Mark Keppel Elementary School Kindergarten Parent Handbook

Mark Keppel
Elementary School
Kindergarten Parent Handbook
Mark Keppel Elementary School
730 Glenwood Rd.
Glendale, CA 91202
(818) 244-2113
Principal: Dr. Mary Mason
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Lise Sondergaard
Revised 6/10 by J.C.
Welcome to
Keppel Elementary!
Keppel Elementary School Mission Statement:
Beginning School Books
(Available at Public Library or children’s bookstore)
Carlson, Nancy, Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!, Viking Press, 1999.
Hallinan, P.K., My Teacher’s My Friend, Ideals Publishing, 1989.
Hains, Harriet, My New School, Dorling Kindersley Books, 1992.
Mark Keppel Elementary School staff, administrators, parents
and community members share the responsibility for and are
committed to creating a safe, stimulating academic environment.
The integration of the arts across our curriculum empowers all
students to reach their full cognitive, creative, and social
potential. Keppel’s dynamic educational program fosters
cooperative and independent learning as well as critical thinking
skills to promote a life-long love of learning and respect for all.
We are happy to welcome your child to kindergarten
at Keppel Elementary. We know that you realize the
importance of early childhood education. Kindergarten
curriculum is developmentally appropriate for all
children and is based on the standards set by Glendale
Unified School District. Children are exposed to a
variety of experiences that become the foundation
for their future academic achievements. Cooperation
between school and family is vital.
Kindergarten is a milestone in your child’s life. It is
not only the beginning of formal education, but it is
the first step toward life long learning and social
participation. The purpose of this handbook is to help
you prepare your child for the exciting adventure of
starting school.
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Martin, Ann, Rachel Parker Kindergarten Show-Off, Scholastic, 1992.
Moncure, Jane Belk, What’s So Special About This Fall- I’m Going to School,
Children’s Press, 1988.
Numeroff, Laura, If You Take a Mouse to School, Scholastic, 2002
Penn, Audrey, The Kissing Hand, Child & Family Press, 1993.
Poydar, Nancy, First Day, Hooray!, Scholastic, 1999.
Schwartz, Amy, Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner, Orchard Books, 1988.
Senisi, Ellen, Kindergarten Kids, Scholastic, 1994.
Slate, Joseph, Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten,
Scholastic, 1996.
Wing, Natasha, The Night Before Kindergarten, Scholastic, 2001
Computer Software
(Specifically designed for kindergarten students)
Big Thinkers Kindergarten- Humongous Entertainment
I’m Ready for Kindergarten- Scholastic
Jump Start Kindergarten- Knowledge Adventure
Kindergarten Learning Center- School Zone Interactive
Smart Steps Kindergarten- D.K. Interactive Learning
Stickybear’s Kindergarten Activities- Optimum Resource
p. 14
Progress Report
If your child is far below meeting the district
standards for the trimester, a progress report will be
sent home before you receive your child’s report card
to notify you of areas that need improvement.
Parent Conferences
The Glendale Unified School District requires that all
parents attend a Parent-Teacher conference at the
end of the first trimester. Teachers are available for
conferences during other times by appointment. Call
the school office to contact your child’s teacher.
p. 13
Kindergarten Curriculum
and Instruction
Reading/Language Arts
Will my child learn to read in kindergarten?
The kindergarten program is literature and phonics
based and focuses on developing readers and writers.
Your child will be developing letter recognition, letter
sounds, and phonemic awareness (rhyming/word
patterns). Whole group reading activities are geared
towards modeling reading comprehension strategies.
Small group instruction targets children at various
levels of their reading abilities and provides students
with the opportunity to practice using reading
strategies modeled in class.
-Read Aloud: Teacher read-alouds are an important
part of the overall kindergarten reading program. This
develops listening skills, story comprehension, and a
higher level of vocabulary to support developing
reading skills.
-Writing: Your child will be developing as a writer as
well. Writing skills will be modeled in the classroom.
Your child will dictate words to the teacher, copy
words from the classroom environment, and will often
write by sounds (phonetic spelling). Help your child
learn how to hold a pencil the correct way. As your
child begins to develop as a writer, he/she will write
using a left to right and top to bottom progression,
attempts to use sounds to spell unfamiliar words
(beginning and ending sounds, vowels develop later),
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use spacing between words, begin to use correct
capitalization and punctuation, and begin to use highfrequency words in his/her writing.
Mathematics: Math is included throughout the
kindergarten day. Daily opening activities include
number recognition, patterning, and calendar skills.
