Welcome to Miss Welcome to Miss Dillow’s Kindergarten Dillow’s Kindergarten

ClassroomClassroom

Welcome to Miss Welcome to Miss Dillow’s Kindergarten Dillow’s Kindergarten

ClassroomClassroom2012-20132012-2013

Parent InformationParent Information

The ABC’s of The ABC’s of KindergartenKindergartenThe ABC’s of The ABC’s of KindergartenKindergarten

A• Attendance: Regular school attendance is very important in Kindergarten. This is the beginning of your child’s formal schooling and good habits are formed early. Many of our activities are “hands on” and require your child’s participation. If you child is ill, please call the school attendance line (557-4466) in the morning.

• Arrival and Dismissal: Students should arrive between 8:25 and 8:40 am and go to the multi purpose room. Students are expected in their classrooms by 8:45. Any child arriving after this time will be marked tardy. Students are dismissed between 3:25 and 3:30. Our class parent pick up students will exit out our back classroom door and walk to down the sidewalk to meet parents at the corner of the building by the parking lot. Walkers will exit out the North doors by the gyms.

• Art: We will have art once a week for 40 minutes. The art

teacher’s name is Susie Ferrenburg.

B•Backpacks: Please see that your child brings a backpack, with his or her name, Grove School and Bus # (if he or she rides on) on it, to school each day. This is important to ensure that important items get to and from school safely.

•Birthday treats: Birthdays are special to Kindergartners. We love to celebrate with our friends here at school. Please feel free to send a special sweet treat to school (juices boxes too if you would like) on your child’s birthday. Please do not send treat bags to be sent home. If your child has a summer birthday we will celebrate those birthdays throughout the month of May. All snacks need to be peanut free! Please see the other note regarding Unit 5’s snack policy. Your child will also be able to bring in some special pictures and will have a special day on his/her birthday.

•Book Orders: I will be sending home a book order periodically throughout the year. If you would like to order you may do so through the Scholastic website. Please see the note that is accompanying the first book orders to help with the ordering. I will not be taking any cash orders. If this presents a problem for your family please talk with me and we will see what we can do for you to be able to order books.

• www.scholastic.com

B-C• Behavior: Please see the extra sheet about our classroom management plan. Behavior Page

• Conferences: District sponsored Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on October 26, 2012. If you would like to meet at another time during the year, please feel free to call or e-mail me to set up an appointment.  

• Centers: We have a couple types of centers in Kindergarten. The first type is Reader’s Workshop Centers. During this time your child will participate in guided reading, alphabet activities, writing activities, and other literacy activities. Another time we will be having centers is in the afternoon. We will have math centers two days a week. Finally, we will have fun with friends centers on 3 days a week in the afternoon. These centers will be developmental centers that include handiwork and construction, puzzles and games, science, the kitchen, and centers that focus on science, and social studies.

C-D• Clothing: The clothing your child wears to school needs to be

easy for him/her to put on and take off by him/herself. Practice shoe tying, coat zipping etc… at home to make sure learning time isn’t lost to these activities. Also, please label any coats, shoes, backpacks, etc… with your child’s name to prevent any confusion. I am also requesting that each child have an extra outfit in their backpack at all times.

• Computers: Students will have a 30 minute Tech time each week as part of their IMC time. They will be receiving direct instruction in computers and using specific educational programs. We will also be using Esuite which is an Everyday math component that has games to practice math skills and Lexia which is a program to work on LA skills.

• Dates: Please watch e-mail, the newsletter and website for any important dates throughout the year.

• Upcoming Events

E-F-G• E-Mail: This is truly the best way to catch me. Please feel free to e-mail anytime. My e-mail is dillown@unit5.org . If you have not received a response from me in two days please contact me again. There have been times when e-mails have not gotten through.

• Field Trips and Fountas and Pinnell: Due to budget constraints field trips have been temporarily put on hold. Throughout the year we may be able to bring in outside groups here to school in order to experience something special. I will also be assessing each student in reading and assigning them a reading level. This will help me be able to pick out books that are just right for your child.

• Gym: The children will have gym (or PE) daily for 20 minutes with Mr. Beaver or Ms. Naperschat. Students will be required to wear gym shoes every day or they will not be allowed to participate.

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H-I• Haggerty: I am very excited that we will be using Michael

Haggerty’s Phonemic Awareness “Blue Book” again this year! The skills during this time will help students as they read and write.

• Homework: There is not regular scheduled homework in Kindergarten. However, during the year papers will come home for you to practice a skill with your child. Usually you will have about a week or so to complete. The date of completion will accompany the practice. The best practice is daily reading!

• Illness: Yes, it is important that your child is here at school. However, if you child is sick please keep them home to recover. Please do not send your child to school if he or she has a fever or has vomited in the last 24 hours. Please call the school to report an absence. Please also remember that children are not to bring medication (including cough drops) to school unless the medical form is signed and on file in the nurse’s office.

J-K• Journals: We will be working in our journal this year.

We will be writing sentences with picture illustrations. We will use these journals throughout the year to practice our writing and to respond to our reading.

• Kindergarten Independence: Kindergarten routine and Kindergarten independence is important to establish. Each morning the students will be opening and emptying their own backpacks. I will not be looking into their backpacks for notes! They will put their red folder into the appropriate spot and any notes where they go. Since we are fostering independence especially during the first few weeks of school we are asking that no parent joins us for lunch until at least October.

