The

ABCs
of
Kindergarten
A Handbook for Waco Elementary
Kindergarten
2015-2016

Absence-

If your child is absent please make sure to send a note to

school when they return stating the reason for the absence. If a student
must leave early for a doctors appointment, go to the office to sign him/her
out and the student will be brought to the office. Please check the schoolwide handbook for specifics on excused/unexcused absence policy.

Attendance-

A successful school experience is the responsibility

of the child, the parent, and the school. Your childs progress, both
academically and socially, is influenced to a great extent by participation.
Regular attendance without tardiness is key.

Arrival and DismissalDoors open at 7:20. The instructional day will start for your child at 7:35.
If your child arrives at school before 7:35 he or she must report to the
cafeteria if he or she plans to eat breakfast. Cafeteria staff will begin
serving breakfast at 7:20. All kindergarten students who are NOT eating
breakfast at school will report to the gym with their classmates until they
are dismissed at 7:35 to go to their classrooms. No parent or child is
allowed in the building until 7:20. Students not riding the bus should be
dropped off in front of the library doors around the back of the school,
where they will be directed to the cafeteria or gym. School is dismissed at
2:45. If your child is a car rider, you will pick them up around back at the
library doors.

Art-

Art class is part of the students enrichment activity rotation

(along with Music, Computer Lab, Library, P.E and Guidance). We will also do
various art activities in the classroom and appreciate any craft supplies that
you may want to donate.

Backpacks-

To help your child carry messages and information to

and from school, you are asked to provide a full-size backpack. Students will
be given a Communication Folder for us to send notes and information to you
and for you to send notes to us. Please remove the notes and papers from
the Communication Binder and their backpack daily in order to be informed
of whats happening at school. KINDERGARTEN STAFF DOES NOT GO
THROUGH STUDENTS BACKPACKS. *Your student is responsible for
removing his or her binder daily and putting it in the correct location. This
is part of our ongoing everyday routines and procedures.

Birthdays-

Birthdays are special occasions for young children. If

your child wishes he/she may bring a treat for the class. We will celebrate
summer birthdays during the last week of school. Birthdays will be
celebrated on a set date each month for all children. The date of the
monthly birthday celebration will be listed on your students classroom
calendar and on the Waco School calendar. (for example: All children with a
January birthday will celebrate on one designated day during that month.)

Book Orders-

About every month we will send home a Scholastic

Book Club Flyer for you and your child to look over. This club offers
wonderful books at reduced prices what a great way to build your home
library! If you choose to order please make your check payable to

Scholastic Book Club. We will not accept any cash for orders. Our class
gets points, depending on the size of each order, to use towards free books
and materials for our classroom. You may also place orders online by visiting
scholastic book club website. Your childs teacher will send you an online
code to use.

Breakfast-

When students arrive at school they will go directly to

the cafeteria until 7:35, if he or she plans to eat breakfast. Please discuss
with your student your expectations as to whether or not he or she needs to
eat at school. Waco Elementary received a grant which allows ALL students
to eat breakfast and lunch free of charge, so you do not need to send any
money (unless you want your child to be able to get additional items, which
are available for purchase). Students who do not eat breakfast at school
need to go to the gym where they sit with their own grade level.

Calendar-

There will be a monthly calendar in your childs

communication folder. Please refer to it for events going on in the

classroom as well as school wide. Please initial it daily to let us know you
have checked it because this is how you will know what kind of behavior your
child exhibited each day: no dot, green, blue, or yellow (more info below in
DISCIPLINE section).

Centers-

Throughout the week your child will have the opportunity to

participate in various learning centers. We begin our days with whole group
instruction and then your child will engage in literacy and math learning
center activities. We may refer to these as workstations.

Communication Folder-

Your child will be given a

Communication Folder to bring back and forth to school everyday. It

contains a calendar, our behavior plan, and any notes from school. Please
make sure that any note or money that you send to school is in the
front pocket of this folder to ensure that we get it. *WE WILL NOT
GO THROUGH STUDENTS BACKPACKS TO LOCATE ITEMS. This will help
your child learn to be more independent and responsible for himself. *Please
make sure that your child brings this binder to school everyday.

Computers-

We will be going to the computer lab once a week to

use a variety of age-appropriate programs that reinforce math, phonics, and

reading readiness skills. We also have student computers in our classroom
that the children may use during center time and inside recess.

Conferences-

Parent/Teacher conferences are held after school

two times throughout the year. We will do our best to accommodate

everyone when it comes to scheduling a time.

Discipline-

Our classroom is a small community where teamwork,

good relationships, and positive attitudes are expected. We will spend time
learning class procedures and practicing them. Each student is expected to
act within our standards of behavior. To establish good order and help the
children learn self-control, they will be guided to respect themselves and
their classmates through specific directions, and positive reinforcement.

