Hello and welcome to Kindergarten at Saint Ann Catholic School! My name is Katie Catalano, or ‘Ms. Cat’. My assistant is Evan Kasakove, or ‘Mr. K’. We are excited to have the honor of teaching your child. I look forward to challenging each child to become confident readers and mathematicians. The greatest gift and responsibility that I have is to help your child to progress in his or her love, appreciation, and dedication to Christ our King. Kindergarten is a time of tremendous growth and development for children spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Thank you for entrusting your greatest treasures to us. We have a year of exploration, challenges, learning, and Joy ahead of us. Let’s begin!

First Days

The first two days of school are half days. We welcome Kindergarten families to walk your child into the classroom on these two days, Monday August 25th and Tuesday August 26th. Starting on Wednesday, August 27th, our first full day, we encourage families to send in their child as a regular carpooler or walker. Please send a snack, but no lunch on these first two days.

Supply Prep

If you have not done so already, please write your child’s name (with permanent marker) on EACH crayon inside each box (3 boxes total). Please also tape or write your child’s name on EACH glue stick and dry erase marker. During kindergarten, we work on keeping track of our belongings. Writing names helps us to keep track of everyone’s things. Thank you for this extra effort!

A Little About Us

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Ms. Katie Catalano ‘Ms. Cat’: Hello! I am thrilled to teach kindergarten here again at Saint Ann! Before moving to Saint Ann last year, I taught kindergarten at Holy Family Catholic School in Dale City for three years. Before then I taught fourth grade and kindergarten in Stafford County Public Schools. Since my move to Catholic School, I have cherished the opportunity to share my faith with students. We strive to relate all content and lessons to Christ. I earned a Masters in Elementary Education from Virginia Tech in 2008. In my free time I enjoy being outside, long walks and hikes, kayaking, and spending time with loved ones. I am an aspiring children’s writer who loves to draw and paint. After teaching I enjoy winding down with a jog, and curling up with a good book or my ukulele and mug of green tea. Saint Ann Catholic School has already become home to me.

Mr. Evan Kasakove ‘Mr. K’: I am excited to start my first year teaching Kindergarten at Saint Ann Catholic School. I am from New Jersey and I graduated this past May from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA with a BA in Political Science. I am currently an Assistant Boys Basketball Coach for Bishop O’Connell High School here in Arlington. Coaching and teaching are two of my passions. In my free time I like to watch TV, movies and sports. I am a big sports fan. I also enjoy reading and hanging out with friends and family.

Our Kindergarten Day

Students may enter the classroom 7:45 AM. Dismissal is at 3:15 PM. We dismiss at 2:15 PM on Wednesdays. At the end of each day, students will be escorted to the line for carpool, walkers, extended day, or an after-school activity.

Snack

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Students will eat a snack at about 10:30 AM each day (it varies by day due to Specials times) Please be sure to send a healthy snack that your child can open by him or herself. If a spoon is needed, please provide it. We have several children in our class who have severe nut allergies that are life-threatening. Please be conscientious about that when selecting a snack and lunch. No cookies or chips please. Snack ideas: an apple and cheese, bag of grapes or cut up fruit, veggie slices and dip, popcorn, graham crackers, goldfish crackers, yogurt, granola bar, cheese and crackers. Thank you for your support in teaching our students healthy habits!

Lunch and Recess

Our lunch and recess will be from 11:55 to 12:50 each day in the Parish hall and front playground. In addition to recess after lunch, kindergarteners enjoy a morning recess and an afternoon play most days.

Specials

Monday: Art and ComputerTuesday: MusicWednesday: PE (physical education)

Thursday: Library and PE

Friday: Spanish

PE days: wear Saint Ann PE uniform and sneakers.

*Specials classes will begin the second week of school, so no need to wear PE uniforms the first week.

Kindergarten Curriculum

Our Kindergarten curriculum will be presented in units and themes, and is based on the Diocese of Arlington’sCurriculum and Standards. Teachers,

students, and parents collaborate and work hard to prepare students with a strong

educational foundation. Students will master all Diocese of Arlington’s standards, and will earn the highest scores possible on their Phonemic Awareness (PALS) assessments, which are administered at the beginning and end of the school year.

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Reading / Language Arts

Reading in Kindergarten is literature based. Literature is enjoyed during reading, writing, speaking, and listening practice. Our reading program highlights phonetic skills, literature, word building, word families, and vocabulary. Your child will learn to read and write at least 20 words that appear most frequently in books, called ‘sight words’. Students use this word base to read more independently and fluently.

We utilize a combination of the Open Court Reading, Reading A-Z, and Word Study programs. Most students will begin by practicing writing and identifying the uppercase and lowercase letters, blending their sounds to make words, and learning to use phonics to decode single-syllable, short vowel words. We will celebrate roughly one letter per week, enjoying a craft or special theme based on that letter. Students will learn to read and write answers to prompts. Students who enter kindergarten already reading will be challenged with Readers at their instructional level. They will complete more challenging assignments, and will work on more advanced word sorts. All students, no matter reading level, will participate in the crafts and special activities celebrated each week. We utilize Handwriting Without Tears, which is a wonderful supplement to our reading and writing program. Please help your child to practice writing his/her first name, with only the first letter capitalized. Please practice gripping the pencil correctly.

