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Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions
of students and parents.
- A:Attendance,Allergy, Art B:Backpack,Birthday,Breakfast,Book order
- C:Centers, Clothes, Conferences,Computers D:Discipline, Dismissal
- E: Envelopes, Emergencies F: Field trips, Fire Drills, Footwear
- G:Gym H: Hands-On, Homework
- I:Illness, Independent Reading J:Journals(aka draftbooks)
- K:Kindness L:Literacy Centers, Lost and Found, Lunch
- M: Math, Media Center, Music N:Newsletter, Nurse O:Outside
- P: Parents, Parties Q: Quiet Resting
- R: Reading, Report Card, Restroom
- S: Science, Shared Reading, Snack, Social Studies
- T: Toys, Transportation U: Uniqueness V: Visitors
- W:What we Need,Writing X: XXVIII Y:Younger Children Z:ZZZ
A:Attendance,Allergy, Art B:Backpack,Birthday,Breakfast,Book order A successful school experience is the responsibility of the
children,
the parent and the school. Your child's progress, both
academically
and socially, is influenced to a great extent by daily
participation.
Regular attendance without tardiness is a key factor.
If your child is absent from school for any reason, please call
the
school.
Please be sure to notify us if your child has any allergies,
especially insect bites and foods.
We have art class once per week. The art teacher will introduce
art history,
as well as different art mediums.
To help your child carry messages and information to and
from school, you are asked to provide a large backpack for
this purpose(no rolling bags please!).
Please check your child�s bag daily.
Birthdays are special occasions for young children.
If your child wishes,he/she may bring treats for the class.
Please send a note a day or two in advance so I can plan for the treat. treat.
Breakfast is served prior to class beginning if your child would
like to
participate. Breakfast prices and a menu are available every
month.
Every month I will be sending home book order forms for
you and your child to look over. These clubs offer wonderful
books at reduced prices � what a great way to build your
home library! Book orders return in 2-3 weeks after I place the order.
C:Centers, Clothes, Conferences,Computers D:Discipline, Dismissal The best way for kindergarten children to learn is through
active play. Our classroom is set up in learning centers.
I carefully plan the activities in each center to develop
skills and meet the needs of all the students in the
class.
Please dress your child to be active in kindergarten and
also in clothing that they can get on/off. Practice zipping
coats and tying shoes at home!
Parent/Teacher conferences are held on early release days
in the fall and the spring. At these conferences, we will
be discussing your child's accomplishments, strengths and
overall progress. Please feel free to schedule additional
conferences at any time throughout the year if the need
arises.
We are fortunate enough to have two computers in our classroom.
We use a variety of age-appropriate programs that reinforce math
and prereading/reading skills.
My philosophy of discipline is based on the belief that
children need firm guidelines within a flexible structure.
To establish good order and help the children learn self-
control,
the children will be guided to respect themselves and their
companions through specific directions, positive reinforcement,
suggested new activities and responsible actions. We use a
color chart with clothespins,which is displayed in our room.
All children who are not bused to or from school are
dismissed at the side of the school by the library. If
your child is leaving school a different way than usual, I must
have a note from you.
E: Envelopes, Emergencies F: Field trips, Fire Drills, Footwear When sending money (cash or check) to school, please put
it in a sealed envelope labeled with your child's name,
what the money is for, and the teacher's name. This insures
all the money gets to school and we know what to
do with it.
If schools are closed for any emergency, the radio and
the television will announce it. We are listed under
Wayne County as �Van Buren�. Also, be sure you are
signed up with Honeywell for emergency information/closings, etc..
We plan numerous field trips that are both fun and
educational for the children. We often need parent volunteers
on the trips, and chaperones will be chosen on a first come,
first serve basis. Please return permission slips
as soon as possible after they are sent home.
Fire and tornado drills are held periodically
throughout the year. All students will participate and are
expected to walk quickly and quietly to their designated exit.
We will practice and become familiar with procedures
before our first scheduled drill.
