Parent Information
Mrs. Manukas and Mrs. Taylor’s Class
July 2017
Welcome to the world of kindergarten! The following information will help your kindergartner get off to a great start. Please know that parents are welcome in our classroom at any time – we value your participation!
Class Schedule Our class will be doing many types of activities throughout the day including language arts, math, science, social studies, drama, music and dance. This year, we are teaching the Common Core curriculum. This is a curriculum that was adopted by 48 states in order to ensure that all students are receiving the same instruction no matter what state you live in. You can access the Common Core standards at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/. We also have special classes as follows: PE, Media, Art, Music. Our special schedule will change every 3 weeks due to track in and out. I will include our schedule in each Wednesday newsletter.
Grading System
Most of the work that we do in kindergarten is practice and therefore you will see a “P” on your child’s papers. If there is a “WH” on your child’s work that means that they needed extra assistance to complete the assignment. Formal assessments will be scored using standard based grading (1,2,3,4). *Not all assessments have the opportunity to earn a 4.
Class Rules Jones Dairy uses the word PAWS to help the children learn the rules at school. We will work very hard to understand what these letters mean and how they will look in the different school settings. PAWS stands for: Practice Safety, Act Responsibly, Work Hard and Show Respect.
Communication Each day, after we have learned the rules, your child will bring home a “Daily Folder” containing his/her daily behavior. You will be able to log on to Bloomz.net to see specific details about their day or download the Bloomz app on your mobile device. Please sign the daily log in your child's folder every night and return it in your child’s folder the next day as well as log on to Bloomz. Any other notes about transportation or absences should be placed in this folder for us to see. If you have questions about your child's behavior you can respond on Bloomz or write a note on the back of your child's behavior log.
Each week, your child will bring home a “Wednesday Folder” containing his/her work from the week. Please remove their work and return the folder and Ziploc bag on Thursday to let us know that you have seen it. A weekly newsletter will be posted to our class website to let you know more about what we’ve been doing and any upcoming events. I will use Bloomz to send text reminders throughout the year. You can send messages anytime via Bloomz. You can also contact me by phone (school 562-6181), by sending a note to school, or email ([email protected]) at any time if you have any questions or concerns. Emails will be answered within 24 hours. The children will receive a report card and an interim report each quarter which will let you know how they are progressing with the common core expectations. We will also meet a minimum of 2 times to discuss your child’s progress (at the end of the first and third quarters).
Themes/Sharing Our class studies are arranged in two-week theme units. You can find these themes in our weekly newsletter. Although we will not have a formal “show and tell” time, students are encouraged to bring in items that relate to our theme.
Homework The children will have homework this year. This is a requirement to complete not an option. It is important that you help us model this lifelong responsibility. Please assist your child by giving them the tools they need to complete the assignments and returning their work in their homework folder on time. In addition to the homework your child will be receiving, please help us by checking your child’s folder each night, reading all notes and newsletters, completing all forms and returning them in a timely fashion. We appreciate your help with these things.
Lunch Our class will eat lunch in the cafeteria between 11:15-11:45. Lunches are $2.25, breakfasts are $1.25 and milk is $.50. Each student has a student identification number that will be used for their lunch account. You may purchase lunch tickets in advance by sending in money in an envelope marked with your child’s name and the amount of lunches you wish to purchase. The children are expected to learn their student identification number and will eventually key in this number on a key pad to pay for the items they want in the cafeteria. Snacks can be purchased at additional prices. It is very important that you let the cafeteria know what your child is able to purchase (lunch only, breakfast and lunch or general, which can include extra treats). We are not allowed to tell the children what they can or cannot purchase from the cafeteria so please make sure that it states on your check what your child can purchase.
*The school will not be printing menus this year. You can look at the menu on line at www.wcpss.net. You can also look online to track your child’s lunch money. This link is www.myLunchMoney.com.