Math

Our Math series is Houghton Mifflin Mathematics. We present all concepts with engaging hands-on activities. We begin our day with Calendar Time, in which we gradually build on math concepts in an engaging and game-like way. Your child will learn to recognize, write, and count aloud from 0 to 101. Students will also learn sorting, patterns, graphing, measurement, and will develop a number sense to add, subtract, and compare numbers and groups of objects. Please begin practicing counting aloud to 20 with your child daily. He or she

would greatly benefit if you practice counting small objects together, by moving each into a separate pile to avoid re-counting the same object.

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Objects could be pieces of cereal, Lego’s, pencils, buttons, or whatever you find around your home!

Religion

In Kindergarten, we have the joyful responsibility of introducing children to Christ and His words and lessons for us. Jesus came to Earth and sacrificed for each one of us, so that we can join Him in Heaven for eternal happiness. Wow, what great news to get to share!

At Saint Ann Catholic School, we encourage the joy that is already in your child, and help him or her to see the presence of Christ with us every minute of the day.

‘Who Am I?’ is the kindergarten portion of the Image of God Series. Students encounter God through His Creations, by discovering Christ’s Sacrifice for us, and by the way we treat others. We strive to make Religion relevant and joyful for your child, in order to form a foundation in Christ. During Snack Time each day, students will learn to read and sing songs of praise to the Lord. They will learn to write prayers of thanksgiving and petition, and glorify God through their illustrations. They will serve Christ in the community through two bakes sales, as well as by participating in all the community projects that Saint Ann Catholic School conducts. We strive to relate all subject matter to our Faith, and to develop an appreciation for God’s wonderful love for us!

Science and Social Studies

Students will explore and marvel at God’s creations through nature and experiments with our Lab Learner Science program. They will learn about important saints of the past, choices people have made, and the effects thereafter. They will enjoy activities and experiments covering all kindergarten content from the curriculum and standards of the Diocese of Arlington.

We present a very integrated curriculum in Kindergarten. For example, students will learn about the science concept of ‘sinking’ and ‘floating’ when they make boats to celebrate the letter B. They will count the number of flat marbles their boats can support before sinking. For the letter C, they will bake cake, and will practice coin identification and counting skills while selling cake to the ‘big kids’. They will donate the proceeds to the needy, while learning about charity and ‘Wants and Needs’.

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Parent-Teacher Communication

Your child will bring home a Home Folder each day. Inside you will find the Star Calendar. Each day, your child will earn a ‘star’ for kind and attentive behavior. If your child is struggling to pay attention or participate, or is consistently making choices that prevent learning or hurts others, you will see a quick note about what your child is working on improving. Please be sure to discuss the Star Calendar with your child daily, and praise your child for his/her efforts! Children may benefit from setting goals with you, and earning a ‘play date’ for a set number of stars!!

I check my email before and after school: kcatalano@stann.org. I will make every effort to reply to you within 24 hours, usually sooner. We are not permitted to discuss student behavior or academic progress during Dismissal outside, Recess, or Lunch. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me. We will discuss via email, phone, or set up a conference.

Homework

Monday-Thursday: a phonics or handwriting worksheetTuesday & Thursday: a math practice worksheet as well.Please help your child to practice writing his/her first name and number on ALL homework worksheets sent home. After Christmas, they will also include their last

name. Homework should not take longer than 30 minutes. If it does, please let us know, and we will alter it accordingly. Please read the directions to your child, and help him or her to correct mistakes before returning it to the Home Folder. If it requires cutting, please allow your child to do the cutting, to provide needed practice. (Point scissors outward and turn the paper.)

Please return ALL homework (including any Leveled Reader) the next day in your child’s Home Folder. Students who complete all their homework earn special activities! Thank you for keeping up with your child’s homework and teaching responsibility from the start. Homework will begin September 8th.

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Leveled Reader (LR) HomeworkIf a paper Leveled Reader (LR) comes home, it is meant to be worked on

each night that week. This is usually a different book than the ones your child will be reading in the classroom, so he/she will need your help. Your child will practice pointing his/her finger under each word and reading the LR to a family member each night. A parent should date and initial the back after helping your child to practice the reader, and return it in the Home folder each and every night. Please do not feel limited to reading it only once nightly! They are short, and meant to be practiced and enjoyed as often as possible to add fluency and help your child to remember the featured sight word! Your child should be able to ‘fluently’ read the book by Friday (meaning read it quickly, not getting stuck on any words, including the title). *Please Note: Do not read the book to your child! He or she should sound out words and figure it out for him/herself. Only help with a word if he/she really needs help to avoid getting overly frustrated. Instead, guide him/her to sound it out.

Fridays: No homework. All finished worksheets and Leveled Readers from the week will be in your child’s Home folder. Please clear the folder out each weekend. Please store Leveled Readers in a special box or cereal box for later practice at home!