Sorting and categorizing, money, time, geometry,
simple addition and subtraction, and measurement are
introduced in the kindergarten curriculum.
Science: Scientific concepts will be developed by
many hands-on experiences. Curriculum in science will
cover many themes including life science (animals and
plants), earth science (weather, seasons), and physical
science (object around us and water).
Social Studies: The kindergarten social studies
program focuses on developing good citizenship.
Standards in social studies focus on American
symbols, stories, holidays, geography, and map skills.
Foreign Language Academy of Glendale (FLAG)
Korean: Dual language strand at Keppel to develop
bilingual skills beginning in Kindergarten and continuing
through Grade 5, with the hope of extending into
middle and high school. Parents can select this
voluntary program for their child. Instruction in this
specialized program is given in both the English and
Korean languages in all core subjects: Language Arts,
Math, Science and Social Studies. The goal is for
students to develop fluency in speaking, listening,
reading and writing in Korean and English. For more
information on research and a classroom tour, please contact
Naehi Wong at 818-244-2113 X1009.
p. 3
Rainy Days
On rainy days the students may enter the front door
of the main building and go to their classrooms
directly at the appropriate time. As mentioned above,
students should come in by themselves.
Birthday Policy
We do our best to make your child’s birthday a
meaningful one. However, the district has a strict
policy on the number of parties allowed in each
classroom.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND EDIBLE
BIRTHDAY TREATS WITH YOUR CHILD. Each class
will celebrate your child’s birthday in their own special
way.
Supplies
A list of needed supplies will be sent out before the
start of the year. We ask that parents help, if they
are able, by purchasing the items on the list and
sending them with your child on the first day of
school.
p. 12
Snack
Early Birds Only
Please send a snack with your child every day. Make it
healthy and small – not a whole lunch. If sending a
drink, make it a disposable drink container that your
child is able to open on his/her own.
Lunch
Late Birds & Korean FLAG Program
If your child attends kindergarten as a Late Bird or
attends the KDLP your child MUST EAT LUNCH AT
SCHOOL. Please make sure that you send a lunch
from home the first two weeks of school. For future
lunches, you may:
1.
2.
Send a healthy lunch from home that
clearly has your child’s name written on
it.
Sodas and candy are not to be
brought to school.
Buy a lunch card from the office so you
don’t have to worry about sending money
when you want your child to buy lunch in
the cafeteria.
REDUCED LUNCH RATES ARE AVAILABLE. THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE
SENT TO YOU IN THE MAIL.
Expectation for Kindergarten Students
As the first day approaches, discuss with your child
guidelines that will encourage safety and optimum
learning:
•
During listening time, my voice should be off
when the teacher’s voice is on. I will raise my
hand if I have something to say.
•
I will keep my hands and feet to myself.
•
I will help to keep my classroom and playground
clean.
•
I will treat others with respect. At Keppel, we
work on using encouraging words.
Attendance
Early Birds 8:00am – 12:30pm and
Late Birds 9:35pm – 2:20pm
Thursdays 9:35pm – 1:30pm
Korean FLAG Program 8:00am – 2:07pm
Thursdays 8:00am – 1:07pm
Children should be in the classroom when the bell
rings. Tardies will be marked if your child is late.
Keppel has a call-in system for absences. When your
child is absent, please call the office at
(818) 244-2113 or send a note to let the school know
the reason for the absence. Students who are
successful in school are most often those who have
good attendance!
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Safety/Student Drop-Off
Kindergartners are to be dropped
off/picked up at the front of the
school.
Each class has a
designated area in which they will
be lining up each day. The teacher
will pick up students each morning.
You will find out where your child
lines up on the first day of school.
Uniforms
Mark Keppel Elementary School has a mandatory
school uniform policy that stipulates students wear
any combination of navy blue, white, khaki and light
blue garments. Appropriate school wear would include
shorts, long pants, jumpers, skorts, skirts, blouses and
T-shirts. Sweatshirts and sweatpants with the Mark
Keppel logo comply with the school dress policy. The
dress code specifies no oversized clothing, all clothing
should be clean and in good repair and no sports team
logos printed on clothing.
Only Keppel logos on
clothing. No other logos permitted.
Clothing and Personal Belongings
Please mark the tag inside any sweaters or jackets
with your child’s name. No toys are allowed at school
with the exception of items brought in for sharing. It
is important that your child be able to handle his or
her clothes when taking care of bathroom needs.
Please practice zipping, buttoning and snapping, etc.
