Welcome to Dennis B. O’Brien’s Kindergarten Back to School Night A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y & Z… DBO School is a great place to be! We’ll have a fun year! Just wait & see!

A-Attendance, Allergies & Art Regular attendance is important for the consistency of your child’s education in the kindergarten program. If your child will be absent, call the main office in the morning or email me. Please do not call my voicemail for absentees. Notes are preferred if you know ahead of time. District policy is that work will not be sent home ahead of time if a child is to be out for vacation. All work will be sent home when the student returns to school. The nurse should already be aware of any allergies your child has. The students go to Art class with Mrs. Behm once a week.

B-Birthdays/C-Communication Birthdays are celebrated in class with a birthday crown & singing “Happy Birthday!” Parents may choose to send in a NON-FOOD goody bag with a small favor for the 22 students (14 boys & 8 girls). Folders are the primary communication link between school and home. Please check your child’s folder each night and send the folder to school each day. Notes or e-mails are encouraged over voicemail. Call the main office in case of an emergency. Kindergarten express

D-Donations, E-E-Board, F- Field Trips Donations to the class are greatly appreciated. If you have any craft supplies that you no longer need, please feel free to send them into school. We can also always use large/small ziplock bags, napkins, & glue sticks. My e-board is on the school website. It is updated on a monthly basis. We will go on two field trips this year—one to the Rockaway Twp. Library in the winter and another full day trip in the spring.

G- Gym/Guidance & H-Homework Your child will have gym twice a week, please have your child wear sneakers on these days, otherwise they cannot participate. Twice a month, they will go to computer lab with Mr. Conlon for computer class. Once a month, the guidance counselor, Mrs. Hubitz will come into our class and teach a lesson. Homework will be starting…please complete in two days. Please use pencil when writing and crayons to color or draw. Please read the directions to your child. Books in a Baggie program will begin soon- please return books to school everyday in the bag.

I-Invented Spelling & J- Journal Writing, K- Kdg. Resources As we begin our journal writing, your child will use invented spelling which means that they will write words the way they hear them. Please do not feel that you have to correct their spelling. We want them to enjoy writing. They will begin to spell words correctly with time. Math Scott Foresman-Addison enVisionMath www.pearsonsuccess.net ReadingHarcourt School Publishers-StoryTown/Project Read & IRLA HandwritingZaner-Bloser Save paper, post information like newsletters. New this year, so we’ll send home a letter asking who has internet access regularly/weekly. Try to eliminate paper newsletter.

L-Library, M-Mini-Newsletters & N-Nurse The students visit the DBO Library once a week where they will be able to borrow a book to be returned the following week. Please encourage your child to be responsible for its care and timely return. Throughout the year, I will send home a mini newsletter so that you know what we are doing in school. I also send weekly emails. Many children ask to visit the nurse on a daily basis, please know that your child will only be sent to the nurse if they are truly hurt or sick. Starfall.com

O- Book Orders, P- Pictures, & Q Book orders will come home during the year. The Book Fair also comes to DBO twice a year. Class pictures are taken in the fall and spring. The children will be learning to write their name the kindergarten way. They will be using a capital letter for the first letter and lowercase for the rest of the letters. Please practice this with them at home. We will be working on first names in the beginning of the year and last names toward the middle of the year. Any questions on anything at all, please contact me. If you ever have any questions, please contact me immediately. Report cards will be issued 4x during the school year. Report cards will be explained in more detail at fall conferences in November. DBO Rules: The children are responsible for following the rules of the classroom. We discuss our class rules daily and hope that all the students stay on the right track!! Delayed Opening- 10:03-2:48 (2 hour delay) / Early Dismissal- 8:03-12:48

R- Report Cards & Rules Report Cards will be issued 3x during the school year. Report Cards will be discussed in more detail at fall conferences in November. DBO Rules: The children are responsible for following the class rules. We discuss the rules daily and hope that the children stay on the right track!

S-Schedule AM: Unpack & Seatwork/Morning Message/Circle Time Language Arts/Math/Independent Reading Recess/Lunch PM: Specials/Rest/Writing/Science/Social Studies Snack/Free Centers/Pack Up

S-continued Schedule Changes: Delayed Opening: (2 hour) 10:03am-2:48pm and Early Dismissal: 8:03am-12:48pm Sight Words: Your child will be learning many sight words this year. These are words they know just by seeing them. We will be introducing these sight words each week. We will be sending these sight words home as well for you to review them regularly with your child.

T- Toys/Technology, U & V Please do not have your child bring any toys to school unless asked. In our classroom with regards to technology, we have computers, a smartboard and a document camera to enhance our lessons. We are very excited to work with your child all day!

W-Work Habit Expectations Participates in group discussions Listens carefully without interrupting Participates in activities Maintains focus Follows directions Works independently & well with others Communicates appropriately with others Cleans up when finished with task Uses time wisely Stays on topic

Thank you for your support & for attending Back to School Night! X, Y & Z The children are very excited to embark on this journey!! And you know your child best. Any input at any time about your child is appreciated. Lastly, we hope to fill them with a zest for learning!! Please leave your child a note on the pink heart. We will read them together tomorrow morning. Thank you for your support & for attending Back to School Night! Save paper, post information like newsletters. New this year, so we’ll send home a letter asking who has internet access regularly/weekly. Try to eliminate paper newsletter.