Welcome to Kindergarten!

The word kindergarten comes from two German words meaning Garden of
Children. German educator Friedrich Frobel created the word to convey his belief that in
the proper environment childrens minds grow like plants in a garden.
I would like to take this time to welcome you and your child to my
kindergarten class. There is an exciting year awaiting, designed to promote
and enhance your childs growth and development. This year your child will
be completing one of the most important milestones in his/her life --- the
first day of kindergarten! I am truly blessed to be given this opportunity to
get to know you and your child. It is my desire to instill a love of learning
that will last throughout your childs years of schooling.
I am looking forward to our working together to make this a most
successful school year! I hope that this packet of information will help you
know what to expect in kindergarten this year, and answer any questions
you may have. Please feel free to contact me at school, should you have
any unanswered questions and/or concerns regarding your childs
kindergarten experience.
Sincerely,
Ms. McDaniel
Parents and Teachers nurture the seeds of today so that they will bloom into flowers
of tomorrow.

Daily Schedule:
7:45 a.m.

Bell rings

7:45 8:10 a.m.

Morning Responsibilities

8:10 8:20 a.m.

Morning Meeting

8:20 9:00 a.m.

Science/Social Studies

9:10 9:30 a.m.

Snack/Recess/Restroom

9:30 10:50 a.m.

Reading/Writing

10:50 10:57 a.m.

Clean up/Prepare for Lunch

11:00 11:30 a.m.

Lunch

11:30 11:40 a.m.

Clean up Lunchroom/ Restroom

11:40 1:00 p.m.

Math

1:05 1:35 p.m.

Science/Social Studies

1:35 1:40 p.m.

Pack up

1:45 2:30 p.m.

P.E.

2:35 2:50 p.m.

Dismissal

2:35 p.m. Kindergarten Bus Riders

2:45 p.m. Car Riders/Walkers
2:50 p.m. Extended Day

Morning Responsibilities:
Your child has many morning responsibilities that he or she must learn to
complete independently. They need to be able to unpack their backpack, turn in their
daily folder, make a lunch choice, put items for snack in a cubby, and begin morning
table activities. I want you to be very aware of not performing these duties for your child.
It is much easier for your child to separate and develop independent skills when you
walk them to the door and let them walk into the classroom for themselves. You child is
a big kindergartener now, and I ask for your support in promoting and encouraging him
or her to do these responsibilities independently. For the first two days of school, I
certainly understand that you may want to walk your child to the classroom door. I am
asking that you please say you goodbyes at the classroom door. After the first two
days, please try and let your child out at the front door of the school. The principal
and other staff members will be there daily to greet your child and to make sure that
they enter the building. By allowing him or her to walk into the classroom alone, you will
be helping you child become more independent. Please understand you are welcome in
the classroom, but it is very important for you child to develop an independent morning
routine. I promise to give your child lots of TLC!!!

Attendance:
Your childs regular and punctual attendance at school is crucial to his/her
success. They need to be in school all day and every day. I cannot emphasize this point
enough! Most kindergarten learning activities are small group oriented and involve
explicit instruction. Therefore, it is next to impossible to make up all work at home.
Interaction with classmates promotes social growth and learning, and we need all of our
class friends at school daily! Please view school as a priority (schedule appointments or
trips after school hours, or during breaks). In case of illness or emergency please send
a written and dated excuse for absence within two school days after returning to
school. ABSENCES WITHOUT NOTES WILL BE CODED UNEXCUSED (review
student handbook). If a child arrives late or needs to leave school early, you must sign
in/out at the school office. School office hours are 7:45am 2:35pm. Tardy bell
rings at 8:00am. Please have your child to school by 7:40am unless they are
registered in our Extended Day Morning Program. Doors are opened at 7:30am. If
students arrive at 7:30am, they will need to go to the lunchroom and wait until the
bell rings at 7:45am. ALSO, please make sure that you read in the schools handbook
concerning Student Tardiness Procedures in Elementary Schools.

Early Dismissal:
If you need to checkout your child before the regular dismissal time, you must
go to the office and sign him/her out of school. Elementary students must check in
prior to 11:15am to be counted present for the day; elementary students must check
out after 11:30am to be considered present for the day. Our secretary will call for your
child to meet you at the office. All checkouts before 11:30am will be considered as an
absence.
Whoooooos Here Today?
When students arrive in the morning they should make their first stop at the
Whoooooos Here Today station. This is where they will drop off their daily OWL
folders, find their morning work, and take their attendance. Students will then move their
laminated owl with their name/number on it to the designated area to the right to mark
their daily lunch choice. These are adhered with Velcro below the Our Class heading.

