KINDERGARTENORIENTATION

April 2018

School Readiness• Knows basic personal facts• Recognizes first and last name• Identifies letters and letter

sounds• Identifies basic shapes• Identifies the basic colors• Shows interest in books and

learning to read• Colors and writes• Counts to 20• Understands positional words

Social Readiness• Separates from parents

easily• Responds appropriately

to adult authority• Gets along well and

shares with others• Takes turns when playing• Listens attentively

Is my child ready for kindergarten?

• The majority of parents will answer “Yes” giving the following reasons:

• My child will be five by the cut-off date.• My child is very bright.• My child is already reading.• My child has been in preschool for two years.• My child can count to 20, say her alphabet, and

she knows colors and shapes.

However…

• Experts have realized that the single most important indicator of school readiness is the maturational level, or the developmental age, of the child at the beginning of the school year.

Physical Readiness

• Uses crayons, scissors and glue correctly

• Traces basic shapes• Uses bathroom

independently• Dresses self – buttons, snaps,

zips independently • Hops, runs, jumps and skips• Throws, catches and bounces

a ball

Parental Readiness

• Can leave child at door without emotional breakdown

• Can be away from child for up to eight hours a day

• Can endure peace and quiet 8:20 – 3:40

A Typical Day in Kindergarten

• Kindergarten is a fun, busy, learning-filled day!

• Expect your kids to be happy, well educated, and a bit tired from all of their learning!

Opening

• Arrival/Announcements • Put away personal

belongings• Stories/Songs

Language Arts• Phonological Awareness

Skills and Activities• Alphabet Skills• Vocabulary building• Book and print awareness• Writing activities• Literacy Stations• Small Reading Groups

Lunch• 30 minutes each day• Students can bring a cold sack lunch

from home or purchase a school tray lunch.

• Children get their own trays.• Cafeteria monitor and volunteers are

in the cafeteria each day to help the students.

• Prepaying is encouraged (www.mypaymentsplus.com)

• I.D. badges are used to purchase lunches. These will be provided.

• Please do not come to eat lunch with your child for the first three weeks of school. It allows them to learn the routines.

Math• Calendar• Hands-on math activities• Sorting & Classifying• Patterning• Shapes• Number Recognition• Numeracy• Counting• Fractions• Number Operations• Math Tubs

Specials• Art• Music• Physical Education

(must wear tennis shoes)• 50 minutes each day• Offered on a rotating schedule• Popular time of the day

Social Studies & Science

• Projects and Labs• Experiments• Non-Fiction Literature

Recess

• One 30 minute recess per day

• Outside on playground equipment designated for kindergarten and first graders

• Fine and gross motor skills development

Centers/Workstations• Time to practice social skills,

motor skills, creativity• Children choose center• Dramatic play, blocks,

writing, puzzles, games, art, discovery

• Small group instruction and enrichment

Library and Computer

• Library visits are scheduled• Children check out books

once per week• Scheduled Computer Lab

time• Programs that reinforce and

enrich skills in the classroom• Computers and Ipads in

each classroom

General Information

School Supplies• We encourage you to pre-order school

supplies from PTA at registration.• Please do not label school supplies.

Backpacks• Large enough for folders and a library

book• Easy to open and close• No rolling backpacks, please.

Parent Volunteers

• We have a designated parent work area.• Parents from each homeroom take turns

making materials for all classes of kindergarten students.

• Parent Readers (beginning second nine weeks) - Friday mornings from 8:30-8:45

• Join the PTA!

The PTA contributes to the school in many different ways.

– Provides a volunteer base throughout the school (lunchroom, workrooms, classrooms, library, yearbook, and more)

Join the PTA and a volunteer at Rylander!– Fundraises throughout the year (to help pay for

teacher supplies, school equipment, student programs & events, field trips, and more)

Join the PTA and contribute to Rylander!– Plans special events for students (International

Day, Celebration Days, Field Day, and more)Join the PTA and help create special events at

Rylander!

Rylander Elementary PTARylander Elementary has an active and involved PTA.

Join the Rylander Elementary PTA by:① Going to www.rrepta.org② Emailing the PTA at ptarylander@gmail.com③ Completing the online PTA sign-up & questionnaire at

the beginning of the school year…or…④ Asking your child’s teacher!

Welcome to Rylander and we hope that you will join the PTA!

