The first day of school for our youngest kiddos can spark both excitement and nerves! Knowing your child is starting school in September, we’ve put together a list of resources to help you prepare for this first big step in your child’s schooling.
Explore your child’s classroom virtually
You and your child can explore their Kindergarten classroom from the comfort of your home! All you need is a smartphone, tablet or computer. Our WCDSB virtual school tours give you a 360° view of your child’s class. Visit your child’s new school’s website and scroll under ‘About’ to find the virtual tours.
Review the Welcome to Kindergarten Guide for Parents
When preparing your child for their first day of Kindergarten, we know you likely have many questions. That is why we have prepared a Welcome to Kindergarten Guide for Parents! In this document you will find important information on Kindergarten Programming, the classroom and home relationship and safety essentials.
Get ready for the yellow school bus
The Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services (STWDSTS) provides all school bus transportation for our WCDSB schools. Leading up to your child’s first day of school, you will want to visit https://stwdsts.ca/ where you will find important information pertaining to your transportation needs! You may also want to explore their Frequently Asked Questions page (https://stwdsts.ca/faqs/) to familiarize you with their school buses and services.
Review WCDSB child care options
Before and after school programming is available at a number of our schools. This programming is available on regular school days, and students have fun participating in arts and crafts, sports, drama and more! To see if your school offers this program, please consult the list here: https://www.wellingtoncdsb.ca/apps/pages/beforeandafterschoolprograms
Prepare your Kindergarten checklist
If you’ve already registered for Kindergarten with Wellington Catholic District School Board, you can start shopping for your child’s school supplies. We’ve highlighted some essential school supplies below to help you prepare your Ready for Kindergarten checklist.
Backpack: Your child will need a bag to carry their belongings to and from school. Each child will have a space to store their backpack during the school day. We recommend that you ensure both a lunch container and water bottle can fit in your child’s backpack and have space for other items as needed.
Indoor shoes: Every student is asked to have a pair of indoor shoes (ex., Running shoes that are appropriate for physical education) that can remain at the school. To keep our school safe and clean, students change into indoor shoes once they arrive at their classroom. Velcro running shoes are highly recommended for our youngest students to encourage successful independence.
Lunch kit: Parents are expected to send their child to school with lunch and snacks for the day, so you will want to ensure your child has a good lunch bag to keep their food fresh.
Water bottle: We recommend sending your child to school with a refillable water bottle.
Healthy nut-free foods: Due to nut allergies, we ask that you ensure your child’s food items contain no traces of nuts. If you’re looking for some lunch or snack ideas, you can check out Healthy Lunch Ideas
Clothing your child can manage independently: Our educators will encourage your child to be independent with their bathroom routines (and if necessary, our educators will verbally walk them through the steps if they need help). It’s a good idea to ensure your child comes to school in clothing they can manage independently and reduce any stress for your child.
A change of clothing: We recommend sending your child to school with a change of clothing in case their clothes get dirty during outdoor play or in case of a bathroom accident. Please label all clothing with your child’s name.
Family photo: It can be helpful to provide your child with a family photo to keep in their backpack or at school. In the transition of home to school, some children take comfort in “seeing” their loved ones.
Register for Kindergarten
If you haven’t registered for Kindergarten yet, there’s still time. Just visit our Register page and follow the instructions provided- https://www.wellingtoncdsb.ca/apps/pages/kindergartenregistration. You’ll need proof of your address and your child’s birth certificate or passport handy. You’ll also need your child’s immigration documents if you’re new to Canada.
We welcome children of all faiths, so your child doesn’t have to be Catholic and baptized to attend. We look forward to welcoming you to the Wellington Catholic family in the fall.