K5 Syllabus
Mrs. Sinclair’s Syllabus
2023-2024
Mrs. Sinclair’s Contact Information:
(864)355-7637
Daily Schedule
Please click on the link below to view our class schedule:
Materials Needed for Our Class
Students should come to school ready to learn! Students will need a bookbag (no rolling and large enough to hold a standard folder), pencil box and change of clothes. Students will be given a folder to bring back and forth each day. Please also check the school supply list for supplies needed at the beginning of the school year.
Please click the link below to view this year's supply list:
Evaluation of Student Progress:
A Beginning Kindergarten Pre-Assessment will be administered in September for both math and language arts. A post-assessment will be given in the spring.
Math: Assessments will be administered at the end of each completed chapter.
Reading: Benchmark assessments will be administered in January and May.
Writing: Assessments will include a collection of writing samples.
Science and Social Studies: Assessments take place through classroom participation.
*Parent conferences will be held during the first nine weeks and throughout the year as needed.
*Assessments/ Tests are not sent home due to district policy. They are stored in our classroom. If you wish to view a specific test, please let me know.
Grading Guidelines:
In Kindergarten, we assess students in a variety of ways, based on their growth throughout the year. We expect student mastery of state Kindergarten skills by the END of the completion of Kindergarten. Below is the Greenville County scoring guide used on the Kindergarten skills report/ report card:
M
The student consistently meets or exceeds end-of year expectations for this standard
P
The student shows expected growth/progress in meeting this end-of-year standard
B
The student is beginning to progress toward meeting this end-of-year standard
N
The student needs intensive support at school and home to develop this end-of-year standard
Student Records
Permanent records are located in the office. In our classroom, one file for each child will be maintained throughout the year with information from assessments, student work samples, and behavior forms. Student work will be shared at parent conferences and is available upon parent request.
Homework Policy
***Kindergarten will begin homework in mid-September after Open House.
Homework is an extension of the classroom. It helps provide needed practice while developing responsibility and maturity. The parent’s role is to provide time and space for quiet, productive work and to provide encouragement and reinforcement.
Homework assignments will be given Monday through Thursday. Homework will be sent home as a menu, where students can choose among activities to complete during the week.
Homework must be completed and turned in to the teacher by the end of the week. Homework that is incomplete will be sent home to complete the next evening.
District Homework Policy (updated on 4-26-16)
When homework is given, assignments shall reflect the following guidelines:
-Practice: reinforces newly acquired skills taught in class
-Preparation: helps students prepare for upcoming lessons, activities or tests
-Extension: provides challenging, often long-term opportunities for enrichment that parallel classwork
*Daily Homework Assignments for primary level students(K-2) shall not exceed 30 minutes, including 20 minutes of reading.
Missed Work/Make up Policy
Assignments will be collected during the student's excused absence and given to the student to complete at home upon his/her return to school. These assignments should be completed and returned as soon as possible, but should not be later than one week after the excused absence.
Attendance and Tardy Policies
It is imperative that your child be at school on time each day so he or she does not lose important instructional time.
School begins at 7:45 a.m. Students that are not in their classrooms when the bell rings will need to receive a pass from the office to enter class. Parents will need to come to the office to sign students in if the bell has sounded at 7:45 a.m.
Students must bring a note to class for absences, which will then be sent to the office. If a student is tardy, they are to stop by the office for a tardy slip, then immediately come to class.
Elearning guidelines for inclement weather
In the case of inclement weather, the teacher will email/ send via Seesaw elearning lesson plans that students can complete on their district-issued chromebooks. The teacher may also schedule a live google meet session with the class.
Classroom Essential Agreements and Management/ Consequences for Violating Class and School Rules/ Policies
Classroom Essential Agreements:
The students are to abide by the Pelham Road Elementary School-Wide Rules, which were sent home in a school calendar, and our classroom rules. The classroom rules are posted in the classroom. The students come up with these rules themselves, with my guidance. Our rules are as follows: Be Kind, Be Safe and Work Hard. I have high expectations of my students to abide by these rules daily.
