BHE Kindergarten Parent Orientation

1. BHE Kindergarten Parent Orientation BHE Parent Orientation Fall 2012 Fall 2011

2. BHE Olympic Coaches Principal: Carra Fleming Assistant Principals: Carrie Breaux & Jason Brown Instructional Coaches: Ann Knight & Melyssa Young Counselor: Wendy Howe Nurse: Lauri Gomez Kindergarten Team: Elizabeth Becker Annie Danchenka Melanie Johnson Carolyne Ljungdahl Tricia Lyday Chelsey Robbin Elysia Tharnish 2

3. What Do Most Kids Know? Most Kindergarteners can… * Recite full name. * Write first name. * Identify many letter names and letter sounds. * Identify basic shapes. * Identify the basic colors. * Count to 20. * Identify numbers 1-10 3

4. A Typical Day in Kindergarten • Kindergarten is a fun, busy, learning filled day! • Expect your kids to be happy, well educated, and a bit tired from all of their learning! • Student Arrival • Calendar Time • Language Arts/ Shared Reading • Writer’s Workshop • Literacy Station & Small Group Reading Instruction • Lunch • Recess • Math • Science/ Social Studies • Specials (PE, ART, Music) • SLED Time: Small Group Instruction & Developmental Centers • Dismissal 4

5. Arrival and Dismissal • School starts at 8:10 a.m. • Students who arrive before 8:10 a.m. will be guided to the gym. All Kindergarteners will line up with their class. Teachers and assistants supervise children during arrival. Our Safety Patrol 5th graders, help guide our Kindergarteners at 8:10 a.m. to their classroom. • Students are tardy at 8:20 a.m. • Dismissal: • Teachers supervise children during dismissal. • Please try to keep the mode of transportation consistent day to day. • Children get stressed when it changes! • Any changes MUST be in writing to the front office. (No emails.) • Rainy day plan for walkers and bikers. • Walkers- dismiss from the 1st grade hallway • Transportation Hotline 281-396-2728 5

6. Behavior • * A behavior chart will be sent home daily in your child’s folder. It should be reviewed, signed, and returned daily. • Daily Folders reflect your child’s behavior and responsibility. • Hus”KEYS” for Success: • *I will use my hands, feet, mouth and objects for good. • *I will come to class prepared and ready to learn. • *I will follow directions the first time given. • The Hus”KEYS” for success are our Kindergarten expectations at Bonnie Holland Elementary. These expectations are what we base your child’s behavior on every day. Your child starts the day on green, which means “Good Day”. • *Overall, in a 9 weeks, if your child receives 6 or more color changes, your child will receive “Experiencing Difficulty” on his/her report card. 6

7. Conference Time • Our Daily Conference time is 1:20-2:05 pm. • I usually check email/fan mail and phone messages at this time. • Messages will be returned as soon as possible. • Please feel free to contact me, if you would like to set up a scheduled time to discuss your child’s progress. 7

8. Homework • Sent home at the beginning of the week and is to be completed and returned by Friday • Homework is used as a means of teaching responsibility and reinforcing concepts taught in class. • Homework is not graded, but reviewed and rewarded with a sticker or stamp. 8

9. Grades *Numerical grades are not given in Kindergarten, but your child will be assessed each nine weeks and will receive their report card documenting their mastery of skills taught. *If a specific skill is not marked with a “S”, then your child has not demonstrated mastery for that skill. * Teachers will continue to teach children the skills lacking mastery and the child will be tested on those skills the following grading period to see if credit can be given at that time. 9

10. Reading In Kindergarten • Shared Reading & Read Alouds daily. Introduction of concepts though big books, poems, pocket charts. • Small Group Reading Instruction Daily: small group time with the teacher. Groups are formed to meet the needs of each child’s ability and skill mastery. • Practice with decoding • Practice with Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Sight Words • Home Readers: Read nightly with your child! • To meet our minimum expectations in Kindergarten, your child must read fluently and comprehend on a Level D (Early Emergent Reading). (Your child’s teacher will discuss this in detail during your child’s fall conference). • Books at this level have: Strong picture support, Carefully controlled text, Repetitive patterns, Controlled, repeated vocabulary, Natural language, Large print, Wide letter spacing, Familiar concepts, Limited text on a page 10

11. Writing In Kindergarten • Interactive writing • Writing mini lessons • Independent journaling 11

12. Math • Whole Group Instruction- Concepts introduced through literature, games, songs,and manipulatives • Guided Math & Small Group Activities- Skills are practiced through a variety of hands on activities • Calendar Math: • Counting to 100 • Ordinal Numbers • Even/ Odd Numbers • Identifying Patterns • Songs 12

13. Lunch • 30 minutes each day • Children get own trays • Prepay is encouraged- Meal Pay online • Send any lunch money in a LABELED envelope with your child’s first and last name. • Kinder parents are kindly asked not to eat lunch with their child for at least the first 2 weeks of school. Thank you for understanding!  13

14. Recess • 30 minutes every day • Outside on big toys, basketball courts • Appropriate Shoes & Clothing 14

15. Snack • Children bring a snack from home each day. • Please LABEL your child’s snack with their name and pack separately from their lunch box. • All snacks must be ready to eat. • No refrigeration or heating of snacks provided. • Remember, we are a peanut-friendly campus. • Your child may bring a spill proof sports bottle labeled with their name. Please only fill with water! 15

16. Specials • 50 minutes daily. 1:20-2:05p.m. • Art, Music, Physical Education • Rotation Schedule- your child’s teacher will give you their class Specials Rotation Schedule at Meet The Teacher. 16

17. Birthdays • Please contact your child’s teacher prior to your child’s birthday if you are interested in bringing a individual birthday treat for your child’s birthday. • Please drop off birthday treats at the front office. • No cakes, birthday decorations, or birthday goodie bags. • Single Serving Suggestions: Cupcakes, muffins, individual cookies , brownie bites, rice krispie squares. 17

18. Summer Birthdays are celebrated at the end of the year. • Birthday List: Sign up in your child’s classroom if you would like your child to be included on the Birthday Address List for your child’s classroom Birthdays 18

19. First Day of School • As it nears: • Talk about going to school in positive terms. • Encourage your child to ask questions and share their feelings with you. • Begin bedtime routines several days in advance. • Reinforce healthy habits such as hand washing. • On the big day: • Arrive on time, but not too early. • Leave cheerfully. Don’t linger. • Keep a positive attitude. If you look forward to the first day of school, your child probably will too. • SCHOOL SUPPLIES: If you haven’t brought your school supplies, please bring them Monday. Also, please do not label your child’s school supplies 19

20. Volunteers • I will be asking for volunteers throughout the school year. • Classroom Helper • Brown Bag Volunteer- Sent Home every Friday • Kindergarten Cooking Supply Volunteer- Sign up tonight at Meet the Teacher • BHE PTA- sign up online! • Watch DOGS 20

21. Thank you for coming tonight! I look forward to working with you and your little Olympic Kindergartener this year. It is going to be a wonderful year filled with exciting learning activities! See you on the first day of school, August 27, 2012! 21