Welcome to Kindergarten!

1. Welcome to Kindergarten! April 15, 2010

2. Teachers • Melissa Bartek • Ellen Harjo • Erin Heinze • Sarah Ojeda • Marcia Pittman • Tracie Reed • Smita Patel

3. What does the first month of school look like? • Establishing routines -hallway procedures -classroom transitions -cafeteria procedures -stamina 

4. Sample Schedule • 7:35 Pick up students, unpack, morning announcements, wake up shake up • 8:00 Morning message/Phonics • 8:20 Shared Reading and writing • 8:40 Rotations/guided reading • 9:40- Science/Social studies • 10:30 Wash hands/ restroom • 10:45- Recess • 11:05- Lunch • 11:40- Calendar • 12:10- Specials • 1:05- Math rotations • 2:15- snack/ pack up/read alouds • 2:30- dismissal

5. Expectations • Feet and hands to yourself • Good listener • Work together • Small voices inside • Fine motor- holding pencil correctly and using scissors • Sit still on the floor during whole group activities • Sit properly in a chair

6. Transportation • Car line: You will stay in your car while following the line up the front. Your child will be loaded by a teacher. • Walkers: You will park your car in the parking lot and “walk” into the library side door and pick up your child. • Bus rider: Please go to transfinder on the Comal website and find your child’s bus number. Bus is suggested– 2 mile rule is lifted. • SACC: At school day care. • Day care: please specify which day care you will be using. If your child is absent or not going to the day care that day please notify the school and the day care. • If you need to change your child’s afternoon transportation you must write a note or talk to your child’s teacher. If there is no notice of a change your child will go home the regular way.

7. Lunch • Parents are welcome to come to lunch and sit with their child! When you come to visit you must bring a driver’s license to check in each time. • Lunch numbers will be given to each student at the beginning of the year. Please help your child remember this number. • Lunch can be paid for online or sent to school in an envelope. • Sack lunches cannot be refrigerated or be put in the microwave. • Restaurant manners are expected.

8. Recess • Tennis shoes are recommended • Check weather daily  • Two playgrounds: one for K and one for the older grades • Please refrain from visiting during recess. You are welcome to come during lunch.

9. Specials • PE: summer.gault@comalisd.org- tennis shoes are recommended • Art: fran.baum@comalisd.org • Music: cozette.snyder@comalisd.org • You will receive a specials schedule from your child’s teacher each 9 weeks.

10. Nurse • Nurse Marisa Marisa.gonzales@comalisd.org • If your child is on any medication please let your classroom teacher know as well as the nurse. • If you have any questions please feel free to email, she would love to help!

11. Snack • 1 Healthy snack • Small snacks are great • The less crumbs the better!  • No juice, no drink

12. SAGE • This is the gifted and talented program Sherry.metzger@comalisd.org * The students are officially tested in the spring. If you feel you are interested please notify your child’s teacher at the first parent conference.

13. Behavior folders • Your child will bring home a daily behavior folder. • There is a section for respect, responsibility, and self-control. If your child receives a mark in his/her folder please discuss and reinforce the appropriate behavior. • Good behavior is rewarded with stickers or stamps on each day. • We do have behavior parties at the end of each 9 weeks. If a child has 10 or more folder signs they will not be participating in the party.

14. Attendance • Attendance is taken daily at 10:00 am. • If your child is absent please send a note to the teacher. • Doctor’s notes are sent to the teacher as well. • If you know your child will be absent, notifying your teacher ahead of time is helpful! 

15. Tardies • We pick up the students at 7:45 so please do the best you can to get to school on time. • This will help the students develop a set routine and get their day off on the right foot!

16. Getting to school • We will meet all the kindergarteners everyday in the cafeteria at 7:35. • We also have the students drop off their lunch boxes at this time. • Please refrain from standing outside your teacher’s door. • If you are late the students can walk to the room and meet the class there.

17. Report card • There is a section for reading, writing, math, social studies, science, specials, and work habits. • We will conference after the first report card to discuss progress.

18. DRA • DRA is our the Developmental Reading Assessment. • The levels are based on high frequency words and number of words. • Your child will be reading on their specific levels in their classrooms. • When? Depends on the report card

19. TPRI • Texas Primary Reading Inventory- Standard Texas assessment • We will go over specifics at your first conference.

20. School Supplies • See district list • Backpacks: please make sure they are the regular size backpacks. We have backpack hooks so we prefer one with no wheels.

21. Birthdays • The class will celebrate birthdays during snack time • The treat MUST be STORE BOUGHT. We are not allowed to serve homemade treats • We prefer individually wrapped treats such as: rice krispy treats, donuts, Little Debbie’s…etc. • No visitors, drinks, balloons, presents…etc. • Invitations: If you send any birthday invitations to school you must invite the WHOLE class.

22. 1st day of school • There will be a “tears and cheers” breakfast for kinder parents after you drop off your child. • Please be sure to bring your driver’s license EVERY TIME you come to the school. • “Hot news” is an email that will be sent out giving you information on current activities going on in the school.

23. Questions?? • The question and answer session will take place in the kindergarten classrooms. • Feel free to walk around and get an idea of what the classroom looks like and ask any questions you may have had on the powerpoint, kindergarten in general, or specifics for your child.