Course Syllabus

     

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I am delighted to be working with your family this year.  Kindergarten will be filled with countless learning and exploration opportunities.  Throughout the first few weeks of school we will engage in many community building activities.  Throughout the year we will strive to create a community that fosters learning and growing as we celebrate our accomplishments and work together through our challenges.  Kindergarten offers many opportunities for your child to become more independent and responsible with his/her work habits.  Fostering a sense of enjoyment and excitement for the learning process is one way in which the development of lifelong learners is supported during the school year.

Your child will bring home a take-home folder daily which will be a primary form of home-school communication.    Inside the take home folder will be important information such as: newsletters, homework, information sent by the office, your child’s work, etc. Be sure to check the folder on a nightly basis to be thoroughly informed on what happens at school and anything that involves your child.  In addition, I will check the folder every day to receive any information you may want to send to me (just place any items for me in the folder). 

Monday- PE

Tuesday- Library

Wednesday- Art and Music

Thursday- Guidance and Music

Friday- Art and PE

 

*** On P.E. days, please be sure that your child is dressed to participate in physical activities.  This means he/she should wear comfortable clothes and gym shoes. 

 

*** On library days, please have your child bring back his/her library book(s) from the previous week. 

 

*** School policy states that all Bexley students must wear closed toed shoes to school each day (no flip flops).

Toys are not to be brought to school.  They provide a distraction to the teaching environment.  If a child has a toy out during learning time it will be put on my desk until the end of the day.

Your child may bring a daily morning and afternoon snack.  Your child may bring a small, healthy, dry, and easy to manage snack (no utensils). 

 

*We are a nut free and latex free classroom.  Do not send in anything with nut products or latex due to allergies!  This includes all nuts, not just peanuts*

 

 (nuts are ok in individual lunches as the cafeteria has a nut free table, but they are not allowed in our classroom for snacks.)

Be sure your child knows their daily lunch plan.  If your child is packing, remember to pack a balanced meal that will keep them energized for learning.  If your child is buying, money may be placed on an electronic account.  Your child’s lunch account number will be sent home.   Please help him/her to practice and memorize this number for when she/he is buying a school lunch.  This will be your child’s number throughout his/her Bexley career.

Children may bring treats for the class on their birthday. Summer birthdays may be celebrated on their half birthday.  Please send a note in advance, so that I can set aside class time for the treat.  The treats and supplies (e.g. napkins and plates) need to be at school at the start of the day and we will enjoy the treat when there is time.  Be sure birthday treats are small, easy to consume, and individually portioned.  Do not send invitations to school.  Although it may seem convenient to distribute invitations this way, it can result in hurt feelings for those not invited.

 

Important: There are several students at Maryland that have severe life-threatening allergies to nuts; including peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, walnuts, nut oils (i.e. peanut oil), nut flavorings (i.e. almond extract), other tree nuts,  etc. Touching these items, as well as ingestion, may provoke this reaction.  Snacks/treats should not contain these items. 

Home – school communication is an integral part of every child’s education.  If you ever have a question or would like to meet, please email or call to set-up an appointment.  I am always willing to speak with you about any questions or concerns you may have; however, between the hours of 8:25-3:10 the students get my full attention.  Email is always the best way to get a hold of me as I check it periodically throughout the day.   If you ever have an emergency or last minute message, please contact the office at 614-237-3280. 

 

During school hours, all visitors and guardians must check in at the office.  Be sure to enter through the doors on Maryland Avenue during school hours. 

Please sign-up for a parent account into Canvas.  A parent/observer account will enable you to view classroom notices, assignments, resource lists, and more.  It's important that you have your own account and not use your student's login.  Privacy of student information and interactions are covered by Federal Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA). Your account permits you to see your student's work.  Your parent Canvas account will work across all buildings and classrooms that your children are in at Bexley Schools.

How to Sign-Up: Please use a desktop or laptop computer to sign-up initially, not a mobile device.  Go to the Canvas page (http://bexleyschools.instructure.com) click on Parent of a Canvas user.  Enter in the information asked for and then have your child enter in their Canvas/Network username and passcode.  Passcodes are unique to each student, this is why you’ll need your child with you when you initially setup your Canvas account or when adding another student.  An email will be set which you'll click in the finish the registration process.  Once you’re registered in the system you can add additional children under your Account, Settings, Observing.  Canvas provides you with one place to view and access course and classroom information across the multiple schools and classrooms.  Here is a website that describes the features available to the observer role.

If your child is sick, please keep him/her home.  Coming to school will only prolong and spread the illness.  Students cannot return to school until they have been fever/symptom free (e.g. vomiting, diarrhea) for 24 hours without medication. 

 

Students should arrive to school by 8:35 each morning as being tardy can greatly affect your student’s success in school. 

Please make sure you have all individuals permitted to pick up your child signed up on the list in the classroom.  If a person is not on their pick up list I cannot release your child to them.  If your child is leaving school a different way than usual, write me a note, e-mail me or call the school office. 

 The school-wide rules covered in the student handbook will be used in this class. 

In addition, we will follow our Kindergarten Classroom Rules:

1.  Follow directions quickly.

2.  Raise your hand for permission to speak.

3.  Be kind to people, places and things.

4.  Make smart choices.

5.  Focus on your work.

Our classroom will also strive to uphold our 8 Keys of Kindergarten Excellence:

Go with the flow
Live joyfully
Take charge
Own it- own your choices
Be a bucket filler
Do your best and forget the rest
Be yourself
Make happy mistakes

Our goal is to build social and academic skills while moving towards independence.  We will focus on guiding your children through problem solving situations so that they can move towards being able to solve problems on his/her own.  To help foster this independence children will be encouraged to try and solve problems on their own first and then get a teacher when further help is needed.  We will learn about the importance of using our words and I messages ("I feel…") to express ourselves and our feelings.

When challenges do arise we will approach them constructively and as a learning opportunity. For example, if a child runs in the hallway he/she will go back and practice walking the right way and have a discussion with the teacher about why it is our school rule to walk in the hallway (to stay safe).  This combination of logical consequences and problem solving conversations helps to create an environment where children can reflect on their choices and build independence.  We will view behavior as a teachable skill and each conversation as a valuable learning experience.

If your child has a day where lots of problem solving takes place they will work with us to complete a “think sheet”.  This is a system that provides the opportunity for reflection and learning.  Your child will be asked to write/draw about the challenges that occurred during the day and then to “fix the problem” by writing/drawing about what they will do next time to make a better choice.  If your child ever brings home a think sheet, please spend some time together reflecting on the learning that took place, emphasizing the positive choices that can be made in the future.  Then sign the sheet and return it to school the following day.

I look forward to working with you and your child!  If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me  :)