ALL ABOARD!

1. Kindergarten Express ALL ABOARD!

2. Agenda • Goals of the Kindergarten Program • Introductions • First week of school • Routines and procedures • Arrival & Dismissal • Lunch, Snack, Rest & Recess • Bathroom • Daily Schedule & Class rules • Student Handbook • Uniforms • School Supplies • What to expect throughout the year • What to do over the summer • Q&A

3. Goals of our Kindergarten Program Our objective for kindergarten is to provide a well rounded educational experience that fosters all types of learners. We strive to provide a caring, positive learning environment that promotes success in academics and socialization. We look forward to fostering this relationship with your child.

4. Welcome! Introductions • The Kindergarten Team • Wendy Weaver • Erin Strycharz • Lauren Rice • Nicole Lyster • Clare Taylor • Macy Poore

5. Welcome! • Kristie Hawk - Lower School Principal • Grace Cavanagh - School Nurse • Naomi Siedlecki - Enrollment Coordinator / Transportation Liaison • Debbie Messina -Volunteer Coordinator • Janet Tuckett -Student Information Manager • Denise Kozuch-Harakal -Development Committee

6. Welcome! • Grace Cavanagh • Allergy concerns • Timeliness on Paperwork • If your child is sick… • Naomi Siedlecki: Enrollment/Transportation • Bus Schedules • Change in daily transportation - notify teacher • Change in address - notify teacher & Naomi

7. Welcome! •Janet Tuckett: Student Information Manager • Parent Portal Questions • Set up user name/password for parent portal • Attendance questions & to report absences • Debbie Messina: Parent Volunteer Coordinator • Family School Organization (FSO) liaison • Parent Volunteer Program Coordinator • Denise Kozuch-Harakal: Development Committee • Fundraising

8. FIRST DAY of School Thursday, August 25, 2016 • 40 minute Orientation • You and your child will explore the classroom together and meet a few new friends • Students must be in their school uniform -Sign up for orientation with your classroom teacher, before you leave or you will be assigned a time. 3 time slots: 8:15 am-8:55 am, 9:10 am-9:50 am, or 10:00 am-10:40 am

9. Orientation On Thursday, August 25, 2016, you and your child will be coming to a one hour kindergarten orientation. Please park in the parking lot off of Filmore Street. (See map A) Enter the Upper School (See map A)

10. Orientation You will need to sign in at the Upper School office and walk through the Upper School to the Lower School. (See map B) Once in the Lower School, please go through the double doors. (no need to enter into the Lower School office). Mrs. Siedlecki will be in located in the hallway outside of the cafeteria. She will walk you and your child to the kindergarten rooms.

11. First Week of School Friday, August 26, 2016-Tuesday August 30, 2016 Kindergarten will be in the classroom 8:00-11:00am - Students should be in school uniform • Bus transportation available to school • Bus transportation NOT available at dismissal • Please pick up your child in the car rider line. (See map C)

12. Car Rider Line map C From Friday, August 26, 2016 thru Tuesday August 30, 2016, Kindergarten will be on a half day schedule, with dismissal at 11 am. All students will need to be picked up in the car rider line. Car Rider line: Enter Grant Street and make a right behind the Lower School. If you are first in line, follow the car line and park at the top of the hill, next to the Upper School. Please park double in line and we will bring your students to you! Double park cars starting here

13. First full-day of school Wednesday, August 31, 2016 • 8:00am – 3:30pm • Regular transportation arrangements to and from school. *If there are changes in transportation a note MUST be sent to the homeroom teacher.

14. Arrival • Bus riders - are dropped off in front of Upper School • Car Riders - are dropped off on side of Lower School. Car Rider line drop-off starts at 7:40am. At this time, there is no long line so please drop off early! Enter car rider line at Grant Street and turn right when you get to the back end of the Lower School. (See map D) • Walkers – enter school at the Grant Street entrance. There will be a staff member there to greet them at 7:40 am. There will be staff placed in appropriate locations during arrival and departure.

