The Kindergarten Day

Arrival and Dismissal: SST opens at 7:15am. Students enter at the student entrance.
At this time your student can go to the cafeteria and eat breakfast or sit at our table and
wait for the teacher to pick up the class at 7:35. Children who are not in the classroom
by 7:45 will be marked tardy.

The children will be dismissed at 2:55pm from the outside dismissal area. We are the
three last spots closest to the playground. You must park and walk to the pick-up area.
Only parents and adults listed on the pick-up sheet may pick up kindergarten children.
In case of an emergency, if someone other than those listed on the pick- up form will be
picking up your student please notify the front office. When picking up a child please
have your ID ready to show to your child’s teacher. Our student’s safety is the
upmost importance so in order to ensure that all the students are safe please do
not ask conference type questions during dismissal. Kinder students may be
tempted to wander off or run to friends so we need to keep our eyes on them at all
times. We will be more than happy to answer questions in detail through email, phone
conversations or in person at a parent teacher conference.

Lunch: The children will eat their lunches in the cafeteria. Lunch will be from
10:23– 10:53.

Snack Time: Kindergarten snack will be towards the end of the day. We do a working
snack which means the students will work on an activity while eating snack. An
approved snack list will be sent to you through Parent Square or placed in your child’s
folder/binder.

Specials: Kindergarten participates in all of the following special’s classes.

P.E.- 3 times per week
Computer Lab- 2 times per week
Art-2 Times per week

Daily Folders/Binders: Children will bring folders or binders home each day
(depending on your child’s teacher) with homework, reading log, completed work, and
any sort of documentation or communication between you and the school. Please
check these folders/binders daily. This folder will be used as one tool to communicate
vital information from our school and classroom. Read, complete and return appropriate
papers in this folder/binder.
Grades: The Kinder report card uses the following: MS=Meets Standards,
AS=Approaching Standards, NS=Needs Support and X =Not Assessed at this time.
The school year is broken up into four grading periods. Our report reflects growth
throughout the year. For example, for the first grading period your child may receive
MS in letter identification for knowing 11 or more letters. For the last quarter your child
will receive an MS for knowing all 26 letters.

Expectations Reading:
• Identifies upper/lower case letters
• Identifies letter sounds A-Z
• Produces rhyming words
• Discriminates beginning sounds
• Hears and blends sounds
• Identifies concepts of print (left to right, top to bottom, spacing, words)
• Comprehends and retells a story
• Can read, write, and spell sight words

Writing:

• Writes first name correctly

• Writes upper/lower case letters
• Uses phonetic sounds for temporary spelling in words and sentences
• Writes left to right, top to bottom
• Writes short vowel words from dictation (CVC)

Math:
• Understands 1 to 1 correspondence
• Compares sets with up to 10 objects each by using the terms more than, less
than, and equal to
• Identifies numbers 1-20
• Identifies shapes and colors
• Knows birthday
• Counts to 120
• Count forwards and backwards from 20
 • Orders to 10, 20, 30
• Demonstrates the concept of add/subtract using manipulatives

Science:

• Identifies and uses senses as tools for inquiry

• Understands living and non-living systems are made of parts
• Participates in scientific observation
• Observes and investigates environment
• Observes and investigates patterns and cycles

Social Studies:
• Recognizes responsibilities in family and schools
• Recognizes different roles in the community
• Identifies customs and traditions
• Identifies basic human needs
• Identifies holidays, customs, cultures, and historical figures

Character Education:
• Follows one and two step oral directions
• Speaks in complete and coherent sentences
• Expresses ideas in front of a group
• Follows class rules
• Follows school/playground rules
• Accepts new situations
• Works and plays well with others
• Resolves own conflicts
• Verbalizes feelings rather than acting out
• Accepts direction and instruction

Assessments: This school year your child will be taking assessments throughout the
year. They will have math, reading, writing and computer based assessments. The
items to be assessed are: reading levels, writing the alphabet, writing, identifying
alphabet letters and sounds, and mathematical skills. These assessments determine
successful completion of our Kindergarten program. By working together we can make
your child’s test experience positive and successful.

Reading Level: Throughout the year your child will be progressing from letter
recognition, letter sounds, sight words, vocabulary words and onto reading. They
may begin at a level A and need to meet the minimum requirement of reading
level D by the end of kindergarten in order to be promoted into first grade. We
will partner with you to help your child surpass kindergarten reading levels. This is a
team effort between teacher, parent and student.

Sight Words: Sight words are words that we encounter more often when reading and
most cannot be sounded out. Sight word mastery is crucial for your child’s success as
a reader. We introduce new sight words on a weekly basis and practice sight words
during our learning centers. However in order for your child to master sight words and
become a fluent reader they must practice at home using homework and activities that
we send home. There are also many educational websites and apps that can assist in
your child’s learning.

Homework: ELA homework will be sent home in the daily folder at the beginning of the
month starting Sept. 3rd. Students will be completing all ELA homework assignments in
a composition notebook. Math homework will be sent home weekly on Monday and due
on Friday. The work should be completed daily and must be returned on the due date.
Kindergarten homework includes worksheets and a record sheet for listing books you
read together. Please plan to spend 15-20 minutes each night doing homework with
your child. Please do not work ahead; homework is based on their daily learning
experiences. It will reinforce what they have learned that day. In order to complete the
homework, your child will need these materials at home: Glue, scissors, pencils,
crayons, books and paper. (any kind)

Reading log: Each student is required to read every night and log it into the reading
log. At the beginning of the year parents may read to your child for a minimum of 20
minutes a night. As the year goes on students should begin reading for part of the 20
minutes. For example if your child reads for 5 minutes you should read to your child for
at least 15 minutes. Reading log will be half of your child’s daily homework grade.
Students will be sent home with a book in their binder or folder. Students are to read
the book daily and return it back to the bag. At the end of the week we will assess the
students on the book that was sent home.

