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2012 School Supply List – Kindergarten

Posted on August 6, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

If you have looked at your Sunday paper these days, it is filled with ads for back to school like this:

Although a lot of places around the country head back this month, those of us in New York (and some other locations) are in a holding pattern until Labor Day. When NHL finished third grade at the end of June, he came home with his report card, new teacher for next year, and a supply list. I wrote about his big list earlier.

JSL has been itching to get some items for kindergarten. This list had not been sent home yet, but the other day I found it online. Something must have told me to look because there it was waiting for us.

So what does a kindergarten list look like for us? Here it is:

A pack of primary pencils
A large book bag or backpack
5 glue sticks
1/2” or 1” plain black binder
One package large dry erase markers (multi-color)
A 100-pack of pocket protectors
1 Primary Journal (black and white – can be purchased in the Art Section)
1 bottle of liquid glue
3 plastic pocket folders (pockets at the bottom): 1 blue, 1 red, 1 orange

The list welcomes parents and students to Kindergarten and mentions that the list of supplies will be needed and shared throughout the school year. At the end, it starts that a sign-up sheet for parents to bring in additional items like tissues, paper towels, baby wipes, and other community items may be needed. The list seems a lot different than the one that NHL had for kindergarten in another school. I remember we had to buy him many more glue sticks, crayons, and scissors. I suppose they must have sets for the classroom.

So if you did not chime in earlier, what is on your back-to-school supply list this year?

Categories:
Educational looking back photos school shopping

2012 School Supply List – Grade 4

Posted on July 9, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

If you have been to Target, Walmart, Staples, or pretty much any other retailer recently, you would see a trend. Back to school aisles and sections are popping up and have been since late June. This is especially alarming in New York State, where most children and teachers are in classrooms through June 22.

As someone who used to have a classroom of her own, I remember sitting with the ads making a list of what sales I wanted to get to for my room supplies. Now, I sit here as the parent of a soon to be fourth grader and kindergartener. As of today, I only have a school supply list for NHL who is going into the fourth grade in September.

Showing the list has become a tradition that I have done on my blog since he started school. So here is NHL’s list for the 2012-2013 academic year:

2 Black and White Composition Notebooks
Red, Green, Yellow, Purple, and Blue Composition Notebooks
Red, Green, Yellow, Purple, and Blue Poly Folders
Take home folder
2” 3 ring binder
Wide rule paper (will keep supplying throughout the year)
Pencils (no specific number mentioned)
Erasers
Scissors
Ruler
2 Highlighters
Colored markers, 24 box of crayons/pencils
Pencil Pouch
Glue Sticks (no number again)
2 Boxes of Tissues
2 Rolls of Paper Towels
1 Box of Wipes
2 Dry Erase Markers
1 Clean/old sock
1 Bic four-color Pen
$$ for classroom magazine and agenda book

Like last year, the kids are starting to color code by subjects as they get closer to middle school. This is a smart move that will help them to become more aware and responsible. Everything looks relatively typical in the scheme of things. I am very intrigued to see how they utilize the binder since that is new to fourth grade.

My first step will be to raid my classroom boxes like the one above. I know we will not need to buy pencils, glue sticks, highlighters, or erasers. NHL’s scissors, ruler, and pencil pouch still look like they are brand new and will be recycled as well. Update since I started drafting this post: I went to Staples and Target and began shopping. There are some great deals out there and I wish I had the list for the kindergarten kiddo.

I will definitely be watching the sales flyers to get the composition notebooks, folders, and coloring supplies. As I have stated before, I am a Crayola snob. Sure the other brands are cheaper at the start, but they do not last nearly as well. I learned this one the hard way in my own classroom.

So what are on your school supply lists? Have you found any really great sales yet? Please share below. The teacher in me is always a geek when it comes to school supplies.

Categories:
looking back nhl photos school shopping

Graduating from Speech Therapy

Posted on June 28, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Early intervention is so important in helping children who require assistance with speech, fine motor, gross motor, or other areas of development. When teaching, I saw how therapists and special education teachers assisted me when working with students that had 504 plans and IEPs. Years later, it would become even more personal as both of my children required different types of therapy.

Last week was a bitter sweet time for us. On Wednesday, JSL graduated from speech.

His journey began just before he turned three years old. I noted that he was frustrated that people, including TechyDad and myself, could not understand what he was saying. There was no exact pattern to his speech. He was dropping sounds at the start of words, in the middle, and even at the end. Hearing was checked and by the time he was three I called our school district because we had been dismissed by Early Intervention. No matter what they said, I knew something was not right and JSL needed assistance from a speech pathologist.

