Frequently Asked Questions

A pupil may enter kindergarten if her/his chronological age will be five (5) years old
on or before September 30 of the school year for which the child is enrolling.

Every day begins with a morning meeting. Students gather and greet one another and read a morning message, sharing about something they want to tell the class and a short activity/game. In the mornings, we have math and literacy. In the afternoons, we have a read aloud and literacy centers as well as science and/or social studies followed by free choice. Students have a morning and afternoon snack (sent in from home) as well as a morning and afternoon recess. Students eat lunch in the cafeteria. In the beginning of the year there is quiet time where students rest and look at books. In January, this time transitions to reading time. 

Kindergartners participate in library, music, art, physical education, class counsel and French.  Generally, each meets twice a week. Every Friday, we have Forest Friday. Kindergarten classes spend the morning together at the outdoor classroom in the Milton Frye Nature Area behind the school. Check out the Kindergarten Learning page to learn more details about what the students will learn and a sample daily schedule as well as the MCS Curriculum page for details on each area of the curriculum.

School starts at 8:05 AM, with drop off beginning at 7:45 AM. Kindergarteners remain in  the area near the play structure in front of school and kindergarten classes line up to go inside with their teachers in this area. Parents say goodbye to their children outside. 

School ends at 3:10 PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and at 2:10 PM on Wednesdays. Kindergarteners are picked up outside their kindergarten classrooms. The teacher must see the person picking up your student before they are dismissed.

If a family member needs to communicate something timely, like a change in dismissal, they should call the Main Office at 802-649-1703 to ensure that the message gets to the classroom teacher.

Typically the PTO or one of the kindergarten parents arranges meet-ups during the summer. At the end of the summer the PTO usually holds a Popsicles on the Playground for families to meet before the school year starts.

The number of classes is dependent on the number of students enrolled. Individual classroom teacher assignments will be available in late June.

Classes are typically between 15-18 children.

Orientation is for incoming kindergarten students and their families who have registered with the MCS office for school in the fall. Orientation happens the first week of May. Students will spend one hour participating in activities and exploring the kindergarten classrooms with the kindergarten teachers. Families will join our principal, and our assistant principal, in a welcome informational session in the Multi-Purpose Room, including a tour and information about volunteering. There will be time for families to ask questions and to be introduced to the teachers.  When you complete the online-enrollment form, details are shared with families about this event.
 

Volunteer opportunities in kindergarten include joining us in the forest on Fridays, math and literacy volunteers, morning and afternoon recess duties and field trip chaperones. Kindergarten teachers appreciate parent volunteers who can help out in the classroom weekly, monthly or as needed. Math volunteers run a small group math center. All the materials and directions are provided for you. Literacy volunteers may be listening to individual students read books from their book boxes, helping students learn their sight words or run a literacy based game. Recess duty volunteers monitor playground time with one of the kindergarten teachers. Teachers send out google doc sign up sheets in the weekly newsletters. Please follow the SAU 70 Volunteer Background Check Process.

Email is the best way to connect with teachers during the school day. You may also call the MCS Front Office and leave a message with the receptionist. Teachers write emails to share celebrations with families as well as to communicate any concerns. In-person Parent-Teacher conferences are held twice a year, in October and March. Teachers are also available by appointment most days of the week throughout the school year. Each Friday afternoon a weekly class informational newsletter is emailed highlighting learning for the week, celebrations, upcoming events and Table Talk questions for you to have discussions with your student about what they are learning at school.

Summer home visits happen in August, typically the week before school begins. Home visits are optional. They help to ease anxiety about the first days of kindergarten for both families and students. Teachers will send an invitation to you in July asking you to sign up for one of the openings. Visits can also take place at our local Huntley Meadows playground, in Norwich, if you prefer. 

Students are usually pretty excited to have their teacher come to their home and see their favorite things and places. Each visit is 20 minutes. Families can also ask individualized questions at this time. There is no need to prepare anything for the visit. Teachers bring a bag of supplies, if needed, but usually the student enjoys touring the teacher around the home and possibly playing a game together. Families are also invited to check out their new classroom the day before school begins from 2:00 - 3:00 pm.

Every student may opt to have breakfast each morning. Breakfast opens at 7:45 am. If your stuents wants to eat breakfast before the school day begins, they should enter the main lobby doors and walk to the kitchen area near the gym. Teachers are on duty to assist students during breakfast at the gymateria (our gymnasium/cafeteria area). Students may pick up the breakfast after 8:05 and bring it back to the classroom to save it to eat at snack time. Breakfast closes promptly at 8:10 am.

Community Sing: Almost every Thursday afternoon from 2:30 - 3:00 pm K-2 students join in a community sing time led by Mr. Dean, one of our second grade teachers. Students sit by the gazebo in the fall and spring or in the gym during the winter. We sing a variety of songs, some traditional to MCS and other seasonal songs. 

Community Groups: Once a month multi-age grades K-6 small groups of children meet with a teacher to do fun activities together. The groups stay the same year after year at MCS. Sixth graders lead the groups with the support of a teacher. As 6th graders graduate, new kindergarten children join the groups. We meet on Thursday afternoons when there is no Community Sing or REP for grades 3-6.

REP: Four Thursday afternoons per year we have an all school REP where different themes allow for students and teachers to present and perform. It’s a great an opportunity to be together as a whole school for a shared experience. 

Author’s Tea Writing Celebration happens in the spring when kindergarten children have completed a published book. Parents are invited into their child’s classroom to listen to their child and other children in the small group read their stories aloud. This event happens at the end of the school day on a Thursday.

Forest Friday Celebration of Learning happens in the first week of June. Parents are invited in to learn about what the students have been doing in the outdoor forest classroom this year and to see the students’ forest animal research projects. This event happens at the end of the school day on a Thursday.

Every Friday morning we go out to the forest for Forest Friday unless the temperatures are below 0 Fahrenheit or extreme weather such as a lightning storm. Students need to be dressed appropriately for the weather so that they have the best experience possible. We recommend the following outdoor gear that you may keep at school. We do have some extra clothing for students to borrow. You may also find some items online or at local thrift stores.

• Rain jacket, rain pants or a rainsuit

• Boots: winter and puddle boots

• Snow pants and winter jacket or snowsuit

• 2 pair warm wool socks

• 2 pair of waterproof mittens (Land’s End has good waterproof ones)

• Warm base layer that is not cotton such as polypropylene or wool, or a fleece base layer

• Hat

• Balaclava or neck warmer

• Packages of hand or toe warmers are optional