Welcome to Open House!

1. Welcome to Open House! Mrs. Gramata - Teacher Ms. Karen - Paraprofessional Room D3 Kennedy Park Elementary School 24 Pre-K ESL

2. Welcome! *Please sign-in at the table when you come into the classroom. *There are index cards on each table. If you have any questions throughout the night, please write down your questions and your contact information. Place the card in the blue box. *Tonight is not a time for individual conferences regarding your child. Conferences will be at the end of October.

3.  A Little About Me  My name is Mrs. Gramata My husband is a guidance counselor. I was born and raised in New Jersey. I have a dog, Didi, and a cat, Sylvester. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Special Education. This will be my 10th year teaching and 7th year teaching Pre-K ESL here in Woodbridge. I taught Kindergarten in West Melbourne, Florida and also Green Brook, NJ. Some of my favorite things… • Reading, traveling, Broadway plays, going to the movies, going out to eat, going to the beach, Starbucks, Marshalls/Home Goods, Amazon, Mets, Jets, NY Red Bulls

4. Communication 1. Email - *This is the best way to reach me.* marisa.gramata@woodbridge.k12.nj.us 2. Seesaw – This will be a digital portfolio for your child. Throughout the year, I will post pictures so that you can see what your child is learning and doing in the classroom and at school. 3. Remind 101 – This is an easy way for me to communicate to you about important reminders and events that come up at school. *If you have not already done so, please make sure to link yourself to the class. If you need log-in information, please emailme.

5. Here is what our day looks like… Morning Work - activity (cutting, tracing, gluing, coloring, etc) Greeting Circle • Pledge of Allegiance • Sing a song about the theme of the week • We wish our absent friends well and sing a song for them • Talk about following our commitments • Morning Message – read it, identify and circle letters/words Movement activity – this is where we work on gross motor skills, listening skills, and learning how to take turns Snack time – 10 MINUTES - *Please send in one snack* Literacy Lesson/Math Lesson Story Time – 2 times a week (Tuesday and Thursday) Centers – 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) • Blocks center – what can you build? • Reading center – choose a book and read quietly or with a friend • Play center – pretend play, dress-up, cooking, etc. • Art center – paint, color, glue, etc. • Puzzle center – fine motor skills • Play-doh center • ABC center – letter recognition • Math center – number recognition, shapes, patterns, etc.

6. Daily Behavior/Classroom Management Green = GREAT! *verbal warning before yellow* Yellow = THINK TIME Red = PARENT CONTACT

7. Monthly Behavior Calendar

8. *Please check this every day. It will let you know how your child’s day was at school. It is on the inside of the take-home folder. The code at the bottom informs you of the color and behavior that occurred in class. It is important that you initial each day so that we know you checked it. • If the behavior is something that I feel needs parental contact, I will give you a phone call to speak with you. If there are two or more consistent days on yellow or red, I will give you a call. • Beginning in October, the calendar will change. It will be a themed calendar for each month of the school year.

9. Behavior Calendar Code • 1. I did not use helping hands. • 2. I did not follow directions. • 3. I did not keep my hands/feet to myself. • 4. I did not listen to the teacher. • 5. I did not use kind words and/or actions. **Please remember to initial in each box. This helps me to see that you are following your child’s daily behavior.

10. Positive Reinforcement/Behavior Sticker charts • Each child has their own sticker chart posted in the classroom. When they display positive behavior for the day (on the color green), they receive a sticker at the end of the day. When they complete their sticker chart, they get to pick a prize from the treasure box! Table Points • Each table has an opportunity to receive points throughout the day by displaying positive behavior (listening, doing their work quietly, being ready for the next activity, etc.) The table with the most points at the end of the week wins a smelly sticker! Beat the Teacher • When the whole class is displaying positive behavior (listening, following directions, doing a great job during a drill, etc.) they get an X on their board. If Mrs. Gramata has to wait for the class to quiet down etc., I get an X in my box. When the class fills their board up, they will get to choose a special reward (popcorn party, pajama day, stuffed animal day, popsicle party, movie day).

