August 2020
Dear Families:
Welcome to kindergarten at Glengary Elementary School! I am thrilled to be your child’s kindergarten teacher and to work together with your family this school year! Your patience, understanding, and support throughout this unprecedented year is appreciated as we learn and grow together. With a strong partnership, we will work as a team to help your child to have a safe, memorable, fun-filled, and exciting kindergarten experience! To keep the lines of communication open, please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns via my classroom telephone line at (248)956-3163 or my school e-mail address at MichelleSteele@wlcsd.org
My name is Michelle Steele and I have been teaching for twenty-six years, twenty-three years in the Walled Lake School District. I have taught in many different buildings in Walled Lake and I especially love teaching at Glengary!
I attended college at Eastern Michigan University where I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees! I am certified to teach students in kindergarten through high school, but I must admit that kindergartners have my heart!
I am happily married to my husband of twenty-four years and we have two wonderful, adult children, Ryan and Kaitlyn, who are both attending college.
I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending time with my family!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting the school year online creates uncertainty in all of us. Keeping an open mind, packing lots of patience, being willing to step outside of our comfort zones, and understanding that mistakes will be made as part of our learning curve together will be helpful as we embark on this journey. Please know that I am committed to helping each of my students to have a positive beginning to their school careers and achieve to their maximum potential.
In kindergarten, we work diligently to foster independence in our students. Throughout the first few weeks, the children will likely need some assistance from family members/caregivers to learn to navigate the technology and learn the routines of remote learning. Fostering independence will be critically important especially since most children will be in their home environments where they have become accustomed to receiving assistance. It is our goal to allow families more freedom and flexibility to leave the designated school area in your home and allow your children to stay and enjoy their school day on their own. As time goes on, your child should grow to navigate and enjoy their school day independently knowing that they can access a parent or trusted adult for help at home as needed.
Please be sure to arrange a workspace for your child to function as a classroom. It will be important to have a desk or work table, chair, and wall space for your child to hang things that will need to be referenced. Using the suggested school supply list, organize materials so they can be easily accessed by your child during their school days. Instead of markers and pens, have your child use pencils and crayons for fine motor development.
I am truly delighted to be your child’s kindergarten teacher and look forward to the privilege of working together with so many wonderful families this year!
Most sincerely,
Mrs. Michelle Steele
Below is a list of suggested supplies that will be helpful for remote learning.
ü printer with ink recommended
ü timer that your child
can set independently
ü 24 ct crayons
ü 1 pk colored pencils
ü glue sticks
ü Fiskars scissors
ü #2 pencils -
Ticonderoga brand for Kindergarten
ü headphones
ü whiteboard
ü whiteboard markers
ü whiteboard eraser (A
sock works well, too!)
ü 2 dice (6 sided)
ü blank dice (Link HERE)
ü set of magnetic upper and lower case letters
(Link HERE or HERE – second link is the
preferred set)
ü number cards 1-20 - can
hand make or - (Links HERE and HERE)
