Welcome to Kindergarten! With The Kindergarten Team… Mrs. Jeanne Cano Ms. Stephanie Casper Ms. Nancy Randolph Mrs. Satya Kennedy August 2015 A new adventure begins!

Absences…  Call the absence line.  Keep sick kids at home.  Schedule vacations & doctor appointments around school hours as much as possible.  Missed Kindergarten Spalding practice & review needs to be “made up” when returning to school.  Parents may need to assist with support of missed work needing to be completed by the student.

On School Nights Kids Should… Do their daily reading and homework. Eat a healthy dinner. Tell grown-ups about 2 or more things he/she learned or did. Go to bed in time to get at least 9 to 10 hours of sleep.

On school mornings… Get up early enough to not be rushed. Make sure you have needed items (KTA folder, library book, homework, snack) in your backpack. Eat a healthy breakfast. Turn your brain on high!

Back Pack Tips These things should be in your back pack: Blue daily KTA homework folder with completed homework, &/or library book Lunch box or lunch money Snack (tightly closed & with name on it) Water bottle (with name on it) Notes going to & from school Jacket or sweater, if needed

These things should not be in your backpack: X Old papers X Toys X School supplies X Non-school folders X Personal money X Electronic games (e.g. Gameboys, etc.) Please empty back packs daily!

Personal Skills to Practice Independent bathroom use Blowing nose effectively Opening/closing snack & lunch containers Tying or fastening shoes Zipping, buttoning, snapping, buckling Putting on jackets, sweatshirts, coats, & sweaters Covering mouths when sneezing or coughing

PLEASE, WRITE YOUR CHILD’S NAME ON ALL THINGS THAT COME TO SCHOOL! (Snacks, lunchboxes, water bottles, backpacks, homework, jackets, etc…)

Healthy Snacks  Snacks are optional & should be separate as well as marked with student’s name. (Some children are fine waiting until lunch.)  Remember that our breaks are short & snacks should not be a meal, but just a little something to hold the child over until lunch, If needed.  Please choose nutritious items. (NO cookies, chips, candies, etc.)  Choose snacks that your child can eat without much adult assistance.  Label the snack with your child’s name.  We will collect snacks first thing in the morning & keep in the snack bin for our break/snack/AM recess time.  NO NUTS in class or at AM recess!! We have students with severe food allergies!!

Healthy Snacks (Snack for morning break is optional.) Cheese sticks Fruits or vegetables (cut up) Pretzels Wholegrain crackers Dry cereal Granola bars Etc. Please NO tree nuts, candy, chips, or cake. P.S. We do not have refrigeration. Snacks are kept in the classroom.

Lunch Reality Kids choose their entrees when buying lunch. Children sit, eat, & clean up their own messes. It can be loud. There are approximately 100 children eating in there & not all speak quietly. The assistants do their best to organize lunches, assist children, in an orderly fashion. ** If you have any questions about pricing, please see the school website

Lunch…  Bring lunch from home.  Milk may be purchased for $0.50.  Buy student lunch from cafeteria for $2.50.  Send in lunch money in the morning OR…  Pay online at mylunchmoney.com. Practice opening containers at home. Allow children to help with lunchbox prep. Talk about doing a good job at lunch. Limit treats to one.

Classroom Wish List  Elmer’s disappearing purple glue sticks (always needed! )  BOXTOPS for EDUCATION stamps  Ticonderoga brand pencils  Crayola crayons (16 or 24 count)  Small gift cards to Wal-Mart, Lakeshore, Target, or office supply stores Check the newsletters or class website for the updated lists or needs throughout the year.

Rewards…  Verbal praise  Stickers and stamps  3 B coupons  Special privileges  Extra explore time  Extra computer time  Fun Friday Activities

Kindergarten Motto I am here to do something important – Learn. I am safe. I am kind. I am a helper. I’m a GREAT Kid & let’s have a GREAT DAY!!

3 B’s of Good Behavior Be safe. Be respectful. Be responsible.

Special Areas Schedule * Children need to wear athletic shoes in order to participate safely in P.E. Teacher: MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday Mrs. Cano Computer lab MusicP.E.ArtLibrary Ms. Casper ArtP.E.MusicLibraryComputer lab Ms. Randolph P.E.ArtLibraryComputer lab Music Mrs. Kennedy Computer lab LibraryArtMusicP.E.

Drinks and Bathrooms  Before school  Exploration time  Quiet work time  Playground time  If you have an “emergency”  There is a bathroom in each Kindergarten classroom (Student water bottles remain accessible to students.)

Morning Class Responsibilities  Empty backpacks at table independently.  Student puts water bottles & snacks in proper place.  Student gets out lunchbox for lunch count & place lunchboxes in basket/bin.  Put library books in basket/bin.  Take out daily blue KTA folder to be reviewed (with completed homework).  Zip backpacks & put away backpacks in cubbies.

Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards  Increased academic rigor  Goal setting & tracking progress  Helps to identify learning styles & strengths  Promotes independence & responsibility as well as cooperation & collaboration skills  Promotes communication skills  Preparation for Standardized Testing

Spalding  Daily Oral Phonogram Practice (OPR) Students will receive phonogram practice cards to use for homework at home (keep in your “kit.”) Students will receive phonogram practice cards to use for homework at home (keep in your “kit.”)  Daily Written Phonogram Practice (WPR)  Grammar and Language Use  Text Structure and Literary Appreciation  Quizzes on Friday on phonograms and dictation words (beginning around Nov.)  In class spelling notebooks will be used

Reading Notes High Frequency,“Sight” Words plus frequently used words Flash cards will be provided & daily Spalding notebooks are important! Identify in print, read & use in personal writing Phonemic Awareness - playing with and recognizing patterns in language. Phonics - understanding how oral language is represented in written form. Decoding - applying phonetic knowledge to decipher text -- sound, sound, blend. Comprehension understanding, and interpreting read text. Scholastic Book Clubs: Flyers may come home with homework. Option to order online with a credit card. This is not a fundraiser, only an easy way to get cheap books. Couldn’t be easier & is an optional choice. Library books may be kept for a full week but are due on the assigned library day. Your child may return his/her book early if desired.