L• Lunch and Recess: We will be eating lunch at 12:30 each day. You

may send a cold lunch with your child or send in money to put on a lunch account here at school. Student lunches are $1.85 this year and adult tickets are $2.35. Milk may be purchased for $0.45. You may send money in at any time and may check the balance on their Skyward account. Skyward Parent Access

Lunch MenusChildren will go outside for recess unless the temperature (including wind chill) is below 20 degrees or there is inclement weather. Please make sure your child has appropriate clothing for the temperature!!!

• Late Starts: There are several late starts this year. These occur on Wednesdays throughout the year. These have been added to the school calendar this year. We will begin school at 9:45 on these days.

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L-M• Library books: The kids will get to check out a book from our

school library each week. Please take the time to read your child’s library book with him/her. Remember to keep library books in a safe place while they are at home and return them to school on time. My class will have library book check out once a week.

• Math: We will be using the Everyday Math curriculum. This is a spiraling math program that covers topics such as shapes, colors, number recognition, time, measurement, calculator use, estimation, patterning, addition, subtraction, fractions, graphing, place value, number writing and more. We will have math centers two afternoons a week. During this time your child will explore math through activities and play.

• Music: Mr. Myers will instruct the class and help them prepare for a winter program at NCHS . Our class will have music 3 days a week.

• Map Testing: We will participate in MAP testing 3 times a year.

N-O-P• Newsletters: A newsletter will be posted online a few

times a month on Friday or Monday. Please read the newsletter carefully because it may contain important information.

• Office: Visitors to Grove need to sign in at the office before coming to the classroom. Also, if a child arrives late, leaves early, or has to leave for an appointment or lunch, you must sign him or her in or out in the office. If your child forgets something at home you can take it to the office and they will deliver it to the room.

• Parties: We have 3 parties during the year, a Halloween party, a holiday party, and a Valentines party. The room parents will organize these events and coordinate volunteers. All parents are welcome to come and help during these times.

Q-R• Quiet Time: We will have a quiet rest time after lunch

recess each day. The students will have a chance to slow their bodies down from P.E., lunch, and recess and get ready to work again. The beginning of the year this will be a very quiet rest time. As the year goes on the students will be able to read books, partner read, complete practice sheets, and enjoy academic videos.

• Report Cards: Kindergartners receive their report cards three times during the year the same as the other grades.

• Rules: 1. Be a KIND kindergartner. 2. Be a 1st time listener. 3. Do what you know is right.

• Reader’s Workshop: During this time we will have mini lessons where the students will learn about the process of reading and comprehending. Then, the students will break out into independent reading time and literacy centers to practice these skills.

S•Science: The kindergarten science program includes the

following topics:• Plants and animals• Land, water and Air• Weather and Seasons• Heat and Light• Matter- solids, liquids, and gases• Day and Night• Simple Machines

•Social Studies: We will be studying how to be a good citizen, about our country, community workers, our community, the passing of time, and history.

S• Snack: Please read the extra sheet giving information about

bringing healthy snacks this year!

• Supplies: If you child is running low on a supply I will send a brief note home requesting additional supplies. Sometimes students run low on glue, or loose crayons that they need in order to complete their work. These are always great things to ask Santa for!

• Show and Tell: Your child will have Show and Tell once or twice a month on their Helper of the Day date. There will be one boy and one girl helper on each day of the month. These students may bring an item to show and share with the class. These students will also get to be our teacher’s helpers for the day. Please make sure that the show and tell fits into his/her backpack.

T• Transportation: You should have filled out a transportation

sheet. I will assume that your child will be using the same method of transportation that is indicated on the form unless I receive a note stating otherwise. Therefore, please send a note stating any change from your child’s usual routine.

• Toys: Bringing toys to school unless it is a show and tell item is discouraged. If a toy is accidentally lost or broken, feelings will be hurt, and toys often disrupt learning time. Please make sure your child is not bringing things to school that are best left at home.

• Telephone Calls: You may hear from me if your child has been absent from school for several days, if your child had a super day, or if I have noticed a change in behavior, either good or bad. You may need to call me for any of the above reasons, as well if you have a question about a note that has come home. I would also appreciate a call if there has been a family triumph or tragedy. This knowledge helps me understand some behaviors I may see at school.

U-V• Unique: Each student is a unique person! I

am so excited to get to know each kid. Please fill out the included Student information card. On the back of the card give a little description of your child or anything interesting that I should know about your child (i.e. hobbies, sports, favorite things.)

• Volunteers: Yes! I love volunteers! Please see the extra paper if you or a family member (grandparents are great) are interested in helping.

W• Website: I will be updating my website in the next few

weeks to get everything in order for the year. Please browse the site when you have the chance. It will include important curriculum information, dates, pictures.

• Writing: In Kindergarten your child will learn to write letters using the traditional block-style manuscript. Your child will have many opportunities to write words and sentences using their knowledge of letters and sounds. Various projects will encourage writing including daily journal writing. During shared writing lessons, writing skills and strategies will be modeled and practiced.

X-Y• Explore: Children in kindergarten participate

in a lot of “hands on” exploration. We try to have the appropriate mix of paper and pencil activities and explorations. Ask your child daily to explain what he or she did today, as many of our activities are not represented by the paperwork that comes home.

• Younger Siblings: If you have a younger child at home and would like to still volunteer I am willing to give it a shot. Sometimes this can work sometimes it doesn’t.

Z• Zero the Hero: You may hear a lot about our

kindergarten superhero named Zero. He comes on the 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th, and 100th day of school to help us celebrate.

• Other Information:

Thanks again for coming! Each class is a little different so things could change a little here and there. I will keep you posted through e-mail and the newsletter. I would love to answer any questions now!