The ABC’s of Kindergarten

Welcome to Kindergarten with

Mrs. Northrup! 2015-2016

AAbsences - Excessive absences hinder a child's progress. If your child is absent, you must call the office or send a note to the school when he/she returns. Please include your child's name, teacher's name, date of absence, and the reason for

the absence. If there is homework, it will be sent home after the student returns to school.Art - Your child's art teacher's name is Mrs. LaFountain!Attendance - Regular school attendance is essential for your child to make the most of his/her education. Please make every effort to have your child at school everyday, except of course, if he/she is sick. Alphabet Knowledge - We will learn the letters of the alphabet and the sounds that the letters make in Kindergarten. We will use this knowledge to blend, segment and to read.Arrival - My doors will not open until the first bell rings at 8:30 a.m., as I may be out of the room or busy finishing preparation for the morning. The tardy bell rings at 8:35. Your child may not enter the classroom after 8:35 without a tardy slip from the office.

BBus - ALL STUDENTS MUST BE REGISTERED TO RIDE THE BUS. Riding the school bus is a privilege and improper behavior will not be tolerated. No child may ride another bus without written permission or a phone call to the office. Your child's safety is in mind! Please inform the school and First Student Transportation at 423-2706 of ANY bus changes.Birthdays - Birthdays are very important to children! If you would like to bring treats for the class on your child's birthday, you may bring or send them to school in the morning. We have 23 children in our class. Please send all necessary supplies with your treat (plates, napkins, etc.) Please DO NOT send a whole birthday cake as it is difficult to cut and plate up for the whole class. Book Orders - I will send home Scholastic book orders for you and your child to look over. If you want to place an order, please make checks payable to Scholastic Book Club. BE SURE to label orders with your child’s name! I allow about a week to look over the orders before they are due. No late orders will be sent in. Please let me know if the book order is a surprise/present and I will call you when it comes in.Backpacks - Your child's backpack should be big enough to hold a folder. Backpacks help your child carry their folders, notes, projects, and books to and from school. Please check your child's backpack and folder DAILY.

CClothing - Please dress your child in comfortable clothing that is appropriate for Kindergarten and the weather. It is a GOOD idea to label all coats and sweaters. Please send in extra clothing IN A LARGE LABELED ZIPLOCK BAG for your child to be stored at school. When accidents happen, this makes life easier for everyone. Your child will also need tennis shoes for gym days.Conferences - There will be two scheduled conferences throughout the year. I may schedule an additional conference with you if needed. Please feel free to call me if you are concerned with anything!!!Computers - We have five computers in our classroom with Internet access. Your child will be taught the proper way to use a computer and then be taught to use the educational software in our classroom. You must sign an internet user form if your child has permission to use the internet. This is a supervised activity. Communication - Communication between home and school is very important. If you feel the need to talk to me, please call the school, send me a note, or email me. I will get back with you as soon as I can.

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Dismissal - Dismissal is at 3:40 p.m. on full days, and 11:45 on half days. Please wait outside my back door as I will collect and dismiss walkers here. We are usually passing out papers and take-home folders at this busy time of the day.Delays or School Closings – Listen to WLEN, FM 103.9 on the radio for any weather updates that are related to school or check out the Tecumseh Public School website.

EExCel - Your child will participate in 3 curriculum Enrichment "ExCel" classes throughout the week; Art, Music, and Physical Education. Our scheduled ExCel time is 1:30 – 2:30.

FFire Drills - Your child will participate in fire drills throughout the year. We will practice the procedures before our first fire drill so that your child will be prepared.Fund Raisers - Our school participates in several fund raisers throughout the year to raise money for various things for our school. We hope that everyone can participate, but it is not required.

GGym -Your child will participate in gym class. Your child needs to be prepared with gym shoes. Your child's gym teacher's name is Mrs. Lawson!

HHomework – Beginning soon, your child will have homework to ensure he/she understands the concepts that are introduced in class. Please be sure to sit down and participate in your child's homework assignments. Homework is mandatory and individualized to meet each child’s needs. Handwriting - We use D'Nealian handwriting in our district. An example sheet will be provided at fall conferences.

IIllness - Please do not send your child to school if he/she has a temperature or is hindered by an illness. If your child becomes ill at school, you will be called to come and get your child. We need at least two working phone numbers on your child’s emergency form at all times, in order to contact you in case of illness or emergency.

JJournal Writing - We spend time writing in our journals. Journal writing is a process that begins with pictures and/or scribbles. You will certainly see growth in your child's writing throughout the year, which will be discussed at conference time.

KKids – Kindergarten is a special time for your child. I want to make this experience the best possible. "Kids come first!"

LLocation – Tecumseh Acres is located at 600 S. Adrian Street.

Library - We will have a scheduled library time every week. I will inform you of the day and time when we schedule that! Please help your child learn responsibility by sending his/her book back each week. Another book will not be checked out unless the overdue book is returned. Lunch - The cost of lunch is $2.50. This price includes a milk. Our lunch time/recess time is from 12:15-12:55 each day we are in school all day. Please send in lunch money at the beginning of each week (in a labeled envelope). You can purchase as many lunches in advance as you would like. A milk is provided when your child purchases lunch at school. Your child may purchase milk for 45 cents if they pack their lunch.

