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PARENT ORIENTATION – July 24, 2008 WELCOME TO HOLY FAMILY KINDERGARTEN!! Listed below are some important topics for Kindergarten students. Since this is the first time for your child (and possibly you) to participate in many of the items listed below, I have tried to give a brief synopsis of each project/event. Additional information and reminders will be included in the class newsletters. A. SERVICE (FAITH WITNESS) PROJECTS: The purpose is to lead the children to a deeper understanding of God’s calling to us: SERVE ONE ANOTHER. Too many times people are stuck in the "me" mode rather than the "Let’s put others first" mode. Each month your child will select a project he/she can complete at home that shows service. I will need you, the parents, to verify project completion. The selected project may need to be done daily (help mom with dishes), done a few times a week (pick up trash in the yard) or done once a week (help take trash to the curb). A form will be sent home at the beginning of each month with your child’s name and selected project. Please indicate each day whether your child completed the selected project. You can make a symbol for yes, no, or N/A for project didn’t need to be completed that day. I would ask you to sign the form and return it on the first weekday of the following month. A sample form is included in this information packet. (We will begin in August) ** These need to be signed and returned at the beginning of the month. They will be entered into the grade book worth 10 points if signed and returned, 0 points if not returned. B. PHYSICALS/EXAMS: Please be certain to have on file in the office a current physical form including up-to-date immunizations. A current physical is mandatory for all students entering Kindergarten. It is also mandatory per the State of Illinois that students in Kindergarten show proof of having an eye exam by the 15th of October of the current school year. Forms are available in the office, as are physical forms. C. CHAPERONES/ROOM PARENTS: The Diocese of Peoria has set forth the following criteria if you plan to chaperone class trips, be a room parent, or participate in classroom celebrations: you need to have been fingerprinted, completed the CANTS background check, and attended the Protecting God’s Children class. Forms are available from office personnel. Results of the fingerprinting and CANTS check need to be on file in the office prior to attending class trips or assisting at class celebrations. D. SAINT PARADE: In September and October, the children will be learning about the lives of the Saints (people who devoted their lives to the will and service of God). The children will learn how they can also live as a Saint. As a culminating project, all students in grades K-8 will be participating in a Saint Parade during the 10:00 Mass on the last Sunday in October (October 26, 2008). The children will select a Saint during Religion class that they would like to learn about and imitate. They will dress up as their chosen Saint and march in the Saint Parade during Mass. They will also march is a Saint Parade held at the school. I have pictures of the Saints and would be glad to assist you in costume ideas. Most of the materials will be found in your house (sheets, robes, string, pillow cases, etc.). We will have chosen Saints in our class by September 24, 2008. You can see me prior to the fall break if you would like to see a picture of your child’s chosen Saint. All children, regardless of their denomination, are invited and encouraged to participate. E. BOOK ORDERS: Each month a book order will be sent home. These books are relatively inexpensive and get the children actively involved with books and reading. I recommend the easy reader books, as these are the books the students should be reading before the end of Kindergarten. You are not obligated to order books. If you do purchase books, please make checks payable to SCHOLASTIC BOOKS. Books are received back to the school usually within two weeks. Book orders, along with payment, are due on or before the due date written on the back of the order form. NO late orders will be accepted unless your child is absent on the due date. F. TESTING: I will be testing general readiness knowledge and skills. This includes skills such as tying shoes, snapping snaps, zipping, and buttoning. The children will also be required to know the following information: complete name (first and last), parents’ names (first and last), complete address (street and number, city, state), and complete phone number with the area code. They need to know the days of the week in sequence and the quarterly prayers. Please refer to the sample report card for all topics and skill tested or evaluated. Quarterly prayers will be announced in the newsletters and on schoolnotes.com. In Math, the students will be required to rote count to 25 the first quarter, 50 the second quarter, 75 the third quarter, and to 100 by the end of the school year. G. EXITING