Kindergarten Handbook
Mrs. Lambert's Kindergarten Handbook 
Welcome to Rowlett and Kindergarten!
I am so excited to be your child’s teacher for the next two years! We are going to
be laughing, learning and growing together. I look forward to our class becoming a
family and building positive relationships with each other. I want your child to have an enjoyable year filled with new adventures as we learn along the way. My goal is to help develop your child into a kind, caring, and independent life-long learner. My promise to you, is that I will always have your child’s best interest in mind and I will strive to make sure when they come to my classroom that they feel safe and loved. I look forward to a great year!
Contact Info
We are a team in kindergarten as you, the parent, are your child’s first teacher. Therefore, please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions or concerns that you may have this year. I am available before school via phone 7:45am - 8:00am and after school from 3:30-3:45pm. Also, I am available through email or you can also write me a note and put in your child’s binder. I look forward to working with you to ensure your child’s success both this year and next year.
Phone: (941) 708-6100 ext. 2032
Email: [email protected]
Transportation
Please know your child’s safety is the most important thing. I like to make sure I know exactly how they are going home from school each day. If your child is riding the bus to or from school and you are unsure of what their bus number is, please contact the office at (941) 708-6100 x 2000 or 2008.
Students will also have a tag attached to the outside of their backpack with their name and the way that they go home. This will allow for any staff member to see and help your child should any confusion arise. Please do not remove this tag.
Transportation Changes
If you plan to pick up your child or you wish for your child to go home a different way, you must send a written note and put a note in your child’s binder or contact the office at (941) 708-6100 x 2000. Please do not rely on your child to tell us this information, because children often become confused and relay information incorrectly. If no written note or phone call is received, your child will be sent home by his/her usual way.
Morning Procedure and Arrival
Should your child arrive to school early in the morning (before 8:10 am), they are to go to Flynn Hall where they will sit with the other kindergarten students. They will be picked up by the kindergarten teachers at the start of the day.
The kiddos should be in class and ready to start our day by 8:20am. If they arrive later than that, they will be tardy. More than 3 tardies in a quarter will make students ineligible for Leader of the Month and Effort Honor
Lunch 11:50-12:10
Recess 12:15-12:35
You are always welcome to eat lunch with your child, however, we are asking that you postpone coming for lunch until Sept. 10th in order to give your child time to get used to our lunchroom procedures. After this time, when you do come to lunch, please remember to sign in at the office. The only time our lunchtime will change is if we have an assembly. I will try to notify you ahead of time.
Your child is able to choose 1 friend to eat with or you may choose to eat with your child alone. You may bring a special lunch or enjoy the school lunch with them in Rowlie’s Café, outside at the picnic tables, or the Butterfly Garden.
Please remember that good behavior is expected anywhere on the school campus, therefore, running around the courtyard or butterfly garden and playing on the outside stage is not allowed, due to school safety.
At the end of our lunchtime, please bring your child to the cafeteria to meet back with their class before heading to their recess location.
Snack and Water Bottles
Students should bring a healthy substantial snack each day. Please do not send in candy, cookies, cake, chips, fruit cups or applesauce. This should be a finger snack they are able to eat quickly. Please send snack in a separate bag/baggie (with name) from their lunch box. Snacks and lunches are stored in different places in our classroom. Please do not send in juice for snack.
Students are allowed to bring a water bottle to school every day…this should ONLY be filled with water. We would prefer a bottle with a sport-top to prevent spills.
Birthdays
Birthdays are wonderful! Simple treats may be sent to school (or brought in to the classroom by you) on your child’s birthday. Birthday treats are appreciated but certainly not expected. Please send a note ahead of time, so that we can coordinate if there are multiple birthdays in one day. We typically celebrate birthdays at snack time or toward the end of our day.
If your child has a summer birthday, we will be celebrating their birthday at the end of the school year. Suggestions include mini cupcakes or cookies.
Mickey Binder
The Mickey Binder is a three-ring notebook that students use each day to help them develop organizational skills and responsibility. This three-ring notebook has everything that students and parents need to stay up to date on what is going on at school.
The Mickey Binder should be emptied nightly of any notes and papers. You will find important information such as contact numbers, monthly calendar with daily behavior marked on it, class schedule and class list. Also, in the notebook placed in a folder in the rings of the notebook will be your child’s weekly homework packet. You may keep the homework in that folder throughout the week so both you and your child know exactly where to find it. Return the Mickey Binder to school each day along with any notes, money, and other important things you want me to receive.
Please make sure all money is in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and purpose for the money when you send it in (ie: Scholastic Book Order, field trip, lunch ect).
Classroom Management
I believe in having high expectations for the children to follow classroom rules. I will help each child understand the reasons behind our Classroom Rules. It is imperative for every child to have the opportunity to learn and succeed to his/her highest potential. Therefore, I strive to provide a safe and comfortable environment for every child. Our classroom is a place to work together, play together, and live as a team/family.
Our Classroom/School Rules
We respect others.
We respect property.
We follow safety rules.
We follow directions.
We are responsible for our behavior.
As the year begins, we will learn what each of these rules mean and what these rules look like.
