Welcome to Kindergarten

Transcription

1 Welcome to Kindergarten As we begin this new school year, I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome all of you to Kindergarten! I am very excited to work with your child, and just know that we are going to have a fantastic year together. This handbook contains all of the important information as to how our Kindergarten program works here at St. Cyprian. I ask that you please hold on to this handbook and refer to it throughout the school year! Kindergarten Curriculum: Language Arts: o Phonics - Zoophonics Alphabet Program o Printing A Reason for Handwriting Series o Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Literature Houghton Mifflin Series Religion: Sadlier s Coming to God s World Math: Houghton Mifflin Series Science: Houghton Mifflin & student made books/projects Social Studies: Houghton Mifflin & student made books/projects Art: student made/seasonal projects & Meet the Masters Kindergarten Daily Schedule: The Kindergarten day goes from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday-Thursday and unless school wide early dismissal day of 12:45 pm every Friday. Kindergarten students will participate in core academics until 12:00 pm every day at which time they are dismissed for lunch. Immediately after lunch students will have a short calm down time and story time. During this time, students may use their SMALL cuddle blanket or stuffed animal. Following stories, Religion is taught, as well as Science/Social Studies and themed projects. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in developmental play on a daily basis to encourage positive interactions and sharing amongst classmates. You will always pick up your child from the Kindergarten classroom, unless they go to EDC after the regular school day. If your child will be attending EDC on a regular basis, please let me know ASAP!

2 Class Behavior Plan: We are Bucket Fillers!! Positive praise and encouragement is given to the kindergarteners by reminding them to be bucket fillers to each other both in the classroom and on the playground. This idea of being a bucket filler is taken from the children s book: How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by: Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer. This story presents children with the idea that everyone walks around with an invisible bucket. Through children s nice words and actions to each other, those invisible buckets are filled. According to the story, a bucket filler is a loving, caring person who says or does nice things that make others feel special. The story also talks about bucket dippers, as someone who dips into a bucket, and takes out good feelings. A bucket dipper says or does mean things that make others feel bad. In class, the students are constantly reminded and encouraged to be bucket fillers instead of bucket dippers. We have a class behavior chart that is used to help students monitor their behavior throughout the day. Everyone starts out the day on green (bucket filler). If a child receives a few warnings for their behavior, they will move their magnet down the chart to the yellow warning (bucket dipper). A child can always move their magnet back up to the green bucket filler if a great and positive change is made in their behavior at this point in the day. Finally, if a student s behavior is not on course for the day, they will move their magnet a second time to the red (bucket tipper). If necessary, a conference with the teacher and/or principal can be arranged regarding behavior. If a child does an excellent job of being a bucket filler all day, their magnet will be moved up to purple, or the super bucket filler level of the clip chart. Behavior Chart Color Breakdown BLUE: Exceptional! Goes above and beyond a Super Bucket Filler PURPLE: Super Bucket Filler- children can move up to this level for extra awesome behavior throughout the day! GREEN-Bucket Filler- everyone starts the day on this level. If a student follows the rules and has a good day, they will keep their magnet here! Yellow- Bucket Dipper-children will move their magnet to this level if they are not following the school and classroom rules. RED-Bucket Tipper- if a child continues to break the rules after several warnings, they will move to this level. Student Work Folders: Red Everyday Folder : This folder goes home with your child on a daily basis. Please check their backpacks to make sure that they have it with them, and send it back to school with them the next day cleaned out. Make sure that you look through this folder with your child, as any reminders or letters for your family go home in this folder. Any work that we do in class that you may keep at home is on the left side of the folder labeled left at home. If your child is to sign and return something to school, it will be on the right side of the folder labeled bring right back. o Also included in the red folder will be a page protector containing your child s monthly behavior calendar (beginning in September). This calendar will coincide with the class behavior chart that the students move their magnets up and down on a daily basis. To encourage students to be accountable for their behavior, they will color in which color they were on for behavior that day on the calendar. If a child has colored in yellow or red for that day, there will be a number written in by Mrs. Riemersma as to what the behavior problem was for that day. If there is a serious behavior problem, Mrs. Riemersma will send an , or a note will be in your child s red folder. I encourage you to talk to your child on a daily basis about how

