1. Kindergarten Readiness For the Class of 2031
Brookville Elementary School

2. Important Dates Monday, August 12th Kindergarten Open House & Bus Ride
6:00pm-6:30 Open House
6:30-7:00pm Bus Ride
Food Service will be there to answer any questions as well!
Thursday, August 15th
First Day of School

3. Important Information
You must be a resident of Brookville in order for your child to attend Brookville Elementary School.
August 1st
Birthday cut-off to enter Kindergarten
**Must be 5 on or before this date**

4. Names to Remember Shawn Thomas, Principal Kathy Dafler, School Nurse
Becky Gruber, School Counselor
Julie Caylor & Laura Staggs, Secretaries
Chelsea Hoelzle – Director of Student Services
Emma Stowers – School Psychologist
Jeff Requarth – Transportation Director

5. Start/End Times 8:45 – Doors Open 9:00 – Classes Begin
3:15 – Walkers/Car-Riders Dismissed
(Kindergarteners will need to be accompanied if they are going to be walkers)
3:30 – Bus-Riders Dismissed

6. Each teacher varies their schedule, but they all include:
Daily Schedule
Each teacher varies their schedule, but they all include:
Opening Meeting – Calendar & Message
Math/Math Centers
Literacy/Literacy Centers
Writers’ Workshop
Science
Social Studies
Read Aloud
Recess
Lunch
Specials – Music, Gym, Art, Library, Computer Lab

7. Get Involved! Volunteer at BES Watch D.O.G.S.
PTA - meetings and events

8. School Readiness Skills
Reading
Writing
Math
Communicating
Recognize name/letters
Colors and shapes
Sorting into categories
Cutting
Rhyming
Learning Games

9. Read, Read, Read (then read some more!)
Children are more likely to be good readers if they come to kindergarten having been read to at home.
If a child struggles to read, everything about school can be difficult.

10. Keep Reading! Read at least 15 minutes every day with your child
Become Active Readers:
-  Let your child hold the book and turn the pages.
-  Move your finger along under the words.
-  Point to and talk about the pictures that go with the words.
-  Pause while you read and ask your child what he or she thinks might happen next.
- Encourage him or her to ask questions about what is being read.
- Talk about a word that is new to your child. - At the end of the story, talk about your child’s favorite parts.
- Encourage your child to tell you their own story

11. Don’t Stop Reading!
Point out words that are a part of everyday life, such as words on billboards (McDonald’s, Pizza Hut), cereal boxes (Wheaties, Cheerios) and street signs (STOP, SCHOOL), recipes, instructions, etc..

12. Reading & Writing Your child should be able to:
Recognize letters of the alphabet
(at least the letters in his or her first name)
Recognize and write his or her name
(first letter as a capital and the others as lower case)
Recognize and say simple rhymes
Tell the difference between print and pictures

13. Some Suggested Books The Night Before Kindergarten - by Natash Wing
Tiptoe Into Kindergarten - by Jacqueline Rogers
Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! - by Nancy L. Carson
Welcome to Kindergarten - by Anne Rockwell
Timothy Goes to School - by Rosemary Wells
Will I have a Friend? - by Miriam Cohen
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten - by Joseph Slate
Kindergarten A, B, C – by Jacqueline Rogers

14. Numbers/Counting Your child should be able to: Recognize numbers 1-10
Count items at home by touching objects one at a time and saying the numbers in order
Know that a number represents that many objects (3 bears, 2 sisters, 5 fingers)
Recognize and identify written numbers in books, on cereal boxes, and signs
Play counting games

15. Shapes/Sorting Your child should be able to:
Sort objects by attribute such as color, size, or shape (tell how they are different or how they are alike)
Make simple patterns using common objects
Name basic 2 dimensional shapes: circle, rectangle, square, triangle, hexagon
Recognize and name basic colors

16. General Knowledge
Talk with your child about days of the week and the months of the year
Explore concept of today, yesterday, tomorrow
Practice your child’s birth date
Talk with your child about general times of the day (morning, afternoon, evening)
Help your child find and state solutions to simple problems
Encourage your child to play creatively (dress-up, make- believe, made up stories, etc.)

17. Developing Social Skills
Follow simple rules, routines, and instructions
Decision Making
Fairness
Getting Attention
Problem Solving
Persistence – trial & error
Perseverance
Good Manners
Social Experiences
Playgroups
Go to the playground
Library story time
Group lessons and sports

18. Social/Emotional
Play simple games with your child such as board games, card games, or matching games – this helps them learn to share and take turns and also to follow simple directions
Encourage your child to express his or her own wants and needs – teach them to do so politely
Your child should be able to separate from you without being upset - having a positive attitude about school and being excited for them to start school can help with this

19. Fostering Independence
Practice dressing and tying shoes
Work independently
Use bathroom independently
Button pants, zip jacket, put on shoes

20. Physical & Motor Skills
Let your child use markers, crayons, or colored pencils to color and draw
Show your child how to make basic shapes
Show your child how to cut out those shapes
Draw a line on a paper and have your child cut on the line
Let your child practice using glue

21. Physical & Motor Skills
Practice skipping, hopping, and jumping with your child
Play catch with your child and bounce and throw balls back and forth

22. Begin Setting Routines
Establish a good daily routine – start this a couple weeks before the start of school
- Keep the same bedtime each day
- Begin waking up earlier to be ready for the start of the school day
- Begin practicing your before-school routine
- Discuss what your child’s day will look like after school

23. You set the tone! (And we couldn’t do what we do without you)
The important thing to remember is that you continue doing what you already do. Reading to your child(ren) is the most important thing you can do for them to get them ready for school. Make learning fun and exciting for them by being excited about it yourself.
Our Open House/Bus Ride will help your child (and you) become familiar with our building and routines. We can’t wait to see you there!

24. Some Helpful Websites For You
5 to Thrive
Family Education
Reading Rockets
Ohio Department of Education
Brookville Schools

25. Some Helpful Websites For Your Child