Birthdays Birthdays are very special. To celebrate, we sing and make each child a birthday book. If your child’s birthday falls at a time when we are not in school, we will celebrate as close to the actual day as possible or on a day designated as his or her “UN-birthday”. As an alternative to party treats, parents are asked to donate a new book of their choice to the classroom library. The child’s name and birthday will be printed in the book as a remembrance of this special day. Please gift-wrap the book so the child may open it in school with the class. A parent or another adult is encouraged to come to school and read the book to the entire class. (10:45 would be great!) Please remember, Wake County has a healthy food policy. We will not be celebrating birthdays with sweets. Thank you for understanding!
Snack-The children will have the opportunity to eat a snack each day. Please send your child to school with a healthy snack and drink each day.
Visiting School- We would love to have you visit our class! We have many opportunities for volunteering in our room. These opportunities range from reading and interacting with the children, to cutting or other clerical duties. If you would like to join us, please be sure you ALWAYS stop by the office to sign in and receive a visitor’s pass.
*Wake County Schools has a policy that all parents that volunteer in the school have a background check. If you are planning on helping out this year please stop by and complete the on-line forms – Thanks! It can take up to a month for the background check to be completed. Don’t wait until you get a field trip slip to start this process. If you have not been cleared you will not be able to attend a class trip.
Absences- If your child is absent from school, please call the office and let us know. We will also need a note on the day he/she returns stating the reason for the absence. If we do not have a note within 3 days of the absence it will be considered unexcused. Please remember that children need to remain home until they are fever free for 24 hours.
Late Arrival/Early Check Out
If your child arrives at school late (after the 9:15 bell), please stop by the office to check him/her in and receive a tardy slip. Should you need to check your child out early, go to the office to check him/her out and the secretary will call our room and request that we walk your child to the office. If you would like to walk to the classroom to pick up your child you will need to have a note from the office letting us know that the child was signed out. No children will be excused from the classroom without a note from the office.
Change in Dismissal- If your child will not be going home in his/her usual manner, you must send Mrs. Manukas a written note. Without a note, he/she will be sent home the usual way. All notes need to be approved by the office!
All children will receive a transportation tag at the beginning of the school year. This tag must remain on your child's bookbag for the entire school year.
Mrs. Manukas and Mrs. Taylor’s Class
July 2017
Welcome to the world of kindergarten! The following information will help your kindergartner get off to a great start. Please know that parents are welcome in our classroom at any time – we value your participation!
Class Schedule Our class will be doing many types of activities throughout the day including language arts, math, science, social studies, drama, music and dance. This year, we are teaching the Common Core curriculum. This is a curriculum that was adopted by 48 states in order to ensure that all students are receiving the same instruction no matter what state you live in. You can access the Common Core standards at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/. We also have special classes as follows: PE, Media, Art, Music. Our special schedule will change every 3 weeks due to track in and out. I will include our schedule in each Wednesday newsletter.
Grading System
Most of the work that we do in kindergarten is practice and therefore you will see a “P” on your child’s papers. If there is a “WH” on your child’s work that means that they needed extra assistance to complete the assignment. Formal assessments will be scored using standard based grading (1,2,3,4). *Not all assessments have the opportunity to earn a 4.
Class Rules Jones Dairy uses the word PAWS to help the children learn the rules at school. We will work very hard to understand what these letters mean and how they will look in the different school settings. PAWS stands for: Practice Safety, Act Responsibly, Work Hard and Show Respect.
Communication Each day, after we have learned the rules, your child will bring home a “Daily Folder” containing his/her daily behavior. You will be able to log on to Bloomz.net to see specific details about their day or download the Bloomz app on your mobile device. Please sign the daily log in your child's folder every night and return it in your child’s folder the next day as well as log on to Bloomz. Any other notes about transportation or absences should be placed in this folder for us to see. If you have questions about your child's behavior you can respond on Bloomz or write a note on the back of your child's behavior log.
