Welcome

1. Welcome Please come in and start filling out the paperwork at your child’s seat. Thanks!!!

2. Mrs. Allen My teaching philosophy: • I have very high expectations for my students. • My goal is to help foster responsible & independent learners in kindergarten. • I am very consistent with my classroom routines and procedures. • I try to be very organized and keep parents informed about what is going on at school. • I am pretty tough at first! / Firm, but fair! • I strive to treat all my students the way that I would want my own children to be treated at school. • Once they are mine, they are ALWAYS mine! • I need parent support! (We are a 3 legged stool) • If you have a problem, please don’t hesitate to talk to me about it.

3. Kindergarten Curriculum • Reading & Writing (daily 2.5 hours) • Harcourt Story Town Series • Letters, sounds, blending and reading words • Phonemic awareness & phonics progression • Color, number, & sight words • Reading strategies • Comprehension & vocabulary • Writing Workshop • Math (daily 1.5 hours) • Math Investigations Series • Hands- on / “real world” math • Calendar, daily data, story problems • Building number sense & fluency • Using pictures, manipulatives, & words to solve problems and explain thinking. • Science & Social Studies (daily 30 min.) • Lunch (daily 25 min.) • Snack (daily 15 min. while working on reading) • P.E. (daily 30 min.) • Recess (daily 15 min. weather permitting) • Art, Music, & Computer (weekly 30 min.) • Library & Guidance (twice a month 30 min) • Rest Time (daily for the 1st 9 wks only–30min.)

4. Orientation Papers • Complete and Return Stapled items • Tell me about your child • “Super helper” volunteer information • Room mother contact sheet • E-mail information • Take Home in Ziploc Bag • Behavior information • Color days schedule • Remind 101

5. HEROBinders The HERO Binder is a 3-ring binder that houses everything students and parents need to keep up-to-date with what is going on at school. • Please take time to go through it each night with your child. Below is a list of items in the binder. • HERO Binders will contain: Money and Important Notes Pouch • Please send all money, notes, etc, in this zipper pouch, so I can be sure to get it first thing in the morning. • Please place all money (cash, change, or checks) in a sealed envelope or Ziploc baggy. • Pease include your child’s name, teacher’s name and what the money is for. Conduct Chart - Please check & initial each day. • I use a behavior clip chart system. • All children are expected to follow the rules so that all children have the opportunity to learn. • Good behavior will be rewarded with warm fuzzies that students may turn in for gift cards for different items. • I believe in reinforcing good behavior!

6. Classroom Rules • We are safe, kind and honest. 2. We respect ourselves, others and property. 3. We make good choices. 4. We try our best!

7. “Building Warriors for Life” This year at Creek View we will be focusing on teaching specific social skills from the Boys Town model to support our school rules and procedures. These social skills will build the foundation to help students achieve success in the classroom and in the community. The key is empowering students to make better choices and decisions. The following skills will be focused on throughout the school year: • Following instructions • Accepting “no” for an answer • Accepting criticism or a consequence • Greeting others • Getting a teacher’s attention • Disagreeing appropriately • Making an apology • Asking permission • Working with others

8. Traits of a WARRIOR

9. Discipline Behavior Clip Chart System: • Every student starts out each day with his or her clothespin on “Ready to Learn”. • They will move their clips up or down throughout the day based on their choices. HERO- happy face or sticker in HERO binder. A jewel will be added to their clip. SIDEKICK- happy face or sticker in HERO binder. SOARING- happy face or sticker in HERO binder. SUPER LEARNER- happy face of sticker in HERO binder. REFLECTION- verbal warning, talk with teacher at recess & conduct mark in binder. DANGER ZONE- time out at recess, talk with teacher & conduct mark in binder. KRYPTONITE- time out at recess, talk with teacher, conduct mark in binder and Parent contact by written note or phone call. Severe Clause and Consequences: • Fighting, causing harm to another student, disrespect or defiance to the teacher, willful destruction of property, profanity, or stealing will result in the student immediately being sent to the principal’s office. Students With Good Behavior Will Earn: • Verbal praise • Positive notes home • Special awards and activities • Good conduct grades

10. HERO Binders Continued… • HEROBinders will contain: School Notes Pocket ( FRONT INSIDE POCKET) • The school notes pocket will have field trip information, lunch menus, fundraiser information, flyers from the office, etc… • Please empty this folder daily. MonthlyNewsletters • The monthlynewsletter will be e-mailed to you on the first or second school day of the new month. Copies will be sent to those who have no computer access. • The newsletter will inform you about upcoming events and activities that your child will be participating in at school. • They will also keep you informed about what your child is learning in school. Work I usually send home the student’s work on Friday. I usually have them place in the back of their HERO binder. Please take the opportunity to look over their work with them. I will mark some items LATE which means that your child did not complete their work in class. If possible, please help them to complete this work at home. Please praise your child’s attempts and Let them tell you about their papers. Class made books will come home and it is great to let them keep these somewhere special to add to their library.

11. HEROBinders Continued… Homework All homework will begin in September. Harcourt Homework- Each lesson is front and back review of the activities we are working on for the week in reading. We will review one homework lesson each week. The lesson your child should be working on at home will be marked with a sticky note. Each week, you and your child will be responsible for reviewing the activities from the weekly homework lesson at least 3 times. Please initial the top of the homework page each time you practice the activities. Please do not skip ahead in the homework lessons. Take Home Books- Every week, your child will receive 2 or 3 new “just right” books to read at home throughout the following week. Please return these books to the reading pocket of your child’s HERO Binder each day after reading them at home. Every month your child will have a goal on his or her reading log. Please have your child read daily and don’t forget to complete one line each day you read the books. Monthly Math Activities- The monthly math sheet will have a short activity for your child to do each night that will reinforce some of the math concepts that we are working on at school. Please initial and date on the chart when an activity has been completed. • HEROBinders will contain: Homework • Your child will have homework each night. • August & Beginning of September Homework – Practice child’s name, teacher’s name, school’s name, lunch #, Car #, Bus #, etc… • Homework Section of HEROBinder will begin later in September. • This section will contain weekly Harcourt homework lessons, books to read at home, a monthly reading log, and a monthly math activities sheet.

