Kindergarten children attend Monday-Thursday and alternating Fridays. A detailed schedule for Friday attendance will be sent home to you prior to the first day of school. Attending school on Fridays is important as the longer day is great preparation for full day grade one.
The hours for Kindergarten in 2024/2025 will be shared prior to the end of June 2024.
Children grow and learn a great deal throughout their year in Kindergarten. The Kindergarten curriculum as outlined by Alberta Education, focuses on learning through play. More information is available through Alberta Education https://curriculum.learnalberta.ca/parents/en/home
The Kindergarten day is designed to meet the children’s needs in developmentally appropriate and meaningful ways through CBE’s belief in the importance of learning through play. Focus areas include Literacy & Numeracy, Art & Exploration, and Creative & Playful Movement. In addition to these areas, students have access to the gym, iPads and our outdoor natural space.
A typical day might include:
- Arrival to meaningful and purposeful tasks and routines
- Routines designed to develop school expectations and to expand learning opportunities
- Oral language opportunities
- Action songs & poems, movement sequences
- Gross motor activities in the gym
- Snack and socialization times
- 1 - 2 read aloud or shared reading opportunities
- Purposefully planned centres and play opportunities
- Whole class and small group instruction
- Tasks designed to specifically develop literacy and numeracy skills
Each year parents often ask, "How can I help my child get ready for school"? Attending this Kindergarten orientation is a great first step. The Calgary Board of Education website also provides great information for parents: http://www.cbe.ab.ca
Spending time playing with your child helps to prepare him or her for kindergarten, especially with a focus on communication (talking, reading, taking turns, etc.). Including your child in everyday activities that promote independence will help to make the transition easier. Reading to your child is essential to success in school. Teaching your child through fun activities, to recognize and write their name would also be beneficial.
Important Tips
Dress – Your child is expected to dress appropriately for the weather each day. We often take advantage of the outdoor learning spaces throughout the year. Your child should wear “play” clothes to school. Learning can be a messy job and “fancy” clothes may be ruined by paint, clay, sand, etc.
Shoes – On the first day of school, please bring a pair of non-scuffing, Velcro, running shoes that will be left at school for the year. Please only send lace up shoes if your child can tie their shoes independently. It is important to send indoor shoes that are athletic, such as running shoes as they are necessary for participation in Phys. Ed. class. Sandals, crocs, slippers, etc. are not appropriate for indoor school shoes.
Backpacks - Your child is expected to bring a regular size backpack to school everyday.
Snacks - A nutritious snack is required for your child each day. A few suggestions are: fresh/washed fruit or vegetables, muffins, crackers and cheese, sandwiches, yogurt, and healthy cookies. Water is available for the children and you can send a water bottle each day if you would like. Please do not send sugar drinks for snack. Alex Munro is an ‘Allergy Aware’ school, meaning that nut allergies may be present. As a precaution, we ask that snacks be nut-free.
Message Folders – Messages or notices will be sent home in a “Colored Folder”. Please check this message folder each evening and use it to send notes and important information back to your child’s teacher. Please return this folder on a daily basis, even if there is nothing inside. Newsletters will come out at the end of each month and are available on the Alex Munro website under agendas.
Email – Most of the school communication is done through email. Please ensure that we have your current email address, telephone number and mailing address and check your email regularly. Please subscribe to stay informed of our whole school communication. Please see the “Subscribe to Stay Informed” sheet for more information.
Reporting - The combination of parent/child/teacher meetings and report cards will help ensure that the parents, children and teachers have a common understanding of the child’s progress at school. Parent/child/teacher conferences take place in September, November and March. Also, formal report cards will be available online during the school year. We are always available to discuss concerns or answer any questions that you may have. Please email your teacher directly to make appointments outside of Parent-Teacher Conferences if you wish. An ideal time to talk is after your child has been dismissed as we will have time to speak to you with no interruptions.
Volunteers - The CBE recognizes the value and encourages the use of volunteers in all schools and we treasure our volunteers at Alex Munro. To ensure and maintain a safe and secure environment for students and staff, all volunteers must register and consent to a Police Information Check. This process involves the volunteer bringing a piece of photo identification to the school office where we generate a letter for you to begin the process. We encourage you to come to the school office to get this process started.
School Website – For school news and updates, key dates and upcoming events, online agendas, and more please regularly visit our school website https://alexmunro.cbe.ab.ca/
IMPORTANT | PowerSchool – MyCBE Account
In August 2018, the CBE implemented a new student information system – MyCBE. It provides parents, students and staff seamless access to information and transactions using a modern and effective technology platform. Parents have online access to:
- View their children’s academic information (schedule, grades and attendance)
- View their children’s learning activities using Brightspace by D2L
- Register for transportation and noon supervision
- Pay fees and request fee waivers
- Book school conferences
To create your MyCBE student account please ensure you have your child’s CBE student number (on the front of your folder) and go to: https://cbe.ab.ca/support/Pages/MyCBE-PowerSchool.aspx