KINDERGARTEN
2025 - 2026 HANDBOOK
Dear Kindergarten Parents,
Welcome to Stratford Hall!
We are so glad to have you join our school community, and we are especially excited to welcome our newest learners—our incoming kindergarten students. This is a time for you and your child to begin a meaningful journey filled with curiosity, growth, and connection. Kindergarten marks a joyful beginning in your child’s educational experience, and we are honored to share this milestone with you.
At Stratford Hall, our core values - integrity, curiosity, and belongingguide everything we do. We are committed to helping students grow into thoughtful, responsible individuals who approach the world with caring, wonder, and compassion. We strive to make these values a part of our daily interactions, our curriculum, and our community culture
This document is designed to provide you with the information you need to best support your child throughout the kindergarten year. Inside, you will find an overview of the kindergarten program, daily routines, curriculum highlights, key contacts, and tips for a smooth transition into school life. Please take the time to read through the entire document so you are familiar with what to expect and how to stay engaged throughout the year. Please fill out the Getting to Know Your Child form and bring it on the first day of school to give to the teacher.
We warmly welcome you to our school and to our community of learners. At Stratord Hall, we believe that learning thrives in a nurturing and inclusive environment, and we are excited to partner with you in supporting your child’s growth. We look forward to getting to know your family and building a strong, supportive connection in the months ahead.
See you soon!
Regards,
Smita Karam Junior School Principal smita.karam@stratfordhall.ca
GRADUAL ENTRY
You may be wondering why we have gradual entry at Stratford Hall. Gradual entry is an important part of supporting your child’s entry to Kindergarten and into the Stratford Hall community in a caring, gentle, and thoughtful way. Our approach strives to ensure each student’s health and well being is attended to during this period of change in your child’s life. The Kindergarten experience is quite different from daycare and partial day programs and we want to ensure that first and foremost your child feels safe, welcomed, informed, and at ease.
SEPTEMBER 3 - 5
8:00 - 11:40am
Please bring water bottle and morning snack
SEPTEMBER 8 - 9
8:00am - 1:20pm
Please bring water bottle, morning snack and healthy lunch
SEPTEMBER 10 & ONWARDS
8:00am - 3:05pm
Please bring water bottle, morning snack, healthy lunch and afternoon snack
To ensure your child is eased into all of the changes we will focus on these skills during gradual entry and throughout the school year.
EMOTIONAL WELL BEING
Bonding with the homeroom teachers
Meeting the 7 other specialist teachers and support staff including After School Care workers
Exploring the 4 levels of the building
SOCIAL SKILLS
Making new friends
Cooperating and listening to teacher(s) and other students
Establishing classroom essential agreements/rules
SAFETY SKILLS
Walking up and down stairs to the rooftop
Walking down the sidewalk and across Commercial Drive to Clark Park
Boundaries & play at Clark Park
Exiting the back of the PYP building, down the alley, and to Music & Design
Handwashing hygiene
Locating the bathroom(s)
Snack and lunch eating and drinking conduct
End of day pick-up routine
PHYSICAL SKILLS
Stair and hallway conduct
Rooftop and Clark Park play, equipment and safety rules
Chair/wiggle cushion/wobble stool conduct
INDEPENDENCE SKILLS
Changing shoes (velcro only)
Putting on & zipping/buttoning/snapping jackets
Packing & unpacking backpacks
Opening & closing containers
Lining up protocols, stairwell & bathroom conduct
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TEACHERS BECOME AWARE OF DURING THE FIRST DAYS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
Allergies
Awareness of students’ pronouns
Family & pet dynamics
Language skills
Bilingualism
Culture
Individual health and safety needs
NEED TO KNOW
PYP ATTENDANCE
If your child will be absent, please email: pypattendance@stratfordhall.ca.
COMMUNICATION - SEESAW/ TODDLE
The Kindergarten weekly announcements published digitally via Seesaw/Toddle will be the primary mode of communication each week. It is very important that you check it in order to stay on top of upcoming key events & activities inside and outside of the classroom. More information will come out regarding this platform and how to sign up once the school year begins. Also, at times, important notices and completed work are sent home in the student’s message bags. Please check your child’s message bag each day.
CLASS PLACEMENT
For the first two weeks of school, all Kindergarten students will work with both Mrs. G. and Miss Bai to develop and establish class placements. Final class placements will be communicated to parents on Friday, September 12.
HOT LUNCH PROGRAM
Stratford Hall provides a lunch program option, run by Calhoun’s Catering, for all students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Online registration is required with: student name, homeroom, and an email address that is checked at least daily for important notices. Lunch orders can be placed up to 12:00pm (noon) the day before.
IMMUNIZATION
To learn more, please visit: www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-library/immunizations/children.