TESTING: Each student in grades K-8 will be required to take an exit test at the end of the year. This test, which will cover all subject areas must be passed in order to be promoted to the next grade. H. HANDWRITING: Beginning in the third quarter, the students will begin the D’Nealian writing of letters. A copy of proper letter formation is included with this information packet. Please use this as a guide when assisting your child with writing practice at home. I. COLLECTIONS: Our class collects two things as year-long projects. We collect box tops for education. Each month a goal is set for the school to for collecting box tops. If we reach our goal, the students earn a free dress day. The date of the free dress day will be announced in the weekly newsletters. The school earns ten cents for each box top turned in. Box tops should be trimmed on the dotted lines. We also collect labels from various Campbell’s products. This project is our Kindergarten service project for the school. With the labels collected in the past, we purchased art materials, CD Roms for the computer lab, videos, and playground toys. A copy of what the company accepts is included in this packet. We just need the UPC symbol from the label. J. TREASURE BOX: Each day ask your child about his/her fish. It should be in the "COOL SCHOOL". Occasionally their fish might be in the net for being caught making not so wise choices (misbehavior at Mass, continued talking at inappropriate times, name calling, not following classroom/school rules, etc.). You may have noticed your child bringing home treasure from the treasure box. Treasure can be found for all students in the COOL SCHOOL at the end of the day. If you have any items you would like to donate to the treasure box (novelty items, small toys no longer played with at home but in good shape, pencils, etc) our treasure box would be most appreciative. K. MAGIC CARDS/JEAN COUPONS: Students will have an opportunity to earn jean coupons and magic cards throughout the year. A jean coupon can be earned for doing things like selling candy bars, helping around the school, accumulating 5 magic cards. Students can NOT wear jeans to school without a jean coupon unless it is a designated special dress day or spirit day. Jeans are void on Mass days even if your child has a jean coupon. Magic cards are earned for doing good deeds at school. Students can receive magic cards from any teacher in the building. When the students earn five magic cards, they can be turned in to me and I will submit them to Miss Croy for a jean coupon. The magic cards say "Well Done" on the card. L. ***** If your child is of the Catholic faith and will be receiving the sacraments in the Catholic Church, he/she must be baptized. Please make certain a copy of your child’s baptismal certificate is on file with Holy Family School. M. SENIOR PARTNERS: Each year, in an effort to build a close community with the members of Holy Family Church, the children in grades K-8 receive a senior member of the parish as a senior partner. The students correspond with their partner via letters, cards, and pictures. Sometimes the children receive cards and letters in return from their partner. Each student is asked to send in 8 first class stamps that can be used to send the cards and pictures to his/her partner. N. MYSTERY BOX: Please watch for your child to come home with the mystery box. The mystery box is a fun educational activity for both family and school. A copy of the instructions is attached to the mystery box. O. HOME FOLDERS: Home folders go home frequently throughout the week. Please check your child’s book bag each night for home folders. Read through the papers, signing any necessary forms and the paper inside the pocket and return the folder the following day of school. Thank you for your assistance with this matter. P. BINGO: Once you have worked at least one Bingo on Saturday night, you can then sign up to work an extra Saturday for our classroom. Each time you work an extra Bingo, our classroom earns $25.00 to spend on classroom supplies. If you have a free Saturday, please consider working an extra Bingo for our classroom. See me for details on how to sign up! Q. HOMEWORK: Homework will be sent home periodically during the year, with more being sent home in the later part of the year. Homework is generally marked with the word homework or the letters HW and with the date it is due back. It is critical that students learn the responsibility for completing and returning homework at this age level. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated. R. CLASS LIST: A class list is being sent home with this packet. Please use the list when planning birthday treats, valentine cards, etc. ** Birthday invitations cannot be passed out at school unless each child in the class is being invited or a girl is inviting all the girls or a boy is inviting all the boys. Education cannot be a success without the teamwork between teacher, parent, and student!! Let’s have a great year! Mrs. Lukas |