Jessica Conner
Email: jconner@greenville.k12.sc.us
Phone: 864-355-5228
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/greenvilleschools.us/jconner/home
Gateway Elementary School
2025-2026 PreK Syllabus
I. Objectives Addressed During PreK
II. Communication with Parents
The PreK program supports the development of children as lifelong learners through partnerships with each child’s home and family. Parents will have the opportunity to participate in parent conferences throughout the school year and are encouraged to call the school and/or send a note with questions and concerns. Each family receives:
· classroom rules and procedures
· work samples
· weekly newsletters describing class and school activities
· newsletters may be e-mailed to families upon request
III. Assessment/Evaluation of Progress
Sources for assessment:
· Anecdotal records based on teacher observation and checklists
· Portfolio work sample entries
· Photographs
· Project Documentation
Documentation of progress:
· PreK Report Card—completed each reporting period
· My IGDI's—completed during Fall, Winter, and Spring rating periods
· Portfolios
PreK Report Card and portfolios are shared with parents during conferences. The PreK Report Card is included in the children’s permanent record for the receiving K5 kindergarten teacher.
IV. Classroom Expectations
PreK program goals build self-discipline, respect for others, and develop individual responsibility. Clear and consistent expectations and routines provide a framework for responsible behavior. Three to five simple classroom rules are developed with children in the first days of school. Individual and small group problem solving is used as the primary method for resolving conflicts.
Classroom Rules
Be nice. 2. Keep your body to yourself. 3. Listen. 4. Walk.
Each child will begin the day with a clip on the green happy face plate. The clip will be moved to different color/face plates for inappropriate behavior. At the end of each school day, the child’s behavior will be recorded on the behavior sheet. If your child has to move his/her clip, we will also write a note to explain in the Teacher Comments section on the behavior calendar. Please initial each day to indicate you have seen your child’s behavior.
Green – Great Day! Yellow – 5 minutes of timeout
Blue – Verbal Warning Red – Note or phone call home & 5 minutes of timeout
V. Homework Policy
Children are expected to spend 20 minutes each night reading or having books read to them. Children will begin having homework after winter break. Each night will focus on a different developmental skill that will help you and your child be ready for 5K in the fall. A homework calendar will come home at the beginning of each month.
VI. Missed Work Policy
In the event your child misses work due to an absence he or she will be allowed 5 days to complete the missing assignments if the absence is an excused absence. If a written excuse is not turned in, the absence is considered unexcused. Teachers are not required to help students make up work when an absence is unexcused.
VII. Materials Needed for Class
Children need a backpack large enough to hold a three-ring binder. A change of clothes should be kept in each child’s backpack or cubbie. The classroom is already stocked with pencils, paper, crayons, scissors, and glue, but you may want to keep these supplies at home, too.
VIII. Daily Schedule
7:30-7:45 Morning Writing and News
7:45-8:10 Breakfast
8:10-8:55 Opening Circle (Calendar, Writing, Name Cycle, Heggerty's Lesson)
8:55-9:25 Related Arts (Monday-Library, Tuesday-Art, Wednesday-STEAM Lab, Thursday-P.E., Friday-Music
9:25-10:05 Math Small Group
10:05-11:15 Work Time (Plan Do Review)
11:15-11:35 Lunch
11:35-12:00 Shared Reading
12:00-12:30 Physical Activity
12:30-12:45 Read Aloud
12:45-1:20 Language Arts Small Group
1:20-1:50 Flexible Scheduling: Quiet Time, Project Work, Coaching Sessions
1:50-2:00 Numeracy and Literacy Music and Movement
2:00-2:15 Closing Circle (Community Meeting, Pack Up)
IX. eLearning Guidelines for Inclement Weather
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j0b10ks-R6lQmIPSAGy9wQ10lLAcXDYOf085ZrtB7QY/edit?usp=sharing
X. Procedures for Non-Instructional Routines
Lunch Money and Other Fees
Always send money or checks in a sealed envelope with your child’s name, amount, and what it is to be used for written on the front. Please do not rely on your child to tell us how to use monies. Cash is fine, but checks are safer.
Personal Toys and Materials
PLEASE do not allow children to bring toys. Your child will share a cubbie with one other child. Please mark your child’s clothing items and book bag with his/her name. Rest mats will be labeled here. Also, please make sure your child always has a change of clothes here at school to store in their cubbie.
Communication Notebooks
A ½ inch 3-ring binder will be used for home-school communication. This will be labeled with each child’s name and symbol. This 3-ring binder should stay in your child’s book bag at all times. Field trip forms, newsletters, homework, notes from the office, etc. will be placed in your child’s notebook. Please check your child’s notebook every day.
Birthdays
Birthdays are very special days for children. We will celebrate your child’s special day in our classroom. If you wish to send refreshments please let us know ahead of time. District policy prohibits us from distributing birthday invitations.
Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival: We ask that all the children arrive at school by 7:45 am. When a child arrives at school he/she will go in the early stay teacher's room until we arrive to pick him/her up. If your child arrives after 7:45 am, he/she will need to stop by the front office for a tardy slip.
Dismissal: All children will be issued a car tag for dismissal at Gateway Elementary. Please make sure to have your child’s car tag with you to ensure your child a safe dismissal. WE WILL NOT ALLOW your child to go home with anyone until the tag is presented or the parents/guardians are contacted. We understand that emergencies may keep you from picking up your child; however, please contact me or the school to inform us of a change in dismissal. Please make sure to have all names on the dismissal forms at school to ensure your child goes home with the proper adult.
Bus riders will also be dismissed at the same time as the car riders. Please make sure that you fill in a family bus form for your child. It is important because the children will receive a bus tag that has your family number. The bus tag ensures that the bus driver drops your child off with the proper adult. If the person at your home does not have the family bus number tag, then the bus driver WILL NOT allow the child to get off the bus.
XI. South Carolina Early Learning Standards
South Carolina Early Learning Standards are available on the Greenville County School District website and the South Carolina State Department website.