End-of-the-Day Procedures:
At approximately 1:35 p.m. we will begin our end-of-the-day procedures. During
this time students will pack up their belongings and clean up their personal area. I will
also complete the students daily behavior chart and they will pack their daily folder into
their backpack. The students will be leaving the classroom at approximately 1:45 for
P.E. When the students return to the classroom at 2:30, the bus riders will immediately
retrieve their belongings and get in line for dismissal to go home. The bus riders will be
dismissed at 2:35. Students that are car riders or walkers will be dismissed at 2:45. Car
riders will be walked to the front of the school where they will sit until their name is
called over the microphone that their ride is outside waiting on them. Students that stay
at school for extended day will be dismissed at 2:50 and will be walked to the extended
day room at the school.

Class Work & Homework:

Within our classroom, class work and homework will be completed on a daily
basis. The students will pick up their morning work from their folder at the Whooos
Here Today station when they enter the classroom. I will hand out any other class work
that is completed by each individual using a pencil and paper. On Monday the students
weekly homework will be placed in his or her daily folder. The students weekly
homework will consist of the students weekly sight words, weekly math concept, and

reading. You should practice sight words and math concepts as well as read with your
student EVERY day. Your student should be reading or you should be reading to your
student at least twenty minutes EVERY day! You should sign you students weekly
homework everyday that it is completed in the designated space. The homework will be
taken out of your childs daily folder on Friday morning and will be placed in his or her
file for documentation purposes. You should also sign your students reading log
EVERY day that you read with your child. The form that will be in your childs daily
folder is shown below. You should list the titles of the books as well as stating who read
the book. For example, if your child read the book The Three Little Pigs to you then
under the Title heading on the reading log you would write, The Three Little Pigs
(Student). Another example of this would be if you read the book Dumbo to your child
then under the Title heading on the reading log you would write, Dumbo (Parent). Late
work will not be accepted without an extenuating circumstance because every student
is provided a sufficient amount of time to complete all work. If your student is absent on
Friday their weekly homework from the previous week will be expected on the following
Monday with your signature. Students will only be able to complete make-up work when
they have an approved excused absence.

Student Recognitions:
Student of the Week: Students will be participating in a Student of the Week
program. Students will randomly be picked each week as the Student of the Week. The
student chosen will be asked to provide a picture of him/her for the template below to
display on the Student of the Week board. Students will also be given a sheet (as
shown below) to complete at home and return the following day to display it on the
board with his or her picture. Students will also be given the opportunity to bring in items
to share with the class throughout their special week. Each student will write a friendly
letter or drawing to the student of the week and I will collect each of them to compile a
book for your child at the end of the year. I will be informing students the Monday before
their week so they will have the opportunity to locate pictures/items to share starting on
Friday. Please support your child with this fun activity. The student of the week will also
be the Teacher Helper for their special week. All students will have the opportunity to be
the Student of the Week at least once throughout the school year.

Sickness:
The question of when to keep your child home from school is often a difficult one,
especially when the decision may affect your work schedule and alternate
arrangements may need to be made. However, if you child has a temperature in the
morning before school; please do not send him/her to school. You know your child
best, and of course, you do not want to expose the other children to the sickness.
When a child becomes sick at school, he/she will be sent to the school nurse. If
your child is sick and has a fever, you will be notified. Since we do not have a place
available to keep sick children away from the other children, it is very important that
you come and pick up your sick child.
Please remember to keep emergency numbers current in the office and to
notify the teacher if a number changes. Also, please keep in mind that children
function more effectively in a classroom when they are healthy.

Medications:
The school nurse will administer ALL medications. Please contact the nurse if
your child is to be given any medicine during school hours. You will need to fill out a
form before the nurse can administer medicine to your child. You may pick up the forms
from the office or the nurse. If you child has asthma, you may want to consider leaving a
spare inhaler with the nurse. Please do not send medicine to school in your childs
book bag. This includes cough drops or sore throat lollipops.

