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Absence

If your child is ill or unable to attend school for other reasons, please send a note with your signature to school the next day.  Please be prompt about these excuse notes - this is very important!  You may call the office to let them know your child will not be at school that day, but we still need a written note and signature for our files.  You may e-mail the excuse note on the Montesano District website - www.monte.wednet.edu - then "Beacon Elementary", scroll down the Welcome page to "Report an Absence."  I do receive a list of unexcused absences at the end of each week and will be sending home reminders to those on the list.  I do try not to bug you, but these excuse notes are important.  You might get a reminder even if you've already turned a note in or gone online - be patient with us!  It may take a day or so to get the excuses into the main attendance program in the Office.            

If you child comes late to school (even if it is only a few minutes) they MUST go to the office and check in to get a tardy slip before coming to class.

If your child must leave early for a doctor’s appointment, etc., please go to the Office to sign them out and the Secretary will call them to the Office.  Do not come to our classroom directly.  Never send another person to pick up your child without informing me and/or the Secretary ahead of time. We can only release your child to the person(s) listed on the emergency form in the Office. (If something comes up and a new person needs to pick up your child - please call the office at 249-4528 and let them know and they will get the message to us.)  This is a security measure for your child and us.
 

Attendance

A successful school experience is the responsibility of the child, the parent and the school.  Your child's progress, both academically and socially, is influenced to a great extent by daily participation.  Regular attendance without tardiness is important.  Since much of our work and learning is “hands-on,” participation in class is key.  It is difficult to send missed work home to catch up.
 

Arrival & Dismissal

 
School begins at 8:20 AM and is dismissed at 2:30 PM. 
My Kindergarten class is an all-day session so we will follow the rest of the school's hours.
(Mrs. Hollatz will be working with two half-day Kindergarten sessions, and her hours will be a little different.)

Students should not arrive prior to 7:55 AM (unless they are eating breakfast at school or are on an early school bus) since supervision by the school staff is not available before that time.   The classroom door will not open until 8:00 AM.  This allows me to run errands away from my classroom before school begins, and sometimes I might even have a morning meeting.  Children should stand against the brick wall right outside our classroom and wait quietly until the door opens and the classroom lights go on.  If the weather is bad, or your child gets to school before 7:55, they might wait in the Office - right across from our classroom. 

After school, please pick up your child promptly if they are not riding a school bus.  If you are late, look for your child in the Office.  They will never be standing out by themselves - I promise!  Again - we can only release your child to the person(s) listed on the emergency form in the Office. (If something comes up and a new person needs to pick up your child - please call the office at 249-4528 and let them know and they will get the message to us.)  Many children will be going home on the school bus - any changes to that routine should be called in to the Office by 2:00 so I can be informed before we dismiss.  
 

Backpacks
 

 
To help your child carry messages, information and projects to and from school, you are asked to provide a backpack - and please label it clearly.  It should be big enough for a large manila envelope.  Look for ones that would be easy for your child to get into - the less pockets the better.  Please no extensions handles or wheels - these are very difficult for young children to maneuver safely and they do get in the way more than you might think. 

Your child will be bringing something special home each day - either in their heads, their hearts, or in their backpacks!  Have your child share the contents of their backpack with you DAILY - make it a special routine.  Be sure to look for their things as well as notes and information from me or the Office.  We do try to keep you up to date as best we can - you just need to find the notes!
 

Birthdays

 
Birthdays are special occasions for young children. If your child wishes, he/she may bring a treat for the class. These treats need to be store-bought, NOT homemade - and please keep them simple.  Also, we are striving to go HEALTHY with our snacks, so please consider muffins, fresh veggies and dip, raisins, etc.  Non-food items make nice treats too - such as stickers, pencils, etc.  Or how about a BIRTHDAY BOOK from your child to the whole class?  We would put a special Birthday sticker and photo inside to remember the special occasion and it would become a permanent part of our classroom Library!  Whatever you decide to do, please make prior arrangements so we can plan ahead. We will celebrate summer birthdays on the last day of school.  All children’s birthdays will be honored with a special routine in class.
 

