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</p><p style="text-align: left">Welcome to kindergarten!  This is a very exciting year for you and your child as he/she begins elementary school.  The main focus in my class is to create a positive learning environment where your child can grow, both academically and socially.  I have highlighted below some important information about our class.  Thank you so much for your support!  I’m looking forward to a great year working together.</p>

<strong>Classroom Rules</strong>:

There is a strong emphasis on character development in kindergarten.  We will be doing many activities throughout the year to teach positive social behavior.  There is an emphasis on safety, manners, friendship, as well as independence and community building.  This year the entire school has developed the following classroom rules:
<ol>
	<li>Be safe in school.</li>
	<li>Respect yourself and others.</li>
	<li>Be ready to learn and help others learn.</li>
</ol>
<strong>Traffic Light</strong>:

Each child has a clothespin with his/her name on it that remains on the color that represents his/her behavior.  This acts as a visual reminder to the children to follow the above rules.  Each student begins the day on green, and may move to yellow or red, depending on his/her behavior

<strong><em>Green</em></strong>:  Student is following all classroom rules.

<strong><em>Yellow</em></strong>:  This is a warning to the child.  The student has had two reminders (checks) and has broken one of the classroom rules.  He/she will miss 5 minutes of recess. 

<strong><em>Red</em></strong><strong>:</strong>  If the inappropriate behavior persists, the child’s name will be moved to red.  A note will be send home to the parents, detailing the behavior.  This note will need to be signed and returned to school the next day.  If a child receives more than 3 notes home, we will need to set up a conference to determine a solution to the problem.

<strong>Friday Folders</strong>:

On Fridays I will be sending home the green Ray School folders with all of the flyers from school, the work your child completed during the week, and our classroom news.  Generally, I will not send home papers home any other day, unless there is an emergency.  <em>Please check your child’s backpack every Friday and return the folder on Monday.  </em>

<strong>Homework</strong>:                                           

Homework participation will be reflected on your child’s report card.  I will be sending homework in a red folder every Monday.  <em>Please send back the homework folders on Friday</em>. 
<ol>
	<li>You will receive a bag of 7 books every week from Mrs. Travis’ Traveling Library.  You are to read at least one book every night with your child. You are expected to read with your child daily for at least 15 minutes.</li>
	<li>Math Home Links will be sent home as well.</li>
	<li>Other homework will include activities to supplement our Science curriculum and writing workshops.</li>
</ol>
<strong>Lending Library:</strong>

We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to have a wonderful Lending Library, courtesy of our school librarian, Mrs. Travis.  Your child will receive a bag containing 7 books every Wednesday.  You are to read at least one book every night and return the bag again on Tuesday morning to receive another set of books.  Part of our homework every week will be to maintain a log of the books you and your child have read.  

<strong>Curriculum:</strong>

v     <em>Everyday Math</em>: 

-          Hands-On program using games and manipulatives.

-          Developed by the University of Chicago in the 1980s

-          Incorporates math activities and routines throughout the day

-          “Home Links” is the name of the homework that will be sent weekly in the homework folders

v     <em>Balanced Literacy:</em>

-          This curricula focuses intensely on literacy and comprehension skills

-          Phonics, decoding and comprehension skills taught during small group instruction according to need

-          High-interest read alouds used to anchor whole-group mini-lessons

v     <em>FOSS Science:</em>

-   Uses hands-on materials to teach developmentally    

    appropriate science concepts.

      -   The units we will cover are:  Trees, Animals Two By Two,

                                Fabric and Wood

v     <em>Handwriting Without Tears</em>:

<em>           -  </em>Developmentally based curriculum for writing          

               readiness

            -  multisensory lessons that teach to all learning styles

<strong>Special Classes:  </strong>

We are fortunate to have the following classes to supplement our curriculum:

            -<em>Music</em> with Ms. Pickens, <strong>Wednesday, </strong><strong>10:20-11:00</strong><strong></strong>

<strong>            </strong>-<em>Library</em> with Mrs. Travis, <strong>Friday </strong><strong>9:40-10:20</strong><strong> </strong>

<strong>            </strong>-<em>Physical Education</em> with Ms. Perez, <strong>Thursday </strong><strong>12:30-1:15</strong><strong> </strong>(**please have your child wear rubber-soled gym shoes—no flip flops!**)

            -<em>Spanish </em>with Mr. Walter, <strong>Monday and Tuesday </strong><strong>9:40-10:20</strong><strong></strong>

<strong>            </strong>- Computers with Ms. Zivko, <strong>Friday </strong><strong>10:20-11:00</strong>

<strong>Lunch</strong>:

Outdoor recess and lunch will be from 11:00-11:45 am.  The cost of hot lunch is $1.85 cents per day, $9.25 per week.  <em>Lunch money must be turned in the first day of the week in an envelope or baggy marked with the amount and your child’s name</em>.  Checks are not accepted.  Free and reduced lunch forms have been given to you.  (Please let us know if you need another form.)

