Kindergarten Classroom Information
We start school each day at 8:40 when the second bell rings. We dismiss each day at 3:25 prior to the bell ringing at 3:30. I will walk the children out front to meet you. Students riding the bus and going to the BASE program will be picked up by a staff member.
Students need to make sure to tell me goodbye with before leaving me and let me know they see you! I don't want them to run off without me making eye contact with the person picking them up. This helps me make sure that I see you, and your child gets to you safely! Since I have several children to say goodbye to and need to make sure everyone is safely with the right parent, your child may need to wait patiently a few minutes to tell me goodbye.
Specials:
We do have “Specials” in Kindergarten. Our “specials” are Music, P.E., Art, Health and Wellness, and Library.
Daily Folders:
To help us communicate and help your child learn responsibility they will bring home and return their daily folder, Daily Folder, EVERYDAY. Their daily folder will include a calendar in which they can earn a sticker everyday. It will be a quick easy way for us to touch base on how your child’s day was each day.
Please initial each day so I know you have seen your child’s folder. The sticker indicates if your child kept their clip on “green” for the day.
Behavior System:
I use a behavior management system that includes 4 levels; “Surf’s Up” -all students start on this level each day. If they are behaving above average, I will have them “surf” up to “Cowabunga” with their individual surfboard clip. Students will “surf” down to the “Warning-Shark Zone”, when not making good choices. At this point, I will talk with the student about smarter choices. If a student continues to make poor choices he/she will be asked to “surf” down to the “Wipe Out” level. At this level I will contact home about the behavior and the student will not receive a sticker on the daily calendar. I also have the student reflect on the behavior and discuss smarter choices. I will specify with a note on the calendar in the Daily folder as to why he/she moved his/her surfboard.
Behaviors including any type of aggression will automatically result in an email/phone call home. They may need a consequence such as sitting out/missing out on an activity, or a portion of it, as well as a follow through from home to encourage positive behavior choices!
Thank you so much for your support in this area.
Super Stars:
I love to use positive reinforcement in our classroom. Throughout the day your child has the opportunity to earn a “Super Star” and put it in the “Star Jar”. This is simply a piece of paper with a picture of a starfish on it! As they are “caught” making great choices, I will have them put their star in the jar. They can earn several stars during the day! At the end of the day I will pull out random stars. Those students, whose stars are pulled, will choose a treasure from the treasure bucket!
All students will get to bring home the stars they earned. Receiving the star is a reward in itself. Please understand that this is a, “caught you being great” system. Some days go too fast and I may not get stars or treasures distributed at the end of the day. I keep the star collection growing in the jar and they have more chances to get drawn for a treasure the following day. As the year goes on and your kindergartner becomes more familiar with all the expectations, star distribution slows down and I may choose to draw names for prizes once a week and they only take home their stars once a week.
It is a fun way to reinforce the great choices they make each day! Families in the past have sometimes chosen a special place to keep all their star rewards at home too, like a jar or a bulletin board to display to family and friends. They are typically very proud of the “Super Star” they earn!
Snacks, Water and Backpacks:
Please send you child with a small healthy snack (nothing that requires a spoon or fork) that can be eaten in 5-10 minutes and a Backpack EVERYDAY! Students must bring in water bottles each day.
Birthday Book Basket Exchange:
This year at Prairie Crossing we are implementing a new birthday policy. We are going to celebrate your child in many ways on their special day, however, are eliminating the traditional sweet treats. Instead of bringing treats, I am asking that each family donate a wonderful children’s book to put in a special “Birthday Book Basket”. On your child’s special day he/she may choose a book from the basket to take home! Please purchase a book in the $5.00-$10.00 price range to donate to our basket! If possible, please bring the books by the end of the first week of school. Thank you so much for your contribution!