15. Arrival andDismissal map D

16. Dismissal • Bus riders –are picked up at the front of the Upper School • Car Riders – are picked up at the car rider drop off/pick up area located between the Upper and Lower School (See map D) • Walkers- are picked up at the Grant Street entrance to the school. There will be staff placed in appropriate locations during arrival and departure.

17. Bus Information Staff Assistance: During the first few weeks of school, kindergarten students riding the afternoon bus, will be walked to their bus by kindergarten teachers. This ensures that students are being placed on the correct bus and receive assistance with identifying their bus and bus driver. Bus Buddies: Once kindergarten students can independently identify their bus/bus driver, we may pair them up with an older student to walk them to the bus at the end of the school day. Please contact your teacher if you would like to use this service. Bus Tags: Kindergarten students will have bus tags pinned to the back of their backpack. This ensures that your child reaches the correct bus for staff can match the tag to the bus number. Please keep the bus tag on all year.

18. Before/After School Care • Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA provides before school (7:00-8:00 am) and after school child care (3:30-6:30 pm) for Renaissance Academy students at the Phoenixville YMCA branch. The YMCA provides transportation to and from Renaissance Academy. The YMCA provides care for Snow/Emergency Closures as well as School Holidays. Call the YMCA at 610-933-5861 to register or visit the website at www.philaymca.org/locations/phoenixville for more information. Call the YMCA at 610-933-5861 to register or visit the website at www.philaymca.org/locations/phoenixville for more information.

19. Before/After School Care • Club Renaissance; an after school program that provides supervision for children who cannot be picked up by 4pm. This program is for students in kindergarten through 6th grade. Your child is welcome to attend Club Renaissance where he/she will be supervised by RA staff. This after school time will be used to complete homework, read quietly or participate in some other educational activity while waiting for parents or guardians to arrive. More information regarding (hours, cost) about Club Renaissance is available on our web page www.rak12.org, enrollment, transportation, before and after school care.

20. Extracurricular Activities • Ariel’s Gymnastics • Price: $85 for a 6 week session • Shining Knights Chess club • Price: $78 for 5 weeks • Held at RA. • Young Rembrandts: Monday only • Price: $90 for a 6 week session • Held at RA. • Science Explorers: Monday and/or Thursday • Price: $85 for 5 week session • Held at RA • Pinnacle Karate: Friday only • Price/month: $70.00 per month • Held at RA PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE For more information On any of these activities or to see what Franklin Commons has to offer, please see our web page. www.rak12.org, Transportation, Before/After School care, Student Life, Additional After School Activities

21. Breakfast and Lunch • Breakfast available each day from 7:40-8:00am cost is $2.00 (price subject to change) • Lunch menus are posted on www.rak12.org • If you are packing a lunch please keep in mind your child will not be able to refrigerate or reheat food items. • Milk can be purchased for $.50. Lactose $.75 • School lunches are available for purchase on a pre-payment basis at the cost of $3.00 per day (price subject to change). • Students are given a pin number. The pin number is used to access and charge lunch or a la carte items to their lunch account. • Lunch menus available on www.rak12.org, students, food service.

22. Free or Reduced Lunch • Applications are submitted to the PA State Department of Education for approval • Apply online: www.rak12.org • Click on “lunch menus” on left hand tool bar • Click “Free and Reduced Meal Application” • Lunch Coordinator will notify all families that applied of their status

23. Snack • Please send your child’s snack in a zip lock bag or sealed container with his/her name on it. Please send in a small “ready to eat” nutritional snack, NO CANDY OR CUPCAKES or JUICE/JUICE BOX. Students may bring in a water bottle to drink at snack.

24. Rest • We will have about a 20-30 minute rest time; from August to October. • In November will we reduce rest time to 10-15 minutes. • In February, your child will have rest based upon teacher discretion. • If your child would like to use a blanket during this time, please send a SMALL, bath towel sized blanket that can easily fit in your child’s cubby and label it with his/her name.Please do not send a full size blanket or pillow into school. It will not fit into the cubby for storage.

