Syllabus
Ms. Hunter and
Mrs. Cunningham’s
ABC’s of K4
We are looking forward to working with your child this year! Whether this is your first child beginning school or your last child coming through, you are probably experiencing some mixed emotions concerning school right now. We realize this and hope this information will help you and your child have an easy transition into K4. We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with you and your child. We are here for you whenever you need us, and we’re looking forward to a fabulous year! If you have any questions that are not answered in the following feel free to contact us by e-mail, note or telephone!
A
Apps
Little Writer Cool Math
Sight Words Learning Games Animal Math
ABC Magic KinderTown
Phonics Farm Kids Academy
Endless ABC Friend Shapes
First Phonics Abby Phonics
EduKitty ABC Candy count
ABC Ninja Math!
Fun Kids Alphabet LeapFrog Academy
Attendance
Good attendance is crucial to success in any grade, especially kindergarten! Each day provides valuable learning experiences for your child. The classroom will be open beginning at 7:00 am. We begin school promptly at 7:45 am. It is important to have your child here on time each day because our mornings are filled with many activities. Attendance is taken on the computer in the classroom at 7:45 each morning. If your child arrives after 7:45 am, he/she will be counted tardy. If your child is absent, please send an email explanation and a doctor’s excuse for the absence to be coded as excused. I will send home any work that your child misses to be completed at home.
B
Birthday Treats
We welcome you to bring a birthday pre-packaged snack or treat for the students in the class for your child’s birthday. Ideas for treats include pre-packaged cookies, ice cream sandwiches, Little Debbie snacks, or rice crispy treats will be fine! If you wish to send a treat, please send the treat in and we will pass them out. NO BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS OR ADDRESSES WILL BE GIVEN OUT AT SCHOOL!
*This is a school policy!
Book Club Orders
Scholastic book order forms will be sent home periodically with your child. You are not required to purchase books. However, this is an excellent and inexpensive way to build your child’s library and encourage reading at home. Some books cost as little as $.95. Bonus points are earned for our classroom with every dollar ordered. These points are used to purchase books for our classroom reading baskets and library. If you place an order, send cash only. You may also order your books online.
Breakfast
BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY! Please make sure your child gets an adequate breakfast before coming to school each day. It is hard for them to concentrate when their tummies are rumbling. Breakfast is available at school each morning for free!
C
Check-Out Procedures
If you need to check your child out of school early you will need to send an email to MVEdissmissal@greenville.k12.sc.us. You must email the office to be able to get your child out of school early. There will be NO DISSMISSAL after 1:30. We ask that you limit early dismissals so that your child will not miss instructional time.
Changes in Emergency Information
Be sure to change BACK PACK immediately of any changes in your address or emergency telephone numbers. It is also important that you notify me about the changes so that I can keep updated records in the classroom as well. Please make sure that we always have a way to reach you in case of an emergency!
Clothing
Please help us by labeling all coats, sweaters, and raincoats with your child’s name. Also, we will be painting and sitting and playing on the floor. We do try to protect the children’s clothes, but accidents do happen. Thanks for understanding. We also ask that you send an extra set of clothes for your child in a gallon size Ziploc bag, labeled with your child’s name. The extra set of clothes will allow us to be able to take care of minor bathroom, playground, and food/drink accidents without having to contact you at home or work. We will send the extra change of clothes home when the weather gets cooler so that you can exchange them for clothes suited for cooler weather.
Classroom Rules
Classroom rules will be established on the first day of school. The students will work together and assist in creating rules for our class with teacher support and guidance. Rules will be sent home in the daily folder. The rules will be reviewed and discussed thoroughly during the first several weeks of school. Rules are displayed in the classroom throughout the year.
