Welcome to the Kindergarten Parent Meeting

1. Welcome to the Kindergarten Parent Meeting Monday, August 22, 2011 Kindergarten Teachers: Mrs. Hajek, Mrs. Kerbow, Mrs. Boese, Mrs. Losey & Mrs. Cornelsen Primary School Principal: Mrs. Boxum

2. Meet the Teachers & Aides Mrs. Kerbow Mrs. Hajek Mrs. Losey Mrs. Boese Mrs. Cornelsen Mrs. Stump Mrs. Moreland Mrs. Sanchez Mrs. Newton Mrs. Mendoza

3. Why is Kindergarten Important? • Learn skills for beginning reading and writing • Learn basic mathematical skills • Learn social skills • Learn behavioral skills • Will help students to feel successful and good about school

4. Supplies • 2 pkgs of Crayons, Twistable, 8pk • 1-4oz white glue • 1 pkg of #2 pencils • 2 Dry Erase Markers, chisel, black, low oder • 5” pointed Fiskar Scissors • Plastic pencil box, 8x5 in. • 1 plastic, 2 pocket folder • 2 boxes of Kleenex Tissues • 1 container of Clorox wipes • 1 Kinder Mat • 1 Pink Eraser

5. Attendance This information is located online in the Parent/Student Handbook. • Your child is required by law to attend school once they have been enrolled. • The parents are responsible to call the office before 9:00 a.m. if their child has to be absent. • Excused absences include: illness, Dr.’s appt., funeral, Religious activity, emergency, or legal reasons. • Unexcused absences include: oversleeping, haircut, shopping out of town, or other similar reasons. • Your child will be considered truant if they have 3 consecutive unexcused absences or five in one semester. The parents/guardians will receive information from the school office explaining the truancy. This information will also be given to the proper authorities.

6. Before School PlansThis information is located online in the Parent/Student Handbook. • Your child needs to come in and sit in the Hullabaloo Room (cafeteria) when he/she arrives at the school. • Dismiss from Hullabaloo Room at 8:05 a.m. • Classes begin at 8:10 a.m. • Your child is tardy after this time. • ALL doors except for the front doors are locked for your child’s safety. • Use the drop off zone in the front of the school.

7. Traffic Flow

8. After School PlansThis information is located online in the Parent/Student Handbook. • School ends at 3:30 p.m. • Pick up is outside the front ECDC Doors (East side) – visit with your child’s teacher if you need to make other arrangements. • Feel free to park and walk to pick up your child or drive through the drop-off/pick-up zone. • Explain your routine to your child each day. • Send a note to the teacher if your routine changes. • Be on time! After 10 mins. your child will be in the office waiting for you.

9. How Can I Help At Home?This information is located online in the Parent/Student Handbook. • Check their backpack every night. • Homework – Are there pages not complete? • Question your child about school. • Read every night. • Give your child chores. • Talk to your child. • Practice skills that we are working on at school. • Get your child to bed.

10. Testing • Testing is mostly oral. Some paper-pencil. • Tested one-on-one with teacher or aide. • Formative tests will be given throughout the nine weeks and then a summative test will be given at the end of each nine weeks. • The children are tested over new material every nine weeks and are also retested over material from the previous 9 weeks. • MAP Assessments are computer based and are given three times a year. • Easy CBM’s are oral assessments that are given four times a year. • Make sure your child is at school during testing times! (We make note of these on our newsletters!!) • Practice kindergarten skills at home!!

11. Discipline • I will treat you with respect so you will know how to treat me. • Feel free to do anything that doesn’t cause a problem for anyone else. • If you can’t solve a problem, or choose not to, I will do something. What I do, will depend upon the situation and the person involved. • If you feel something is unfair, whisper to me, “I’m not sure that’s fair”, and we will talk. Consequence: A natural response to their behavior.

12. Parties Christmas Party Valentine’s Day Party Birthdays • Tues., Feb. 14, 2012 • 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. • 4-5 volunteers • Sign up on sheet if you would like to help with this party. • We will contact the parent volunteers a couple weeks before the party. • Bring a valentine for each student (a list will be sent home) • You may bring treats for your child’s birthday • We will eat their treats at our scheduled snack time. • Please call ahead and let us know if you plan on bringing a snack. • We will let you know the time. • Tues., Dec. 20, 2011 • 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. • 4-5 volunteers. • Please sign up if you would like to help out with this party. • We will contact the parent volunteers a couple weeks before the party. • Spend only $3-$5 on a gift that is age appropriate • Girls buy a girl gift and boys buy a boy gift.

13. Library Books/Book Orders • Check out 1 book daily. • Keep it in a safe place. • If you lose it, please come and pay for it. • Please utilize the Stevens County Library as much as possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • Book orders will be sent out about once a month. (English/Spanish) • Please write your checks to the book club (Scholastic Book Club). You may send cash. • The orders usually take at least 7 business days.

14. Sharing Sharing is an opportunity for your child to express himself/herself by bringing something that they are familiar with from home to school to share with the other students. • Two children will share daily. • Have them practice what they want to say. • Here are some questions we might ask: -What is it? -Where did I get it? -Who gave it to me? -What do I do with it? -What does it do? • A sharing calendar will be sent home monthly. • A reminder will be sent the day before. • Sharing will start after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.

15. Schedule • 8:10-10:45 Literacy Block/Animated Literacy • 9:25-9:40 Recess • 9:45-11:00 Music (5 – 15 min. classes) • 11:00-11:30 Math Groups (1 hour total) • 1:30-11:55 Lunch • 11:10-11:30 Recess • 12:15-12:45 Rest / Sharing / Weather • 12:45-1:00 Calendar • 1:15-2:15 Recess/Snack/Library/Enrichment • 2:15-2:30 Finish Class Enrichment Activities • 2:30-3:20 Centers & Tier 2 Instruction • 3:20-3:30 Get Ready for Home • 3:30 DISMISS

16. Kindergarten Readiness • IS NOT: Knowing all of the letters of the alphabet. • IS NOT: Knowing how to count to 100. (Research shows that any child can acquire these skills if they are developmentally ready.) • IS: Staying with an activity for 10-15 minutes. • IS: Listening and participating in discussions. • IS: Asking questions about the world around them. • IS: A confident, well-adjusted child.

17. How can I tell if my child is ready for school? • What are the schools expectations? • What is the pace of kindergarten? • Is my child able to express his/her needs and wants? • Is my child able to care for his/her personal needs? • Is my child curious or persistent? • When is my child’s birthday? • OTHER FACTORS…….

18. What’s the big deal? • Children placed in kindergarten before they are ready can be overwhelmed. • Older kindergarteners are more likely to persist at tasks. They are more eager to learn and better able to pay attention. • Research show that in the spring of their kindergarten year, younger children had lower reading and mathematical skills. • Children who are ready for kindergarten performed better than their classmates in 1st and 2nd grade. • Children who are ready for kindergarten do better in school and in life.

19. Other Information • Please look over the school/parentcompact and fill out for the teacher to keep. • Dress Appropriately for weather conditions. • The children may bring a bottle of water to school. • Please let us know of any food allergies or any other health concerns that you have with your child. • Parent-Teacher Conferences are in November and February. • Call Mrs. Hajek, Mrs. Kerbow, Mrs. Boese, Mrs. Losey, Mrs. Cornelsen or Mrs. Boxum anytime you have any questions. The ECDC’s number is 544-4334. • E-mail: ckerbow@usd210.org, chajek@usd210.org, lboese@usd210.org, jlosey@usd210.org, mcornelsen@usd210.org and tboxum@usd210.org

20. Thank you for sharing your child’s life with us!