25. Recess • Daily for 20 minutes • Outside on good weather days • Inside on bad weather days

26. Bathroom • Each classroom has a single bathroom that students are welcome to use as needed • Group breaks are taken in the hallway bathroom to accommodate more students • Children are responsible for themselves when they are in the bathroom

27. Emergency Response • Fire Drill • Required once per month • Emergency Response • Practiced once or twice a year • Shelter in Place • Evacuation • Reverse Evacuation • Lockdown Practicing these procedures reduces the anxiety five-year olds feel when they hear the alarm.

28. Daily Schedule • We have a highly structured day • Fine Arts classes twice a day Physical Education, Art, Music, and Spanish • Library once a week

29. Sample Schedule 7:50-8:10 Greetings, Readings & Writings 8:10-8:30 Morning Meeting 8:30-9:20 Stepping Stones/Kinder Roots 9:20-9:40 Math 9:45-9:55 Bathroom Break 10:00-10:20 Language Arts/Writing 10:20-10:40 Calendar 10:45-11:25 Fine Arts A&D Art-Mrs. Kelly B&E P/E-Mr. Miller C&F Spanish-Mrs. Block 11:40-12:10 Lunch 12:15-12:35 Recess 12:45-1:25 Fine Arts A&D Music-Mrs. Keller B&E Art-Mrs. Kelly C&F Gym-Mr. Comito 1:30-1:40 Bathroom Break 1:40-2:00 Rest 2:00-2:10 Snack 2:10-2:30 Story Tree 2:30-3:15 Science/Social Studies/Labs 3:20 Pack up 15-20 minute increments to maximize student’s attention span!

30. Instructional Programs • Reading: Stepping Stones & Success For All • Math: Everyday Mathematics • Language Arts: McGraw-Hill • Writing: Zaner Bloser • Social Studies: Harcourt • Science: Pearson Interactive Science • Story Tree: Theme Related Readings

31. Instructional Programs Reading • The first half of the school year utilizes the Stepping Stones program. This program exposes students to letter-sound connections, blending, and breaking words down into their individual sounds. • Success for All KinderRoots begins in January and practices beginning reading skills.

32. Instructional Programs Math • Everyday Mathematics focuses on numbers and numerations, computations, reading data, measurement, geometry, and patterns through hands-on activities that engage each student. Language Arts • The goal of McGraw-Hill is to build effective communicators through a balance of grammar and writing. Students will obtain the skills necessary for personal expression.

33. Instructional Programs Social Studies • Harcourt is focused on meeting Pennsylvania standards by focusing on history, economics, geography, civics, and government through stories, interactive activities, role playing, and classroom discussions. Science • Delta Science is an inquiry based, hands-on science curriculum. Students will be conducting experiments while working cooperatively with a partner and/or table partners. Writing • Zaner-Bloser is a writing program that offers students the ability to practice writing basic strokes, numbers, letters, and words using a 3 lined sentence. Students learn to use the top line, mid-line, and base line when writing letters and numbers.

34. SLC (Student Learning Contract) The Student Learning Contract (SLC) serves as the official reporting form of students’ grades, progress, and academic goals. Each student will receive comments that reflect the progress on that trimester's unit(s) of study. The SLC will be distributed at the end of each trimester. The SLC conference date is mid-trimester. This provides students and parents the opportunity to meet with the teacher, discuss progress, and devise a plan to support the child’s needs for the remainder of the trimester.

35. Gradebook Your student’s grades for all subject areas will be posted in Infinite Campus. Teachers will be writing comments about homework, classwork, and assessments in your child’s comment section in gradebook. This will provide you the opportunity to see the content your child struggled with in all subjects. Please use Infinite Campus as a tool to monitor your child’s progress at Renaissance Academy. Please contact Janet Tuckett, Student Information Manager, at janet.tuckett@rak12.org if you have any questions about Infinite Campus.

