Curriculum Night September 10, 2013 A Character Counts! School

1. J.C. Thompson ElementaryThe Best School in the UniverseNever Nevernever give up!~winstonchurchill Curriculum Night September 10, 2013 A Character Counts! School

2. Blazing Trails of Success

3. Mrs. Thompson dthompson01@nisdtx.org (817) 698-3831 Mrs. Tobler mtobler@nisdtx.org (817) 698-3834 Mrs. Brandon ebrandon@nisdtx.org (817) 698-3835 Mrs. Wilbert dwilbert@nisdtx.org (817) 698-3830 The Kindergarten Team

4. experience a snapshot of a day in the life of a trailblazer • learn ways that you can be involved with your child’s classroom and school • Develop understanding of the expectations of a kindergartener at J.C. Thompson Tonight, we will…

5. Vision of JCT • Empowered to learn, motivated to lead! Mission of JCT • At Thompson Elementary we are dedicated to preparing our students to become responsible citizens who are ready for a competitive future with the desire and skills for life-long learning, in a nurturing and trusting environment which is student centered and dependent on family and community involvement.

6. J.C. Thompson is a Northwest ISD Title 1 Campus: • More than 35% of our students are considered low income • We receive federal funds to assist all students • Title 1 funds are flexible and are used for additional personnel, professional development, improve curriculum, enhance parental involvement, extend learning time for students, and provide other activities that are tied to student achievement.

8. AT JCT, we will… • Take care of ourselves, • Take care of each other, • Take care of this place!

9. The Behavior Stick: White: Good Day Green: Great Day!  Blue: Exceptional Day!   Yellow: Made Poor Choices (multiple warnings) Red: Rough Day  

10. Q: What is the Student of the Week? Star Student of the Week • A: The student of the week is a student selected by each individual Kindergarten teacher • Each teacher selects one child every other week. You will receive a letter home and instructions on the special act ivies !  • The “Student of the Week” will fill out a questionnaire and bring about to put on display in the classroom! • The “Student of the Week” will get to do a fun lessonwith their teacher all about them! 

11. We want your child to have every opportunity to learn. Doors open at 7:20 and school starts promptly at 7:45. We encourage and recognize perfect attendance each six weeks. • Whenever your child must be absent, please call the front office at 817-698-3800 to report the absence. When your child returns, please send a note or doctor’s excuse to explain your child’s absence. • Attendance is taken each day at 9:30. Our goal is to have 98% of our students present every day. Attendance

12. Please be sure your child is prepared:  Clothes and Shoes • Be sure they have tennis shoes to wear during P.E. and at recess. • Be sure to leave a change of clothes in your child’s backpack for unforeseen incidents (accidents, mud, who knows?) • P.S: Students should be bringing their backpacks every day!

13. T.R.A.I.L. Guide Folders • Tuesday Newsday • Email Blasts • Call blasts • Progress reports are available online the 3rd Monday of each six weeks. If your child is failing in a content area, a progress report will be printed and sent home to be signed and returned. • Report Cards sent out electronically the Thursday following the end of each six weeks. Communication

14. Volunteers are welcome at Thompson Elementary and in our classroom!! • You may volunteer services, time or supplies. • You may volunteer here at school or in the comfort of your own home. • Watch D.O.G.S.-Dads, Uncles, Grandpas (Kick-Off will be September 26th at 6:00 PM) • Background check Volunteers

15. To help your child be successful: A Little Housekeeping… • Be sure to leave all toys at home. These can be distracting and risk getting lost if brought to school. Teachers are not responsible for lost student toys. • Please write your child’s first and last name on things you send to school: lunchboxes, jackets, backpacks, snacks, water bottles, etc. This will help us return lost items ASAP 

16. Birthday celebrations may take place the last part of the day on the playground or in the classroom only. Please provide individual servings for the celebrations (cupcakes, cookies, napkins, etc.) • The treat should be dropped off in the office, and office staff will deliver it at the end of the day. • The district specifies that birthday invitations may not be passed out during the day; however, the child can pass them out as students leave for the day outside the classroom door. Student Birthdays

17. We had our first trip to the library last week! Here are some good thing to remember: Library Help your child remember their library day. (A note on the fridge or by the front door always helps! ) Please reinforce how we take care of our books. Our Thompson Elementary Library Books are brand new!  Read your child’s books with them. Talk with them about the book they chose. Was it a good choice? Why/Why not?

