Classroom Information

*Please Connect with me on ClassTag. This is my primary source of communication with parents.

Please review the following information with your child. You are more than welcome to visit the school, call, or e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns.

Ms. Seals’ Room #: 602-304-2030 ext. 3747

Ms. Seals’ e-mail: mseals@laveeneld.org

 

  • On the first day of school parents may escort their child into our classroom beginning at 8am. I ask that all parents leave our room when the bell rings at 8:30am, so we can start our day. We have lots of procedures to cover on the first day.
  • Starting on the second day, the kindergarten playground will open daily at 8am to drop students off for the remainder of the year. You will only be allowed to escort your child onto the playground for the first week. After the first week of school you must have a pass to enter the kinder playground. Students will leave their backpacks against the wall on the outside of my room, then they may go play until the bell rings. From there we will line up outside my door, and go into the classroom every morning.
  • The school TARDY bell rings at 8:30am. The kinder gate will then be locked shut. Any student arriving afterwards must enter through the front office. They will be marked as tardy after daily announcements.
  • School ends at 3:30pm, however kinder releases students at 3:20pm the first week of school to avoid the crowds. After the first week, kinder will be released at 3:20pm for the remainder of the year. I will be dismissing from the outside of our classroom door near the kinder playground. You must come to the door to pick up your child. PLEASE be prompt when picking up your child… they become nervous, and teachers have a lot to accomplish in one day. Time is very valuable! Students will be escorted to the office area after 3:35 to wait, if not picked up.
  • I ask that parents and siblings not use my room as a waiting area during dismissal. Please pick up your child and find a different meeting area for any other siblings. You are more than welcome to wait outside my classroom. Dismissal becomes very chaotic, and I have to focus on all my students getting home safely.
  • We will have EARLY DISMISSAL days usually once to twice a month on Wednesdays. Kindergarten will be released at 12:20pm. These days are listed on the district calendar. Please be on time to pick up your kiddos, we have scheduled staff meetings on these days.
  • If your child has another mode of transportation for a day or two that differs, PLEASE don’t forget to call the office and let them know.

 

 

Breakfast 7:45-8:20am

School Begins at 8:30am

Kindergarten Lunch 10:30-10:50

Kindergarten Recess 10:50-11:10

 

Our weekly SPECIALS are from 12:35-1:15pm everyday as follows:

Monday: Music

Tuesday: PE

Wednesday: Computer lab

Thursday: PE

Friday: Art/ Library

 

Our daily schedule is every day as follows:

  • Arrival
  • Morning announcements/ Morning work
  • Calendar
  • ELA (Reading)
  • Kindergarten Interventions (45min. of targeted instruction based on your child’s academic level. Interventions usually begin in October.)
  • LUNCH/Recess
  • Grammar/ Writing
  • Specials
  • Math
  • 2nd Recess/ Snack
  • Social Studies/ Science
  • Pack up/ Dismissal

 

Absences

If your child is feeling sick, was sick the previous night, or gets sent home sick I ask that you PLEASE keep them home resting until they are feeling better. Please do not send your child to school feeling ill, it just makes things worse and they end up getting all their friends sick. I will put make-up work in their cubby that they missed. If you will be traveling and going out of town, please let me know a couple days ahead. I am more than happy to send home the work your child will be missing. You may return your child’s make-up work at your convenience J

 

Library Books

Your child will have Library once a week. Students must leave their library books in the classroom. Each child will be responsible for their checked out book. Per school policy If their book is lost or stolen they will not be allowed to check out another book until it is found or paid for. If your child does not have their school ID they will not be allowed to check out a book per library rules.

 

Breakfast/Lunch:

Breakfast- Free for all students, $2.50 adults

Lunch-$2.40 regular price, $0.40 reduced price, and $3.50 for adult lunches.

*You can apply for free or reduced lunch at EZMealApp.com The process can take up to a couple weeks. To create and fund your child’s account visit EZSchoolPay.com

* If your child brings a lunchbox from home please make sure to have their name visibly on the outside of it.

