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Parent letter

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith,

Welcome to Sunnyside Elementary School! I am Miss La Rue, and I am so excited to have

your daughter, Emily, in class this year! We are going to have a fantastic year and I am looking
forward to getting the school year started!

This is my first-year teaching, and I cannot wait to begin. I am a graduate of Washington

State University with a degree in Elementary Education. I also have an endorsement in English
Language Learning, so I studied about how to help children from all over the world while I was in
college. I have always had a passion for learning and helping young students, and since I was a in
elementary school my dream was always to become a teacher. I am ecstatic to finally be able to
step into my own classroom and begin making a difference in your child’s life. I am confident that
together, we can support Emily and ensure she is learning deeply this year.

When I am not in the classroom teaching, you can usually find me running! I have loved
distance running since I was very young, and I enjoy completing many local races and half
marathons. Beyond running, I love to spend time with family and read many books in my free
time. I also love baking when I am at home, there is nothing better than the smell of fresh cookies
baking in the oven!

At Sunnyside Elementary School, every student is provided a handbook the first day of
school that outlines the school policies and procedures. This is also a great resource that outlines
our breakfast and school lunch programs that we provide. While we will read this handbook in
class, I encourage you to read it with your child at home so that you are familiar with the procedures
as well. If you have any questions about anything you see in the student handbook, please do not
hesitate to reach out. I will be happy to answer any questions you have at any time.

In kindergarten, we will cover many different units throughout the year. We will start off
the year with a focus on basic skills that students need to know, such as how to hold a pencil, how
to cut paper, working with their peers, and learning how to be kind and respectful to others. While
these are not the typical “textbook” skills that you may expect, I feel that these are the fundamental
skills that students need to know to be successful throughout their entire life, and I want to take
the time to teach our students these skills right from the start. In addition to covering these skills,
all kindergarten students will be introduced to math and reading on a daily basis. We also will go
to library, PE, and music throughout the year twice a week, students really enjoy these activities!
During the first half of the year they will be introduced to art lessons, and then the second half of
the year they will have science lessons. This is part of our incorporation of STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math) into the classroom from a young age! We have found that
introducing students to these subjects has helped their growth in these areas immensely, so I want
to make sure to give my students the exposure to all of these different subjects.

In my classroom, my goal is to create an environment where every student feels safe and
cared for. I want students to enjoy learning and I am confident that through consistent support,
every child can be successful. In my classroom, we will become a family. My philosophy as a
teacher is that it is not about “me” it is about “we.” We will all work together to be successful, and
we will always be showing kindness to each other. My goal for every student in the classroom is
to have my students become responsible, caring, and kind individuals who love learning so that
they will turn into lifelong learners.

I believe that having high expectations for your students is key to bringing them to their
fullest potential in their learning. Throughout the year, I will be encouraging my students to
challenge themselves, be proud of their mistakes, and to continue learning even when it gets tough.
I believe that every student is capable of achieving success, and with these high expectations, I
know my students can get there. I also have expectations that in my classroom we are kind,
respectful, and will never give up. These will be the basis for the formation of the classroom rules
that we will make together as a class on the first day of school. It is not “my” classroom, it is “our”
classroom, so I believe the students should be involved in the creation of the rules for the classroom
this year.

Throughout the year, I will be sending home weekly classroom newsletters with all of your
students’ work every Friday. The newsletter will provide information about what the class has
been doing that week, serve as a reminder for any upcoming events, and also provide a section
where you can write any comments/questions for me that you have, and I will respond back to
you! The portion of the newsletter that will be signed and provide me with written feedback can
be torn off so that your student can turn this in but you will still have the newsletter. I also will
include a section where I list “Miss La Rue’s Classroom Superstars.” In kindergarten, we will have
a “Compliment Jar” in which the students will all draw the names of their peers out of a hat, and
then they will write a few words (sentences towards the end of the year) complimenting that
person. Then, I will type up these compliments and include them in the newsletter so everyone can
see how great our students are doing! Students get excited about this, and I do too! This packet
will include the newsletter, the work your child has completed during the week, and any homework
that they need to complete over the weekend that will always be due by the following Friday.

Before the first day of school, there are a few materials that would be beneficial for your
child to bring. Erasers, a pencil box, pencils, a box of tissues, crayons, wide-ruled paper, and glue
sticks would be great for your student to have. If your student cannot bring these items please let
me know and I would be happy to help!

Throughout the year, there will be many times parents will be welcomed to school! Our
conference schedule is listed in the calendar that will be coming home soon, and this is an
opportunity where we can sit down and discuss everything your child has accomplished that year,
and how we can best benefit them moving forward. I encourage you to come for conferences, and
if you cannot make it in person, I am more than happy to talk with you on the phone as well. Right
around the corner, we have our open house for the elementary school! This is a night where you
can come in, meet the teacher, and tour the classroom! I would love to see you and Emily there to
begin getting to know you! This is a great night and is a lot of fun for students, teachers, and
parents.
 My classroom is a safe place. As parents, you are welcomed to come into my classroom at
any time. In a few weeks, I will be sending home a sign-up sheet where you can volunteer to come
help in our classroom once a week! This is always helpful and I enjoy having you be a part of our
classroom since you are such an important part of your child’s life. If you ever have any questions,
concerns, or ideas please do not hesitate to reach out to me by calling the school or emailing me at
the address listed below. I am more than happy to provide you with information or help with
anything in the best way that I can.

I am so excited to meet you, we are going to have a great year in kindergarten!

Sincerely,

Miss La Rue
allison.larue@wsu.edu