Behavior Clipchart
I believe that a child should receive recognition for working hard and making good choices. Sometimes we don’t always have our best days and that is absolutely okay. If a student does not do what is expected then I will give them a warning. If the behavior continues then they will move their clip to yellow. If this behavior still continues to happen, the student will move their clip to red and will have some think time while reflecting on their behavior (this might occur in another classroom). If your child does go home with a yellow or a red light, I will communicate the reason via the Mickey Binder. If needed, I might call home so your child can speak with a parent about their choices to help reinforce that we (parent and teacher) are on the same page. Students always have the opportunity to move their clip back up the chart throughout the day.
Homework
The purpose of homework is to extend learning outside the classroom. It also provides a reinforcement of skills taught in the classroom and aids in building responsibility. In addition, it provides the opportunity for you, as the parent, to see what our child is learning in class.
You will find your child’s weekly homework packet in a folder in their Mickey Binder each Monday. The homework packet is due the following Monday. Missing more than 3 homework assignments…NOT packets…in a quarter will make your child ineligible for Leader of the Month and Effort Honor Roll.
Rewards and Positive Recognition
All children that stay on green light, the entire week, will have the opportunity to pick a reward of their choice from my treasure box.
Cooperatively working together as a team allows your child’s team to earn points. At the end of the week the team with the most points will earn special recognition as well and a small treat.
In addition, as a class, we collect compliments (caught making good choices, walking in line nicely, compliments from Arts.com teachers or other staff, etc.) throughout the year. Once a certain number of compliments have been received, the class will have a small celebration.
Class work and wearing their uniform everyday allows the children to attend “Rowdy Rowlie Rally”. These are just a few of the rewards and positive recognitions your child will receive throughout the school year.
Kindergarten Curriculum
Our Kindergarten Day includes the following subject areas: Language Arts with Social Studies and Science integrated, Math, Differentiation Time (2-3 days a week), Spanish (2-3 days a week in the classroom) and Arts.com (Rotated on a 2-week basis and includes Dance, Technology, Music, P.E, Art, Drama, and Strings). I will be sure to let you know when your child has P.E. so that you know to send him/her in tennis shoes and with a water bottle.
All subject areas are taught in different ways in order to reach the unique and different ways in which we all learn. There will be many hands on opportunities for your child as we explore the world of kindergarten. I look forward to going on this adventure with you and your child!
Language Arts
(Reading and Writing Workshop)
Language Arts includes Reading Readiness, Writing, Handwriting, Phonemic Awareness, and Phonics. Language Arts is taught with the integration of science, social studies, the Writing Road to Reading Program, Handwriting Without Tears Program, and Lucy Calkins Writing/Reading Units of Study. During this time we will combine shared reading, oral language, guided reading, independent reading, writing, science, and social studies to meet the needs of all kindergartners.
Science and Social Studies
Social Studies lessons taught will focus on the student and how they relate to others in their families, classroom, school, and community. The activities will help the children focus their natural curiosity for the world around them.
Science is taught using the National Geographic series. This science series focuses on six areas at the kindergarten level. We will study Plants, Animals, Earth’s Land, Air and Water, Weather, and Objects Around Us.
Math Workshop
Math is taught using the Go Math program. The students will be introduced to a variety of mathematical skills using various hands on activities, cooperative learning activities, group, and oral exercises.
Kindergarten will be using a computer program called, I-Station to help students achieve their academic goals in Reading and Math. More information will be sent home on this later. Please download the app and make use of the program when we do start using this. Thank you!
Parent Volunteers
Parent Volunteers are always welcomed and much needed! Volunteers may do the following things: assist in special projects, help take down or put up bulletin boards, cutting out materials, classroom parties, field trips, and providing extra help to students.
I understand that you may not be able to volunteer in the classroom, but there are things that you can help with from home.
Please fill out the questionnaire that was included in the Open House packet and return in your child’s binder.
Classroom volunteers will not be needed until the teacher notifies you, as this will allow the children to adjust to their new routines, and school environment.
Should your schedule or availability to volunteer change throughout the year please let me know so we can work together to plan accordingly.
Donations
Any donations are appreciated throughout the school year. We are also happy to have extra snack donations to be kept in class for any students that may need a snack. I will usually let parents know through our classroom news updates of any items we may need.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
Supplies
Please see the Kindergarten Supply List that was sent home in the Open House packet for the supplies your child will need this year. We often run out of certain supplies during the school year such as tissues and glue sticks.
I will keep in contact with you as the year progresses if your child or the class as a whole is in need of anything.
A/B Schedule and Differentiation Time
This year as a school, we will be on an A/B schedule…nothing will change except when we have Spanish, some weeks we will have Spanish 2x a week, others 3x a week. We will also be having differentiation time which will be when we focus on additional support for all students’ individual needs.
Our class has Spanish on B days and Differentiation on A days.
If we have Spanish, we will not have differentiation time. When we have differentiation time, we will not have Spanish.
We will be experiencing 7 different Arts/Specials classes in kindergarten. The children will go to a class for approximately 10 days, then switch to another class. These classes consist of: Dance, Technology, Music, Physical Education, Art, Drama, and Strings. Our first Arts class this year will be Dance.