2013/2014

BRENTWOOD KINDERGARTEN

HOW DO YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN?

Young children see the world differently than older students and adults, and they learn best through direct, sensory experience. They need to:

• manipulate

• explore

• experiment with real objects.

They learn by doing, moving and talking.

THE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM STATEMENT DESCRIBES CLEAR

EXPECTATIONS IN SEVEN LEARNING AREAS:

Early Literacy

Early Numeracy

Citizenship and Identity

Environment and Community Awareness

Personal and Social Responsibility

Physical Skills and Well-being

Creative Expression (Music: Mr. Funke)

WHAT DID YOU LEARN IN SCHOOL

TODAY?

“Nothing. All we did was play!”

• How did you make that?

• What are you learning about now?

• What learning centres did you go to today?

• What was in the sand table today?

• Can you tell me about the story you heard today?

• Where did you play today?

• Who did you play with today?

These are some alternative questions that might help your child share more specific information with you.

ASSESSMENT IN KINDERGARTEN

Assessment is done through:

questioning and talking to children

listening to the language they use

observing their behaviour and their work

September – quick screening for speech & language and fine & gross motor developmentOctober – parent/teacher interviewsNovember & March – progress reportMarch – student led conferencesJune – Elk Island Report card

LOGOS CHRISTIAN PROGRAM

The Logos Program provides instruction of the provincial curriculum within a Christian environment.

The Christian perspective crosses all of the seven learning areas just described and is integrated into everything we do.

Some activities specific to the Logos program:• Daily devotions and prayer• Monthly memory verses• Chapels (approx. once a month)• Books and activities within

the classroom

HOME READING PROGRAM:OCTOBER

• Starts in October• Read to your child for 15 minutes. • After your child has been read to they may colour

in a spot on Wilbur. • When all spots are coloured, child returns the

sheet to school to earn a small reward.• In January, we will start a different home reading

program where your child reads to you.

READING TO YOUR CHILD

Preview the book “What do you think this book is going to be about?”

Read the book and ask questions “What do you think might happen next?”

Talk about the book “What was your favourite part of the story? Or I liked it when . . .”

HOME READING PROGRAM:JANUARY

●Starts in January●We provide your child with books at

their reading level (start with simple books that have one word and picture).

●Your child reads the books to you and you record the name of the book on a tracking sheet.

●After your child has read 15 books they return the sheet to school for a small reward.

WHEN YOUR CHILD READS TO YOU

Preview the book

Encourage your child to look at the pictures to give them clues about the text.

Have your child point to the words as they read.

Look at the text with your child – what letter does that word start with, where is the capital letter.

Look at the sounds of the letters.

L.I.F.T. (LITERACY IS A FAMILY THING)

L.I.F.T. is a program that supports children’s literacy and numeracy by providing books and materials that families can enjoy at home.

• Begins in January and continues until May.

• Students are allowed to keep the bag for one week.

• Please keep items from the book bag together and return them on time.

• Talk about the books before, during and after reading them to your child. Ask questions of your child. Examine the covers, the titles and make predictions about the books.

FIELD TRIPS & SPECIAL EVENTS

September Strathcona Wilderness Centre

October Sparky the FiredogHalloween Party (regular program)

November Telus World of Science

December Clay ProjectChristmas Celebration

January SkatingJohn Walter Museum

February Grocery Store Clean Hands/Dirty Hands PresentationValentines Day Party100 Day PartyDental Hygienist Visit

March Pattern PartyGrey Nun’s Hospital

April Hatching of Baby ChicksPig Day

May Muffins with MomJanzen Nature Center

June Safety CityField DayFather’s NightYear End Celebration

VOLUNTEERS

• Remember moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles or other special friends are welcome.

• We have a variety of tasks for volunteers, ex. Preparation of materials, collate memory and alphabet books, work with students at centers, etc.

• We also need parents to assist on field trips and at special events.

• All volunteers must check in at the office and receive a visitor’s badge. If you have not filled out a volunteer form yet, you may do so at that time.

EDWARD THE BEAR AND MARTY THE

MOOSE Each classroom has a class animal. Students rotate taking him home for a few

days.

Friday - Monday or Monday - Friday. Each child gets two turns a year. If you are planning a holiday, let us know so

they may join you. Please keep a short journal of some of the

activities your child has enjoyed with Edward/Marty. Please feel free to add pictures or have your child draw pictures to accompany the journal entry.

Entries should be 1 -2 pages. Feel free to wash Edward/Marty when

necessary.

SNACKS & BIRTHDAYS

• Birthdays are celebrated in each class.• You are welcome to bring a small treat for the

class. Please ensure that all snacks/birthday treats are nut free.

• Please check packages as some granola bars, cookies, etc. are made in facilities where their products may come into contact with some nut products.

• Snacks are to be a small healthy treat that can be eaten in 10-15 minutes. If your child continually comes home with things not eaten, please send a smaller snack.• Small juice boxes are best as many students do

not finish the larger variety.

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

Periodically, we will send home fun homework assignments for you and your child to complete together.

Homework assignments focus on various strands of the kindergarten curriculum, ie. Social Studies, Math and Literacy.

Each assignment has specific information included. These activities are meant to be both fun and educational.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Kindergarten Hours:

8:35 – 11:32 am

12:21 – 3:13 pm

No School for Kindergarten students on the first Wednesday of the month.

November Break (No School): November 11-15

When parking here are a few tips to help things go smoothly: Only 8 visitor parking spots (please do not park in staff

parking – even if there is a free spot as we have staff arriving at different times throughout the day).

Do not park in the handicap parking spots. Do not drive through the parking lot, drop your child off and

then continue on the way. This is very dangerous in our busy parking lot.

Do not park in the bus lanes – you may be ticketed. On the following slide we have outlined some good places to

park.

PARKING:

We have so many students dismissing at this end of the school it would be helpful if you follow a few rules: • At the end of the day we are trying to get the students out a few

minutes before the other classes dismiss. Sometimes we can’t manage to do this. If the bell has gone and there are lots of students being dismissed. Please be patient and wait outside the doors. When we see you we will send your child to.

• Please do bring strollers into the boot room. If you have a little one in a stroller, wait outside for us to send your child to you.

• The parking lot is very busy first thing in the morning as well as at the end of the day. If you are having trouble parking do not worry we will stay with your child till you arrive. Sometimes we do have meetings and can not wait at the classroom – in that case we will bring the child to the office and they will wait there for you.

DISMISSAL

F.O.I.P. AND TECHNOLOGY(FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF

PRIVACY ACT)

• Phone lists – need your permission to hand out your phone number to other parents.

• Brentwood Website and e-teacher pages

Check out the School Newsletter as well as class newsletters

http://www.brentwoodelementary.ca/

▫Photo gallery:

when pictures are put on the website names will not be given

When art work is displayed only the child’s first name will be given

Website consent form needs to be signed

QR codes

Label will be placed in your child’s agenda next month. If you have a smartphone take a picture of it and it will take you directly to our e-teacher page where you will find the newsletter.

Remind 101

WHAT IS REMIND101 AND WHY IS IT SAFE? Remind101 is a one-way text messaging and email system.

With Remind101, all personal information remains completely confidential. Teachers will never see your phone number, nor will you ever see theirs.

You can opt-out of messages anytime by replying ‘unsubscribe’. Information will be sent home next month in your child’s

agenda.