1. Welcome to Kindergarten Parent Orientation! We’re so glad you came !

2. Who are your teachers? Room 1: Mrs. Mross and Mrs. Crewell Room 2: Mrs. Tripp and Mrs. Daly

3. Making a Transition to Kindergarten! Kindergarten is different than preschool. It takes time for the children to adjust to the changes. If you have questions after today’s meeting, please feel free to e-mail me here at school or write a note in your child’s folder.

4. The first 10 days! The first 10 days will be half days. Your child will be dismissed from school at 11:45. During these half days, your child will have the chance to transition into the “Big School”. We will get to know the school, learn the classroom routine and get to know each other. This will also allow us to do home visits in the afternoon.

5. Home Visits Home visits are completely optional. We will come for a short 15 minute visit to give you the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have about Kindergarten. This also gives your child the opportunity to see his or her teachers outside of the classroom.

6. Daily Communication Folder Your child will need to bring their folder to school every day. This is a easy way for us to communicate with each other. The communication log shows your child’s daily behavior. Please sign daily and make any notes that you need to communicate with us.

7. Discipline Policy Our school has a set of rules that will help us have a safe and inviting classroom. We will be discussing the rules and developing our class mission statement during the first few days of school.

8. Discipline Policy Each class has a discipline system of flipping tickets when they break a rule. Your child will have a happy face, one green, one yellow, and one red ticket. When he or she breaks a rule, he or she will flip a ticket. Every child will have the opportunity to flip his or her ticket back to a happy face if behavior has improved. An explanation of your child’s daily behavior will be flagged in the communication log.

9. Curriculum Reading will be taught using different approaches-Shared reading (whole group – big books, poems, chants, etc.); Guided reading (small groups); Individual reading Reading lessons and many of our writing activities will come from nursery rhymes, traditional stories, songs, or poetry. Most math lessons will involve hands-on learning activities. Daily writing will be taught through the Writing Workshop approach.

10. Focus Words Kindergarten focus words are the words we are learning to recognize, spell, and use in our daily reading and writing activities. Kindergarten students have 25 words they need to know before the end of the year. A list of these words is in your child’s packets.

11. Reading Logs The most important thing you can do to help your child at home is to read with or to him/her every night!! Your child will be bringing home class books the SECOND nine weeks or sooner to read. Read daily with your child. Once your child begins bringing home books, record the books your child reads at home in his/her Reading Log each night. Please return the Reading Log and book inside the provided bag.

12. Weekly Skills- Progress Report At the end of each week, a progress report will be sent home in your child’s folder. Your child will be assessed weekly to see if he/she can demonstrate the skills/concepts introduced that week. If your child continuously can not demonstrate targeted skills-it will be time to set up a conference. After reviewing your child’s progress, please sign and return the report in your child’s folder.

13. Report Cards Report cards will be sent home 3 times a year and will be placed in your child’s folder at the end of each grading period. Please be sure to look over your child’s report card, sign the yellow card and return the envelope to school ASAP. Remember-I am here for you as a resource for your child’s learning! I am always willing to help!

14. Lunch and Snack We will go to lunch at 12:12 (Mross) and 12:16 (Tripp) each day. When you send in money with your child, please put it in a sealed envelope or a ziplock baggie labeled with your child’s name. Students may purchase ice cream or a slushy on Fridays. Provide a healthy snack for your child everyday.

15. Field Trips Kindergarten is planning several fieldtrips for this school year. Air Traffic Control Tower MCAS Cherry Point Pumpkin Patch Mayflower Ferry Trip Naval Hospital The Farm Fort Macon Beach

16. Field Trips Understand that some places we visit limit the number of chaperones due to availability of tickets, etc. According to county policy, all chaperones will need to provide their own transportation for field trips. We ask that parents not bring younger siblings on field trips as this is a special time for you and your kindergartener.

17. Medications All medications must be administered by the school nurse. This includes cough drops and chap stick. Any medication must have a form completed by your child’s physician. Forms can be obtained from the school nurse.

18. Parent Volunteers Craven County policy states that all parent volunteers must complete a volunteer orientation. This may require a background check and fingerprinting. Homeroom Moms or Dads are needed to help with special events that take place throughout the school-year. A library volunteer is needed to take the children to the library once a week to return and check out books.

19. Birthdays We will be happy to help celebrate your child’s birthday at school. Please let me know in advance if you would like to do something special for your child. School Board policy states that most items should be store bought (frosting, etc.) to ensure safety.

20. Other Information We are on a rotating schedule for specials this year. We will have Art, Music, P.E., and Computer Lab. Scholastic book orders-make checks payable to the book company. The order forms will go home periodically throughout the year. This is a great way to get books on your child’s reading level and it helps us get books for our class. We will be using Weekly Readers as part of our guided reading program. There is a letter in your child’s packet with more information.

21. More information I will send home a monthly calendar with events on it. This calendar will also have our specials rotation on it. Put it up on your refrigerator! Check our web page every month. I will update at the beginning of each month. Instead of a traditional Show-n-Tell, we have daily share time after center and writing times.

22. Even More Information Please complete the lunch form in your child’s packet. Our school is allocated Federal money based on the percentage of free/reduced participants. Please complete the sheet about your child’s personality characteristics in your child’s packet and return them as soon as possible. Please make sure that you sign in on your teacher’s attendance sheet and complete the “Important Sheet” before you leave.

23. Dismissal 2:45 pm - Dismissal for walkers and daycare van riders. 2:50 pm – Dismissal for car riders, bike riders, and AWE after-school care. Parents need to display the car rider sign in their car visor. If there is a change in the way your child goes home, please send a note in your child’s folder or call the school office with that information.

24. Thank you for coming! Thank you in advance for all your support this year! I am certain that we are going to have an “AWE- some” school-year!