1. Mrs. Grof-Tisza and Mrs. Minster’s Kindergarten Class WELCOME!
Back to School Night
Mrs. Grof-Tisza and Mrs. Minster’s Kindergarten Class
WELCOME!

2. PBL PBL = Project Based Learning
Goal is to engage the students in solving authentic problems.
We have 4 great PBL projects planned for Kindergarten: one/each quarter.

3. Project Based Learning Parent Information
A vital part of project based learning is connecting our projects to real world problems. We will be completing several projects this year that may require support from the community. We would like to encourage you to provide us with some information based on what your line of work is and/or what connections you may have within the community. This will be valuable when we are implementing our projects as we may be contacting you to help us make community ties so that our students will have a better understanding of how our project connects to the world. We would appreciate any information you are willing to provide.
Example:
Occupation: I am a teacher and a mom.
Community Ties: My daughters attend preschool, my wife volunteers in a hospital, my husband works for the government, my friends’ husband is a police officer, I have a friend who is a bus driver etc.
Your Information:
Occupation:______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Community Ties:__________________________________________________

4. Computer Immersion – Code to the Future
Moorefield Station is one of three Loudoun County Public Schools that was selected to represent our school division in a new initiative.
Our Kindergarten students will be spending their time using engaging computer programs and manipulatives in order to develop an understanding of patterns and sequences that will serve as a foundation for computer programming.
Accessing Scratch at home:
Scratch Jr. App for other devices

5. Arrival and Dismissal Drop Off- 7:31 a.m. Dismissal- 2:35 p.m.
Staff members and volunteers will bring your child to their classroom. It is easier if you do not walk your child down (it can prevent a lot of tears and anxiety).
Dismissal- 2:35 p.m.
- Bus riders will be escorted to their bus by a teacher.
- Walkers will be escorted through the front doors.
- Car riders will be escorted by a teacher to the “Kiss and Go” area (outside of the gym).
- Daycare will be escorted to the end of the bus loop.
- We must receive a high five, hand shake, or a hug before the child leaves so we know who they are leaving with.
-If there is a change in dismissal, you MUST send in a note and /or notify the office.
We are not legally able to send your child home any other way than what is stated on your transportation form without a note.

6. Daycare Vans
Kiss and Go Car Loop
Parking Lot

7. Kindergarten Discipline Plan
We will come up with rules as a class together during the first week of school.
We use a variety of rewards throughout the year including shark teeth and shark bites.
The color chart is used to monitor behavior.
We pull names for the Treasure box on Fridays.

10. Daily Schedule
Guidance lessons teach about various social aspects in school such as friendship, bullying, and safety.
SEARCH lessons are taught to implement higher order thinking.
SEARCH and Guidance take place on alternating weeks.
We visit the computer lab and library once a week.
Children will also have Art and Music once a week, and PE twice a week.
Reading Buddies- Third graders will come in and read to your child or vice versa once a week.
30-minute recess
Our lunch time will be 10:25-10:55 a.m., cost is $3.05

11. Specials schedule Monday: Library
Tuesday: PE (running shoes and comfortable clothes)
Wednesday: Music and Reading Buddies
Thursday: Guidance/SEARCH
Friday: Art and PE (running shoes and comfortable clothes)

12. Snack A water and snack break will be incorporated into each day.
We encourage your child to bring in a water bottle containing WATER ONLY and labeled with their name.

13. Treat Free Policy
We are a treat free school. Birthdays will be celebrated with songs, certificates, pencils, and fun! We will celebrate summer birthdays before school is out 
Instead of providing treats, we encourage you to donate an item to the classroom or send in a book for us to read to the class.
Birthday party invitations may not be distributed in school unless there is an invitation for every student. Please make alternative arrangements outside of school if you do not plan to invite everyone (see class directory)

14. Volunteers
Volunteer opportunities include classroom helpers, at- home work, and clerical work. “Specials” teachers (Library, Art, Music) might also need volunteers.
Room Parent- Coordinate the Fall, Winter, and End of the Year parties and help with special celebrations in the classroom.
Make sure you fill out a form if you are interested in helping us this year 
We will work on several PBL and Coding projects, for which we’ll need extra hands and/or connections.

15. Daily Folders
This is the best way to communicate between home and school.
Please be sure to remove the items that are in the side labeled “keep at home” on a daily basis.
Any notes for us can be placed in the side labeled “return to school”.

16. Monday Folders
These red-and-white folders (with the Moorefield logo) will go home each Monday and should be returned on Tuesday.
Please make sure to read through the information carefully. The office and PTO use this as a main form of communication between home and school.

17. Book Orders
We will be sending home book orders within the first few weeks of school.
I will attach a letter to guide you in setting up an on-line account with Scholastic (if you are interested in using their website to order) and how to use our class code when ordering.

18. Other useful websites
There will be some great math and reading programs available for the students to use at school and from home. We would like to encourage all our students to use these resources.
One of our programs is called RAZ-kids, and it helps children work on reading skills.
The Math program we’ll use at school is called Dreambox; this will also be available to access from home.
As soon as we have the children’s login information for all these websites, we’ll send the information home to you.

19. Other Information
All Kindergarten students are required to have a special yellow tag attached to their backpack (in your packet).Please write on it with permanent marker how they come to and leave from school (e.g. bus numbers, daycare name, etc. ). Please, attach it to the handle on their backpack and leave it on all year (we can get them a new one if there’s a change). Please DO NOT put their name on it. Thank you.
We are trying to schedule a Kindergarten Curriculum Night in September, where you can learn more about the Kindergarten curriculum. We are still waiting on confirmation of date.

20. Other Information Send in a disposable camera (optional)
Allergies- we encourage all students to wash their hands before school.
If you are going to be absent be sure to notify the front office (you can also send an to both Mrs. Grof-Tisza and Mrs. Minster.) Change in “going home”: send note/ , and notify office.
Classroom “donations” are welcome, e.g. books, copy paper, office supplies, trinkets for Treasure Box.

21. Other Information
We order T-shirts in Kindergarten for field trips and spirit wear. A letter with more information is in your packet. T-shirts are $12.00/piece, and can be ordered for kids and parents as well. Orders are due at the end of September. We will send out a reminder and another order form as the due date approaches.

22. Other Information
Please make sure you took a packet and signed up for Fall conferences.
Also, please make sure you filled out your child’s transportation form and put it in the letter tray on the rollie cart. If your child rides the bus, you can find the bus number and bus stop info on ParentView. If it is not there, please contact LCPS Transportation at
(571)
Thank you for coming!