Kindergarten Handbook

Chahta-Ima Elementary

2016-2017

Mrs. Arabie

Dear Parents/Guardians,

As your child’s Kindergarten teacher, I look forward to a year filled with exploration, learning, and success. Please use this handbook as a guide for any questions that you may have throughout the school year. Our class goal is to build life-long learners who develop a love for reading and learning. We are partners in your child’s learning experience. If you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year, please let me know via email, note, phone call, or conference. My goal is to provide a positive learning environment for your child that nurtures and enhances his/her talents and interests. I look forward to a wonderful year of kindergarten!

Thank you,

Mrs. Arabie

Contact Information:

Email:

CIE Phone: 985-882-7541

Our Curriculum

Our curriculum is based on Louisiana State Standards and Enduring Understandings of the Guaranteed Curriculum. Our school day consists of teacher directed minutes and student-initiated minutes. Science and Social Studies are incorporated in a variety of ways into our English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics curriculum. Students explore and develop through literacy stations, math stations, and free stations. Social and Emotional skills are also taught throughout the school day as children transition to different activities and work/play with different people. Part of our day is spent as a whole class learning new concepts, but a majority of our day is spent in small groups or partners.

Mrs. Arabie’s Daily Schedule:

8:31-9:10 Pledge/ Journals/Everyday Counts (Math)

9:10-10:00 Math Lesson & Stations

10:00-10:10 Clean up/Transition to ELA

10:10-11:30ELA Lesson & Literacy Stations

11:30-11:45Clean up/ Bathroom/ Water/Walk to Cafeteria

11:45-12:10 Lunch

12:10-12:30Recess

12:30-12:50Bathroom/Water/ Read-To-Self

12:50-1:55Rest Time

1:55-2:15 Snack

2:15-3:05 Student Initiated Learning Stations

3:05-3:25 Review Our Day/ Prepare For Dismissal

3:25-3:31Dismissal to Bus Lines

Special Classes

Monday / Music / 9:30-10:00
Tuesday / Art / 10:00-10:45
Wednesday / Speech / 11:00-11:30
P.E. / 2:30-3:00
Thursday / P.E. / 9:30-10:00
Friday / Library / 9:45-10:15
Counseling

Take Home Folders

Your child will come home each day with a folder. Please check the behavior calendar in the folder and initial each day. Also, please check the folder for snack dates, newsletters, classroom updates, school updates, and forms to complete. Anytime you need to send a doctor’s note/excuse note, lunch money, forms, or letters, please put these items in the“front pocket” of the Take Home Folder.

Rules, Rewards, and Consequences

Rules

  1. Follow Our CHAMPS Board:

-Our CHAMPS board is a visual board of expectations that students are expected to conduct throughout each activity throughout the day. For example: At circle time students are expected to sit at a level 0 and remain sitting on the carpet, however during Stations, students are expected to talk at a level 2 with their buddy and are allowed to get bathroom/water.

2. Be Nice and Respectful: -Students are expected to show kindness and use respectful words with adults and peers.

3. Be Responsible: -Students are expected to come to school prepared and be responsible when cleaning up after themselves.

Rewards

  1. Be There Bucks- a ticket that shows a student that they were following the FISH philosophy- Be There, Choose Your Attitude, Play, Make Someone’s Day, students save there Be There Bucks in their “Be There Buck” Pocket Charts in the classroom and at the end of the week during morning meeting on Fridays they get to put their bucks in the “Caught Fishing” bucket for a chance to win an ICEE.
  2. CHAMPOS- When the teacher catches the entire class making good choices, she will put a CHAMPO on our board. Each time the students fill up a row, column, corners, or blackout they earn a reward, such as dance celebration, extra snack, backwards shirt day.
  3. Clip Up on the classroom clip chart.
  4. Stickers- When students “Soar like an Eagle” in class for the day, they earn 3 stickers on their chart. When students are on “Great Day”, they earn 2 stickers on their charts. When students are on “Ready to Learn”, they earn 1 sticker on their charts. When students fill up a row on their chart, they earn a prize from the treasure box.

Consequences

  1. Warning
  2. Clip Down on the classroom clip chart
  3. Think Time
  4. Loss of Privilege-
  • Loss of free center time
  • Recess Reflection- after 3 recess reflections in a month the student CAN NOTattend the “Fish Fest Party” at the end of that month.
  1. Parent Contact

*If the behavior is a major infraction, students may be brought to the office and parents will be contacted by the teacher and/or administration.

*If behaviors continue the parent and teacher will meet to discuss an individual behavior plan.

Meals

Breakfast is served between 8:00-8:30 a.m. If you plan on your child eating at school, please ensure they arrive in enough time to eat.

Lunch is served at 11:45-12:10. Students can bring a lunch or eat a school lunch.

Snacks will be eaten in the afternoon at 1:55 p.m. Please check the snack calendar for your child’s snack day and send 22 snacks and juice boxes for the students. Please send healthy choices. Some healthy choices include fruit, pretzels, goldfish, and animal crackers. During snack time the students practice social skills and hygiene skills. **I do allow parents to bring cupcakes or a sweet treat on their child’s birthday.

Transportation

If your child has a change of transportation, please send a note on a full sheetof paper in your child’s folder with your child’s full name, the date in which they will need a transportation change, the type of change, and your signature.

Visitors/Volunteers

We welcome visitors and volunteers. Please check into the office each time you come on to school grounds. You will need an I.D. or driver’s license when you check in. You are always welcome to volunteer in your child’s classroom and join our PTA. Our PTA is involved in PBIS celebrations, field day, selling CIE shirts, Santa’s Workshop, fundraisers to support our school and so much more. They are a vital asset to our school. Parents, as well as local businesses are encouraged to join.

Homework Procedures

Each week your child will receive a newsletter in their Take Home Folder. Homework for the week will be listed on the newsletter. Please have pencils, scissors, glue, and crayons available for your child to use with their homework. All homework should be completed in the homework notebook (provided by the teacher). Please have your child cut out the homework section on the newsletter, glue it on a fresh page in their notebook, write their name at the top and then complete the first day’s homework. Please separate each night’s homework by drawing a line and writing the date. Please do not skip pages in the notebook. Please assist your child if they need help, but try to see what they can do on their own. Homework should take about 10-15 minutes to complete. If you notice that the homework is stressful for your child, please let your child’s teacher know.