Kindergarten Handbook for Parents

Welcome to Kindergarten!

I would like to take this time to introduce myself, and go over a few housekeeping items. My name is Bailey Morgan, I am a graduate of FHSU, and have been teaching Kindergarten for 3 years. Throughout the year, we will be communicating about your child. I am always available for questions and comments. Feel free to email or call me at the following:

EMAIL:

PHONE: 785-222-2622

GOALS

This year the kindergarten class will be working on the following items: social development, work habits, readiness skills, math and reading readiness, and fine motor skills. Be looking for activities in the student’s orange take home-folder throughout the year to help improve each area listed above.

We will also be working on sight words. Sight words are words that should not be sounded out, but rather an instant knowledge of the word. The more familiar the student is with the word, the faster he/she will recognize it while reading. Each student will be going home with sight words in their orange take home folder. Each set has about 10 words, and once they have learned a set, a new set will go home! We will be learning Dolch’s pre-primer and primer words. When they have finished these, they will go on to 1st grade words (Then 2nd and 3rd). Please take a few minutes each evening to review these words with your student. I suggest that you keep the words as I send them home to review with your student. In the past some parents like to write them on note cards and then continue to review older sets. 

TAKE HOME FOLDERS

Your student has an orange folder that will be a major communicator between us. The left side is the “RETURN TO SCHOOL SIDE”, and the right is the “LEAVE AT HOME SIDE”. On the “leave at school side”, there will be a “Color of my Day” sheet. Each day your student will fill in what color he/she had. There is also a spot for any comments between the parents/guardian and teacher. You can use this space to let me know if the child has different after school plans, or will be leaving early, or any other changes or anything else! Finally, in the last column is a place for your initials or signature. It is part of our school policy to have this signed every night to ensure great communication. In the back of the folder is a calendar where you can write how much your child reads to you each day. This is very important for your student’s success in reading.

DAILY ROUTINE

I have attached a copy of what our daily routine will look like. I find that it is very important to get as much one-on-one time with your child as possible. We will be doing daily math and reading centers to ensure that I can spend quality time with your child. We will also do writing mostly in the form of a journal. During journal time I encourage students to try their best at spelling, which increases their phonemic awareness. So if you see something that is miss spelled, they most likely did that on own! You student will also get a rest time. Depending on our moods, sometimes I will allow them to watch an educational video from PBS such as Word World, or Sid the Science Kid. Your child may also bring a towel or small blanket to use during rest. I will send these home each Friday to be washed and you can send them back with the student each Monday! Your child may also bring a water bottle to leave on their desk. Please make sure they have a closing lid, and do not leak. Again, I will send these home each Friday, and you may return them on Monday!

RULES AND PROCEDURES

I have 5 simple rules for my classroom

Keep hands feet and objects to yourself
Listen when others are talking
Share and take turns
Follow directions
Use kind words.

Sometimes in Kindergarten we forget about an important rule. If this happens, the student will be given a private verbal warning. If the problem is not resolved, the student will be asked to move their worm to yellow (I had a warning!) or red (I will try harder!). The worms are not permanent and can ALWAYS be moved back up with great behavior. I also have a blue star at the top of the apple for students who had a spectacular day! At the end of the day, the student will color the sheet in the take home folder so you know what color you student was on. IF they were on yellow, they will sit out five minutes of free choice time. If the student was on red, they must sit quietly at his/her desk for free choice time. I do not foresee any problems with this age group, as they aim to please. We also try and earn puzzle pieces as a class. Once we complete the puzzle, we earn a special prize! Be looking for notes in the take home folder for details! I’m sure we are going to have a TERRIFIC YEAR!!

SNACKS

Every month I will send home a snack calendar with a snack day for your child. Right now we have 17 students. Please make sure you send enough for every child. Also, please refrain from sending “candy” like items. I would like to make sure the students are getting a healthy snack, such as crackers, popcorn, dry cereal, fruit, cheese, ect, and with all the birthdays and parties, we have enough sweet stuff. I will try and make your student’s snack day on or around his/her birthday. Please remember all items must be store bought; no homemade items.

Your student can also buy extra milk at this time. If they do not get the extra milk, I will provide a water cup for your student to have a drink during snack time!

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION-

This year I am encouraging students to collect Box Tops for Education. When students bring box tops, I will put their names on the back. I then will have weekly drawings for a trip to the treasure chest! Each Box Top provides $0.10 for our school! As we all know, that can add up!

CHARACTER ED-

Be watching the Take Home Folder for more information on Character Ed as we are changing the program this year!

READING AT HOME-

Once we get full force into our routine, I will be sending home short stories for your student to read to you on MONDAY NIGHT! It is very important that you practice these stories. By the end of the year, your child will be reading full sentences (AND BOOKS!), as well as sounding out MANY words! Also, please make a habit to read to your child nightly. The best way to prepare students to read is to read to the student!

BOOK IT-

Starting in October, Pizza Hut offers a free mini pizza for students who keep track of their reading. I will send home calendars (which I will put in the BACK OF THE ORANGE TAKE HOME FOLDER), and you keep track of how much you read with your student. In Kindergarten, I have set the reading goal for 120 minutes, which breaks down to be about 4 minutes a day (which is about how long it takes to read a short story!!!). Once the month is over, send the calendar back, and I will send home the free pizza certificate.

BOOK ORDERS-

Every month I will be sending home flyers for Scholastic Book Orders. These books are relatively cheap, with most books being about $3.00 or less. Every book order also has one book for $1.00. You can order though the paper sheets, or online. When you buy books, Scholastic then gives our classroom points, which gives us more books for our classroom library, or other items, such as math and reading manipulatives.

When ordering online go to and use the class activation code : GWT76

ABSENT WORK

If your child is absent or going to be absent, and you would like their work, please leave a message in the office with Ardis, or send me an email! I will be happy to gather everything for your student!

SCHOOL PARTIES

I will send a sheet around with a place to sign up for classroom parties. We celebrate Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day, and Easter. It will be the parent’s responsibility to set up and organize these parties. 

I am very excited for this school year to start! Your student is very special to me, and is a priceless part of our classroom! As we go along, expect for notes from me, as well as monthly newsletters letting you know what is going on with our classroom! Please contact me with any questions for concerns.

Kindergarten Schedule (Mrs. Morgan)

8:10 Unpack/Announcements

8:15 Handwriting/Bellwork

8:30 Morning Board

9:00 Math Centers

9:55 P.E.

10:25 Jounral/Wash for Lunch

10:35 Lunch

11:20 Music

11:40 Recess

12:00 Rest

12:30 Daily 5/Reading Centers

1:30 Science/Social Studies/Art

2:00 Recess

2:20 Snack/Story

2:40 Catch Up/Closing

3:00 Free Choice Centers

3:15 Pack

3:35 Dismissal