D
Discipline System
In K4 our goal is not only to teach academics but also to teach our children how to be loving and responsible individuals. In our classroom, we will use a colored magnet system. With this system, children are able to move their magnet up for good behavior or down for poor behavior. Each child will begin their day in the middle of the chart. If your child is spotted exhibiting exceptional behavior or doing a special good deed, he or she will be allowed to move their magnet up. If they are exhibiting poor behavior or not following our class rules, he or she will be asked to move their magent down. We will notify you daily in your child’s folder of the color that he or she ended their day on. If your child moved down more than once, we will record the reason why as well.
Some reasons for moving magnet up are: Helping Others, Using Kind Words, Participating, Sitting Quietly, Sharing or Act of Kindness, Hard Working, Neat and Tidy and Following Directions.
Some reasons for moving magnet down are: Disrespect, Harmful Hands, Using Harmful Words, Not Following Directions, Not in Control of Body, and Other.
E
E-mail
kecunningham@greenville.k12.sc.us
This is an effective way to communicate with us. We check our e-mail on a daily basis.
F
Folders
We use folders for communication, homework, newsletters, money, etc. Please make sure that you check this daily. In the inside of the folder we will place classwork and any other information that needs to be sent home. You will also find the behavior calendar on the back (which needs to be initialed daily). If you are sending any money to school, please be sure to place it inside the folder in a marked envelope. This is extremely important so that we will ensure the money gets to the correct place!
Facebook
Our class will have a Facebook page. This is a way that you will be able to see photos of fun things that we are doing in class! This is also a way that relatives can share in all of the kindergarten fun as well (especially grandparentsJ)! I will notify you of our class Facebook page once it is set up.
Field Trips
We take several fieldtrips throughout this year. We need chaperones for all of the field trips. We want to give all parents an opportunity to attend a fieldtrip if they would like to. It is necessary that we have the proper fieldtrip permissions slips in order for your child to attend a fieldtrip. We will give the permissions slips out at least 2 weeks before the trip, but please return the forms promptly. Field trips are a privilege and behavior problems can cause your child to miss a trip. At the beginning of the year, you will receive information about ordering k4 t-shirts. We will keep these t-shirts at school for students to wear on each field trip. On the last field trip, your child will be able to wear the t-shirt home. Siblings will not be allowed to attend. Please understand that if you are chaperoning a trip, you will be helping with the children. We like to think of it as a mom/dad and one child’s special day together! Parents and Grandparents must complete and pass a background check to attend feild trips. Please complete Volunteer 2 forms on the website ASAP!
G
GREAT YEAR!
It is our goal to make sure that your child has a great year and an unforgettable first year experience. We are looking forward to a great year with your child!
H
Homework
Homework each day is to read a story with someone!
I
Injury/Sickness at School
If your child is injured or becomes sick at school, the school nurse will contact you or the person you listed on your emergency form. AN EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER MUST BE ON FILE. A child may not return to school unless they have remained fever-free, without medication for at least 24 hours! NO EXCEPTIONS! If your child is sick please keep them home. There are more Covid restrictions and guildeines that will be posted on the website.
J
Junk
Everyone is not able to be directly involved in the classroom, but one way you can help is to save magazines or toilet paper/ paper towel rolls for our classroom art activities. Also, small toys can be sent in for the treasure chest! We also need small plastic lids!
K
K4 Newsletter
A weekly newsletter will be sent home each Monday with your child. You will receive an emailed copy of the newsletter. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be sure to read this carefully and look for information such as homework, upcoming events, reminders, etc. I post important infomation on the newsletter each week!
K4 Program Goal
The overall goal of K4 is to improve the students’ understanding of the world and to strengthen their desire to continue learning. Appropriate, intellectually challenging learning opportunities are planned to help students meet standards in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, physical development, the arts, and personal/social development.
K4 Curriculum
In k4, we teach using various units throughout the year. The majority of our activities will relate back to a unit that we are studying. We derive many of our units from seasons, holidays, or other happenings in the year. All of the units and every activity that we teach will correlate with the standards for k4. A copy of the curriculum standards is available on the class website. I also have copies available for those without Internet access. We also incorporate activities and lessons from several adopted series of books/texts.
