New Preschool Family GUIDE
Welcome!
Welcome to Hamlin Robinson School!
Welcome to Early Childhood Education at Hamlin Robinson School! We are delighted to welcome your family to our community.
Beginning preschool is an exciting milestone, and we are honored to partner with your family during these important early years. Every child arrives with unique strengths, interests, and experiences, and our goal is to create a learning environment where every student feels safe, known, and excited to come to school each day.
This guide is designed to help you prepare for your child’s first days at school, answer common questions, and introduce you to the routines, philosophy, and community of our program. For complete school policies, please refer to the Hamlin Robinson School Early Learning Family Handbook.
Our Philosophy
Young children learn best through play, meaningful relationships, conversation, exploration, and discovery. Our teachers intentionally create language-rich experiences throughout every day while supporting each student’s social-emotional, cognitive, physical, and literacy development.
Whether children are building with blocks, reading stories, exploring outdoors, or sharing ideas with friends, every experience is an opportunity to build communication, confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.
The HRS Difference
• Purposeful, play-based learning
• Language and literacy woven naturally throughout the day
• Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD
• Heggerty phonological awareness instruction
• Embedded collaboration with Hamlin Robinson School speech-language specialists
• Developmentally appropriate learning experiences tailored to each child
• Strong partnerships between school and home
Meet Your Team
Kristin Karlson, Head of Early Childhood Education
Kristin has dedicated more than 25 years to early childhood education as both a teacher and school leader. She is passionate about creating joyful, language-rich learning environments where every child feels known, valued, and inspired to learn. She is excited to lead the inaugural Early Childhood Education program at Hamlin Robinson School and partner with families during these important early years. Outside of school, Kristin enjoys traveling, attending sporting events, and spending time with her cat, Emme.
Heather Shappell, Lead Teacher
Your child’s lead teacher plans engaging learning experiences, builds relationships with each child, and creates a classroom environment where children feel safe, challenged, and inspired to learn. (Bio coming soon)
Emily Parker, Assistant Teacher
The assistant teacher partners closely with the lead teacher to support children’s learning, supervise daily routines, and help create a caring and responsive classroom community. (Bio coming soon)
Speech-Language Team
One of the unique benefits of attending Early Childhood Education at Hamlin Robinson School is access to the expertise of our speech-language pathology team. While preschool students are not automatically receiving speech therapy, our teachers collaborate with speech-language specialists to create language-rich learning experiences and support children’s communication development.
Before Your First Day
Complete Before School Begins
• Complete all required forms in myHRS.
• Submit health and immunization information through Magnus Health.
• Attend your Welcome Conference.
What to Bring
• 2-3 complete changes of labeled clothing
• Wet bag for soiled clothing
• A labeled water bottle
• Weather-appropriate outdoor clothing (rain suit, boots, coat, hat, gloves)
• A small blanket for rest time
• A small, labeled comfort item for rest time (optional)
Helping Your Child Prepare
Children often take their emotional cues from the adults around them. Speaking positively about school, establishing predictable morning routines, and keeping goodbyes brief and confident can help your child feel secure.
Reading books about preschool, practicing independence with handwashing and dressing, and encouraging your child to carry their own backpack are simple ways to build confidence before the first day.
A Typical Day
Part of the Day What Students Experience
Arrival
Warm greetings, classroom exploration, and connection with teachers
Morning Meeting Songs, stories, movement, and community building
Learning Experiences Centers, projects, literacy, math, science, sensory exploration, art, and small-group learning
Outdoor Learning Active play, exploration, and gross motor development
Lunch
Rest / Quiet Time
A shared meal that encourages independence and conversation
Rest or quiet activities based on each child’s needs
Afternoon Choice time, projects, snack, outdoor play, and dismissal
Learning at HRS
Language & Literacy
Language development is intetionally woven throughout the day through conversations, storytelling, songs, books, and meaningful instruction.
Learning Through Play
Purposeful play allows students to investigate, create, solve problems, and build foundational academic skills in developmentally appropriate ways.
Social-Emotional Growth
Children learn to build friendships, solve problems, express emotions, and become confident members of a classroom community.
Purposeful Assessment
Teachers use Teaching Strategies GOLD to observe each child’s development and thoughtfully plan experiences that support continued growth.
Communication
Open communication is an essential part of our partnership with families. Classroom updates, photos, and messages are shared through Tadpoles, while school-wide information is shared through email and myHRS.
