Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Betty Sue’s Kindergarten Class Kindergarten Kick-Off July 25, 2013

1. Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Betty Sue’sKindergarten ClassKindergarten Kick-Off July 25, 2013

2. To Do Tonight • Sign the transportation sheet on Mrs. Betty Sue’s desk. • Pick up your yellow voucher on Mrs. Smith’s desk to receive a free kindergarten kick-off t-shirt. • Inform us of any important information like custody arrangements, food allergies, etc. by filling out a note card on Mrs. Smith’s desk. • Complete the Student Information page.

3. School Supplies • If you are having any trouble buying school supplies please let myself or Mrs. Betty Sue know this evening. The Family Resource can also help with supplies. They can be reached at 465-3978.

4. Morning Procedures • Students should arrive between 7:35 and 8:00 am. If your child arrives after 8:00 they will receive a tardy. Students can not enter the building before 7:35. Students will be allowed to go to breakfast at that time or must sit in the gym in our class line. Students will be released to their classes at 7:50.

5. Dismissal Procedures • Bus riders will be dismissed at 2:50. Pick ups will be released soon after. Please refer to the pick-up policy in the student handbook for additional details. Anyone picking a student up in the pick-up line MUST have a pickup card. You can get your pickup cards in the gym tonight.

6. P.I.R.A.T.E Folder Your child will bring home a YELLOW folder each day. It is vital that this folder is returned daily as it is key to our communication. This folder will be used to communicate to you the following: • Behavior Logs • Important Events and News • Homework/Classroom Projects Inside your will find a clear zipper pouch, which will be used for bus notes, permission slips, milk, and lunch money. All transportation changes MUST be written on a note and placed in this pouch. Otherwise your child will be transported according to your information sheet. Plastic sleeves will contain other important items you may want to keep in the foldersuch as sight words, homework logs, and class schedules.

7. Classroom Management Green Light – Excellent Behavior Yellow Light – 5 minutes off recess Red Light – 10 minutes off recess Blue Light – consequence determined on individual basis. Students are also rewarded for making good choices each day by receiving tickets. Tickets are drawn at the end of the day for rewards. Each Friday students get a “treasure” from the class treasure chest if they have received THREE green lights for the week. If a child receives a blue light they will not receive a treasure that Friday. There will be a calendar in your child’s yellow folder that will indicate what their “color” was for the day. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

8. Class Snack We will have snack time every day except Friday. In our class we use a class snack system. Students with a last name beginning with A-N will bring snacks on the first school day of the month. Students with a last name beginning with O-Z will bring snacks on the 15th of the month. (If the date falls on a weekend please bring it in the next day.) These dates will be posted in the newsletter. Your child may bring their own drink daily or will be given water. Students may purchase milk for 30 cents. To purchase milk your child will need a milk account. Please send your money or check in an envelope and place it in the zipper pouch of your child’s yellow folder and label “milk account”. Even if you receive free and reduced lunch you must still pay for a milk. All snacks should be individually packaged or easily storable for up to two weeks. Snacks must be free from any nuts and peanut oil since our classroom is a peanut free zone. We have 22 students in our class. Please let me know if you are unable to provide a snack.

9. Lunch LUNCH MONEY AND MILK MONEY GO IN SEPARATE ACCOUNTS SO PLEASE PUT THEM IN SEPARATE ENVELOPES AND SEND SEPARATE CHECKS OR CASH. The cost of lunch is $1.60. Please send lunch money on Monday. It will be $8.00 (for the entire week) or $32.00 (for the month). Place it in an envelope with your child’s name, the amount, and their lunch number. Free and Reduced Lunch is $0.00 this year! You may want to send some money for the account so your child can purchase extra items if they are still hungry. *You may also add money to your child’s account through the district webpage. Click on the “School Nutrition” tab on the left side of the page. *

10. Our Class Schedule • 7:50-8:30 Morning Procedures/Morning Work/Pledge/Morning Meeting • 8:30-8:50 Calendar • 8:50-10:00 Literacy • 10:00- 10:15 Working Snack • 10:15-10:45 Wellness/Learning Centers • 10:45-1 1:30 Math • 1 1:30-12:00 Writing Groups • 12:05-12:30 Lunch • 12:30-1:30 Theme (Science and Social Studies) • 1:30-1:55 Transition/Songs and Poems/Daily Reflection • 1:55-2:35 Activity • 2:35-2:50 Prepare for dismissal

11. Box Tops Collect and save as many box tops as you can for our classroom. The box tops are collected and turned in twice throughout the year. Each box top provides money for our classroom. We use the money for classroom supplies and rewards.

12. Volunteering • We appreciate all volunteers for field trips, special occasions, and classroom work. However, in order to be considered for volunteering you must have a criminal background check on file with the office, and must complete the mandatory volunteer training. More information about volunteering is located in your back-to-school packet. • Our class volunteer website is located on our class webpage http://www.taylor.kyschools.us click on “schools” – “TCES” -“Teacher Websites” - “Andrea Smith”. Click on “Volunteer Spot”

13. Birthdays • We love to celebrate birthdays in our classroom. Please contact me at least two days prior to your child’s birthday if you are planning on celebrating at school. Many parents enjoy bringing cupcakes and drinks!

14. Important Information • Please return all back-to-school papers in your child’s folder by Friday of the first week of school 8/9/13. It is important that we receive your information ASAP so that we have all information necessary to contact you in case of emergencies. • If you need to make any changes to your child’s dismissal plans for the day please be sure to send a note or call the office in the morning. If we do not receive this notification your child will continue with their regular routine. • We will have Early Release EVERY Friday at 12:50. Please be sure to send a note with your child if plans for transportation change on those days. Students may participate in Friday Wrap-UP until 2:50 on Fridays. However, there is NO transportation. You MUST fill our the Cardinal Station form for your child to stay for any of the after school programs!!!

15. Contact Information If at any time you have questions feel free to contact me by You can contact me by phone or email. The best time to reach me by phone is during my planning time (see below) or after school. I also check my email daily and will respond ASAP. You may sign up for class text messages by texting @8f83 to (270) 506-0662T Email: andrea.smith@taylor.kyschools.us Office Phone Number: 465-5691 Planning Time (Mon.-Thurs.): 1:55-2:35 Planning Time (Fri.):12:00-12:30

16. We are looking forward to an exciting year!!