2. Sawgrass Bay Elementary School

3. Welcome to Kindergarten Round-up 2012 Sawgrass Bay Elementary Principal: Dr. Julio Valle Assistant Principals: Katherine Falcon, Winston Simon

4. “Our first priority in Kindergarten is the children we teach…even more than what we teach them. We want to help all our students to experience the joys of learning to learn, and of accepting challenges so that they may become lifelong learners.”

5. Requirements for Registration

6. School Registration and Documents Needed You must go to the school of assignment at any time during regular school hours to enroll your child. You must bring the following items:

7. Age Requirements Kindergarten – student must turn the age of five (5) on or before September 1 st of the year the student is entering school

8. Proof of Name and Age Birth Certificate—Kindergarten students must be 5 years old ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1st. Birth certificates must have an official stamp on the document. Proof of Residence—a document (i.e. utility bill, closing statement, apartment contract, etc.) that show the same name and address that is on your child’s registration form. Please note: if you live with a relative and/or friend, it is necessary that you have a notarized letter from the home owner stating your family lives with this person and proof of residence from them.

9. Shot Record—Must be on a Florida Department of Health “Florida Certification of Immunization” form. Sawgrass Bay Elementary must have on file the original blue form. Record of Physical Exam– Completed within twelve (12) months prior to the child’s first day of school. It must have a DATE and SIGNATURE from a doctor or physician assistant. A nurse or office staff’s signature is NOT acceptable. Note: If child was born outside the United States, we will need the date that you entered into the United States.

10. Small Groups

11. Interactive…..

12. Career Day

13. Social Development

14. Field Trips

15. We all teach the Florida State Standards Now we have begun the CCSS standards We work together to plan exciting and fun opportunities for all of our children to learn. Each classroom and Teacher may have their own style but we all are working towards one common goal; to meet the promotion requirements for first grade. Homework is assigned by each teacher and it may vary from classroom to classroom. All Classes

16. Example of a Class Schedule: 8:15-8:30 – Unpack, News 8:30 – 8:50 – Journal Writing 8:50 – 9:00 – Calendar 9:00 – 10:30 – Language Arts Block/Literacy Centers 10:30 – 10:50 – Recess 11:05 – 11:35 – Lunch 11:35 – 12:05 – Rest Time (If needed) otherwise, Sight Word Activities 12:05 – 12:35 – Math 12:35 – 1:20 – Science/Social Studies Theme 1:20 – 2:00 Special Areas 2:00 – 2:40 Center Time/Snack 2:50 Dismissal

17. Promotional Academic Criteria for Kindergarteners Common Core State Standards 2011-2012 Students must have a cumulative score of 44 points (22 points in Language and Literacy and 22 points in Math) on the kindergarten report card 4 th nine weeks assessment to be promoted to first grade. The students must show complete competency in the following areas: Language Arts and Literacy High frequency words Letter recognition Letter sounds Writing letters Concepts of print Phonological awareness Comprehension Written and Verbal expression Math Rote counting 1-100 by ones & tens Creates, identifies/names and describes two and three dimensional shapes found in their environment Counting & Cardinality Solves problems creating sets 0-20 (addition and subtraction) Fluency with addition facts 0 - 5 Compare and order objects by length, height, weight Sorting Positioning

18. High Frequency Words Students need to know 39 out of 55 Letter Recognition/Letter Sounds/Writing Letters Phonological Awareness Beginning, middle, ending sounds, rhyming, segmenting and blending. Comprehension Being able to answer questions about fiction and non fiction selections

19.  Writing: Children should be able to write at least two or three sentences independently that match a topic given to them or one they draw to go with their story. They should start a sentence with capital letters. Stretch out words and write the letters they hear (you will see family spelled famle) the only words that need to be spelled correctly are sight/spelling words. Your child will write what she/he hears in the words. It could be two letters that make that sound….for example…..Circus sounds like it is a C or S (circus, sircus or even sirkus) this is ok. They need spaces between words and legible handwriting. They need to use punctuation.  EXAMPLE: This is what our writing paper looks like and I have written a story of going to the circus and tried to show all of the required writing elements.

20. I went to the sirkus. I went with my famle. At the sirkus we saw an elefint, he was big and gray. We had fun and ate lots of good fewd.