Book Orders

Every month book order forms will be sent home 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! If you choose to order, please make the check payable to Scholastic Books.  Attached to the flyers will be a note of when we would like to have the orders back so they can be sent in.  They will be delivered to the school in a week or so. 
 

Breakfast

 
A school breakfast is served every morning from 8:00-8:20 AM. The cost of breakfast is $1.75.  The breakfast menu generally consists of cereal or muffins with juice and milk. Students who want to eat breakfast should enter the gym door facing the Office promptly at 8:00 AM.  They can drop off their backpack in the classroom or go directly to the Multi-Purpose Room.

Calendar

A calendar of events for our Kindergarten classroom will be sent home every month. The school breakfast/lunch menus will also be sent home in the Boomerangs, as well as a Beacon Bulletin every other week with upcoming and useful information. Our monthly calendar for our class will be posted on our class page on our District website which I try to keep updated just for parents. You can see that by going to http://www.monte.wednet.edu (then click on Teachers, then scroll down to Diane Connolly).

I also try to keep my personal class website up to date:   www.connollyskinderkids.com
 

Computer

 
We are fortunate enough to have a few computers in our classroom. I use a variety of age-appropriate programs that reinforce math, readiness and reading skills.  Children will work on the computers during Center Time and for special projects.

Conferences

Parent/Teacher conferences are held with every parent the first part of November, and with a few parents at the beginning of February. We will be going over the items on our Report Card and will discuss your child's accomplishments, strengths and overall progress to that time.  This year we are going to a Trimester system so your child will be given three Report Cards instead of four.  Our First Trimester Report Card will be coming home about December 10th.  Please feel free to schedule additional conferences at any time throughout the year if the need arises.
 

Discipline

My philosophy of discipline is based on the belief that children need affectionate care and firm guidelines. To establish good order and help the children learn self-control, the children will be guided to respect themselves and their peers through specific directions, positive reinforcement, suggested new activities and responsible actions. Please discuss the following rules with your child.

Our Most Important Rules:

1. We never hurt anyone on the inside or the outside.

2. We treat each other the way we want to be treated.
3. We always do our best on everything we do.

Other Rules That Help Us Learn and Work Together:
1. We raise our hand to speak.
2. We work quietly.
3. We listen and follow directions.
4. We share with one another.
5. We are kind to each other.

6. We always walk in the classroom and on the sidewalks.

7. We use inside voices in the classroom.

8. We put our things away and clean up our own messes.
9. We use polite words and good table manners.

We will model and practice these rules thoroughly at the beginning of the year and brush up on them as needed.

The ways children behave in class affect all of the activities that go on in the classroom.  Learning occurs more smoothly when children are considerate, cooperative, and socially competent.  Our rules and routines are developed to help support a positive learning environment.  We spend a great deal of time understanding, discussing, modeling, and practicing the rules and routines so the children know what is expected of them.  Positive and appropriate behavior will be recognized daily.

Nevertheless, we will sometimes forget or not be aware of our behavior and how it is affecting others.  These times become “teachable moments” for all of us.  Sometimes a time out chair is used to give time to calm down and then discuss what happened, using simple problem solving steps.  There may be a few times when someone will need to be removed from the class and taken to the Office to talk about their behavior. 

My goal is for any consequence to be a logical one – to be related to the misbehavior and act as a solution to the problem as well as a lesson for all of us.  Learning how to be a contributing student in our classroom and the learning environment is a big part of what we do in Kindergarten.

Sometimes we may need to develop an individual behavior plan for reoccurring or very disruptive behavior.  Parents will be a part of that work, as your support is crucial.
 

e-mail
 

You can contact me via my school e-mail address:

                                                            dconnolly@monte.wednet.edu.

I will check my e-mail on a daily basis.  If you need to discuss something urgently, please call me at school instead (360-249-4528).

Emergency Contact Forms

Please complete and return the Emergency Contact sheets promptly (if you did not complete it during registration).  If your home or work phone number change during the school year, please inform the Office so you can be located quickly if an emergency occurs.

