1. Wapping Elementary School
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Laura

2. Greetings and Introductions
Mrs. Laura Hickson School Principal
Mrs. Shari Jackson Kindergarten Teacher
Mrs. Jen Williamson Kindergarten Teacher
Ms. Claire Kennedy Kindergarten Teacher
Mrs. Susan Nadeau School Nurse
Mrs. Susan Dowding School Secretary
Mrs. Amanda Patel PTO
Laura

3. Contact Information/Hours
School Telephone Number:
(860)
first initial and last
District Website:
(See the Wapping webpage under “Our Schools”.)
School Hours: 8:45-3:20
Laura

4. Dismissal
 Parent/guardian must send a written request to the teacher stating when the student is to be released and with whom.
 Students will only be dismissed through the school office (or the gymnasium at 3:20) and the parent/guardian is asked to come to the school office or the gymnasium to pick up the student.
Laura

5. School Messenger
School Messenger is an electronic messaging system the is utilized by the district to provide parents/guardians with important and timely information.
The home phone number, contact information, that you have provided in your students registration packet will be utilized by the school messenger system. However, we highly recommend you create an individual contact preference protocol by customizing and prioritizing your addresses and additional phone numbers.
Laura

6. TRIBES: TRIBES - A New Way of Learning and Being Together
A TRIBES school is a learning community where teachers, administrators, students, and parents all enjoy the mutual respect and caring essential for growth and learning. The Tribes process uses four agreements that are essential to building community and establishing a positive environment for learning.
The Agreements Are:
Attentive Listening
Appreciations/No Put Downs
Participation/Right to Pass
Mutual Respect
Laura

7. Have You Filled A Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud
The Bucket Filling concept:
Each of us has an invisible bucket that is constantly being filled or emptied, depending on what others say or do. When our bucket is full, we feel great. We fill buckets by saying or doing things to others to increase their positive emotions - when we do this we also fill our own buckets.
We dip from others’ buckets by doing or saying things that decrease their positive emotions – we also diminish our own. It’s an important choice – one that profoundly influences our relationships, productivity, health, and happiness.
Laura

8. Health Information Physical examination:
completed within one year prior to entry.
submitted to school before the first day of attendance.
items with an asterisk (*) must be completely filled out
TB risk assessment must be completed
Sue

9. Health Information 2014- 2015 IMMUNIZATIONS
DTaP: At least 4 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday
Polio: At least 3 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday
MMR: 2 doses: First on or after the 1st birthday and 2nd given at least 28 days after the first dose
Hep B: 3 doses: last dose on or after 24 weeks of age
Varicella: 2 doses separated by at least 3 months, 1st on or after the 1st birthday or verification of disease
Hepatitis A: 2 doses given 6 months apart– 1st dose on or after 1st birthday
Hib: If less than 5 yrs of age need 1 dose on or after 1st birthday
Pneumococcal: If less than 5 yrs of age need 1 dose on or after 1st birthday
Sue

10. Health Information AUTHORIZATION OF MEDICATION
No prescription or over-the-counter medication may be administered without:
1. the written order of a licensed physician (MD or DO), licensed dentist, a licensed advanced practice registered nurse, or licensed physician assistant; and
2. the written authorization of a parent or guardian.
Parents or a designated responsible adult must supply and deliver to the school nurse the medication in the original container. Students may not transport medication.
Sue

11. Health Information
Standing Orders: Parental Permission form must be completed
Acetaminophen (aspirin-free pain reliever) may be administered by and at the discretion of the school nurse using professional judgment for headache.
If sent in by a parent in the original container:
Ibuprofen (for menstrual cramps or orthodontic pain),
cough drops,
sunscreen, insect repellent
Sue

12. General Information
SNACK: Please send a healthful snack, that is easy for your child to open independently.
BATHROOM: Please dress your child, for school, in clothing that is easy to manage when using the bathroom independently. Please also send a change of clothes in case of a mishap.
BACKPACKS: Please send your child to school with a backpack or tote bag that will easily hold a standard-sized folder.
SUPPLIES: School supplies (crayons, pencils, markers, etc.) will be provided.
Shari