11. Our Curriculum Frog Street – Pre-K • Comprehensive, integrated curriculum • Child-centered learning • Provides a strong daily routine which develops key social skills and emotional control • Children are provided with choices in self-directed activities, or centers • Oral language and vocabulary development • Systematic and sequential continuum for building skills and concepts

12. Frog Street Pre-K Themes Theme 1 – My School and Me Theme 2 – My Family and Friends Theme 3 – Giants Theme 4 – Choices Theme 5 – Stories and Rhymes Theme 6 – I Build! I Create! Theme 7 – Things That Move Theme 8 – Animals Theme 9 - Changes

13. Weekly Report On Friday, I will send home a weekly report in your child’s folder.

14. Home/School Projects Throughout the year, the children will have the opportunity to complete a few projects at home with you. Please take this opportunity to work with your child in completing these special projects. Use it as time to spend together to build the home-school connection. Please guide and help your child, but try to let them write/draw etc. It’s their time to use their imaginations and be creative. Don’t forget…have fun!!!

15. Take-Home Folders Take-home folders are used for parent-teacher communication. It is very important that you check your child’s folder on a daily basis. They include: • Monthly behavior calendar – please check and initial daily! • Any important notices • Any completed classwork • Notes from me **Please return the folder to school every day!**

16. Homework Read – Every – Day Every child has a reading folder (Read – Every – Day). It is encouraged that you read with your child each night for at least 10 minutes. After you read together, color a picture on the reading log. Ms. Karen will then place a sticker on the picture the next day. When the log is complete, your child will receive something special!

17. Important Skills There are many skills that you can work on with your child at home every day. This includes, but is not limited to: Name recognition Writing first/last name Uppercase/Lowercase recognition Letter/Sound Correspondence Writing letters Identifying numbers (0-10) Counting Identifying and creating patterns Identifying shapes

18. Pre-K Progress Reports Pre-K follows the Kindergarten report card schedule. There will be progress reports two times this year. February June

19. Snack *Children receive a10 minute snack time. *Please send in one, quick to eat snack for your child. *NO NUTS! *Please refer to the snack list that was sent home.

20. Birthdays *We always love to celebrate birthdays in Pre-K! *NO GOODIE BAGS OR BAKED GOODS OR ANYTHING CONTAINING NUTS* *Please refer to the list in the handout that I have given you tonight.

21. Zipper Club

22. Spirit Day! The 24st of each month will be Spirit Day here at school 24. Your child should wear blue to schoolon this day.

23. What do I do if my child will be absent? *If your child is sick and will be absent for the day, you need to call the main office to inform the school of the absence. You will need to send in a doctor’s note as well when your child returns to school for an excused absence. **Please remember, if your child is sick, it is best to keep them at home (especially if they have a fever – 24 hour policy).** *If you know that your child will be absent for a religious holiday, vacation, etc., you need to call the main office or send in a written note to me. *If your child will be absent for 10 consecutive days due to a vacation, he/she will be dropped from the Pre-K program.

24. What do I do if my child is leaving school early or not riding the bus home? *If your child is leaving school early, you should call the main office and send in a WRITTEN NOTE. *You will need to pick up your child and sign-out in the main office BEFORE 3:00 PM. *If your child will not be riding the bus home on a specific day, you will need to send in a written note. If there is nothing in writing, your child will go home on the bus.

25. Class Website *Our class website will list all of our skills and activities for the week. Please do your best to check the website weekly so you know what we are learning in our classroom! I update the website every Monday. I will show you how to access it. Woodbridge Township District Website *This presentation will be posted on our class website for your reference!

26. Photo/Video Consent If you have chosen to say NO to photo/video consent, please know that I will not be able to take and share any photos and/or videos of your child on Seesaw and/or Twitter.

27. Helpful Strategies The following strategies are encouraged at home…

33. Contact Information School Email: marisa.gramata@woodbridge.k12.nj.us **Best way to contact me** School/Main Office: 732-568-5680

34. Thank you so much for visiting our classroom! Let’s have a fantastic year!