Parent Information Night

1. Miss Burgess’ Kindergarten C-Track Parent Information Night

2. Welcome! I am thrilled to have your child in my class and I look forward to a great year. Your child’s academic success is my priority. Though I can help them become great, WE can make them greater! Education is a collaboration of teacher, student, and parents. Together we can help your child succeed!

3. A Little About Me • Teaching is my passion! • Teaching for 9 years • Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University Chico, where I also received my teaching credential. • Masters of Science in Educational Instruction from California Baptist University • Your child’s success is my priority!

4. From Burgess to Walloch! 8-29-14 • Up until a few been the D-Track kinder teacher since our school has been opened • With that said, I planned my wedding and honeymoon according to D-Track’s schedule • On May 31, 2014 I’m told I’m moving to C-Track! • Panic! • The show must go on! And it is! Whew! • However, I won’t be here in September (I’ll be in Italy), but your child will be in good hands!

5. My Teaching Style Through cooperative learning, inquiry based teaching, guided discovery, and hands on experiences; your child will thrive both academically and socially. My teaching is a combination of cognitive, kinesthetic, and discovery based techniques. It is my priority to know my students and accommodate their individual learning needs accordingly. I teach and live by the following notion; not every child learns the same way, but ALL children can learn!

6. Positive reinforcement is used to support good behavior. I use a “Five Star” program. Students are encouraged to complete each day with 5 stars! At the end of the day, each student who has stayed on a “five star” will receive a sticker or stamp on their hand. This allows you to stay informed about your child’s daily behavior. 5 Stars = A great Day 4 Stars = You’ve been warned 3 Stars = Lose recess time 2 Stars = Note or phone call home 1 Star= Administrators need to be involved

7. Kindergarten Homework is Online! You can access homework assignments on the Kindergarten Homework website: http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/Page/18508 Homework Instructions: http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/Page/29280 If you do not have access to a computer/internet, our computer lab will be open 30 minutes before school (7:15-7:45 AM) & 30 minutes after school (2:10-2:45 PM). Please be sure to get a visitor’s pass in the office.

8. Next Monday your child will also bring home a math workbook. • This will stay at home. • Every week I will assign pages to be done, ripped out and returned in the homework folder. • Please keep in a safe place. • Your child’s Homework Folder • Sent home every Monday • Due back every Friday, with the assignments printed from home, and reading logs filled in.

9. Reading • Readingpracticeis the most important homework activity that you can do with your child daily! Please read with your child for 10 minutes each day and write the title of the book on the reading log. Your child’s reading log will be checked every Friday. • Please take the time to read to and with your child. You are their first and best teacher!

10. Raz Kids Online Reading Program is up and Running • Your student has access to hundreds of eBooks using the school's subscription to www.raz-kids.com. • I will send home your child’s login information on Monday inside his/her red homework folders. • Children can read and listen to books on Raz-Kids and even record themselves reading. • Afterwards they can take a quiz to check for comprehension. • Part of your child’s daily reading should be spent on Raz-kids • All this information is on the kindergarten website on the left hand tabs bar …. http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/Page/28949 • To access your child's assignment, log in at • www.raz-kids.com/login/sburgess8

11. Kindergarten Curriculum….

12. Students should be able to identify all of the letters and make the sounds of those letters.

13. Practice Sight Words Everyday! Students need to fluently read all 50 kindergarten sight words by the end of the year • 50 Kindergarten Sight Words provided by Corona-Norco Unified School District. • List A-E

14. Parent Volunteers Are Always Welcome! • We love and appreciate all our volunteers! • Volunteers DO NOT NEED TO BE FINGER PRINTED ANYMORE • If you cannot volunteer in the classroom, but would like to help, please just check the box that you would be willing to have prep work sent home • If you have access to a copy machine and would be willing to make copies for our class, please let me know.

15. Supplies • Due to budget cuts, teachers have very little $ to spend on classroom supplies. • We are asking parents for help by donating a few essential things needed to have a successful kindergarten curriculum • The list of supplies needed can be found in the packet previously sent • home. • I have also posted this list on the kindergarten webpage. • Thank You for all the donations • so far!

