Dear Parents,
I am thrilled to be your child's teacher for this school year and look forward to a productive year.
As your child's first teachers, you have provided a highly successful learning environment for them in your home. Now your child will be entering into a new learning partnership with me and the other children in our classroom. As we learn together this year, I hope to build upon the experiences you have begun at home by providing an equally safe and challenging environment at school.
One of the most important things we can do to fully develop the strengths that your child brings to our classroom is to communicate regularly. In an effort to initiate this process, this handbook was prepared to inform you of the classroom policies and procedures. Should questions or concerns arise as the year progresses, please feel free to call. The best times to reach me are before school between 8:15 and 8:30, at lunch between 11:45 and 12:15, or after school between 3:30 and 4:00. The school number is 720-886-2800.
Sincerely,
Your Kindergarten Teacher
General Class Schedule- A.M. Kindergarten
8:45-8:55 Opening, Attendance
8:55-9:25 Specials: Music, P.E., and Art
9:30-10:00 Literacy Block
1st Rotation centers, reading groups
10:00-10:30 Writer’s Workshop
10:30-11:00 Math Block/Science/Social Studies
Calendar
Show and Tell
Weather, graphing, counting, place value, patterning
Letter, word, sentence recognition
11:00-11:30 Literacy Block
2nd Rotation centers, reading groups
11:30-11:35 Story time and preparation to go home
General Class Schedule- P.M. Kindergarten
12:25-12:30 Opening, Attendance
12:30-1:00 Literacy Block
1st Rotation centers, reading groups
1:00-1:30 Writer’s Workshop
1:30-2:00 Math Block/Science/Social Studies
Calendar
Show and Tell
Weather, graphing, counting, place value, patterning
Letter, word, sentence recognition
2:00-2:30 Literacy Block
2nd Rotation centers, reading groups
2:30-3:00 Specials: Music, P.E., and Art
3:00-3:15 Story time and preparation to go home
Attendance
The morning runs from 8:45 to 10:35. The afternoon runs from 12:25-3:15. Students leave through the door right outside the classroom. Children are NOT allowed to play on the playground before school. If your child will be absent or late, please let the office know at 720-886-2800. After 8:50 or 12:30, late students will need to enter the building through the front door and check in at the office before joining the class. Teachers will bring the students into the school at 8:40 and 12:35. Attendance is imperative for success in school. Please keep in mind that a great deal of learning takes place during the first fifteen minutes. An excessive amount of absences and/or tardies will result in a letter from the school to notify you of the problem.
Communication
Communication is the key to providing an optimal learning environment. Parents and teachers working together will create the link necessary to foster this environment. Listed below are the various ways I will let you know what is happening in our classroom. In the event you are not receiving the communication items listed in this handbook, please contact me.
Student Progress
Progress reports are sent home 2nd and 3rd trimester. Parent/Teacher conferences are held 1st and 2nd trimester and additional conferences may be scheduled at anytime during the year to discuss your child's progress. Periodic phone conferences may also be used to communicate your child's progress.
Friday Folders
Please look for your child's Friday Folder every Friday. You may find:
· Classroom Newsletter
· Notes for upcoming events
· Homework
· Community Flyers
· Classroom work
Note: Please empty the Friday Folder and return it to school the next school day with any important communication from home.
Volunteers
I welcome volunteers and visitors. If you wish to visit anytime throughout the year, give the office or me a call, drop me a note, or just stop by. Please understand that I may not be able to talk with you in depth at that time because the children are my priority. There are many ways that you can contribute your time and talents. Parents are encouraged to help in the classroom, assist at parties or field trips, or do a special task at home.
Clips
A "clip" is a clothespin with your child's name on it. When he is finished with his work, he may take the clip and "clip up" at a center of his choice. If the clip is left up at the end of the day, it is lost for the next day and he must choose an activity that can be played at his seat. Inappropriate behavior will also result in the loss of a clip for a day.
Show and Tell
For the first part of the year, show and tell consists of an item that begins with a letter of the alphabet. Each child will be assigned a day of the week for show and tell, and unless he is absent on that day, he will not be allowed to make up his show and tell.
Birthday
Your child will be recognized on his/her special day in class. If your child wants the class to share in the celebration, treats may be sent. Treats should be limited to snacks such as cookies, Rice Krispie bars, fruit roll-ups, etc. Box drinks are acceptable. Please do not send party invitations to school for distribution unless you are inviting the entire class. This causes hurt feelings for those children not receiving an invitation. Please be aware that we are unable to provide names, phone numbers, or addresses due to district policy.
