Back to School Night

Mrs. FailingKindergarten2013-2014

Philosophy• Learning is a life long process• Developing friendships• Learning to socialize• Gain the basic fundamental academic skills necessary for

first grade• Discover new things• Child-centered classroom • Facilitator not a dictator• Feel safe to explore and take risks all within reasonable

and realistic boundaries• Feeling good about oneself and have a love for learning

Communication

•Mutual partnership with parents•Drop off and pick up times are busy• Best way to contact with me is via a note or email; failing_ashley@cusdk8.org• Basket right by the door for you to leave all notes• I am available most days after school if you would like to arrange a conference

Homework

• In accordance with West Valley’s homework policy, Kindergarten daily homework assignments are optional. Remember homework is optional but strongly encouraged.

• Send home a monthly assignment calendar. It can be turned in at the end of each month.

• Send home pages from the Kindergarten math book. • Beginning in October, Red Book Bags will be sent home for

homework as well.• It is your choice to use it during the year or wait to use it over the

summer for enrichment. • Weekly folders are sent home on Thursday and sent back on

Friday (bring others papers throughout the week)

Field Trips• As an important part of our learning time, I will be scheduling field trips• On these days all kindergarten children will follow

the 8:00 to 11:25 schedule• Parent helpers will sometimes be needed• More information about specific trips is soon to

come•Deer Hollow field trip will be on October 16th (Look for permission slip next week and volunteer signup)

Volunteers• Begin September 9th •Must be cleared with a current TB shot•Google doc on our classroom website •Need help with Library EVERY Friday from 10:20-10:50 a.m. •We will be looking for Garden volunteers in the future as the Garden committee forms and gives out information as to what is needed. • Thank you for your help and support!

Classroom Behavior Management• Caring School and Community • Established basic agreements that will be respected by

everyone• Good classroom manners, good work habits, and respectful

play behaviors are ways we show how we “treat others as we would like to be treated.” • A child who forgets what appropriate behavior is will be

redirected and asked to make a different choice. At times a child may need “cooling off time” away from others. • I am pleased that we will continue with the Project Cornerstone

program as well. Each month the children will focus on a character trait through stories and hands on activities.

Conferencing• Formal conferences will be held October 3-11. I will be scheduling individual times with you soon. More information will be handed out in the upcoming weeks. • Informal conferences can be arranged at any time. • Assessments and goals for individual students will be discussed at this time• Collecting information about every child• Assessment calendar

Cooking• Enjoyment of cooking and eating, the children will have the opportunity to work on manners and self-help skills. • Stressing good nutritional habits•Will measure, prepare, use cooking utensils, read recipes and have the opportunity to taste new foods. • Cooking will be a minimum of once a month.

Birthday Celebration• If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school please bring a full class set of non-edible treats to share (32 pcs). • If you would like to donate a book to the class library in honor of your child’s birthday please feel free to do so. • Party invitations should be mailed and not passed out at school.

Sharing• Please find in your packet a calendar of sharing themes• Also you will find a schedule, which lists the day your child is to bring in his/her sharing item• Please do not forget to include three clues about the sharing item as well as label the sharing bag with your child’s name• Elements of writing (Step Up to Writing model), reading, and public speaking skills

Report Card• Some areas will be grayed out in order to align to the Common Core Curriculum• Standards based • Show example

Newsletters and Information• News Flash used for updates• Newsletters uploaded weekly

• Last week it will be a paper copy• Easel will be inside for instruction and important papers put

on door• Basket outside of the door for all notes and folders

• Complete and Incomplete work• Sign up on school website for Wiley’s Words of

Wisdom• School Calendar is online ( includes information for

vacations in order to plan ahead)

Curriculum• Reading• Language Arts• Mathematics • Social Studies (Unit based)• Science ( Unit based)• Music (Monday)• Art (Weekly)• Physical Education (90 minutes a week)• Library (Friday)• Technology (Computer Lab, Raz kids, iPads)

*Check daily schedule

GOLD SEAL BOOKS • These books will be made assessable for the children to read on their free time.•Approximately once every two weeks the children will complete a new book.•When the GOLD SEAL BOOK is finished it will come home. • The children are to read the book to five individuals. •After reading the book to five individuals, the children will have five signatures written on the label on the back of the book.

• **Please Note** If five individuals do not live in your home, your child may read the book to someone over the phone or to a stuffed animal. Please sign for the individual or toy.

•When your child receives five signatures, please send the book to school so that I place a gold seal on the book. • Your child will then keep the GOLD SEAL BOOK in his or her book box at school to read.

Red Book Bag• Starting in October, every Friday your child will bring home a red book bag• Five days to read the book several times and complete the activities of your choice• Please return it to school by Wednesday. A timely return will ensure that every child will have the opportunity to take a new book home on Friday•Meant for an adult to read aloud to the child

• Halloween Celebration on Thursday, October 31st• Early day for all students• All school parade 8:15-8:45 a.m. (in costume)• Kindergarten Concert 9:00-9:30 a.m. (in costume)• Change out of costume and parent takes clothes with them• Recess• Party 10:20 a.m.- 11:20 a.m.• ALL students go home at 11:25 a.m.

• Winter Party • Friday, December 20th

• 8:30-9:45 a.m.• All students attend early session

• 100th Day of School• Friday, January 31st

• ALL Kinders attend early session• Valentine’s Party

• Friday, February 14th

• All Kinders attend early session• End of the Year Party

• TBD

Celebrations

Walk-a-thon• Saturday, October 5, 2013 • 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.• Wear Walk-a-thon shirt and bring the whole gang (look out for the forms)• Volunteers are needed to run this event

• Online signups are on the WAT website - can be accessed through the school website under the Parent Organizations tab.

• We still need a "Set Up" committee leader or group of parents to lead the committee. This is a critical position and we can't hold the event without Set up.

• Walkathon raises half of the total budget for the parent organizations• Walk-a-thon raises the money for the following:

• Library (books & clerk)• Music (K-3) • PE (K-3)• Assemblies / Theatreworks• Gardening / Natural Science program• Instructional Aides• Technology on campus (computer lab, laptops, iPads, etc.)

•Room Parent Update•Gardening Signup

•Common Core presentation with Mrs. Wright

•5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.