Handbook

Classroom Expectations

In our classroom, we follow our school SLE’s: Serve, Lead, Love, & Learn:

• SERVE: Think outside of ourselves, give to our community
• LEAD: Show responsibility for our actions, good role modeling to our peers
• LOVE: Be kind and caring to others
• LEARN: Try and do new things together, embrace a growth mindset

Communication

E-mail is the most efficient way to communicate with me throughout the year! I am happy to answer any questions, concerns, or set up an appointment to discuss
any information that will help to ensure your child will have a successful year.

Absent? Sick? Going on a trip? Let me know! I can provide resources or classwork if appropriate!

Each Monday I will send out a weekly email with a class newsletter (classroom updates, important upcoming dates, what we’re learning) and our Week-at-a-Glance for the current school week.

If your child needs a homework extension due to a busy week or family happenings, please just let me know!

Please communicate in advance if you will be picking your child up early or if they will be absent. Please include Ginny on the email as well!

Behavior / Classroom Management

Bucket Fillers

This tool encourages kindness and daily acts of love all throughout the school day, and students can learn how they can fill other people’s buckets. With the bucket filler, I can frequently and easily reward desired behavior and give direct consequences for undesired behavior. Each time a students exhibits a desired behavior, the student receives a bead and places it in the class bucket. The bucket has three stickers at three different levels on the Marble Jar. When the class reaches the first (lowest) sticker, they earn a simple reward, like five extra minutes of recess or music during independent work. Once the class reaches the middle sticker, a bigger prize is given. When the final (highest) sticker is reached, the biggest prize will be given.

The Good Behavior Game

The Good Behavior Game is an approach to the management of classroom behaviors that rewards children for displaying appropriate on-task behaviors during instructional times. The class is divided into color teams and the goal is to earn 10 points as a whole class by the end of the lesson. However, a “splice” is given to a color team for any inappropriate behavior displayed by one of its team members. If the teams receive less than 3 splices and as a whole class earn ten points, each team member wins a quarter to add to their individual money bank. If a team receives 3 “splices” or reminders, their team does not earn a quarter. The instructional expectations during lessons are having eyes on the teacher, listening ears, voice ready, and using materials appropriately. Every two weeks they can trade in the quarters for a trip to the Class Store! I open the store up on every other Friday at the end of the day.

DEBUG Strategy for Problem Solving

  • Decide to ignore
  • Exit/Move away
  • Be Friendly
  • Use firm words
  • Get an adult’s help

This strategy helps support students in their discovery that there are unwritten rules about what we say and how we act. We can reinforce expected vs. unexpected behaviors in everyday conversations with students.

Homework

Each student will receive a purple folder that will be sent home on Monday and be returned back to class by Friday!

Homework is optional and includes additional practice opportunities of content that was already taught in class. The practice activities are typically short, straightforward, and engaging for the student and parent to do. The homework is structured like a bingo board, and if student complete 3-5 of the tasks, then they will receive extra quarter for their money bank when they turn in their purple folder. There is no penalty if students are not able to complete their homework board.

Birthdays

I would love to help host a small birthday celebration for your child with our class community. Birthday celebrations typically happen at the end of the day. If your child would like to share a snack with the class, please let me know in advance so we can be cleaned up and ready to celebrate!

Our kindergarten celebrations are small, but joyous. The birthday student gets to pick a couple friends to help pass out treats. We sing Happy Birthday, the birthday student takes the special bite, and listen to music while the students are eating.

If your child’s birthday is on a weekend we will celebrate on the Friday before or Monday after!

If your child’s birthday falls on a non-school day or during the summer, we
can arrange a day throughout the year to celebrate!

If you are going to send birthday party invitations to school to pass out,
please remember to invite all students in the classroom, or all of the boys/
girls. If you have another plan, please do not send invitations to school
and remind your child not to discuss the party at school.

Snack Policy

We have a short snack time each morning in the classroom at 10:15 a.m., right after our morning recess. I ask that students leave their cookies, treats, and candy for lunch time. Your child is encouraged to bring a water bottle that they will be able to refill and can keep in the classroom throughout the day.

Special K of the Week

During the school year, each student will have the opportunity to be the Special K of the Week! This will be a week dedicated to learning all about this student, and have special ways to celebrate them in our classroom. I will email parents ahead of time to make sure the week I’ve selected works for their family’s schedule, and then I will send the student home with the Special K Bag, poster, and their All about Me page. On Monday, the student will bring back the finished poster and present to their classmates. On Tuesday they will share their All About Me page. During this week they can also send in a mystery reader to read a student’s favorite storybook to our class, schedule a time for Mrs. Monks to come visit them at home or at an afterschool activity, and write in the Special K journal about something fun they did!

Show and Tell

During the weeks where we do not have a Special K of the Week, there will be an option for students to participate in our snack time Show and Tell. The themes will different each time, and students will be assigned a specific day to bring in an item so that everyone has enough time to share. The Show and Tell will be announced in the weekly newsletter.

Ways to Help

There are plenty of ways you can help your child at home and at school!

Help your child at home:
1. Help him/her practice independence and responsibility! This can look like tying their shoes, putting homework in their own backpack, packing their own lunch, navigating the carpool line, gathering own materials for homework/project/recipe/traveling, or grabbing items at the store. All of these are great ways for your child to build self-confidence and learn independence. Do what works for your family!

2. Create a school and desk area for your child to be successful! Have a designated area for coloring and writing utensils.

3. Have fun and make homework time together exciting! This is a time to play games, set goals, and have a positive attitude towards your student’s growth in learning!

Help your child at school:

  • Drive on our Field Trips!
  • Purchase materials for the classroom from the Amazon wish list (link found on classroom website)
  • Donate funds for the teacher to buy materials and resources for the classroom.
  • Donate supplies or snacks for parties or celebrations (we have a Halloween party and a couple other small celebrations throughout the year)
  • Volunteer in our classroom! Help with prepping learning materials and craft projects, printing weekly copies, assembling homework packets, or providing one on one fluency building practice with students.
    • Always sign in at the office.
    • Please complete SAFE ENVIRONMENT and Proof of Vaccine.

Uniform Policy