Dear TMSA Apex Kindergarten Families, 

On behalf of the staff and families of The Math and Science Academy of Apex - TMSA Apex, welcome to Kindergarten!

We are very excited about the start of the school year and look forward to getting to know your child and family.  You are joining a well-rounded school family and we are honored to have you become a part of our community. We hope you will find the information below helpful in preparing your family for an exceptional first year of school.  The following information will give you a better understanding of our Kindergarten program.

Kindergarten Staggered Entry Plan:

At TMSA Apex, we participate in “staggered entry.”  This process encourages a gradual transition from home to school and ensures your child’s first day is calm and positive.  Each kindergartener is assigned one staggered entry day and will come to school only on their assigned day during the first week of school (August 7th-9th ). Staggered entry day will be from 9:30am-2:30pm.  This process gives the teachers time to greet and work with each child individually, calm fears, and give the initial set of kindergarten assessment screenings.  Children will meet all of the kindergarten teachers and some fellow classmates on their assigned day. Please check the chart below to identify the specific day your child will attend school for the first week. Your child's staggered entry day will be on: 

• Monday, August 7th :  Last Name A-I

• Tuesday, August 8th: Last Name J-Par

• Wednesday, August 9th:  Last Name Pat-Z

Please do the following to prepare for your child’s staggered entry day:

• Dress in TMSA Apex uniform

• Pack a full lunch and a healthy snack

• Provide a water bottle with lid

• Provide one change of clothes in backpack

YOUR CHILD WILL NOT NEED ANY OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLIES DURING STAGGERED ENTRY OTHER THAN WHAT IS LISTED ABOVE!

Staggered Entry Arrival/Dismissal Procedures:

We ask that you drop your child off at the front office entrance on their staggered entry day. Students may be dropped off by their parents between 9:15am-9:30am.   We ask that you not arrive any sooner, as not to interfere with carpool and morning procedures.  Parents will be asked to fill out forms, students will receive a name tag and they will be escorted to their classroom. We ask that you pick up your child up at the same location, the front office/entrance, promptly at 2:30pm, so that you will not conflict with afternoon carpool procedures.

Class Placements:

Please note that your child will not have an assigned teacher or classroom until after staggered entry.  Your child will be placed in one of the kindergarten classes after teachers have had a chance to meet all incoming students. On  Thursday, August 10th, you will receive an email from your child’s assigned teacher for the school year and you will have a chance to come in and meet the teacher, see the classroom and drop off school supplies on Friday August 11th, during your assigned meet the teacher time.

Meet the Teacher: Friday, August 11th
Mrs. Cook’s Class: 9:00am-11:00am
Mrs. Ho’s Class: 12:00pm-2:00pm

Kindergarten First Official Day:

Monday August 14th will be students' first official day in their assigned kindergarten classroom.  Parents will be allowed to walk your child to class on Monday, August 14th.  To allow for parking and not interfere with carpool, Kindergarten will start at 9:30am on Monday, August 14th.  Please note this will be the ONLY day parents are allowed to walk their child to class.  Moving forward parents will be required to follow dismissal procedures, they will not be allowed to park and walk students to the building, or pick them up from the front entrance.

Dismissal Procedures:

• Carpool Students are to be picked up in the carpool lane for the remainder of the school year.  Parents will need to utilize the PikMyKid app for carpool dismissal procedures.  We ask that drivers adhere to our safety procedures.  Please refrain from using your cell phone while driving through the carpool line.  Our safety procedures and policies will be strongly enforced to ensure that our students and staff can enter and exit the building without risk of injury. 

•  Bus Riders:  Bussing this year is parent-lead and has been set for the year.  If you have not pre-registered for bussing, it is not guaranteed that you will have a seat.  Please email [email protected] with any questions regarding bussing.

• Walkers: Walkers are to be picked up at the front office.  Please note you must have a walker dismissal from on file with the front office in order to pick your child up as a walker.

Health Assessment Forms:

Prior to the first day of school (staggered start day) all kindergarten students need to have their Health Assessment Forms and Immunization Record completed by a physician and on file in their official school record.  Parents should bring the completed form to the main office or have the pediatrician fax a copy to the school.  Students will not be permitted to attend school until the form is submitted. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Mrs. Oates at [email protected] 

We are so excited and look forward to meeting you and getting to know your child!

If you have any questions about staggered entry, or other details mentioned in the information above, please contact Mrs. Smith, Assistant Principal, [email protected] and/or Mrs. Cook, Kindergarten Team Lead, [email protected].

Sincerely,

Mrs. Cook