A-Arrival and Dismissal- The classrooms will be open at 7:45. You may drop your child off at the north entrance, drive thru, or walk the student in. If you walk your child in, please allow your child to enter the classroom on their own and put their things away. The parents are asked to clear the hallways by 7:55, so that prayer and instruction may begin. If a child arrives after 8:00, he or she will need to check in at the office for a tardy slip.
Kindergarten is dismissed at 3:05 (after the prayer).
2) Inside- You may pick up your child inside by visiting the card table near the entrance of our hallway.
3) If your child is to ride home with another student (family) please let us know through a note or phone call at the office.
4) Your child will go to extended daycare at 3:20 if he/she was not picked up.
B- Birthdays- A child’s birthday is a very special day. You may choose to send in cookies or cupcakes to celebrate your child’s birthday during snack time.
As stated in the school handbook, you may send invitations to school to be given out only if the whole class is invited. Otherwise they must be sent in the mail. Please do not send presents to the class for students to hand out if you cannot attend the birthday party.
Behavior- The rules are:
1) Respect others by keeping hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
2) Be kind to others: No hitting, stealing, tattling, or name-calling.
3) Listen carefully and follow directions the first time given.
4) Stay seated while listening to instruction.
5) Raise your hand and wait to be called on.
6) Walk quietly in the classroom and the hall.
7) Loud voices outside.
8) Quiet voices inside.
Level C and D (Cooperation, Democracy) – Good day! Smiley face put in behavior folder.
Level B (Bossing and Bullying)- Sad face
Miss 5 minutes of recess
Level A (Anarchy) – Sad face with tears
Note home
Miss 10 minutes of recess
Since it is important to get behavior feed back from all of the special classes they attend, we ask to get daily feedback from those teachers too.
C- Communication-You will be receiving a weekly newsletter posted on our website. This will help to keep you up to date. . If you need to contact us, you may do so through the school (940- 381-1155).
dhcastillo4@yahoo.com
Curriculum- Course content:
As a member school of the Catholic Diocese of Ft. Worth, ICCS utilizes the Hartford Curriculum school wide. In reading and phonics we use the Trophies Program. We use poem charts as well as big books to introduce pre-reading strategies. We introduce and help them to learn the first 50 sight words. Sometime in January, after all of the short vowels are introduced and the students are sounding out words, we start to send home individual readers.
In writing we introduce journaling by letting them use their own sound spelling and learned sight words.
We will also use interactive writing on large chart paper.
Math – We use the Houghton Mifflin math program as our first resource. We also include plenty of math skills during calendar time.
Handwriting – We use the Zaner Bloser method of manuscript (print).
Religion – We have the series God Made Me by Ligouri Press.
D- Daily Reading- As a part of their homework, we ask that the children be read to on a daily basis. The parents are to write down what is read on their child’s reading log page (found in their daily folder) and sign the page.
E- Extended Day- It is the parents' responsibility to send a snack and drink if your child attends Extended Day in the afternoon. Label the snack specifically Extended Day and put it in the lunch box or back pack. If your child attends Extended Day in the morning, they may bring breakfast if it is a small snack such as a granola bar or a pop tart. Please make sure that your child will have enough time to eat breakfast before school begins.
F- Fine Motor Skills- The students will be continuing to work on developing these skills this year. They are cutting with scissors, coloring within the lines, and writing on lined paper.
G- God- The Creator of our life and center of our being.
H- Health Issues- Please let your child's teacher know of any allergies or possible illnesses that may be affecting your child.
Homework- Homework folders will be sent home every Monday and are due back on Thursdays. This includes their show and tell bag. All homework is to be done in pencil unless it says to color.
Homework Supply Box- This is a box that is kept at home. It should include the following items to complete homework assignments.
Large writing pencils (first half of the school year)
Basic 8 pack of crayons
Kid scissors
Glue or glue stick
3x5 index cards
I- Individuals- We recognize that each child is an individual that comes to us with many varied skill levels. We are here to work with them and challenge them.
Independence- We hope to instill independence in doing their work as the year goes on.
