Welcome to Kindergarten!

1. Welcome to Kindergarten! Mrs. Slusher’s Class

2. KISD Website • Go to www.kleinisd.net • Scroll down to blue parent box • You will find lots of helpful information • Parent Online Pay (will be available to elementary schools in January 2013) • Parent Connection • Student Handbooks • School Menus • Calendar • And much more…

3. Frank Elementary Website • Go to www.kleinisd.net • Click on “campuses” at top of page • Under Elementary Schools, click on “Frank” • You will find lots of information regarding what is going on throughout the school year here at Frank Elementary.

4. Our Websites • Go to www.kleinisd.net • Click on “campuses” at top of page • Under Elementary Schools, click on “Frank” • Click on “teachers” at top of page • In the Step 1 box, click on Kindergarten • Then, in the Step 2 box, click on my name • For Step 3, click “search”

5. How to Contact Us • Feel free to contact me any time! • Best way is via email mslusher2@kleinisd.net

6. Helpful Hints • Please label your child's belongings such as backpacks, lunch boxes, and jackets. • Please refrain from letting your child bring any toys or stuffed animals into the classroom unless otherwise requested. • Pack an extra set of clothes in your child's backpack for unexpected accidents.

7. Our Schedule Lunch 10:59 – 11:34 PE/Music – Monday 11:45 – 12:30 Tuesday 1:05 – 1:50 Wednesday 1:05 – 1:50 Thursday 1:50 – 3:00 Friday – 1:05 – 1:50 Library – Mondays 10:10 – 10:30

8. Lunch Accounts • If your child is buying lunch, please send a check or cash to pay for your child’s lunch. They will deposit it into their personal lunch account. • You may also pay online • Go to www.kleinisd.net • Click on “Departments” at the top • Click on “Nutrition and Food Services” • Scroll down and to the right click on “Online Payments – PAYPAMS” • Follow directions on page to setup an account

9. School Menu/Birthday Snacks • Go to www.kleinisd.net • Scroll down to blue parent box • Click on “School Menu” • To the right, click on “Elementary” to see the menu for each day • Our Frank Cafeteria # is 832-375-7026 • You can order birthday snacks for your child’s class; must give 1 week notice.

10. Classroom Management • Follow Directions • Listen to the teacher • Keep hands and feet to yourself • Use walking feet • Raise your hand and wait to be called on • Self-control

11. Consequences and Rewards • All students begin their day on green • Move your color up - for positive behaviors • Move your color down – for negative behaviors • Treasure Box reward on Fridays if students earn blue all week

12. Daily Behavior Folder • Folder will go home every day with your child’s color for the day • Please initial in the square for that day’s color. • Return next day

13. Wednesday Folder • Sign, review, and remove all papers • Return on Thursday

14. Homework • Children need to be children – homework is very minimal but is a participation grade. • For the first 9 weeks your child can choose from a list of activities to do for their homework each night. There will be no homework folder for the first 9 weeks. • Second, third & fourth 9 weeks, homework folder will go home every Monday and is to be returned on Friday. • Parent signatures are required in the appropriate square each week.

15. Star of the Week • Each child will be “Star of the Week” beginning the week of September 17 • Make a poster with pictures and information about your child. • Posters will be displayed in the hallway for the entire week and returned the following Monday.

16. Letter Expert • Letter of the week – Starting the 4th week of school, we will be focusing on 2 letters per week. • Letter Expert Bag - When your child receives this bag, the directions will be inside. Practice reading the book and sentence strip with your child, they will be reading it to the class when they return the bag.

17. Our Day • Reading/Writing – all day! Reading is integrated throughout the curriculum • Math - mornings and throughout the day • Science/Social Studies – afternoons; rotate weekly

18. Reading • Sight words have been reduced from 86 to 44 • Will begin the second 9 weeks • Please read with your child every night for 20 minutes.

19. Writing • Manuscript handwriting • Phonetic writing • For example: A ball is big and red. • Phonetically written: A bl is bg ad red. • If the word is on the word wall – the student should write the word correctly.

20. Math • New Curriculum: Investigations • More hands-on which means less consumables • Positional Words • Patterns • Basic geometric shapes • Basic measuring skills • Numbers • Sorting • Graphing • Adding and Subtracting

21. Science • Explore basic science concepts • Senses • Magnets/Tools • Animals – habitats • Plants • Healthy habits – Food • Water

22. Social Studies • Holidays • Community • Sequencing events

23. Technology • Learning.com • A website that teaches basic computer skills (mouse, keyboard, internet, etc.) • Used as a Technology grade every 9 weeks. • Will be completed in class

24. Grading Scale/Checklist • Grading Guidelines: E+ = 96-100 – Advanced E = 90-95 – Exceeds Expectations S+ = 85-89 – Meets Expectations S = 80-84 – Approaching Expectations N = 70-79 – Below Expectations (experiencing some difficulties) U = 69 and below – Experiencing difficulties • Checklist: • Will go home each 9 weeks with report card • Outlines in more detail what your child has mastered for that 9 weeks

25. Grade Speed (Parent Connect) • This allows you to view your child’s grades and set “triggers” to notify you of a grade that has dropped. • Go to www.kleinisd.net • Scroll down to blue parent box • Click on “Parent Connection” • Follow directions on the page • Your child’s student ID# will be sent home this week in the Wednesday folder

26. Centers • Afternoon Centers – assorted activities • Art, Blocks, Math Manipulatives, Toy Tubs, Homeliving, Computers, etc. • Centers are fun activities that teach, while having fun. • Rules for centers: 1. Stay in your assigned center 2. Work fairly with each other 3. Have Fun!!!!!

27. How can I help my child? • Encourage your child to always try his/her best • Instill in your child the “I can do it” attitude • Encourage good listening skills, self-control • Sleep – every child needs a good nights rest • Eat – a good breakfast, healthy foods for lunch • Talk about school and review your child’s papers and behavior with your child each day.

28. How can I be a part of mychild’s class? • Be a class reader • Help with class parties (Christmas and Valentines) • Join your child for lunch occasionally

29. Last but not least… • Your child is a special gift that we have a privilege to teach. • Our goal: To instill a love of learning through fun, developmentally appropriate activities, and structure.

30. Thank you for coming!

31. Q & A