12. Attendance • It is important to have your child at school each day and for them to arrive on time. • I believe that success in kindergarten is strongly related to attendance. • Please try to plan vacations and appointments around school if possible. • If your child is absent from school for any reason, please send a note the day he or she returns to school. If a note (parent or doctor) is not received within 3 school days, the absence will be coded as unexcused. • Remember that the tardy bell rings at 7:45 and if a child comes in the classroom after that time he or she will be counted tardy. • Buses usually arrive at school between 7:15-7:30. • Car Rider drop off begins at 7:15.

13. Lunch • Our lunchtime is from 11:49-12:14each day. You are welcome to eat with us any time. You can meet us at the benches by the lunchroom doors. • Your child will be issued a 5-digit lunch number. • Lunch is $2.50 per day and breakfast is $1.25 per day for students. • Lunch checks need to be labeled with your child’s 5-digit lunch number so that it will be credited to your child’s account. Please do not include any other money with lunch checks. • Lunch can also be paid online at MyLunchMoney.com. You will need to get your child’s ID Number from me before you can use this tool. • You may send a simple birthday snack for the class to eat during lunchtime on your child’s birthday if you would like. (PLEASE NO CUPCAKES) • Please do not bring fast food items for your child to eat during lunch. (McDonald’s, Arby’s, etc…) • If anyone needs a free or reduced lunch form, please let the office know as soon as possible.

14. Daily Snack • Please send a healthy snack and juice from home each day. • We have to eat snack while working so please send something easy like a granola bar or Goldfish. ( Think of 20 kids eating snack in your house!) • Snack needs to be brought in a zip-locbag or paper sack with your child’s name on it. It is very confusing for a kindergartener to remember to get their snack out of their lunchbox. They sometimes can not remember what food is for lunch and what food is for snack. • You may want to use a freezer pack to keep cold items from spoiling • Please no candy or cokes!

15. Medicine • Medicine – All medication must be brought to the school office by an adult. The adult will be required to fill out a short medication form. Students are not allowed to keep medicine in their book bags. This includes cough drops. • Allergies- Please alert me of any food or seasonal allergies that your child may have. • Sickness- If your child has been sick please make sure they arefever, vomit and / or diarrhea free for 24 hrs. before they return to school.

16. Change of Clothes Your child will need a complete change of clothes for school. • Label ALL articles of clothing with your child’s name. • Keep clothes in a Ziploc bag inside your child’s book bag. • Make sure clothes are appropriate for the current season. • All children must wear tennis shoes to school for P.E. (Please double knot laces / No Crocs or Flip Flops) • Girls should wear shorts under skirts & dresses.

17. Transportation ***** IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE CONSISTENT ***** • I will need to know before the first day of school how your child will be going home each afternoon. • Your child will be given a transportation tag to wear on his or her book bag. • If you plan to change your child’s transportation for any reason, I must have a parent note so that I can send it to the office to be approved. I cannot send a child home a different way without a note. This is for your child’s safety. • You may walk your child in to our classroom on the 1st Day of school only.

18. Field Trips • Fall: Pumpkin Patch (October 17th) • Spring: Birmingham Zoo (March 20th) We LOVE to have parent chaperones on our Field Trips! • All students ride on buses • All parents drive in cars • No younger siblings may attend • No check-outs are allowed from the field trip site • Miss Annie – (4 classroom enrichment lessons)

19. Supplies All supplies need to be brought in on Meet the Teacher Day! • No Names or Labels (except scissors & rest towels) • Rest Towels (small / keep in book bag / 1st 9 wks) • Book Bags (good size / no wheels) • Handwriting Workbook ($8.00) Mrs. Allen’s Supplies $13.00 Supplies Include: • Supplies Include: • $1.50 - One inch binder • $.50 - Zipper Pouch • $.50 - Take Home Book Pocket • $2.50 - 3 Plastic Folders • $1.00 - 2 Composition Notebooks • $.50 - Special Notes Pocket • $3.00 - Copies • $1.50 - Construction Paper • $1.00-Crayon keeper • $1.00-Sheet protectors **Cash or Check made payable to CVES**

20. Donations If you would like to make a donation to our classroom you might want to consider: • Choosing a Post-it note from the board of items our classroom needs. • Purchasing a Gift Card for our classroom. (Wal-Mart, Staples, Parent-Teacher Store, etc…) • Making a monetary donation to the school. (½ classroom teacher & ½ CVES General Fund) • Checking the monthlynewsletter for items we need in our classroom throughout the year. • Box Tops – 10 cents each

21. How to Contact Me: • Email me at karri.allen@alabastercityschools.org • Send a note in your child’s HEROBinder. • Call the office and leave a message 205-685-1316.

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23. Don’t Forget: • Complete STAPLED paperwork and leave at your child’s seat. • Add $ to your child’s Lunch account, pay for • Handwriting Workbook - $8, Mrs. Allen’s Supplies - $13 • Sign Transportation sheet on the board. • Sign up for Remind 101. • Visit the Creek View PTO website and create an account. cvespto.org • Bring Supplies tomorrow to Meet the Teacher Day.