Hey Hyway--check out the first day foundation website that dc talked @. It gives you GREAT ideas to convince Principal to let US in 1st day. I think it is under parental involvement topic. I sent away for free info--good stuff! We will probably do Boo-Hoo too to get our feet wet on this.
I am going to try to implement this next school year. I am not sure our principle will like the idea, because in the past they have always been encouraging people to come to orientation before school starts, then on the first day just drop your kid off in the class room and go. Then on the following days they encourage parents not to walk their kindergarteners to class anymore.
I also would like to incorporate another idea I read on this board. On the same morning as the "boo hoo" breakfast (first day of school), have volunteers in the student drop off area handing out coffee and bagels to the parents who stay in their cars and drop off their kids before speeding off to work. We won't ask for anything in return at the time. Just say "Thanks for choosing our school. Let the PTA know what we can do to make your child's school experience richer." Or something like that.
We did the BooHoo breakfast for the first year this year. It was well attended. I had a poster out front. Advertised it well for kindergarten orientation. We did baskets of kleenex, hersheys Hugs and Kisses, Kindergarten poems and had lots of muffins, coffee and juices. It was a social meeting with the officers of PTO and the Principal there. We introduced ourselves to the parents and just answered any questions they may have and visited. I think they like meeting other moms and dads and just getting to see some faces. We'll have it as a yearly event. [img]smile.gif[/img]
We have all day kindergarten, so we don't have to plan for afternoon. But I would guess that most kindergarten parents pick their children up that first day so why not have a little afternoon event. Have it start an hour before school lets out. Serve iced tea and cookies.
What do you do for the afternoon kindergartners? Or do you have all day K? I love the breakfast idea, but if we tried it we'd have nothing for the afternoon kids (cafeteria would be holding lunches when they start). We also have a lot of kindergartners (they have 365 enrolled already for the fall) but most kids take the bus.