36. Class Rules • Code of Conduct • Rules Rainbow: • Keep hands feet and objects to yourself (red rule) • Use kind words (green rule) • Use active listening (blue rule) • Keep it clean (purple rule) • Be Safe (brown rule)

37. 100 % Chart • 100% All students start each day at 100% • One warning will be given until students learn the rules of the classroom. • 90% Warning movement • 80% Cool off sheet to be filled out with teacher. Sent home to parents for signature informing the parent of what went on in class. • 70%-Student sent out of classroom to Buddy Teacher-Phone call home-loss of EOT celebration. Exception: all kindergarten students attend EOT for first trimester. • 60%-Student sent to Lead Teacher-follow-up letter is sent to parents from Lead Teacher. • 50%-Student sent to Principal

38. End of Trimester Celebrations • If your child stays above 70% for the entire trimester, he/she will be able to participate in our End of Trimester (EOT) celebrations!!! Examples of EOT celebrations: 1. Pajama/movie party 2. Magic Show 3. Movie at Colonial Theatre 4. Bounce U

39. Earn Back End of Trimester Celebration If a student moves to 70% on the 100% chart and becomes ineligible to participate in the EOT celebration, the student can earn back the opportunity to participate by not accumulating any additional move downs to any percent for the same reason that he/she moved to 70% for.

40. How to earn Back End of Trimester Celebration • The student will complete restorative practices paperwork to reflect on his/her choices and identify commitments of success. • The student and his/her parent will have a meeting with administration/lead teacher and the teacher of the class that the 70% move down occurred in. • The student will complete a community service project with the teacher that the undesired behavior was with or for the same reason of the move down. • Earn back can only be done once in the trimester. • Students cannot earn back the celebration if they serve an out of school or bus suspension.

41. Positive Rewards and Discipline Policies The kindergarten team believes in rewarding students for positive behavior. Rewards can be in the form of specific targeted praise, treasure box, positive phone call home, caught being goods, class rewards, lunch with teachers, and cheers. These activities build self-esteem in the child and allows school to be a positive experience!

42. Positive Rewards and Discipline Policy There are times when a situation arises that disciplinary actions are needed. Some are dealt with by the teacher and/or lead teacher and others are referred to the Student Support Specialist or Principal. Level 1 and 2 Infractions are dealt with by the teacher and/or lead teacher. Level 3 and higher infractions are dealt with by the Principal and/or Lower School Student Support Specialist.

43. Positive Rewards and Discipline Policy Types of consequences that may be given: Loss of Recess, Loss of End of Trimester Celebration, Community Service, and Out-of school suspension. Please refer to your student handbook for more complete information regarding discipline levels and consequences.

44. Parent & Student Handbook Will be accessible on the school website, www.rak12.org, before the first day of school • Items from Home policy • Dress code • School Attendance • Discipline Policy • Lunch Policy

45. Uniforms

46. Uniform Distributors • Below are school approved stores/locations where uniforms can be purchased/embroidered: • Flynn and O’Hara • Red Ribbon Consignment • Lands End • Frank Jones Sporting Goods • Used Uniform sale-held near the end of school each year. Date of sale this year: June 10, 2016 from 3:30-4:30 pm in the cafeteria. Uniform information was provided at Kindergarten Screening. Additional copies are available in either office.

47. School Supplies These items are due by the first day of school: Thursday, September 1, 2016. Will accept school supplies on Orientation Day, August 25, 2016. A complete list, including the Fine Arts supply list is in your file folder!

48. School Supplies All Supplies are due by Thursday, September 1, 2016 Will accept school supplies on Orientation Day, August 25, 2016. MUST HAVES– These are items that each student is required to purchase for the current school year. • WISH LIST - These are items that are not required to be purchased, but donations of these items would be valuable for general classroom use and would be greatly appreciated. May purchase supplies on your own or order through the School-Kidz program to be delivered directly to your child’s classroom. A sample of the School-Kidz supplies was shown during Kindergarten Screening.

49. School Supplies • Extra clothes & bag • Rest towel & bag • Composition Books • UNIFORM SHIRTS/JACKETS/SWEATERS Things you must put your child’s name on:

50. What to expect….. From your kindergarten student as the year progresses