Welcome to the Kindergarten Back to School Night

1. Welcome to the Kindergarten Back to School Night Ducketts Lane Elementary School August 21st, 2014 6:30pm

2. The Kindergarten Team Teachers: Mrs. Edoho-Eket, ITL Mrs. Shull Mrs. Dunsdon Ms. Harding Ms. Wilder Ms. Dykes Para Educators: Mrs. Jun Mrs. Frye Ms. Mills Spec. Educators: Ms. Geiser Mrs. Davis Ms. Levinson ESOL Educators: Mrs. Gorelik Mrs. Coyle

3. First Day Procedures • Please send your child to school his/her normal way on the first day of school. The bus driver will meet your child and learn your child's bus stop. Upon arrival at Ducketts Lane, all bus riders will be tagged with their bus number. • All kindergarten students will receive a tag identifying them as Kindergarten students. As all K students arrive, they will be ushered into the cafeteria to meet their teacher. The kindergarten teachers  will be holding a sign with our names and our class "owl" color.   

4. Starting our Day • Arrive with a cheerful smile • Children put their backpack and coat in their cubby • Red Daily folder is used for school/home correspondence • Children may order lunch for the day

5. Classroom Jobs Classroom Roles/ Responsibilities Every child has the opportunity to take responsibility for our classroom. The following are examples of classroom jobs: Calendar Helper Basket Carriers Line Leader Daily Messenger Weather Person Smart Board Eraser Lights Helper

6. Question of the Day • The question of the day reinforces instructed concepts from our curriculum • Students answer a survey question, and the class discusses the results.

7. Lunch and Recess • Lunch Money $2.75 • Ordering • Please place all money in a labeled snack bag with your child’s name • Milk $.50 • Appropriate Clothing • Please label all clothing items • Shoes That Cover Heels *Please pay for or pack a lunch if you have filled out a lunch application but not received information. Contact the office if you have any questions.

8. Our instruction focuses on the following seven standards: General Reading Process Informational Reading Process Literary Reading Process Writing Conventions of Standard English Speaking Listening These standards include, but are not limited to, instruction of these topics: Phonemic Awareness Response to Text (oral and written) Decoding Read Alouds Fluency Guided Reading Instruction Developing Vocabulary Comprehension Language Arts Program

9. Literacy Centers • Connects oral and written language • Helps develop strategies • Builds skills for life-long readers • Decoding and Comprehension • Working towards independence

10. Writing Our writing program is based on the Common Core and focuses on the following units of study: • Writing and Drawing About Reading/Dictating a Response to a Read Aloud • Building a Community of Writers: Shared Writing and Storytelling • ABC Books (Literary Non Fiction) • Book Reviews (Author Study) • Thank You Letters, Notes, and Cards (Functional Writing) • Personal Narratives • Picture/Fact Books (Literary Non Fiction) • Acrostic Poems (Poetry) Our writing also includes, but is not limited to: Varied Purposes for Writing Developmentally Based Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Instruction Alphabet Books and Journals Writing Journals Poetry Journals Writing Center Differentiated Goals

11. Writing Process

12. Math The HCPSS mathematics Curriculum is in Alignment with the Maryland Common Core State Curriculum • Counting and Cardinality • Operations and Algebraic Thinking • Number and Operations in Base Ten • Measurement and Data • Geometry https://smart.wikispaces.hcpss.org/Kindergarten+Common+Core

13. Self- Selected Centers Daily 30-40 Minute Block Student Choice Encourages developmental learning through play Some Center Choices Include: Blocks Play Dough Art Writing Computer Home living Dramatic play Math Seasonal Centers

14. Science • Quarter 1- Scientists and Engineers • Quarter 2- Weather • Quarter 3- Pushes and Pulls • Quarter 4– Relationships in Ecosystems Hands on and Inquiry-Based. Students will use science materials and journals to record observations.

