Welcome to our Kindergarten class!! We are looking forward to getting to know you and your child this year! The upcoming weeks will mark an important milestone in the life of your child as he/she begins school. We understand that while you and your child are very excited there may also be a little apprehension. We hope that this packet of information will help to answer any questions you may have concerning the procedures in our classroom and school. Please keep this booklet and refer to it throughout the year as needed. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your child’s educational journey!
My website is: https://sites.google.com/wcpss.net/mrsdickerson/
My email: tdickerson@wcpss.net
A Attendance: It is very important for your child to be at school everyday. If your child is sick, however it is important that he/she stays home until he/she has been fever free for 24 hours and no vomiting for 24 hours. This will prevent passing any illness to others. If your child is absent, please send in a note explaining the reason for the absence. A note is required in order for the absence to be excused.
Bell Schedule: Our morning bell rings at 8:50 and our dismissal bell rings at 3:50. All students should be in the classroom by 9:20.
Birthday Celebrations: We love birthdays! If you would like to send in a special treat on your child’s birthday, please let us know. Any food items sent in must be store bought.
Brain Break: We will have REST TIME for twenty minutes towards the end of each day. I call it Brain Break. I will play an audio-book or music during this time. The children aren’t required to sleep. This serves as a time to relax and listen to a story. Beginning second quarter, we will replace it with DEAR time. (Drop Everything and Read) Send in a beach towel and write your child’s first name on it. (No blankets or mats please).
Breakfast: We serve breakfast daily. Currently, the charge is $1.25. Please have your child at school by 9:05 to eat breakfast.
C Cafeteria: Practice letting your child open items you will be sending to school. We will have staff members present to help. However, many students will be eating all at the same time. Peanut butter is allowed. It will help if your child has utensils in their lunchbox.
Calendars: On the first of each month, I will send home a classroom calendar. Important dates, events and information will be listed.
Conferences: Parent/Teacher conferences are extremely important to keep you informed of your child’s progress in kindergarten. We will meet for two scheduled conferences (at the end of the first and third quarter) to discuss your child’s work. Other conferences may be scheduled throughout the year if necessary. I will be happy to meet with you at any time.
Communication: We will be using Talking Points as a way for us to communicate through messaging. This is an app on the phone.
D Discipline: Mrs. Surles and I strive to have a positive learning environment in the classroom. At the beginning of the year, our class will be adopting a class stuffed pet. With this pet, we will collaboratively set goals and expectations that encourage kindness and hard work. For more information, see the Classroom Management page.
Drop-off: We at Willow Springs love our parents. We always want you to feel that you are welcomed at our school. Drop off in the mornings can be difficult for some children as they transition from a parent to the school. We encourage you to walk your child in on their first staggered entry day. We need to share important information with you. When they all return to school, we ask that you drop them off in the carpool line. If this is still difficult, please send me an email. We have caring teachers and other staff members that can help with getting your child from carpool to the classroom.
Emergencies: If phone numbers and/or email addresses change, please let me AND the office know so we may always be able to reach you.
F Field Trip: We are having one field trip in the Spring.
Folders: Send your child’s daily folder to school each day. This practice teaches your child responsibility. Make sure to check the folder each day for important information. If you need to send me a note you can include it in the daily folder. Initial your child’s folder daily. Your childs schoolwork will go home on Fridays.
Flag: Our classroom flag is a FOX. Remind your child to look for the flag.
Grades:
4 Extends targeted grade level standards
3 Demonstrates proficiency of targeted grade level standards
2 Needs support to meet targeted grade level standards
1 Insufficient performance of targeted grade level standards with support.
H Homework: They will be checking out library books on Mondays and Thursdays. I would like you to read the books with your child. Monthly reading logs will be sent home to record the books read. We will have several home projects throughout the year.
I Internet: Go to the school website at http://willowsprings.wcpss.net. Click on Academics and Programs, Kindergarten, and my name. My direct website is: https://sites.google.com/wcpss.net/mrsdickerson/
Jackets: When the weather turns cooler and your child needs to wear a jacket to school, please make sure that it is labeled on the inside tag with his/her name. We do not want them to get lost. Please practice zipping or snapping their jacket so that they can put on and take off their jacket independently.
K Kindness: Thank you for helping your child to become a kind and caring person. This is an important character trait and an important part of kindergarten.
L Library: We have an amazing Library at our school. We will be checking out books on Mondays and Thursdays. Please return the books on the days we are checking out new books.
Literacy: Kindergarten is an important time for literacy development. We will use a variety of strategies to help your child become a good reader and writer including shared and guided reading, phonics, literacy centers, writers’ workshop, and lots of practice. We will be sharing the strategies with you throughout the school year.
Lost and Found: We have a lost and found located at our school. If you have a lost jacket or lunchbox, you might find it in our lost and found located on the table in our lobby.
Lunch: Your child can buy lunch or bring a packed lunch. Currently, the charge is $3.00. You can send in money daily or add money to his/her account. Ice cream can be purchased at an additional change.
M Math: We will use a variety of manipulatives and hands on experiences. They will be learning in whole group lessons, working with our “math-partners,” as well as individual activities and in centers.
N Newsletter: Once a month, you will receive a newsletter in your child’s daily folder and or by email to keep you up to date on the activities taking place in our class.