Recess
Recess is not a daily event and is usually done on an "as needed" basis.
Book Orders
Periodically, your child will receive a book order form. I encourage you to take advantage of the excellent literature selections as well as the affordable prices. Return the order form along with a check MADE PAYABLE TO THE BOOK CLUB by the date indicated on the form.
Specials: Library :Your child will go to the library once a week to check out a book.
Art, Music, Thunderbird 101, and P.E.
Dress Code
Modesty, cleanliness, neatness and appropriateness are the standards that should be observed by all students in their personal dress and grooming. Each student is expected to follow these guidelines.
• Hair: Extreme styles (e.g. hair dyed orange or blue, Mohawk, etc.) that might disrupt normal school procedures will not be allowed. Hats, caps, or visors may be worn outside only.
• Shirts: No see-through, mesh clothing, halter tops, over-sized tops, tube tops, strapless tops, spaghetti straps, low cut blouses or shirts or any other clothing which might reveal a large portion of the body are not allowed. Bare midriffs are not to be shown.
• Shorts and pants: Students are permitted to wear shorts, skorts, skirts, and dresses that are fingertip length. Low-rider, baggy and over-sized pants and tops are not allowed.
• Shoes: No skate-shoes, or bare feet are allowed. Students need to wear appropriate footwear for gym class and for cold weather.
• Miscellaneous: Wallet chains, watch chains or chains of any kind are prohibited. Earrings/ear jewelry worn on the ear is permitted. Clothing that contains pictures, emblems or writings that are suggestive, lewd, offensive, vulgar, or obscene, that advertise or depict tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or any other substances that are associated with gangs or that promote racism are prohibited under District policy.
"Special Days" on which special dress is permitted will be approved by the administration.
One simple guideline: If you are questioning whether apparel might be unacceptable, don't wear it to school.
Homework
1. Back and Forth Reading Book
One part of your child's homework consists of small reading books inside a zip-lock bag. Starting on a Monday, two or more books will be given to each child at the beginning of the year in a book bag. There will be directions inside the bag explaining how to read with your child. Please spend 10-15 minutes nightly. Repeated oral reading substantially improves word recognition, fluency and accuracy. If your child’s reading does not sound like talking, model correct fluency and have your child try to echo the way you read. There is a parent sign-in sheet in the baggie. Please write the titles of the books in the appropriate space and initial the days your child reads. The BACK AND FORTH READING BOOK BAGGIE needs to be returned to school on Friday and will be handed out the following Monday. THESE BOOKS CANNOT BE REPLACED IF THEY ARE LOST OR DESTROYED SO PLEASE HELP YOUR CHILD TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY. These books belong toArrowhead and are used to teach reading to all students.The cost of an unreturned or damaged book is $5.00. We cannot stress enough, the value of this daily reading. Those families, who follow through, will see their child reading by the end of kindergarten.
2. Weekly Practice Sheets (Homework)
These practice sheets will be a reinforcement of skills that have been taught in class and should be corrected before they are returned to school.
Language Arts Topics
Mastered by end of Kindergarten:
Identifies, predicts and produces rhyming words
Able to match pictures that rhyme
Claps to show numbers of words per sentence
Able to match pictures with same beginning sound
Identifies beginning sound of a word
Tells a word that starts with a given sound
Identifies, by name, all upper and lower case letters
Knows the sounds of all consonants
Understands that each sound is represented by a letter
Uses pictures as an aid to recognizing words and understanding meaning
Writes first name correctly using lower case letters
Writes simple stories with a beginning, middle, and end
Demonstrates that books are read front to back, left to right, top to bottom
Can match finger to each word when reading
Demonstrates a return sweep on the second line of print
Can read own name in isolation or embedded in print
Understands that letters make up words (ie: uses magnetic letters to construct names or words)
Begins to develop a sight word vocabulary
Reads at least at Level 3
Exposed to fiction, non-fiction, maps, dictionaries, encyclopedias, reference materials
Social Studies Topics for Kindergarten
Africa
All About Me
Farms and Family Traditions
Current Events (integrated throughout the year)
Introduction to globes and maps
Science Topics for Kindergarten
Unit A- Characteristics of Living Things
Unit B- Exploring With the Senses
Unit C- Looking at the Earth and Sky
Unit D- Pushes and Pulls
Unit E- Body Parts
Math Topics for Kindergarten
Number Relationships (*Mastered by end of Kindergarten)
Counts to 20 using real objects
Counts orally to 100
Recognizes numerals 0-50
Matches a quantity of objects with corresponding numerals
Writes numerals 0-100
Explores ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, etc.)
