2012-2013

Pointers Run

Kindergarten

Handbook

Contents

1. Welcome2. Supplies3. Health Information4. Nametags 5. Snack and Lunch6. Field Trips and

Celebrations

7. Volunteering8. Parent

Communication9. Book Orders10. Language Arts11. Math12. Specials

Welcome!

Welcome to Pointers Run Elementary School!

A new beginning is always exciting and full of surprises! We hope to help you and your child

make a smooth transition to Kindergarten.

Supplies You can bring the supplies to the Open House or send them in your child’s backpack. Paint smocks are needed right away (in ziplock baggie, name on smock and baggie, old adult button shirt is great!).

Visit the PRES website for the complete list.

Your child will bring home a clear plastic portfolio on the first day of school. Please return the folder to us each day. We use this folder daily to send you

important notices and completed school work.

Health Information and Emergency Cards

Health info- Please let us know if your child has any allergies. The school requires an emergency contact form per child. Please fill out and return as soon as possible.

Be sure to put the parent contact numbers on the emergency card first.

Nametags

Kindergarten kids will need to wear their bus nametags for the first three weeks. Please write their transportation information on the small paper in their tag with a marker (walker, car rider, aftercare, bus number).

Check paper for buses and send a note in folder for any changes (kids are only allowed to switch buses if day care issue).

Snack and Luncho Kids have 30 minutes to eat (11:15-11:45). Kids will not eat much in the beginning-don’t panic.

o Parent volunteers are needed to help out at lunch.

oTry to send a bag lunch first few weeks. If students are buying lunch, please send $2.50 in a ziplock baggie marked with their name inside their folder.

oKids need a separate, healthy snack to eat mid-morning. Please do not send in any peanut products.

Field Trips and Celebrations

Celebrations

Halloween parade/party, winter holiday party, Valentine’s party, Ice Cream Social at end of year.

Field trips We go on 2 or 3 trips a year. The first is usually to fire station in October. Parents can sign up to be chaperones when the permission slips are sent home.

VolunteeringWe love our volunteers!

Classroom volunteers will start in October. Each class will need two room parents. Please see PTA packet to volunteer.

Lunchtime volunteers are needed right away. Recess is from 10:45-11:15. Lunch is 11:15 to 11:45.

There are schoolwide opportunities to volunteer: in the media center, for the art teachers, and for the office.

Parent CommunicationConferences-2 (in November and February)

Report cards- 4 every 9 weeks, interim reports in between.

Contact your teacher by phone:410-313-7142, by email (check out the PRES website), or with a big note in the daily folder.

Book Orders

Book orders will be sent home every 4-6 weeks. If you plan on ordering books, we would love to have you order the first time. (We get extra books for the classroom.) All the orders are collected online. More information will come home soon.

CurriculumLanguage Arts

Writing: kids will write daily using phonetic spelling that will slowly progress to complete spelling

Reading: balanced literacy approach, use phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, reading workshop, computer, reading to others for fluency. Fast Start pages for working at home, send home books, big books, reading groups.

CurriculumMath

Math- Calendar group time for large group lessons, math tubs for individual practice/exploration of concepts. We use very few worksheets and prefer to have hands on lessons. We are using the new national curriculum, the Common Core Standards. You can find ways support your child at home by visiting the Howard County Public Schools website.

Specials

The students will all attend specials as part of their school day.

We will go to art one day, media one day, music one day, and PE two days a week (kids will need to wear sneakers).

We will also be learning more about using computers in our technology class once a week.

Specials schedules will go home the first week of school.

The End

We are looking forward to getting to know you and your child in

kindergarten this year!