Welcome

Kindergarten

Panthers

Kindergarten Handbook
2016-2017
Teacher: Mrs. Nieporte
Classroom Paraprofessional: Mrs. Goffnett
Pullen Elementary
251 S. Brown St.
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 48858
(989) 775-2270
Volunteer link / Meal Program / Pullen Website

Quick Links

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Welcome to Room 108!

Email address:

Website:

Select “Pullen,” then select Jodi Nieporte under “staff”

Classroom Information

Remind: As another way to relay important messages/announcements, our classroom is using the program called Remind. The program allows the teacher to send one-way messages to subscribers. If you are interested in receiving occasional texts from me, you will need to sign up by texting this message: @mrsniep to this number: (586)522-4786. Most parents find Remind very helpful and useful, but you can opt out any time.

Arrival: Unless they participate in school breakfast, students will play on the playground until the bell rings for school to begin at 8:44. Students who eat breakfast at school should go straight to the cafeteria upon arrival. Both breakfast and playground supervision will be available beginning at 8:25. If it is raining or extremely cold, students will wait in the gym for the morning bell rather than playing on the playground.

Teacher’s Aide: Our classroom is fortunate to have Mrs. Jessica Goffnett as a classroom paraprofessional. Other adults, such as parent volunteers, Title I teachers, and CMU Teacher Education Students, will be working with your child from time to time.

Parent Volunteers: We love and appreciate volunteers! There are many ways that you can help in our classroom and school. You will be given a “Volunteer Form” in your Kindergarten Materials packet. Use this checklist to indicate ways in which you can help us out this year. Parents who are interested in volunteering will be asked to complete an on-line volunteer screening.

School-Wide Attendance and Tardy Policy: Your child’s attendance and prompt arrival is crucial to his/her success! Most kindergarten learning activities are group oriented and involve interactions with classmates. In most cases, it is impossible to make up the work at home. Of course, illnesses and emergencies do occur, so please contact us before school begins if your Kindergartner will be absent. If you are running late, you and your child MUST stop at the office to sign in. If you are late, please be sure to make your child’s lunch choice with the secretary if you have not already done so.

Agendas: Your child will be provided with a school agenda. Any important notes will be in your child’s agenda. Your child will also record his/her “behavior color” each day. You can use the agenda to record notes for us. Use the clip to attach lunch or book order money, notes, etc.

Please initial and return agendas each day. PLEASE keep the clip in the agenda!!!

Recess: Please help your child select outdoor gear that suits the weather conditions. ALL students will be going outside each day, unless it is raining or extremely cold. In the WINTER, students will need to have snowpants, boots, a winter coat, a hat and gloves. Unfortunately, Pullen students are not allowed off the blacktop portion of the playground without snowpants and boots when there is snow. (If you need assistance obtaining appropriate snow gear, we can help you out!) Appropriate footwear will make it easier for your child to enjoy recess (and P.E.)…….Tennis shoes are the best!

Generally, if your child is well enough to be at school, he/she is well enough to participate in

outdoor recess if dressed properly. On those occasions when you feel it best for your child to stay indoors, please send a doctor’s note and we will make arrangements for your Kindergartner.

Appropriate Clothing: Please help your child choose clothing to suit the weather. In the Spring and Fall, when we experience cold mornings and warm afternoons, layers work well. (For example, a sweatshirt on top of a t-shirt.)

Extra Change of Clothes: Many people find it helpful to keep an extra set of clothing in their student’s backpack. This is extremely helpful to us in the case of an accident or spill. Please label clothing with your name.

Medication: Medicine, including Tylenol, cough drops, and ointments, must be brought to the office in the original packaging. A parent will be required to complete a medical form before students can receive medication at school. Students will be taken to the office to have all medication administered.

Specials: Your child will participate in Music, P.E. (Gym,) and Library each week for 30 minutes per session. It is important that your child wear or bring a pair of tennis shoes for P.E. class.

Friday Folders: Each Friday, a folder containing projects, activities, and newsletters will come home with your Kindergartner. Please look through all of these papers and return the empty Friday Folder to school on Monday. (Important information that needs to go home prior to Friday will be sent in your child’s agenda.)

Newsletter: Newsletters contain important information, and will normally be sent every 2 weeks. Within the newsletter, you will find out about what we have been working on in class, upcoming events, notices, etc. PullenElementary School also has an informational website: To find our classroom website, click “staff,” then “Jodi Nieporte.” You will find a link to our newsletter on our website.

School Meals: Our district offers both breakfast and lunch. Breakfastis served beginning at 8:25. Students who choose to eat breakfast at school should head straight to the cafeteria upon arrival.

