Welcome to Kindergarten!
Mrs. Dickerson’s Class Handbook
Hulstrom K-8 School
AllHulstrom Students are…
Successful Students who
Together with Teamwork
Achieve Excellence, while being
Respectful, Responsible,
Safe and Prepared.
Mrs. Paula Dickerson
School Phone: 720-972-5400
Classroom phone: 720-972-5409
School Start and End Times:
*Please have your child to school at 7:45.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
7:45 (7:50 tardy bell)-3:00
Wednesday (early release day)
7:45 (7:50 tardy bell)-1:45
Welcome Kindergarten Parents!
I would like to take this opportunity to let you know how much I am looking forward to spending the school year with your child and watching his/her individual growth. Your interest and support throughout the school year will be greatly appreciated. Some of my goals, as well as the program goals, are to keep you informed, provide a stimulating and inviting learning environment that meets the individual needs of the students,to model and teach self respect and respect for others, and to teach independence. To facilitate a successful school year, it is helpful for parents and students to be familiar with the classroom policies and procedures. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Communication
I believe communication between home and school is essential to a successful year. There are several ways I communicate with parents.These include the homework folder, Wednesday folder, and our class website. Phone calls or e-mails are also a means to contact me if you have questions or concerns. You may call me anytime throughout the day and leave a message. I will get back to you as soon as possible. If there is an emergency, call the main office at 720-972-5400 and they will contact me.
Please check the Kindergarten website and our class website at least once a week. You will miss out on important information and upcoming class/school activities if you do not check it.
Homework
Homework is an important part of our school’s daily program and the home-school connection. Please help your child learn life-long study skills by making homework a priority. Read the directions out loud to your child, and as your child becomes a more proficient reader, have them read the directions to you.
Please read with your child each evening. Children can read library books, magazines, I-pads or books from home. Continue your reading to them too, this counts! They are not expected to read independently until they are ready.Color in a monthly reading log. At the end of the month turn in a completed reading log for a prize.
Math, reading, writing, handwriting, phonics, spelling pagesor other things will be sent homein addition to the reading. The homework will come home on Friday and is due the following Friday. You will have the flexibility of working in the evenings or over the weekend. I know how busy schedules are for everyone. If a part of the homework needs to be fixed or corrected I will put an “F&R” on the paper. This means “fix/finish and return”. Please do not worry or make homework a stressful home event. The desired amount of time to dedicate to homework is 25 minutes. It will take a little longer in the beginning to set the routine. If you are finding the homework to be a struggle please talk with me and we can make adjustments. High expectations does not mean frustration.
- Create a homework time and place – away from TV and other distractions.
- Remind your child to write their name on every paper.
- Please practice the Dolche word lists as often as possible. As your child feels ready to read a list at school, send the book to school in your child’s homework folder. He/she will read it, be signed off, and earn a prize.
What does quality work look like in kindergarten?
1. Proper letter formation
2. Pictures are drawn and colored nicely (writing only in pencil)
3. Children are sounding out words and writing the sounds that he/she hear
4. All directions are followed
5. Name is on the work
Reading Groups
I will meet with your child for small group reading instruction. The books we use in groups will be kept at school. The Reading A-Z (RAZ kids) app on the I-pad have leveled books similar to the books at school. Reading these books count for the reading time. These are stories at your child’s level. Have them read to you, or pair read where you read part and the student reads part. Help them solve unknown words. We say “say the sounds” instead of “sound it out.”
Wednesday Folders
Every week, your child will be bringing home a communication folder. Inside you will find some practice papers, graded assignments, notes, newsletters, and otherclass and/or school information. Remove the papers and return the empty folder on Thursday morning. This is an excellent opportunity to include any questions or comments you may have.
Make-up Work
Please call the school office at 720-972-5400 to request make-up work. Your request must be made before 9:00am and will not be ready to pick up in the front hallway until after 3:00pm. Homework will not be provided ahead of time. Students will have the day they return to get the assignments, and one day for each day missed to get the make up work completed.
iPads at Hulstrom
Please make sure your child is bringing his/her iPad to school each day. He/she should also have either headphones or earbuds every day. Please make sure your child’s iPad is charged each night. We use iPads every day, throughout the day, in different subject areas. The students will store the iPads in their backpacks when they are not being used. I will post on our class website when new apps should be loaded on your child’s iPad. Please make sure to complete Camp All Star as soon as possible. Your child will not be permitted to use his/her iPad in class until all the requirements for Camp All Star are met.