L
Lunch
Lunch is from 10:40 a.m.-11:50 a.m. Student lunches are FREE. Adult lunches are $3.40. The lunch menu is available on our school website. You must make an appointment to have lunch with your child. You need to send me an email stating the day and time you will be coming to have lunch. I will forward the email to the office and they will let you in the building. You can not come to lunch without prior arrangements. You must make an appointment. Lunch/breakfast is at no cost this year. However you may send money for snacks to be purchased. Money must be sent daily in a labeled envelope, by check, or online through backpack.
Lunch and Dismissal Numbers
Your child has a card to scan for lunch. So there is no number to remember. However, they need to memorize their car or bus number. PLEASE work on these numbers at home. Knowing your dismissal number will help the end of the day run more smoothly.
M
Medication
Please be aware of the regulations regarding prescription and over the counter medications. A parent or legal guardian must bring all medication to the school. This includes prescription medication as well as over the counter medications. It is against District policy for a child to carry any medication on their person. Due to changes in South Carolina Policies governing the administration of prescription medication, a 10-day grace period is no longer allowed before written physician authorization is required for all prescription medications. Parents are required to bring prescription medication to school and provide form MED-1 before any prescription medication may be left at the school. This includes inhalers, epi-pens, Ritalin, etc.
A parent must provide written authorization for over-the-counter medication to be kept and administered in the health room using form MED-3.
All MED-forms are available in the health room and are also on the district web site. The updated district medication policy is as follows:
Health Room Policy and Procedures
Medication Policy
All prescription medication must be delivered to the school nurse or other designated school employee by the student’s parent, legal guardian or a previously designated adult. If your child brings over-the-counter medication, it must be brought to the Health Room before school starts. It is against School District Policy for a student to carry ANY medication on their person without prior approval. All medication must be maintained in the Health Room. Violations of the medication policy are dealt with sternly. Medication needed on field trips is also covered by this policy and must be administered by an individual designated by the principal. There are separate permission forms for medication on field trips.
For your child’s safety please remember:
All PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must have written parental and physician authorization before medication can be administered at school. Form MED-1
All PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be administered as labeled and OTC medications may not exceed package directions.
ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be brought to school by a legal guardian or designated person over 18 years of age and given directly to the school nurse or designated school personnel.
OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS may be provided by the parent if it is in the original container, clearly labeled with the student’s name and is accompanied by written parental permission. Form MED-3.
Parents are responsible for knowing the expiration date of any medication brought to school and replacing medication before the expiration date. School Nurses will not administer any medication passed the expiration date.
ALL MEDICATION MUST BE IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER.
School nurses are legally required to administer only medications with FDA approval.
No medication containing ASPIRIN can be given at school without a doctor’s authorization. This includes but is not limited to Pepto Bismol, Excedrin, and some OTC cold medications.
If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication, school nurses are not allowed to give that dose at school. Parents may come to the Health Room to give the missed dose.
N
Names
Please be sure to write your child’s name on all belongings brought to school: lunchboxes, backpacks, coats, change of clothes, towels for rest time, etc.
Nurse
We have a registered nurse here at the school, but we make it a point to only make visits to the nurse’s station if absolutely necessary. If your child has any health issues, please make her aware of these at the beginning of the school year.
O
Office
Much of the school’s business is handled in our office. Mrs. Hembree, Mrs. Redding, and Mrs. Child’s work very hard every day to keep our school running smoothly. Attendance, messages, afterschool program payments, picture money, and any number of other business takes place in the office. Our school phone number is 355-6800. Use this number to report transportation changes, or other pertinent matters. Any notes that will be sent to the office (transportation changes, medical excuses, parent absent notes, etc) MUST be emailed and have your child’s first and last name on it, along with their teacher’s name.
P
Parent/ Teacher Relationship
I feel that we must work closely together as a team to best meet the needs of your child and help him or her reach their maximum potential. Please feel free to contact me by note, e-mail, phone, or conference at any time. I am more than happy to discuss any comments, concerns or questions you may have at any time during the school year. Please also refer to our school website for any information you may need.