It is recommended that your child bring a backpack
(large enough to fit a 9X12 inch folder). We
discourage backpacks with wheels in kindergarten as
they do not fit in the cubbies.
p. 7
Since kindergarten is such an exciting, sometimes
fearful time for a child, be sure your child arrives at
school on time. Help your child line up, reassure
him/her that someone will pick him/her up as soon as
school is over, and then leave immediately when the
teacher arrives. PLEASE, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR
CHILD UNATTENDED.
There is no supervision
before school. If your child is early, you must wait
with your child until the teacher arrives. Please
remember that while you are waiting for the teacher
to arrive, your child may NOT PLAY in front of school.
She/he must sit and wait on the benches. Please help
us
teach
the
children
to
respect
the
students/teachers that are in their classrooms.
If you would like to inquire about childcare before or
after school, please call (818) 241-7562.
p. 8
Parent Helpers
There are a number of ways that you can become
involved in your child’s education and school.
•
We encourage you to volunteer in your child’s
classroom if you are able. If interested, a
current T.B. test clearance must be provided to
the school office. Contact your child’s teacher
to schedule your volunteer time.
•
Volunteer to be a Room Parent for classroom
parties.
•
Participate in the Keppel P.T.A. and/or the
Make Keppel Special (MKS) Foundation
•
Volunteer to join the class on a field trip.
•
If you are able to volunteer time at home,
contact your child’s teacher for any jobs
he/she may need help with.
As your child begins his or her formal education,
remember that learning is not a race, but a
journey through life. It is an exciting adventure,
with something new to be learned every day. We
welcome you to kindergarten at Keppel and we look
forward to a wonderful year with your child!
p. 11
Preparing Your Child for School
With the rigorous state standards
in kindergarten, it is more
important than ever that home and
school work closely together to
provide the best possible beginning
for our students. Here are some
things that can be done
at home that will give young children a “head start” on
the way to a successful and happy year in
kindergarten:
1. Read to your child every day: This is the most
important thing that a parent can do to enrich and
expand a child’s vocabulary and experiences. Children
need to hear new words many times before they
become part of the child’s spoken vocabulary.
2. Help your child recognize and write his or her first
name: A good way to start this process is to write the
child’s name in books and other belongings. Point out
the child’s name and identify the letters. Have your
child watch you as you write and spell his/her name.
Start with a capital letter and follow with lower case
letters (example: Sarah). When your child shows an
interest in writing his/her name, begin by having your
child trace over letters or letters made of dots. Fine
motor skills are just beginning to develop, so young
children’s writing is usually quite large.
p. 4
3. Encourage your child to color, cut and “practice”
writing: All of these activities help develop eye-hand
coordination and the fine motor skills necessary for
beginning writing. Help your child hold a pencil and
scissors correctly. Organize a special box at home
with scissors, crayons, pencils, and paper that you use
when doing school related activities.
4. Show your child that letters, numbers, and shapes
are all around and are part of everyday life: Point out
shapes and letters at home and in the environment and
encourage your child to “read” words he/she can
recognize (example: McDonalds, Target, etc.). Point
out numbers on the clock and on a calendar. Practice
counting, sorting, and making patterns with different
objects.
5. Become familiar with Keppel: Drive by the school
and talk with friends or neighbors who have completed
our kindergarten program. Read and discuss the
kindergarten handbook and attend Kindergarten Meet
& Greet and Back to School Night. Volunteer to help in
the classroom if possible and stay in communication
with your child’s teacher.
Monday Homework Folders
Your child will receive their Homework Folder on
Mondays and it will need to be returned on Fridays.
Your child’s daily homework is to read with an adult
for 10-30 minutes. The title(s) of the book(s) read
are recorded on the weekly reading log included in the
Homework Folder. In addition to the reading log the
Homework Folder will have a theme or math related
homework sheet as well.
Thursday Folders
Each Thursday, your child will take home a Thursday
Folder. This folder will contain important notices and
corrected class work. Please take out all notices and
read them carefully. If any paper work needs to be
returned, you may send it back in your child’s folder.
Return the Thursday Folder each Friday.
Report Card
The Glendale Unified School District uses a
Standards-based report card. Your child will be
graded from 1-4 based on their progress towards
meeting the G.U.S.D. Kindergarten Standards.
1= far below grade level standards
2= approaching grade level standards
3= meeting grade level standards
4= above grade level standards.
*Please visit the California Department of Education’s website at
www.cde.ca.gov for the California state standards.
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