Classroom Management:
In our Kindergarten classroom, we focus on positive behavior choices. We will be using punch cards this year, where students earn hole punches for positive behavior. Students will earn rewards based on their positive behavior observed in the classroom. If needed, students will be given "think time" to reflect on his or her behavior.
We will also be using a modified version of a clip chart, with the colors green (“go”), yellow (“slow down”) and red (“stop”) for reinforcing classroom behaviors. Students will have a calendar on the back of their daily take-home folder. If your child has a great day and ends on green, he or she will receive a stamp. If your child has to clip down to yellow or red for not making good choices and ends the day on one of these colors, I will write the specific behavior that occurred. Students do have the opportunity to move back up during the day if the behavior improves. Consequences, such as losing part of free choice/center time or having a note sent home are given for not making good choices.
Our behavior system will help your children learn positive behaviors in our classroom. Our goal is for students to be able to reflect on their behavior choices, become knowledgeable on how to be responsible citizens and make good choices consistently.
Procedures for Non-Instructional Routines
Morning routine- When entering the classroom in the morning, students must hang up their coats and book bags in their cubbies, turn in their folders, make their lunch choice and begin morning work.
Bathroom procedures- Students may go at any time during the day. Students are encouraged to not use the restroom while the teacher is teaching.
Cafeteria- Students must be in a quiet line. Students must get milk, plate, utensils, and condiments in the line. Students may whisper to the person beside them during lunch. Silent lunch will begin if students get too loud. Each child will throw away his or her own trash, clean his or her area, and place his or her lunch tray in the window at the end of our lunch time.
Walking in the Halls- Students will recite the following poem before entering the hallway- “My hands are right beside me. I’m standing straight and tall. My eyes are on the teacher. I’m ready for the hall.”
Classroom helpers- We have one helper each day called our “All-Star of the Day.” This student takes care of all of our jobs for the day.
Medication- Please do not send medication to school with students. All medication must be brought in and picked up by an adult. Medication will be administered in the health room by the nurse. *Please make an appointment with the nurse to set up a time to send in medications.
Parties- There are scheduled holiday parties each year. They are held in the afternoons at the school. The room mothers plan these parties. On a student’s birthday, parents may provide one cookie, cupcake, or ice cream per child to recognize their child’s birthday or you may send in a healthy alternative. *At this time, please send in pre-packaged treats to celebrate birthdays.
Money at School- When money is brought to school by the student, please place it in a sealed envelope with the student’s name, amount, teacher’s name, and purpose on the envelope. Neither the teacher nor the school can be held responsible when money or items are lost. You can also pay for purchases via My School Bucks.
Change in Address, Phone Number, Transportation to and from School- Please complete the online form on the PRES website or on our newsletter, for transportation changes. Please contact the office and teacher for change in address or phone number.
Presentation of Rules and Procedures
The rules (essential agreements) are created as a class, on the first day of school. The classroom procedures are presented and modeled to the students during the first few weeks of school, by the teacher. Parents are presented the classroom essential agreements and procedures at Open House.
Behavior Contract
The essential agreements are posted in the classroom. Our rules are as follows: Be safe, Be Kind and Work Hard. A behavior contract is also sent home at the beginning of the school year to explain our behavior system.
Reward System
Students are rewarded for positive behavior through positive notes home, treasure basket, punch cards, stickers, stamps, verbal praise, positive phone calls home, etc.
Parents as Partners
If you would like to volunteer in our classroom, please contact me at ktsincla@greenville.k12.sc.us . I may need help with the following tasks at school: lamination, listening to students read, pulling pages out of workbooks, and copying. I also may need help with tasks that can be completed at home and returned such as: cutting materials out, stapling books together, and any other tasks that arise during the school year.
Communication with Parents
Weekly newsletters will be emailed on Fridays. Behavior charts will be sent home daily. Teachers will hold a parent conference in the fall (possibly virtual) and conferences will be optional in the spring. Notes home and phone calls will be made by the teacher as needed. Information about our classroom can also be found on my website. Please e-mail me at ktsincla@greenville.k12.sc.us with any questions.
