Now I Know My ABC's

Kindergarten is as easy as A B C!  Hopefully I have anticipated and answered most of your questions below.   If you don't see the answer your looking for feel free to email me at joanne@gracechristianvisalia.org

ABC’s of Kindergarten

                      2023-2024 School Year                      

 Mrs. Cook – room 101

A is for Attendance!  It is so important for your child to be here every day!  If your child is sick, please call or email the school office to be excused.  Please try to schedule appointments after school hours.  If an early dismissal is necessary, please sign your student out in the school office and if possible, please let me know with a text, email, or note.


A is also for Artsonia! Your child’s online art portfolio will be available for you to print, share with others, and create your own keepsakes! Check it out!

B is for Backpack.  Please bring your backpack every day!  You should always have your water bottle and a ziploc bag with extra clothes just in case. 


B is also for Birthdays!  Your child’s birthday is a special occasion!  You are welcome to send a birthday treat on your child’s special day (or the day nearest) to share with the class.  Cupcakes, donuts, cake pops or ice pops work really well and are easy to distribute.   Birthday party invitations may be distributed at school only if ALL of the boys, ALL of the girls, or ALL of the children from our classroom receive one.  Children’s feelings can get easily hurt when they feel left out.


B is also for Book Orders.   Every month I will be sending home a Scholastic Book Club order form containing many books and gift ideas for sale at a reasonable rate.   You may order items if you so choose  by logging into the scholastic book clubs website at https://clubs.scholastic.com/home anytime with our classroom code: J4NRZ, or by completing the order form and returning it to school with a check made out to Scholastic.  Every time you order our class earns points towards free books and learning materials for our classroom.   

C is for Communication between home and school. Your questions and concerns are very important to me!  Please feel free to call, send a note, email, or stop by the classroom after 3:15 p.m.  You can reach me at: 559-734-7694,joanne@gracechristianvisalia.org  or in room 101!  Newsletters, homework packets, book bags, notes from the office, behavior notes and completed assignments will all be sent home in your child’s folder.  You may use the folder to send notes back to me, as well.  Folders are checked every morning!  Let’s stay in touch!

D is for Discipline.  It is our goal to create a positive classroom atmosphere where students feel safe and secure.  This is the setting where we can accomplish our best learning!  Students will be encouraged to be their best each day and there will be many opportunities to earn rewards throughout the year.  Redirection will be provided when necessary to keep everyone on track.  Our kindergarten class rules are:

Rule # 1: Follow directions quickly.

Rule # 2: Raise your hand for permission to speak

Rule # 3: Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat

Rule # 4: Make smart choices

Rule #5: Make our dear team stronger

Students will have an opportunity to earn stars for showing improvement this year.  The class will work towards earning stars together for following routines and participating appropriately.  As they earn stars they will work their way up the super improver ladder towards a spot on the wall of legends! Be sure to praise your child for reaching every new level when you see the improver card come home! Students who need extra reminders may spend some free time practicing with Mrs. Cook.  Together we can make our dear team stronger!


E is for Email!  My email address is joanne@gracechristianvisalia.org  Please feel free to contact me at any time.

F is for Field trips!  Our class will have wonderful opportunities to learn outside of the classroom setting!  Trips are planned to the Enchanted Playhouse, the Imagine U Children’s Museum, The Chaffee Zoo, and several more are in the works!  We will be asking for your help to transport us to and from these trips.  Please consider serving our class as a chaperone for one or more of our trips this year.  For safety reasons younger siblings will only be permitted to join us on our trip to the Chaffee Zoo.  Thanks for understanding.

G is for Graduation!  Our class will participate in the End of the Year Chapel and Awards Ceremony on the last day of school! We will share a special song and receive our certificates for completing this special milestone! Everyone is welcome to join us! 

H is for Homework.  Each week I will send home a homework packet to be completed and returned by Friday.  I have found that sending the weekly assignments home in a packet form allows your family to complete it when it is most convenient for you.  Assignments may include reading (independent and shared reading), math reinforcement, high frequency word practice, memory verse practice, and spelling practice.  The purpose of Kindergarten homework is to keep us all connected with what concepts are being taught at school, develop positive homework habits (creating a learning spot at home, practicing responsibility), and reinforce concepts taught at school for better understanding.  Thank you in advance for all of your support!  

I is for Independence. Kindergarteners are capable of doing many things on their own and I encourage them to do as much as they can for themselves in our classroom.  Independence builds self-esteem and self-confidence.  We will celebrate that “can do” attitude!  Please take time at home to practice and master zipping, tying shoelaces, buttoning clothing, opening all lunch containers, etc.

J is for Join.  You are automatically a member of the Grace Christian School Eagle Booster Club.  Get to know the other folks at our school by joining them at monthly booster meetings.  The Booster Club makes it possible for the kids to enjoy special guests, special events and the latest educational tools for the classroom.  It is only a successful organization if parents participate!  You may also join us for Sunday morning worship here at Grace Lutheran Church!  Services are at 8:00 and 10:30 every Sunday morning.  We would love to have you!   Your family is always welcome!

K is for the Keys to success  which include:  

L is for Learning.  I am so excited about all of the wonderful things we will be learning about this year!  In addition to reading, writing and math lessons we will also be learning about God’s wonderful world around us!  Some of our themes for this coming school year include:  Colors, Bears, Plants, Pumpkins, Turkeys, Holidays, Snow, Space, Insects, and Zoo animals.  Learning is going to be so much fun this year!

