Parent+Handbook

=Kindergarten Parent Handbook=

Our Goals and Philosophies

 * To create a safe, fun, and comfortable classroom environment
 * To teach skills that will give your child success at school, home, community, and in his or her future
 * To teach your child to be a “lifelong learner”
 * To teach children Christian values
 * To teach children how to be respectful, caring, and kind to others
 * To meet the needs of ALL students
 * To have a consistent and caring discipline

Classroom Schedule & Routines

 * Half-Day Kindergarten: 8:40 am to 11:45 am.
 * Full-Day Kindergarten: 8:40 am to 3:25 pm.

Daily Class Schedule

 * Morning- Daily Five which includes small group reading instruction, math, writer's workshop, guided reading read-aloud
 * Afternoon-religion, science or social studies, handwriting
 * To view class schedule, please click here for the [[file:DailySchedule2017-18 .pdf|daily schedule]]

Arrival
Half-Day Kindergarten All Day Students:
 * When children arrive, they should come in the main entrance of school
 * Children will be allowed to enter the Kindergarten room no earlier than 8:25 a.m. Students coming on the bus will be escorted to the classroom by an 8th-grade student for the first few weeks of school. Once they feel comfortable, they will walk themselves down.
 * Dismissal**
 * Picked up in the classroom at 11:45.
 * If taking the bus home, we will put them on the bus safely.
 * **Bus:** Students will be walked down to the buses.
 * **Carpool Lane:** 5K will be walked down to the carpool line and helped find older siblings or their car.
 * If you are having somebody else pick up your child from school, you must send a note. For your child’s safety, we cannot release your child to anybody if we do not have advance notice of a change. Changes in pickup schedule should NOT be left on our voice-mails the day of the change. Sometimes we can’t get to our messages until the end of the day when the children have already left.
 * **If a change is needed in the pickup procedure, call the School Office: (262) 377-2050.**
 * At dismissal, it is very important to pick up your child on time.

Late Arrivals

 * If your child arrives after 8:40, bring them to the main entrance where you will need to sign them in. They will be marked tardy and escorted to the classroom.

Homework

 * Homework will be posted on the Wiki at the beginning of each month. An email will be sent once it is posted. The work should be completed throughout the month and can be turned in when the entire packet is complete.
 * This work is optional and is meant to reinforce skills we are working on in class.
 * In order to complete the homework, your child will need these materials at home:
 * Pencils
 * Books
 * Crayons

How to Help at Home

 * Take an interest in your child’s day!
 * Read with your child every night!
 * Read out loud to your child!
 * Review/practice Ball Words!
 * Find real life math situations and point them out!
 * Encourage responsibility and independence!
 * Stay informed. Be sure to read kindergarten newsletter/wiki to find out what we are doing at school!
 * Work with your child on the monthly homework pack.

Parent Volunteers

 * Volunteers are needed! We would love to have you in the classroom! We always are looking for volunteers to help either in the classroom or at home.
 * Field trips
 * Special Days
 * Working parents, if your time is limited we will make an effort to have you help out in the classroom at a time convenient to you. There are always things that can be done at home.
 * All volunteers must be trained in “Safe Guarding God’s Children".

Birthdays

 * [[file:BirthdayCelebrations2017 .pdf|Click here to see the complete list]].
 * Birthdays will be celebrated in the classroom. Summer birthdays will be celebrated on or near the child’s half birthday. The birthday child will be the special person of the day!
 * A birthday poster will be sent home prior to your child's celebration. Please help them fill it out and return it to school on their special day.
 * Birthday treats are welcome. (Please no nut products and no cupcakes).
 * Please do not send invitations to birthday parties to school to be passed out.
 * On their special day, children may be **OUT OF UNIFORM**!

Take Home Folders

 * Your child has been given a folder to be used as his or her “Take Home” folder. This folder is sent home daily (even empty!) Notes and papers will be sent home from school in this folder. Please ask for it from your child every day. Use it to communicate with us! Send notes and return forms through this easy way of communication!
 * Please send it back to school with your child the next day (even if it’s empty!).

Church Schedule

 * Kindergarten will attend mass on Friday with the rest of the school starting in October.

Newsletters

 * A kindergarten newsletter will be posted on the Wiki on a monthly basis. This will cover what we will be learning in the curriculum and news about what is happening in the classroom.
 * Newsletters will be updated monthly on the 5K Wiki.

Snack

 * Please send a snack daily in your child’s backpack that is clearly labeled as “snack”. Snack will be in the morning.
 * P.M. snack will be animal crackers or graham crackers. We will ask for donations from parents as supply gets low.

Lunch

 * The children will eat their lunches in the gym with the rest of the school. We will have 8th-grade buddies who will help us.

Rest Time

 * Kindergartners will have a 30-minute rest time each day. It is not necessary for them to sleep, but it will be expected that they lay quietly on their mat during this time. You may send a **small** blanket or towel for your child to use at rest time if you think it will help them relax.
 * No stuffed animals or toys, please.

Out of Uniform

 * The children may be out of uniform on the last Monday of the month. If we are not in school on the last Monday of the month, out of uniform is skipped for that month.
 * Children may be out of uniform on the day they celebrate their birthday.

Appropriate Dress

 * Kindergartners go outside two times a day, once after lunch and once in the afternoon.
 * During the cold and snowy winter months, please remember to send snow pants, boots, hat, and gloves.
 * **LABEL** everything with your child’s names.

Book Orders

 * Book club orders will be sent home periodically throughout the year. These clubs offer a wide variety of wonderful books at discount prices while allowing our classroom to receive free materials.
 * If you would like to place an order, you can order online or send the order form back to school. If you send the order form to school, please make out **one check** for your total to **Scholastic Book Club**.
 * You are at no time under any obligation to order.
 * If you should decide to place an order, please return the form and check by the specified date.
 * Online ordering can be done by going to [|www.scholastic.com/bookclubs] . SFB 5K order code is H7RNM.

Specials

 * Kindergarten’s specials schedule is as follows:
 * Monday--Gym/Music
 * Tuesday --Library
 * Wednesday
 * Thursday --Art
 * Friday

Communication

 * Communication between home and school is the key to your child’s school success. Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions or concerns! We will do the same! Please remember, a phone call from your child’s teacher isn't always a bad thing!
 * We can be reached at:
 * Website: http://5ksfb.wikispaces.com/
 * E-mail:, knopfm@sfbschool.org or bewaldaj@sfbschool.org
 * Phone: 262-377-2050 ext. 227 (Knopf) or 262-377-2050 ext. (Bewalda)

Medications

 * The school office will administer all medications. Please contact the office if your child is to be given any medicine during school hours.
 * If your child has asthma, you may want to consider leaving a spare inhaler in the office.
 * **Do not send medicine to school in your child’s backpack. This includes cough drops.**

Report Cards

 * Report cards will be filled out at the end of the second and fourth quarters (January and June) and will be sent home in Family Mail.
 * Please sign the envelope and return it to school.

Conferences

 * Conferences are scheduled two times during the year (October and April). The dates for the conferences are listed on the school calendar. Information about call-in times will be sent home in Family Mail prior to conferences.
 * If you have a concern about your child at any time, you do not need to wait until conference time. Please feel free to give us a call or email us anytime with questions.