Kindergarten is a very exciting year.  Your child will learn and experience many new things.  He/she will make new friendships, gain a deeper understanding of our Catholic faith as well as strengthen his/her literacy and numeracy skills.

Classroom Expectations:

1. Students are to respect, care for and listen to one another and by doing so creating a positive and cooperative working environment in our class.
2. Students are required to care for and respect the classroom and school environment. (i.e. clean up after centre time, put away materials neatly, be gentle with class library books)
3. Students are asked to try to do their best in all that they do.

Ways to Support Your Child in the Various Subject Areas:

1. Language Arts – The Language Arts program is divided into 4 categories: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. At home, you can help by reading to your child daily and encouraging your child to participate in the reading process.  Visit the Public Library and ask the Children’s Librarian for books appropriate to the Kindergarten level.  Books at this level should be repetitive and use several high frequency words.
2. To help the children become confident writers I will introduce the journal to them.  Each week the children will be encouraged to write in their journal and draw a picture to match their writing.  At this early part of the year I’ll encourage children to put any letters that they know.  I’ll encourage them to try to put the first sound of a word with the understanding that it is acceptable at this stage if they don’t know the correct sound. At home you can help by reviewing the letters and sounds of the letters with your child.  Encourage him/her to write notes/messages to you.  I also encourage you to take every opportunity to model writing to your child (i.e. writing a grocery list, writing a note to your child). Also, ask your child what letter of the week we are working on at school and review that sound with your child and think of words that begin with that letter.

 Math – Topics we cover include:

 Number Concept which includes: one to one correspondence, counting, printing of numerals

Shape & Space – Measurement

Shape & Space – 3D Objects

Patterns & Relations

Number Operations  (Add’n & Sub’n Facts – concrete level)                                                  

At home, you can help by encouraging your child to count orally to 100 by 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s and by 2’s  to 10.  Practice  printing the numerals (0 to 9).  Play more/less math games using a deck of playing cards.  Practice simple addition and subtraction facts using real objects (i.e. When giving your child a snack such as “Goldfish” give your child 3 at first and  then give your child one more Goldfish...then ask your child how many Goldfish he/she has)

Science – The key topics in Science include:    

-Five Senses

-Pumpkins

-Matter/Recycling

-Animals in the Lower Mainland

-Plants

-Butterflies

 Ask your child what we are learning about in Science. Encourage your child to be “Science Observer” by using his/her 5 Senses to explore and discover new things.

Social Studies – The main topics covered in Social Studies in Kindergarten are: Self, Families and School. Students will gain a deeper understanding of class/school rules. They will learn about families. More specifically, students will learn about family members, changes that occur in families, and roles and responsibilities of family members.  Students will be introduced to community workers and their roles.  Students will also gain a deeper understanding of belonging to our country, Canada.

Religion – The children will develop a deeper understanding of our Catholic Faith.   Our school wide theme this year is “Be the Good News” and it is the goal of the Kindergarten program to help children understand that they can bring Christ’s message of love to others. Throughout the year, we will look for ways to deepen our relationship with Jesus and put our faith into action. Children will listen daily to Scripture passages and each month students will learn and memorize a Scriptural verse from the Bible. We will attend Mass with the school on a regular basis.  We encourage the students to bring in a small donation for the children in Haiti. I encourage you all to pray daily with your child.  Regularly attend Mass.  Take time to be with Jesus as a family. Prayers to learn include:  Our Father, Hail Mary, Guardian Angel, Sign of The Cross, Grace

French – The key objective of the French program this school year will be to expose the children to the French language so that they develop an interest in using the language as a means to communicate. Children will learn simple phrases and basic  vocabulary.  They will participate in singing songs. French will be taught by Mr. Campanile on Thursdays.

 Art – Students will participate in a variety of art activities including: mixing colours, print making, crafts, creating pattern and shape designs and drawing figures. Students will also learn about various artists. At home you can help your child develop his/her artistic ability by encouraging him/her to draw, colour, cut shapes and glue.

 Music – Students will have Music class twice a week with Mrs. Triveri. 

 Computers – Students will be introduced to the basics of computers.  They will have computer class once a week.

 Physical Education – Students will have gym 3 times a week with Mr. Campanile.  Your child will keep his/her gym runners at school.  Please ensure that your child has Velcro runners and that they are non-marking.