Rylander Elementary PTAWe want you to be a part of our PTA!

The First Day of School

Dates to Remember• Pre-Screening (for all KG students)- August 2nd

• Meet the Teacher – TBA• Curriculum Night – August 23rd 5pm• First Day – Wednesday, August 15th

• School hours – 8:00 a.m. – 3:40 p.m.

Things Parents Need to Know for the first day

• Bring a backpack and a change of clothes• Healthy dry snack.• Lunch-Make sure your child has money or a

lunch from home - can prepay for lunches on-line at www.mypaymentsplus.com

• Transportation tag - Confirm method of transportation home.

• Receive forms and complete as soon as possible.

• Walk your child to class and cheerfully exit!

Sample First Day Activities

• Learn routines and expectations• Get acquainted with friends and

teachers• Building tour• No naps in kindergarten

Reminders

• Please pre-order school supplies from PTA!!

• After first three days, student will walk to classroom independently.

• Please do not come to eat lunch with your child for the first three weeks of school.

• Please use the My Payments Plus system on line to prepay for lunches.

REGISTRAR/ADA

Donna Leal 281 237-8305 ph281 644-1600 fax

RHINO REGISTRATION AND ATTENDANCE

REGISTRATIONPlease visit http://www.katyisd.org/registration for up-to-date registration information including dates and times of registration, documents necessary to complete the enrollment process and immunization requirements.

MOVING?Please contact the Registrar at 281 237-8305. Please allow 48 hours for processing.

REPORTING AN ABSENCEParents need to report their child absence daily on-line on RRE's homepage on the “ Rylander Elementary Absence Form" or by calling the attendance line at 281-237-8300 on the day of the absence only by 10 am. A written note from the Parent/Guardian/Doctor must be submitted on the day the child returns from an absence. It is recommended that you call daily to report your child absent to prevent a Compulsory Attendance Notification letter from being generated for your child by theKaty ISD police department. All absences are considered UNEXCUSED until the proper notification and/or documents are turned in to the attendance office. Please do not contact the teacher regarding your child's absence. It is your responsibility to contact the attendance office.

TARDIESThe tardy bell rings promptly at 8:20. Students must be in class, ready to learn at this time. Any students not in their classroom at 8:20 will be marked tardy. Students must obtain an admittance slip from the front office. All tardies are unexcused unless written notice for an excused reason from a Parent or Doctor is submitted at the time of entry.Students who accumulate 5 unexcused tardies are not eligible for perfect attendance.

PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCESIf a student's parent notifies the school of an absence that will occur in the future, the principal shall notify the parents how the absence will be classified and explain the ramifications of absences by completing the "Pre-arranged Absences—Decision and Acknowledgement" form.

EARLY PICK UPWe do not check students out after 3:15. Early check outs count as partial day attendance up to 3:40. If you are not here by 3:15 or you have not completed a change of transportation by 2:00, your student will need to go home their normal way of transportation.

A Note From the NurseFever, diarrhea, or vomiting? Your child must be 24 hours free of the above symptoms without medicationbefore returning to school.

If your child has a fever (100.0 or above), please call in your child’s absence at 281-237-8300.

We don’t keep clothes in the clinic, so if your child spills or has an accident we’ll be calling you to bring clothes to school. Please pack extra clothes in your child’s backpack to help.

All medications, including cough drops, need to be kept in the clinic for safety. All meds administered at school must be FDA Approved.

RYLANDERNURSE CLINICTara Maher, RN, BSN & Kendy Stone, Nurse Aide

Welcome to Rylander Elementary! We want to help your child stay well while at school this year, but we need your help! Please make sure your child gets enough sleep at night, eats a balanced breakfast, sees your doctor for regular check-ups, and has good quality time with friends and family. Please notify us of any health changes so we can best care for your child at school. Visit Rylander’sclinic web site for online forms and other helpful information!

Rylander Elementary 24831 Westheimer Pkwy Katy,TX 77494

TARA MAHER, RN281-237-8335 office

281-644-1601 faxtaramaher@katyisd.org

Important People

Principal – Gwen CoffeyAssistant Principals – Ronnie Smith

Cheryl MallantCounselor – Melissa Leblanc

Nurse –Tara Maher

Main office Number: 281-237-8300

We are looking forward to a great year!