Our school-wide discipline system, CHAMPS, involves 4 levels. Every child

will start out on the WHITE level (indicated by NO DOT in the calendar).
Depending on the number and severity of problems in behavior, your childs
day may change to a GREEN, BLUE or YELLOW level. If there has been a
disciplinary problem, the designated color will be stamped on your childs
calendar, along with a written number that indicates the specific behavior
(see below).
Students who move to YELLOW will bring home an official YELLOW CARD
to document the behavior. Parents/Guardians are expected to sign this and
return it to school the following day. A RED card is RARELY sent home, but
occurs only when there is extreme violent or disrespectful behavior. The
RED card indicates that there has been an OFFICE DISCIPLINE REFERRAL
Please check your childs calendar each day to see what kind of day they had
and initial on that day and sign your initials. Please refer to the numbers
below for more specifics on the specific type of behavior.
Possible Disciplinary Problems Are:
1. Not listening / Not following Directions
2. Continuous disruptions (interrupting others, loud voices, etc.)
3. Bothering other students (touching, kicking, hitting, etc.)
4. Off task during work time
5. Refusing to participate
6. Inappropriate restroom behavior
7. Inappropriate lunch room behavior
8. Inappropriate hallway behavior (running, talking, out of line, etc.)
9. Inappropriate behavior in special class (PE, music, library, etc.)
10. Being disrespectful to others, especially adults
11. Not being responsible for self and personal property appropriately
12. Other (will be designated with a written explanation)
NO DOT

GREEN

BLUE

YELLOW

No Problems

Warning

2 or more warnings
in regard to classroom
and/or school procedures

Inappropriate
physical behaviors
that violate others;
Disrespectful words

**Positive Rewards: Students will work to earn Polite Pennies throughout

the year for following rules and being kind to others. Students will save
these pennies for reward days so that they may purchase rewards offered
by the teacher. Rewards will be priced according to level. For example,
the reward of eating lunch in the classroom would cost more than a small
trinket or toy. We will send more information about this process soon.
Waco Elementary students also have the opportunity to earn school-wide
rewards. Some of these may include extra recess, wearing pajamas to
school, etc. Again, we will send more information about this soon.

E-mail-

You can contact us via email at:

Whitney.Arnold@madison.kyschools.us
Suzanne.Cunha@madison.kyschools.us
Amy.Ritter@madison.kyschools.us
Kristie.Turner@madison.kyschools.us
Venessa.Worley2@madison.kyschools.us (principal)

We will check our email on a daily basis. If you need to discuss something
urgently, please call the school at 387-3600.

Emergency Card -

Please complete and return the emergency

card promptly (if you have not already done so). *If any information on it
changes throughout the year make sure to inform the office so you can
be located quickly if an emergency occurs.

Emergency Closings or Delays-

You can find out if we

are closed for a snow day on the local radio and news stations, on cable
channel 9, Waco Elementarys Facebook page, and on the Madison County
Schools web page. In the past we have had days where we have been
dismissed early due to bad weather. If this happens, you will be notified via
our One Call system.

Field Trips-

We get to plan a couple of field trips that are both

educational and fun for the children. We will need parent volunteers on the
trips. Please return field trip permission slips as soon as possible after they
are sent home. Students who do not have signed permission slips will not be
allowed to go. Parents are not permitted to ride the bus, so you may want to
car pool.

Gym-

Students will participate in gym class once a week during the

school year. The children are asked to wear sneakers on gym day and girls

might consider wearing pants or shorts. Children may not be allowed to

participate in some gym activities if they do not have on appropriate shoes.

Hands-On Learning-

We feel that the best way to help

children learn is to make learning fun. Important concepts can be learned by

doing meaningful hands-on activities, therefore few or no papers will be sent
home on some days. There are times however, when paperwork is required
and necessary.

Health-

Please let us know of any special circumstances which may

affect your child. This includes medication that may make him/her sleepy,
any changes in medication throughout the year, a death in the family, etc
Also, please let us know of any allergies your child may have, especially food
allergies. We sometimes have snacks or do activities with food to
complement lessons in kindergarten and it is necessary to have this vital
information when planning our activities.

Help at Home-

Your child is encouraged to master these readiness

skills: *full name * address *telephone number *parents/guardians

names * basic colors * counting to 100 (forward & backward) *printing first
name beginning with a capital letter and the rest lowercase *reciting the
alphabet *birthday (month and date) *shape names (2D & 3D)
*identifying letter names and sounds *identifying numbers to 100
*tying shoes *reading simple sentences
Your extra help at home really makes a difference!!

