The Basics of Pre-K
Assessment
Towards the end of September, we will assess your child on
basic academic skills. The results of the assessment will not be an exact
accounting of what your child knows, but it will give us an idea. We will share
the results of the test with you. The tests will be kept in your child’s file.
A more thorough evaluation will be administered sometime in January. The
results of this assessment will be shared with you at Parent/Teacher
conferences on February 7th and 8th.
Units of study and introduction of
alphabet
We will be working our way through the alphabet this year. We
will have bi-weekly themes based on a letter. The letters of the alphabet will
not be introduced in order. Instead, they will be introduced in a way where the
new letter builds off the previous letter. For example, the letter “C” will be
taught before the letter “G” because learning to write the letter “G” requires
the ability to write the letter “C”. Also, higher frequency letters will be
taught first (“S” before “Q”). We will begin with uppercase letters, one per
week, and will include the lowercase letter if they are similar. If not, the
lowercase letters will be taught after the uppercase letters. For example,
lowercase “o” will be taught at the same time as uppercase “O” where lowercase “e”
will be taught after all the uppercase letters have been introduced. We will
also begin introducing sight words within the first month of school.
Our Pre-Kindergarten offers a complete, developmental
curriculum that allows the students to develop social, emotional, physical,
artistic, and academic skills. The curriculum is structured. Two-thirds of the
time is spent participating in planned activities relating to Math, Reading
(pre-reading), Writing (pre-writing), and Art. During this time, the students are
expected to move through three pre-set centers and accomplish certain tasks.
Part of our day is unstructured (outdoor recess and free
choice indoor play). These times offer the students the opportunity to make
choices, interact with their peers, play with hands-on manipulatives, explore
our continuously changing science center, participate in free symbolic play,
and develop important social, physical, as well as creative skills.
Discipline
We do not anticipate many behavior problems. We will be very
busy learning and having fun. However, if a child chooses to not follow the
rules or directions given after receiving a warning, he or she will be removed
from the activity and will discuss with a teacher what rule is not being
followed. You will receive a written note on your child’s daily communication
paper and they will likely have red, yellow, or orange circled on their paper.
You will need to initial their paper (like every other day) and make sure it is
returned in their folder, as usual. Children will forfeit recess until the note
comes back signed. At the beginning of school, your child may bring home
several notices as they may be testing limits. Understand that this is normal.
Please discuss the rule(s) being broken, helping your child to understand that,
if the behavior continues, consequences will be given. In order for all
children in our class to learn, they need rules and guidelines to follow.
Without this structure, the behavior of some children may distract others,
prohibiting them from learning. With your support of our classroom discipline
system, we will be better able to teach and help your child reach their full
potential.
Handbook
Please take the time to read the BBS Handbook. There will be
a form you will need to sign in your packet at “Meet the Teacher” confirming
you have read the handbook. Pay close attention to our school dress code and
volunteer procedures. The handbook is available online at http://bbschl.com/general/handbook
Proper dress
The children will go outside for recess each day unless it is
raining or there is a heat advisory. Please keep this in mind when helping your
child choose clothing for the day. We have a variety of playground equipment,
including several pieces for climbing. Please keep this in mind when selecting
shoes. Cowboy boots and little girls’ dress shoes are less than ideal if you
child chooses to play on this equipment. Also, there is sand on the playground,
so shoes that are easy to take off and empty out like those with Velcro
closures would be greatly appreciated.
Labeling
Please label everything your child brings to school. All
items (jackets, backpacks, lunch boxes, snacks, notebooks, crayons, etc.) need
to have your child’s name on them.
Take Home Folders
The students in my class will use a “Take Home Folder” to
keep track of all of the papers they need to keep at home, as well as those
they need to return to school. The left side of the pocket will be for items
that do not need to be returned like papers and projects. The right pocket will
be for things that need to be returned like the daily communication paper and
other things that need to be signed. The daily communication paper will show
you how your child’s day went as far a behavior. Each child will automatically
start with a “green” day. If a class rule is broken, their day will change to
yellow, orange, or red depending on the rule and the frequency of the behavior.
If your child had an extraordinary day (helped without being asked to or other positive
behaviors), they can move up to blue, purple, and pink for each good choice.
The class rules and the meaning behind each color are listed on the paper in
greater detail. This paper will need to be initialed each day. There is also a
space on the bottom for teacher comments (these typically elaborate on your
child’s color for the day) and parent comments (in case you need to leave me a
note). If you leave a note on the paper, please make sure you date and sign the
note as I keep these papers as a communication log.
Please, make sure you check both pockets of the folder each
night for important papers.
Classroom information board (outside
the classroom door)
The board outside our classroom will always contain the
following:
·
Daily
schedule
·
Lesson
plans for the week
·
BBS
calendar
·
Copy
of the current newsletter
Daily schedule and specials
Learning will begin at 8:30 am. You will bring your child
into the classroom between 8:20 and 8:30. Please do not bring your child in
before the door is open. Once in the classroom, be sure to sign your name
in a Sign In/Out Book using your first initial and last name and the time.
