Can my student come to Kindergarten if they don't pass the Kindergarten readiness assessment? I hear this question a lot. The fact is, the test is not pass/fail; and students are not expected to achieve a certain score. All registered students will attend Kindergarten, no matter their assessment scores. The assessment is NOT intended to qualify children for kindergarten; rather, it was designed by the state to "analyze the effectiveness of programs, such as preschool" and "provide opportunities for data-informed decision-making and cost-benefit analysis of early learning initiatives" (these quotes were taken from the testing manual). Simply put, we are required to assess ALL incoming Kindergarten students so the state can measure the value of early education programs. This helps them decide whether it is worth putting continued funds into early childhood programs (can't type that without rolling my eyes, but it's unfortunately true). Most importantly for me, the test also helps me assess the background knowledge your child is bringing to Kindergarten so I can get a better idea of how best to meet your child's needs. What supplies does my child need for school? Your child should bring a backpack to school every day. This is the best way to ensure that school work and important notices make it home. Other than that, many school supplies are provided by the school district, though you are welcome to donate additional supplies if you wish (a list of donation items is included on my volunteer page). Your child MAY bring a water bottle to school (no other liquids are permitted). They should NOT bring any other snacks or toys to school. I suggest that ALL of your child's personal items (gloves, jackets, hats, water bottles, backpack, etc.) be labeled.
How do I know if I should keep my child home from school? I really have no say in whether or not your child can come to school; but I do get asked this question, so I will make a few comments on the matter. In general, I hope you will make school attendance a priority for your child; but there are certainly times when it would be wise to keep them home. If your child is running a fever, we prefer that they stay home. If there is other evidence that they may be contagious, please do not send them to school. If they simply are not feeling well, the decision is up to you as a parent. If the child comes to school and complains of sickness more than once (after I have suggested a fix, like resting for a bit or going to the bathroom), or if they are clearly feeling unwell; the office will call you to come pick up your child. I do encourage you not to allow too many absences without valid medical reasons; this can cause students to get behind academically and it can disrupt the routine and consistency that is so important for children. Note: the office secretaries are in charge of excusing absences, medical or otherwise. If you want an absence excused, please call them or send a doctor's note for me to give them.
How can I help my child catch up if they miss school? I do not feel that it is necessary for me to compile packets of "make-up work", either before or after a child's absence. In any case, students are "graded" on concept proficiency rather than schoolwork completion. Also, most of our learning occurs through teacher instruction and interactive student practice; and a lot of our independent practice is done with the aid of school materials. Most things we do at school do not lend themselves to simply being sent home (and if they did, my classroom would not be very developmentally appropriate). The most important thing is to ensure your child learns the concepts he/she missed while absent from school. Here are 3 ways of doing so: 1 - Do the homework packets. The homework pages provide a review/practice of the most critical phonics/math concepts we have been studying in school. 2 - Complete the full-color Math pages. After completing the Math lesson each day, students will rip it out and bring it home. If your child has missed school, they will soon be bringing home uncompleted lessons, which you can work on together (directions are at the bottom of each page). 3 - Wonders Online. Many of the curriculum books we will read for the week are online for students to read/listen to, as well as games that teach the following concept areas we are working on that week: letter name(s) and sound(s), high-frequency words, vocabulary words, etc. 4 - Imagine Learning. This is a great literacy site that is leveled especially for your child. Instructions for logging on can be found here.
What sort of classroom parties do you have during the year? I really only do 2 classroom "parties" during the year - Halloween and Valentine's Day. I keep them fairly simple: holiday-themed lessons/activities, a video, a treat/drink. Students can bring treats to share on these days; but these student-distributed treats will be sent home to be consumed at parents' discretion. I typically send specific information/instructions about each party 2 weeks in advance. People often ask about the following days: Christmas - no party... but we do watch "The Polar Express" and drink hot chocolate. 100th Day of School - no party... but we do a lot of things that have to do with counting to 100 (including a 100th day treat). Easter - we do some bunny/jelly bean/spring themed activities; no party though. ***Please let me know if there are holidays that your child should not participate in.
Can my child bring treats for his/her birthday? Yes! I do prefer that you talk to me a day or two prior so that I can verify the number of students in class, and so I can plan on leaving some time in our schedule for the treat. Treats MUST be commercially prepared and easy to serve. You can just give them to me before school or bring them to the office during the school day; I will typically distribute them at the end of the school day. The treat should be quick and simple; the classroom is not an appropriate setting for a mini-birthday party. Popular treat options are donuts, Little Debbie snacks (careful with the count), bakery cupcakes or cookies. You can also opt for low-sugar options like cracker snack packages. No drinks please (this is Mrs. Randall's policy).
Can my child hand out birthday party invitations at school? Yes, but birthday invitations can be a sensitive thing in Kindergarten. Many times, not all students are being invited to the party (which is very understandable). If this is the case, please give the invitations to me so I can distribute them discretely. It may be a good idea to talk to your child about being careful and tactful as well (they do not yet understand why it would be inappropriate to use recess time to discuss who is/is not invited to the party). I would like to avoid hurt feelings as much as possible.
Is there snack time in Kindergarten? What if my child gets hungry or thirsty at school? Note: If your child has a medical condition that requires it (diabetes, anemia, etc.), arrangements will be made for them to snack when necessary. Also, PLEASE notify me of any food allergies/intolerances.
I will do daily snack time for the first 2 or 3 weeks of school. We will then do snack time 1-2 days per week. Sometime between December and March, I like to phase snack time out so children are progressing toward first grade. Many students will be eating breakfast/lunch at school anyway, so they will be fine until they get home. I will give something to students that have opted out of lunch so they don't feel too left out.
Drinks - as previously mentioned, your child may bring a water bottle to school. All students will have the opportunity to drink from our drinking fountain after recess. They may also get a drink during any independent class time. I do not permit students to visit the water fountain during teacher directed lessons (if one student has a drink, they all want a drink and this is too distracting).
Do the results of the Kindergarten Exit Profile decide whether or not my child can go to first grade? No! The Post-Assessment is simply designed to show a student's progress in Kindergarten. Similar to the pre-test, the assessment is not intended to qualify students for advancement in school; rather, the State uses the post-assessment results to determine the effectiveness of early childhood programs (particularly full-day Kindergarten). Hopefully, as they receive data that demonstrates the benefits of this programs, they will increase funding for these programs. If you do have concerns about your child being advanced to first grade, please see me. Otherwise, Granite School District policy dictates that students remain with their age group.
When is Kindergarten Graduation? At Pleasant Green, we do not hold a Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony. I do try to make the our final week of Kindergarten special and fun for the children, so that we can recognize, celebrate, and enjoy their accomplishments.