Please have your child wear shoes that are appropriate for
running and active movement. Cowboy boots or dress shoes,
for example, are not good for school activities because they
are slippery and inappropriate for the gym or the
playground.
G:Gym H: Hands-On, Homework Our class will have gym class each week. The children will be
asked to wear sneakers on gym days, and girls might consider
wearing pants or having a pair of shorts to slip on under their
dresses.
I feel that the best way to help children learn is to make
learning fun. Important concepts can be learned by doing
meaningful hands-on activities. There are times when seatwork
is required and necessary, but for the most part our classroom
will be an active learning environment.
Homework will be sent home when a child needs extra practice
at home, and/or during long weekends. Also monthly homework
activities will be sent home. Watch for more information at
a later date.
I:Illness, Independent Reading J:Journals(aka draftbooks) The question of when to keep your child home from school is
often a difficult one, especially when decisions must be
made first thing in the morning. It is important, however,
to keep your child home if he/she is ill. This helps
to make them more comfortable and prevents others from
becoming ill. Children function more effectively in the
classroom when they are healthy.
Because children learn to read by reading, they need
plenty of opportunities to read independently. Sufficient
time and appropriate materials are necessary to develop and
strengthen reading abilities. By giving the children time
to read both at school and at home, we can work together to
provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love
of reading.
One strategy that will be used to help convey the vital concept
that �print conveys meaning� is the frequent use of journal
writing. In these journals the kindergartners combine their
emerging writing skills with their drawing skills. As the
children are exposed to a variety of phonics and reading
experiences, journal entries will move from drawings and
�inventive� spellings towards more conventional writing.
K:Kindness L:Literacy Centers, Lost and Found, Lunch Students in our classroom are encouraged and expected to
treat all members of our class as well as others with kindness
and respect. Hitting, fighting, name-calling, and making fun
of others will not be permitted.
During literacy centers, children practice reading
and writing skills while the teacher works with small guided
reading groups. The center activities are designed to
strengthen letter/sound knowledge, listening skills, oral
language expression, rhyme, letter formation, cooperation, etc.
We have a Lost and Found table in the hallway near the Office.
We encourage children to check the lost and found collection
for any missing items. We ask that you label clothing and
other items brought to school by your child. This
will help us return a lost article to its owner.
Children may either purchase their lunch
or bring it from home. A monthly lunch menu will be sent home
with each day�s meal choices for you to discuss with your child.
M: Math, Media Center, Music N:Newsletter, Nurse O:Outside The kindergarten mathematics curriculum provides students
with mathematical experiences that help them develop number
sense and a positive attitude towards mathematics that will
continue through their school career and their lives.
We will visit the Media Center every week. Our librarian will
read to the students and have activities for the children
to do. Our kindergarten students will also be checking
out books this year. They will check out and return their
books every week. (Books will not come home.)
Our music teacher will be teaching the children the basics
of music education and will be sharing many wonderful songs!
We are scheduled to have music every week also. We will have a music concert during the school year.
Every Thursday the office sends home a newsletter and other
important notes. Be sure to look in your child�s backpack on
Thursdays!
We DO NOT have a nurse. I take care of minor hurts in the
classroom, such as scratches and scrapes, but send the children
to the office for more serious injuries and illnesses.
Please be sure to send in any change of contact numbers in case
the office needs to get in touch with you.
The children will be going out for a 20-minute recess
every day. Please keep this in mind when helping your child
to select clothing for the day. They will have recess
daily throughout the entire school year unless the weather is
below 16
degrees.
P: Parents, Parties Q: Quiet Resting Your support of school activities makes your child feel
important and sends the message that you value school!
I will be sending home a form for times when parents will be
needed to help. There will also be a variety of
special classroom activities and celebrations throughout
the school year, in addition to the many activities that
PTO has planned. I hope that you can come and join in the fun!
We will have class parties from time to time for several
occasions
throughout the year.I will send a note about these things later
on.
We will be having a 20-30minute rest period each day.