SCHOOL READY
Parents can support their child over the summer to be school ready.
BATHROOM
Students must be able to independently use the washroom. Please practice washroom etiquette at home so that students can independently take care of their needs.
DIETARY
Please communicate with your child’s teacher any known allergies (ex: asthma) and food sensitivities using the “Getting to Know You” form that is attached. Please return this to the teacher on the first day of school.
BEDTIME
Kindergarten students require 10-12 hours of sleep a night for brain development, memory, and physical health. Nightly routines are healthy habits that will help your child get a successful start to the following day.
THE IB LEARNER
THE LEARNER PROFILE
WHAT ARE THE LEARNER PROFILE TRAITS?
As an IB School, the Learner Profile traits are foundational dispositions that we want students to develop through their educational journey at Stratford Hall. Throughout the year teachers will be teaching and using the following traits when speaking to you at parent-teacher meetings and when speaking to your child. Please familiarize yourself with the Learner Profile. On the following page, you will see suggestions on how to develop these dispositions at home. We will do the same at school.
CARING
• Help your sibling or parent.
• Do a random act of kindness.
• Read out loud to a grandparent.
• Help a neighbour with some gardening.
• Do a new chore around the house without being asked.
BALANCED
• Do physical activity every day for at least 30 minutes.
• Eat some vegetables and fruits every day of the week.
• Find a quiet place to sit with your eyes closed for 5 minutes every day.
• Remember to take a deep breath often!
• Take a 5-minute walk for every hour you are sitting.
KNOWLEDGEABLE
• Read about current events. Discuss your opinions with your family.
• Listen to the news and consider what small action you can take.
• Listen to a podcast to learn something new, tell a parent what you learned.
• Read at least one non-fiction book a week.
• Share new learning by making a presentation or speech.
RISK TAKERS
• Try a new food.
• Try a new sport or activity with your family or neighbours.
• Present a fun speech to your parents and practice speaking clearly.
• Play a new game with your family that may be out of your comfort zone.
REFLECTIVE
• Thing about what you will do tomorrow to make it a great day for learning.
• Think about what you will do tomorrow to make someone feel valued.
COMMUNICATORS
• Learn a new language.
• Write a letter to your neighbour and share a kind message.
• Send a video recording to a family member that lives far away and share something new you have learned.
• Have a fun games night with your family and play charades to practice communicating with facial expressions, signs, and actions.
PRINCIPLED
• Start and finish your homework without reminders.
• Do your chores.
• Clean up after yourself.
• Be honest about your actions.
• Keep up with your responsibilities around the house.
OPEN-MINDED
• Try a new activity.
• Read a new book that is different from the other books you normally read.
• Try a new fruit or vegetable.
• Listen to a piece of music in another language.
INQUIRERS
• Plan to do something and write down all the steps.
• Ask questions about things you see, hear, or wonder.
• Look around your house or backyard to find out how things work.
• Investigate personal interests.
• Take regular field trips with your parents to museums, zoos, aquariums and symphonies. Talk with your family about what you noticed.
• Research an area of interest. Talk about what you learned with your family.
THINKERS
• Take things apart and put them back together.
• Participate in a family debate, using reasoning to support your stance.
• Do a science experiment with your family.
• Teach someone in your family a new skill.
KINDERGARTEN CHECKLIST
• Come to school wearing outside Velcro runners every day.
• A labelled and filled water bottle each day. (No spill lids please)
• Bring the following labelled shoes to keep at school:
• black school shoes,
• inside Velcro runners for the gym (to stay clean) &
• rain boots for rainy days
• A change of clothes (underwear, socks, top, and pants) in a labelled zip lock bag for possible accidents (to be stored in their cubbies for the year).
• Sun hat/sunglasses labelled for sunny days.
• Cutlery set (fork and spoon) in a zip lock bag/container stored in their lunch bags at all times (for both home and ordered school lunches).
• An old (oversized adult) T-shirt for Art lessons.
• Please label absolutely EVERYTHING including shoes, containers & cutlery.
• If your child is choosing to wear a mask at school, please practice wearing and storing the masks appropriately. Masks should be labelled and placed inside a plastic labelled bag for storage and taken home each day.
• Complete and return the double-sided Getting to Know Your Child form for first day of school https://drive.google.com/ file/d/1F1KM9GxBtGOmc6LIaHVJKwx eJxEe0Vt6/view
• Bring in a 4’x6’ colour family photo to keep at school on the first day of school
MISSION
Empowering a diverse community of learners to passionately steward our changing world
VISION
Inspiring minds through innovation and ingenuity
VALUES
Integrity | Curiousity | Belonging
STRATFORD HALL
3000 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC V5N 4E2 T 604 436 0608 | F 604 436 0616 | stratfordhall.ca