Attendance - A successful school experience is the responsibility of the child, the parents, and the school. Your child's progress, both academically and socially, is influenced to a great extent by daily participation. Unless your child is ill, please make every attempt to have your child present and on time at school.
Absences – If your child is absent, you are required to provide a written note on the first day that your child returns to school. Please include the date, duration, and reasons for the absence.
Arrival – Each morning the school doors open at 7:30. Your child will go into the Multipurpose Room (MPR) to wait for their kindergarten teacher to pick them up. Our day begins promptly at 7:45 and the dismissal time is 2:45. Students are considered “tardy” if they arrive after 7:55. Tardies may only be excused by a doctor/dentist note.
Allergies - If your child has any allergies, please make sure that the school nurse and your child’s teacher are aware of them. It is extremely important that we know about food allergies and insect bite reactions.
Behavior - Every student is expected to follow our grade level rules. Students that follow the rules will have the opportunity to add stickers to their sticker charts and earn rewards. Students that choose to break the rules will have consequences.
- Follow directions quickly.
- Use helpful hands and words.
- Stay on task.
- Make smart choices.
Birthdays –Treats are NOT allowed to be eaten at school. If you would like to send something to school for your child’s birthday, it must be individually wrapped so the teacher can send it home in the student’s backpacks at the end of the day. We are NOT able to send home any birthday invitations from school.
Backpacks - Each child will need a backpack to bring to and from school everyday. Be sure your child’s name is on the backpack. Please check the backpack daily. Toys are not to be brought to school or kept in backpacks.
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Curriculum – Our curriculum covers, reading, writing, phonics, mathematics, science, and social studies. For more information see the Kindergarten website and weekly newsletter.
Clothing - Please dress your child in comfortable clothing that is appropriate for Kindergarten.Students need to have a change of clothes in their backpacks at all times. Please remember to make sure that the change of clothes fits, and is appropriate for the season.
Discipline - In the green folder, your child will have a behavior chart. The teacher will mark the color the child received for the day.
White – Great day!
Yellow – Recess penalty.
Orange – Recess penalty and classroom penalty.
Red – Removal from the classroom.
Email – We try to checking our e-mail at planning and after school, so it is really the best way to reach us. If you have to get an important message regarding an after school change in plans, please call the office and they will notify us directly.
Field Trips - We will have the opportunity to go on 3 field trips this year…
Public Library (September)
Pumpkin Patch (October)
Heard Museum (April)
Fire Drills - Fire drills are held on a monthly basis throughout the year. All students will participate and are expected to walk quickly and quietly to our designated exit.
Green Folders - All Kindergarteners will have a green folder that will come home daily. It is crucial that you look each night in the folder and sign on the calendar. This is the way we communicate with you about your child. All communication must be sent in the green take home folder. Teachers do not look in backpacks or other folders for notes, checks, etc.
Day Care Students– The students are walked by a staff member to a designated area where they will wait for their transportation.
Kid’s Club Students– The students are walked to the cafeteria where they meet the Kid’s Club staff.
Car Riders-This is for parents that will be remaining in their car. Teachers will take students to the front of the building to be placed in cars. Kindergarteners will be lined up in the grass past the front doors. Please do not get out of your car. Teachers will direct students to their cars. Every parent should use the visor tag to identify class and student.
Walkers/Park and Walk– This pick up is for parents who are parking and then walking up to get their child or students that will walk with siblings. The students will be walked to the North side of the school by the large parking lot. Please do not take your child out of the line. Students must wait to “high five” their teacher before they leave.
*Once students have been dismissed to a parent, it is an expectation that students stay with their parent if waiting for siblings. Students should not be playing, running through the dismissal lines, or chasing each other.
If someone else is picking up your child you MUST notify the office via a written note. They will have to be added to the approved list for your child. Please let the teacher know if your child is going home with someone else or if changes need to be made on how your child gets home
Intervention Block - In an attempt to differentiate instructionon each child’s individual level, we have developed a plan to switch classes amongst the kindergarten teachers. Your child may visit another teacher’s room to practice phonics and writing at the pace and level that is appropriate for your child. Students will all be covering the same material. It will be practiced in a way that your child will be the most successful.
Just Right Books - Reading to your child and listening to your child read to you, taking your child to the library and providing “just right books” at home is of the utmost importance.Students are taught at the beginning of the school year how to pick “just right books.”
7:45 Students are picked up to go to their class
7:55-8:15Announcements
8:15-9:00Calendar and Morning message
9:00-10:30 Literacy Block (Language Arts, Reading, Writing, and Social Studies)
10:40-11:10Kindergarten Lunch (30 minutes per class)
11:10-12:00Science
12:00-12:45Specials
Includes: PE, Music, and Art
12:45-1:00Snack
1:00-1:45Math
1:45-2:00 Social Centers/Recess
2:00-2:30Recess/Social Centers
2:30-2:45Shared Writing Time
2:45 Dismissal
Lunch - Kindergarten classes go to lunch beginning at 10:30. If you want to meet your child for lunch, please be prompt. Remember that it takes time to sign in at the office.