15. Health • Disease Prevention and Control • Nutrition and Fitness • Safety, First Aid, and Injury Prevention • Social and Emotional Health

16. Social Studies • Home and School • Maps and Me • Road Trip USA! • The Market

17. World Language • Spanish is taught everyday for 25 min. by a certified language teacher. • A wonderful opportunity to help students communicate in another language and learn about other cultures as well as share about their own. • Research shows that learning a second language at a younger age helps stimulate intellectual growth, enhance metacognitive abilities, while positively impacting academic achievement and cultural proficiency.

18. Metacognition • Helps students make sense of their thinking • Makes learning, working, and problem solving more effective and efficient. It highlights strategies such as: • Self Regulating • Comparing • Looking carefully • Role taking • Being precise and accurate • Sequencing

19. Special Activities • Field Trips (Fall, Spring) • Sharps Farm, library, Baltimore Zoo • In school Presentations- Dentist visit, Otto the Auto etc. • Birthdays * no food treats please (stickers, pencils etc.)

20. Who else will my child meet in Kindergarten? Guidance Counselor Presents one interactive lesson per month Related Arts Team Art, Media, Music, P.E., and Technology Support Staff Instructional Assistants

21. Dismissal • Consistency is best • For walkers, parents will meet children at Ms. Dykes’ side door near the K playground at 3:15 • For car riders, please line up in the car loop and your child will be released to you by a staff member. Please stay in your car. • Practice your child’s bus number at home. Refer to the bus schedule for arrival time to your neighborhood. Parents need to write a note (not emailed) if dismissal plans change.

22. Collaborating with Parent Volunteers • Monthly Calendars are sent home for volunteers to sign up • Volunteers may work with small groups to reinforce skills or prepare materials for students • If your schedule does not allow you to volunteer during the day, we can still use your help! Materials can be sent home to be prepared • Classroom volunteering begins in October. Thank you in advance!

23. Homework • There will be a daily poem homework assignment beginning in late September. Each poem has skill based, appropriate activities. • Please return the completed assignments at the end of each quarter. A suggested poem completion schedule will be sent home to parents. • These are short, simple assignments designed to get K students into developing good homework habits. UNTIL THEN… • Read with your child every night for at least 20 min. • Practice writing with your child. Focus on writing his/her name and numbers to 10.

24. Grading Policy Academic Progress: • I- Independent (student consistently demonstrates skill in a variety of ways) • W- With assistance (student requires help with a skill) • N- Not apparent at this time (student does not yet grasp the skill) Effort Grades: • 1- Outstanding (student consistently puts in extra effort, attention to detail, goes above and beyond) • 2- Satisfactory (student shows acceptable effort on all assignments) • 3- Needs Improvement (student is inconsistent with work completion and effort) Learning Behaviors: • 1- Outstanding (student consistently demonstrates excellent behavior) • 2- Satisfactory (student needs a few reminders about behavior) • 3- Needs Improvement (student needs many reminders about behavior) Teachers will communicate regularly with you about your child’s progress through ongoing assessments, progress reports, report cards, and parent/teacher conferences.

26. P.B.I.S • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports- consistent, school-wide behavior expectations • Incentives include DLES owl feather tickets, prize carts, Team Celebrations etc. for displaying positive behaviors • Teach the positive behavior expectations of: • Be Respectful • Be Responsible • Be Ready • A brochure will be sent home to families to further explain PBIS at Ducketts Lane *If a student needs frequent reminders about behavior, a self- reflection form or office referral may be necessary*

27. EmergencyProcedure Cards • Found and completed online • Consolidates Confidential School Information Card, Major Emergency Contact, Media Exposure, Arrival/Departure Form, and Unscheduled Early Closing Card into one form! • Please complete if you have not already.

28. Communication • Please feel free to contact teachers should you have any questions or concerns. • Here are the best ways to get in contact with me: -written notes -phone: 410-313-5050 -email (please allow up to 24 hrs. for response) *Please remember that classroom time is dedicated to the students

29. Any Questions?Please bookmark these websiteshttp://dleskindergarten.weebly.com/http://dles.hcpss.org/ Thank you for a wonderful evening!