Notes: Notes are required for the following reasons:

 Absences/illness
Early dismissal for doctor’s appointments
Different person picking student up from school

Conferences: Conferences are scheduled two times during the year (September
and February). The dates for the conferences will be announced in upcoming
newsletters. These conferences are planned to discuss your child’s progress and
offer your ideas on how to help your child succeed. You are always welcomed to
schedule additional conferences by sending a note with your child, via email or by
phone.

Communication: A kindergarten newsletter will be sent home weekly via Parent

Square unless you request a hard copy, then it will be sent home with your child. It will
contain information about school events, important reminders and objectives the class
will be focusing on for the week.

You may always contact me by calling the school, email and Parent
Square.

Other Important Information

Dressing for School: Students should wear the school uniform shirt and navy blue,
black or khaki pants. Kinder students are not required to wear a belt however they must
tuck their shirts in. Shoes should be solid black or white with no lights. Students may
bring a solid red, white, navy blue, black or grey cardigan to wear inside of the school.
Hoodies and outdoor type jackets may not be worn inside the school. Student clothes
should be clean and presentable. Students may wear spirit shirts and jeans on Friday.
Please dress your child according to guidelines set in the student handbook.

Medications: The school Medical Aid will administer all medications. Please contact
the Medical Aid if your child is to be given any medicine during school hours. If your
child has asthma, you may want to consider leaving a spare inhaler with the Medical
Aid. Do not send medicine to school in your child’s backpack. This includes cough
drops or “sore throat lollipops”.

Curriculum and Parent Resources: Visit our school website at sstdiscovery.org.

You will be able to view the curriculum as well as helpful interactive websites for your
child. If you have any questions feel free to contact your Kinder Teacher.
Hand Signals are something we use all over the school in every grade! The following
are the signs your child will be using daily.

Thumbs up - Ready
1- Pencil
2- Restroom
3- Water
4- Tissue
5- Question
Thumbs down- I need help

Rules and Consequences

Rules: In our classroom, there will be rules that the students will be expected
to follow.
1.Follow directions quickly 2. Raise your hand for
permission to speak 3. Raise your hand for permission to
leave your seat 4. Make smart choices 5. Keep your dear
teacher happy

Student Behavior – We will be using Parent Square to communicate the students’ day
in the classroom. The students will use a clip chart in the classroom. Their clip will
begin at the top of the chart and each time they have to be reminded to follow the rules
their clip will be moved down by either themselves or the teacher. After a period of time
when their behavior has been corrected they may be invited to raise their clip back up
towards the top. If your child’s clip makes it to the bottom the teacher will have to
contact the parent to discuss a behavior action plan for the following incidents.

Consequences

Rewards for positive behavior will include - Positive statements, praise, treasure
box, positive notes home to parents, class role model poster recognition, Lunch
Bunch with the teacher, and class activities earned as a class such as bubble
parties at recess and things of that sort.

Consequences for negative behavior include- Sitting out from recess for up to 5
minutes, having to complete missed work during play time, lunch detention, (the
following are only for severe misbehaviors, however they must be mentioned) In
School Suspension, Half Day Suspension, Full Day Suspension, and Reverse
Suspension when parents must spend the day with their child at school.
Severe Behavior Clause: A student will be referred directly to the Dean of Students
when safety is involved or when conduct is severe. Cursing, Defiance and physical
harm to themselves or others will result in such action. Because the students are
starting the year off so young, formal documentations such as Write Ups and Office
referrals will be used in only the most extreme cases and there will in fact be a grace
period being that they are so young. However, after the grace period is over after a
few weeks of school formal documentation, of which will permanently be on their
school record will be documented into Skyward.

School Supplies: Almost all of the supplies in our classroom are used as a
community. This means we do not use any unique sorts of supplies unless earned as
a reward. Unique items with pop culture or decorations will be sent home. Only solid
colors may be used for the, folders, scissors, and playdough for school use. All items
must be placed into one large bag with their name on it so that we may inventory to
be sure all supplies are accounted for (If you use a trash bag be sure to tie it loosely
so that we can be sure to actually use the bag again later for trash)

For safety and sanitary purposes look at all supplies divided by four. Each quarter
supplies will be replaced and replenished as a way to prevent germs and bacteria as
well as provide the best possible environment to encourage both social and
academic growth.

Can You Lend A Hand??? Volunteers are very important to the kindergarten
program. If you can volunteer please email your child’s teacher. We may also be
asking for volunteer chaperones and drivers for field trips.

** If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at

school or through email.

Kind Regards,

The Kinder Team

KA Mrs. Contreras
acontreras@ssttx.org
KB Mrs. Alston
kalston@ssttx.org
KC Ms. Correa
Amanda.correa@sssttx.org
 Please sign, and return!

□ I have fully read the syllabus.

Student Name:
_____________________________________________________

Parent Name:
_____________________________________________________

Parent Signature:
_____________________________________________________