Hello! It is nice to meet you!

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Welcome to Kindergarten!

My name is River Eubanks, and I will be your child’s teacher. The first day of school is always exciting for me and this year is no exception. Since I will be spending a lot of time with your child, I would like to take the opportunity to tell you a few things about myself, both personally and professionally. This is my 17th year of teaching in the Walled Lake Schools and 11th year teaching kindergarten. I was awarded “Teacher of the Year” twice. I received my Master’s in Reading and Language Arts from Oakland University. I have a specialized endorsement in reading, which qualifies me as a Reading Specialist. Recently graduated with my second master’s in English as a second language.

I first realized I wanted to be an educator while I was in Honduras, Central America. Personally, I am married and this summer my son, Asher, turned eleven. He will be in fifth grade in Novi. He went to  Pleasant Lake Elementary from kindergarten to fourth grade; it is an exhilarating time. I know and understand the anxiety and excitement a parent feels when dropping off your child off at school for the first time.

Teaching is more to me than a job. I take my commitment as a teacher very seriously. My goal is to provide an environment that will meet individual needs, develop positive attitudes and behaviors, and provide opportunities to become independent learners.

I promise to work for your child to provide the best education that I can give. I will be an advocate, educator, a reader and a teacher that will help your child. I use positive reinforcement to help their self-esteem grow, and I will work with you, the parents, to give a fantastic learning kindergarten year. This year we will have a Michigan State intern working with us, Ms. Eiden.

If you need to get in touch with me, I will be available before and after school, and my email address is rivereubanks@wlcsd.org. Email is the best way to reach me. I want to be in contact with you at all times. I am a teacher who is dedicated to my students’ needs. If you have a question, please feel free to call the classroom’s voicemail. I will receive an email and call you as soon as possible.

Mr. River Eubanks

Room 202

248-956-2800 (school phone)

rivereubanks@wlcsd.org (email)

Supplies …thank you!

Supply list and important information 2018-2019

Thank you so much for the supply money.  I know that these supplies can be expensive. Our kindergarten team will specifically pick supplies so that your child can have a successful and safe year with specific lessons in mind.  We do many arts and crafts projects that help students with fine and gross motor skills as well as provide dramatic play and comprehension skills.   Applying art to a lesson increases student’s high level of understanding and is a basic way to learn problem-solving skills.

Please put an extra change of clothes in your child’s backpack.  If there is an accident, it is very easy for your child to quickly change in the office without being uncomfortable.  This would also mean that you will not be called and asked to bring in a change of clothes for your child.  Many parents put the extra set of clothes in a small bag and let their child know where it is.  These clothes would stay in your child’s backpack all year.

There are three parties throughout the year: Halloween, Winter Holiday and Valentine’s Day. There are also so many other celebrations: Kindergarten Graduation, Open House, Sing and Share, Author’s Celebration and more! The party and cooking money is deposited in the office. Some of the assigned party money went to a special “Leader in Me” folder that every child in the school will use to transfer homework, graded papers, and notes from home.

Kindergarten Meet and Greet on Thursday, August 23th from 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Incoming Kindergartners and their parents are invited to attend our Kindergarten Meet and Greet. Students with the last name beginning with the letters A-M are invited to attend from 5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and N-Z from 5:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Come meet your child’s teacher and participate in a fun Pleasant Lake Elementary Scavenger Hunt so that you and your child become familiar with our school and their classroom. You can also drop off your child’s classroom supply money during the Kindergarten Meet and Greet.

Important Dates:

• Friday, August 17- You will find out who your child’s teacher will be.

• Thursday, August 23- Meet and Greet! You will be able to visit your child’s classroom and bring in the supply money.  If your last name begins with A-M to please come at 5:00 – 5:30 and if your last name begins with N-Z please come at 5:30 – 6:00.

• Tuesday, August 28 – First Day of School- STAGGERED START-Half Day! If your child’s last name begins with A-M he/she will have a ½ day in the morning only. If your child’s last name begins with N-Z he/she will have a ½ day in the afternoon.

  Due to the staggered start Kindergarteners will not have lunch on Tuesday, August 28th.

• Wednesday, August 29- The First FULL day of school

• Friday, August 31- No School

• Monday, September 3- No School

 Bus pick up times and locations will be emailed to families a week before school starts.  If you have questions regarding the staggered start, please call the main office at 248.956.2800. Any questions regarding busing can be answered by calling our Transportation Department between 5:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at 248.956.3090.

Snacks and Lunch

We have a snack time two times a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It would be most helpful to have the snacks separated from each other, so your child knows the difference between his or her snacks and lunch. Please send in healthy choices such as fruit, cheese, and crackers! I will not be providing any snacks. There are peanut allergies in our classroom. Please do not send any snacks with peanut butter in them. You may send a lunch with peanut butter. We do have lunch every day. It makes the transition easier if you pack your child’s lunch for the first week of school. There is lunch on the first day of school. The lunch cost is $2.25.

I am not able to microwave or store anything in a refrigerator or freezer. Please remind your child each morning if he or she is “bringing a lunch” or “buying lunch.” There are people in the lunchroom that will help your child open any drink or food product.

School times

School begins at 8:55 and ends at 4:02. The Pleasant Lake Elementary drop off time is at 8:50 am. During the transition into kindergarten, if you are bringing your child to school, please allow him or her walk inside the classroom, hang up the backpack and find their seat, independently. I know this might be a hard task, however; in the long run, it will be an easier transition for your child and their classmates. Parents are not allowed in the classroom until all children can successfully transfer to school without being upset. Once your child can walk away independently, I have an open door policy. If there is any problem, please contact me (many children cry, do not worry if this happens).

Reminders

remind 101 for 2018-19

I highly recommend this and use it often! Remind.com is an easy way for you to stay informed and up-to-date with what’s happening in our class. By joining our class on Remind, you’re choosing to receive class messages via push notifications, SMS, or email. This way you will be able to text me, and I can text you reminders. Don’t worry; your phone number will not be shared with the teacher or anyone else in the class. This will help you keep up with a large amount of information you will receive.

I feel that contact with families is critical. A person once told me, “In kindergarten, if you are not talking to parents as often as you are talking to the children, you are doing something wrong!” There may be some nights where your child is upset, and by speaking to me in the evening, we can solve the problems before the next day. Also, you might want to talk to me because something is upsetting your child and you would like my input. You might have a question about something that happened during the school day. Any number of things could come up. A teacher spends much of the day with your child, and I feel that I need to be available for anything that might come up. If there is a way that I can make your child have a great school experience, I will do my best to accomplish this goal!

I am looking forward to a wonderful, positive kindergarten year!

Thank you,

Mr. River Eubanks

Mr. Eubanks