New Family Info
Welcome to the Indigo Program!
This New Family Information section has been designed specifically for families newly entering the Indigo Program in Fall 2010. Below you will find answers for many of your burning questions, as well as useful information to help you prepare for the start of the new school year. Parent participation is an integral part of our program. To make the transition a smooth one for your student(s) and yourself, do keep yourself informed of school events and training sessions.
Remember: Please bookmark and check on this page often throughout the summer… it will be updated as more information becomes available.
Contact Information
We will need your contact information to start sending you important information before the school year begins. Due to district closures over the summer, we are not always able to get your contact information prior to the beginning of the academic year. If you would like to receive updated information over the summer, please send us your e-mail address and the names of the adults and children in your family, as well as their grade level. Please send to indigoprogram@gmail.com [helpful if you use the Subject Line: New Family Contact Info].
If you have questions during the summer, you can send them to indigoprogram@gmail.com. Please be patient; it might take a few days to get a reply during the summer vacation.
Save These Important Dates (they're important for a reason!)
New Family Orientation: Wednesday, August 18, 2010: Takes place in the evening the week before school starts. It is an opportunity to meet the teachers, administrator, and parent leaders as well as get important information about the program. It is strongly encouraged that both parents attend this meeting. Note that childcare is not provided for this event, so please plan accordingly.
Drop In Day: Friday August 20 (Time is TBD) in the afternoon. This is a chance for your child(ren) to visit the classroom and meet their teacher and classmates. There will also be a social activity following the drop in day to give new and returning families a chance to meet. More information as it gets closer.
First Day of School: Monday, August 23. School starts at 8:15 AM. There will be a coffee social for families following drop off. This will be another opportunity to meet other new and returning families.
New Family Volunteer Training: First week of school, August 23-27 from 8:30AM-12:30PM. The family member(s) that will be volunteering in the classroom must attend. This training will cover a tour of the campus, Indigo norms, forms of communication, substitute policies, yard duty, field trip training, Indigo parent contract, Communication and Problem Solving handout and Positive Behavior Plan for Indigo Community. Each new family is expected to attend one day of training.
Professional Classroom Training: September 7-10. Conducted by Pat Belvel, the focus of this training is to prepare parents to work in the classroom including appropriate guidelines for helping the teachers, using positive discipline, and other information that the teachers want parents to know before coming into the classrooms. Each family is expected to attend one day of training.
Back to School Night: Date and Time TBD. You get to meet with your classroom teacher, who will talk about the curriculum for the year and the parents’ role in the classroom. It is also an opportunity to meet with your class coordinator, field trip coordinator, and classroom job coordinator.
Buddy Families
Indigo offers a buddy family program. A buddy family is a family that has been at Indigo for at least a year and can help you navigate Indigo as a new family. If you are interested in being assigned a buddy family please contact Cathy Kawakami at indigoprogram@gmail.com.
Summer Park Days
Summer park days are offered during the summer. These are opportunities for you to meet other families. The information about park days is posted on the main page of our website.
Other Important Dates
The district calendar lists all school holidays and other important dates for the
2010-11 school year. It can be found on the Oak Grove School District website.
FAQs
1. When will I need to start working? Training begins the first week of school and continues the 3rd week of school (the second week of training is for returning families). Parents will begin working in the classroom the week of September 13, 2010.
2. When will I find out what my work day is? Ideally parents will know by the end of the 2nd week of school, sometimes this process can be difficult as the class coordinators try to make the schedule and it may be the 3rd week before it is finalized.
3. When do I find out what committee I am on? You should know by the end of September.
4. When do I find out the name of my child's teacher and what classroom they are in? You will receive this information at the New Parent Orientation.
5. What time does school start and end? School starts at 8:15AM for all grade levels. It ends at 2:15PM for grades K-3 and 2:30PM for grades 4-8. On Tuesdays, all students are done at 1:35PM.
6. What do I do if I need to change some of the information on my forms? If the form is your official school enrollment information you need to contact Cheryl in the office. The school office will be closed all of July and will reopen sometime in August. If it is information regarding your membership packet you should send any update to indigoprogram@gmail.com.
7. What school supplies does my child/teacher need? For the first day of school all your child needs to bring are a backpack and a lunch box or lunch money. Teachers will let you know what supplies they might need during the school year.
8. Where do I go on the first day of school? Families are invited to congregate on the blacktop next to the play structure. The Indigo bell is a series of 3 buzzes. Typically students in grades K-1 will line up with their teachers while students in grades 2-8 will walk to class by themselves. You will receive more information about this at the New Family Orientation.
9. How do I buy hot lunch? Information is sent home the first week of school or questions can be answered in the front office. If you need more information over the summer, contact the district office lunch program at 227-8300, ext. 237.
10. Can we buy several hot lunch tickets at a time in advance? The district has a program where you can prepay for lunches. This can be done at the front office.
11. Do we have a lost and found area? There is a lost and found facility located in the cafeteria in a cart next to the stage.
12. What if my child is late in the morning? Children arriving late must check in at the front office.
13. What if I want to pick up my child early for an appointment? You must go to the front office to check your child out. Do not go to your child’s classroom.
14. Where are the parent folders? The parent folders are a place that parents can leave information for other parents in regards to their committee jobs, enrichment centers, or classroom commitment. They are located in the file cabinets in the parent room.
15. Where is the PTA black box for payments? It is attached to the file cabinets in the parent room. It is on the side closest to the far wall when you enter the parent room.
16. When a relative is in town, can they work for me in the classroom? Volunteers in the classroom must be prescreened prior to working in the classroom to ensure our children’s safety. For this reason relatives cannot work in the classroom unless you (and they) have approval from the membership committee.
17. How do I contact the teacher if I need to? The teachers will give you their contact information at Back to School Night as well as the best way to contact them. You can also contact them through the school phone number 408-225-1881.
18. How many field trips will I need to drive on during the year and when will I find out the dates? Families are required to drive/chaperone on three (3) field trips per child/per year. A tentative field trip schedule for each class will be available at Back to School Night. Only pre-screened family members who have been approved to drive by the membership committee will be able to drive on field trips.