Classroom Visitors:
Classroom visitors are welcome during lunch or during any special activities that
we have in our classroom. However, the visitor must be on the students approved
visitors list that is kept on file in the office. I will let you know in advance of any special
events that will be occurring in our classroom that you are welcome to attend. Visitors
are also welcome into our classroom during our designated reading time to read to our
class. If you are planning to visit our classroom, please let me know in at least twenty-

four hours in advance, so that I may prepare for your visit. When visiting our classroom
you must go through the main office to check-in, get a visitors pass, and be approved to
enter the school by office personnel.

Parent Volunteers:
Please sign up below for any volunteer opportunities you would be
interested in for the school year.
______ Secretary- help organize with making copies, cutting, sorting, and/or
creating supplies for classroom activities
______ Chaperone- attend and monitor classroom field trips
______ Reading Buddy- listen to students read aloud
______ Math Buddy- help students study basic math facts to develop fluency
______ Technologically Gifted take and/or organize class photographs and help
maintain the classroom website if needed
______ Crafter help and assist with student memory books and other special art
projects within the classroom when help is needed
______ Classroom Celebrations- help plan and host celebrations within the
classroom (Holidays)

Any other ways you can volunteer your time or services in the classroom:

Name of Volunteer: _____________________________

Phone Number: ________________________________
Months/Days Available: _________________________
Email: _________________________________________

Birthdays:
I know how special birthdays are to you and your child. If you would like your
child to share a special Birthday Snack with the class, please contact me in advance.
Since we are on a tight academic schedule, we have our Birthday Celebrations during
lunch time. All mini cupcakes/cookies must be store bought due to state health
regulations. We love to celebrate special days!
Also, please do not send birthday invitations to the school to be passed out by
your child unless one is given to every child. This will prevent any hurt feelings. Thank
you for understanding. I will be glad to put the invitations in each childs daily OWL
folder.

Field Trips:
I would like to invite all parents who are able to accompany us on the trips that
we will be taking this year. Some trips have limited space. If this is the case, we will
let you know how we will select chaperones for the trip. You will receive information and
forms to fill out about each field trip.
We will be going on a number of field trips this year. Field trips are fun and
exciting, but can be dangerous if everyone doesnt follow the rules. We must all follow
the rules provided by the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education. These rules are listed
for you below.
***Please note: If the guidelines are broken by any chaperone, the teacher reserves
the right to not invite that chaperone for future trips.
Chaperone Guidelines
1. Please dress to compliment our school.
2. Please do not leave the group.
3. No extra children are allowed to attend.
4. No tobacco products should be used during the trip.
5. Please remember that the teacher is always responsible for the children, even if
you are accompanying your child.
6. No child may leave with a parent or guardian unless approved prior by the principal.

Classroom Parties:
We will have four class parties in our classroom this year. We will have a
Halloween Party in October, a Holiday Party in December, a Valentines Day Party in
February, and an End of the Year Party in May. I will send home a letter with
information about each classroom party at least two weeks in advance in the students
daily OWL folders, which will include the date of the party, the item that your student is
to bring, and information on student gifts to bring to the party for every classmate. Every
student will be asked to bring an item to every party and if your child would like to bring
a small gift to give his or her fellow classmates there must be a gift for every student.
Parents are invited and welcome to attend any classroom party.

Our Promise to Each Other:

When we care about each other and our classroom, we share what we have,
listen carefully, help each other learn, work hard and have fun together. We understand
that everyone makes mistakes, that we stand up for ourselves and others, and when
someone asks us to stop, we stop. This is who we are even when no one is watching!

School Rules:
-

Be respectful, responsible, and ready to learn

No running, skipping, or hopping in the halls/bathrooms
Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself
Walk down the hallway respectfully and orderly

Classroom Policies:
Students will be allowed numerous bathroom breaks every school day. Students
are allowed to visit the bathroom at anytime throughout the day in case of an
emergency. Each time a student goes into the bathroom it will be documented by a tally
mark on a designated sheet. If there are reoccurring bathroom emergencies you will be
contacted.
Students will be allowed to use the water fountain during their bathroom breaks.
Students are allowed three classroom water fountain visits each day. They may get
water from the classroom water fountain at any time during the day as long as it is not
while I am teaching. However, the students must take a popsicle stick and place it in its
designated area to show that he or she has visited the classroom water fountain.