Recognizes pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters
Demonstrates an understanding of fair shares
Adds and subtracts using manipulatives
Counts by 2, 5, 10
Geometry and Measurement
Identifies and explores circle, triangle, rectangle, square, oval, rhombus
Explores geometric solids
Explores positional vocabulary
(left, right, top, bottom, middle, above, below, outside, inside,
front, back, on, beside, over)
Explores and sorts objects by more than one attribute such as color, size, shape, thickness, use
Explores and uses vocabulary to describe size and shapes such as larger, smaller, taller, shorter
Explores and orders objects by their length from shortest to longest and reverse
Explores the concept of volume
Explores and compares the capacity of different containers
Explores and uses vocabulary (hot, cold, warm) to compare temperature
Explores and uses concepts of time such as season, month,
day/night, sequence of events
Reads time to the hour using face clock
Probability and Statistics
Answers simple questions about data displayed on a graph
Completes a simple graph on paper
Explores mathematical thinking using pictures
Explores and makes predictions (what will happen, what will not happen, what can't we be sure about)
Explores the terminology row, column, key, tally
Explores estimation
Patterns, Functions and Algebra
Copies, creates and extends simple patterns
Explains a pattern orally
Records patterns on paper
Describes the changes that occur in patterns
Explores equality
Explores fractions
Things to Practice
The most important activity you can do with your child is to read. I know you have heard this over and over, but it is true. Have your child read their book to you and then you can read a book of their choice aloud. Keep it light and fun!
• Birth date
• Say the alphabet in sequence
• Recognize letters out of sequence
• Reading - using finger, pictures and word patterns
• Sight words - the, and, I, a, me
• Writing - grocery lists, notes to friends or relatives
• Note the difference between letters and words
• Math - money, measurement, addition, subtraction
• Practice these in your daily life, in the car or at the store. If it is an item that needs to be practiced at the table, keep it short, 5-10 minutes should be plenty.
Back to School
Kindergarten Handbook
Arrowhead Elementary
I am thrilled to be your child's teacher for this school year and look forward to a productive year.
As your child's first teachers, you have provided a highly successful learning environment for them in your home. Now your child will be entering into a new learning partnership with me and the other children in our classroom. As we learn together this year, I hope to build upon the experiences you have begun at home by providing an equally safe and challenging environment at school.
One of the most important things we can do to fully develop the strengths that your child brings to our classroom is to communicate regularly. In an effort to initiate this process, this handbook was prepared to inform you of the classroom policies and procedures. Should questions or concerns arise as the year progresses, please feel free to call. The best times to reach me are before school between 8:15 and 8:30, at lunch between 11:45 and 12:15, or after school between 3:30 and 4:00. The school number is 720-886-2800.
Sincerely,
Your Kindergarten Teacher
General Class Schedule- A.M. Kindergarten
8:45-8:55 Opening, Attendance
8:55-9:25 Specials: Music, P.E., and Art
9:30-10:00 Literacy Block
1st Rotation centers, reading groups
10:00-10:30 Writer’s Workshop
10:30-11:00 Math Block/Science/Social Studies
Calendar
Show and Tell
Weather, graphing, counting, place value, patterning
Letter, word, sentence recognition
11:00-11:30 Literacy Block
2nd Rotation centers, reading groups
11:30-11:35 Story time and preparation to go home
General Class Schedule- P.M. Kindergarten
12:25-12:30 Opening, Attendance
12:30-1:00 Literacy Block
1st Rotation centers, reading groups
1:00-1:30 Writer’s Workshop
1:30-2:00 Math Block/Science/Social Studies
Calendar
Show and Tell
Weather, graphing, counting, place value, patterning
Letter, word, sentence recognition
2:00-2:30 Literacy Block
2nd Rotation centers, reading groups
2:30-3:00 Specials: Music, P.E., and Art
3:00-3:15 Story time and preparation to go home
Attendance
The morning runs from 8:45 to 10:35. The afternoon runs from 12:25-3:15. Students leave through the door right outside the classroom. Children are NOT allowed to play on the playground before school. If your child will be absent or late, please let the office know at 720-886-2800. After 8:50 or 12:30, late students will need to enter the building through the front door and check in at the office before joining the class. Teachers will bring the students into the school at 8:40 and 12:35. Attendance is imperative for success in school. Please keep in mind that a great deal of learning takes place during the first fifteen minutes. An excessive amount of absences and/or tardies will result in a letter from the school to notify you of the problem.