3 their behavior was at school that day. Children also receive stickers on a table incentive chart each day that they are on the green or purple levels of the behavior chart. Once your child has 20 stickers, they get to go to the class treasure box for a prize! Blue & Green Class work Folders : The blue folder contains the student s math and religion worksheets that we will complete in class for the week, and the green folder contains reading and spelling worksheets. When we are finished with this class work, it will always get sent home in your child s red folder, so that you may use it at home to help with their weekly homework. Homework: Weekly Packets Reading/Printing homework, as well as Math homework will be sent home with students every Thursday in their clear homework folder. This homework packet is to be completed by Thursday of the next week. If homework is turned in on Friday, it will be marked as late. Too many late assignments may negatively affect a student s work habits and responsibility grade. Please encourage your child to work on this homework packet throughout the week, and do their best and neatest work. As I check homework, I am looking for neatness, correct letter formation, and responsibility. Weekly Schedule: P.E.- Tuesdays/Thursdays with Mr. Tirambulo: Kindergarten students may wear their P.E. uniforms to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays of every week, unless we have a school Mass on one of those days. If there is a school Mass, you will be notified that your child should wear their formal school uniform, instead of the P.E. uniform. Computer- Wednesdays/Fridays with Mr. Tirambulo: Half of the Kindergarten class will have computers on Wednesday and the other half will have it on Friday. Every student needs a pair of headphones or ear buds for computer class. Please send these items to school with your child if you have not already done so. Mass- Our Kindergarten class will attend Mass at our church every Monday at 8:30 am with the 7 th grade class. We will go to Mass as a school once a month on scheduled feast days. You will be notified ahead of time when these school Masses will be. We encourage you to attend. Stuffed Animal Fridays- Every Friday, starting September 5 th students will be able to bring one stuffed animal or doll to share with the class, and to spend the day with them in Kindergarten. J School Art Program: Meet the Masters Once a month, students will attend an assembly based on a famous artist. At the assembly, students will learn about that artist, as well as be introduced to certain notable paintings that the artist has created. After the assembly, students will be given the opportunity in class to re-create famous works of art based on the artist of the month. This artwork will be on display in the classroom, make sure to come in and see your child s wonderful work!

4 Birthdays: Parents may bring a birthday snack for their child if they wish on or around your child s birthday. Please let Mrs. Riemersma know a few days in advance if you are doing so. Make sure that this is a small treat (cookies, cupcakes, juice) that can easily be passed out to the students. This treat can be brought for the children either just before recess at 10:00 am or before the school day begins. Please bring enough for all students to enjoy. J If your child has allergies and you DO NOT wish them to eat birthday treats that are sent to school, please let me know! It might be a good idea to send some treats for your child that they are able to eat, so that we can keep these treats on hand for them when the other children are eating the birthday treats. Class Parties: Our Kindergarten class will have a SMALL celebration in class in honor of major holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine s Day, 100 th Day, St. Patrick s Day, End of the Year. The grade level coordinators and Mrs. Riemersma will plan these events together. Parties will generally consist of a small snack and craft/game. Parent Volunteers: Throughout the year, I will be sending out s asking for parent volunteers to be present to help for certain class projects or celebrations. For example: the 100 th day of School (Feb.), class Gingerbread Man Hunt (December), class field trip (June), etc I will also be sending out s for small donations for the 100 th day of school and the Gingerbread Man Hunt. I am also ALWAYS in need of parent volunteers for both recess time and lunchtime throughout the week. Even if you are only able to volunteer on the playground one day a week or month, your help is still greatly appreciated! Kindergarten recess is from 10:00-10:30 and lunch is from 12:15-12:50. Thank you in advance for volunteering your time! Collecting Money: All money that is sent to school with your child must be clearly marked in an envelope or Ziploc bag and in your child s RED EVERYDAY FOLDER. Please include your child s name on the envelope, and what the money is intended for (book orders, fieldtrips, school functions, etc ) Rest/Calm down Time: Students will have a little quiet time after lunch each day. We will not be napping, but however, we will listen to stories and quiet music while we relax and get ready to focus on Religion. Earthquake Kits/Comfort Packs & Emergency Clothes Please continue to send these items to school as requested on the St. Cyprian School Supply List.

5 Behavior Report: At the end of each week, every child will take home their behavior report calendar sun sheet. The color of their sun will represent where they ended each day. Blue- Exceptional Bow, Purple-Super Bucket Filler, Green-Bucket Filler, Yellow-Bucket Dipper, and Red-Bucket Tipper. This report will come home weekly to be reviewed and initialed by the parent. If you see a pattern of anything other than green, purple, or blue, please discuss the importance of good behavior at school. This will lead to more successful days and weeks throughout the year. Thank you for your partnership with this. Accelerated Reader: Every week, your child will be given a school book to read for the week with you at home. This book title will be written on the calendar in their AR folders, which will be taken home every other Thursday. During this week, you and your child(ren) will be asked to read and talk about the book. At the end of the week, I am asking that your child tell you one thing he/she remembers from the book, or what they liked best about what they read, etc. For the first portion of the year, as they tell you their response, please write it on the sheet provided in the correct week. As the year progresses, I will have you write their response as they copy it in their own handwriting. By the end of the year, they will be asked to do their best to write their own sentences telling about the book. At the end of the week, it is my goal to have each child take an AR test in the computer lab, using their head phones and the buddy system. This program will keep track of which books your child(ren) has read and how well they understand what was happening in the book. Taking part in this reading, writing, and testing routine will help with their language, reading, comprehension, and vocabulary skills. I am very excited to embark on this AR journey with you and your children. Kinderbration: Our Kindergarten class will have a special graduation/promotion ceremony during the last week of school. Specific date and time TBA. This special day celebrates the Kindergarten class and all of their hard work during their first year here at St. Cyprian. All students will have a special role in this ceremony. Be sure to mark it on your calendars! J Contact Mrs. Riemersma: Please do not hesitate to me or get in touch with me regarding any questions or concerns. My is: kgrade@stcyprianschool.org I am also available to meet with you in my classroom before school, beginning at 7:30 am, and after school ends at 3:00 pm. Please call the school office or me to schedule an appointment.