Ms. Fisher’s Kindergarten Handbook Parent information Night

1. Ms. Fisher’sKindergarten HandbookParent information Night efisheric@olatheschools.com

2. Curriculum • Language Arts (reading and writing) • Rhyming • Story Parts: character, Setting, problem (conflict), Solution (resolution) • Sequencing events and retelling • Read simple high frequency words • Develop print concepts • Letters and sounds • Predict before, during, and after reading • Name all upper and lower case letters • Write first and last name • Write letters correctly • Write for different purposes • Write sentences and label writing

3. Curriculum • Math • Write and recognize numbers 1 – 20 • Identify ordinals – first, second, third, fourth, fifth • Identify and tell value of penny, nickel, dime • Name 1 whole and ½ • Measure with standard and nonstandard units • Identify basic shapes • Sort by color, shape, and size

4. Curriculum • Social Studies • Develop the relationship between self, family, and community • Science • Seasons • Magnetic attraction • Objects that float • Five senses • More questions see poster in the hall (this will be up all year)

5. Morning Routine • Hang up your backpack • Give me your communication folder • Choose your lunch • Choose your milk • Fill your water bottle • Sit in your seat and sign in

6. Student Homework • Red Communication Folder needs to be looked through EVERYNIGHT AND SIGNED by parents • Make a special spot for backpacks and the folder so the morning can go smoothly. • Always be practicing personal safety information: their first and last name, their parents names, where they live (street), phone number (including area code), city and state that they live in. • Guided Reading will be coming home in folders as soon as they are ready (there will be another informational meeting about this in September.) • Nightly reading (10 minutes) • Check newsletter for things that you can be working • on in different subjects

7. Newsletters • Will come home on the 15th or 30th of every month. If these days do not fall on a school day they will be coming home on the next school day. • Breaks are the exception. Things will come home early to be practicing on.

8. Class Website • Don’t forget I now have a website where this can all be found. Go to the Indian Creek website and click on faculty websites. I am towards the bottom. • This website is updated on the 30th of every month. It will have snack calendar, newsletters, and the class handbook on there and more

9. Calendar Time • Day of the week • Number of days in kindergarten • Today is, tomorrow will be, and yesterday was. • Weather-moon phases, temperature (inside and out), interactive writing sentence. • Counting and adding people who are here.

10. Recess • We have two recesses in Kindergarten • 9:35 AM, and 11:25 AM • A light jacket may be a helpful thing to pack as we move into autumn. • Remember when it gets cold to pack hats, gloves, and scarves in their backpacks daily. • Please work with your student on tying shoes if they have not mastered this yet.

11. LUNCH • Send a lunch or put money in their lunch account. Lunches must include some protein! • Milk can be purchased with a cold lunch • Lunch menu sent home monthly • Also online www.olatheschools.com • Lunch Time is 11:00 a.m. • Having lunch with your child? Contact the office before 9:00 a.m.

12. Animated Alphabet • Learning the alphabet through animated characters. • Highlighting the letters and letter combinations • Learning sounds, letters, drawing, and writing during this time • High frequency words will also be practiced during this time.

13. Theme Time This time is used for science and social studies. During this time we will be doing a variety of things to help students learn how to make observations, make predictions, learn to read basic maps, and learn more about the world around them.

14. Centers • AM centers are literacy based • PM centers are the fun centers • The fun centers will begin with only having one center for a structured period of time and then as the year progresses they will have two choices to go to. • Guided Reading is also done during this time.

15. SNACK PROGRAM Milk during snack time Healthy snack (cookies, cakes, etc. for special birthday snack) Cheese, carrots, grapes, apples Cheese Its, Goldfish, pretzels,etc. Snack Calendar

16. BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS AND TREATS • Cannot pass out invitations to parties at school unless the whole class is invited • You may send something special • No whole cakes • Cupcakes are reserved for birthdays only • Summer birthdays celebrated either on ½ birthday or during the month of May

17. Supplies • Facial tissue, glue sticks, highlighters, glue, pencils, and markers are community property. I do redistribute these at the end of the year. • WATER BOTTLES NEEDED!! • Recheck to make sure your child has all of the items needed for kindergarten. Disinfectant wipes are a must to keep away the flu!

18. Session Times • School Day – 8:20-3:40 (3:35) • Picking up your child in your car • Bus and Daycare Vans • Tardy – bring child into building to sign them in – Oops Pass after 8:30 ring bell • Picking up child early? • Absence – call office – give your name, child & teacher name, reason for absence

19. Ms. Fisher’s Schedule • A Day – Counselor, Music, and Art • B Day – Spanish and computer • C Day – PE and Spanish • D Day –Library • E Day – Music and PE

20. Behavior • Marble Jar –for class prize. • Gotchas • Card system: Checked 5 times during day(10, 11, 1, 2, 3:30ish) • Blue (5) Great day • Green (4) Good day 1-2 reminders • Yellow (3) Good day, needed to spend some time on vacation to think about the choices that they were making • Orange (2) Spent at least 2-3 times on vacation and needed lots or redirecting to accomplish tasks today. Behavior forms sent home. • Red (1) Parents called or form sent home (hitting, extreme behavior

21. Gotches!! • Year 2 of our positive incentive program that we started at Indian Creek. • Now used in classrooms, hallways, assemblies, recess, and other areas. • Any teacher or staff member in the school can write a child a Gotcha. • Any child can receive a Gotcha! • Gotches are cashed in at the end of the day on Friday. • These are written in triplicate, one (white) goes to the student, (yellow) to me, and (Pink) to office.

22. Physical Education – Mrs. Petzold • Prepared to participate • Comfortable clothing • Tennis shoes are required • Sandals, boots, shoes with heels are unsafe and child might be asked to sit out which can affect their grades.

23. Music – Ms. Burney • Need to come to class ready to participate • They will be doing a Kindergarten musical during the day in the spring. More details to follow. • Explore and express their musical creativity

24. Library – Mrs. Clark • Check out library books • Find safe place to keep books at home • Return books on next library day or when finished. • Students enjoy self-selecting books • Help children learn proper book care

25. Computer Lab – Mrs. Magnuson • Variety of academic-based computer programs • Kindergarten curriculum • They will need to be practicing how to login in at home. It is the first letter of their name, their last name, birthdate, and a number. For example:efisher12020

26. Art – Mrs. Simms • Art Class once per week for 1 hour • Develop fine motor and artistic skills • Students need to be prepared to try a variety of different things while developing their artistic skills.

27. Guidance – Mrs. Wightman • Reinforce many valuable life skills • Friendship, rules, cooperation, self-esteem • Teaches and reinforce the districts four guiding principles • Responsibility, trustworthiness, respect, honesty

28. Spanish- Ms. Powell • New to Indian Creek this year is the International language Program. • This is a video and teacher practice program where children participate in a group to learn Spanish. • Speaking and hearing Spanish at an early age will help them develop the ability to be more knowledgeable about the world around them.

29. Book Orders • Best activities you can do with your child is to just simply read to him or her • It gets very exciting when your child can actually read a book to you! • Scholastic Book Club • Check or cash • Quality books offered at a price you will never find in a store!

30. Field Trips • Reason for Field Trips – Curriculum based • Siblings and younger children should not be brought on field trips • Follow the rules-see handout • Be on time

31. Questions