Welcome to Kindergarten

1. Welcome to Kindergarten Mrs. Bishop’s Class

2. Index Cards Child’s name Birthday Parents name Address Telephone #’s Cell #’s E-mail address Allergies Student interests

3. We are partners in your child’s education! When we work together your child will know and will work hard to accomplish what is asked.

4. How to reach me… • You can reach me between 7:45 and 8:00 a.m. at school….826-5411 • Write me a note and put it in your child’s money bag. • Email me at tbishop@marshall.k12.il.us. • You can also reach me by phone between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m.

5. Getting supplies ready…. • First, write your child’s name on EVERYTHING! • Crayola crayons. We will focus on these 11 colors first (red, yellow, blue, green, orange, pink, purple, black, brown, white and gray) • Small art boxes only • Elmer’s glue • Glue sticks • Fiskar scissors • Crayola paint sets

6. Needed supplies • School list • 1 box of gallon baggies (girls) • 1 box of quart baggies (boys) • 1 box of Kleenex • Chlorox wipes • I have a few supplies listed on the chalkboard that I will need brought to school on the first day.

7. MOST IMPORTANT!!!!!! The money bag that you receive is the most important item that I will give you all year. Please look for the money bag each day. You need to use the money bag for anything that you want me to see; notes, permission slip, money, etc. I will not go through backpacks or folders.

8. Peanut Free School There is an approved snack list in the packet. • Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches may be packed in lunch buckets. • NO BIRTHDAY PARTIES, only non-food items such as pencils, etc. • As per the Parent Handbook, we can NOT pass out party invitations at school unless ALL children in the class are invited.

9. Lunch and snack milk money • Cost: Lunch is $2.25 per day • Milk: 30 cents per day, $1.50 per week You can pay daily. I encourage you to send in money for lunch and milk weekly or monthly if possible. HOWEVER, if your child is bringing lunch, and you want them to drink milk, you will need to put 30 cents in their lunch box. I do NOT collect that money.

10. When sending in lunch and milk money… • You may pay by cash or by check. • Always tell your child when you have put something in their money bag. • I will not go through backpacks or folders.

11. Breakfast money.. • Breakfast is served before I ever see your child. • The cost is $1.25 per day. • Because of the new lunch program, all milk and lunches and breakfasts will come out of the student account. You can add it up yourself or you can send in any amount and office will send a note when account is getting low. • Please remind them before school that they are to eat breakfast.

12. Special Classes • P.E Thursday 10:00-10:30 and Friday 10:00-10:30 • Music Tuesday 10:30-11:00 • Library Wednesday 10:10-10:40 • Technology Monday 10:30-11:00 • On P.E. days, children need to wear or bring tennis shoes to school.

13. Star Student • A child will be chosen each week beginning in late September. They will be given special papers to fill out and return to school. Along with the papers “Brownie Bear” will also be coming home. It is important that you send this back the following Monday.

14. Bus Riders • Bus drivers are very attentive to their riders. • If your child will ever ride a bus, they should from the start of school. • I will chaperone for the first week of school. • If your child is not going to ride the bus then you need to call the bus garage and let them know.

15. Students who are being picked up.. • Parents will need to let me know location of pick up: north door or gymnasium. • Anychange of after school plans needs to be confirmed with a note or a phone call to the school office. • We are mandated by law to send your child home according to the sheet that you filled out at registration.

16. Behavior chart-School-Wide • Each child begins each day with on ready to learn. • As needed, your child will move up or down the chart according to behavior. The chart is color coded where each child starts at green (ready to learn). They can move up or down according to behavior. Blue is at the top meaning your child made really good choice. Yellow means we need to think about behavior and red means your child made a really bad choice.

17. Nap time • We will rest most every day from 12:15-12:45. • A hand towel will be allowed to be brought to school. • The towel will always stay in their backpacks so you can wash them or change towels as needed.

18. Language Arts • Very successful program for beginning reading. • Zaner-Bloser handwriting is used. (Copy in folder) • Practice, practice, practice! • Each child will be tested in the first few weeks using Aimsweb . This is a timed test. When practicing letters at home, see how many they can get in less than a minute. • Students who verbalize the least number of letters of the alphabet will be eligible for the Title 1 program. • This will also determine if your child will be eligible for RTI (Response to intervention). • Parents will be notified by mail….don’t panic!! • Child will get extra help but will not miss anything in the classroom. • Ateach 9 week interval children can be moved out or into the program!

19. Recess • We will go outside if weather is cooperative. • In winter months, children will be outside if temperature is 20 degrees or more. • Pay attention to the weather. • Dress child in layers. • Label everything that your child wears that they might take off.

20. School Arrival • If you bring your child to school you can drop them off at the North door or at the west door. • Children can arrive at 7:45. • Children are to go straight to the gym and sit at Donald Duck. • Children will wait on the duty teacher to take them outside to recess. • If your child is eating breakfast, it is served in the gymnasium from 7:45-8:00.

21. Homework skills • Naming the alphabet, both upper and lower case letters • Writing name in Zaner-Bloser • Learning telephone number • Learning their home address • Tying shoes

22. Book Orders I usually send home 2 book orders once a month. They are both Scholastic forms. If you order from both forms, simply total the orders and make out one check to Scholastic. The class earns bonus points so that I can purchase books for the class. PLEASE put the book order in an envelope (marked with your child’s name) and return to me in the money bag. Usually books will arrive within 10 days. This is one of the cheapest ways to order books. BOOKS MAKE GREAT GIFTS FOR ANYONE!!

23. Don’t forget….. • To sign in at the Office and get a button to wear if you are going into the building. • To call the Office, at 826-5411, by 8:15 in the morning if your child is sick. Arrangements can be made to pick up homework. • That any change in your child’s regular routine of going home MUST be accompanied by a note. • To let me know ahead of time if you know that your child will be absent; ex: dentist, doctor, etc.

24. Save Boxtops for Education • Save boxtops for education and send to school with your child in their money bag. In doing this you will help us get extra supplies for our classroom.

25. All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten…. Most of what I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain but there in the sandpile at Sunday school. These are the things I learned: • Share everything. • Play fair. • Don’t hit people. • Put things back where you found them. • Clean up your own mess. • Don’t take things that aren’t yours. • Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. • Wash your hands before you eat.

26. Flush. • Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. • Live a balanced life-learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. • Take a nap every afternoon. • When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. • Be aware of wonder. Robert Fulghum

27. Look for these places when you leave…. • Library • Donald Duck • Music room • “B” on west side of blacktop See you real soon!