Communication
Communication is the key to providing an optimal learning environment. Parents and teachers working together will create the link necessary to foster this environment. Listed below are the various ways I will let you know what is happening in our classroom. In the event you are not receiving the communication items listed in this handbook, please contact me.
Student Progress
Progress reports are sent home 2nd and 3rd trimester. Parent/Teacher conferences are held 1st and 2nd trimester and additional conferences may be scheduled at anytime during the year to discuss your child's progress. Periodic phone conferences may also be used to communicate your child's progress.
Friday Folders
Please look for your child's Friday Folder every Friday. You may find:
· Classroom Newsletter
· Notes for upcoming events
· Homework
· Community Flyers
· Classroom work
Note: Please empty the Friday Folder and return it to school the next school day with any important communication from home.
Volunteers
I welcome volunteers and visitors. If you wish to visit anytime throughout the year, give the office or me a call, drop me a note, or just stop by. Please understand that I may not be able to talk with you in depth at that time because the children are my priority. There are many ways that you can contribute your time and talents. Parents are encouraged to help in the classroom, assist at parties or field trips, or do a special task at home.
Clips
A "clip" is a clothespin with your child's name on it. When he is finished with his work, he may take the clip and "clip up" at a center of his choice. If the clip is left up at the end of the day, it is lost for the next day and he must choose an activity that can be played at his seat. Inappropriate behavior will also result in the loss of a clip for a day.
Show and Tell
For the first part of the year, show and tell consists of an item that begins with a letter of the alphabet. Each child will be assigned a day of the week for show and tell, and unless he is absent on that day, he will not be allowed to make up his show and tell.
Birthday
Your child will be recognized on his/her special day in class. If your child wants the class to share in the celebration, treats may be sent. Treats should be limited to snacks such as cookies, Rice Krispie bars, fruit roll-ups, etc. Box drinks are acceptable. Please do not send party invitations to school for distribution unless you are inviting the entire class. This causes hurt feelings for those children not receiving an invitation. Please be aware that we are unable to provide names, phone numbers, or addresses due to district policy.
Recess
Recess is not a daily event and is usually done on an "as needed" basis.
Book Orders
Periodically, your child will receive a book order form. I encourage you to take advantage of the excellent literature selections as well as the affordable prices. Return the order form along with a check MADE PAYABLE TO THE BOOK CLUB by the date indicated on the form.
Specials: Library :Your child will go to the library once a week to check out a book.
Art, Music, Thunderbird 101, and P.E.
Dress Code
Modesty, cleanliness, neatness and appropriateness are the standards that should be observed by all students in their personal dress and grooming. Each student is expected to follow these guidelines.
• Hair: Extreme styles (e.g. hair dyed orange or blue, Mohawk, etc.) that might disrupt normal school procedures will not be allowed. Hats, caps, or visors may be worn outside only.
• Shirts: No see-through, mesh clothing, halter tops, over-sized tops, tube tops, strapless tops, spaghetti straps, low cut blouses or shirts or any other clothing which might reveal a large portion of the body are not allowed. Bare midriffs are not to be shown.
• Shorts and pants: Students are permitted to wear shorts, skorts, skirts, and dresses that are fingertip length. Low-rider, baggy and over-sized pants and tops are not allowed.
• Shoes: No skate-shoes, or bare feet are allowed. Students need to wear appropriate footwear for gym class and for cold weather.
• Miscellaneous: Wallet chains, watch chains or chains of any kind are prohibited. Earrings/ear jewelry worn on the ear is permitted. Clothing that contains pictures, emblems or writings that are suggestive, lewd, offensive, vulgar, or obscene, that advertise or depict tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or any other substances that are associated with gangs or that promote racism are prohibited under District policy.
"Special Days" on which special dress is permitted will be approved by the administration.
One simple guideline: If you are questioning whether apparel might be unacceptable, don't wear it to school.