J- Jesus- Jesus is in our heart and mind at all times.
K- Keep updated by reading the classroom newsletter every week and checking the Bee Book every day for other notes and information.
L- Lunch- You may join your children for lunch. Our lunch period is 11:15-11:45. Just check in at the office and proceed to the gym to meet your child for lunch.
Library books- Within the next few weeks your child will be checking out books from the library to take home.
The librarian's policy is that the students don’t check out another book unless their books are returned.
M- Mass- Please instill good Mass behavior when attending your parish church.
Standing straight and tall, sitting properly, kneeling, and making the sign of peace. If you would like to attend Mass with your child, you may get them at the Kindergarten's designated seat or in the Narthex. Please make sure that you let the teacher know if you take your child. Your child will need to be returned immediately after Mass is over with. When sitting with your child, please sit away from the class so it is not a distraction to the other children.
Modesty Shorts- girls are to wear navy blue cotton shorts under their uniform jumpers.
Mary the Mother of God: Pray for us.
N- Newsletter; We will post on our website every Friday afternoon.
O- Observational Survey as an assessment Tool- This helps teachers to observe:
-the child’s use of oral language and how he controls sentence structures
-concepts about print (how print encodes information)
-the reading of continuous text (taking a running record)
-letter knowledge
-reading vocabulary (words the child knows when reading)
-writing vocabulary (words the child knows when writing)
-hearing and recording sounds in words (both phonemic awareness and the linking of phonemes to letters)
From An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement by Marie M. Clay
P- Prayer- We will begin with practicing The Sign of the Cross, next The Hail Mary and The Our Father.
Q- Questions? Please feel free to call, stop in, email or send a note.
R- Rest Time – We take a 30 – 45 minute rest period during the day. There are no pillows, blankets, or loveys allowed. After the first of the year, the time will be decreased slowly. The children do not have to sleep, but are asked to lay quietly. As teachers, we do use this time to work with children individually.
Report Card- These go out every nine-week period. There are progress reports that go home in between around the fourth or fifth week of each grading period.
S- Snacks- You should bring enough snacks and drinks for all of the children for the whole week. The snacks can be goldfish, pretzels, crackers, carrots, fruit, etc… The snacks need to be individually bagged for each child. Please do not send cookies or candy. Please do not send colored drinks. Capri Sun, water, and apple juice work great. If you send snacks that need utensils, please send them because we do not have them in the classroom.
Sight Words- We will be sending home sight word cards for you to review at home. These words are words that cannot be sounded out, but are found quite often in the children’s reading.
T- Teamwork-We are part of a team. If there is something going on with your child that is affecting him/her at school please let us know about it.
U- Uniform- It is important that you practice the skills of putting on their uniform at home.
Tucking in their uniform shirt all the way around (front and back).
Buttoning shorts, skorts, and long pants by November-putting on ICCS school sweaters
It is expected that kindergarteners wear the uniform listed in the student handbook,
The students are allowed to wear small, stud earrings. NO HOOPS!
A simple gold chain with a cross or medal. They do not need watches bracelets, or rings at school.
Girls may wear bows as long as they match the uniforms (blue, red, black, yellow). Girls may not wear headbands.
*** No finger nail polish or tattoos**
***Spirit shirts may be worn on Friday with their shorts, skorts, or long pants.
They may be purchased at the spirit shop.***
V- Volunteer- We need a variety of volunteers for our classroom.
1)Room Mom –to help coordinate our parties.
2)Speakers- If you have a hobby that goes with one of our units of
study we’d love to arrange for you to come show the kindergarten classes.
3) Taking Things Home to cut out, staple, etc… It is always a help to have parents help us prepare our projects ahead of time. These at home hours count on your ICCS volunteer forms.
W- Wish List- If you have the opportunity to help provide some of the small items we wish for that would be great. You will find the things posted outside the classroom doors.
X- Parents may eXit and enter via the main school entry during school hours.
Y- Your ideas…and suggestions are always welcome!
Z- Zzzzzzz- Make sure your child gets plenty of rest.