M is for Math!  We will use the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt GoMath program for kindergarten this year.  You can find additional math practice and games at https://www.education.com/games/kindergarten/math/  We also work on math facts during calendar time as we count the days in school, learn basic calendar facts, and experiment with time and money.  Working with manipulatives is a large part of the kindergarten math program and hands-on materials will be used during lessons and center time.

We also have Music in class every day. Singing is a huge part of our morning routine, classroom transitions, new concept introductions and praise and worship time.  We will also set aside times for music instruction with instruments, melody, and musical performance.  


N is for Newsletters.  I will send home weekly newsletters to keep you up to date on classroom happenings.  These will be in your child’s homework folder.  Please check your child’s folder daily.  You can also view our classroom webpage:   http://teacherweb.com/CA/GraceChristianSchool/Cook  for additional information. 


O   is for Open House! There will be several opportunities throughout the year to visit our classroom once the pandemic protocols are lifted.  Open House is always a special time here at school!  We encourage you to bring family and friends, especially future students for Grace Christian School.  Your child will “show what they know”, and so can you!  Please “show what you know” to other prospective parents seeking enrollment in our school.

  

P is for Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Conferences will be held during November and March at the end of our first and second trimester marking periods.   We look forward to meeting with parents and sharing with you what your child is doing in the classroom and the progress they are making.  A few weeks prior to conferences you will receive a sign-up sheet to request possible 20 minute time slots that will work for your schedule.  Every effort is made to ensure that siblings are scheduled at back to back times here at Grace Christian for your convenience.

Q is for Questions. Please make sure to ask questions if something is unclear.  You may call, email, drop by after school, or send a note in the homework folder if there is ever something you need clarified.  

R is for Reading!  Developing the skill of reading is one of the most exciting parts of Kindergarten!  We will be reading every day in our classroom.  We will use picture books, chapter books, decodable books, books we make ourselves, big books, magazines, and environmental print!  The students will be read to and will practice reading to themselves and to each other.  Reading outside of class is also very important.  Please read to your child as often as possible.  I cannot stress how valuable that is!! Don't forget to fill out the reading portion of the homework cover sheet.  I love to know what everyone is reading at home! 


R is also for Recess!  Our planned recess times are from 10:00-10:15 a.m. and 12:00-12:20p.m.  During the fall and winter months, please be sure your student dresses  appropriately to keep warm as we play outside everyday unless it is raining.  Don’t forget to label all sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets as many look alike!  Also, keep safety in mind when choosing footwear for your child.  Sneakers always work best here at school!   


S is for Snack.  Students will have the opportunity to eat a small snack between 9:50 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. each morning.  Please make sure your child has a dedicated snack item. Some popular snack ideas include granola bars, graham crackers, trail mix, fruit, cheese and crackers, and yogurt.   Please let me know if your student has any  food allergies so we can plan snacks accordingly for trips and parties. 


T is for Toys.  Share days are scheduled for Fridays to allow students to share an item from home.  Please assist your student in choosing one item to share each week.  We ask that unless it is a show and tell item, all other toys and personal belongings be left at home.  We would not want a child’s feelings to be hurt if a toy is lost or broken here at school.


T is also for Track Meet!!! One of my most favorite events during the school year is our Annual Lutheran School’s Track Meet held each spring.  All of the students participate in at least 4 events including running, throwing, and jumping.  Everyone receives a ribbon for their efforts and we get to meet other kids from other schools.  It is so much fun! 

U  is for Unique!  Each child in our class is unique and wonderfully made.  In kindergarten we learn about how each student is a special child of God, and we celebrate our differences and similarities.  Each student will have a chance to be classroom helpers  and will assist with calendar, line leading, passing out papers, etc.  They will each have opportunities to show and tell each week.  Each child will be the subject of many class books and V.I.P. charts.  Getting to know each precious little one will be an honor and a joy!


V is for Visitors – We welcome and encourage family involvement.  Grace Lutheran Church and School has a policy that ALL GUESTS (including familiar faces) are required to check in at the school office.    It is important to remember that while this may seem inconvenient to frequent visitors, it is the goal and responsibility of the school to create a safe learning environment.


W is for Website.  We have an active school website. Please review the webpage for updated photos and information regarding our school and our class.  You can access the website through Gracevisalia.org. 



X is for all of the eXciting  eXperiences  we will have in room 101 this year!  We will have so much fun as we create artwork, make crafts,  create projects, perform science experiments, make class books, play many fun-learning games, sing and dance on the carpet, listen to wonderful stories, hear God’s word in the classroom and in chapel, go on field trips, and even present musicals for families and friends!!  My goodness, will we be busy!!!


Y is for You!   Please remember that you are your child's first and most important teacher. No one can influence your child's life in the way that you can! 

Z    is for Zoo-Phonics!  Zoo-phonics is a method developed to make children strong readers and spellers using a “phono” (hearing), “oral” (speaking), “visual” (seeing), “kinesthetic” (moving), and tactile (touching)—whole brain approach. Students actually learn the sounds of the alphabet and advanced phonemic concepts through an easily understood, concrete method of presentation. We will be using the ZooPhonics curriculum for spelling this year!


Zoo-phonics uses animals drawn in the shapes of the letters for ease in memory. A related body movement is given for each letter. This concrete approach cements the sounds to the shapes of the letters!  We are Zoo-Phonics kids! 



Now you know the A B C’s! 

Thank you all for partnering with me!