Homework
1. Back and Forth Reading Book
One part of your child's homework consists of small reading books inside a zip-lock bag. Starting on a Monday, two or more books will be given to each child at the beginning of the year in a book bag. There will be directions inside the bag explaining how to read with your child. Please spend 10-15 minutes nightly. Repeated oral reading substantially improves word recognition, fluency and accuracy. If your child’s reading does not sound like talking, model correct fluency and have your child try to echo the way you read. There is a parent sign-in sheet in the baggie. Please write the titles of the books in the appropriate space and initial the days your child reads. The BACK AND FORTH READING BOOK BAGGIE needs to be returned to school on Friday and will be handed out the following Monday. THESE BOOKS CANNOT BE REPLACED IF THEY ARE LOST OR DESTROYED SO PLEASE HELP YOUR CHILD TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY. These books belong toArrowhead and are used to teach reading to all students.The cost of an unreturned or damaged book is $5.00. We cannot stress enough, the value of this daily reading. Those families, who follow through, will see their child reading by the end of kindergarten.
2. Weekly Practice Sheets (Homework)
These practice sheets will be a reinforcement of skills that have been taught in class and should be corrected before they are returned to school.
Language Arts Topics
Mastered by end of Kindergarten:
Identifies, predicts and produces rhyming words
Able to match pictures that rhyme
Claps to show numbers of words per sentence
Able to match pictures with same beginning sound
Identifies beginning sound of a word
Tells a word that starts with a given sound
Identifies, by name, all upper and lower case letters
Knows the sounds of all consonants
Understands that each sound is represented by a letter
Uses pictures as an aid to recognizing words and understanding meaning
Writes first name correctly using lower case letters
Writes simple stories with a beginning, middle, and end
Demonstrates that books are read front to back, left to right, top to bottom
Can match finger to each word when reading
Demonstrates a return sweep on the second line of print
Can read own name in isolation or embedded in print
Understands that letters make up words (ie: uses magnetic letters to construct names or words)
Begins to develop a sight word vocabulary
Reads at least at Level 3
Exposed to fiction, non-fiction, maps, dictionaries, encyclopedias, reference materials
Social Studies Topics for Kindergarten
Africa
All About Me
Farms and Family Traditions
Current Events (integrated throughout the year)
Introduction to globes and maps
Science Topics for Kindergarten
Unit A- Characteristics of Living Things
Unit B- Exploring With the Senses
Unit C- Looking at the Earth and Sky
Unit D- Pushes and Pulls
Unit E- Body Parts
Math Topics for Kindergarten
Number Relationships (*Mastered by end of Kindergarten)
Counts to 20 using real objects
Counts orally to 100
Recognizes numerals 0-50
Matches a quantity of objects with corresponding numerals
Writes numerals 0-100
Explores ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, etc.)
Recognizes pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters
Demonstrates an understanding of fair shares
Adds and subtracts using manipulatives
Counts by 2, 5, 10
Geometry and Measurement
Identifies and explores circle, triangle, rectangle, square, oval, rhombus
Explores geometric solids
Explores positional vocabulary
(left, right, top, bottom, middle, above, below, outside, inside,
front, back, on, beside, over)
Explores and sorts objects by more than one attribute such as color, size, shape, thickness, use
Explores and uses vocabulary to describe size and shapes such as larger, smaller, taller, shorter
Explores and orders objects by their length from shortest to longest and reverse
Explores the concept of volume
Explores and compares the capacity of different containers
Explores and uses vocabulary (hot, cold, warm) to compare temperature
Explores and uses concepts of time such as season, month,
day/night, sequence of events
Reads time to the hour using face clock
Probability and Statistics
Answers simple questions about data displayed on a graph
Completes a simple graph on paper
Explores mathematical thinking using pictures
Explores and makes predictions (what will happen, what will not happen, what can't we be sure about)
Explores the terminology row, column, key, tally
Explores estimation
Patterns, Functions and Algebra
Copies, creates and extends simple patterns
Explains a pattern orally
Records patterns on paper
Describes the changes that occur in patterns
Explores equality
Explores fractions
Things to Practice
The most important activity you can do with your child is to read. I know you have heard this over and over, but it is true. Have your child read their book to you and then you can read a book of their choice aloud. Keep it light and fun!
• Birth date
• Say the alphabet in sequence
• Recognize letters out of sequence
• Reading - using finger, pictures and word patterns
• Sight words - the, and, I, a, me
• Writing - grocery lists, notes to friends or relatives
• Note the difference between letters and words
• Math - money, measurement, addition, subtraction
• Practice these in your daily life, in the car or at the store. If it is an item that needs to be practiced at the table, keep it short, 5-10 minutes should be plenty.
Back to School
Kindergarten Handbook
Arrowhead Elementary
