Welcome to Kindergarten with Mrs. Farrell & Mrs. Gardner!

featuring Mrs. Haight

2015-2016 School Year

Highlights From our Daily Schedule Arrival:

7:30- 7:45-Students and Parents walking students go to cafeteria. Staff will release students/ parents when bell rings.

Arrival anytime after 8:00- Need tardy slip from office Students need to complete “morning routine” on their own.

Recess: closed-toe shoes; weather appropriate clothing (we all go outside together)

Specials: Mon. Music, Tue. PE, Wed. Art, Thur. Media, Friday changes

every week Individual Snack:

1 food item; Quick to eat Provide own spoons from home You may keep a bag of non-perishable snacks for the week in child’s

cubby

Highlights From our Daily Schedule Show & Tell:

Bring1 item only Follow our monthly theme Part of speaking & listening

Rest/ Silent Read: small bath or beach towel after 1st quarter “rest time” turns into Daily 5 “read to self” time or

students working on unfinished work

Departure: MUST have transportation changes in writing MUST make sure we see you before you take your child home

School Expectations School Expectations: S.O.A.R.

Stay safe: Walk in the building.

Offer Help: Remember the “golden rule”

Act Responsibly: Raise your hand to talk. Keep your hands, feet & objects to yourself.

Respect yourself & others: Say it in a nice way. “Filling Buckets”

SOAR awards

Classroom Discipline Policies

Positive Discipline How Full is Your Bucket Discipline Procedures

1: Warning 2: Back to Table 3: Thinking Chair (note filled out but not sent home) 4: Note sent home

0% tolerance for intentional physical harm: 1st offence- thinking chair/ note home; 2nd + offense- straight to Dr. Florence/ Mrs. Sheppard

Home-School Communication

Communication Folder, Reading Folder, and Sight Word Bags: SEND TO/ FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY!

*Transportation Changes: in writing or call office (I am required to turn them into the front office).**send in a note for any absence/ tardy

E-mail: farrellni@daretolearn.org Phone: 261-2313 ext. 1658 Classroom Website Homework/ Weekly News & Reminders Dare County Schools Website: www.daretolearn.org

Homework

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday (Entire packet due Fridays; complete nightly or on a day that works best for your

family)

5-10 min. max (please write me a note if it takes longer) Sight Words Reading Folders: Return to school daily but do

not sign until finished with book. Please read cover letter! (I do bullet points and keep it as short

as possible) Family time is valued, so if you were unable to get

homework done by Friday, turn it in on Monday.

Sight Word Bags & Reading Folders

Sight Words: Keep in back of communication folder, always 2 new words added a week Check for mastery 1 time a week- if all are mastered, 5 bonus

words will be added & student will receive a small reward Should be practiced a minimum of each homework night Tues.,

Wed., & Thurs.

Reading Folders: When they go home, send to and from school (keep books in

folder) Only sign when finished reading Bonus books are student optional

Language Arts

Letterland – Learning the relationship between letters and sounds and also developing a firm understanding of the alphabetic principle in our language system. (See Letterland Character Handout & visit www.letterland.com to learn more).

Fundations- Handwriting program that begins with the lower case letters first. Writing paper is available at our classroom website. (see handout)

Reading Goals (Fountas & Pinnell Scale)

Beginning of year: Print Concepts (PC)/ Reading Behaviors (RB)

Middle of the year: Level C

End of the year: Level D or higher

Reading Level Examples

Print Concepts (PC) Students are able to answer a series of

questions about a book including the following:

Point to: front of book, title, where we begin to read, 1/ 2 letter(s), 1/ 2 word(s), first/last letter of a word, first/last part of a sentence etc..

Reading Level Examples Contin.

Reading Behaviors (RB)/ unofficially APatterned text with about 3-6 words. Adult reads first 2 pages and students read the rest of the book on their own relying heavily on picture support.

Example: (p.1) I am eating.

(p.2) I am drinking.

Reading Level Examples Contin.

Level B- Nov./Dec. GoalPatterned text with minimal variations. Adult reads first page and students read the rest of the book on their own relying heavily on picture support and somewhat on sight word vocabulary. Can retell beginning, middle, & end.

Example: (p.1) “Come here!” said mom

(p.2) “Come and see the elephants.”

(p.3) “Come here!” said mom

(p.4) “Come and see the bear.

Reading Level Examples Contin.

Level C- Jan./ Feb. GoalStudent reads book on their own. 1-2 sentences per page. Students rely on picture support, sounding out words, and high-frequency sight words to read text. Can retell beginning, middle, & end AND answer questions about the book. 3 recall Q’s & 2 inference. Share a connection to the story.

Level C Text Example

(p.1) “Can you look at my dinosaur’s teeth?” I asked. “Yes” said the dentist.

(p.2) The dentist looked at my dinosaur’s little teeth. “The dinosaur can have a little sticker” said the dentist.

Reading Level Examples Contin.

Level D- End of Year GoalStudent reads book on their own. 3-4 sentences per page. Students rely on some picture support, sounding out words, lots of sight words and some spelling rules to decode text. Can retell beginning, middle, & end with details AND answer questions about the book. 3 recall Q’s & 2 inference Q’s. Share a connection to the story.

Level D Text Example

(p.1) Big white clouds fill the blue sky. What do you see in the clouds? I see a snowman. What do you see?

(p.2) Look at the darker clouds. I see a thick blanket. “Oh no!” It’s starting to rain! Let’s go inside.

How Can We Get Students on Grade Level by June?

Read with your child. When books come home in reading folder have your child read to you.

Ask questions and talk about the story Practice sight words at least 3 times a week. Be a good example and take time to read at least

every now and again for yourself at the same time your child/ children are reading.

Keep a positive attitude about learning, homework, & especially reading!

Math Curriculum Highlights

Science & Social Studies Integrated & thematic approach

Scaffold K-12

Partners: HomeDepot, Alligator River/Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges, Outer Banks Children’s Museum

Student Assessment

Purpose – diagnostic AND prescriptive Reading 3D& County Benchmark Assessments

Will share results at Oct. Conferences Please choose a time that is good for you and sign

up tonight if you can. Middle/ End of Year sent with interim or report

card Interims: Sign & return (no 1st interim in K) Report cards: Sign envelope/ Keep report card

Grading Scale: U/ N/ S/ O Writing

Home-School Connections

Kitty Hawk Elementary School Site

http://khe.daretolearn.org/ Daily Communication Folder Class Website:

https://daretolearn.haikulearning.com/farrellni/kindergarten

Keep me in the loop & I will do the same Mid & End Year conferences optional

Carnival Chair Sign Up & “Giving Tree”

Mrs. Capps is our “Carnival Chairperson.” Our booth this year is “Barnyard Throw”

Please sign up for a volunteer spot. It would be greatly appreciated.

Check out our giving tree for classroom needs

Scholastic book orders earn points for our class.

Class dojo is a positive behavior reinforcement tool that the kids love.

Have a Great Evening!!

Thanks so much for coming! It’s going to be an AWESOME year! Specific questions about your child can be discussed at our Oct. conference, by email,

phone appt., or by scheduling a conference.