 

Scooptacular:

Every Tuesday a local ice cream store sets up a stand in the cafeteria. Ice cream is available during your child’s lunch time. Students receive a pint of ice cream for $2.00. The flavors they can choose from are usually vanilla, cookies & cream, and cookie monster.

 

Supplies:

Enclosed you will find a classroom supply wish list for your child. Please bring all supplies on the first day of school in a separate plastic bag. Your child’s name should be on ALL supplies.

 

Snacks:

Your child will have a daily afternoon snack. There will be a monthly snack calendar sent home. Your child will be assigned to bring snack for the class 1-2 times a month. I ask that you please bring individually wrapped snacks for students. Please remember that snack is not mandatory and I do not have to offer this in my classroom. Please be responsible and remember your child’s snack date. If parents continually forget snack, I will choose not to offer it in my classroom. It is much more affordable to provide the class with a snack once a month rather than have your child bring their own snack daily J

 

Water bottles:

Your child will always be given the opportunity to freely drink water as they please. Our classroom has a water fountain at the sink. I prefer that your child doesn’t bring a water bottle as they tend to get left behind in the classroom and cause distractions. However, if you chose to send you child with their personal water, I ask that you please choose a “special” bottle that doesn’t leak. Use a bottle that your child can easily identify as theirs. Please no generic plastic store water bottles or juice in bottles.

 

Box Tops:

Our school collects box tops! Feel free to cut them out and send any from home with your child.

 

Backpacks:

In order to help you receive messages in a timely manner, each child needs to bring his/her backpack to school on a daily basis.  Please put your child’s name on the outside of their backpack where it is visible. Backpacks on wheels are discouraged.

 

“Back and Forth Folders”

On the first week of school, your child will receive a “Back and Forth Folder”. This folder MUST come to school every day and will go home every day. Important papers, notes to/from the teacher need to be placed in the folder.  I will NOT go through your child’s backpack or folder.  PLEASE get in the routine of checking your child’s folder nightly and removing “left at home” papers.  Try not to lose or damage your folder! In the event that this does occur, it will be your responsibility to replace it and buy another for your child.

 

Classroom Helpers:

Each week I will select a variety of students to be classroom helpers. These students will be responsible to do different tasks such as the line leader, caboose, messenger, snack helper, etc.

 

Birthdays:

Birthdays are always welcome! If your child would like to celebrate their birthday at school, please make arrangements with me beforehand. Items must be store bought. I prefer that you bring mini cupcakes, ice cream cups and/or cookies for the class rather than the large cupcakes. These options are less messy, better portioned for 5 year olds and don’t get wasted.

 

Homework:

A big part of your child entering school is organization and responsibility. Your child will receive weekly homework every Monday. I ask that you please have your child do the homework by him/herself, under your supervision. Homework will need to be turned in every Friday. It is your responsibility to keep track of it. If your student loses or misplaces it, I will not be providing an extra one. Please keep your child’s homework at home in a safe spot until it is to be turned in. A lot of times a student’s homework will end up lost if it is constantly transferred from home to school. Students who bring back homework on Friday’s will be rewarded with clipping up a color.

Toys:

Toys/gadgets/stuffed animals/makeup/jewelry etc. are not to be brought to school. They are a distraction to the learning environment. Please discuss the importance of leaving these items at home with your child. Toys will be taken away and not returned until the end of the school year. Please check your child’s backpack regularly for toys they might have snuck in. If a child brings toys to school, I will not be held responsible if lost or stolen.

Treasure Box:

During the school year your child will be rewarded with treasure box for any of the following… 100% on tests, 10x on purple (clip chart), mustang tickets, meeting benchmark on letter names & sounds, and bringing back homework. My treasure box includes toys, treats, books, pencils, etc. any donations throughout the year are always welcome

Mustang Money:

During the school year in and outside of the classroom your child may earn “mustang money.” Students earn mustang money by following the PRIDE (Positive, Responsible, Innovative, Demonstrating, Excellence) Money may be redeemed every Friday in our classroom for prizes or at the mustang store before school.

