Kindergarten Handbook

Teravista Elementary

2019-2020 Kindergarten Teachers

Shannon Cihocki

Melissa Goldsmith

Kelly Gunn

Natalie Kenisell

Teresa Sprow

Alison Wade

Teacher Information

Shannon Cihocki- Shannon_Cihocki@roundrockisd.org

Melissa Goldsmith- Melissa_Goldsmith@roundrockisd.org

Kelly Gunn - Kelly_Gunn@roundrockisd.org

Natalie Kenisell- Natalie_Kenisell@roundrockisd.org

Teresa Sprow- Teresa_Sprow @roundrockisd.org

Alison Wade- Alison_Wade@roundrockisd.org

The Kindergarten conference period is 12:10-1:00 p.m. daily. Please feel free to contact us during that time if you have questions or concerns. You can reach us by phone or email. Please make arrangements ahead of time if you wish to have a conference with your child’s teacher as some days are reserved for meetings.

Morning Procedures:

* Front and Cafeteria Doors open at 7:00.

*Students may go to their designated morning spots at 7:15.

* The first bell rings at 7:35.

* The tardy bell rings at 7:40.

Children will be monitored and directed to sit quietly and read books until teacher invites them in class.

Lunch Information:

• Price of lunch: $2.80 Price of Breakfast: $1.50
• You may add funds to your child’s lunch account by choosing to pay the cafeteria (in person or online using the My School Bucks app) or send the money in a bag/envelope labeled with your child's name on it.
• If you do not wish for your child to purchase snacks off of their lunch account please notify the cafeteria manager to indicate restrictions. Otherwise the account will be charged. There is a separate charge for these specialty items.

Dismissal Procedures:

Walk Ups (in-front of the school) – The students will exit the building together in line and will sit on the ground and wait until the parent or designated pick up person has signed the child out from the teacher before the child will be allowed to leave. Please do not take your child out of the line or allow them to run to you before you or their designated pick up person has signed the clip board. Please form a line behind the designated cones. It is very important that all children and parents follow these expectations for the safety of all students.

Car Riders (side of the school building) – The students will exit the building toward the car rider line and will sit in the designated area and wait for their car to pull up in the line. We will put your child in the car and they will need to be able to buckle themselves in. This is a fast moving line, and we need all parents to pull all the way up before stopping to let your child in. This is not the walk up area so you must stay in your car to pick up your child from this area.

Bus and Day Care – The teacher on duty will walk your child to their bus or day care van.

YMCA – The teacher on duty will walk your child to the cafeteria for YMCA.

*If there is transportation changes PLEASE contact the office BEFORE 2:15 p.m. After that point we can not change the dismissal plan for your child.

• We must have the transportation change from the office or your child will return home as usual. We cannot take the word of your child or a sibling. It is for the child’s safety that we have the correct documentation.

A Typical Day in Kindergarten:

Writer’s Workshop/Word Study ~ Recess ~ Reading Workshop ~ Math/Problem Solving

Specials (Art, Music, and PE) ~ Snack ~ Science ~ Social Studies ~ Tiger Time

Leadership Lessons ~ Choice Time ~ Enrichment Clubs

Report Cards:

Report cards will be sent home after every nine week grading period.

Clothing:

• Label all clothing including jackets.
• The coaches ask for all students to wear tennis shoes and shorts under skirts/dresses on designated P.E. days.
• Please send your child with an extra set of clothes to be kept in their backpack for unexpected accidents

Health:

• All medication will be distributed by the school nurse.
• If your child becomes sick at school the nurse will contact you
• If your child is sick please remember your child must be vomit and fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.

Snacks:

Each student will have the opportunity to bring a small snack to eat in the afternoon. Please pack separate from the lunch box. If you could send a snack for your child daily, we would greatly appreciate it. Suggested acceptable dry snacks are: goldfish, cheese crackers, saltine crackers,graham crackers, pretzels, vanilla wafers, animal crackers, Cheerios, Teddy Grahams, etc.

We strongly encourage each child bring a labeled water bottle DAILY! Water will be the only beverage allowed in the classrooms

Homework

• After Fall Parent Conferences information will be sent home regarding reading enrichment.
• You can utilize the learning information in your child’s Daily Agenda for extra guidance and/or practice

Birthdays:

In Kindergarten, instead of sending birthday treats for everyone, we have a tradition called “Birthday in a Bag.” You will receive a bag from your child’s teacher prior to your child’s birthday. Please fill this “Birthday in a Bag” with special treats and trinkets (cupcake, candy, markers, fun erasers, etc.) FOR YOUR CHILD ONLY-not the whole class. You can send the bag with your child on his/her birthday or a day closest to it. The lucky birthday kiddo will get to open the bag during snack time when we sing Happy Birthday.

Parent Volunteers:

Please take the time to visit the Round Rock website to have a background check performed prior to volunteering with students. You must apply for a background check each school year and a Volunteer Application for student confidentiality. This also applies for all field trips, Watch Dogs, classroom help, etc. Your classroom teacher will let you know what the current needs are. Please wait to hear from your child’s teacher before coming up to volunteer so your time is able to be put to good use.

If you have any questions please contact your child’s teacher. We encourage you to stay current with your child’s learning by reading your parent-teacher communication in the daily folders and the weekly emails sent by your child's teacher.