Welcome to Kindergarten!

1. Welcome to Kindergarten! Ms. Susan Cochran and Mrs. Michele Pepe

2. All About Ms. Cochran: • Raised in Thomaston, Georgia • Graduated from R. E. Lee Institute • Earned Bachelor’s Degree from UGA and Masters from Kennesaw State University • 4 “purrrfect kitties” ~ George, Lizzie ,Isabel & Charlotte • 28 years in teaching • I love kindergarten!!!

3. All About Mrs. Pepe: • Born in the Panama Canal Zone • Married to Steve • Has 2 children : Alexandria, a graduate of KSU, and Joseph, a freshman at Chattahoochee Tech • Has 2 dogs- Chase and Mia • Has been at Murdock a long time! First, she was a Reading/Literacy Chairperson for our PTA, and then she became a kindergarten paraprofessional 12 years ago. • Mrs. Pepe LOVES her job!!!!

4. Our Goals • Safe comfortable learning environment where children can bloom and grow into the very best they can be • Grow socially, emotionally, and academically • To have fun while learning!

5. What we believe… • Everyone can learn. • Learning is our priority. • Our job is to make our classroom a safe and happy environment that is conducive to learning. • Everyone is special and will be treated with compassion and respect. • Educational excellence is everyone’s responsibility.

6. Classy Cats’ Class Rules • Listen when the teachers are talking. • Follow directions. • Keep hands/feet to yourself. • Raise your hand. • Be safe, kind and honest. • Respect others, respect yourself, and respect your school.

7. Three Cheers for Great Behavior!! • We believe that “catching” students making good choices is a much more effective means of creating a safe, happy and well-managed classroom that is more conducive to learning. • We have chosen the “mitten” method of encouraging good behavior in our classroom.

8. The New Common Core • Rationale is to make all students college/career ready by grade 12 • Emphasis on student-centered learning where the teacher is serving as the facilitator • Deeper understanding which sets a firm foundation for students (It may seem slow at times, however, every step of learning is essential to proper development. In the past, students have had gaps in their learning due to a weak foundation.) • Stressed importance on listening/speaking by having meaningful conversations.

9. Classy Cats’ Schedule • 7:25 – 7:55 Morning Routines • 7:55 – 8:00 Announcements • 8:00 – 8:30 Morning Meeting & Phonics • 8:30 – 9:00 Writer’s Workshop • 9:00 – 9:30 Reader’s Workshop • 9:30-10:00 Math • 10:00-10:35 Literacy Centers/ Guided Reading • 10:48 – 11:18 Lunch • 11:30 – 12:00Science/Social Studies • 12:00– 12:20 Recess • 12:20-12:30 Bathroom/Water • 12:30 – 1:15 Specials • 1:20-1:35 Snack/Pack • 1:35-1:50 Rest/Assessments • 1:50-2:15 Storytime • 2:15 – 2:25 Review the Day • 2:25 Dismissal

10. How to Contact Me • Email: susan.cochran @cobbk12.org • Blog: http://murdock10.typepad.com/classy_cats/ • Phone: (770) 509 – 5071 • Note in T.I.G.E.R. book

11. Attendance Policy: • Classy Cats should be here before 7:50 a.m. This is when our morning announcements and Pledge of Allegiance begin. • If your favorite Classy Cat is absent, please send in a written excuse. • The more they are here, the more they will learn!!

12. Emergency Information • Please let the school office know if any of your contact information changes. • If your little one has any allergies, please let us know on the emergency card. • Any medication needs to be brought to school by you and given to Nurse Jeannie.

13. Dress Code • Please make sure your favorite Classy Cat doesn’t wear flip flops, clogs or crocs. These are very dangerous on our playground, and we want to keep our little ones safe. • Please label all coats, sweaters, and jackets.

14. Snacks!!! • Please send a snack with your favorite Classy Cat each day. We will eat our snacks right after “Specials” each afternoon. • Your favorite Classy Cat may bring water to drink with his/her snack each day if they would like to do so.

15. Classy Cat Birthdays • We love to celebrate birthdays! • Please let me know a couple of days ahead of time when you would like to send in treats for your little one’s birthday celebration. • Mini cupcakes, brownies, cookies or ice cream sandwiches, etc. are easy to serve and eat. • Please remember that we are not allowed to distribute invitations to parties at school.

16. When Visiting Us • Please enter at the front office and sign in. • Please wear your visitor’s sticker. • When picking your little one up early, please sign him/her our through the front office. • When eating lunch with your little one, please sign in and you both may sit at the visitor’s table in the lunchroom.

17. Transportation • Please, please make sure that your little one knows how he/she is going home each day. • If you ever need to make any changes, please put them in writing and place them in the purple pouch in your little one’s T.I.G.E.R. book ~ signed/dated. A form can be printed from Murdock’s webpage.

18. POPCORN WORDS We will learn our sight words this year in such a fun way!! We will call our sight words POPCORN WORDS!!! Your little one will be tested each Friday to see if he/she can read the POPCORN WORDS from the list. A new list will be sent home in their T.I.G.E.R. books when they can read all of the words on their current list.

19. How can you help your little one get ready for kindergarten? • Read to your child every day! You might also let your child look at the pictures in a book and make up a story about it. • Read a story to your child and stop in the middle. Let your child tell you how the story will end, then finish the story. • Read a story and let them draw a picture of their favorite part or their favorite character. • Ask your child to retell the story to you. Work on sequencing ~ what happened first, next and last.

20. Every day is a beautiful day in kindergarten! Meow!