MMath Tubs - We use math tubs in addition to our math curriculum. Free exploration in math tubs is an excellent way to stimulate creativity.Music - Your child's Music teacher is Mrs. Hunt!Motor Mom’s and Dad’s – This is a fun way to volunteer at your child’s school. This program offers movement that will stimulate the brain. All parents that volunteer to help with this will be trained.

NNewsletter – Please look for newsletters in your child’s folder on Fridays. I will keep you informed as to what we are doing in class and what is happening at Tecumseh Acres! The school will also send home a newsletter once a month.

OOutside - Your child will have outside time daily, weather permitting. Please dress your child appropriately for the weather.

PPledge of Allegiance - Each morning we will recite the Pledge of Allegiance.Parent Involvement - We love Parent Involvement! Please be involved in your child's Kindergarten year as much as you can.Parties - We will have various parties throughout the year. You may sign up to help out with the parties.PTO - (Parent/Teacher Organization) All parents are encouraged to join the school's PTO. This is a fun way of getting to know other parents and an easy way to be involved with what is happening at your child’s school! Phone Numbers : Tecumseh Acres Elementary 423-9744

Mrs. Northrup’s Voice Mail 423-9744, ext. 5335Principal at Tecumseh Acres – Mr. Lewandowski is our Principal!Policies: Rules are put into place right from the beginning. Once the students clearly understand the rules, they are expected to follow them. If a student does not follow a rule one or more of the following will happen: 1. The student and I will have a private conversation regarding the incident. 2. If it involves another student, we will discuss it with him/her. 3. The student may be asked to sit on their letter for a time out followed by a discussion with me. 4. A parent/guardian will be notified via the telephone, email or a note. 5. Mr. Lewandowski will be informed and the student may go to his office to be spoken to. 6. A formal write-up of the incident will take place. Please know that I typically like to take care of behaviors within my classroom and will only notify parents/guardians if the behavior continues after I have made multiple attempts to stop it.

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Questions - Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's education. Quiet Time – For at least the first few weeks of school, we will offer a “quiet time” area for the students that seem to want this or need this.

RReport Cards – Our district operates on a trimester grading period. Therefore your Kindergarten child will receive three report cards during the year, fall, winter and spring.Recess - Your child will have recess everyday after lunch. We will also have a morning or afternoon recess, weather permitting. Please be sure to send appropriate outdoor clothing!Read - Read to your child daily and encourage your child to retell or read to you! Memorizing a story or picture reading are both forms of READING! Restrooms - We have a restroom in our classroom and your child is allowed to use them as needed. Unfortunately, accidents will happen so make sure you send a change of clothes!

SSecretary – Mrs. Compau, pronounced “Compo”, is our secretary in the main office! She is amazing and can answer most questions that you may have.Snacks – On full days of school, we will have a snack in the morning. We will have a snack calendar with assigned snack providers, beginning in September. Please send in 24 healthy, individually wrapped snacks/baggies with appropriate utensils and napkins to accommodate the nature of the snack. Children may also choose to eat leftovers from lunch during the afternoon snack time. Drinks are optional (only drink boxes or pouches please), we also have a drinking fountain readily available to all the children. Please consider sending a box of extra snacks for our "forgotten snack" stash. Sight Words - We will be learning sight words throughout the year. These words are words we see a lot in our daily reading!

TTransportation - If your child will be going home a different way than regularly scheduled, please let me know by note. No child will be released to another adult unless they are listed on the emergency form. Please keep the office notified of any changes!Tardies - Students late to school (after 8:35 A.M.) are considered tardy. It causes a disruption for our morning routine (attendance, lunch count and announcements from the office). All tardy students MUST enter at the front of the school and have a parent sign them in at the main office. School begins at 8:35 a.m.Toys - Toys from home are not allowed unless approved by Mrs. Northrup beforehand and then they will be returned the same day. Please label.Teacher – Mrs. Northrup is your child’s classroom teacher!

UUnits and Themes - I will keep you updated in our newsletters as to what we are doing in class. We do a lot of seasonal activities that are aligned with Common Core!Unique – All children are unique in their learning style! Please practice with your child and praise their accomplishments of what they can do and what they have learned!

VVisitors and Volunteers - Please make sure that you sign in at the office and have a background check before you come to the classroom! All visitors must enter through the front entrance of the building! Please prearrange visits with the teacher before you show up to help in our class!Volunteers - We always need volunteers after the first month of school. Please sign up to volunteer during open house or by phone call or note to school. All volunteers must fill out a form before you work in any Acres classroom. Thank you in advance if you help in the classroom or at home!

WWish List - This ongoing list will be posted in our classroom and occasionally sent home with students. Again, thank you in advance for supporting the fun activities we have planned for Kindergarten! Workshops - We use workshops in the classroom for active learning. Each day we make choices about our workshops. When we are in workshops, we are learning to cooperate with others. This is a time for choices, cooperation, and learning through play.

XKindergarten is eXtra special and eXciting!Remember an eXtra set of clothes in a large Ziploc bag.Consider sending in an eXtra snack for the afternoon.

YYearbook - You will have a chance to buy a yearbook. Orders can be placed with fall pictures. The delivery of the yearbook will be in the late spring!You – You are a major part of your child’s education and learning. Let’s work together to make it a GREAT year.

ZZZZZ's - Your child should get plenty of rest each night. Kindergarten students require 10-12 hours of sleep per day. It is so important for your child to be alert and ready to learn each day. Set a bedtime and be consistent.