The children must lie quietly and rest, but they are not
expected to go to sleep. KinderMats can be purchased and are
best, but some
families use a small towel(which fit nicely for storage).
R: Reading, Report Card, Restroom The definition of guided reading encompasses a wide variety
of behaviors. For example, some children may be working on
alphabet recognition, some may require teacher support to
read stories with predictable text, while others may read
simple texts independently. Guided reading provides an
opportunity to teach children the variety of reading
strategies they need in order to become fluent, independent
readers. During guided reading, the teacher monitors and
evaluates each child's progress.
Report cards are issued 4 times a year. These reports reflect
the progress your child has made
toward various kindergarten objectives and uses a grading
system that reflects the developmental nature of kindergarten
earning.
The children are encouraged
to go to the bathroom as the need arises. They do need to
tell me before they go so I can keep track of where they are. Please send a change of clothes if your child needs it.
S: Science, Shared Reading, Snack, Social Studies The focus of the kindergarten science curriculum is on
developing an awareness of the world in which we live.
Through scientific inquiry, concepts will be presented in the
life and earth sciences, including the study of animals and
plants, the five senses and general health, and the four
seasons.
These areas will be explored utilizing a literacy based,
hands-on approach.
Shared reading is an interactive process used with the
whole class. As the teacher reads a story, children join
in on phrases or words that they know.
During subsequent re-readings, children read more and
more of the text, until they are able to read the story
independently. Shared reading is an opportunity for the
teacher to model conventions of print and the use of
reading strategies.
Every afternoon we have a short period for snack. Your
child should bring a snack about once a month for the
whole class. We may have a maximum of 28 kids in our class.
The kindergarten social studies curriculum focuses on the
students and how they relate to others in their families,
classroom, school, and community. Activities will help the
children focus their natural curiosity on the world
around them.
T: Toys, Transportation U: Uniqueness V: Visitors Bringing toys to school is discouraged for a number of reasons.
If a toy is accidentally lost or broken, feelings will be hurt.
Books are okay to bring in, just please make sure that they
are clearly marked with your child's name.
If you plan to pick up a child that normally rides the bus or
you wish for your child to ride a different bus than usual,
you must send a written note. Do not rely on your child to
tell us this information, because children often become
confused and relay information incorrectly. If no written note
is
received, your child will be sent home by his/her usual method
of
transportation.
Kindergartners learn that they are special and unique.
Kindergartners have opportunities to describe how they are
alike as well as different from others. They share their
culture and learn about different cultures within the class.
We have a policy that ALL GUESTS (including familiar faces)
are required to check in at the office and wear a guest badge.
A guest badge will help identify visitors to all faculty and
staff. It is important to remember that while this may seem
inconvenient to frequent visitors, it is the goal and
responsibility of the school to create a safe learning
environment. If you come to pick up your child early, you will need to check in at the office.
W:What we Need,Writing X: XXVIII Y:Younger Children Z:ZZZ Throughout the year we sometimes need supplies above and beyond
our classroom materials. These needs will be sent home on
a note throughout the year or posted by our classroom door.
Our writing program builds on what each child already knows.
Writing begins with scribbles and proceeds to lines and
circles, random strings of letters, words and spaces and
eventually
sentences. Your children will be encouraged
and praised for all attempts and accomplishments in
writing. Providing a risk-free environment is paramount
to your child's progress in writing. If possible, please
provide your child with writing tools, such as pencils,
crayons, markers and paper for writing at home.
We have a maximum of 28 children in our class. Please keep this
in mind
when sending in things to be distributed to the whole class.
It is in your child�s and the program�s best interest to
have our parent volunteers available without younger children.
This not only allows your full attention to be focused on the
class, but also allows for some special time between you and
your
kindergartner. Thank you for making childcare arrangements
for younger siblings when you volunteer.
Make sure that your child gets plenty of rest. Setting and
keeping a bedtime is a wonderful gift you can give to your
child. Most kindergartners go to bed at 8pm. It will help
them to be alert and ready to learn each day!
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