Parent-teacher conferences provide dedicated time to discuss your child’s development and celebrate progress. Because teachers prioritize interactions with students, some updates may be shared after instructional activities have concluded.
Partnering with Families
Our Commitment
• We will know your child as an individual.
• We will communicate openly and respectfully.
• We will celerate growth and milestones.
• We will partner with you through challenges.
• We will provide a safe, joyful learning environment.
How Families Can Help
• Share important information about your child.
• Communicate questions or concerns.
• Read together every day.
• Send your child dressed for outdoor play.
• Label all personal belongings.
• Keep emergency contact information current.
Daily Information
Arrival & Dismissal
Morning drop-off takes place in front of the Lower School on 20th Avenue, where members of the Early Childhood Education team will greet students and escort them into the building. Preschool families will receive a school-issued vehicle identifier to display during arrival so traffic staff can recognize ECE families and allow access to 20th Avenue.
At dismissal, parents and authorized adults will park in front of the Lower School and enter the building to pick up students from the preschool classroom. Students are released only to adults authorized through Magnus Health. Please notify the school of any changes to dismissal plans via email or phone.
Arrival and Dismissal Map
Meals and Snacks
Families provide a healthy lunch and a labeled water bottle each day. The school provides a morning and afternoon snack that follows Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) nutrition guidelines whenever possible. Families will be notified of classroom food allergies or dietary restrictions.
Outdoor Learning
Outdoor play is an important part of every school day. Students go outside daily unless weather conditions make outdoor play unsafe. Please send weather-appropriate clothing each day. We recommend keeping a labeled rain suit and boots at school.
Rest Time
Following lunch, students participate in a quiet rest period. Children who do not sleep are offered quiet activities after an appropriate period of rest. One small labeled comfort item may be brought from home.
Health & Medication
Please keep your child home if they are ill or unable to comfortably participate in the school day. If your child becomes ill at school, a parent or emergency contact will be contacted for prompt pick-up. Medication may only be administered according to school policy with completed authorization forms.
Birthdays & Celebrations
Birthdays are celebrated in ways that are meaningful and inclusive. Families who wish to contribute are encouraged to donate a favorite book or another non-food item to the classroom after coordinating with the teacher.
Personal Belongings
Each child will have a designated locker for storing personal belongings during the school day. Please label all backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, jackets, extra clothing, and comfort items with your child’s full name. This helps us quickly return misplaced belongings.
Children should keep toys and other personal items at home unless specifically requested by the classroom teacher for a classroom activity or sharing opportunity. We recommend keeping at least two complete changes of clothing at school, as preschool children often need fresh clothes after art projects, outdoor exploration, or occasional accidents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my child cries at drop-off?
Many children need time to adjust to a new routine. Our teachers are experienced in supporting children through this transition and will help your child feel comfortable and engaged.
What
if my child doesn’t nap?
Children who do not sleep are offered quiet activities after an appropriate rest period.
What
if my child is still learning toileting
skills?
Students should be mostly independent with toileting before beginning preschool. Because the classroom does not have an attached restroom, children need to communicate when they need to use the bathroom outside scheduled restroom breaks and participate in the toileting routine with minimal assistance. Accidents are a normal part of learning, and we expect them from time to time. Please send extra clothing each day. If a child consistently requires diapering or is not yet able to recognize or communicate the need to use the restroom, we will partner with the family to determine the best plan for success.
How will I know how my child’s day went?
Daily communication is shared through Tadpoles, along with conversations at pick-up whenever appropriate.
Who to Contact
ECE Program
Enrollment
Attenance
ece@hamlinrobinson.org
ece@hamlinrobinson.org
frontoffice@hamlinrobinson.org or 206.763.1167
Billing accountsreceivable@hamlinrobinson.org
Extended Day
Speech Services
Technology / myHRS
auxiliary@hamlinrobinson.org
Welcome to the HRS Community
Your family is an important part of the Hamlin Robinson School community. We encourage you to participate in family events, conferences, school celebrations, volunteer opportunities, and the Family Association. Strong partnerships between home and school help every child thrive.
We’re Glad You’re Here
Thank you for choosing Early Childhood Education at Hamlin Robinson School. We appreciate the trust you have placed in us and look forward to partnering with your family as your child grows, discovers, and develops a lifelong love of learning.
Welcome to our community!
