Welcome to Kindergarten Stanley Elementary 2011 - 2012

1. Welcome to Kindergarten Stanley Elementary 2011 - 2012

2. Going Home Transportations Sign the Transportation sheet Complete the going home tags for bus, walker, day care or biker. Leave in assigned place in the classroom. You will be able to find the bus number on the computer.

3. Car rider tags are in the cafeteria. (If your child is going to be a car rider at any time during the school year please get your car rider number)

4. Transportation All transportation changes must be in written form. Please do not email this information. You may send a note with your child in the morning. We will not change any transportation without written notice from you. All changes need to be made by 3:00.

5. Transportation needs to be consistent

6. Things to complete today • Sign up for Parent Information Center • Complete yellow student reference card • Complete the birthday form • Place school supplies in designated area • Purchase Tuesday folder and lanyard • Fill out Internet permission form • Meet with the teacher

7. Order your child’s kindergarten T-Shirt. We will wear them every Thursday and on field trips and other specials events.

8. PTA is located in the gym. Kindergarten’s goal is to have 100% join PTA. Sign up in the gym. Spirit Wear will be on sale.

9. Arrival Students should arrive between 8:10 and 8:20 and go directly to their classroom. If your child is eating breakfast they will go directly to the cafeteria. Breakfast begins at 7:55. Please remember that if your child is eating breakfast they should be in the cafeteria in time to finish eating and in class by 8:20. Any students arriving prior to 8:10, and not eating breakfast should report to the gym.

10. Absences If your child is ill, please call the office and inform us of your child's absence and the reason for it. This if for your child’s safety. If a student must leave early for a doctor’s appointment please send a note that morning. When you go to the office to sign him/her out the office will contact the teacher. A successful school experience is the responsibility of the child, the parent, and the school. Your child’s progress, both academically and socially, is influenced to a great extent by daily participation. Regular attendance without tardiness is a key.

11. Birthdays Birthdays are special occasions for young children. We will observe each child’s special day in their classroom and we will celebrate summer birthdays during the last few weeks of school. Parents may send store bought treats to their child's classroom on their birthday.

12. Dress Appropriately It is important for the safety of the children to wear tennis shoes. This allows them to run and climb during recess without slipping or stumbling. Please make sure your child can fasten all clothing. Girls need to wear shorts under their dresses.

13. Library The children go to the library once every 2 weeks where they will hear stories and learn different reading strategies. The children will have the chance to select a book to borrow and take home for a week’s time. The library books need to be kept in the children’s backpack’s when they are not reading them. They will only be allowed to borrow a different book if they return the one already borrowed.

14. Lunch Children may bring packed lunch from home or buy a school lunch. You may prepay for your child’s lunch online. If your child brings a packed lunch, he/she needs to be able to open each item. Please keep snack and lunch separated. Lunch is 30 minutes. Please prepay online.

15. Snacks The children will have a snack time every day. Children should bring a healthy snack. Children will not be allowed to share snacks. Please do not put the snack in their lunchbox. This is very confusing to the children. Make sure your child understands it is for snack time and not lunch. You may want to label it “snack”. Your child may bring a water bottle daily. (it must be a non spill cap)

16. Recess We have a 15 minute recess every day. We recommend that your child wear tennis shoes for his/her safety. If the weather does not permit outdoor recess we will have an indoor recess time.

17. Specials The children will go to PE 3 times a week. Tennis shoes are required for PE. Art, Music, and Library are on a set schedule. Your teacher will let you know the days in which your child goes to PE.

18. Medication Teachers can not administer medication. If your child needs to take medicine please send it in the original container with the medication form which can be found on the KISD web site. Your child has to be fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and pink eye free for 24 hours before returning to school.

19. Folders Behavior folders will come home everyday. Please initial and return daily. Tuesday folders will be coming home weekly. Please look over the handouts and return the folders every Wednesday.

20. First Day Folders Your child will bring home a folder the first day of school. Please complete all forms and return by Wednesday. Make sure you mark all places on the enrollment card.

21. Reading Students will be taught to read using a balanced literacy approach. This includes: read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading and literacy stations.

22. Shared Reading Shared reading is an interactive process used with the whole class. As the teacher reads a story, children join in on phrases or words that they know. During subsequent rereading, children read more and more of the text, until they are able to read the story independently. Shared reading is an opportunity for the teacher to model conventions of print and the use of reading strategies.

23. Guided Reading Guided reading is teaching students to independently use reading strategies at their instructional level. Teachers work with small groups of children on text that matches each child’s needs and abilities.

24. Independent Reading Because children learn to read by reading, they need plenty of opportunities to read independently. Sufficient time and appropriate materials are necessary to develop and strengthen reading abilities. By giving the children time to read both at school and at home, we can work together to provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love of reading.

25. Literacy Stations During literacy stations children practice reading, writing, listening, and word work skills while the teacher works with individual children or small reading groups. The reading and workstations activities are designed to strengthen reading, writing, and listening skills.

26. Roping Into Reading Roping into Reading is a program that will begin in the 3rd six weeks. It is a take home reading program. More information will be communicated as the time comes.

27. Sight Words Instant recognition of sight words helps with reading development. We will be working on a minimum 50 sight words this year.

28. Writing Our writing program builds on what each child already knows. Writing begins with scribbles and proceeds to lines and circles, random strings of letters, words and spaces, and eventually sentences. Your children will be encouraged and praised for all attempts and accomplishments in writing. Providing a risk-free environment is paramount to your child’s progress in writing. If possible, please provide him/her with writing tools such as pencils, crayons, markers, and paper at home.

29. Math The kindergarten math curriculum provides students with mathematical experiences that help them develop number sense and a positive attitude towards math that will continue through their school career and their lives. We employ a hands-on, problem solving approach. Students will work in whole group, small group, and math stations to learn mathematical skills.

30. Math Stations Math stations include: Number Nest Pattern Blocks Work Jobs Marcy Cook Tangrams Partner Games

31. Small Group Instruction In math and language arts, your student will receive small group instruction. It might consist of reading a leveled reader in language arts or practicing making patterns with the teacher in math. This allows us to differentiate based on the needs of each child.

32. Science Kindergarten science program is taught with a hands-on approach. Social Studies Our Social Studies lessons in kindergarten consist of units such as family, neighbors, communities, holidays, earth, and other units.

33. Developmental Centers Developmental centers are an important time for the children to work on independent skills. Children will be working on social skills, role playing, problem-solving and integrating what they have learned in kindergarten with real life situations. Our centers include dramatic play, blocks, puzzles, games, construction, art, computer, science, reading and math activities.

34. Technology Each class has computers which are used daily by the children. Children are not allowed on the internet without your permission. This is marked on the enrollment form. If you marked “no”, we will contact you. We would like for every student to be able to use the internet. All internet sites are monitored.

35. Report Cards Reports cards will be sent home once every six weeks. Please sign the back and return the first school day following the report card coming home.

36. Conferences Conferences will be set up in the fall after the first six weeks of school. If you would like to conference with your child’s teacher please feel free to call, email, or send a note. We are always happy to meet with our parents.

37. Principal’s Blog Mrs. Finnesand will be updating the blog with important information. It is very important that you are subscribed to get the updates so that you are informed. http://stanleyprincipal.blogspot.com/

38. We are very excited for the 2011- 2012 school year in kindergarten.