<strong>Snacks</strong>: 

On the first of the month, please send in a snack to share with our class.  Please try to make the snack as healthy as possible.  We do have a fridge in our room, so I can accommodate fruits and vegetables.  Please send in any produce already washed and cut up, if necessary.  It is also fine for your child to bring a water bottle to school, as long as it is plastic and already filled. 
<ul>
	<li>Students may bring a bottle of <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">water</span></strong> to class.  (Nothing that includes sugar or sweeteners)</li>
	<li>Boys are asked to bring snacks on the first day of the following months:  Sept., Nov., Jan., March, May</li>
	<li>Girls are asked to bring snacks on the first day of the following months: Oct., Dec., Feb., April, June</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">  <strong>Appropriate Snacks</strong></td>
<td width="320" valign="top"><strong>Inappropriate Snacks</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">Fruit (already peeled and sectioned)</td>
<td width="320" valign="top">Candy/gum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">Vegetables (already cut)</td>
<td width="320" valign="top">Potato chips</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">* Nuts (already shelled)</td>
<td width="320" valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">Crackers</td>
<td width="320" valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
	<li>Inappropriate snacks will be sent home uneaten.</li>
	<li>We do have nut allergies so please check the ingredients  </li>
</ul>
<strong>Arrival and Dismissal</strong>:

School begins promptly at 8:55 am.  Please do not send your child to the room before this time.  Your child can wait outside on the playground.  On cold or rainy days, please send your child to the boy’s canteen to wait with our class.  I encourage you to let your child walk up to the room by him/herself, as this gives him/her one more way to establish independence. 

 

I will dismiss the children at 3:30 pm outside the doors near the auditorium.  Please try to be prompt.  If you are running more than 10 minutes late, you can find your child in the office.  If there is a change in the pack-up, I need to receive this in writing.

<strong>Volunteering</strong>:                                  

I appreciate all the help I can get!  If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know.  I have listed below some of the things I need help with:

            1.  Chaperoning field trips

            2.  Lunchroom help

            3.  Helping to prepare materials, or repair books (can be done at home, too)

            4.  Parties (helping to organize and clean-up)

            5.  Assisting students during Choice Time Monday-Friday 11:45-12:30

* All volunteers must fill out appropriate paperwork in the office before volunteering in the classroom.

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<strong>Birthdays:</strong>

I do not mind having a special treat for your child’s birthday.  It must be store bought, however, and should be relatively simple.  Cupcakes or cookies are best for serving purposes.  Parents are welcome to come to birthday parties.  The best time of day for this is from about 3:00-3:15 pm.  Please notify me ahead of time if you are bringing treats.

 

Please let me know if you do not celebrate birthdays or holidays for religious/personal reasons.  I can make alternate arrangements for your child.

 

Also, I would like for birthday invitations to be distributed outside of school, unless all of the children in our class are invited.  We will be creating a classroom directory that can be helpful for this.

 

<strong>Backpacks</strong>:

Please make sure that your child brings a backpack to school everyday—most importantly on Fridays and Mondays.  It’s important that we take care of the books we are borrowing from Mrs. Travis and that the homework and green folders get to and from school carefully. 

 

 

As a team, we are going to have a great kindergarten year!  Please do not hesitate to ask me questions, share input, or come to me with concerns.  I am very flexible, and open to suggestions!  I am available to meet from 8:30-8:55 in the morning and afternoons by appointment.  Feel free to contact me at <a href="mailto:mefrizzell@cps.edu">mefrizzell@cps.edu</a>.  I will post information and weekly newsletters on the classroom blog, found on the Ray School website.

 

I am looking forward to working with all of you this year!

 

Sincerely,

Margo Frizzell
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