Kindergarten Handbook
Welcome to Kindergarten!
I am looking forward to getting to know you and your child! This handbook may answer some of the questions you may have and will be a good future reference.
Kindergarten is a year of growing socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. Your involvement, interest, and enthusiasm will help make this a wonderful year of growth for you and your child.
A child's first and most important teacher is his or her parents. Communication between parents and teachers is essential. Please call or send a note or email if you have a question or concern.
Take a moment to imagine the kindergarten world: letters, numbers, stories, sharing blocks, puzzles, play, paint and play dough. Imagination and creativity are everywhere. As you talk with your child about their day and celebrate their best effort on the work they do, remember that Kindergarten is a "child's garden." Many times the process is more important than the product, and learning is accomplished by doing, touching, and experiencing.
Before School Starts…….
• I have had my immunizations and they are on file in the Medina office before school starts
• I must be five years old on or before August 1st
• I have let the office know of any special medical concerns that I may have (allergies, etc.)
Here are some helpful things for
your child to know at the beginning
of the school year:
• Knowing how to tie shoes independently
• Tending to bathroom needs alone
• Knowing how to put on and take off outdoor clothing
• Knowing how to zip, snap, and button clothes independently
• -knowing how to hold a pencil correctly
• -knowing how to hold and use scissors to cut
• -knowing how to squirt glue out of a bottle
• -printing their name with a capital at the beginning
• -counting 1-30 and naming numerals 1-20
• -recognizing the 8 basic colors and 4 basic shapes
• -recite the alphabet
• -recognizing letter names and sounds
Parent/Teacher Relationship:
I believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success. Cooperation between home and school will enable your child to do and learn many new and exciting things throughout the upcoming year. During the school year, I will communicate with you through a weekly newsletter sent home on Fridays, notes, telephone calls, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. You may call me at school 701-486-3121, send a note with your child, or email me at [email protected] . I promise to get back to you as soon as possible!
Class Hours:
School will begin at 8:40 a.m. and dismiss at 3:10 p.m. When your child arrives in the morning, he/she should go to the playground or lunch room for breakfast.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Milk Fees:
School lunches, breakfast, and special milk are available for Kindergarten children. The cost of each is to be determined per month. Your family might be eligible for free or reduced meal prices. The School encourages all families to complete the free or reduced meal application. Once the form has been filled out, you may return it to the school office. Please stop by the school office before school begins to pay for your child’s meal(s) and special milk. Special milk tickets are five dollars for 20 milks which is one milk ticket.
Changes in Transportation:
If you plan to pick up a child who normally rides the bus, or if your child is going home with someone, they do not usually go home with, please send a written note or phone call. If we do not receive a written note or a phone call, then I must send your child home by his/her usual mode of transportation. Please do not expect your Kindergartener to relay this information to us. Please send it in a note/call instead!
Outdoor Recess:
Children will be going out for recess every day unless it is raining or extremely cold. Please keep this in mind when helping your child to select clothing for the day. It is extremely important to have your child’s shoes, coats, gloves, hats, snow pants, boots, and other clothing items labeled. This saves on time and hurt feelings when something accidentally is misplaced or turned into lost and found.
Snack:
Each day we will have a snack break. Our school was lucky enough to get a Fruit and Vegetable Grant. Each day students will get a chance to try and explore new fruits and veggies for snack time. If you choose to send your child with a snack, you are encouraged to send a HEALTHY snack! When sending snack, please keep in mind we only have 10 minutes for snack break.
Money:
It may be necessary for your child to bring money to school occasionally. Always send money in a sealed envelope with the following information written on it:
• Your child’s first and last name
• The purpose of money (lunch money, book money, etc.)
• My name
This helps me out tremendously and reduces the likelihood of errors. Also, if the envelope is left on the bus or dropped in the hallway, this information will help the money to be returned to our classroom.
Rest Time:
Each afternoon following lunch we will have a quiet rest time in our classroom. Each child is asked to bring a beach towel or small blanket labeled with his/her name, to lie on while we rest.
Birthdays:
Birthdays are a special day for everyone! When you are a child, they are REALLY special! We are happy to celebrate birthdays during snack time. If you wish, you may send a special treat with your child on that day. Please try to send napkins, plates or anything else that we may need in order to have your child’s special treat! Also, please do not send the invitations to school! Our School Policy is that you do not send them to school, but ask that they be mailed or delivered personally to the child’s home.
Illness:
The question of when to keep your child home from school is often a difficult one, especially when decisions must be made first thing in the morning and arrangements for them to be taken care of. It is very important to keep your child home if he/she is ill, please don’t just send them to try it out, it is hard to get away to call you when I have a classroom full of children.
Keeping your child home helps to make them more comfortable and prevents others in our school and classroom from becoming ill and missing instruction. If your child does have an illness, please let the school know right away, especially if we need to send home an exposure sheet.