Attendance
Your child’s regular and prompt attendance at school is crucial to his/her success. I can’t emphasize this point enough. Most kindergarten learning activities are group oriented and involve interaction with classmates and me. Therefore, it is next to impossible to make up all work at home. Please view school as a priority, and see to it that your child attends every day except in cases of illness and emergency. Please talk with me if you have unique needs or circumstances. We can work out arrangements. I understand the life happens.
Messages
In an effort to avoid disrupting the learning environment, please contact the Hulstrom office to relay messages to your student. Please do not walk down to the classroom to give your child a message or drop something off to them. Someone in the office will take care of dropping off items to your child. Messages must be called in before 2:30 (1:15 on Wednesday) to ensure your child will receive it before dismissal.
Dismissal
Our top priority is to keep your children safe. Part of their safety is ensuring they go home with an approved person. Please be prepared to show your identification to staff members and substitutes to pick up your child. Please update the record in the office for carpools or send a note to school if someone else may be picking up your child. Students must be picked up as close to 3:00 (1:45 on Wednesday) as possible. If you are going to be late to pick up your child, please notify the office or call the classroom as soon as you can.
Parent Volunteer Opportunities
There will be many opportunities throughout the year to help out in our classroom even if you are not available on a weekly basis. I will need parents to join us on a variety of field trips throughout the year. Parents are a valued partner in the education process.
Hulstrom requires that all parents who would like tovolunteer in the classroom or go on fieldtripscomplete four requirements:
District Volunteer Application
Code of Conduct Form
Driver's license scan (must be done every school year)
Volunteer tour/training
*The forms are available in the foyer above the PTA box and a sign up for the tour/training is in the main lobby on the bulletin board.
Birthdays and Holidays
Your child may bring in treats to celebrate his/her special day or a holiday if they wish. They must be pre-packaged and cannot contain any nut products. Every year we have children in the class who are allergic to nuts or other items. Treats will be sent home with the students at the end of the day.
There are a number of events throughout the year that parents are invited to attend. Please make sure to check our class website often, as important events and upcoming school activities are posted and updated frequently.
Snack(NO NUTS)/Water Bottles
Please pack your child a healthy snack each day. Do not put your child’s snack in his/her lunchbox. It should be one free of nut products and one that does not need to be refrigerated. Also, please have your child bring a water bottle each day. I recommend putting your child’s water bottle in a side pouch of his/her backpack so that folders and books do not get wet.
Book Orders
Students have the opportunity to order books from school book clubs periodically throughout the year. I will send home Scholastic order forms and then you will place your order online using our class code. This is an optional activity, but our class will earn points for free books when you place an order. Please do not send cash.
District/School Dress Code
Please refer to the district or school handbook for the specific dress code requirements. Hats are not permitted in the building. Hulstrom requires that all students dress in a manner that denotes good taste and is not distractive. Gym shoes must be non-marking soles and must be worn to PE. Shorts must be worn under skirts. Shorts should be approximately mid-thigh length. Halter tops and/or spaghetti strapped tops may not be worn. Sleeveless tops must be worn at least 2 inches thick in width. Flip flops should not be worn to school.
Specials
Hulstrom students are lucky to have several specials throughout their week. Your child will participate in music, art, and physical education. We will visit the library individually and as a class as often as possible. Your child may bring back his/her library books daily, and I will allow time to go to the library and check out new books.
Our specials schedule will be on a rotation each week. Tennis shoes for PE are required. The specials rotation schedule can be found on the Hulstrom website.
Classroom Rules/Positive Behavior System at Hulstrom (PBIS)
Classroom rules are established to promote learning and positive self-concept. Our school and classroom rules are:
- I will be respectful.
- I will be responsible.
- I will be prepared.
- I will be safe.
Each day your child will have several opportunities to earn Shining Stars for demonstrating above and beyond behavior. He/she will save the stars that they earn and keep track of how many they have. Students will turn in their stars each time they reach 25 and will be rewarded according to the Shining Star Point System.
A child will be given a positive office referral for demonstrating consistent above and beyond behavior. Your child will be given a green star from an office administrator and you will receive a call from that administrator to recognize your child’s positive behavior.
An ALLSTAR Excellence Award acknowledges classes where EVERY student is displaying exceptional behavior by giving specific positive feedback and indicating it on the ALLSTAR. A class earning 25 ALLSTARS will be recognized in morning announcements and earn a class reward.
