PREK-4 2024 Parents:
Welcome to the St. Joseph Hill Academy Pre-Kindergarten 4-year-old program. We are looking
forward to a fun-filled, exciting year for your children. Here is some general information that
will be helpful to you this year. Please note that all items discussed below will be within the
guidelines of SJHA School Implementation Plan, policies, and procedures.
Class Assignment:
We will send an email with your child’s class assignment.
Meet the Teacher Night:
We will hold a Meet the Teacher night on September 4, 2024, at 5:30 PM. Location will be in
the Pre-K building. You will receive a separate email with more information regarding this
meeting.
Curriculum:
The children will be learning many new and exciting things this year. We are very excited to
introduce the Frog Street Curriculum. This engaging interactive curriculum program celebrates
the joy of learning while children travel down the road to success. Some of the learning
activities will be socialization and communication skills. Academic skills will focus on Math,
Phonics, Early Literacy, and Religion. We will have Creative Arts, Music and Movement
activities. Your children will participate in group projects, discussions, and many learning
games. We will have practice activities in centers. We will also learn the alphabet, the sounds,
and the numbers through various types of experiences and the Letter People Preschool Program.
Most importantly the children will learn to socialize and be a part of the group. They will learn
to take turns, and share and work cooperatively together.
Arrival:
We will have two transition days for Pre-K.
Thursday , September 5th from 8:30-10:30 AM and Friday, September 6th from 8:30-10:30
AM. Your teacher will notify you by email which session your child will be attending. Please
send a snack and a drink in a brown paper bag for the transition days with their name clearly
written on the bag.
The first full day of school for PreK-4:
Monday, September 9, 2024 (unless you are a three-day scheduled student, then you attend
school on the first day of your scheduled days). Children should come to school in their
uniform; they also need a backpack (any color). Your child should be able to open and close it
themselves and it must be big enough to hold many items including a large 9x12 folder. We will
ask for an emergency contact number and send home an emergency card to be sent in the next
day. Please let us know who will be picking your child up at dismissal.
All children are to be dropped off at the Pre-K building at 7:40 AM sharp! Your child will
be marked late.
Pre-K 4-1: Mrs. Kelly’s class
Pre-K 4-2: Ms. Donato’s class
Pre -K 4-3 Mrs. Azzarello’s class
Pre-K four classes will enter in the front of the Pre-K building.
The Pre-K building is easy to access from Columbia Avenue. Please park in the Upper Landis
Ave. lot, which you can access by making a left onto Chicago Ave. and then making a right
into the parking lot.
All students should arrive by 7:40 AM.
Lateness:
Your child is expected to be in school by 7:40 AM SHARP! Latenesses will be documented.
Dismissal:
All children are to be picked up at the Pre-K building. If someone other than the parents will
be picking up your child, a note must be sent prior to dismissal. There will be exceptions made
in case of emergency. The children are dismissed at 2:00 PM on full days and 11:00 AM on
half days. Please be on time for dismissal.
Absences and Sickness:
If your child is absent from school an absent note is required. Please send the note the next day.
If your child vomits or has a fever, please keep them home until they are fever free for 24 hours.
We try to keep a germ-free environment because with early learners come lots of germs!! If
your child gets sick in school we will call you to come pick them up.
Messages and Notices:
All notes that need to be sent home will be sent via the blue SJHA folder or other folder sent
home by your child’s teacher. All correspondence with the teacher will be through this folder.
However, we are always available at arrival and dismissal if you would like to speak to us.
The folder is to be sent to school every day. Please check it every night.
We can be reached via voicemail throughout the day at the following
extensions: Mrs. Kelly - Prek4-1- 1-718-981-1187 Ext. 9503 -
[email protected] Ms. Donato - Prek4-2 1-718-981-1187 Ext. 9506 -
[email protected] Mrs. Azzarello- Prek4-3 1-718-981-1187 Ext 9505 -
[email protected]We check our phone messages at least 3 times a day. If it is an emergency you can contact the
general office and they will get us ASAP. The number is: 1 (718) 981-1187 Ext. 9136.
We find one of the best ways to communicate with us is by email. Please provide us with an
e-mail address that you check on a regular basis. We always check our email throughout
the day.
Uniforms: (PRE-K four-year olds)
Your child is expected to be in uniform every day. The blue SJHA sweatpants with the school
golf (polo) shirt under the blue SJHA sweatshirt is the winter uniform. In the warmer weather
the children are permitted to wear blue gym shorts with the SJHA golf (polo) shirt. The SJHA
fleece jacket is an optional item. White Velcro sneakers must be worn every day. Please buy
plain sneakers; no sequins or lights.
NUT FREE ZONE
Due to many allergies, the entire Pre-K building will be a NUT FREE ZONE.
Snacks and Lunch:
All children must have a snack with a drink and their lunch (including a drink). Please do not
send in sippy cups, thermoses, glass bottles, super size large drink/water bottles. Plastic small
bottles of water are the best. Try not to send canned snacks that are hard to open, food that
needs to be heated, soda, candy or popcorn. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Lunch boxes are permitted, Please note if you are using a bento box no lunch box is needed this
only complicates lunch set up and clean up. Please be sure to put their snack in a separate bag.
Please wash lunch and bento boxes at least once a week.
Change of clothes and toilet accidents:
Please send in a complete change of clothes for your child (if your child attends aftercare please
send in another set of clothes), including underwear, socks, sneakers, shirt and pants. Please
label all. Put them in a large Ziploc bag with your child’s name clearly printed on the outside of
the bag. We need these on the first day of school. We realize that accidents do happen, but all
children must be completely potty-trained. If there is an accident, you will be called to pick up
your child.
Hair : Girls’ hair should be neatly arranged and long hair must be pulled back or up. Boys’
hair must be neat at all times, combed and groomed, not to exceed the bottom earlobe.
Newsletter and Calendar:
A monthly newsletter to update you with themes and special events will be posted on the
school website under the Pre-K heading. It will also be emailed on the first day of each month.
Please read the calendar each month very carefully. Days off and dates for special events may
change from the tentative summer calendar.
Class Website Page:
Each class has a website page. You can access the page from the school
website. https://elementary.stjosephhillacademy.com/
Select the Academics tab, then select Early Childhood and Pre K tab, and then the Pre-K 4. We
post information here as well as upcoming events. Please subscribe to receive updates.
School Rush App:
You will receive an email with directions to sign up for the app. This app is an important part
of communication within the Pre-K. More information to follow.
Seesaw App:
You will receive an email notification to sign up for the app. Weekly homework will be
posted using this application. More information to follow.
Class Birthdays:
We will celebrate individual class birthdays with the “Star of the Day” activity. More details to
follow. We will celebrate monthly birthdays with a class celebration. When your child’s monthly
birthday celebration is scheduled you will receive an email with a list of items like pizza, mini
cupcakes, ice cream, etc to select and send in for a monthly celebration. There will be at least
3-4 students in a monthly celebration.
Supplies:
Please no supplies are to be brought on the first day of school. You will get an email
explaining supplies. Please do not buy anything until you receive the email.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
We hope that we have provided you with valuable information to help you and your child have
a great year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Kelly Pre-K 4-1
Ms. Donato Pre-K 4-2
Mrs. Azzarello PreK 4-3
