Welcome to Kindergarten!

1. Welcome to Kindergarten! If at anytime you have a question tonight please feel free to write your first and last name and your question on an index card. Please place the card in the basket at your table. Thanks!

2. Schedule 8:30-8:50 Arrival/Announcements 8:50-9:05 Second Steps 9:05-10:35 Literacy Block 10:35-12:35 Writer’s Workshop 11:05-11:55 Lunch/Recess 12:40-1:20 Specials (PE, technology, music, art) 1:20-1:30 Snack 1:40-2:45 Everyday Math 2:45-3:15 Intervention 3:15-3:25 Pack and Stack

3. Lunch/Snack Time • Please place all money in an envelope with your child’s name and grade and the words ‘lunch money’. Checks must be made out to Noblesville Schools- lunch • You can manage your child’s lunch account online with PayPams. This can be found under the food services tab on the district website. • Students who wish to purchase a school lunch will have 2 or 3 options each day. Our lunch menu rotates on a 3 week schedule. Green, Red, and Blue weeks. Student lunch $1.85 Adult $2.90 • Lunches from home: Names should be clearly marked on your child’s lunch container • Milk is available for purchase if your child brings a lunch from home. • SNACK: Kindergarten Students will have snack time each day from 1:20-1:30. Please provide your child with a healthy snack each day.

4. Birthdays • District wide we cannot celebrate any child's birthday by having a class party. • Students can, but are not expected to, bring in a non food item for everyone. We will • Celebrate by singing happy birthday • Giving the birthday child a birthday sticker and pencil • Creating a card for the birthday child

5. Classroom Parties We have three parties during the school year. Our parties will take place on October 31, December19, and February 13. Parents may volunteer to help at parties by completing the P.T.O Volunteer Sheet. School background checks MUST be submitted and approved before you are able to volunteer.

6. Medicine and Illness • We adhere strictly to the district wide policy about medicine. • Children may not carry any type of medicine to school. It must be dropped off to the school nurse by a parent. If your child becomes ill at school, the school nurse will notify you. You may pick up your child at the main office. The emergency card filled out at registration is very important and must contain complete, accurate, and up to date information. If you have any additional and/or corrections to that form, let us know immediately.

7. Field Trips • We hope to take 2 field trips this year. One field trip per semester. • We will ask for multiple chaperones to accompany us on both trips. • Chaperones are required to complete a Volunteer Data Sheet three weeks prior to the trip. • Chaperones can be a grandparent or care-giver, friend, aunt or uncle of the student. • Chaperones will have to pay for their admission on the trip and will need to drive separately.

8. PBIS – Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports • PBIS is a school-wide program that works to improve overall behavior of children • We use this program to enhance students’ academics and behaviors • We reward students who display appropriate behaviors • We use R.O.C.K. tickets to reward students doing the right thing • Respect, Outstanding Attitude, Caring about safety, and Know all the procedures • We have four school-wide celebrations to honor student success! Where does PBIS occur? • Bus • Hallway • Restroom • Drinking Fountain • Playground • Cafeteria • Classroom • Students should display appropriate behaviors at home and in the community too!

9. Red Folders • Each child will be given a red plastic folder. This folder will go back and forth between home and school each day. • Communication between parents and teacher will be put into this folder. If you send anything to school, please put it in this folder. • Please be gentle with these folders and give your child the responsibility of putting it in their backpack to bring to school each day. • It is expected that this folder be in your child’s backpack every morning . • This folder will need to last the whole year.

10. Calendar • Each month your child will have a calendar in his or her folder. We will use this calendar for parent/teacher communication. • Any upcoming events will also be listed on the calendar. • Please check this folder daily for any notes about your child's day. If there is nothing written, your child had a GREAT day!