Library - We have a scheduled library time everyweek. Kindergarten students willcheck out picture books for the first semester. When the second semester begins in January, students will start checking out a picture book and two “Just Right Books” to practice reading at home.
Mascot - Each classroom has a class mascot that is sent home weekly with a student. Each child will have the chance to take the class mascot home. Parents will record the events that happen over the weekend, and the student will share their adventures with the class on Monday!
Mystery Reader-After the first few weeks of school, we will be asking for parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles, etc. to come read their favorite book to the class as a Mystery Reader.
Newsletter - Our weekly newsletter will be sent via e-mail. We will need all parents to provide an e-mail address that will be checked weekly. Newsletters will include upcoming events, subjects and skills we will be learning, as well as other important information. E-mails will be sent out on Fridays from Jennifer Wright. PLEASE be sure that you check your e-mail and update your information if you have any changes. Do not reply to newsletter messages. If you have questions, contact your child’s teacher.
Nightly Reading - Nightly reading is essential for future success. All students at Marion are expected to read nightly. You reading aloud to your child is just as important as your child practicing their independent reading. Building fluency is an essential part of successful reading.
Outside Recess - Marion students will not be going outside for recess if the heat index is 100 degrees or higher. All teachers will be checking for updated temperatures prior to their recess times. In addition, when the weather turns cooler, classes will not be going outside for recess if the temperature “feels like” below 40 degrees.
Office Staff - Principal: Johnna Walker; Assistant Principal: Alisa Allen, Nurse: Mary Andrews; Registrar: Lynn Vasterling; Front Desk: Diana Carr
Personal Hygiene - Students should be able to take care of all bathroom needs on their own, including wiping, pulling up pants, buttoning, and zipping. Please discuss with your child the importance of asking to use the restroom, and trying to use the restroom at all opportunities so as to avoid accidents. Practice recognizing when to use the restroom before it becomes an emergency.
Parties - We will have a Winter Party and a Kindergarten Celebration at the end of the year.Our room parents organize these events and coordinate volunteers and donations.
PTA (Parent/Teacher Association) - All parents are encouraged to join the school’s PTA. This is a great way to meet other Kindergarten parents, and get involved in all the great things they support! Come to meetings and find out more about community outreach, enrichment activities, and fundraisers.
P/T Conferences –Conferences are held as needed. If you feel the need to have a conference at any time please contactyour child’s teacher to schedule a conference.
Questions - Please feel free to contact the teachers at anytime. You can reach us by email or phone. We are available for conferences by appointment.
Q is also for Quick goodbyes– Quick goodbyes…leave dry eyes!
Report Cards - Report Cards go home every nine weeks. Grade level expectations increase as student knowledge increases. Refer to the weekly newsletter for skills that we are emphasizing. Grades of a “4” will not be assigned until the 3rd nine weeks. These are reserved for behavior performance only. Academic conferences will be held as needed.
Restrooms – Children are allowed to use the restrooms as needed, although they are not encouraged during a time of direct instruction, lunch, or specials. Unfortunately, accidents will happen and we will make sure that your child is sent to the clinic for a change of clothes. Keeping an extra set of clothing in your child’s backpack is a good idea.
Snacks - The students may bring one healthy snack item. If a child forgets their snack, the school is unable to provide one for them.Your child may bring a water bottle with them each day. All water bottles MUST have a “sport” top to avoid accidental spills as stated in the Marion Student Handbook. Please fill with water only.
Tuesday Folders - Every Tuesday, district and campus information will be sent home in a separate folder. Please make sure to look through this information. Do not send any communication to your child’s teacher in the Tuesday folder.
Toys - Please keep all toys at home. Also, try to limit jewelry as it often breaks upsetting the child, or they misplace it. These items are better left at home because they quickly become too large of a distraction at school.
Update Your Information- Your child’s safety is top priority.Please make sure that you keep all of your information current with the office and teachers. The following things must be up-to-date: email, cell phone number, home phone number, and approved student pick up list.
Volunteers - Whether you are volunteering to chaperone a field trip or work in the classroom, you must complete a background check. No parents are allowed to assist in the classroom or chaperone a group of children unless this has been completed.To complete the background check, you will need to go to and fill out an online form.It takes approximately 2 weeks for approval. We suggest that you complete the form ASAP. This form will have to be updated every school year in July.
Visitors – Marion Elementary has a policy that ALL GUESTS (including familiar faces) are required to check in at the school office and wear a visitor’s pass.
Website –Every teacher has a webpage. You can locate these under the Faculty/Staff drop down menu on the Marion website.Teachers also post ideas and suggested assignments on their individual blogs. Links to the blogs are located on the teacher’s webpage. You can also follow us on Twitter!
eX-tra Special and eXciting -Kindergarten is such an exciting, magical year! Each child is extra special to us. We will guide them gently and consistently all year long. Thank you for sharing them!
Your Child -Children are responsible for their own materials and possessions. They should be able to unpack their things in the morning, as well as pack their own things in the afternoon without help.
Zzzzz - Please make sure that your child gets plenty of sleep each night.