Gym:
We will have gym class with Mr.Newman EVERY DAY! Your child will need to have their inside tennis shoes for gym class and be dressed for activities, movement, and games. They need to be able to tie themselves or have Velcro shoes!
Music:
We will have music with Mrs. Rau.
Library:
We will have library once a week with Mrs. Heupel. We also have Bookmobile once a month where the students are able to check out 5 Books or 4 Books and 1 Video. I will be sending home an orange bookmobile form to sign so that your child may check out books from them. There is also a note on the back stating whether or not you would like your child to check out videos as well.
Conferences:
There will be two set conference times during the year. You will receive your child’s report card at these two times and will have a chance to visit with me about how your child is progressing in the Kindergarten curriculum. Do not hesitate to contact me for questions or concerns you can call the school 486-3121 or email [email protected] anytime!
Discipline:
To establish good order and help the children learn self-control, the children will be guided to respect themselves and their companions through specific directions, positive reinforcements, suggested new activities and responsible actions. Our main classroom goals are to have everyone treated kindly, fairly, and respectfully at all times. There is also more information in the Medina School Handbook.
“Bee-havior”:
Just as bees need to work together to make the most honey possible, our class members will need to work together so that all students can learn as much as possible. This is why our Beehive will monitor student behavior in Kindergarten. Students will be asked to move their bee out of the class hive if they exhibit behavior that is detrimental to the class-learning environment.
Each time a student is asked to move their bee, they will move further and further away from the class hive. Students can get back in to the hive by changing their behavior.
Book Orders:
Every month I will send home book order forms for you and your child to look over. These clubs offer wonderful books at reduced prices – what a great way to build your home library! For every book that you and your child order, the class gets points to order free books to put into our classroom library. It is a win – win situation. If you choose to order, you may send a check, not cash payable to Scholastic book clubs or you can order online by signing up at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
On the parent page, click the “Register” button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code GPMJM. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me. Select the books you’d like to order. Send your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to our classroom.
Kindergarten News:
Every Friday, you will receive the Kindergarten News. This newsletter provides valuable information about what to expect each week (what we are covering in math, science, and language arts). It also has many important reminders, announcements, and special activities that we have planned. Please make sure you read the Kindergarten News and share the information with your child.
• Please be sure to check your child’s backpack each day, as important papers are sent home, and notices on things needed in class. We will try to send our papers home in our “home pocket” so they are not crumpled.
• Please send items that need to be given to me back in the “to school pocket” so that we are able to find them.
I am looking forward to getting to know you and your child! This handbook may answer some of the questions you may have and will be a good future reference.
Kindergarten is a year of growing socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. Your involvement, interest, and enthusiasm will help make this a wonderful year of growth for you and your child.
A child's first and most important teacher is his or her parents. Communication between parents and teachers is essential. Please call or send a note or email if you have a question or concern.
Take a moment to imagine the kindergarten world: letters, numbers, stories, sharing blocks, puzzles, play, paint and play dough. Imagination and creativity are everywhere. As you talk with your child about their day and celebrate their best effort on the work they do, remember that Kindergarten is a "child's garden." Many times the process is more important than the product, and learning is accomplished by doing, touching, and experiencing.
Before School Starts…….
• I have had my immunizations and they are on file in the Medina office before school starts
• I must be five years old on or before August 1st
• I have let the office know of any special medical concerns that I may have (allergies, etc.)
Here are some helpful things for
your child to know at the beginning
of the school year:
• Knowing how to tie shoes independently
• Tending to bathroom needs alone
• Knowing how to put on and take off outdoor clothing
• Knowing how to zip, snap, and button clothes independently
• -knowing how to hold a pencil correctly
• -knowing how to hold and use scissors to cut
• -knowing how to squirt glue out of a bottle
• -printing their name with a capital at the beginning
• -counting 1-30 and naming numerals 1-20
• -recognizing the 8 basic colors and 4 basic shapes
• -recite the alphabet
• -recognizing letter names and sounds
Parent/Teacher Relationship:
I believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success. Cooperation between home and school will enable your child to do and learn many new and exciting things throughout the upcoming year. During the school year, I will communicate with you through a weekly newsletter sent home on Fridays, notes, telephone calls, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. You may call me at school 701-486-3121, send a note with your child, or email me at [email protected] . I promise to get back to you as soon as possible!
Class Hours:
School will begin at 8:40 a.m. and dismiss at 3:10 p.m. When your child arrives in the morning, he/she should go to the playground or lunch room for breakfast.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Milk Fees:
School lunches, breakfast, and special milk are available for Kindergarten children. The cost of each is to be determined per month. Your family might be eligible for free or reduced meal prices. The School encourages all families to complete the free or reduced meal application. Once the form has been filled out, you may return it to the school office. Please stop by the school office before school begins to pay for your child’s meal(s) and special milk. Special milk tickets are five dollars for 20 milks which is one milk ticket.
