KindergartenParentOrientation.

WelcomeParents!

Somethingtothinkabout…•  Ifchildrenlivewithencouragement,theylearnconfidence.Ifchildrenlivewithtolerance,theylearnpatience.Ifchildrenlivewithpraise,theylearnappreciation.Ifchildrenlivewithacceptance,theylearntolove.Ifchildrenlivewithapproval,theylearntolikethemselves.Ifchildrenlivewithrecognition,theylearnitisgoodtohaveagoal.Ifchildrenlivewithsharing,theylearngenerosity.Ifchildrenlivewithhonesty,theylearntruthfulness.Ifchildrenlivewithfairness,theylearnjustice.Ifchildrenlivewithkindnessandconsideration,theylearnrespect.Ifchildrenlivewithsecurity,theylearntohavefaithinthemselvesandinthosearoundthem.Ifchildrenlivewithfriendliness,theylearntheworldisasafeplaceinwhichtolive.

Who’swhoinKindergarten?MsMaryMcGrady

Who’swhoinKindergarten?MrsStephano

Hasworkedwiththeparishforover30years.

ShehasbeenaKindergarteninstructionalaidfor22years

MrsStephanoisaveryvaluableassettothisclassandworkwithmyselfandthechildrenonafull-timebasisfrom

MondaytoFriday.

ImportantTimes! Schoolstarts–8:15am! Recess–10am–10:15am! Lunch–12pm–12:45pm! NapTime–12:45pm–1:45pm(Story/Mats/Quiet)

! Dismissal–3:00pm! Childrenwillhavefrequentbathroombreaksuntiltheydevelopagoodroutine.

WhatsubjectsoftheCurriculumwillmychildlearninKindergarten?

LanguageArts/ReadingSuperkidsReadingProgram:

HowcanIasaparenthelpmychildwithreading?

Asparents,YOUareyourchild’sMOSTinfluentialteacherwithanimportantparttoplayinhelpingyour

son/daughtertolearntoread.

1.Chooseaquiettime2.Makereadingenjoyable(Changeyourtoneofvoice…besilly)3.Maintaintheflow4.Bepositive5.Successisthekey

Howcanyouasaparentmakereadingwithyourchildapositiveexperience?

6.Visitthelibrary7.Regularpractice(Littleandoftenisbest)8.Communicate(Readingrecordbook–writepositivecommentsandanyconcerns)9.Talkaboutthebooks(pictures,characters,theirfavoritepart,theauthor…)10.Varietyisimportant(picturebooks,comics,magazines,poems)

MathWhatwillmychildlearninKindergarten?

“ICan”CommonCore

ScienceWhatwillmychildlearninKindergarten?

LittleKindergartenerswillbecomescientistswhowillaskquestions,enjoypracticalwork,exploreandengagetheircuriosity.

! WeatherWatching–studentsdevelopthehabitofbecomingweatherwatcherswhotakepleasureinnoticingweatherpatternsandpredictingchanges

! PlantandAnimalSecrets–studentsdeveloptheconceptthatanimalsandplantsneedthingsinordertosurvive.

! ForceOlympics–studentsdeveloptheirfirstconceptof‘force’andtheideathatbyplayingwithforcesandthinkingaboutthem,wecanaccomplishbigthings!

! AlltopicswillfallintoalignmentwiththeNGSScurriculum.

SocialStudiesWhatwillmychildlearninKindergarten?

! Studentswillbecomegoodcitizensbyactingincertainways(followingrules,sharing,takingturns,consequences,beinghonest,courageousanddetermined).

! Recognizenationalandstatesymbolsandicons(flag,baldeagle,StatueofLiberty).

! Studentsplaceeventsintemporalorderusingacalendar(days,weeks,months)

! Studentsunderstandthathistoryrelatestoeventstoday(holidays)

ReligionWhatwillmychildlearninKindergarten?

Studentswilllearn:ChurchDoctrine,Scripture,WorshipandChristianLiving.

! StudieswillfocusonscripturesforthefollowingSundayinmass.

! MrsStephanoandIwillbeworkinginpartnershipwithReligion.ShewilltaketheleadandIwillbeintroducingnewprayers,hymnsandplaysongsontheguitarwiththechildren.

! God’sTimewillbeeverydayaftersnacktime.

ElectiveSchedule–PE&Music

• PEtakesplaceonaMonday,WednesdayandFridayafternoon.

• MusictakesplaceonaTuesdayandThursdaymorning.

Homework

•  Minimalhomeworkisgiven,inordertoaccentuatehomefamilylifeintheevenings.

•  Studentswon’tstarthomeworktasksforthefirstfewweeks.ItisimportantthattheyenjoytheirfirstfewweeksofKindergartenandsettleintonewschoollife.

•  Homeworkwillbegivenweekly.PacketswillbepassedoutonMonday.Eachnight’shomeworkisduethenextday.

•  FamilyCornerinreligionpacket(activityandprayer).•  Dailyreadingof15minutes.Pleasefilloutreadinglogandinitialit.Theywillbecollectedattheendofeachmonth.

Behavior

•  Aswellasthegeneralschoolrules,thekindergartenclasshaveasetoftheirownrules.

•  Thechildrenwillbecomemorefamiliartotheseastheweeksprogressandreinforcementoftheseruleswilltakeplaceeachday.

•  Positivebehaviourwillbewidelyencouragedandrewardedintheclassroom.

•  Soonyouwillhearyourchildtalkabout‘ClassDojo’,our‘MarbleJar’andour‘StaroftheWeek.’

CulturalTeachingExchangeWhattoexpectthisyear–‘AWindowintoMyWorld’.

! Childrenwillbeintroducedtoanewculturalexperienceintheclass.

! TheywillmaintainalinkwithasimilarclassfrommypreviouselementaryschoolinIreland(St.Nicholas’PS,Ardglass).Thismayinvolveeitheremail/penpalactivities,Skypecallsovertheyear.

! ChildrenwilllistentosomestoriesoffolkandfairytalesfromIrelandandourclassleprechaun‘Finnegan’willbearegularfeatureinourclassroom.

! EveryFriday,onechildwillbechosen(atrandom)totakehomeCillian,ournewKinderbear.Hewillstaywiththechildovertheweekendandparentscanhelptheirson/daughterwriteanddrawabouttheirexperiencesinhisbook.PleasereturnthistoschooleachMonday,sothatthestudentcantellusallaboutwhattheygotupto!

! Childrenwillalsohaveanopportunitytoparticipateina‘ShowandTell’duringanallocateddayoftheweek.Thiswillhelppromoteconfidenceandindependencetospeakinfrontoftheirpeers.

AndFinally…!

•  Anyquestionsorconcernsyoumayhave,pleaseconsultthe2019-2020Parent-StudentHandbook.Itisfilledwithimportantinformationregardingschoolpolicies,rules,schedules,programsetc.

•  Anyconcernsyoumayhavecanbeaddressedinprivatemeetingsafter3:15pm,notduringmorningassembly,pick-uporemail.

•  Myemailaddressis:mmcgrady@csdo.org

•  Phone:(510)357-2530x1012

•  Theclasswebsitewillbeagoodsourceofinformationalso.