Homework Packet-

A homework packet will be sent home most

weeks on Friday. *Your child should complete the packet under your
supervision and return it the next Friday. Completing and returning
homework helps build a sense of responsibility and prepares him/her for the
homework he or she will have to complete in later school years. Homework
should be your childs best work. The homework packet should be placed in
the communication folder when completed. *If it is completed early it will
still not be taken out until Friday. Your child will need pencils, crayons,
scissors, and glue at home to complete their homework. If you have
difficulty providing these items for your child please let us know and we will
send the items home for them. Please do not expect a child to complete
the entire packet at once. Sections of the packet should be planned
and divided up throughout a week.

Illness-

The question of when to keep your child home from school is

often a difficult one, especially when decisions must be made first thing in
the morning. It is important, however, to keep your child at home if he/she
is ill. This helps to make them more comfortable and prevents others from
becoming ill. Please take into consideration the health of all students and
staff in our building with consideration to the spreading of germs, for
example: If your child wakes up with a fever or vomiting, they may be
contagious.

Independent Reading-

Because children learn to read by

reading, they need plenty of opportunities to read independently. Sufficient

time and appropriate materials help to strengthen reading abilities. By
giving children time to read both at school and at home, we can work
together to provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love of
reading. In a few weeks, your child will begin bringing home a take-home

book bag. The bag will contain a book on your childs level and a reading log.
It is important that your child read this book each night. Your child will
receive a new book each week, as long as they return the previous book. At
first, your child will need a lot of support and guidance. Help them develop a
love and excitement for reading by providing a fun, relaxing, and inviting
space for them to read. Be sure to praise your child for their effort and
accomplishments. That is very important at this stage. Also, if you have
questions or concerns during this process, please do not hesitate to contact
your childs teacher. We are here to help you help your child!

Journals-

One strategy that will be used to help convey the vital

concept that print conveys meaning is the frequent use of journal writing.
In these journals the children combine their emerging writing skills with
their drawing skills and math skills. As the children are exposed to a variety
of phonics, reading, and math experiences, journal entries will move from
drawings and inventive spelling towards more conventional writing. Journals
are kept at school.

Kindness-

Students in our classroom are encouraged and expected to

treat all members of our class, as well as others, with kindness and respect.
Bothering others, bullying, and interrupting learning will not be tolerated.

Lunch-

Students will eat lunch each day at school. Children may bring a

packed lunch or eat at school. ALL WACO STUDENTS RECEIVE FREE

LUNCH. However, additional items are available for purchase. If you want
your child to be able to purchase these extra items, you may send money for
that purpose. *Please put this money in a labeled envelope in the front
pocket of your childs communication folder to ensure that we get it. Lunch
menus can be found on our website or you may request one from the teacher.

Language Arts-

We will be using the Literacy By Design and

Fountas and Pinnell Phonics Lessons as our primary source of Literacy

Instruction. The programs include, but are not limited to phonics, reading,
writing, and language activities. Our school has also adopted a writing series
called Being a Writer.

Math-

Kindergarten Mathematics curriculum provides students with

mathematic experiences that help them develop number sense and a positive
attitude towards mathematics that will continue throughout their school
career and their lives. We will be using the ORIGO Math program this year.
This program uses many games and hands-on activities to promote learning.

Music-

As part of the enrichment activity rotation, students will be

learning the basics of music education and will be learning many wonderful
songs as they go to Music class once a week! We will also use music in our
classroom on a daily basis.

Newsletter-

You will receive a weekly newsletter every Friday in

the communication folder. This will keep you even more informed about
whats coming up in our class for the following week the skills we will be
learning, special activities, and upcoming events.

Nurse-

We do have a nurse at Waco. Nurse J Dillon will be at Waco on

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday. Please be sure to send in any
change of contact numbers in case she needs to get in touch with you. On

the days that she is not here, minor scratches and scrapes as well as illness
will be taken care of in the office or the classroom.

Organization-

Checking and maintaining communication folders on

your end will help greatly in our efforts to stay organized. Thank you in
advance for staying on top of this on a daily basis.

Parent Involvement-

Your support of school activities makes

your child feel important and sends the message that you value school! We
are always happy to have your help for special activities in the classroom.
We will try to let you know at least a week ahead of time if we need help.
We hope that you can come and join the fun! Please remember that you
must have confidentiality training in order to volunteer in the classroom.

Parties and Celebrations-

We have 3 main parties a year

Fall Celebration (Halloween), Christmas, and Valentines Day. All are

welcome to participate in the festivities! We will have some other
celebrations such as Thanksgiving Feast, the 100th Day of School, Easter Egg

Hunt, and the Kentucky Derby. We will send home sign up sheets so you can
sign up to send in treats for the parties.

Questions-

Since many of you may be new to Waco Elementary this

year, were sure that you may still have some unanswered questions. Please
feel free to call us at school between 3:00-3:30. You can also send us a note
in the communication binder or send an email.