13. Typical Daily Schedule
8:25 – 8:45
Arrival
8:45 – 9
Morning Meeting
9 – 10:30
Reader’s Workshop
10:30 – 11:20
Math Workshop
11:20 – 11:50
Lunch
11:50 – 12:10
Recess
12:10 – 12:20
Quiet Time
12:20 – 12:50
Shared Reading/Word Study
12:50 – 1:10
Snack
1:10 – 1:50
Writer’s Workshop
1:55 – 2:35
Special
2:35 – 3:10
Science/Social Studies
3:10 – 3:20
Pack up/Dismissal
Claire

14. Kindergarten Specials
Art Mrs. Critton Music Mrs. Francolino Gym Mrs. Fox Library Mrs. Mullen *Children will attend specials, each day. One special will generally rotate.
Jen

15. GRADE K OVERVIEW LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM (Interpreted by Shari Jackson) For more details, please visit :
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details (character, setting, events, retelling)
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (illustrations, compare and contrast familiar stories)
Craft and Structure (author, illustrator, unknown words, common types of texts such as stories or poems)
Range of Knowledge and Level of Text Complexity (engage in reading with purpose and understanding)
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details (answer questions, main idea, retell, connection)
Craft and Structure (unknown words, front cover, back cover, title page, author, illustrator)
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (relationship between illustrations and text-person, place, thing, supportive information, compare two texts on the same topic)
Range of Knowledge and Level of Text Complexity (engage in reading with purpose and understanding)
Reading: Foundational Skills
Print Concepts (top/bottom, left/right, page by page, concept of word, letter recognition)
Phonological Awareness (rhyme, syllables, onset and rime, isolate initial/medial/final consonants, substitute initial sounds)
Phonics and Word Recognition (primary consonant letter sounds, long and short vowels, high frequency words, differences and similarities in words)
Fluency (read emergent readers with purpose and understanding)
Claire

16. GRADE K OVERVIEW LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM
Writing:
Text Types and Purposes (write/draw: an opinion, an informative text and a narration including a reaction)
Production and Distribution of Writing (add details to strengthen writing, collaborate with peers to publish writing)
Research to Build and Present Knowledge (author study/express opinions, recall or gather information to answer a question)
Speaking & Listening:
Comprehension and Collaboration (listen to others; take turns speaking through multiple exchanges; ask questions about key details, for clarification or to seek help; describe familiar people, places, things and events; add drawings to add detail; express thoughts, feelings and ideas clearly)
Language:
Conventions of Standard English (print upper and lowercase letters, use frequently occurring nouns and verbs, add /s/ and /es/, use question words, use prepositions, use complete sentences, use and name punctuation, use capitalization such as in the word I or at the beginning of a sentence, write letters for short vowel sounds, spell phonetically)
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use (unknown word meanings; multiple meanings, use -ed, -s, re-, un-, pre-, -ful, -less; sort/categorize common objects; verb antonyms; real life connections to words and their use – e.g. colorful things at school; describe and act out word meanings – walk, march, strut, prance; use new words learned through school experiences)
Claire

17. Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level A):
 Just beginning to learn how print works
 Just beginning to learn the relationship between letters and sounds
 Learning to use 1‐1 matching
 Learning to follow text from left to right
 Differentiating between print and pictures
 Beginning to notice each letter’s distinct features
 Learning some easy, high‐frequency words
Jen

18. Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level B):
 Recognize and apply repeating language patterns
 Stronger awareness of left‐to‐right directionality
 Stronger awareness of 1‐1 matching
 Learning concept of return sweep (moving from one line of text to the next)
 Able to distinguish and identify more letters according to their distinct features
 Developing stronger understanding of the connection between sounds and letters
 Expanding their core of easy, high‐frequency words
Jen

19. Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level C):
 Begin to move smoothly across the printed page when reading
 Begin to use some expression when reading
 Eyes are taking over the process of matching the spoken word to the printed word (removal of finger tracking)
 Developing phrased reading
 Noticing dialogue and punctuation and reflecting this with the voice
 Developing a larger core of high‐frequency words
 Consistently monitoring reading and cross‐checking one source of information against another; self‐correcting
Jen

20. Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level D):
 Eyes can track print over two to six lines per page
 Can process texts with fewer repeating language patterns
 Voice‐print match is smooth and automatic; finger pointing is rarely needed, if ever
 Notices and uses a range of punctuation and read dialogue, reflecting the meaning through phrasing
 Can solve many regular two‐syllable words, usually with inflectional endings (‐ing).
 Consistently monitors reading and cross‐checks one source of information against another; self corrects
Jen

21. Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling
Shari
“Words Their Way’s developmentally-driven and hands-on instructional approach in word study, providing a practical way to study words with students.” Pearson
joyofkindergarten.blogspot.com

22. Handwriting Without Tears App available for I-Pad 2 or higher
“The HWT kindergarten program incorporates hands-on activities and good handwriting habits to develop strong writers.” Olsen
Wet Dry Try
Shari

23. a am and are as at can come for go have he his I in is it like look my
SOUTH WINDSOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS KINDERGARTEN HIGH FREQUENCY WORDS Please practice these at home. a am
and
are as at
can
come
for go
have he
his I in is it
like
look my of on
said
see
that
the
they
this to
was we
with
you be
from
Shari

24. Typical Kindergarten Writing at the Beginning of the Year
Claire
Typical Kindergarten Writing at the Beginning of the Year

25. Typical Kindergarten Writing in the Middle of the Year
Claire
Typical Kindergarten Writing in the Middle of the Year

26. Typical Kindergarten Writing at the End of the Year.
Claire
Typical Kindergarten Writing at the End of the Year.

27. Common Core Standards Overview Mathematics
Counting and Cardinality • Know number names and the count sequence. • Count to tell the number of objects. • Compare numbers. Operations and Algebraic Thinking • Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from. Number and Operations in Base Ten • Work with numbers 11–19 to gain foundations for place value. Measurement and Data • Describe and compare measurable attributes. • Classify objects and count the number of objects in categories. Geometry • Identify and describe shapes. • Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.
Jen

28. FOCUS POINTS AN ACTIVITY A DISCUSSION A MATH WORKSHOP A FOLLOW UP
“Investigations is a complete K-5 mathematics curriculum, developed at TERC in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is designed to help all children understand fundamental ideas of number and operations, geometry, data, measurement and early algebra.” TERC
EACH LESSON PROVIDES:
FOCUS POINTS AN ACTIVITY
A DISCUSSION A MATH WORKSHOP
A FOLLOW UP
CLASSROOM ROUTINES
Jen

29. Science National Geographic Units: Weather/Seasons
Living and Nonliving
Materials
Plants
Pushes and Pulls (Simple Machines/Force)
Shari

30. Social Studies Exploring Where and Why Units:
History and Holidays – Past, Present and Future
Civics – Responsibility and Cooperation
Culture – Diversity and Uniqueness
Economics – Basic Needs and Wants
Geography – Map Skills
Shari

31. What can I do to prepare my child for the kindergarten experience?
Read to your child, often.
Talk with your child about the books you read.
Try to have your child point under the words as you read.
Practice letter recognition and beginning sounds.
Play rhyming games.
Ask your child to write his/her full, first name with an upper case letter, only at the beginning.
Draw pictures with your child.
Encourage your child to label things in his/her pictures.
Practice cutting and gluing.
Use different materials to draw and write (crayons, pencils, markers etc.).
Model writing for your child (Include your child when you are making a grocery list. Write notes to him/her).
Encourage independence.
Read books about going to school. This can ease any worries that your child may have.
Make learning fun. Try visiting Wapping Elementary School’s Kindergarten Webpage. You will find lots of information and many wonderful activities for your child:
Shari

32. Volunteering
Volunteers are an extremely important resource and are appreciated by classroom teachers and other school personnel.
The Parent Teacher Organization assists in volunteer orientation and recruitment.
Volunteers assist in many ways at Wapping School. They, most definitely, enrich the school experience for our students.
Shari

33. Upcoming Events Bus Ride/Cafeteria Visit: Friday, May 16th
Kindergarten Visits:
May 8th and May 15th
Meet and Greet: TBA
Claire

34. Questions???
We are happy to help. Please ask.
Jen

35. Thank You!
Thank you for coming! Please take a few minutes to visit the kindergarten classroom. We look forward to working with your child and your family!
Laura