Deanna Dexter

I am a Kindergarten teacher at Elm Hill School.  I have been at Elm Hill School since 1988.  I actually started teaching as an Associate Kindergarten teacher in Chester in 1972.  I loved my job in Chester and decided to go back to school to get my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.  I graduated from The College of Saint Joseph in 1976 and also have a degree from Castleton State. I started teaching Grade One at Union Street school in 1976.  I taught for two years and then stayed at home for nine years to raise my children.  During that time I still couldn't stay away from teaching so I taught piano and voice lessons at home.  I have a daughter and a son and they are both married.  Our son has a two year old little girl and our daughter has a three year old son and a one year old daughter.  My husband is an accountant and we are proud to say we were born and raised in Springfield. We enjoy our house and yard and love being with our family here in Vermont.  We both attended Union Street School, Riverside and Park Street School was our High School.

Mrs. Dexter, Room #184

Expectations

1.  Kids need comfortable, sensible, washable clothes- Remember, we play on the floor, in the sandbox, in the woods, with paints and clay, etc. Please wear or bring sneakers on Physical Education days.  An extra change of clothes for spills and “accidents“tucked in the bottom of your child’s backpack will save us all an interruption during the day.

         2.  Each child needs a backpack- You can send us things and we will send you things back.  We will try to check it each day and you should do the same.  Children do not need to bring pencils, crayons, paper, etc. at this time but you may get requests for supplies throughout the year as we need them.  Please keep the “homework folder” we put in your child’s backpack in there so we can get paper work home to you in good shape and you can use it to send notes and forms back to us also.  Almost every week I send home a packet of your child’s work.  Please sit down with your child and discuss this work.  If there is work that is not finished in the packet please have your child do so and get it right back to school.    

3.  Daily Snacks- Please send in a nutritious snack for your child each day. We will take a quick break for snack once a day at around 10:45 AM.  Please be careful of what you send.  It needs to be eaten in a timely manner so we can get on with our activities and it should be a healthy choice.  Please send in a napkin and spoons or forks if needed.  Yes, we love to help children celebrate their birthday at school and you can send a treat for the whole class on that day if you choose.

         4.  Lunch money-If you choose to have your child eat lunch at school they will need to pay a nominal fee each day.  This can be paid in advance to the Café Services or daily.  There is a breakfast program also and that is also a small fee. 

         5.   We need a currentphone number -that we can reach you at during the school day.  Please let us know if your phone number changes.  Please make sure you let the school know where you can be reached at all times.

6.  We now have a group of children who are to be picked up and another who ride the bus most days.  Please let me know in the AM if those plans change. 

          If you need to speak to me I am available after I do bus duty at (3:55) each afternoon.  I can also be reached on the phone at school from 8:30 to 4:00.  (885-5154) The secretaries will not interrupt the class while I am teaching but will take a message or let me know so I can call you back when I’m free.  You can also just leave me a phone message or email me on my school email. ddexter@ssdvt.org  . 

           We welcome your help and participation in our classroom.  If you come in to just visit don’t be surprised if we put you right to work.  I need parents to help with the Waterford computers in our room or with other projects.  If you have a particular expertise such as cooking, gardening, nature studies, art or crafts we would love to have your help.  I find that my parent helpers really make the difference for us.  I hope you will consider this your personal invitation to make a difference in your child’s education and try to help out in some way at school this year.  As a general rule, I try to have parents come during the latter part of the day so they can then take their child home with them.  This is usually a time where I have planned activities and I need an adult to work with small groups on an activity. 

 Thanks for allowing me the privilege of working with your child this year.   

Sincerely,                                      Deanna Dexter