Classroom Expectations:
Whole group: During whole group instruction students are expected to sit quietly
and raise their hand to speak. Students should be seated in their designated area
during this time.
Small group: Small group instruction will consist of no more than five students
meeting with the teacher at one time. During this time a brief instructional lesson or
activity will take place. Every student will have the opportunity to meet in small groups
with the teacher every day. Students that are not in small groups will be participating in
their daily assigned centers. Students should not interrupt the teacher during small
group unless it is an emergency.
Individual work: During individual work students are expected to remain quiet or
whispering to their neighbor if necessary. Students are expected to move calmly and
quietly from our whole group setting to their desk to complete any assigned individual
work. When students finish their work they may read silently or choose an activity from
the Im Done, Now What? board.
Centers/Stations: Students are expected to go to their designated center each
day. The only day that students may choose to do either reading centers or math
centers is on Friday. The material and activities in each of the centers will be changed
weekly. The students will be able to manage all centers on a daily basis by themselves.
Students are also expected to use their inside voices during centers.

Classroom Materials:
In our classroom we have many materials that we will use on a daily basis such
as library books, computers, pencil sharpeners, games, various teacher items, and
other resources. Students are not allowed to take any materials outside of our
classroom and they must treat all items with care and respect. If I observe any student
not treating the items with care and respect or sharing with other students they will use
their materials privileges. If students loose their materials privileges they will not be able
to use any materials in their classroom until they have proven that they can handle
materials the proper way. Students are allowed to borrow materials from the teacher or
from a peer but they must ask first, treat the item with care and respect, and return the
item. If students do not treat borrowed student or teacher items with care, ask to borrow
or return the item they will loose there borrowing privileges. If students loose his or her
borrowing privileges they will not be able to borrow any materials form any student or
teacher until they have gained their borrowing privileges back.

Classroom Jobs:
In our classroom we will have classroom jobs. Our classroom jobs will change
every week to provide each student with the opportunity to hold every classroom job at
least once throughout the school year. Classroom jobs will be posted every Monday
morning when students enter the classroom on the designated bulletin board.
Classroom jobs are chosen at random by the teacher to assure that all students receive
an equal opportunity to complete each job. Students should be sure to check the
classroom jobs board every Monday morning and begin their job immediately. Only one
student will occupy each job unless specifically stated otherwise. The names of our
classroom jobs as well as each jobs description and procedure are as follows:
Line Leader: The Line Leaders main job is to lead the students throughout the school.
The line leader must exhibit excellent hallway behavior because they are the leader for
the remainder of their classmates in the hallways of our school.
Door Holder: The Door Holders main job is to hold any doors for the class that we
pass through during the school day. The door holder should always line up behind the
line leader.
Substitute: The Substitutes only job is to fill any job when the assigned student is
absent. For example, if the line leader is absent then the substitute will be the line
leader for the day or until the designated line leader returns to school. This is one of the

most important jobs because the substitute carries out classroom jobs for students that
are absent to assure that our school day runs smoothly.
Lunch Room Sanitation: There will be two students for this job every week. These
students are responsible for cleaning the lunch room tables and sweeping under them
every day.
Helpful Housekeeper: This student will do any extra cleaning and pickup that is not
done by the class. Jobs might include wiping down the sink area, putting up chairs,
sweeping the floor, washing off desks or emptying trash cans.
Teachers Assistant: The Teachers Assistant is also the Student of the Week. For this
job the student will assist the teacher in anyway needed, such as running errands
around the school, taking the daily attendance to the office, checking the teachers
mailbox, or anything else that the teacher may need assistance with throughout the
school week.
Center Inspector: The Center Inspectors main job description is to make sure that all
of the centers get put away properly at the end of center time. The center inspectors are
also in charge of making sure that students stay on task during center time. There will
be two students for this job every week because it is so important and because it has so
many duties.
Caboose: The Cabooses job is to walk at the end of our classroom line to make sure
that the remainder of the classroom is on their very best hallway behavior. The caboose
must also make sure that all students in our class arrive at our destination.
Sensational Scribe: This student will be in charge of taking any messages to the office
and writing thank you letters to visitors and reminder messages to students. They will
also change the date on the board each day.