Changes in Transportation:
If you plan to pick up a child who normally rides the bus, or if your child is going home with someone, they do not usually go home with, please send a written note or phone call. If we do not receive a written note or a phone call, then I must send your child home by his/her usual mode of transportation. Please do not expect your Kindergartener to relay this information to us. Please send it in a note/call instead!
Outdoor Recess:
Children will be going out for recess every day unless it is raining or extremely cold. Please keep this in mind when helping your child to select clothing for the day. It is extremely important to have your child’s shoes, coats, gloves, hats, snow pants, boots, and other clothing items labeled. This saves on time and hurt feelings when something accidentally is misplaced or turned into lost and found.
Snack:
Each day we will have a snack break. Our school was lucky enough to get a Fruit and Vegetable Grant. Each day students will get a chance to try and explore new fruits and veggies for snack time. If you choose to send your child with a snack, you are encouraged to send a HEALTHY snack! When sending snack, please keep in mind we only have 10 minutes for snack break.
Money:
It may be necessary for your child to bring money to school occasionally. Always send money in a sealed envelope with the following information written on it:
• Your child’s first and last name
• The purpose of money (lunch money, book money, etc.)
• My name
This helps me out tremendously and reduces the likelihood of errors. Also, if the envelope is left on the bus or dropped in the hallway, this information will help the money to be returned to our classroom.
Rest Time:
Each afternoon following lunch we will have a quiet rest time in our classroom. Each child is asked to bring a beach towel or small blanket labeled with his/her name, to lie on while we rest.
Birthdays:
Birthdays are a special day for everyone! When you are a child, they are REALLY special! We are happy to celebrate birthdays during snack time. If you wish, you may send a special treat with your child on that day. Please try to send napkins, plates or anything else that we may need in order to have your child’s special treat! Also, please do not send the invitations to school! Our School Policy is that you do not send them to school, but ask that they be mailed or delivered personally to the child’s home.
Illness:
The question of when to keep your child home from school is often a difficult one, especially when decisions must be made first thing in the morning and arrangements for them to be taken care of. It is very important to keep your child home if he/she is ill, please don’t just send them to try it out, it is hard to get away to call you when I have a classroom full of children.
Keeping your child home helps to make them more comfortable and prevents others in our school and classroom from becoming ill and missing instruction. If your child does have an illness, please let the school know right away, especially if we need to send home an exposure sheet.
Gym:
We will have gym class with Mr.Newman EVERY DAY! Your child will need to have their inside tennis shoes for gym class and be dressed for activities, movement, and games. They need to be able to tie themselves or have Velcro shoes!
Music:
We will have music with Mrs. Rau.
Library:
We will have library once a week with Mrs. Heupel. We also have Bookmobile once a month where the students are able to check out 5 Books or 4 Books and 1 Video. I will be sending home an orange bookmobile form to sign so that your child may check out books from them. There is also a note on the back stating whether or not you would like your child to check out videos as well.
Conferences:
There will be two set conference times during the year. You will receive your child’s report card at these two times and will have a chance to visit with me about how your child is progressing in the Kindergarten curriculum. Do not hesitate to contact me for questions or concerns you can call the school 486-3121 or email [email protected] anytime!
Discipline:
To establish good order and help the children learn self-control, the children will be guided to respect themselves and their companions through specific directions, positive reinforcements, suggested new activities and responsible actions. Our main classroom goals are to have everyone treated kindly, fairly, and respectfully at all times. There is also more information in the Medina School Handbook.
“Bee-havior”:
Just as bees need to work together to make the most honey possible, our class members will need to work together so that all students can learn as much as possible. This is why our Beehive will monitor student behavior in Kindergarten. Students will be asked to move their bee out of the class hive if they exhibit behavior that is detrimental to the class-learning environment.
Each time a student is asked to move their bee, they will move further and further away from the class hive. Students can get back in to the hive by changing their behavior.
Book Orders:
Every month I will send home book order forms for you and your child to look over. These clubs offer wonderful books at reduced prices – what a great way to build your home library! For every book that you and your child order, the class gets points to order free books to put into our classroom library. It is a win – win situation. If you choose to order, you may send a check, not cash payable to Scholastic book clubs or you can order online by signing up at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
On the parent page, click the “Register” button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code GPMJM. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me. Select the books you’d like to order. Send your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to our classroom.
Kindergarten News:
Every Friday, you will receive the Kindergarten News. This newsletter provides valuable information about what to expect each week (what we are covering in math, science, and language arts). It also has many important reminders, announcements, and special activities that we have planned. Please make sure you read the Kindergarten News and share the information with your child.
• Please be sure to check your child’s backpack each day, as important papers are sent home, and notices on things needed in class. We will try to send our papers home in our “home pocket” so they are not crumpled.
• Please send items that need to be given to me back in the “to school pocket” so that we are able to find them.