We are going to have a HOOT in Kindergarten!! Parents, I hope you and your child have had a great summer.

I look forward to getting to know each of you this school year. The year will be filled with much learning, discovery, and fun! My goal is to provide a safe educational environment that encourages individual and cooperative learning, independence and self-confidence. We are excited to be working with you this year!! The following information is important for you to know this year! Please look over it and let me know if you have any questions. ATTENDANCE: Read carefully the section in the handbook on absences, tardies and early dismissals. Please send a doctors excuse if your child misses school due to an illness. These must be returned to school within five days once your child returns. Our school day begins promptly at 7:30 AM and ends at 2:15 PM. Any student who arrives after 7:40 must be signed in by a parent in the office, and will receive a pass to report to class. Please do not drop your child off on the kindergarten side after 7:40 as those doors will be locked at that time. (Please note your child will already have missed some instruction.) TRANSPORTATION: Bus transportation is available for all students. Car riders are to be dropped off and picked up at the side entrance to our school. Our students will sit in the hall in the afternoons while waiting to be picked up. Please stay in your car and move through the line to pick up your child (do not park and walk over). Kindergarten students and older siblings will load in the far right lane (lane closet to the school). Please make sure that you are in the correct loading lane and that your blue car tag is displayed. Once you have pulled into the loading area and ignitions are turned off, your child will be loaded into the car. Students who ride buses or who are picked up by day care are picked up at the back of the school. *If there is a change in your childs regular transportation, even if only for one day, you will need to send us a note. Please note!! Do not leave transportation changes on my voice mail or email as I may not check these until after students have left for the day!! COMMUNICATION: Newsletters will be sent weekly to keep you informed of special events in our classroom and the curriculum contents. Other information such as student work and important notes will be sent home in your childs red communication folder. If at any time you have questions/comments/concerns please feel free to email at autumn.schafer@spartanburg2.k12.sc.us or call the school if you have questions or comments. You can leave a message on my voice mail at 578-1231, ext. 4116, and I will return your call as soon as possible. We also have a class web page linked to our school web page! Go to www.spartanburg2.k12.sc.us/BSE/index and click on faculty and staff, click on kindergarten, and then click the bulldog paw beside my name! You can also find it if you go to www.hootaboutkinders.blogspot.com BEHAVIOR: Classroom Rules 1. Listen when the teacher is talking. 2. Follow directions quickly. 3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself. 4. Raise your hand to speak. 5. Be Safe, Be Kind, Be honest

I use a clip-chart to monitor behavior. Every student begins the day on ready to learn. If your child continues to not follow the rules after being warned they will have to clip down: Blue- Think About it Yellow- Teachers Choice Black- Parent Contact A behavior report (for each month) will be in your childs black folder and will need to be initialed daily. I find this very helpful in that you receive a daily report of your childs behavior. If a significant problem arises during the week, we will write a note or give you a call. HOMEWORK: Homework is designed to reinforce the skills students are learning at school. Homework assignments will generally be sent home on Monday stapled to our weekly newsletter, with assignments for each night listed on the single sheet. If your child would like to complete more than one assignment on any given night, it would be fine. We understand that each family has a different schedule, and it is not our intention for our homework to be an inconvenience. On the back of each homework sheet, there will be information you can use to review with your child each week at home. Please sign the nights that you reviewed these skills with your child, and have your child return his/her homework sheet every Friday. Remember it is the childs work not the parents this includes the name. If you think that we will not recognize your childs name you may add it at the top along with your childs handwriting. Extra Clothes: Please send in an extra pair of clothes for your child in case they have an accident at school. Otherwise, the nurse will have to call to get someone to bring a change of clothes to school. SCHOOL RULES: 1. NO birthday party invitations will be handed out unless every child is included. 2. NO toys, pocketbooks, jewelry, etc. 3. NO medication will be given without special permission and the appropriate medical forms. Medication is only given by the school nurse. 4. NO child is to be left unattended in front of the school or outside the classroom. 5. Written permission is a must when changing transportation or going on field trips. We are going to have an owl-standing year! I am so excited to be working with your child. Mrs. Schafer