teacher for times and information on our next family night!   We will provide various games with your family to play in each of the classrooms.  We have a sample of games, but would welcome families bringing their favorite game to share for the evening.  If you would like to provide a game, please talk to your child’s teacher and let her know what you will be bringing.  We will also try to have a few games on the smart boards!

It is required that we offer a session to our families on Child Abuse Awareness, Prevention and Reporting. In addition to games, we will have a room set aside for The Child Advocacy Center to sponsor a brief session around 6:30PM for parents who would like this information.  Childcare will be provided for families while they are attending that session

Director of Schools, Denise H. Brown, announces registration for students entering Preschool in the Fall of 2013. Preschool students must be four (4) years of age on or before September 30, 2013.  There may be a limited number of spots available for students who are three (3) years of age on or before September 30, 2013. The Pre-K state statute specifies programs may enroll any child who is (3) three or (4) four years old by September 30 and resides in Unicoi County, with first priority given to those children who are eligible for the free/reduced lunch program and to (4) four year olds.

PRESCHOOL PRE-REGISTRATION FLYER

PRESCHOOL PRE-REGISTRATION (Spanish)

UNICOI COUNTY KINDERGARTEN PRE-REGISTRATION FOR THE 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR

Director of Schools, Denise H. Brown, announces pre-registration for students entering Kindergarten in the Fall of 2013.  Pre-registration is extremely important for planning your child’s educational program for the 2013-2014 school year.  PLEASE BRING YOUR CHILD WITH YOU ON THE DAY OF PRE-REGISTRATION. Each child will be screened for kindergarten readiness, including speech.  This will allow school personnel to be aware of any need that will require special services. The screening process will take approximately thirty (30) minutes.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTERING SCHOOL

1. Kindergarten students must be five (5) years of age on or before August 31, 2013.

1. Each child must have a legal BIRTH CERTIFICATE or proof of birth date document. Mother’s copy is not acceptable.

A legal birth certificate may be obtained from the Unicoi County Health Department 735-5900.

1. Evidence of a physical examination given after August 1, 2012 must be presented.  A state Physical Examination Record is available at your physician’s office or the Health Department. (Appointment card is acceptable for pre-registration).

1. Children must have completed required immunizations.  These include the DPT series, Polio series, MMR series, Hepatitis B series, Hepatitis A series and Varicella (Chicken Pox) series.  Immunizations are to be documented on the State of Tennessee Immunization Certificate, which is available at your physician’s office or the Health Department.

1. Documentation of proof of residency in Unicoi County is required.  This documentation must be in the form of a recent utility bill (electric, cable, land line phone, gas or water).   Driver’s license is NOT acceptable.

***PLEASE BRING THE ABOVE LISTED ITEMS, ALONG WITH THE CHILD’S SOCIAL SECURITY CARD WITH YOU ON THE DAY OF PRE-REGISTRATION. ***

ATTENDANCE AREAS: Students are to pre-register in the school within their attendance area.  The following school attendance areas have been established by the Unicoi County Board of Education:

Temple Hill Elementary attendance area includes the top of River Hill south to the North Carolina state line.  Coffee Ridge is included in this area.

Love Chapel Elementary attendance area includes the top of River Hill north to Love Street.  Love Street is not part of this area.  Canah Chapel areas are also included in this area.

Rock Creek Elementary attendance area includes Love Street (both sides) north up to Tenth Street (Rock Creek Road).  North Main Avenue is part of this area.

Unicoi Elementary attendance area includes the area north of Tenth Street (Rock Creek Road).  It does not include Tenth Street.  This also includes Jackson Road, Railroad Street and streets that feed into Railroad Street.

PRE-REGISTRATION DATES

APRIL 15            TEMPLE HILL ELEMENTARY                        11 am – 6:00 pm

APRIL 16             UNICOI ELEMENTARY                                   11 am – 6:00 pm

APRIL 17             LOVE CHAPEL ELEMENTARY                      11 am – 6:00 pm

*Registration for Love Chapel Elementary will be held at Unicoi County Middle School*

APRIL 18             ROCK CREEK ELEMENTARY                        11 am – 6:00 pm

Make-up date for those unable to register during the week:

SATURDAY, MAY 18       9 am – 12 pm

Unicoi County Middle School – Pre-School Wing~ Entrance and Parking off of Unaka Way

For further information, contact Tammy Larkey at the Unicoi County Board of Education

100 Nolichucky Avenue, Erwin or call 743-1600

Families,

Getting to know you and your child has been such a pleasure!  We hope each of you enjoy time together and the blessings of the season!  School will be back in session on January 3^rd!  We’ll you see you then and have a very, Merry Christmas!

Community Learning Center Staff

We are hosting a storytelling family night! ETSU Storytellers will tell stories with families on family night and come back to tell stories with students during school one day as well.  The stories will be different on each day.  Teachers will be featuring storytelling concepts at school  through November.  We hope you will join us!  Please sign up with your class teacher so we know how many to expect!

Other News:

• Several of the schools are inviting families in to eat one day for a Thanksgiving lunch. I wanted to make you aware since we eat in our rooms, we will not be able to provide that same opportunity.  We just do not have enough tables and chairs to seat everyone and the main cafeteria is in use until after 1:00 PM. Our little tummies couldn’t wait that long to eat.  We will be hosting an alternative activity in the spring which will probably consist of a picnic-type opportunity.  The cafeteria will offer a bag lunch and we can eat on blankets one sunny spring afternoon!   Thank you for your flexibility and we will send details out in the spring.