21. Rote Counting from 1-100 Solves Problems by Creating Sets 0-20 Simple addition and subtraction Two and Three Dimensional Shapes Two Dimensional Shapes- Students need to be able to draw, identify, and describe (how many sides, how many vertices) the following shapes. Square Circle Triangle Rectangle Hexagon Three Dimensional Shapes- Students need to be able to identify and describe (how many faces, how many vertices, does it have a curve) the following shapes. Cone Cylinder Sphere Cube

22.  Things to work on at home – starting this summer:  Fine motor skills: cutting, coloring, lacing, holding a pencil  Counting objects  Sorting, creating and recognizing patterns  Alphabet recognition and sounds  Managing bathroom needs  Buttons pants, shirts, coats, tying shoes and zipping up zippers  Writing their name, knowing their full name, address, phone number and birthday  Read to your child every night.  Also practice: ▪ Review the expectation of school rules, just like there are rules at home, practice good listening skills, not interrupting, sharing, good manners.

23.  Practice Routines:  Beginning the school year is a perfect time to start routines – start this summer!  Helps the transition process  Getting ready for each school day the night before: parent signing the daily folder, make lunch together, pick out your next school day clothes, bath, story, bedtime. Arrive on-time or early to school each day.

24.  Ownership:  Try to find age-appropriate responsibilities for your child to do each day: bring their folder to school in their backpack, lay out clothing at night, etc.  According to the National Education Association, “giving young children tiny tasks will reduce your stress level (parents) and actually help your child to become a better student.”

25.  Practice Routines:  Try to keep your child’s transportation to and from school the same as much as possible (especially at first).  Review with your child when you will see them next (at 3pm, after day care, at grandma’s house, etc…)  Try to be consistent with these transportation plans and avoid being late to pick them up!  Reduces anxiety

26.  Starting School is Exciting:  Buy a new back pack, lunch box, or new school shoes together and make it a big deal! They are now a BIG kid!  Involve them in some of the decisions to help with ownership over going to school and learning (ie: what to wear to school) We are a uniform school.

27.  Saying Goodbye   Make your goodbyes cheerful and brief.  Try to avoid coming back to the classroom after you have already said goodbye.  Please feel free to walk your child to their class the first three days of school.  Some children respond well to a planned ritual (example: 2 hugs and a thumbs up)  “Quick goodbyes leave dry eyes!”

28.  Responding to Distress/Tears:  Don’t scold the child’s distress or fear.  Remain positive that you will see them at the end of the school day.  Remind them how they will make new friends, play at recess, etc…  Tell them what you will be doing while they are at school (at work, grocery shopping, etc…).  Avoid letting them see you sad , children of all ages can sense when adults are scared, worried, upset.

29.  Bigger Building, More Kids:  Some children express anxiety of the unknown students and an unknown building.  Pep Talks at home: “You’re so lucky you get to go to a brand new big kid school. Who have you met? Have you seen your brother or sister in the hallway?”

30.  Help your child write a letter/picture to his/her teacher.  Review the school and classroom rules at home with your child, feel free to let them ask questions.  Talk to your child about their concerns. If necessary, bring them up with the teacher or school counselor! We are here to help!

31.  Plan a play date- find a new friend of your child’s, get to know the family and plan some play time!  Play the name game- have your child draw pictures and write the name of the people they know at school, teacher, friends.  Make an “All-About-School” Booklet- about their favorite part of each school day.  Draw a Home-to-School Map- create a poster, picture of how they get to school. This could be a fun family project!

32.  Get familiar with the kindergarten curriculum and what is expected of your child at the end of the year.  Academic Criteria.  Practice these skills at night and on the weekends to reinforce what they are learning at school.  They grow so much both academically and socially in only one year!!

33.  Word Walls:  Your student will begin learning “word wall words” (high frequency words) each week.  Reinforce these words at home and have your child make their own list of words they know in their bedroom, on the refrigerator, on a chalkboard, etc…

34.  Language and Literacy  Listening and Speaking  Math  Science  Social Studies  Thinking Maps  Write from the beginning

35.  Find out the best way to stay in communication with your child’s teacher (emails, notes in folder, etc…)  Check your child’s folder every night.  Volunteer in the classroom.  Volunteer around the school (library-book fair, teacher luncheons, special events).  Join the PTO-become a member and make a difference in Sawgrass Bay Elementary.  Visit your child once in a while at lunch time.  Help with field trips.

36.  Please send an extra set of clothes for your child to keep in the room.  See nurse for appropriate forms if your child will require medication at school.  Do not send your child to school 24 hrs following fever (temperature of 100 or greater), vomiting, or diarrhea.  If your child has a history of food allergies, asthma, diabetes, or seizures, please see the nurse.

37.  In order to volunteer at school, class parties, and field trips, you must complete a background check by filling out paperwork at the school and submitting a copy of your driver’s license. This takes time to get approved so please do this as soon as the year begins.

38. We look forward to seeing you next year here in Kindergarten Ms. VelezMrs. Salvatierra Ms. Clevenger Mrs. Geisner Mrs. Sykes Mrs. Motyl Ms. Bennage Ms. Bookman

39. Sawgrass Bay Elementary A Great Place to Grow!