O Open Communication: I strongly believe that open communication between parents and teachers is vital to a student’s success in school. Please feel free to contact me at anytime with any questions you may have. The best way is through a note in your child’s daily folder. E-mail is also a great way to reach me except in matters that need immediate attention. (My e-mail address is: TDickerson@wcpss.net ) Sometimes our day is so busy that I am unable to check my e-mail until specials. (Please do not send transportation changes for the current day via e-mail for this reason. Please call the office with any current day transportation changes. 919-557-2770
We will be using Talking Points. More information will be coming soon.
P Parties: We love parties and celebrations! We typically have several parties throughout the year. We are planning a holiday celebration, Letterland Parade and an end of year celebration.
P.E. During the weeks we have PE, your child must be wearing tennis shoes to participate in the physical activities. We will post our weekly specials on the monthly calendar that will be going home at the beginning of the month.
Play Centers: Free play is imperative to your child’s learning. This is a daily 30 minute block of time where he/she makes choices and engages cooperatively with others. In our classroom, we have the following centers: art, library, technology, science, constructive play, math, ABC, sensory tubs and a teacher center.
Q Quarterly Assessments: We will assess each child in reading, writing, and math towards the end of each quarter. We will share this information with you so that you are aware of how your child is doing.
Recess: We will have two twenty minute recesses. Please send a water bottle daily.
R Report Cards: Report cards are sent home each quarter. A student needs to have a score of 3 or higher to be considered proficient in that subject area.
S Snack: We will have snack time daily. Have your child bring a snack each day. Make sure your child has utensils if needed. We welcome a supply of snacks to hold in the classroom. This is helpful if needed.
Show-and-Tell: Your child can choose the Show and Tell coupon. Please limit to one item that can fit in their backpack.
Social Media: We love building close relationships with our parents. Please understand that WCPSS states that we shouldn’t friend parents on social media sites.
Specials: Your child will have Art, Music, PE and Library.
Staggered Entry: Your child will only come to school one day during the week of July 11-14. All students will return on Monday, July 17th.
Supply List: Bring the supply list items on your child’s staggered entry day.
Star of the Week: We will be choosing one student each week to be the Star of the Week. They will complete an All About Me poster and share things about them throughout the week. On Friday, a parent can come in and read to the class. Also, we can do a virtual meet on the computer.
Talking Points: This is an app that we will be using all year. It allows us to send text messages. This will be our main mode of communication.
T Transportation: Your child can be a car or bus rider. If you want your child to be a bus rider, they need to be registered prior to starting school. If you indicated on the registration form that you wanted your child to be a bus rider, the school has done that for you. Otherwise, you can go to wcpss.net and click on transportation. You can do this starting on June 30th. Your child’s transportation cannot be changed unless I receive a note from you or you call the office. Please do not rely on your child to verbally relay the message. Remember, I am busy throughout the day and at times can’t check my email. Please call the office with a transportation change for that current day.
Transportation Tags: On the first day of school, your child will be given a transportation tag that shows how your child will be going home. The tag will be pinned or hung on your child. All Kindergarten students must wear the tags for the first 20 days of school. When your child returns home, please pin or hang the tag on their backpack and place it back on your child in the morning. This is very important so we can assure all children are where they need to be at the end of the day. WCPSS requires that all students have an identification card attached on their backpack.
Remember to get your car rider tags. If you are picking up from carpool, you must have the card placed in the front of your vehicle. If you don’t have a card, you will be asked to come into the office to pick up your child. We will check the ID and verify you are the parent.
Treasure Box: We do have a treasure box in our classroom. We welcome any donations of unwanted small toys. The children love them. We have some listed on our Amazon wish list to purchase for the class.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/5WCC4sj?ref_=wl_share
Technology: Your child will be using various media during the year. In our classroom, we have Chromebooks, a Smart TV and a listening center.
U Unique: Each child is unique and special. We look for each child’s strengths on which to build upon.
V Volunteers: We love to have volunteers working in our classroom. All volunteers must complete a volunteer registration before working with children. This needs to be done each year so if you did one last year, you must complete another one for the new school year. This process will take several weeks for approval. I love to have parents and other family members in the classroom. It provides the children with more one-on-one instruction. I am very flexible on the times you would like to help. Please let me know if you would like to volunteer. More information will go home on staggered entry.
W Writer’s Workshop: We will be writing on a daily basis. We will be starting with pre-writing skills. Children learn through taking academic risks. They are encouraged to spell words phonetically using the sounds they hear in the word. At first, it may be difficult to read this “invented spelling” but as they continue to practice you will begin to see some conventional spelling. Please encourage your child to use the sounds that he/she hears in the words when they are writing. At this stage of development, helping them to try and sound out words and write creative stories is more important than aiding them in spelling the words correctly.
Wish Lists: I have an Amazon wish list. The items listed provide treasure box, playground and play center choices and materials for our learning experiences. Throughout the year, we will be needing a variety of supplies that help make our learning fun. I will send the wish list items in an email or a newsletter. Any donations are very much appreciated. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/5WCC4sj?ref_=wl_share
X “X”-tra clothes: Please send in an extra set of seasonally appropriate clothes in a labeled Zip-loc bag to be kept at school for your child. These clothes will be sent home when we track out. If your child has a toileting accident, the clothes must be picked up from the office within 24 hours. They cannot be sent home in your child’s backpack.
Y You: You are your child’s first and most important teacher. You are the expert on your child. If you ever have any concerns or suggestions, please let me know.
Year-Round: Because we are a year-round school we may have slight changes in our schedules when we track back in. I will send home updates prior to each track-out to make you aware of any changes. I also post them on the website.
Z Zillion Praises: We love to give your child “zillions of praises!”