Q
Quiet Time
K4 students do have quiet time! During this time we will rest our heads and/or listen to quiet music, or listen to a story.
R
Recess
We have recess every day. We will be on the playground as weather allows. We try to go outside if at all possible. Otherwise, we will have free choice time in the classroom. Please dress your child accordingly for outdoor weather, and send a coat/jacket when necessary.
Report Cards
K4 will receive report cards beginning the 1st nine weeks. You will receive a Skills Report 4 times this year. You will receive the report on the dates listed on the school calendar as “Report Card” days. Parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled at the end of the first nine-weeks to discuss your child’s progress. If at any time you would like to speak with me concerning your child’s progress, please call me, send a note, or send an email.
S
Skills at Home
Your child not only learns at school, but also at home. Please work with your child on the following: homework, reading, tying shoes, saying their birthday, phone number, address, car number and lunch number.
Snack
Our class eats lunch every day at 10:40 am. Due to the fact that we eat lunch so early, we will have an afternoon snack every day. You will need to send your child a snack and drink every day. Please be sure that your child knows what food items is snack and what is lunch (if you send your child’s lunch from home). Please make sure your child’s snack is a healthy snack that is not loaded with sugar! J We also have a community snack cabinet in case someone forgets or doesn’t have one. We can always use goldfish, pretzels, and animal crackers.
T
Transportation
Bus- In order for your child to ride the bus, a bus transportation request form must be completed and turned into the office. It takes approximately 10 business days from the date your paper is turned in to complete your request. Once your child has been assigned a bus number, our school office will contact you with the bus number and the day they may begin riding. Students will wear a bus tag with a number that must match the person at the bus stop or they will be brought back to school.
Daycare- Daycare students will be dismissed with bus riders and will be accompanied by a teacher to their daycare bus.
Car- Car riders will be picked up in the back of the school. Your child’s car number must be displayed (hang from rear view mirror) in order to pick up your child. If you do not have number displayed you will have to drive to front of school, park, and then walk into the office to pick up your child. NO EXCEPTIONS!!
U
Unique
The special ages of four and five are a unique time of curiosity, energy and rapid learning. It is a time when the child receives his or her first impression of school. At this age children soak up information like little sponges, and are being introduced to many new concepts and ideas. We use a lot of repetition and re-learning to ensure that these basic skills are absorbed and understood for lifelong learning.
V
Volunteers
Please complete the VOLUNTEER 2 form on the district website. All parents that help in the classroom or want to attend a field trip must be cleared by the office.I enjoy getting to know all parents and involving you in our classroom! Throughout the year, we will be asking for volunteers to help with a number of different activities inside and outside of the classroom. If you would like to volunteer to help our classroom, please be sure to note that on your child’s Student Information Sheet. I will be sending out more information regarding this in a few weeks. If you are unable to volunteer in the classroom you may participate by sending items needed, making things at home, and attending special classroom activities and celebrations. Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school.
W
Websites for your child to enjoy
X
Extra Supplies
We use a wide variety of school supplies and materials in k4. We sometimes run out of certain items or need specific materials for classroom projects. We will list our classroom needs on our weekly newsletter. We appreciate any and all contributions J
Y
Yearly Calendar
The calendar is posted on both the district website and school website.
YOUR Input
We want our families to be satisfied and feel at ease with every aspect of your child’s education. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to contact us by phone, note, or e-mail at any time. We are always open to suggestions and willing to do what we can to best meet the needs of you and your child.
Z
ZZZZZ’s
Make sure your child gets plenty of rest. Setting and keeping a consistent bedtime is a wonderful idea!
Zip!
Before we know it, this year will be over. I hope we have a great year together. I am looking forward to working with each of you to ensure that your child enjoys his or her K4 experience. Believe it or not, this year will ZIP by!