To make a long story short, Carolyn entered our world in September 2009 when JSL started preschool three days a week. She was highly recommended by our school and district. JSL immediately fell in love with his new teacher. She was a familiar face that he trusted. She would start days with him and helped not only with his speech, but to get him acclimated to being away from me.

Carolyn fought for JSL, she knew that he needed more days once she started and quickly filled out paperwork to get him three days of intense therapy each week. At the end of that academic year, we knew that it was time to request summer therapy. Without blinking, our county agreed to continue JSL’s three day a week regimen over most of the summer months.

Thanks to working hard and extremely well together, JSL not only caught up on his speech, but surged ahead. We were lucky enough to slowly decrease his sessions and complete the school year with Carolyn. JSL is going to miss Carolyn and so am I. She knew my kiddo and how to make him work harder than he ever has. She helped JSL to have self confidence, to use his voice, and to sing, dance, and be heard. I will forever be thankful to this amazing woman for being there and making JSL ready to take on kindergarten. I know way back when he started nobody ever thought that he would be declassified before school, but clearly with a determined child and fantastic therapist it can happy.

Thank you to Carolyn and every other professional that works with children day in and day out to get them caught up. Your patience and persistence is something that is ever so special.

Categories:
Educational jsl looking back milestone photos PSA school

Michaels Passport to Imagination Surprise

Posted on June 23, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Dear NHL and JSL,

Last summer, we traveled to many different countries. We had craft filled adventures to Canada, Australia, India, Russia, France, Mexico, China, and Brazil. There were other countries, but we just could not make it to all of them and the programs at the library. It was a great time thanks to Michaels and their sponsors. This year, they are doing the same program.

Since it was a half day of school on Thursday, I decided to surprise both of you and take you to the Mexico event. JSL loved making a stingray on Tuesday, so I knew it would be a nice change and break in the heat. When we arrived, the table was set up in the front of the store with the items being made.

Just like last year, the people at our local Michaels store have been so wonderful, helpful, and patient. They quickly showed both of you how to get started making monarch butterfly. Both of you had a great time trying out some new items like the paint pen.

When your monarchs were finished, it was time to make some gecko lizard pins. NHL, I loved how you wanted your gecko to have an extra long tongue. JSL, then you asked to have two different colored eyes on yours.

I know we will reference the passport book for more ideas to create over the summer and to learn about the places that we “travel” to together.

Today is the first official day of your summer vacation. I am sure we will have many more days at Michaels and other locations exploring all that is out there together. Watching your faces and smiles makes this time even more special.

Love,

Mommy

Categories:
arts and crafts crafts Dear Kid Saturday fun jsl Local Business local event looking back nhl photos school summer

My New Kindergarten Kid

Posted on June 14, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Just over five years ago, I was so busy looking at my new baby, I hardly had a moment to stop and think. Who wanted to do that when you could look into this sweet little face for hours on end.

Two years ago, I started to wonder what a certain moment was going to be like. Which moment is that? It is the time that my youngest, JSL, would graduate from nursery school. Yes, my “baby” is now officially a kindergarten kid.

For some reason, I was not very emotional when NHL hit these milestones. This time around, it seems more final. There will be no more kids going to nursery school. I will not be dropping off another child to the program that we have grown to love so much.

It goes beyond trust. I handed my baby over to these amazing people each and every day. They saved my son last year when he had a febrile seizure on the playground. They knew what to do and did not panic. With these fantastic teachers over the last two years, JSL has grown up and is ready to spread his wings.

A huge thank you to all three of JSL’s teachers from this year. E, L, and M you are all such special women who have love, nurtured, and taught JSL so much. I know he is going to miss all of you, but really so am I.

Another note of thanks to the director of JSL’s nursery school. P, you have such a wonderful program. Your hard work and dedication to the children, parents, and teachers is so obvious thanks to the level of enthusiasm that you see when you walk in the door.

Yes, I do believe that JSL is probably ready for kindergarten. Now that the time has come, I question if I am ready. Having both of my boys at school all day, every day, will be new and different. It means that we are all getting older. It means that our time together will be even more precious. I will have to make sure that we make the most of this summer with memories for all of us. September will be here too quickly and I will have to make sure a big box of tissues is ready for ME!

BTW – For any individuals that are living in the Capital District, I highly recommend the nursery school program that JSL went to. If you use my contact form, I will send you information. For the safety of my child, I have never directly named it on my blog.