Helpful Hints for Reading at Home  Listen to your child read the text 3 times.  Help with tricky words: many can be sounded out.  Keep the books & revisit them to help with fluency.  Celebrate growth (e.g. HFW acquisition, fluency, & comprehension)  Review front cover, title page, the jobs of author & illustrator.  Have your child retell the story in his/her own words.  Let your child see you reading for enjoyment & a purpose.

Writing Notes  Please do not spell words for your child.  For free writing tasks, accept phonetic approximations.  Praise efforts.  Kindergarten writing looks different from grown- up writing & that’s okay. TOOLS:  letter chart  spacers  Word Wall  brain power!!! End of year goals for students: Writing in complete sentences Writing with supporting detail

Math Notes  Numbers as representing quantity  Emphasis on the process  Comparing and contrasting length, value  Sorting and identifying by attribute  Predicting outcomes and analyzing data  Analyzing and solving math problems in more than one way  Number sense – deep understanding of our number system and how it works  Being fluent; “seeing it”

Math Curriculum Saxon  Specific, explicit lessons  Emphasis on rote, drill, & practice for basic skill mastery  Spiral curriculum: Content repetition with new learning introduced  Use of manipulatives to go from concrete to abstract  Performance based assessment + pencil & paper Investigations  Spiral curriculum: Content repetition allowing application/deepening of concepts over time  Process oriented – variety of methods to get to right answer  Use of manipulatives to go from concrete to abstract  Mastery achieved by doing – applying, using basic skills in higher order problem-solving

Fluency Expectations Grades K-6  Kindergarten  1 st Grade  2 nd Grade  3rd Grade  4 th Grade  5 th Grade  6 th Grade  K.OA.A.5: Fluently add & subtract within 5  1.OA.C.6: Add & subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition & subtraction within 10  2.OA.B.2: Fluently add & subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By end of grade 2, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers. 2.NBT.B.5: Fluently add & subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, &/or the relationship between addition & subtraction.  3.OA.C.7.: Fluently add & subtract within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication & division or properties of operations. By end of grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers.. 3.NBT.A.2.: Fluently add & subtract within 1000 using strategies & algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, &/or the relationship between addition & subtraction.  4.NBT.B.4: Fluently add & subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.  5.NBT.B.5: Fluently multiply multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm.  6.NS.B.2: Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. 6.NS.B.3: Fluently add, subtract, multiply, & divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.

Technology  Smartboard interactive presentation tool  5 laptops in classroom + stand alone  Computer lab time each week + Your child will login using a username & password, access approved websites, practice skills, word process, create a slide show presentation, & more.

Behavior & K “Token system”  Students have one green, yellow, red token on their desks.  Daily goal is to keep all tokens.  We don’t expect perfection, but look for efforts to maintain & to comply to reasonable requests.  Behavior is marked each day on Homework Report.  SPARC room… (See handbook for more information.) (See handbook for more information.)

HOMEWORK  Please, contact us if you have any questions. (Confusion is a curable condition.) (Confusion is a curable condition.) Read to, or with, your child for minutes, every night. Check the weekly newsletter, s and homework folder for additional assignments and practice opportunities. Homework Kit is a kindergarten resource for you to keep & use at home. Please save all games & other learning tools from school together in the folder. Homework comes home M-Th & is due the next day.

Homework is Identified in KTA folder: Teachers are looking for:  Parent signature daily on Homework Report.  Parent signature daily on Homework Report.  Work completed to best of ability – including a quality effort AND all colored.  Student writes name on ALL work to receive credit.  “Kit” work completion. (Let’s check it out!) (Let’s check it out!) o Content areas/subjects are designated by days of the week… o Parents are asked to check completed work for accuracy o Parent signature is required daily for acknowledgement of homework & student behavior

“Word of the Week” samples…   Type on computer: they they they  HFW:

“Number of the Week” samples…

Homework Tips  Set aside homework or skill practice time daily.  Work in a quiet place without distractions (if possible).  TURN OFF THE TELEVISION!  Keep homework & library book in your backpack or in another safe place.  Parents should assist but not do the work. (Parents sign the daily “Homework Report.”)  Always closely supervise handwriting practice.  Divide work time into several sessions if frustration ensues.

TALK! TALK! TALK! Talk with child about: school friends stories songs & poems class work homework numbers patterns family interests goals  Be patient, help & encourage your little one to express complete thoughts & ideas by speaking & responding in full sentences.  With Oral language development, parents are the best teachers of language skills.

We LOVE Volunteers!  Kindergarten in class volunteers will start in October.  The PALS program (Parents Aiding Learning in School) is happening NOW! Feel free to sign up TONIGHT!  PTO Events sign up is in the hallway near the MPR.  PTO Events sign up is in the hallway near the MPR.  Per the Handbook, each family is expected to complete a minimum of 5 volunteer hours.

More Information  COLLECT BOXTOPS for EDUCATION stamps  Kyrene School District:  KTA Main Office  Our Kindergarten class webpages:      Phone (room 7) (Mrs. Cano voice mail)  Phone (room 8) (Ms. Casper voice mail)  Phone (room 9) (Mrs. Kennedy voice mail)  Phone (room 11) (Ms. Randolph voice mail)  (Mrs. Cano) -  (Ms. Casper) -  (Ms. Randolph) -  (Mrs. Kennedy) -