ATHENS-CHILESBURG ELEMENTARY K i n d e r g a r t e n C o u n t d o w n

1. ATHENS-CHILESBURG ELEMENTARY Kindergarten Countdown INCH BY INCH HELPING MAKE KINDERGARTEN A CINCH

2. Agenda • Introductions • A Typical Day of Kindergarten at ACE • Kindergarten Readiness • Ways to Get Involved

3. People here to help • Peggy Henderson, Principal • Joan Ludwig Bieber, Professional Staff Assistant • Nancy Goulson, School Administrative Manager • Jordan Thompson, Child Guidance Specialist • Brooke Kincheloe, Behavior Coach • Carla Jackson, Family Resource Center Coordinator • Angie Dixon, Reading Interventionist • Julie Brown, Math Interventionist • Lisa Gillispie, Registrar/Attendance Clerk • Leslie Jennings, Office Assistant • Connie Whitaker, Cafeteria Manager • Jimmy Eldridge, Lead Custodian

4. Typical Day in the Life of a Kindergartener • Arrival • Morning Announcements/Pledge • Literacy Block • Lunch • Supervised Physical Activity (recess) • Math • Special Classes • End of the Day Review/Read Aloud • Dismissal

5. Special Area Classes Artistic appreciation and expression is an integral part of the development of creative thinking. Kindergarteners are encouraged to discover and develop their talents and to gain an appreciation for all areas of the arts: visual and performance. Students explore the Elements and Principles of art using a variety of media including technology. Kindergarteners are introduced to famous art works. The students reflect upon works of art and are able to talk and ask questions about art using art vocabulary. Arts and Humanities Practical Living-Career Studies In this class, your child will be introduced to basic health and fitness curriculum. The book, Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children, is used to introduce basic skills that connect to different sports. Each lesson includes an instructional activity, fitness development activity, lesson focus, and game activity. Your child will also be introduced to basic Health and Consumer Science content through Comprehensive School Health Education. It covers lessons in the following areas: Mental and Emotional Health, Family and Social Health, Growth and Development, Nutrition, Personal Health and Physical Activity, Alcohol/Tobacco, Communicable and Chronic Diseases, Consumer and Community Health, Environmental Health, and Injury Prevention and Safety.

6. Special Area Classes • Science – STEM Lab The Science Lab provides your child with opportunities to work like scientists; to make observations of the natural world, interact with living and nonliving things, and recognize patterns. They will learn to formulate answers to questions such as: “What happens if you push or pull an object harder? Where do animals live and why do they live there? What patterns do I observe in weather?” Science Lab is an exciting place to learn!

7. Special Area Classes At ACE, Kindergarten students learn the following music skills and concepts: For pitch development we learn the difference between high and low sounds. (recognize and demonstrate) For the element Tempo we learn fast and slow. For the element Rhythm we learn to play simple quarter note and eighth note rhythm patterns. For the element Melody we learn up and down. For the element Dynamics we learn loud and soft. Students learn about the 4 families of instrument (Brass, String, Percussion and Woodwinds). They learn to identify individual instruments visually and aurally (by hearing them). Students are introduced to performing on classroom instruments by playing pitched percussion (xylophone, glockenspiels) and “unpitched” instruments (hand drums). Spanish Music • All kindergarten students at ACE receive 25 minutes of Spanish instruction every three days. This first year of Spanish is an introduction to the idea of language learning and involves speaking, listening, reading, and writing the language. This creates a basic foundation for Spanish that will be built upon during a student’s time at ACE. We explore a variety of topics with the end goal of enabling students to communicate in Spanish.

8. Library-Technology • In kindergarten we focus on several library and computer skills.  We start with book care, parts of a book and how the library works.  We try to instill the love of reading different kinds of books while taking a look at the current year Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee’s. We will also talk about reasons an author publishes a book to: entertain, teach, or persuade. We will look at examples of each.  One of their favorite units is always looking at a particular fairy tale from different cultures around the world. • For computer skills, we will learning basic keyboarding, how to navigate the school website, and how to use their password to log on.   Students will also be taught some basic features in Microsoft Word. • Internet Safety Unit (Keeping personal information safe & how to stay safe on the internet) • Typing Unit (learning the keyboard & home-row typing)

9. Arrival • Doors Open at 7:00 am (Students may wait in the library until 7:15) • Breakfast in Cafeteria 7:15-7:35 (after 7:35 students will be given a “breakfast in a bag” to take to their classroom) • Tardy Bell Rings at 7:45 am. After 7:45, it is FCPS board policy that your child must be escorted to the office, signed-in, and given a tardy slip. • Bus Riders are dropped off in the back parking lot. • Car Riders – may be dropped off along the sidewalk in front of the building; two lanes of traffic merge at the sidewalk. • After all buses have been unloaded, cars may be permitted to the back parking lot for students to unload along the sidewalk UNTIL 7:40. During arrival, cars leaving the back lot must turn RIGHT ONLY. • Walking Students to Class – First 3 Days of School

11. Dismissal • Every student must have transportation tags each day. Kindergarteners must also have a separate blue tag. • End of School Day – 2:35pm • Bus riders and car riders are dismissed first. • Then, Day Care riders and ESP students will be dismissed. • Walkers will be dismissed after all buses have left the school. • At dismissal, only the front parking lot is used. Only the outside lane is open; the middle lane is left open for appointments or emergencies. • Cars may not line-up on Jouett Creek Blvd. If the parking lot is full, the line begins on Hays Blvd. All cars must display the school issued car tag at all times.

