Welcome

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

2. Mrs.Birdsong 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 Folder • Complete and Return inYellowFolder ~ LEFT SIDE • Tell me about your child • “Wanted” volunteer information (room mother & copier) • Classroom resources information • E-mail information • Take Home in Ziploc Bag ~ RIGHT SIDE • Parent letter & class / school information • Color days schedule • Environmental Print letter

5. Get it! Binders Get Your Information Together • The Get it! 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. • Get it! Binders will contain: Return to School/Important Information Pocket • The front pocket of the binder will contain any forms that need to be filled out and returned back to school OR any important forms or reminders. Please check this section daily! 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 bag. • Pease include your child’s name, teacher’s name and what the money is for. Behavior Calendar- Please check & initial each day. • I use a behavior clip chart system. • All children are expected to follow these rules so that everyone has the opportunity to learn.

6. Get it! Binders Continued… Reference Materials • Class list, daily schedule, alphabet chart, sight words for the year, hundreds chart, math sheet 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… • The homework section of the binder will begin in September. • This section will contain weekly Harcourt homework lessons, books to read at home, a reading log, and a monthly math activities sheet.. • Harcourt homework will need to be completed 3 times a week. Please initial each day. • Reading log – please record any books read from the reading pouch. Books that are sent home in the reading pouch are “just right” books for your child based on his or her reading level. • Math Calendar – please complete and initial each day. • I might also include additional homework such as poetry to read together or fluency practice sheets.

7. Get it! Binders Continued… Weekly Newsletters • The weekly newsletter will be e-mailed or sent home in your child’s binder on Mondays. • 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. Keepat Homefolder • The keep at home pocket will be used to send home any forms from the school. Please check this section daily. • Your child’s work will come home every Friday in a folder. Please send the folder back to school on Monday. • It is important to go over work each week with your child! Talk about what he/she is learning and review anything that needs extra attention.

8. Classroom Rules Our classroom rules are short and sweet! They are: • Love • Respect • Obey

9. “Building Warriors for Life” This year at Creek View we will be focusing on piloting a new program called “Learning Earnings.” It is a positive behavior program that focuses on the following: *Attendance *Behavior *Discipline *Academics *Responsibility *Character dispositions *Engagement with others

10. Traits of a WARRIOR

11. 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. Each time a student clips up, he or she will get a sticker on their chart. Once their chart is filled up, they will earn a visit to the coupon book or treasure box. Inside the coupon books are lots of fun rewards! Excellent–Excellent! Good choices –Good choices! Ready to Learn – Good day! Think About It –2 minutes off recess Teacher’s Choice – 5 minutes off recess Parent Contact – 10 minutes off recess, parent contact by phone or note 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 • Stickers/Coupons • Good conduct grades

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 (no email). If a note (parent or doctor) is not received within 3 school days, the absence will be coded as unexcused. • Administration will make contact after 3 unexcused absences and excessive tardies. • 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 12:08-12:33each day. - Limit Lunch visits to 1 time weekly to allow students time to socialize with others and get acclimated to routines fostering independence. Please wait on the benches outside of the lunchroom for our class to arrive. • 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. We cannot charge to lunch accounts, notes and phone calls are made to remind negative balances must be paid and will carry over until account is replenished. • 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 or water from home each day. • Snack needs to be brought in a snack bag or paper sack with your child’s name on it. • You may want to use a freezer pack to keep cold items from spoiling. • Please no candy or soft drinks!

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 freefor 24 hoursbefore 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. • Please follow the ACS dress code.

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. • Changes cannot be made after 2:00 (to eliminate confusion and allow time to adjust child's dismissal) and phone calls and faxes are not accepted due to student safety. *You may walk your child in to our classroom on the 1st Day of school only.

18. Transportation continued… Weather Occurrences - Bus Transportation remains in place, CVES After School Care Students become Car Riders. Other daycares should pickup, but if not students become car riders unless notified otherwise. We understand emergencies arise.

19. Field Trips • Fall: Pumpkin Patch (October 16th) • Spring: Birmingham Zoo (March 26th) 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)

20. 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)

21. Donations If you would like to make a donation to our classroom you might want to consider: • Choosing an apple or two from the Giving Tree. • 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 weekly newsletter for items we need in our classroom throughout the year. • Box Tops – 10 cents each

22. How to Contact Me: • Email me atphebe.birdsong@alabastercityschools.org • Send a note in your child’s binder. • Call the office and leave a message: 205-685-6100.

23. Remind 101: • You can sign up by texting the message @0840 to the number(205) 409-2643. • This is not my personal number  • This is a great way for me to send out quick reminders for things like form deadlines, money due, special events, etc.

24. Do you want to know what is going on at CVES? Sign up forNotifyMe!

25. Don’t Forget: • CompleteYellowOrientation Folder paperwork. • Add $ to your child’s Lunch account and pay forMrs.Birdsong’s Supplies - $22 (please make sure your phone number is on any check that is written to the school). • 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 to Meet the Teacher Day on Wednesday from 8:30-11:00.