Each week, your child will bring home a “Wednesday Folder” containing his/her work from the week. Please remove their work and return the folder and Ziploc bag on Thursday to let us know that you have seen it. A weekly newsletter will be posted to our class website to let you know more about what we’ve been doing and any upcoming events. I will use Bloomz to send text reminders throughout the year. You can send messages anytime via Bloomz. You can also contact me by phone (school 562-6181), by sending a note to school, or email ([email protected]) at any time if you have any questions or concerns. Emails will be answered within 24 hours. The children will receive a report card and an interim report each quarter which will let you know how they are progressing with the common core expectations. We will also meet a minimum of 2 times to discuss your child’s progress (at the end of the first and third quarters).
Themes/Sharing Our class studies are arranged in two-week theme units. You can find these themes in our weekly newsletter. Although we will not have a formal “show and tell” time, students are encouraged to bring in items that relate to our theme.
Homework The children will have homework this year. This is a requirement to complete not an option. It is important that you help us model this lifelong responsibility. Please assist your child by giving them the tools they need to complete the assignments and returning their work in their homework folder on time. In addition to the homework your child will be receiving, please help us by checking your child’s folder each night, reading all notes and newsletters, completing all forms and returning them in a timely fashion. We appreciate your help with these things.
Lunch Our class will eat lunch in the cafeteria between 11:15-11:45. Lunches are $2.25, breakfasts are $1.25 and milk is $.50. Each student has a student identification number that will be used for their lunch account. You may purchase lunch tickets in advance by sending in money in an envelope marked with your child’s name and the amount of lunches you wish to purchase. The children are expected to learn their student identification number and will eventually key in this number on a key pad to pay for the items they want in the cafeteria. Snacks can be purchased at additional prices. It is very important that you let the cafeteria know what your child is able to purchase (lunch only, breakfast and lunch or general, which can include extra treats). We are not allowed to tell the children what they can or cannot purchase from the cafeteria so please make sure that it states on your check what your child can purchase.
*The school will not be printing menus this year. You can look at the menu on line at www.wcpss.net. You can also look online to track your child’s lunch money. This link is www.myLunchMoney.com.
Birthdays Birthdays are very special. To celebrate, we sing and make each child a birthday book. If your child’s birthday falls at a time when we are not in school, we will celebrate as close to the actual day as possible or on a day designated as his or her “UN-birthday”. As an alternative to party treats, parents are asked to donate a new book of their choice to the classroom library. The child’s name and birthday will be printed in the book as a remembrance of this special day. Please gift-wrap the book so the child may open it in school with the class. A parent or another adult is encouraged to come to school and read the book to the entire class. (10:45 would be great!) Please remember, Wake County has a healthy food policy. We will not be celebrating birthdays with sweets. Thank you for understanding!
Snack-The children will have the opportunity to eat a snack each day. Please send your child to school with a healthy snack and drink each day.
Visiting School- We would love to have you visit our class! We have many opportunities for volunteering in our room. These opportunities range from reading and interacting with the children, to cutting or other clerical duties. If you would like to join us, please be sure you ALWAYS stop by the office to sign in and receive a visitor’s pass.
*Wake County Schools has a policy that all parents that volunteer in the school have a background check. If you are planning on helping out this year please stop by and complete the on-line forms – Thanks! It can take up to a month for the background check to be completed. Don’t wait until you get a field trip slip to start this process. If you have not been cleared you will not be able to attend a class trip.
Absences- If your child is absent from school, please call the office and let us know. We will also need a note on the day he/she returns stating the reason for the absence. If we do not have a note within 3 days of the absence it will be considered unexcused. Please remember that children need to remain home until they are fever free for 24 hours.
Late Arrival/Early Check Out
If your child arrives at school late (after the 9:15 bell), please stop by the office to check him/her in and receive a tardy slip. Should you need to check your child out early, go to the office to check him/her out and the secretary will call our room and request that we walk your child to the office. If you would like to walk to the classroom to pick up your child you will need to have a note from the office letting us know that the child was signed out. No children will be excused from the classroom without a note from the office.
Change in Dismissal- If your child will not be going home in his/her usual manner, you must send Mrs. Manukas a written note. Without a note, he/she will be sent home the usual way. All notes need to be approved by the office!
All children will receive a transportation tag at the beginning of the school year. This tag must remain on your child's bookbag for the entire school year.