11. Literacy Block A well balanced literacy block includes teaching phonics, grammar skills, reading and comprehension strategies, and writing forms and skills. It includes direct and indirect reading instruction, shared reading, and independent experiences. Noblesville schools has adopted a new reading series for the ’13-’14 school year. We will use Houghton Mifflin’s Journeys Series for grades K-5. We will provide all students with 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction. This includes 30 minutes of whole group and 60 minutes of Guided Reading and Daily 5 instruction.

12. Reading Levels • Reading Levels are assigned based on child performance. Levels start at AA, and then move to A, B, C, D and so on. • Your child will be placed in guided reading groups based on his or her reading level. • We would like to see kindergarteners reading at a Level D by the end of the school year.

13. Everyday Mathematics Everyday Mathematics is a research-based and field-tested curriculum that focuses on developing children’s understandings and skills in ways that produce life-long mathematical power. Everyday Math emphasizes: • Use of concrete, real-life examples • Repeated exposures to mathematical concepts and skills • Frequent practice of computation skills • Use of multiple methods and problem-solving strategies The kindergarten program emphasizes six content strands that provide learning through age appropriate, playful activities and opportunities to do math at home in unique ways. • 60 minutes of our day will be devoted to Everyday Mathematics. In addition to our 60 minute block, we will spend 10 minutes each day practicing our mental math strategies.

14. Homework! Throughout the course of the year, your child may bring home the following: • Small Books • Books at your child’s reading level • Brought home in literacy folder • Expected to read each night and returned on Friday • Everyday Math Home Links • Newsletter format connecting you to what your child is currently learning in math. • Some Home Links may provide suggestions for you to practice at home and some will be expected to be returned to school. Be sure to read these! • Math Books • Your child will receive a math book with activities for each quarter. These will be sent home and need to be completed within 2 weeks.

15. Quarterly Report Cards and Progress Monitoring • Your child will receive 4 report cards this year. Our report cards will be sent home in a yellow envelope each 9 weeks. Please sign and return the yellow envelope after viewing your child’s report card. Progress Monitoring DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills). What is DIBELS? DIBELS is a set of assessments used for screening and progress monitoring in grades k-6. Within our district, we use DIBELS for grades K-2. These assessments help educators identify students who may need additional literacy instruction in order to become proficient readers. • We assess students three times a year: August (BOY), January (MOY), and May (EOY).

16. Dismissal • Any child going home in a way other than his/her regular way must have a written note from the parents! As the children are only 5/6 years old, we will not rely on them to inform us of any changes. • Students who do not have a note of change will be sent home their regular way. • Wednesday Early Release Days • Once or twice a month we will dismiss at 2:55 PM. As a district we use this time for professional development. Please pay close attention to our school calendar, you don’t want to miss these release days!

17. Project Lead The Way (PLTW) • Project Lead The Way is a leading provider of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) Programs. • PLTW offers a different approach to learning and teaching through problem-based curriculum. • This year will be Stony Creek’s first year using the PLTW Curriculum for grades K-5. • We currently plan to do 2 structure and function modules this year. Both modules will last about 2-3 weeks. • For more information please visit: WWW.PLTW.ORG

18. Miscellaneous • We will visit the library once a week to check out books. Books need to stay in your child’s backpack when not in use. • Please useour district home page (noblesvilleschools.org) to access school and classroom information. Each teacher has his or her own classroom page. Important information, newsletters, pictures, sight words, class list, etc. will be posted on this site. • Star of the Week! • Each child will have a turn to be the STAR of the week. Information will be sent home when it is your child’s turn • We love classroom volunteers, but please give us some time to learn our routines. Information about volunteering in the classroom will be sent out later by your child’s teacher. -- Background checks must be approved before you can volunteer. Don’t wait! • Please label your child’s personal items with his or her name. (Coat, mittens, hat, backpack, lunch box, etc.)

19. Concerns and Questions • We encourage parents to work cooperatively with us to help your child develop to his/her fullest potential. At any time if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us so that we can work together. You are welcome to email or leave a voicemail for your child’s teacher. She will get back with you as soon as they can.

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