Welcome Letterk

My name is Jennifer Miranda. I am so ready to get this new school year started. I will do everything within my power to help you and your child settle into a new routine with a new teacher. I am so very excited to be teaching your Kindergartener. I look forward to meeting you and working with your precious child. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

My room: #1

My email: jmiranda@dentonisd.org

Classroom phone: 940-369-3823 (I will be involved in classroom instruction; therefore, most calls will go to voicemail. If your call needs my immediate assistance, call the office or send me an e-mail. I will get it quicker than voicemail.)

Office phone: 940-369-3800

About Mrs. Miranda

I was born in California and moved to Denton when I was 12 years old. I have attended Navo Middle School and Denton High School in Denton ISD. After high school I went to TWU and earned my bacchelor’s degree in Nursing and Family Studies. I have also completed an Alternative Teaching Certification that allows me to teach in Texas. I recently got married this past May 2018. I still live here in Denton and my husband and I have 3 fur babies. Two of them are male German Shepherds and one is a female cockapoo. This is my first year teaching, and I am so excited to start.

I am so eager to be at Rivera and feel privileged to be your child’s teacher. Teaching is not only my career, but it is also my passion. Therefore, I intend to do whatever it takes to make this a successful year for you and your child.

Class Schedule

7:25-7:40 Morning Work

7:40-8:00 Calendar Math/Morning Meeting

8:00-8:50 Language Arts (Phonics, Reading, Writing)

8:50-9:00 Restroom Break

9:00-9:25 Recess

9:25-10:20 Language Arts continued

10:10-10:20 Get ready for lunch/restroom break

10:20-10:50 Lunch

11:00-11:30 Success

11:35-11:45 Restroom Break

11:45-12:30 Specials

12:30-1:25 Math Workshop

1:25-1:45 Recess

1:45-2:15 Science/Social Studies

2:15-2:35 Health/Snack time

2:35-2:50 Clean-up/Pack-up/Closing

2:50 Dismissal

Absences

If your child is absent, please send or email riveranotes@dentonisd.org a note to the office explaining the reason they were absent. These notes need to be within 48 hours upon returning to school. These notes are sent to the office for official documentation by the office staff.

School Hours

Breakfast from 7:10-7:40

Students may enter the classroom at 7:25

Tardy bell at 7:40

If arriving after 7:40, students need to go straight to the office and get a tardy slip before entering their homeroom.

Students will be dismissed at 3:00

Classroom Rules

1. Be nice to others. Choose words that are kind. Be polite!
2. Please do not talk when I am sharing my voice with you.
3. Make sure to have your best “listening ears” on when a teacher or classmate shares something important.
4. Raise your hand to share your voice in class.
5. Use walking feet in the classroom and hallway.
6. Clean up after yourself.
7. Use quiet, inside voices.

Classroom Management

I will be using a color change system to motivate each student to always do his or her best. The student will move his/her clip to different colors depending on their behavior.

Purple= Excellent (Student showed extraordinary behavior)

Blue= Good Day (most students will be on blue at end of day)/

GREEN= Ready to Learn­-everyone starts the day on green

YELLOW = Acceptable but given a WARNING

ORANGE = Challenging - 5 minutes of “thinking time”

RED = Not a good Day - 10 minutes of “thinking time” and a note, e-mail, or phone call home to parent and a possible office referral.

The “TAKE HOME FOLDER” will keep you informed daily of your child’s behavior at school. Be sure to look at the folder every night with your child. If there are any serious color changes on that day, you will have the opportunity to discuss what happened while it is still fresh on their mind. If we notice any patterns of behavior that cause either you or I any concern, we will conference to come up with a strategy that will help your child’s behavior management. I will need the folders signed every day to ensure you have seen the color for the day and any papers for you or work that needs to be finished.

** This folder is the main way for me to communicate with parents on a daily basis. This folder is very important and I take it seriously. Please take the time to look through it with your child.

Rewards

Daily Praise/stickers/hand stamp

Compliment notes home

Random Treats

Random certificates/coupons, (lunch with me, lunch with a friend in the classroom, use of rolling chair, computer/iPad time, etc.)

Snacks

Your child will need to bring a healthy snack every day.

I will be providing a snack the first week only for those students that forget to bring one. We eat lunch early (10:20); therefore, it will be very important for your child to bring a healthy snack to school everyday for the afternoon snack time. Examples of a healthy snack are fruit, crackers, breakfast bars, etc. Please do not send chips, cookies, candy, etc.

Transportation

Your child’s safety is extremely important to me!

If there is a change in the way your child will be coming to school or going home, I will need to be notified by the parent. If I am not informed of this change, I am required to send the child home the normal way. This is a school policy.