12. Transportation & safety • Color-coded transportation tags must be left on backpacks at all times. Backpacks must be taken to and from school each day. Kindergarten students must be met by an adult or sibling. • Transportation Changes must be in writing, no verbal phone permission or email messages will be accepted. The note should include student name, date, bus # and bus stop if riding the bus, date of change, and parent signature. • If the change involves more than one family, a note from each parent/guardian is required.

13. Attendance-Medication • If your child will be absent, please call office to report absence or tardy. If we do not hear from you, we are required to call each family of absent students. Your call and/or message saves time for everyone involved. • Excuse notes should be sent within 3 days of absence (Parents are permitted to send 10 notes per year for student illness.) • Doctor appointments should be accompanied by a doctor’s note (these are unlimited in number). • If a student arrives late or leaves early, this is considered a tardy. • All medications including sunscreen and cough drops require a Medical Authorization form from the parent AND a Physicians Form from the Physician. • We need Emergency Medication ( Epi-pens, Auvi-Q , Inhalers and Etc.) and the forms prior to the first day of school. We will start accepting these on Monday, August 4th, 2014 between 9:00 Am – 2:00 PM. • Medical forms are on the ACE Website and Doctors usually require 2 weeks to prepare these.

14. Kindergarten Kick-off • Opportunity for school staff to meet children • Opportunity for students to see some of the school without the crowds • Will work one-on-one with staff to identify letters, letter sounds, rhyming, identify numbers, patterns, one–to–one correspondence, etc. • Initial speech screening • Screening for English Language Learning (ELL) services as needed.

15. Kindergarten Kick-off • This is NOT a test  • Don’t stress yourself or your child about the experience!  • Please sign-up for an appointment time on Thurs., July 31st1:00-6:00 or Fri., August 1st 9:00-2:00 before you leave today. • On that date, you may drop-off any paperwork (eye exams, immunizations, physical, dental exam, etc.) • Questions – angie.dixon@fayette.kyschools.usor joan.bieber@Fayette.kyschools.us

16. Countdown to Kindergarten • June 7 – Bluegrass Green Source • June 14 – Lexington Children’s Theatre • June 21 – Bar Y Camp • June 26 – Lexington Public Library • June 28 – Explorium • July 12 – Arboretum • July 19 – Living Arts & Science Center • July 26 – Lexington Philharmonic • August 2 – McConnell Springs • August 8 – Lexington Legends • August 9 – Lexington Children’s Ballet

17. Summer Activities Reading & Language Skills Read, Read, Read • Magnetic Letters on the Refrigerator • Label Household Objects • Rhyming Games • Ask and Answer Questions???? • Writing Name • Learn Phone Number • Learn Address

18. Summer Activities – Math Skills • Count Objects • Magnetic Numbers on the Refrigerator • Sequencing Activities • Match Numbers & Sets of Objects • Talk about Real Life Word Problems • Make a number line with chalk or paint • Play Board Games • Help with Recipes

19. Motor Skill Readiness • Cutting with Scissors • Dressing Skills (pants, shoes, jacket, etc.) • Restroom/Hygiene Skills • Fine Motor Skills • Write – Pencils, Chalk, Markers, Paint, Pens, Crayons • Button, Snap, & Zip • Open Food Items

20. Social & Emotional Readiness • Teach Expected Behaviors • Peer Group Interactions • Prepare for Separation • Name Emotions (happy, nervous, anxious, mad, sad, excited)

21. ACE After School Options • ESP (Extended School Program)- run by Lexington Parks and Recreation Department. Applications may not be postmarked before July 2nd. Must be received by August 1st to begin the first week of school. This program fills up quickly • http://www.lexingtonky.gov/index.aspx?page=215 • YMCA- 4131 Todds Rd. (First United Methodist Church building). Students ride FCPS bus to site. • Possible Daycare Providers: • Baby Educational Center • Fit Kids • KinderCare • Lexington Gymnastics • Lexington Taekwondo and Jujitsu (LTJ) • National Academy • Tot’s Landing

22. Lunch • Student meals may be paid in advance by depositing funds into the child’s individual account. You can do so by sending a check or cash to the cafeteria. Checks must include the child’s full name or account number and a phone number. Please remember to send cash payments in an envelope clearly marked with the child’s full name, homeroom, and amount enclosed. • Payments may also be made via mealplayplus. This is an automated prepayment system that allows you to make deposits into your child’s account via the web at www.mypaymentsplus or by phone at 866-568-0646. This enables you to view what your child is purchasing and set up an email reminder when he/she needs lunch money. To set up this account you will need your child’s Infinite Campus student number. These numbers are available from homeroom teachers, the cafeteria, or the front office. Please alert the cafeteria of your child’s food allergies. Parents/Guardians can complete a form allowing for extra purchases.

23. WE WANT YOU!!! • ACE Parent-Teacher Association (Facebook page) • Volunteer in Classrooms • School-Based Decision Making Council • Volunteer at Home

24. Volunteering at ACE • All adults must fill out FCPS Volunteer Form to: • Attend Field Trips • Volunteer in the Classroom • Volunteer in the School • Go to www.fcps.net • Click on “How do I volunteer in my child’s school?” • Click on “Volunteer by Applying Online” • Reapply every 4 years

25. Upcoming dates • Thursday, July 31st 1:00-6:00 & Friday, August 1st 9:00-2:00 Kindergarten Kick-Off (by appointment) • Thursday, August 7 – Back-to-School/Orientation Night 7:00 • Wednesday, August 13 – First Day of School • Friday, August 22 – No School for Students • Monday, September 1– Labor Day No School

26. Questions??