Welcome to Kindergarten! Thank you for attending Back to School Night!

About Me! My first year at Sandshore School. My 9th year teaching. Taught Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade in Kinnelon, Jefferson, Sparta and in Fayetteville, North Carolina I live in Newton with my husband, my daughter, Madelyn (3), my dog Mia, and Madelyn’s fish named Bluey. I love to paint and to be crafty-I even started my own Etsy shop this summer. I love to bake fun cupcakes. I love to read and would love to one day become a children’s author.

Contact Information: Best bet is to contact me is via email. cplatt@mtoliveboe.org May also call the school and reach me most afternoons.

Transportation: Any day your child needs to go home a different way than usual, please send a note in and be sure to date it!

Milk, Snacks, and Lunch Lunch Milk Policy Snack Pay for entire year White milk only Snack 2 healthy snacks (1 for Kindergarten, 1 for K Excel) He/she should be able to open their own snack, including water Bring a replacement snack in the event you forget Lunch If your child is buying lunch, please send a note in their binders.

Birthdays: Your child’s birthday will still be recognized, however, treats are no longer allowed due to the many allergies. Your child may either: bring in goodie bags, bring in a special show-and-tell OR a parent or family member may come in and read a book to the class. Party invitations are for everyone only (boys, girls or everyone)

Monkey Business Binder: Must be returned to school every day. It’s full of information! Rules and procedures, curriculum, reading log, behavior chart. (Please sign every night!)

Monkey Behavior Chart: Each student moves his/her own clip and takes responsibility for their actions. My goal each day is to focus on the positive behavior. Each day, everyone begins at Ready to Learn. The students may move their clips up three levels to: Good Day, Role Model and Outstanding. If they are having trouble following the rules, they will be given a few reminders then will be moved down to: Reminder. If they continue to break the rules, they will move to the next spot, which is Teacher’s Choice, then down to the bottom level which is Contact Home. If they move down, they can always move back up! Behavior reports come home each night regarding classroom behavior. Please initial them each night!

Homework: Homework goes home on Monday and is due the next Monday. Encourage proper formation (use letter formation sheet) Nightly Reading Record Sheet – sign & return monthly Phonetic Spelling “what sounds do you hear in the word?” Do not tell children how to spell a word, ask them to sound it out. Conventionally spelling will follow as the year progresses.

Curriculum: Math in Focus – Parent letter for each chapter Journey’s Language Arts- Parent letter for each chapter Fundations – Parent letter for each chapter Writer’s Workshop Science Social Studies

Kindergarten Schedule: 8:45 – 9:05 Unpacking and Independent Work 9:05 – 9:45 Morning Meeting and Math 9:45 – 10:15 Specials 10:15 - 10:30 Snack 10:30 – 10:50 Fundations 10:50 – 11:20 Language Arts (Read Aloud, Guided Reading, Sight Words, Centers) 11:20 – 11:45 Writer’s Workshop or Science/Social Studies 11:50 – 11:55 Pack up for Lunch

Reading: READ, READ, READ Reading is an imperative part of your child’s progress in Kindergarten! Strategies: Look at the picture clues. Make the first sound in the first word and think of what word makes sense. Practice sight words everyday – Dolch list coming soon “Touch and Read” Read with your child and around your child. Encourage your child to read for pleasure. Discuss what your child read and what you are reading together. READ, READ, READ

Ways to Help At Home: Talk to your child daily about school, everyday happenings and current events. Provide a quiet, well-lit area for your child to do their homework and read. Insist that it be done away from TV and other distractions. Review homework, papers, and books that come home. Show interest in your child’s work. Ensure your child is getting enough sleep and eating breakfast. Be positive and help develop a growth mindset.

Sandshore is a Visible Learning School A visible learner has a growth mindset. The goal is the get kids thinking and be engaged. They set goals – “I am working on writing my numbers to 20.” They can talk about their learning – “I can write my numbers to 20.” Notice the ‘I can’ statements in the front of the room.

Thank You! Thank you for coming tonight! Keep updated by reading the weekly Newsletters. Please read and save the information in your Monkey Business Binder. Email any questions or concerns.

Time for all questions!