Welcome to Parent Information Night!

Mountain Road Kindergarten

My Philosophy of Teaching Create a classroom community. Maintain consistently high expectations. Discover the strengths and abilities of each

student. Provide an environment where sharing,

conversation, support, and responsibility for learning are valued.

Provide a variety of instructional methods to reach students with different learning styles.

Challenge and inspire each student to reach his or her personal best.

Maintain a positive attitude and environment.

Kindergarten Curriculum

Math Reading Creative Writing Social Studies Science Health

Math Calendar Math Successmaker Math 2x per week

(individualized computer program) Lots of hands-on activities:

Units of study include:

*Counting With Friends*Building Numbers*Sophisticated Shapes* Investigating Addition & Subtraction*Measuring & Analyzing Data* Further Investigation of Addition & Subtraction

ReadingMy Goal: excited, proficient readers who enjoy a variety of different genres (types) of books.

Small, flexible groups—differentiated curriculum Phonetically based instruction Sight/memory words added. Begin with easy, decodable stories; then move to leveled readers.

Book bag will come home with a reader. Let child read to you (with support as needed). Return book as soon as possible-- new book sent..

Parent support crucial to reading process. Flash cards of decodable and sight words should be made and practiced.

Volunteer moms to tutor. Star Early Literacy test—4x year; STAR reading test when ready Media center once a week – return library book on Tuesdays. Read at least 15 min each night—practice vocabulary words. Successmaker Reading – individualized computer tutorial – 2x per week

Handwriting Taught and practiced in small group. “Practice makes perfect!” We’ll also work on coloring, cutting,

gluing. If work sent home, please be sure it is

done correctly.

Creative writing goes along with reading. Journals to be used. At first, pictures with dictated sentence; then

pictures with letters that represent words (to child); then pictures and decodable words; then pictures and 3-4 word sentence(s); then several sentences.

Word Wall to encourage usage and spelling. Stories with beginning, middle, end Capital letter, spacing and punctuation stressed.

Creative Writing Process

Social Studies Map Skills Holidays American Symbols Citizenship Careers Character Education/ Words of the

Week

Science

Physical Properties of Matter Gravity and Motion Day and Night Sky Living and Non-Living Things Animals Plants Rocks and Soil Science Experiments

Health Getting Along with Others Drug Awareness Week Staying Healthy/Good Nutrition Safety Dental Health

Grading

GKIDS on-going assessment of mastery of skills. Based on standards; report sent every 9 weeks—pacing based on curriculum mapping

Report Cards: every 9 weeks—based on GKIDS

Working on mastery of standards and skills:

EM: Emerging

PR: Progressing

MS: Meets Standards

EX: Exceeds

Your child will most likely be in the EM or PR categories for most of the year since these skills are taught throughout the year. Towards the end of the year, most children move to the MS or EX categories. Please do not expect your child to be marked MS or EX until later in the year.

Weekly check-ups

Class Rules

1. I will be respectful to my teacher and classmates. (Patient and Polite)

2. I will listen carefully to the teacher. “If I’m not listening, I’m not learning.”

3. I will raise my hand and wait to be called on.4. I will follow directions and work quietly.5. I will respect others' space by keeping my

hands, feet and other objects to myself.

Don’t say I can’t, say I’ll try!

Discipline Plan Students know class rules. They receive 2

warnings, then change their color. Check folders each day for daily behavior.

There will be a phone call from student if a really bad day; parent teacher conferences for habitual issues.

Loss of privileges—5 minutes for yellow; 10 minutes for red; 15 minutes for Hot Pot. Even if a bad day, will get some recess/free time.

Always accentuate positive.

Discipline Plan (Continued) Reward for following rules:

Treasure or Treat Box Special Treat for Good Behavior in Gym, Art, Music and Library Sticker Chart for Good Choices Cougar Coupons Extra Free Time Thank you for helping reinforce these at

home!

Communication

Check folder each day for student work and important information

Feel free to email No transportation notes by e-mail, please. Names and date on all notes Conferences: Fall & Spring Newsletter and calendar: each month Check school and class website for

information

Kindergarten Volunteer Opportunities

Room Parents Special Celebrations- Winter Party,

Valentine’s Party, Spring Snack, End of the Year Party

Fun Friday Parents Tutoring/Helping Parents Field Trips (typically 2 parents)

Before you leave:

Sign up for PTA if you haven’t already done so.

Thanks for all you do!Thank you for coming!

“Of a good beginning, cometh a good end.”It is my goal to motivate and inspire your child each and every day. I thank you for entrusting him/her to my care.

Thank you very much for coming to Parent Information Night!

I’m looking forward to a great year!