1. Parent Orientation Mrs. Parker’s Kindergarten

2. Arrival and Dismissal / Students may arrive as early as 7:00 and are to go to the cafeteria until 7:35. At 7:35, a Kindergarten teacher will walk the students to class. The tardy bell rings at 7:45. Please make sure your child is here on time - I start class promptly at 7:45!! / Our dismissal time is at 2:50 (buses leave at 3:15). If you have children in upper grades you will need to go through the 3:00 pickup line. If you are picking up a kindergartner ONLY you may bypass the line and come at 2:50!!! / If you need to pick your child up prior to the scheduled dismissal time, you may check them out through the office. / Students may arrive as early as 7:00 and are to go to the cafeteria until 7:35. At 7:35, a Kindergarten teacher will walk the students to class. The tardy bell rings at 7:45. Please make sure your child is here on time - I start class promptly at 7:45!! / Our dismissal time is at 2:50 (buses leave at 3:15). If you have children in upper grades you will need to go through the 3:00 pickup line. If you are picking up a kindergartner ONLY you may bypass the line and come at 2:50!!! / If you need to pick your child up prior to the scheduled dismissal time, you may check them out through the office.

3. Notes / If you need to change your child’s transportation for the afternoon, please send a note in your child’s folder or call the office by 2pm and they will let me know. We are not able to change your child’s mode of transportation based on what your child says. We MUST have a note from you. / If your child will be riding a different bus, you will need to send a note to the office 2 days prior to that time. / Please send a written note or Doctor’s excuse when your child is absent. / If you need to change your child’s transportation for the afternoon, please send a note in your child’s folder or call the office by 2pm and they will let me know. We are not able to change your child’s mode of transportation based on what your child says. We MUST have a note from you. / If your child will be riding a different bus, you will need to send a note to the office 2 days prior to that time. / Please send a written note or Doctor’s excuse when your child is absent.

4. Snacks / A healthy snack (no sugary, sticky or high maintenance snacks) and full water bottle should be sent to school with your child on a daily basis. I don’t have extra snacks for those who forget! / Please be sure to write your child’s name on his/her water bottle! / A healthy snack (no sugary, sticky or high maintenance snacks) and full water bottle should be sent to school with your child on a daily basis. I don’t have extra snacks for those who forget! / Please be sure to write your child’s name on his/her water bottle!

5. Assessments / DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) / The DIBELS measures assess the 5 Big Ideas in early literacy identified by the National Reading Panel / * Phonemic Awareness / * Alphabetic Principle / * Accuracy and Fluency / * Vocabulary / * Comprehension / DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) / Math and Language Arts Benchmarks – given every 9 weeks / DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) / The DIBELS measures assess the 5 Big Ideas in early literacy identified by the National Reading Panel / * Phonemic Awareness / * Alphabetic Principle / * Accuracy and Fluency / * Vocabulary / * Comprehension / DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) / Math and Language Arts Benchmarks – given every 9 weeks

6. Curriculum / Balanced Literacy: whole group lessons; small group focused instruction in phonemic awareness, reading and writing based on student assessments. / Math Adoption-Harcourt / Balanced Literacy: whole group lessons; small group focused instruction in phonemic awareness, reading and writing based on student assessments. / Math Adoption-Harcourt

7. What Kindergarteners should currently be doing…  o write name correctly using upper and lowercase letters (i.e Jaycie not JAYCIE)  o count to 10/count objects to 10  o identify numbers 0-10  o Beginning to tie shoes  o Identify some letters and/or sounds Please practice these skills!!  o write name correctly using upper and lowercase letters (i.e Jaycie not JAYCIE)  o count to 10/count objects to 10  o identify numbers 0-10  o Beginning to tie shoes  o Identify some letters and/or sounds Please practice these skills!!