Parent Communication:
I believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum
school success. Throughout the year I will communicate with you through notes,
telephone calls, newsletters, your childs daily folder, our classroom website, progress
reports, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if
you have any questions or concerns at any time. You may call me at school, email me,
or send me a note in the daily folder. I am available for conferences regarding your
childs progress by appointment. I do my very best to meet at your convenience.
If you call me during school hours, the office will put a note in my teacher
mailbox. If it is an emergency, the office will contact me immediately. I check my
mailbox during my planning period and after school. Please try not to interrupt our
instructional time (7:45 a.m. 2:45 p.m.) except in the case of an emergency. Thank
you for understanding.

Classroom Rules:

Behavior Management Plan:

As you know, good behavior and learning go hand in hand. Our classroom
environment is based on cooperation and a sense of community. Poor behavior choices
could/and will adversely affect your childs learning as well as the learning environment
of every child in the room. Simple class rules have been established to ensure your
child experiences a positive and safe learning environment. Even at the age of five,
children need to learn the importance of accepting responsibilities for their actions. I
expect all children to follow classroom rules and procedures, and I will help them learn
to do so in a positive, fair, and reasonable manner. I work hard to create an
environment built on respect and friendship in our classroom. I will teach the students
that life is about making choices, and I expect them to learn that all choices (good and

bad) have consequences. I strive for classroom consistency and will start the school
year off with clear expectations. I strongly believe that all children have the right to learn
in a safe and positive environment.

Classroom Clip Chart:

Our classroom has a 5 step behavior plan. Each day, students will begin on a
neutral zone called Look Whoos Ready to Learn. Each student will have the
opportunity to move their personal clip up or down based on their behavior and choices
(see following pages). By using this technique, students who go above and beyond
normal classroom expectations get the opportunity to move up. This technique also
allows a student who has made a bad choice, and consequently moved down the chart,
to change their choices and actions and work their way back up.

Behavior Calendar:
Student behavior will be reported daily in your childs OWL take home folder. A
parent signature will be required each night. The signature simply lets me know that you
saw your childs behavior calendar. I will place a number for each move that your child
makes up and down the cart. The last number will be where you child ended the day.
For example, they may have had difficulty getting the day started and moved to
Be Wise and Think About It, then was able to recover and moved back to
Soaring! Excellent Job!
Flying High! Good Job!
Look Whoos Ready to Learn
Be Wise and Think About It
Teachers Choice

4
1, 3
2

Classroom Clip Chart:

Soaring! Excellent Job!

Flying High! Good Job!

Look Whoos Ready to

Learn

Be Wise and Think

About It

Student is going above and beyond what

is expected of them. Doing any extra
thing because it needs to be done and not
because they want a reward of some kind.
Student is exhibiting role model behavior,
on task learning, and independently
making the right choices without having to
be told or consistently reminded.
Student is prepared for school and is
ready for todays learning! He/she has
their backpack, folder, are on time for
school and have followed instructional
responsibilities when asked. They treat
others around them with respect and
kindness, and are doing their personal
best.
Students will be given a warning before
moving to THINK ABOUT IT. THINK

Teachers Choice

ABOUT IT has two parts. The first part is

designed to allow the student to focus and
gain self-control by having them sit in a
designated THINKING AREA in our
classroom or a neighboring classroom.
The second part involves providing the
student with feedback about his/her
behavior (so they can explain their actions
to you at home), and an opportunity to
return to class activities.
If a student has moved to this point,
his/her behavior has become a disruption
to themselves or others. At this point, the
student has been given several warnings
and participated in THINK TIME. At this
point, it is my choice what the
consequence for their actions will be.
(Some consequences include: missing
time from recess, sitting independently at
lunch, removal from an activity, etc.) If
inappropriate actions continue, a phone
call home will be made by the teacher for
the student to discuss their choices, and
possibly the administrator as well.
Parents will need to be prepared to talk
with their child on the phone or come to
the school to address the issue in person.

Dear Parents,
I am aware that this packet includes a great deal of information and that it is time
consuming to read but in order for our school year to run as smoothly as possible it is
imperative that you read the entire packet. I would also advice you to keep it in a secure
place for the remainder of the school year for you to refer back to at any needed time.
The best way to contact me is via email, which is hrmcdaniel@crimson.ua.edu. I will
update the classroom website weekly. I invite you to explore our website each week to
stay up to date on any news and announcements as well as the learning going on in our
classroom. I am so excited about this school year and getting to know you and your
child. Again if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Ms. Haley McDaniel