Each day, the children start out with a green smile card on our “Behavior Smile Chart”. If a student is not acting appropriately or hinders someone else’s learning, they will be asked to move his/her behavior smile card. Yellow is a warning to “think about making better choices”. If a child moves their card to orange he/she will fill out a green Think Sheet. If he/she then turns their card to red they will fill out a second Think Sheet and/or a call will be made home. A child who completes 3 Think Sheets in one day or 5 in a week will be referred to an administrator. You will receive a copy of a misconduct report if your child is referred to the office.
I give each table the opportunity to earn clothespins (quiet clips). When the table earns 10 clothespins the table will pick from the treasure box.
Grades
Graded work will be sent home in your child’s Wednesday folder, and occasionally in the homework folder. Hulstrom grades based on a Standards Based Grading System. Report cards are sent home with the kindergarten students twice during the year. Regularly scheduled conferences will be held in the fall and spring.
Standards Based Grading System:
4-Exceeds Standards
“I went above and beyond the standard.”
3-Proficient
“I met the standard.”
2-Approaching Standard
“I have more work to do to meet the standard.”
1-Limited Progress
“I need to work with my teacher/parent to meet this standard.”
Daily Schedule
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
7:45 First Bell
7:50 Second (Tardy) Bell
7:50-8:00 iPads
8:00-8:15 Calendar Math
8:15-9:00 Writing
9:00-9:25 Snack/Recess
9:25-10:40 Literacy Block
10:40-10:55 Recess
10:55-11:20 Lunch
11:20-12:30 Specials
12:30-1:30 Handwriting/Science/Social Studies
1:30-2:30 Math
2:30-2:50 Choice Time
2:50-3:00 Clean Up/Pack Up
3:00 Dismissal
(subject the change)
Wednesday (same morning schedule as the other days)
10:50-11:10 Recess
11:10-11:30 Lunch
11:35-12:35 Specials
12:35-1:35 Math
1:35-1:45 Clean Up/Pack Up
1:45 Dismissal
Content Areas
Guided Reading
Guided reading involves a small group of students meeting with me for direct reading and phonics instruction. The students will be grouped according their needs. We will focus on strategies, word work, comprehension, letter and work recognition, phonics, and reading to gather information. Each group is made up of children who are at similar stages in their reading development. These groups may change periodically.
SharedReading
Students learn many of their reading, decoding, comprehension, and fluency skills during this whole group format. We will have reading a week to focus on where we will work on skills such as word families, sight words, rhyming, and blends.
Handwriting Instruction
We will be using the Zaner Bloser handwriting series. There are practice sheets to go along with this series that will either be completed in class or sent home. Please note that you may always practice handwriting at home and should concentrate on handwriting on all homework assignments. Please use the handwriting letter guide while completing homework.
Independent Reading
During independent reading, the students learn to choose their own books and read independently. This time allows the children to pick booksthat they will enjoy, and practice skills learned during guided reading and whole-group reading. It is also a time to foster an enjoyment for reading in each child. We will discuss how to choose “just right books”.
Independent Writing
Each child will have a writing journal that they will write in as well as a writing folder to keep writing in that they are working on. We will be following the district units of study as well as the kindergarten curriculum for writing. After a short writing lesson with a lot of teacher modeling, I will circulate around the room and conference individually with children on sounding out words, handwriting, spacing, punctuation, and generating ideas.
Read Aloud
Read aloud is a time when I read a book aloud to the children that they would be unable to read themselves. It helps children hear what fluent reading with expression sounds like. Often, we will respond and discuss the books. We will also talk about aspects of the book such as the author, illustrator, title, publisher, punctuation marks, vocabulary, emotions, setting, characters, and the order that the events occurred in. I also introduce students to several different genres during this time. This is a time to meet the English Language standards.
Work Stations
Students have the opportunity to enrich their skills in literacy. It consists of short, well-planned activities to help student growth in literacy, work independently and about working with others. Some of the other centers include art, puzzles, sensory table, dramatic play, blocks, and word building.
Spelling
We will be using the Words Their Way Spelling program to teach necessary spelling and Phonics skills. Spelling tests will be given on Fridays. I will keep you posted as I know more information about when we will be starting our spelling lists. It depends greatly on when we get through our review of one letter a day and the progress our class is making. It would be greatly appreciated if the district writing words are continually practiced at home. Please start with the kindergarten words. When your child has mastered the kindergarten words, you may move onto the first-grade writing words (see attached lists).
Math
We will be using the Everyday Math program each day. We will accelerate the program for students who are ready to work at a quicker pace. Your child may receive math instruction from one of the other Kindergarten teachers.
Science and Social Studies