Pickup is at 2:50 pm. We will open the door to the playground at this time.
Please do not enter the classroom before dismissal.
The daily schedule will be posted outside the classroom on
the classroom information board. Each day will include the following: large
group time (calendar, reading, letter introduction, etc.), small group time
(math, writing, reading, science/sensory, art), outdoor play, lunch, snack, and
rest time. The children will also have special classes such as computer lab,
music, and Spanish.
Lunch
You will need to provide your child with a nutritious lunch
each day. You may want to over-pack and send a few different choices. Young
children can be picky about what they want to eat. It always helps to have a
couple different items to choose from. Please make sure that you include
napkins and any eating utensils they will need. We are not able to heat up
individual meals. Please make sure you use an insulated lunch box to keep foods
hot/cold as needed. Don’t forget a drink and a water bottle.
Rest time
After lunch, we will have a rest time where the children will
be encouraged to lay down, look at books, listen to soft music, and relax. Rest
time will be around 30 to 45 minutes. Children will be provided with a mat
cover and blanket. Please be sure to wash these items at the end of the week
and return them the following week.
Classroom News
I compile a weekly newsletter, which is sent home at the
beginning of each week. It is very important that you read these. The
“Classroom News” contains important information about projects, homework,
school events, volunteering, etc. The newsletter will be posted outside the
classroom door and also emailed to the email you provide me along with a link
to the most recent blog post that accompanies the newsletter.
Volunteers
Bright Beginnings School requires that each family to complete
50 hours a year of volunteer time. Throughout the school year, there will be a
variety of special classroom activities and celebrations, beginning in
September. I encourage you to attend these special functions when possible and
to support them by sending needed supplies or treats. I also have several “at
home” volunteer activities if your schedule does not permit you to come into
the classroom on a regular basis. Please be sure to fill out the volunteer form
so I know what you are able to help with. Your support of school activities
makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school.
Supplies/Materials
Each day we will be doing either a science project or a
cooking project. It’s a great way to learn about following directions,
measuring, trying new foods, etc. In order to do this, we will need some items
from home. Every other week, an email will be sent out with a link to the list
of items needed. We will use a program called Signup Genius where all the
parents will have access to the list of items and, once they choose the item
they are willing to bring, it will show up as fulfilled. This way you will know
which items have already been provided. The list will be emailed out at least a
week before the supplies are needed. This gives you enough time to collect the
supplies and bring them to school. We do have a fridge in the classroom for
cold/frozen items so don’t hesitate to bring items in early.
Star Student
Each week one student will have the opportunity to be star
student. That student will bring an All About Me poster from home to share on
Monday, their favorite book to share on Wednesday along with a Show and Share
item, and they will return the class mascot and journal on Friday to share.
This is completely voluntary. There will be a sign-up sent home during the
first few weeks of school that will allow you to pick the week you would like
your child to be star student.
Birthdays
Your child is welcome to celebrate his/her birthday in class.
Birthday parties are held during snack time. We have a fridge in our classroom
if you would like to drop off treats in the morning. If you want to send in a drink, I request
that you send in juice boxes as large containers of juice are too messy and time-consuming.
If you would rather not send in juice boxes, the children can get water from
the fountain and or have the drink in their snack. Summer birthdays will be
celebrated on your child’s half-birthday. I will send home a birthday
celebration reminder letter the week before your child’s
birthday/half-birthday. Students are not permitted to go around to other
classrooms and hand out extra goodies, so you only need to supply enough for
the class. If you are planning a birthday party, please use the school
directory to mail them out as it is against school policy for teachers to
distribute invitations. Candles and balloons are also prohibited.
Book Orders
Scholastic book order forms are sent home about once a month
on Mondays and are due back on or before Friday. Two to five different
Scholastic order forms will be stapled together with a parent letter. The
parent letter will explain how to order the books online. I encourage you to
take advantage of these affordable books by quality authors. Through your orders,
we receive free books for the classroom. In addition, if you decided to place
your order online, we will automatically receive a free book. Please don’t feel obligated to order.
Many book order forms will be sent home throughout the year. If you would like
the books you order to be a surprise gift for your child, please send in a note
along with the book order. I will be glad to leave the order for you in the
office or send it home in a large sealed envelope.
How to Contact Me
Communication between teachers and parents is very important
in a child’s education. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions
or concerns. You can leave a note on your child’s daily communication paper,
email me at kpoyzer@bbschl.com, or call me at the school at 480-821-1404. If you
have a quick question after school hours, feel free to call me at home at
712-389-0242. However, if you wish to discuss something that may take longer
than 15 minutes, please call or email me to set up a conference.
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