Tonight we will go over Mrs.

Smiths
ABCs of Kindergartenits everything
you need to know for a wonderful year!
Absences: If your child is absent from school, please send a parent not or a
doctors note explaining their absence for their file. Please include on it the
date(s) that he/she was absent. I will send home any work that is important
for them to make-up. Perfect attendance is for students with NO absences
(excused or unexcused) and NO tardies.
Afterschool: John Milledge provides afterschool care between the hours of
2:45-5:30. You may register through the front office.
Arrival: Students need to arrive at school between 7:45-8:00. If you arrive
after 8:00, please go to the office and sign them in. If you drop off before
7:45, your child will be unsupervised. At this age, thats not a good idea .
We do sometimes arrive a little earlier, but Mrs. Hobbs and I are never here
before 7:30!
Attendance: It is very important for your child to be at school every day.
Each day we learn new skills and add to the skills already studied. Attendance
is important not only academically, but it also teaches your child the
importance of school.
Backpacks: Your child needs to have a backpack that they
can bring to school every day! This will be an important step
to teaching them responsibility and will help them to keep up
with all of their things. It will also be helpful for you to have
a special place at home where your child keeps their backpack
so that they will know where it is in the mornings.
 Behavior PolicyI want every student to be successful in
their learning. In order to provide your child with the
education that they deserve, we will have simple
classroom rules in place. They are
Follow directions.
Keep your body to yourself.
Take care of our things.
Treat others like you want to be treated.
A behavior calendar will come home daily. Students may move
up on our behavior chart for good choices and down for not
following the rules. If they do not move up, it doesnt at all mean
that they did not have a good day! The behavior calendar is color
coded and easy to read.
Behavior Notes: If your child has had a hard time with behavior at
school, a note will be sent home that day in their homework folder. I
may also email you. The note will let you know what rules he/she has
broken, and what consequences were given at school as a result.
Consequences usually consist of missed recess or play time. If I send a
note home, please sign and return it so that I know it was seen.
Birthdays: Birthdays are an exciting part of any childs life and we want
to celebrate your child on their birthday, while at the same time
continuing an environment of learning. If you would like to do something
special your childs birthday, you are welcome to send cookies, cupcakes,
or popsicles to school for your child to pass out to our class after lunch.
(11:20) Please make sure you talk with me about any food that you are
sending and let me know ahead of time, so that I can plan accordingly
and you will be aware of any allergies.
If your child is having a birthday party and wants to pass out
invitations at school they need to invite ALL the boys, ALL the girls, or
the whole class. In order to avoid feelings getting hurt, children will not
be allowed to pass out invitations to only a few children in our class. If
you want to invite only some of the children in our class, please pass out
or mail those invitations outside of school.
Book Orders: We will be sending home Scholastic Book
orders throughout the year. This is a great way to build a
library at home, and it helps our class to earn points to buy
books for our classroom.
Box Tops: We will be saving BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION.
Look on the products that you buy. You can save them and
send them in to school when you have a page full. Your child
may shop at school box top store once a month with the tops
you collect.
Conferences: You are welcome to schedule a conference with
me any time that a need arises. We will also have two
conference days during the year to discuss your childs
progress. If you would like to schedule a conference with me
during these days, you may do so through the lower school
office.
Daycare: If your child will be going to daycare at JMA, make
sure that he/she knows this in advance. We will make sure
that he/she gets on the daycare bus at the end of the school
day.
Dismissal: We will dismiss at 2:45 from the front of the
school. If there is a change in how your child will be
getting home, we must have a note. Your child telling us
is not sufficient.
Early Dismissal: Occasionally, we have early dismissal days. You will be given
directions on what to do for these days as those situations arise.
Eating: We will eat lunch at school at 10:45am. Please make sure that your
child brings a lunch, or send money for lunch. A plate is $3.49 and milk only is
50 cents. If you send your childs lunch to school in a lunchbox, please make
sure that it is well labeled. There are no carbonated beverages or peanut
products allowed in the lunchroom. Please help your child decide at home
whether they will buy or bring their lunch that day. If they bring a lunchbox,
but think they can change their mind to plate later it makes it a difficult
transition getting to the lunchroom.
Email: Email is one of the best ways to communicate with me during the school
day. I check my email first thing in the morning and right before the students
leave each day. My email is [email protected].
Fun: I want kindergarten to be an educational and FUN time
for your child. I feel that learning can be FUN!
Fundraisers: Throughout the year PTO may be sponsoring
fundraisers. Your participation will be greatly appreciated!
Gifts: Please refrain from sending gifts to school. These will
be better given at another time, that way we will avoid
hurting other childrens feelings.
Homework: We will be having homework every night except Wednesday and
Friday night. Homework is a great way for you to see what we are doing at
school and also a time for your child to reinforce the skills that we are
learning. It might be helpful for you to have a homework spot at home where
you and your child can work on his/her homework together.
Homework Folders: Your child will be given a homework folder at the beginning
of the year. They will not be given another one, so please keep up with it. The
homework folder will be how I send information home to you, so please check it
every night (even on Wednesday and Friday). Homework folders are also a
great way for you to send information to me. We will check these every
morning, so please take advantage of this great communication tool. We will
not be checking their backpacks for things, so anything you want us to see
needs to be in this folder.
Handwriting: students will be learning the DNealian handwriting style, which
focuses on the correct formation of letters and will make the transition to
cursive writing easier. You will be given a copy of the DNealian alphabet so
that you can help your child with the correct formations.
Illness: Please do not send your child to school if they are
sick. This includes if they have run a fever in the last 24
hours or if they have had an upset stomach in the past 24
hours. We want to cut down on the spreading of germs and
we need your help to do that.
Journals: Students will be writing in journals. This is a great
way for them to make letter sound connections and learn to
sound out words. The journal is another way for you to see
their growth throughout the year. We will be sending them
home at the end of the year and they will be something that
you will want to keep!
Jackets: As it gets cooler, please send your child to school
with a jacket or a coat. Make sure that it has their name
written in the tag so if it gets misplaced we will be able to
return it to the correct child.
Kindergarten: Kindergarten is a great time for your child.
We will be learning a lot this year and your child will be
growing and developing at a fast rate. I hope that you will
take time to enjoy your child during this important
developmental stage.
Lunch: We have limited space in the cafeteria, so
unfortunately it is difficult for guests to come for lunch. If
you would like to visit your child on a special day, please let
me know so I may make arrangements for you.
Math: In math we will be combining hands-on learning with
our math workbooks. The combination of the two will teach
students that math is something that we do every day, not
just at a certain time of the day, on a certain page in a math
book. Our math concepts include number identification,
shapes, graphs, basic addition and subtraction, money, and
telling time.
Music: We will go to Music every Thursday with Mrs. Bishop.
Media Center: We will have story time with Mrs. Simpson
every Monday in the library.
Notes: Feel free to communicate with me through notes in
your childs homework folder. I will be sending notes home to
you that way as well, so dont forget to check it nightly.
Outside: We will be going outside daily, weather permitting.
Please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately for
the weather, and he/she has on appropriate footwear
(preferably tennis shoes.)
Parties: we will have parties throughout the year. These are
something that the children always look forward to and enjoy.
You are welcome to come to any of our parties.