Children may either BRING a lunch from home or ORDER one from school. A meal menu will be sent to you each month. Your child will have 3 lunch choices each day. Please discuss the lunch menu at home and your child’s options for that day. Lunch will be ordered in the classroom each morning. If your child will be arriving late to school, please call to let us know what he/she would like for lunch right away.

School meal money is to be turned in to the school office or classroom in a sealed envelope. Your family may qualify for free or reduced price lunch. You will receive a free/reduced lunch application on the first day of school.

Book Orders: Beginning in October, your Kindergartner will have a monthly opportunity to order books through Scholastic. If you choose to order books, you will complete the order form on the back of the flier and place it in an envelope along with your payment. You may pay in cash or make a check out to Scholastic Book Clubs. Parents may also order and pay for books online by following the steps that will be sent with our first book order.

Sending Money to School: Envelopes containing money for book orders or lunch should be sealed well and placed in the clip of your child’s agenda. Please write the following information on the front of your envelope:

  1. Child’s name
  2. Teacher’s name
  3. Purpose for the money (lunch, book order)
  4. Amount of money

Snack: Each month a snack/leader calendar will be sent to you. You can find your child’s name on the calendar to know when his/her leader day will be. (If your student has not been assigned a day on a particular month, then s/he will have an opportunity the following month.) The leader of the day is encouraged to provide a snack for the class. Here are some samplesnack options:

fruit or fruit cups / Jello cups / Rice Krispie Treats
fruit snacks / graham crackers / cheese sticks
Go-gurt / granola bars / cereal
cheese crackers / pretzels / animal crackers

Your student will be scheduled to be the leader on (or close to) his/her BIRTHDAY. If your child wishes, she/he can bring a special birthday treat for the class. Children who have summer birthdays will be scheduled to “celebrate” on or close to their “half” birthday. 

Show and Tell: Your Kindergartner is invited to bring a special item for show and tell on his/her assigned “leader day.” (Again, check our classroom snack/leader calendar for your child’s special day!) Please help your child select ONE non-breakable item on his/her day. Due to allergies, we are not able to have animals for show and tell, but photos work well!

Rest/Quiet Time: Your child will rest for a short amount of time in the afternoon during the first month or so of school. Students are asked to bring a SMALL towel or blanket to keep at school for this period, which should be labeled with your child’s name.

Manuscript: You will find a copy of ourManuscript handwriting in your Kindergarten packet. This is how we will be teaching your child to print.

Library Books: Your child will receive a library book each week they visit the school library. It is important for your child to return his/her library book each week in order to avoid fines and allow your child to check out a new book during their next visit. The Librarian will send home a notice for late books.

Positive Behavior System: Within this system, all Pullen students are taught behavior expectations using the same language and modeling. Children know what is expected of them in all areas and at all times in our school. Each classroom will have a common list of expectations posted. We will spend significant time reviewing expectations. Pullen has adopted a color-coded behavior management system.

“Watch Your Color System”

Each day ALL students will begin the day on green. A student may move to yellow, orange, or red based on the number of warnings they have been given or for the severity of a behavior. If a student does not follow expectations after a reminder, the child will be asked to move their name clip to the next color. Students will record, in their agenda, the color they finished the day on.

GREEN:

I had a GOOD day 

I followed all expectations

YELLOW:

I had an OK day

I needed some reminders

ORANGE:

I had a ROUGH day

I needed reminders and warnings

I was not following our expectations

I had to conference with my teacher and sit in the “Thinking Chair.”

RED:

I had a HARD day

I was not following our expectations

I had to sit in the Thinking Chair

I had to fill out a “Think Sheet” and discuss it with my teacher

I had to miss some recess

My parent/guardian needs to read my “Think Sheet,” discuss it with me, and return it to my teacher tomorrow morning

BLUE:

Students may occasionally be asked to move their clip to blue, which means that they have been caught demonstrating outstanding kindness or helpfulness.:) Celebrate!

*Students are also eligible to receive “Proud Paws” when they have been caught making good choices. A “Proud Paw” will be drawn from our bucket each day, and the owner will be able to choose a prize!

Departure: School ends at exactly 3:49 and our class will be learning or taking care of classroom business up until that time. Please wait outside the playground gatesif picking up your child. We will meet you on our red line outside our southwest playground doors. Please be sure that if your child’s transportation needs are changing in any way to send a note with him/her that states the change or call the office with any changes. If a note or a phone call has not been made to us, we will proceed with the normal dismissal routine for your child. We will dismiss students to their parents (or approved adults) and will not allow students to wait outside the school building. Children who have not been picked up by 4:00 will be found waiting in the school office. Please make every effort to be on time when picking up your student!

Contact Me! If you ever have any concerns or questions, please contact me! We can talk over the phone or set up a time to meet together. I look forward to working with your family and helping your child to achieve his or her full potential!

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