Welcome to Kindergarten Isham Elementary 2014 - 2015 Mrs. Lapidakis….Room 104 Mrs. Watts…Principal

Welcome Wadsworth Grizzly Class of 2028 Welcome Wadsworth Grizzly Class of 2028 ! I want your child’s Kindergarten experience to be a successful year full of fun and educational learning. We will be building reading, math and socialization skills, while practicing responsibility and developing organizational skills that will prepare them for the future.

Please take a few minutes to fill out the Student Snapshot paper Please take a few minutes to fill out the Student Snapshot paper. This will help me know a little more about your child and when & how to communicate with you.

All About ME! I’m a Wadsworth High Graduate I stayed at home with our 2 children for 10 years then went back to U of A to earn my BA in Elementary Education. I received my Masters in Elementary Technology in 2004 from Ashland University. I taught 4th grade at Isham for 14 years and I’m looking forward to my 5th year teaching Kindergarten. My husband John I have been married 38 years and are proud grandparents to grandsons Owen & Hunter and Cooper.

Arrival Procedures Arrival Procedures Children coming to school by foot or by car will be dropped off no earlier than 8:30 at the top of the ramp past the building. No one is to be dropped off at the front doors prior to 9:05. They will need to follow the sidewalk to the playground where they will remain until 8:55 when the whistle is blown. They will be escorted to their classrooms by the playground aides. Children riding the bus will be dropped off at the bus ramp and will escorted to the playground.

Pick-Up Procedures If your child is a walker, you can meet them outside the main entrance doors. You are NOT permitted to enter the building. If your child is a car rider, you will need to wait in the pick-up line along the ramp in the front of the school. DO NOT PARK ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL If your child rides a bus home, plan on your child arriving home a little later than usual for the first few days of school For bus transportation issues, contact Deb Miller at 330-336-3571   *****IF YOUR CHILD HAS A CHANGE IN TRANSPORTATION YOU MUST CALL (prior to 3:15) OR WRITE A NOTE….NO CALL or NOTE ---your child will come home via their original mode of transportation or Bear Cub.

Lunches Your child has the option to pack a lunch or buy lunch Regular: “Regular” means your child will buy the lunch offered for the day on the school menu found online at the Wadsworth City Schools homepage Deli: “Deli” means that your child will be buying the second offering listed on the menu. This choice remains the same all week long. Chicken Nuggets: “Chicken Nuggets” means that your child will buy chicken nuggets an offering not listed on the posted menu, but is available daily Lunch Account: You will need to know your child’s Student ID number in order to put money is the account. Your child will need to be able to type the lunch account number on their own into the key pad ---it’s their STUDENT ID # Your child can buy milk only and pack a lunch if they choose Keep lunches small at first as they need to adjust to eating lunch at school Someone is available in the cafeteria to help with opening containers, but your child should be able to open most items on their own PRICING: BREAKFAST** available at Isham $1.60 (Reduced Breakfast- $0.30) LUNCH **Elementary Lunch - $2.50 Reduced $.40 and Milk is $.50 Adults $3.25

Binders Binders will need to come back to school daily Binders Binders will need to come back to school daily. Place any money, notes, or important items in the Binder Zipper pouch. Homework, behavior chart, and reading logs will be done nightly and kept in the binder until the end of the month.

Communication/Conferences Email is the BEST way to contact me If you need to talk via phone, please email me a request to call you with a time and number to reach you at You will be invited to a conference on ONE of the conference evenings You will be invited several weeks before the evening and given a selection of times to choose from that work best for you All other conferences will need to be held before or right after school Kindergarten Conference Dates: Wednesday, October 15th Monday, November 24th Thursday, December 4th

Parent Involvement Parent Volunteers are needed in the classroom Monday-Friday Mornings I ask for a parent or grandparent volunteer in the morning from 9:55-11:00, please sign in at the office by 9:50 and then come down to the classroom Parents will be leading a center lesson when they are in the classroom and so younger siblings are not permitted during morning center time Thank you in advance for helping  

Classroom Rules & Policies We raise our hands to speak. We work quietly at our seats. We use voices soft and sweet. We are careful with our hands and feet. We follow directions when given the first time. The Behavior Check GREEN: Followed Rules All Day and GREEN Stamp YELLOW: Two reminders of appropriate schools behavior or hurting another student- consequence 5 min. at thinking table during free choice and YELLOW Stamp RED: THREE reminders of appropriate school behavior/hurting another student/talking during a fire or “bear cave” drill- consequence all time spent at the thinking table during free choice and a RED Stamp Green at the end of the WEEK AND IT’S A TRIP TO THE Treasure Chest on FRIDAY  Students move their own clips. If they choose not to move their clip or return it to green without permission they move to the next color check. These classroom rules are posted and recited daily during our calendar time. We learn how to comply with these rules during the first few weeks of school. The Isham 5 are the school rules and are also followed.