18. 7:20 Kids may enter the building (lunch count, unpack, etc.) 7:20 – 8:00 Morning work stations 8:00 – 8:15 Morning Meeting 8:15 – 9:15 Writer’s Workshop 9:15 Restroom Break 9:25 – 10:25 Reader’s/Skills Block/Snack (Guided Reading Groups) 10:25 Snack 10:30 – 11:00 Math 11:00 – 11:25 Recess 11:30 Prepare for Lunch 11:45- 12:15 Lunch 12:20 – 12:50 Math 12:55-1:50 Specials 1:50 Science/ Social Studies 2:35 pack up 2:45 dismissal Daily Schedule

19. Getting to Know the Curriculum

20. A Parent’s Guide to elementary education

21. Speeding to Read

22. Why read ONE MILLION WORDS? Students should read ONE MILLION WORDS to gain new vocabulary and increase their reading skill. Reading extensively increases the vocabulary students need to improve comprehension of increasingly difficult materials that they encounter as they move through their educational careers (25 Books Campaign; America’s Choice, 2005). Students who read ONE MILLION WORDS a year encounter between 15,000 and 30,000 new words. “Incidental learning of words from context while reading is, or can be, the major mode of vocabulary growth once students have begun to really read” (Nagy, and Herman, 1987). Additionally, when students read widely and deeply in elementary school, they acquire the necessary background knowledge that helps them construct meaning, which is critical to becoming a successful reader.

23. School Reading vs. Home Reading Speeding to Read

24. Reading Log

25. Kindergarten is not how we remember it… • Kids today are learning things in Kindergarten that we were learning in First Grade! • Why? • -competitive job market • -competitive global economy • Attendance is super important! • -We do so much every day! • - Lots of “hands on” activities that • simply can’t be made up

26. Read Aloud • Guided Reading • Reader’s Workshop • Writing Workshop • Reading Reflection Notebook • Writer’s Notebook • Author Studies • Journey’s (Reading Series) • Clubs • Student/Teacher Conferences • Before/After School Tutoring • Mystery Reader • Tier Time (Targeted Focused Instruction) How will we know what your children knows?

27. What do we want your children to know?Reader’s Workshop Kindergarten will read both independently and in small groups EVERYDAY! More Text and Fewer Pictures Independent Reading Stamina (20 minutes or longer) Determine Fiction vs. Non-fiction and characteristics such as; Setting, Characters, Theme. Variety of Genres Comprehension Reading Reflection and Reading Log Integration of Social Studies

28. DRA2: What is it? Beginning of Year Tests • DRA2 is a reading assessment that determines your child’s reading level. • The levels range from A-40 • Most Kindergarteners are about to read about a level A or 1. • By May, your child should be able to read a level 4 with a goal of 8!

29. What do we want your children to know?Writing Workshop Kindergarteners will write independently EVERYDAY! Personal Experiences Respond to learning in Math, Science and Social Studies Write with a Purpose Proofread Use Correct Conventions (Punctuation, Grammar and Spelling) Increase their letter to sound correlation

30. What do we want your children to know? • Math • Understand the overlying concepts of math. Learn that they can be mathematical thinkers. Math is not just skill and practice. • Focus on computational fluency. • “Is that the most efficient way to solve that problem?” • Provide lots of experience in geometry, measurement, data and early algebra. Provide connections between all parts of math. • Students know a variety of strategies to solve a wide range of problems. • Emphasize reasoning of mathematical ideas. • Engage the range of learners in understanding math.

31. What do we want your children to know?Science • Asking questions • Using science tools Physical Science • Force is a push or a pull • Matter has physical properties Earth Science • Nature can cause change • Patterns of change in weather, metamorphosis and objects in sky • Cycles and simple systems Life Science • Habitats of animals • Needs of living creatures • Environmental changes • How living creatures adapt and change environment

32. We will have at least two parent/teacher conferences this year. One in the Fall and one in the Spring. • Our Fall conferences will be at the beginning of October. • Please look for a note home in the next couple of weeks in your child’s folder. Conferences

33. Here are a few things you can do to help your child be successful in Kindergarten: How Can I Help My Child? • Read with them every night. (be sure to write it down for speeding to read) • Write with them as much as possible. • -Magna Doodles • -iPads • Count anything and everything. • Make sure they get a good night’s rest. • Fill ‘em up right at mealtimes.

34. Questions?