Emergency Closings

If schools are closed for a snow day or any emergency, our local radio stations or the local TV stations (Channels 4, 5, or 7) will make an announcement, generally by 7:00 A.M.  Also, school closures will be posted on the Montesano School District’s website:

                                                                   http://www.monte.wednet.edu

I would check the website first!  Click on "Emergency Announcements."  You can also sign up to receive changes immediately through FlashAlert.  The information should be there - or call the District Office for clarification.

Emergency Drills

Emergency drills are held several times throughout the year. These include fire, earthquake, and lockdown drills.  All students will participate and are expected to follow the procedures and walk quickly and quietly to their designated exit.  We will practice and become familiar with these procedures before our first scheduled drill.  The importance of being prepared in an emergency will be stressed.  Children will be allowed to share their concerns after each drill.  I will try to inform you in my Newsletters when we have had a drill so you can follow up at home.

It is a good idea to develop your own family procedures for these situations at home so the children and all family members know what to do in an emergency.

Friends

We work on Social Skills throughout the year.  Learning to be a friend, how to make friends, and how to keep them are important life skills.  We will have many discussions, share books and see videos about this important topic.  Who knows ~ a life-long friendship just might develop this year in our very own classroom!

Gym
 

Our class will have a 30-minute gym class (we call it P.E.) each week. 

The children are asked to wear sneakers (rubber-soled shoes) on gym day and girls might consider wearing pants or having a pair of shorts to slip on under their dresses.  You will be notified when our “P.E.” day is so you can be prepared.

We will be exercising and learning some basic game and relay skills.  Besides, the movement is just plain good for us in so many ways!  Learning to work and move together as well as listening to directions and then following them are valuable skills no matter where we are in school . . . or in life!

Recess will also add to the value of the movement – and the fresh air is so helpful.
 

Hands-on Learning
 

I believe that the best way to help children learn is to make learning fun. Important concepts can be learned by doing meaningful hands-on activities. Exploring and discovering needs to be done yourself! (I learn best when I can try it myself - and I remember it longer!) There are times when seatwork is required and necessary, but for the most part, our classroom will be an active learning environment with child-choices as well as teacher-directed activities throughout the day.

Health

Please let us know of special circumstances that may affect your child. These could include medication that may make him sleepy, a death in the family, etc. Also, please let us know of any allergies your child may have, especially food allergies. We sometimes cook or do food activities to complement lessons in Kindergarten and it would be helpful to know when we plan our recipes.  This is also important since we will be having snacks in class on a daily basis.  You will have an opportunity to note those things down on the Health Information sheet in the Parent Packet you will receive the first day of school.  Get those in as soon as possible!

Help at Home

Your child is encouraged to know these readiness skills:
•Full name             •Address             •Telephone number          •Parents’ names          •Basic colors            •Counting to 10
•Printing first name beginning with a capital letter and the rest in lower case

When time permits, work on these skills also:
•Reciting the alphabet                •Shape names             •Birthday (month & date)            •Identifying numbers to 10
•Identifying letter names           •Tying shoes

Your extra help at home really makes a difference!

Homework

Why Homework in Kindergarten?  I believe that a homework routine helps the children work towards self-responsibility - doing the work by themselves with lots of support.  Also bringing it back is a good student skill.  Homework also gives parents more of an idea of the kind of work we are doing in class and how their child is doing it with understanding.  Our new Math program this year has a Homework part to it that also builds fluency and understanding - besides keeping parents informed.  Our Kindergarten Homework is designed to take only a few minutes - not hours!  You will hear more about this in the weeks to come.
 

Homework will typically be sent home once a week (usually Fridays in the Boomerangs). Our Math program does have homework during the week - but I will try not to overload you with it.  These are review sheets of what we have done in class.  Your child should complete this work by themselves, under your supervision, and return it the next week. Completing and returning homework helps build a sense of responsibility and prepares them for the homework they will have to complete in later school years. Homework should be your child’s best work.  Returning neatly completed work within the next week will earn a sticker and 5 stickers earns a pick from the Treasure Chest! These homework papers can be placed in Boomerangs when you return them on Mondays.

Occasionally, I may ask your help in completing “family” homework--it’s called that because the whole family is encouraged to get involved in doing it. For example, in October I may send home a large piece of orange paper for you and your child use in making a jack-o-lantern and then return it to school. We’ll hang the projects in our rooms and in our windows to share with the rest of the school.