Learning Centres – The key purposes behind Learning Centres are: for students to learn to cooperate with others, to take turns, to play fairly, to communicate with one another, to solve problems peacefully and to experience a variety of different types of activities.

Reporting and Assessment

In Kindergarten, a large part of the assessment done is based upon the observation of the students.  There will be times where I will meet with students individually and conference with them in Reading, Math, letter knowledge, letter sound mastery and concepts of print.   In addition, I will encourage students at different times of the year to assess themselves.

There are 3 Formal Reporting periods during the course of the year.  The first reporting period will involve a 3 Way Conference.  The second reporting period will involve a Student-Led Conference.  At each reporting period students in Kindergarten will receive an anecdotal report card that outlines the child’s strengths, areas to work on as well as goals for the following term.

**Kindergarten is an exciting and challenging year.  Your child will make great advancements this year and it is important to celebrate each and every achievement.  We are so happy to have your children in our class and look forward to working will all of you

Gentle Reminders:

Gym is scheduled for Mondays,Tuesdays and Thursdays.

 Absentee Notes – Please return an absentee note with your child as soon as he/she returns to school.  Please remind your child to give the blue note to the teacher.  Please do not hand in notes to the secretary.  We will hand in all absentee notes to the secretary at the end of each month.

Healthy Snacks – Please ensure that your child has a healthy snack for recess/lunch break.   Healthy snacks include: fruits, vegetables, sandwiches, cheese and crackers.  Students are to drink WATER only.  Establishing healthy eating habits in the primary years will greatly benefit your child in future years.

Please explain to your child what snack is for recess break and which snack is for his/her lunch.  Please make snacks manageable.  Please use easy opening containers and ensure that your child has the utensils he/she needs.

It is required that every child bring a water bottle to school.

Library Book Exchange is scheduled for Tuesdays.  Please remind your child to return his/her library book on this day.  Students will be given a Library Book Bag.

 Special Person of the Day  program will begin on Monday, September 15, 2008.  Each child will have the opportunity to be the “Star Helper” of the day.  The “Star Helper” will help the teacher prepare and present the calendar.  He/she will bring the attendance folder to the office.  He/she will bring a sharing item from home and present it to the class.  A notice indicating when your child will be “Star Helper” will be sent home at least 2 days prior to his/her sharing day.

 Play dough Schedule – Kindergarten parents are encouraged to help with the making of fresh play dough each week. Students enjoy playing with play dough and having fresh play dough each week is a tremendous help to me.  A notice will be sent home with your child indicating when it is your turn to make a fresh batch of play dough.

A play dough recipe is found below.

Ziploc Bags – Each child has received a Ziploc Bag.  The Ziploc Bag will be used as a way to correspond with one another.  If there are any notices, newsletters or reminder letters that need to be sent home they will be put into the Ziploc Bag and sent home with your child.  Each day the child is to return the Ziploc Bag to school.  Money for fieldtrips, absentee notes, letters to the teacher can be put into the Ziploc Bag.  We will check the bags daily.  We hope that this will help in keeping the lines of communication open between us.

 Scholastic Book Orders – You are able to order books through Scholastic Canada.  Each month we will send home a book order form with your child.  If you are interested in ordering books, please complete the book order form and return it in an envelope with a cheque payable to Scholastic Canada by the date indicated. It is not mandatory for you to order books.

 Colour Day -  Typically on the last Friday of the month students wear clothing to match the theme of the day.  Students are asked to bring in a donation to help those in need.  Please check the school newsletter for more information regarding Colour Day.

 Half Day Curriculum Days – Typically on the last Thursday of the month, students are dismissed at noon so teachers can meet to plan school curriculum.

 School Newsletters – School newsletters go home every Thursday.  They go home with the oldest child in your family.  Hence, if your Kindergarten child has an older sibling the newsletter will go home with him/her.

 School Uniform – Students are to wear their full school uniform each day.  If it is a warm day, please put your child’s sweater in his/her backpack.  Students are to wear black non-marking shoes.  Girls are allowed to wear clips, hairbands and elastics in their hair.  It is, however, required that the colour of their hair accessories match the school uniform (i.e. green, yellow, blue, red, white, black)  

Play dough Recipe

1 cup Flour

1 cup Warm Water

2 tsps Cream of Tartar

1 tsp Oil

¼ cup Salt

food colouring

Mix all ingredients, adding food colouring last.

Stir over medium heat until smooth.

Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth.

Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled.

Send to school with your child on Monday.