• Our playground is nearing completion and we will have an “opening day” and invite families to walk through.  We have several items ordered to complete the playground that will come in later.  We will also be using the boxes to plant items the children will harvest!  We are excited about the new opportunities and if you are interesting in partnering with us on the play ground, see your child’s teacher for exciting ways you can help with on-going projects such as gardening, flowers etc.

Families,

Can you believe “Old Man Winter” is lurking around! If you suspect school may be closed, you can watch TV, listen to the radio and check our website at unicoischools.com.  Please watch and listen for “Unicoi County Schools”.  There are several “Learning Centers” in the area and you should not look for that title.  We follow the Unicoi County Schools schedule.  If you hear or see Unicoi County Schools are closed or are closing, then make plans to keep your child home or pick them up from school. Here is a checklist for you to go through:

• If we have a 2 hour delay, we will follow the same schedule just 2 hours later.  Doors will open at 9:45 am.  For the early drops in employee care the doors will open at 9:15 am. Cereal will be offered for breakfast and lunch will be served as usual.

• Make sure your emergency contact list is accurate and all phone numbers are updated. If we are in school and bad weather moves in, they may dismiss school. You can come on to school to pick your child if you hear school is dismissing early for weather.  Teachers will begin calling if we suspect someone has not got the message, but with so many children the phone lines will stay tied up, so please do not wait for a call once you hear school is dismissed early. Make sure teachers know the best person and best number to reach if they do need to make a call.

• Remember there is no after-school care when school is called off.

• If we have something special planned and school is dismissed we will have the special activity on the first day back.  We have had several parents ask about what we will do if school happened to be closed on Wednesday with our Halloween festivities planned.  If that should happen, we will celebrate the next day we are back in school just as we have it planned for this Wednesday.

• If we were to be out for several days and had important information to share with families, we may post that information on our website: http://www.unicoischools.com/clconline/.  We will also list information on the phone message for families who may not have internet access.  The number to call is 423-735-1210.

It is a good idea to have a plan for who will provide your child-care needs if we were out for school and have some special activities in mind.  Here are a few fun ideas you might try:

• Mix cornstarch and water to make a fun mixture for kids to explore!  At school we call it “goop”.  Mix water in slowly!

• Most dishwashers make a great easel.  Grab some finger paint, lay down an old town and let your child paint a masterpiece.  It’s pretty easy to clean and you can leave it for a few days just for fun.

• Kids love to help in the kitchen, so let them help you whip up a batch of pancakes and have some fun by adding berries, chocolate chips or other goodies!

• Put pajamas on and grab an old blanket to make a tent.  Add a flashlight and a few books and have a book look at home!  You’re kids will be begging you to read!

• If you have internet access here are several websites you may want to check out:
  • http://www.storylineonline.net/
  • http://pbskids.org/
  • http://www.starfall.com/
  • http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/online-storytime-books-toys/379003588
  • http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/fun-games/

We always enjoy school time fun, but if we are out for weather have lots of fun and enjoy what Old Man Winter has to offer! Ms. Jenifer

Be sure to check out the new photos we have added to the hallway from our family night at Fender’s and special thanks to all the families who participated.  If you were not able to join us at Fender’s,  we have a family night coming up that will feature ETSU Storytellers!!!!  We will send more information home with your child soon!

September 19, 2012

Families,

We hope you enjoy your copy of the family photo that has been on display in the hallway. Thank you so much for allowing us to snap a picture of such a special time of your child’s life.  Going to school is a milestone and we were happy to be a part of the beginning of that journey.  The pictures have been helpful to the children as they have transitioned into school life and we have enjoyed having them on display in the hallway.  The classroom pictures will remain but as we are changing out the hallway board we wanted to provide you a copy as several of you have asked.  We will be adding a video photo slide on our hallway TV monitor, so be on the lookout!

You may have noticed a few changes to the playground and more are on the way!  Ms. Sharon and Ms. Lisa attended NAEYC’s annual conference along with me last November.  We left the conference inspired and ready to implement great ideas on our own playground.  Many of those started last year and we hope to finish up this fall!  We’ll update you as those changes take place and may even ask for a few volunteers for a few side projects!

Have a wonderful week!

Ms. Jenifer

Families,

The children have done very well coming back to school following the long weekend!  As I walked through this morning I saw happy faces, buddies looking at books together and lots of positive interaction.  One of my favorite things here at school are the family photos in the hallway!  If you have not stopped to look at those, please do! I’ve really enjoyed seeing the snapshots teachers took of you and your little ones!

I want to thank you for your continued cooperation during drop off and pick up times and partnering with your child’s teacher on getting school off to a great start! Your cooperation helps the school day start and end in a positive way!

Please remember if you have an e-mail to send it in so teachers can invite you to view your child’s online portfolio.  Only you and the teacher have access to your child’s work.  You can also leave messages or ask questions.  Once we have an e-mail, you can expect an invitation soon after.  If you do not have an e-mail, let your child’s teacher know.  We can print off hard copies.

Picture Day will be on Monday, September 24th!  More information coming!!!!

Please remember that parent teacher conferences will be on Tuesday, September 25th.  We will dismiss at noon and conferences will run between 1pm and 6 pm.  Teachers will send invitations, however, we encourage each of you to drop by.  Teachers will use this time to talk with you about areas of growth and goals for your child.  They are also interested in the goals you have for your child!  We’d love to see you then, so make plans to join us.  Please remember that after-care will not be provided this day. 

Also remember Fall Break will be October 1-5 and we will not being having school so be sure to plan some good family fun!

We are working on getting an activity together to invite families to join.  Please be looking for a note to come home about the details! 

Ms. Jenifer