In a few weeks your child will be bringing home reproduced books that they have worked with in school to share with you.  These take-home books promote home involvement and allow for reinforcement of book concepts, reading strategies and beginning comprehension skills.  Please take the time to enjoy this special reading time with your child.

You also have homework this year - to read to your child every night!  It is one of the best things you can do for your child!  Look for the reasons and ideas for questions about the stories you read in the class Newsletter in the first few weeks of school!  To encourage your efforts, I have set up our “Pocket Pal Program” where your child can check out books from my room on a daily basis.  For more information, check the “Pocket Pals” section in this Handbook.

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.  It is important, however, to keep your child home if they are ill. This helps to make them more comfortable and prevents others from becoming ill.  (If your child has a fever, they may be contagious.)  Children function more effectively in the classroom when they are healthy - and so do we!

Independent Reading

Because children learn to read by reading, they need plenty of opportunities to read independently.  Sufficient time and appropriate materials are necessary to develop and strengthen reading abilities.  By giving the children time to read both at school and at home, we can work together to provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love of reading.  Beginning reading might only include “reading” the pictures or beginning stages of sounding out a word or two on a page.  It might even include reading sight words that we work on in class. This is important rehearsal for actual reading and comprehending text.  Through these activities we are rehearsing reading behaviors even if we can't really "read" individual words.  Your encouragement and praise is very important in this!

Journals
 

One strategy that will be used to help convey the vital concept that “print conveys meaning” is the frequent use of journal writing.  In these journals the Kindergartners combine their emerging writing skills with their drawing skills.  As the children are exposed to a variety of phonics and reading experiences, journal entries will move from drawings and “inventive” spellings towards more conventional writing.  Writing ability goes through several stages, and the children need time and opportunity to try their skills on their own as they learn to write.  Math Journals give a place for children to show their understanding of the specific concepts we are working on.  Journals can also show progress!

Kindness

Students in the classroom are encouraged and expected to treat all members of our class as well as others with kindness and respect. Hitting, fighting, name-calling, and making fun of others will not be permitted.  Again, our two main rules are  “Never hurt anyone on the inside or the outside” and “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”  We also talk a lot about the fact that we may not like everyone, but we MUST be nice to everyone.  Problem Solving skills will be taught and practiced throughout the year so that the children will become more able to work things out on their own, with teacher support as needed.  Kelso's Choice is a program designed to help us learn how to begin to do some simple problem solving on our own - before we need adult help.  Look for information about Kelso throughout the year.

Library

We have a Kindergarten Library right in our own classroom!  I love books and have acquired quite a few on a wide variety of topics.  There are a lot of non-fiction and fiction books as well.  Reading and looking at books is an important part of our day.  The children will have access to them throughout their school day, and – with our Pocket Pal Program (look for what that is all about under the “P”), they will be able to “check out” books from our own classroom.

Learning Stations

During Learning Stations, children practice reading and writing skills while the teacher works with individual children or small groups.  The Station activities are designed to strengthen letter/sound knowledge, listening skills, oral language expression, rhyme, letter formation, as well as math concepts and cooperation.  This will be the time when the children can experience the concepts being taught again in different ways.  Young children learn and remember better with repetition of experiences, and being able to choose from a wide variety of hands-on activities is important in this learning.  These activities help us focus on our reading and math concepts in specific ways.

The typical Centers (play kitchen, building blocks, wooden trains, etc.) are also available at certain times.  These activities give us the opportunity to work on our social skills (sharing materials and ideas, etc.), and they also give us time to work on additional valuable skills.  I try to put up an information card in the classroom near the Centers that lists many of the skills we can work on.

Lunch

Your family make be eligible for free or reduced prices on breakfast/lunch.  A form was sent home, or you may check in our Office for information about that program.

No one is rushed through lunch, but children do need to keep focused on eating.  There will be a 15 to 20 minute recess following lunch.  Children are not dismissed until about 20 minutes after they sit down, but may stay in the lunchroom until they are finished.  We will be working on our behavior and manners as well as picking up after ourselves.