WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN

1. WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN Mr. Troy Franklin Rm. K-4 franklintroy@dublinusd.org 833-1204 ext. 5056

2. Dear Parents, Welcome to a very exciting year in the life of your child! Being in Kindergarten is very special. This year will bring many distinct changes-physically, emotionally and academically. In order to help your child develop the skills necessary to be a good student, we will work toward some important goals. If the home and school work towards the same goals, much can be accomplished. As you know, children come to kindergarten at all levels of development and abilities. As it is true that all children do not walk, talk, or tie their shoes at the same time, neither do they acquire academic skills at the same rate. Therefore, our program at Dublin Elementary is designed to accommodate different learning rates and styles. Children will be working at levels in which they can experience optimum success and growth. We will be striving to foster an attitude of independence, and also developing cooperative skills necessary for group work. We are looking forward to a successful, productive and happy year in kindergarten! We look forward to working with you. The Kindergarten Teachers, Troy Franklin, Judie Greenhouse, Teresa Johnson, Amelia Pickup, Kim Van Lare, Erin Way, and Michelle Wigand

3. Arrival and dismissal: The regular Kindergarten schedule is 8:35 a.m. -12:26 p.m. As there is no supervision available please stay with your child until the classroom door is opened. Please pick-up your child promptly after school. Please meet your child by the classroom door or inform us of other plans. Please be prompt! Focus group Time: Focus Groups start the week of September 29th. Focus groups meet from 12:26-1:26 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Your child will attend on one of those days based on his/her needs. The schedule will be sent home the week of September 21st. This is an intervention/extention beyond their regular school day for math and reading. Groups will focus on the individual skills they need ranging from letter identification to reading books. Later in the year, students may be exited from focus groups if they have met the standards.

4. Attendance: Too many absences interfere with consistent learning. Please call the school if your child will be out. Please plan special vacations during our regular scheduled school breaks. Please help your kindergartener be on time each day. This helps to teach responsibility and the importance of school. • Communication: If you have any questions or concerns at all please contact me at school to discuss them. You can send a note, e-mail, or call me. You can also see me before 8:35 AM or after 1:26 PM. We can better meet the needs of your child if we work together to solve any problems or situations that arise. If you do not receive an answer by the end of the next day, please email again as our SPAM filters occasionally get in the way. • Behavior Policy: The kindergarten teachers believe in being firm, consistent and loving. Each child begins the day on a positive note and will be rewarded for their good behavior daily. Consequences for poor behavior choices may include loss of activity time, a phone call home, a time-out in another classroom, and/or in an extreme situation, a visit to the principal’s office. Our school asks the same 4 questions: What are you doing? What are you supposed to be doing? What will you do to make it better? What is the consequence if this behavior continues?

5. Snacks: (PLEASE READ) A healthy breakfast is important to do well in school. School snacks are important as the children get very hungry during our busy morning. A nutritious snack of fruit, vegetables, juice, milk or water may be brought to school each day. On Focus Group Day, please send an extra snack. Please do not send candy orsodas!Our Kindergarten is nut free. No nuts of any kind should be in anyone’s snack due to some severe allergies. Thank you for helping keep our students safe! • Labeling: PLEASE LABEL ALL JACKETS, SWEATERS, BACKPACKS, LUNCHBOXES AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS!!! (Toys and expensive, breakable items, should be kept at home.) Clothing worn to school should be appropriate for play and messy activities. Shoes should be safe for active play. (No flip-flops or spaghetti straps, see dress code) Please help your child learn to tie his/her shoelaces. This builds a sense of independence and helps us tremendously!

6. Backpacks: Every child needs to bring a backpack large enough to hold a 9X12 inch folder. Papers and projects are sent home and need a safe place to be carried. • Homework: District policy for kindergarten is 10 minutes four nights a week plus reading time of 10 minutes a day. Homework is assigned to teach responsibility. It is also a review of classroom work. Materials recommended for homework success include crayons, pencils (no pens please!), glue and scissors. Homework will be graded on the report card so missed assignments must be made up. Each week the packet will come home on Thursdays and consist of: Math: Drops in the bucket Handwriting Worksheet Sight word practice Comprehension: Book response It is due the following Thursday!

7. Library: Library books are due every Wednesday. New books may not be checked out until overdue books are returned. • Parent Volunteers: Parents, if you would like to help out in the classroom and/or chaperone on field trips, please complete the Parent Volunteer form and turn it into the office. This needs to be cleared before you can volunteer in the classroom. We do not need drivers on field trips. • Report Cards: Report cards are sent home three times per school year. You will receive the first one at conferences in November, the second at the beginning of March, and the third on the last day of school in June. • Checks and money: Any money or checks sent to school should be in an envelope with your child’s name and room number on the front.

8. Kindergarten Curriculum • READING Knows upper and lower case letters Knows letter sounds Reads kindergarten sight words Reads C-V-C words, (ie. c-a-t) • WRITING Writes first and last names Writes upper and lowercase letters Uses estimated spelling Writes books about a topic using spacing and punctuation. • VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS Participates in art, music and dance activities • LISTEN/SPEAKING Recites short poems, rhymes and songs Retells stories in logical sequence Shares/describes using complete sentences

9. MATH Counts orally to 100 Identifies numerals to 20 in random order Counts objects to 20 Writes numbers to 20 Sorts and classifies objects Uses concrete objects to solve addition and subtraction problems Knows addition and subtraction facts to 5 • SCIENCE Weather Force and Motion Plant and Animal needs Recycling • SOCIAL SCIENCE Recognizes state/national symbols Describes the work people do in the community Sequence events using the calendar Days of the week

10. TECHNOLOGY Develop a positive attitude towards technology. Use technology appropriately. • PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT Displays fine motor skills of writing, cutting, etc. Displays appropriate gross motor skills of running, jumping, hopping, etc. • SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Following directions Sharing Cooperating Being respectful to others Cleaning up after self Self Control

11. Field Trips October: Bus field trip to the Garden and pumpkin patch at Alden Lane May: Bus field trip to Oakland Zoo School June: Walking field trip to Shannon Park