Welcome to Compass Elementary Mrs. Flanagan Kindergarten

Meet the Teacher Hello, my name is Tiffany Flanagan and this is my 5th year teaching Kindergarten! I am very excited to be working with you and your child this year. Kindergarten can be kind of scary for some children, yet a very exciting time in their life as well. In the classroom, I will respect all students and their individual needs, while maintaining a safe and welcoming learning environment. As a class, we will work together as a team and encourage each other to always try to do our best! A little about myself: I graduated from Missouri Western State University with an Early Childhood Education degree and currently going back to school at Northwest to get my Master’s in Leadership I will graduate in October. I have been with my husband since 2008 and got married in 2016! We have two little girls named Quinnley who will be 3 in November and Saige will turn 2 in January. I have a little teacup yorkie named Tia and a American Bulldog named Jemma who are spoiled just as much as the girls!

Daily Schedule 8:35- 9:00 Morning Work/Greetings/Restroom 9:00 - 9:15 Calendar/Leader In Me 9:15 -9:45 Phonics 9:45-10:45 Math 10:50 - 11:20 Lunch 11:20 - 11:25 Restroom Break 11:25 - 11:40 Recess #1 11:45 - 12:00 Finish Math Centers 12:00 - 12:30 Writer’s Workshop 12:30 – 1:00 Guided Reading/Literacy Centers 1:00-1:15 – Reader’s Workshop 1:20 - 2:10 Specials Day 1 – Library Day 2 – PE Day 3 – Art Day 4 – Music Day 5 - PE 2:15 - 3:00 Reader’s Workshop 3:00 - 3:15 Recess #2 3:20 - 3:40 Class Meeting 3:40 Dismissal

Take Home Folder Each child will have a S.T.A.R. Folder that they will take home each night. S.T.A.R. Folders contain important information. Right side - papers to send right back to school (homework, important forms, etc.) Left side - papers to be left at home. Pouch - notes, transportation changes, lunch money, etc. Please check and EMPTY your child’s folder nightly and send it back to school.

Behavior Management and Communication In order to guarantee that all children in Kindergarten experience an excellent learning climate, consequences will be enforced for poor behavior. However, it’s no secret that everyone makes mistakes, and I want each child to know that it’s OKAY to make mistakes. Mistakes are something we can learn from. With that said the following plan will be used for behavior/discipline: If your child… Receives two or more reminders/warnings to follow expectations, he/she will be sent home with a note stating the behavior they struggled with. This note should be signed and returned to school. Continues their behavior even after their warnings, he/she will be asked to complete a think sheet at our safe seat. This will be sent home and should be signed and returned to school. Continues their behavior after completing a think sheet, he/she will be sent to a buddy room. If behavior issues still occur after being sent to a buddy room, he/she will be sent to the principal’s office. A “Safe Seat” is a chair within the classroom that is away from the learning environment. This seat allows the student time to collect himself/herself while thinking about his/her actions. A “Buddy Room” is a different classroom where a student may go if the behavior continues. A “Think Sheet” is a form filled out by the student and staff member. The student will draw and/or write what they did wrong and what they should have done. This helps them take ownership and reflect over their actions. Teachers reserve the right to assign consequences based on the severity of the behavior.

Jolly Phonics Jolly Phonics is our Kindergarten Phonics Program. Jolly introduces students to 41 sounds, as well as, other essential reading skills. Our Jolly Phonics routine consists of: Introducing the sound and learning the action (less than 1 minute) Reading a short story with words that contain the sound. Blending words that contain the sound and pinpointing where we hear the sound in the word- Beginning, middle, or end. Listening to the song for the sound Handwriting and song Jolly Phonics worksheet Spelling patterns Dictation Every night your child will have Jolly Homework. This is to be completed and returned to school the following day. The students wil earn dollars for every time they bring back an assignment completed. For homework, your child will bring home a small sound book in a ziplock baggie. Please review the sound with your child and have them practice writing it on the line in their sound book. This should then be put right back inside their backpack. ***Please note—handwriting is VERY important in Kindergarten. Please ensure your child is forming their letters correctly (top to bottom) and writing them on the line properly.

Reading Curriculum Basics Reader’s Workshop – Reading at home is EXTREMELY important! 10 minutes every night can greatly impact your child’s reading ability. A few things we will focus on this year… Concepts of print (direction we read, pointing to each word, author, illustrator, etc.) Comprehension and Reading strategies (help us remember what happened in a story and help us sound out words we don’t know) Fiction and Nonfiction Fluency (how fast and accurate we can read) Stamina (how long we can read) Please see the handout located in the middle of your child’s STAR Folder for more information on how to read with your child.

Math Curriculum Basics Our Math Curriculum is called Envisions. Students will learn everything from numbers and counting, to addition and subtraction. Envisions engages students into a deeper level of thinking. Students are able to explain their answers in depth. Worksheets done in class will come home on a daily basis. You will also find homework pages to complete. These are optional, but highly encouraged. We will take a test after we complete a Topic. There are 13 Topics total in our math curriculum.

Science and Social Studies Basics Your child will learn the following: Science - weather, force and motion, living things Social Students - economics, maps

The Leader In Me : 8 Habits Check out www.theleaderinme.org . The Leader In Me teaches life and leadership skills. Our class will implement “The Leader In Me” and each student will learn and apply the 8 Habits on a daily basis

Data Notebook Basics Data Notebooks are a great way to help see how your child is doing in school. Every quarter, your child’s notebook will be sent home for you to review. Inside your child’s notebook is the following: sound and letter recognition, number recognition, counting, sight word recognition, reading level, and addition and subtraction scores.

Daily and/or Weekly Grading and Assessment The following scale will be used for report cards. Report cards will be emailed home at the end of each quarter. 4 – The student exhibits no major errors or gaps in the learning goal. 3 – The student exhibits no major errors or gaps in the simpler details and processes. 2 – With help, the student understand some of the content. 1 – Even with help, the student has no understand of the content.

Parent Involvement Interested in volunteering in our classroom? Volunteering may consist of making copies, organizing materials, working with students, etc. I will gladly take any help! Please email me what days/times work best for you and I will do my best to coordinate.

Daily and/or Weekly Expectations/Routines Please make sure your child comes to school prepared everyday. Your child should always bring their backpack, STAR Folder, and any homework to school. Be sure your kiddo eats breakfast every morning so they are ready to tackle the day!

Birthdays Feel free to send birthday treats to school with your child on his or her birthday. Please make sure all treats are peanut free and store-bought. If your child has a summer birthday, we will celebrate it in May.

Important things to note Toys - Please do not allow your child to bring toys to school (unless it is show and tell day). Toys can be a distraction to not only your child, but others as well. Transportation Changes - If your child has an after school transportation change, please call the office. Homework - Homework should be completed on time and returned to school.

Stay Connected Communication Plan Newsletters – A class newsletter will be emailed home every Friday. Each newsletter contains IMPORTANT information. Teacher Email – flanagat@platteco.k12.mo.us Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions and/or concerns throughout the school year. I am looking forward to a GREAT year!  Thank you, Mrs. Flanagan