Kindergarten Common Core Curriculum Reading: Literacy By Design In Kindergarten, we review letters Orton Gillingham and teach sounds Many techniques are used to achieve this goal including “The Phonics Dance” In Rigby, students focus on learning to read using a combination of whole language, phonics, and decoding strategies Popcorn Words: These are sight words that keep “popping up” in the world around us Your child will need to be able to read 84 words by the end of Kindergarten Your child’s reading ability is tracked using the DRA (Developmental reading Assessment) and the Ohio Department of Education Grade Level Screener/Diagnostic Writing journals will be used to teach reading as well. We encourage children to use “invented spelling” instead of conventional spelling whenever possible   Math: Everyday Math Calendar activities and daily reviews along with hands on learning will begin to develop a child’s math sense Math facts to 5 need to be memorized Progress is tracked through the Ohio Department of Education State Screener/Diagnostic Handwriting: We use the D’Nealian style of handwriting Note that K’s are “silly” and most letters have “tails” Your child will be asked to write his first and last name in this style Science/Social Studies: Weekly Readers are used to teach many of the standards Seasonal themes are used in the classroom weekly to address the common core standards in all areas of the curriculum

Standards-Based Report Cards Reporting is based on the 3 trimesters We use the terms “Beginning”, ”Developing”, & ”Secure” to note progress on each of the power common core standards Progress in recorded in individualized assessment books and is documented through one-on-one interviews, observations, and work samples Report Cards will directly reflect Ohio Academic Content Standards & National Core Standards Marks will show progress towards end-of-year goals (1 – 2 – 3)

Star Student We will focus on a student in our class once a week, I will send home an “All About Me” sheet We will learn about the student’s interests, family, and talents Your favorite story book will be read to the class at story time

Birthdays Birthdays We DO NOT celebrate birthdays with snacks or treats We will sing on your child’s birthday and they will receive a BD pencil and sticker I DO NOT pass out invitations for parties, however your child may do so before school on the playground

Snack Time Your child is permitted to bring a snack to class everyday It needs to be placed in their front backpack pouch They may not share with friends It should be something healthy (ie. rice krispie treat, granola bar, pretzels, raisens, cheese crackers, applesauce, or fruit snacks) No drinks boxes at snack time, we have a water fountain in the classroom

Restroom We use the rest room 2 -3 times a day, morning break, after lunch and before snack We do have a classroom restroom that we also use during the day, your child asks permission and I will send them If your child needs to use the restroom more frequently for a health reason, please email me so I can allow for this medical need

Classsroom Parties There will be three classroom parties in which volunteers will be needed: Fall Harvest, Winter and Valentines Day A healthy snack, craft, and game are usually part of the party Please sign the sign-up sheet if you would like to coordinate and/or volunteer

Classroom Newsletter The classroom newsletter will be sent on Friday with information for the following week The newsletter is sent electronically ONLY in email form on Friday Additional emails may be sent throughout the week as reminders or updates Our grade-level website will be updated throughout the year, but most information will be found in the weekly news

Classroom Webpage Consider adding our classroom Webpage to your computer desktop for information and updates in our classroom. Follow the Links for Newsletters, Classroom Volunteers, Homework, Appropriate Computer Websites and more. Go to:   http://teacherweb.com/OH/IshamElementary/Lapidakis/apt1.aspx

Dress Code ABSOLUTELY NO flip flops or slip-on/off sandals. “Crocs” are permitted if the heel strap is used. Students must have “playground and gym safe” shoes on at ALL times! Spaghetti straps, short shorts, etc. should be selected in good taste. Our classrooms tend to be chilly. Please dress in layers in order to adjust to varying temperatures.

All Student Dismissals… All students will be dismissed AS USUAL unless I receive a note or the office receives a telephone call. Make sure that anyone picking up your child is on your emergency forms (use back if necessary). Students should wear bus tags for the first 2 weeks of school, then left in their book bags for future reference.

to contact me before the day begins or at lunchtime. Reach me at school at 330-335-1440. Please leave a message if I’m in class. I will return your call as soon as possible. Send a note with your child—Green Take Home Folder Clear zip packet E-mail me at school at: wadc_lapidak@wadsworthschools.org *It is sometimes difficult for me to check my e-mail once our school day has started. Please try to contact me before the day begins or at lunchtime.

Thank you for sharing your child with me this year Thank you for sharing your child with me this year. I know we will work and play together so that they will be the BEST they can BE! Sincerely, Mrs. Lapidakis