8. By the end of Kindergarten  o Sound spell words like “pan”, “sit”  o Count to 100  o Add/subtract numbers to 10  o Identify all letters and sounds  o Read 25 basic sight words  o Read at least a level 3 book – see sample  o Sound spell words like “pan”, “sit”  o Count to 100  o Add/subtract numbers to 10  o Identify all letters and sounds  o Read 25 basic sight words  o Read at least a level 3 book – see sample

9. Folders / Homework Folders: Reading books will be sent based on the level of your child. In addition to that, your child will receive a monthly calendar of homework. Homework folders will go home on Mondays and should be returned to the teacher on Friday. It is also a great idea for you to read to your child nightly! / Plastic Daily Folders – this is an important means of communication with you. Please check it daily!!! The Tiger Tracks behavior sheet will also be in this folder. / Thursday Folders – check for important school-wide information. Some information may need to be signed and returned. / Homework Folders: Reading books will be sent based on the level of your child. In addition to that, your child will receive a monthly calendar of homework. Homework folders will go home on Mondays and should be returned to the teacher on Friday. It is also a great idea for you to read to your child nightly! / Plastic Daily Folders – this is an important means of communication with you. Please check it daily!!! The Tiger Tracks behavior sheet will also be in this folder. / Thursday Folders – check for important school-wide information. Some information may need to be signed and returned.

10. Library / We go to the Library every Monday. Each child must return his/her book before checking out another book.

11. Birthdays / We celebrate every child’s birthday in the classroom, even summer birthdays (in May). If you would like to bring a treat for the class, please send enough for 22 students. You can send them with your child in the morning or bring them to the office. / Birthday invitations passed out in class must include every student. Otherwise, please mail the invitations. / We celebrate every child’s birthday in the classroom, even summer birthdays (in May). If you would like to bring a treat for the class, please send enough for 22 students. You can send them with your child in the morning or bring them to the office. / Birthday invitations passed out in class must include every student. Otherwise, please mail the invitations.

12. Classroom Management / Green Terrific / Warning Verbal reminder / Yellow 5 Minute time-out at recess / Red 10 Minute time-out at recess/ / Purple 15 Minute time-out at recess, parent contact and possible / Office referral / When your child has earned 20 points they will get to pick a prize from the treasure box. Classroom Management / Green Terrific / Warning Verbal reminder / Yellow 5 Minute time-out at recess / Red 10 Minute time-out at recess/ / Purple 15 Minute time-out at recess, parent contact and possible / Office referral / When your child has earned 20 points they will get to pick a prize from the treasure box.

13. Special Activities / We will have 1 field trip this year. We will be going to the Austin Zoo. / Parties – Christmas, Valentine’s Day and End of the Year / We will have 1 field trip this year. We will be going to the Austin Zoo. / Parties – Christmas, Valentine’s Day and End of the Year

14. Volunteers / We are always in need of workroom volunteers - there is so much prep work that goes in to teaching kindergarten! I can also send some work home if you are interested! / Classroom volunteers are needed to work individually or with small groups for practice, remediation or enrichment. (Tuesdays & Thursdays from 8:45- 9:45.) SIGN UP ON THE BOARD ACROSS THE HALL FROM OUR ROOM! / We are always in need of workroom volunteers - there is so much prep work that goes in to teaching kindergarten! I can also send some work home if you are interested! / Classroom volunteers are needed to work individually or with small groups for practice, remediation or enrichment. (Tuesdays & Thursdays from 8:45- 9:45.) SIGN UP ON THE BOARD ACROSS THE HALL FROM OUR ROOM!

15. Conferences / Parent Conferences will be help on October 11th. Please sign up on clipboard. / My planning time is from 1:30-2:00. If at anytime you would like to meet with me, just send a note in your child’s folder or contact me via email. / Parent Conferences will be help on October 11th. Please sign up on clipboard. / My planning time is from 1:30-2:00. If at anytime you would like to meet with me, just send a note in your child’s folder or contact me via email.

16. Mrs. Parker’s Kindergarten ‘10- ’11