I graduated from Rider College with a BA in Elementary Education and Psychology. I was fortunate enough to have a full ride for basketball and academics at Rider. I will be married for 19 years in October. I have 3 children; ages 14, 11, and almost 8. I taught 1 st grade from 1994 to 2008 at Parkway Elementary School in Ewing NJ. I have been at John Hydock for 3 years. I’ve coached basketball for 6 years. I spend many hours on playing fields cheering my children on.

Kindergarten has changed dramatically over the past several years. It is no longer the kindergarten that you or I remember. The expectations and curriculum standards for a child in kindergarten are very high now. The curriculum assumes that upon entering kindergarten, most children already know their colors & shapes, can write their name correctly, use scissors correctly, count to 100, recognize all or most of the letters of the alphabet and their sounds! For many children, it seems as if they enter kindergarten already behind! But don't worry! With your help, we are here to make sure that your child's educational experience will be not only successful, but fun and exciting also.

ttendance is very important! If your child misses school, please remember to write a note or call the office to let us know he/she will be absent. Many of our Kindergarten experiences are group oriented and involve interaction with classmates and hands-on materials. However, there is work that can be completed at home! is for backpacks & book orders. Please send your child with his/her backpack each day and check them after school each day! Book Club orders will be coming home each month. We receive free books for our classroom library with bonus points that we earn from each book order.

is for computers. We will visit the computer lab on day 2. The children will learn how to use the mouse and the key board and will be introduced to many educational programs. is for our Discipline Procedures. In our classroom, children want to climb up our coconut tree. If they do, that means they are making good choices. However; if they start to go down the coconut tree, they are not making good choices and I will reach out to you with a note, or phone call.

is a reminder that in an emergency, it is important that we have current contact telephone numbers. Please inform us if address, home, work, or cell phone numbers change throughout the school year. Also, if you have not done so, please send me an with contact information. is for field trips! We will be going to Russo’s Farm on Friday, October 11th. Information for our trip will be sent home soon! is for gym class! We will have gym class on day 4 for the A.M class and day 5 for or P.M. class. Children should wear sneakers on gym days.

is for homework! Math will be sent home Monday – Thursday and is due the next day. Reading homework will be sent home on Monday and is due on Friday. I encourage you to work with your child a few minutes each night to review & reinforce the skills we are working on in school. Be NVOLVED in your child's learning ! is for Journey’s, which is the name of our reading program. Journey’s covers, reading, writing and grammar. There are assessments after every Unit. Please review my web-page to keep up with our sight words and skills.

is for keeping up with folders! Folders are our primary means of communication. The folder will be our way of making sure things get to and from school. Anything you need me to see, including lunch money, should be in the folder. These are checked each morning! is for library books! We will be visiting our library on each day 4. Students will be able to choose a book from a table of preselected books.

is for money and math! Always send money to school in a sealed envelope with the following information on it: name, amount, purpose, and teacher’s name. Our new math program is My Math. It will cover number to 100, addition, subtraction, shapes, measurement, skip counting, and position words. is for Nurse! We have a full time nurse at our school! If your child requires medication to be taken at school please make sure that you fill out the necessary forms in the office. Our nurse handles all medication. Also, if there are any allergies that we need to be aware of please let us know. is for office check-ins and check-outs! Please make sure to go to our office when you need to check-in or check-out your student.

is for Parent communication. Throughout the year I will communicate with you through notes, , telephone calls, newsletters, and parent teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns at any time. There is no need to wait until parent conference day if you have a concern about your child's progress. Feel free to send me an , or send a note to school in your child’s folder. is for questions! Please let us know if you have any questions! We are here to make this the best experience possible!

is for recess! We will occasionally go out for recess so please be sure your child is properly dressed for the weather! is for Star Students and Secret Readers. Students will each be given a week to be a Star Student. They complete a poster and bring in share items. If you would like to be a Secret Reader please if you have not returned your Secret Reader form or ed me. is for tying shoes! Unfortunately, this is very necessary skill that is difficult to teach in school. Please work on this with your child at home. Once they become proficient at tying shoes, they will become one of my "Tying Teachers" and assist in teaching other students with learning to tie shoes.

Each child is UNIQUE and special. They enter my classroom with different skills, personalities, experiences, backgrounds and learning styles. It is my aspiration to foster their individual strengths and help each child develop to his/her fullest potential; academically and socially. My goal is to teach them to fall in love with learning ! is for volunteers and visitors! I love having volunteers in my classroom! I will need helpers for literacy centers, art projects, writing, and of course, Secret Readers. I may also occasionally ask for helpers outside of the classroom. is for wearing practical clothes! We try our best to keep clothing clean throughout the day but sometimes it is impossible! Please send your child to school with that in mind!

is for having eXtra clothes! Please keep a change of clothes in your students backpack in case of an occasional mishap! is for YOU! Always remember you are a teacher too! There is no one who is more influential in your child’s life than you! is for ZzZzZz...please make sure that your child gets plenty of rest each night. Setting and keeping a bedtime helps children to be alert and ready to learn each day!