Welcome to Kindergarten!

1. Welcome to Kindergarten! The Class of 2030!

2. Class Aide Maria Gamerota Full day aide

3. All About me

4. Hand-outs • Welcome Packet • Developing Fine Motor Skills • Letters and numbers for me (HWT) • ABC’s of our Class • Reading at Home

5. Parent/Teacher Conferences • Tuesday, November 3rd (afternoon) • Monday, November 7th (afternoon) • Monday, November 7th (evening) Please make sure you have signed-up for your conference time before you leave today.

6. Class Parents Thank you to our two Class Parents: • Lilia Lugomer-Pomper(Elizabeth’s mom) • Jen Di Bonaventura (Ellie’s mom) Class parties and events are usually organized via emails/google docs

7. Nature Guides I have some parent volunteer to take the children on nature walks this year: • Lilia Lugomer (Elizabeth’s mom) • John Carini (Annabelle’s dad) • Rebecca Henderson (Hazel’s mom) • Jennifer DiBonaventura (Eliana’s mom) • Nicole Davis (Silas’ mom) • Megan Lee ((Landon’s mom) • Dana Asher (Fergus’ mom) • Patricia Fernandez (Will’s mom) Thank you! I would also like a parent to volunteer to be the point of contact for coordinating our nature walks.

8. In the beginning of each month, I will be sending home the “Monthly Happenings.” • The Monthly Happenings will not only highlight our curriculum for the month, it will also give you suggestions for ways to help your child at home. Optional projects might be a fun way to work at home with your child! • I encourage you to read with your child every night. In addition to reading books from home, I will also send classroom books home to read with your child.

9. Snack Time (morning and afternoon) Since our school day is until 3 p.m., we will have a morning and an afternoon snack for the children. Please pack enough healthy snacks for two snack times. Thanks for all your help with this!

10. Birthdays If you wish to celebrate your child’s birthday in school, please let me know a few days in advance so that I can schedule a time for the celebration • No food at birthday celebrations • Kindergarten classes are inviting parents to come and read a book to the class

11. Arrival Procedures I encourage children to come to our classroom by themselves. • Builds responsibility • Helps with transitions Thank you parents for all your support!

12. Dismissal Procedures Please send in a note with your child if your child is not going home his or her usual way. It is school policy that a child goes home his/her usual way unless there is a written note. Please send a note if you’re picking your child up early and please sign out in the office. Please do not send me any dismissal changes via email. Please call the Hillside Office (914) 478-6270 with any emergency dismissal changes for the day. There is a Pool and a circle pickup (separate locations)

13. Names, Names, Names • Please write your child’s name on his or her belongings (lunch boxes, jackets, hats, etc.) It is amazing how fast the school’s lost and found bin fills up. • Please send in extra clothes for your child to house in our classroom. Thanks!

14. Communication •  Email is best for me: nagratht@hohschools.org Newsletters and class info will be sent via email frequently.  If email is not convenient for you please let me know. • I am on Twitter! Follow me @hohk151 for fun info and photos. • Hillside has a hashtag to follow #hillsideshines

15. Curriculum

16. In Kindergarten… • We believe in a strong sense of community and embracing our unique qualities and learning styles. • The year is going to be full of excitement and learning based on the Common Core Standards. • We look forward to working together with you and your child to make this year very successful and fun-filled.

17. During the day, these are some of the activities your kindergartner is enjoying… • Tabletop Games • Morning Meeting • Phonics/Handwriting • Science • Social Studies • Reading Time (guided, shared and independent reading) • Writing Time • Snack • Math • Specials (P.E., Art, Music, Library, Spanish) • Recess/Lunch • Read Aloud • Developmental Centers (blocks, kitchen, drama area, puzzles, games, and listening center…)

18. Table Top Activities

20. Developmental CentersThese may include: painting, blocks, drama area, listening center, games and puzzles, playground and arts and crafts.

22. MindfulnessBrain-Focused Strategies for Learning and Living • Creating classrooms that develop mindful attention to oneself and others • Teaching tolerance of differences • Enhances the capacity of each student in our Kindergarten community to grow as a human being and a learner Activities include: • Mindful breathing • Learning about brain function • Creating classroom rules • Paying attention to our senses • Learning skills for success • Interacting with each other successfully

23. Morning Meeting • Every morning we meet to prepare for our day. The children have special jobs that are their responsibilities and they report to the class. • Our classes record the weather, check attendance, count the number of school days, and discuss the calendar. We also read and write a daily message.

26. Word Work- Fundations • Phonological awareness • Writing readiness • Letter/sound correspondence • Consonant cluster • Lowercase letter names • Consonant diagraphs • Double letter spellings • Sight words • Uppercase letter names • Long vowel sounds

27. Science and Social Studies • Five Senses • Plants • Farms • Pushes and Pulls • Kings and Queens • Seasons • Colonial Times • Earth • Native Americans

28. Literacy Read Aloud Independent Reading Shared Reading Guided Reading Reading Time

29. Read Aloud There’s nothing better than listening to a good book!

30. Independent ReadingThe children practice reading strategies they have learned during this time.

32. Shared ReadingStudents and teachers read together from the same text to learn new reading strategies.

33. Handwriting Without Tears A hands on multisensory approach to handwriting used for writing uppercase letters and numbers 0-9

35. Writing Time Our writing curriculum begins with a teacher directed lesson where the teacher demonstrates the skill we are focusing on. We explore the writing process and celebrate our children’s drawing and writing. We study a variety of genres (such as poetry and non-fiction writing).

37. Common Core Math Standards • Your child will work more deeply in fewer topics which will ensure full understanding (less is more!) • Your child will keep building on learning year after year, starting with a strong foundation they receive in Kindergarten • Your child will spend time practicing math facts • Your child will understand how and why math works and be asked to talk about and prove their understanding • Your child will now be asked to use math in real world situations

38. MathHere are some of the topics we cover: • Classify and count numbers 1-10 • Identify and describe shapes • Make comparisons of weight, length and numbers to 10 • Number pairs, addition and subtraction to 10 • Classify and count numbers 10-20 • Count to 100 by 1s and 10s The children work individually, with partners and in large groups.

41. SnackPlease send in a healthy and nutritious snack every day.

43. MakerSpace • A creative space that is part of our Hillside building. • It is a place where your child’s imagination will be challenged. • Children will have the opportunity to work with a variety of materials to problem solve, explore and innovate.

44. Special Events • Halloween Parade and Breakfast • Thanksgiving Celebration • Candy Houses • 100th Day Celebration • Royal Ball • Botanical Gardens Trip • Philipsburg Manor Trip • Kindergarten End of Year Picnic • Field Day

45. Specials: • P.E. • Library • Art • Music • Spanish

46. P.E. Amanda Bassman

47. Library Ms. Nedwick Mrs. Ratterree

49. Music Ms. Concra

50. ART Mr. Morgan