P.E.: We have Physical Education every Tuesday. It is

very important that your child wear tennis shoes for P.E.!
Questions: Please feel free to talk with me through email
([email protected]), letter, phone, or in person if you
have any questions or concerns.
Quality Education: I want to ensure that your child receives
a quality education and has a good school experience. If you
feel that your child is not getting the education that he/she
needs, please feel free to talk with me.
Reading: We make reading an important part of our day.
Each week we will focus on a story. In addition, we will be
reading throughout the day and sending books home for you
to read together.
Report Cards: I will be sending home report cards the first
and third nine weeks. You may view the mid-year and end of
the year reports online. Please take the time to review it
with your child and discuss their progress. You will need to
sign the report card and return it the next day.
Shoes: Please make sure that your child wears shoes that
they can run and play in, preferably shoes that will not come
off easily and close toed. Tennis shoes are always a good
choice (and required for P.E. on Thursday!)
Take Home Projects: Occasionally, your child will bring home
a take home project. These will be activities that you and
your child can complete together and return to school.
Underwear: Accidents do happen! Please make sure that your
child has a change of clothes in their backpack just in case.
Vacations: Throughout the school year we will be taking
breaks. If your family goes on vacation during this time,
please let your child bring something in to share with us from
your vacation.
Webpage: Our class has a webpage! It is a great way to keep
up with what is happening in our room. You can access the
webpage at [email protected].
ZZZZZs: Please make sure that your child gets enough sleep
every night. It is important for their brain to be well rested
when they arrive at school.
 Our Daily Schedule
7:45-8:15 Morning Work
8:10-8:15 Restroom Break
8:15-9:00 Morning Meeting, Calendar
9:00-9:30 Phonics
9:30-10:00 Literacy Centers
10:00-10:30 Morning Recess
10:30-10:45 Restroom Break/ Seat work
10:45-11:15 Lunch
11:30-12:00 Shared Reading/ Literacy Concept Activity
12:00-12:50 Math Lesson/ Math Centers
12:50-1:20 Specials
1:20-2:00 Snack/ Afternoon recess
2:00-2:30 Writers Workshop/ Journals
2:45 Dismissal

Storytime: Monday 11:30-12:00 P.E.: Tuesday 12:50-1:20

Music: Thursday 12:50-1:20
 Thanks again for attending
Kindergarten Parent Night!
We look forward to partnering with you to make this year an
awesome experience for your child. Kindergarten lays the
ground work for them to become successful students for
many years to come!