Recess-

The children will get to play outdoors on most days. Please

keep this in mind when helping your child select clothing for the day. If the
weather does not permit us to go outside, we will have inside recess.

Playground Procedures-

Please review these playground

procedures with your child:

1. Stay inside or on the sidewalk area. Do not leave the playground
area.
2. No rough play. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.

3. Swings: Stay seated while swinging, on bottoms only.

4. Slides: Slide down on your bottom, one person at a time. No
climbing up the slide.
5. Do not climb on, sit on top of, or hang from legs on the monkey
bars.

Report Cards-

Report cards are issued every nine weeks. These

report cards reflect the progress your child has made toward various
Kindergarten standards and objectives and uses a grading system that
reflects the developmental nature of kindergarten learning. You should keep
the actual report card, but send back the signed envelope each 9 weeks.

Rules- CHAMPS

CHAMPS is a behavior system which is implemented school-wide. Students

are expected to champ it out in every area of the building, which means
that they review the CHAMPS expectations.
C: Conversation Level (Should my voice be at Level 0, 1, or 2?)
H: Help (what do I do if I need help in this area of the building?)
A: Activity (what is it that I should be doing?)
M: Movement (how should I be moving? Walking, sitting still?)
P: Participation (am I participating fully in the current activity?)
S: Success (am I following CHAMPS in order to be successful?)

Science-

The focus of the kindergarten science curriculum is on

developing an awareness of the world in which we live. Through scientific

inquiry, concepts will be presented in the life and earth sciences, including
animals and plants, the five senses, general health, the four seasons, and

much more. These areas will be explored using a literacy based, hands-on
approach.

Shared Reading-

Shared Reading is an interactive process used

with the whole class. As the teacher reads a story, children join in on
phrases or words that they know. During subsequent re-readings, children
read more and more of the text, until they are able to read the story
independently. Shared reading is an opportunity for the teacher to model
conventions of print and the use of reading strategies. It is appropriate and
suggested that you have a daily shared reading time at home with your child.

Snack-

The children sometimes get hungry throughout the day so some

days we will have a healthy snack. Please let us know if you are willing to
provide snacks for the class at any point. We usually have around 20
students, but I will let you know our exact count later. Some of the
childrens favorites are goldfish, pretzels, gummy fruit snacks, etc If you
would like to send in any perishable food items such as fruit, veggies,
popsicles, etc, you can either send a note, email, or sign up through the Waco
Kindergarten website. www.wacokindergarten.weebly.com

Social Studies-

The kindergarten social studies curriculum

focuses on students and how they relate to others in their families,

classroom, school, and community. Activities will help the children focus on
their natural curiosity for the world around them. Some of these activities
involve safety, community helpers, holidays, etc

Toys-

Bringing toys to school is discouraged because they distract from

learning. If a toy is accidentally lost or broken, feelings will be hurt. Please

do not send toys or electronics to school.

Unique-

Kindergarteners learn that they are special and unique. They

will have opportunities to describe how they are alike as well as how they are
different from others.

Visitors-

Waco has a policy that all guests are required to check in

at the office. Waco welcomes and encourages family involvement. It is

important to remember that while this may seem inconvenient to frequent

visitors, it is the goal and responsibility of the school to create a safe

learning environment. You must have confidentiality training in order to
come into your childs classroom to volunteer.

Volunteers-

There are times throughout the year when our

classroom can really use some extra hands. If your schedule allows and you
are interested in volunteering in the classroom please let us know. There are
many things you can do such as: run one of our centers during group rotation
time, make copies, cut and laminate, read to the children, help with a special
craft, and much more.

Wish List-

Throughout the year we sometimes need supplies above

and beyond our regular classroom materials. Many of these things are items
that you may have lying around the house or can save for us. We will send
home a wish list when these items are needed. If you can contribute, extra
items that you think we might be able to use are always welcome!

Writing-

Our writing program builds on what each child already

knows. We will be using the Being a Writer Writing Program along with
various other resources. Writing begins with scribbles and proceeds to lines
and circles, random strings of letters, words and spaces, and eventually
sentences. Your child will be encouraged and praised for all attempts and
accomplishments in writing. If possible, please provide your child with
writing tools, such as pencils, crayons, markers, and paper at home. It is also
fun for your child to have their own journal or diary to write in daily.

eXtra Special-

OK, so this is a stretch! We know that your child

is special to you and we want you to know that they are just as important to
us. We hope to make this a very memorable year for you and your child.

Younger Siblings-

It is in your childs and the programs best

interest to have our parent volunteers available without younger children.

This not only allows your full attention to be focused on the class, but also
allows for some special time between you and your kindergartner. Younger
siblings are welcome to attend our classroom parties.

Zzzzs-

Make sure that your child gets plenty of rest. It will help them

be alert and ready to learn each day!