School Interventions:

During the school year each grade level has a set intervention block which is 40 minutes.  They are set times that the entire grade level participates in. They do not overlap with other grade levels so that the Intervention Associate teachers can assist in each grade level. We have 4 kinder teachers and divide the students 4 ways according to their reading level. This means your child may be with another teacher for that time frame. The tier 3 students who are struggling most will see the Interventionist Associate in a very small group. We usually do not start this until October.

Identification Badge:

On the first day of school your child will receive an ID badge. This badge is used at breakfast, lunch, and for the buses. It is crucial that your child get in the habit of wearing their badge every day. Please help make it part of your child’s morning routine. If a child continuously forgets their badge at home, they will be sent to the end of the kinder lunch line. If their ID gets lost please buy a new one in the frost office immediately. ID’s are $3 to replace. Lanyards are $2 or you may use your own.

 

Behavior Clip Chart:

We will be using a colored “clip chart” to monitor our behavior and classroom choices. Your child will have a clip that they will physically move up or down the chart, depending on their choices. Please keep in mind that your child may not move every single day! In order to move up, students must go above and beyond in their behavior choices. The chart below explains how the clip chart works and what each color represents on the clip chart, and some examples of what your child did to land on that color. Please review your child’s behavior with them every day. Please reinforce it at home and before sending your child to school.  Encourage them to make good choices on a daily basis.

Purple

(Outstanding!!)

  

Purple: Outstanding Day! = sticker or treat.

Very Well behaved, followed directions, worked/sat quietly, helped others, made good choices, etc. 5x on purple= Treasure Box!
 Blue

(Great Student!)

 Blue: Good Day!

Behaved, followed directions, made good choices, worked/sat quietly, brought homework/papers back, etc.
Green

(Ready to Learn)

  

Green: Followed directions throughout day.

Students begin on green at the beginning of each day. Students can clip up or down throughout the day depending on their behavior choices.
Yellow

(Oops, think about it)

  

Yellow: Off Day= 5min off of 2nd recess.

Several warnings, distracting class, poor choices, lying, pushing, property misuse, inappropriate language, cheating, overt defiance, etc.
Orange

(Consequence)

  

Orange: UNSUCESSFUL DAY= Loss of 2nd recess, buddy room, or time out.

Multiple warnings, distracting class, shouting out, throwing objects, poor choices, not keeping hands/feet to themselves, cheating etc.
Red

(Consequence)

 Red: UNSUCESSFUL DAY= Loss of 2nd recess, buddy room, or time out. Multiple warnings, distracting class, shouting out, throwing objects, poor choices, not keeping hands/feet to themselves, cheating etc.

 

*Referral to Principals office / ISD (In School Detention) If any of the above orange/red behaviors are reoccurring depending on the severity.

 

Dress Code:

Our dress code is listed in your student handbook and online. NO JEANS. If a student comes to school out of dress code, they will be sent to the nurse to change. You will receive a phone call to come bring your child uniform clothing. For more details, refer to your student handbook. Rogers Ranch spirit shirts are allowed to be worn on a daily basis.

*I suggest leaving an extra pair of uniform clothes in your child’s backpack in case a potty accident occurs. Most parents typically will put them in a ziplock or plastic bag.

 

Footwear:

Your child should wear proper footwear to school on a daily basis.Closed-toed shoes are highly recommended. While your child may want to wear flip flops on a warm day, sneakers or another form of sturdy footwear is a safer choice. Wearing the proper shoes on the playground can prevent tripping and falling, stubbed toes, splinters from wood chips, burns from hot surfaces, and more.

*please do not send your child to school with shoelaces if they cannot tie themselves. Practice using shoe laces at home and send your child to school with Velcro or buckled shoes. Due to our large class sizes, I cannot be constantly tying shoes throughout the day. Thank you.

 

$1 Dress Down

On the last Friday of every month all students will be allowed to come to school out of uniform. Jeans may be worn on these days. Students must bring $1 to participate. Dress down money goes towards school functions. There will be a couple occasions when dress down will be free for students such as picture day and spirit weeks.

 

District Testing:

In kindergarten your child will be tested 3 times during the school year. In the Fall (August), Winter (January), and Spring (May). This test consists is the NWEA map growth and map reading fluency.