16. Technology • Our classrooms contain state-of-the-art technology. • Mimio Boards allow lessons to be • interactive • Responders provide instant feedback • Document Cameras provide increased visuals for learning Our classrooms contain the state-of-the-art Mimio-boards which allow our teachers to better present Standards-based lessons; all students, K-6, utilize their student responders which provide instant feedback; and, teachers use their document cameras to provide better visuals for learning.

17. Support VanderMolen PTA! • VanderMolen’s Parent and Teacher Association allows many opportunities for parents to be involved. • Become a member for $6 or $24 for a family four pack (includes free VanderMolenbumper sticker) • Purchase Fundraiser items • Volunteer at an event, i.e. picture day, movie night. • Plan and/or Chair an event. • Serve as an Officer on the Executive Board. • PTA has donated over $10,000 to our school this year!!!

18. Birthdays • State law indicates that we are unable to accept any cakes/cupcakes for students’ birthdays. • You may choose to send “goodie bags” with school supplies, i.e. pencils, erasers, stickers, etc. • We ask that you do not send items such as candy or soda for lunch/snack but consider granola bars, fruit, and/or juice or water instead. • Please make sure all food and drink containers are sealed. We have a few kids with peanut allergies and the ants have been very bad this week.

19. Personal Property Clothing and Personal Items - Sweaters, rainwear, sweatshirts and jackets have an unfortunate habit of looking alike, so please LABEL all of your child’s items with his/her name.

20. Silent Auction at the Fall Festival! • In October, VanderMolen will be having a Family Fall Festival! • Our class will be creating two baskets; • “Baby Boy” and “Baby Girl” for the silent auction. • Your part in this would be to donate items such as: baby clothes, diapers, bottles, strollers, baby toys, mommy gifts, blankets….etc. • All the money raised from our basket will go directly back to our classroom! • If you or someone you know has business where items can be donated for our silent auction please send them in. Things can be auctioned off separately, and do not have to correlate with our baby theme.

21. Attendance Consistent school attendance is very important. New concepts and skills are introduced/reviewed daily. If your child must miss a day of school, please call the schoolat 951-739-7120 . Illness - If your child is not feeling well in the morning or has had a fever or vomited within the last 24 hours, he or she should not come to school. Your cooperation on this matter will help prevent colds and illnesses from spreading to other children. If your child comes to school sick or becomes sick during the day we will call you to come and pick him/her up.

22. Please email me with your name, child’s name and number to best reach you at: sburgess@cnusd.k12.ca.us

23. Expectations • Students are held to high expectations that are attainable. It is imperative that each child is given the opportunity to succeed and develop a knowledge base that will support them in the future. I will give them the skills that they need but I am going to need your help. Some of the things that you can do for the rest of the year are: • Practice Sight Words: My goal is to have the students learn all 50 kindergarten words, as well as begin to learn the first grade words. • They should be able to identify all of the letters and make the sounds of those letters. • Read, read, read: Students need to read as much as possible. They should be reading or be read to at least 10 minutes a day. They should also know how to identify the authors name, the illustrators name, the title, table of contents, and the cover page of the book. • Practice Writing: students should know how to write a sentence with some guidance including punctuation (capitalization, finger spaces, and a period). • Counting up to 100 and indentifying numbers 0-20 at random. They should practice clocks and time to the hour, measuring objects, collecting and analyzing data.

24. Standards • Every classroom lesson is aligned withthe California Common Core State Standards and our Corona-Norco district expectations. • Our lessons are also designed to meet the needs of varied learners. • Common Core Standards can be accessed online through the Kindergarten website.

25. Book Bags • Reading Practice is a daily event. When your child is ready, I will send home one of our classroom books. • This book should be returned inside the Book Bagwhen your child can read it with less then two mistakes. • Then a new book will be sent home

26. I am looking forward to an amazing school year with some truly fantastic kiddos. Thank you for your time tonight! Have a wonderful evening!