Optional Free Choice (FC) Reading Log

We encourage parents to read Free Choice (FC) books at home as often as possible. A monthly reading log will be available on our website. If you choose, you may fill it with books your child enjoyed with family members! Please select and supply these books. The parent may read the Free Choice book to the child. Please use the log to record and celebrate the books you read

together, but do not feel pressured to record books each night. You are most welcome to send these at the end of the month so that we can marvel at the books you read together

Volunteers

Saint Ann Catholic School is blessed with strong family support. We would love parent volunteers to help prepare or assemble parts for a seemingly endless number of activities. Some preparations, such as cutting things out or making play dough, could be done outside of the classroom. We want to give students time to become comfortable and confident in their new surroundings. Starting in October, you will receive invitations to volunteer in the classroom for Centers, special crafts, activities, prep work, or parties. During our last months we will invite parents to come in to share about a career or hobby!

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Daily Helper

We will have an honorary helper each day. This child will help during Calendar, word sorts, and perform a number of other honorary duties. We will post a calendar of ‘Special Days’ in the classroom monthly. You will be surprised how quickly students learn about calendars when they are looking for their special day to be ‘Helper’.

Show and Tell

Your child will be invited to share an item for Show and Tell in a few months. Please DO NOT ALLOW toys of any kind to be brought in otherwise. They become a major distraction, even if they stay in backpacks. Also, please do not allow your child to wear bracelets, hair ties around wrists, or watches at school. They become a distraction as well, and are against school policy. Girls may only wear post-earrings, due to safety reasons. More information about Show and Tell to come!

Birthdays

We enjoy celebrating and honoring your child on his/her birthday (or your choice of another day for summer birthdays). Your child may bring in a small treat to share! Please consider allergies when sending a treat: absolutely no nuts. If a treat is store-bought, please check its label to ensure it was not processed in a

facility with nuts. Ideas for treats include mini cupcakes, rice crispy treats, or cookies! *Please do NOT send full-sized cupcakes.

Classroom Celebrations

Healthy food is a priority during classroom parties. Our Room Moms will coordinate donations such as cheese cubes, crackers, grapes, cut fruit, ham and turkey slices, white cheddar popcorn, and Goldfish crackers. Students will see that we do not need to eat ‘junk’ to celebrate. More information about parties will be coming soon!

Field Trip to Green Meadows Petting Farm!

Date: Thursday, September 25th

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We will leave Saint Ann by 9 AM, and arrive at Green Meadows by 10 AM. We are looking for about six parent volunteers to be responsible for students in our class. Other parents (as well as parents bringing their own younger children) are welcome to join us there, and pay $12 at the gate to enter. We will take a Bishop O’Connell bus. Please reserve that date on your calendar and plan to come, whether you can be an official parent volunteer or not! *Please send all field trip paperwork and money back to school TOGETHER in a sealed envelope. More info to come.

In the Spring we are thinking of going to the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing in DC or visiting a local pizza shop to make and eat our own pizzas! These ideas are tentative. If you have another idea to share, please do!

More things to look forward to in the next few months!

Mary’s Birthday on September 8th, All Saints Dressing up and Presentations October 20th, Halloween Parade October 30th, Thanksgiving Grandparents’ Day November 25th, Kindergarten Christmas Pageant December 12th, Family Gingerbread House party December 16th, crafts for each letter, daily exercise songs that incorporate math skills, acting out stories and songs, our special 100 Day celebration, and bonding with Church Buddies and Household Groups! *parents are invited to bolded events!

We are thrilled to be your child’s teachers! Every child is a beloved gift from God, and we treat them as such. We are here if you and your family have any questions or concerns. Please contact me at kcatalano@stann.org. Also, throughout the year please feel free to write notes in your child’s Home Folder, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We look forward to a wonderful year!

God Bless you,

Ms. Cat and Mr. K

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Please see the below information about All Saints (celebrated Oct. 20th- start preparing!), important information from our nurses, and information about the 100th Day project.

Saint Project & Presentation

On Monday, October 20th, each student will dress as a favorite saint. Please help your child to practice telling who the saint is, and what he or she did to please God. You and your child will also make a poster of the saint. This poster will help the children to remember details about the saint’s life, and what we remember about that saint. Please make the poster attractive, so that we can post them in the hallway! Any size poster is fine, but average poster-size is ideal.Ex: Who is your saint? Did your saint have a problem? What were some choices that your saint made? Is there a special day we honor your saint?Your child will CHANGE out of their costume afterward, so don’t forget to wear Saint Ann uniform underneath! *Saint Poster due on the day of the presentation. You may send it earlier if needed.Thank you and God Bless you,Ms. Cat and Mr. K

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A note from our nurses:

Welcome to Saint Ann Catholic School! *all Kindergarten students must have a physical completed anytime after August 26, 2013. If you had a physical in the past year please contact your health care provider for a copy. We need a copy for every student.*Students who were preschoolers at St Ann’s must submit an updated physical. This is a VA requirement.*all immunizations must be complete. If your student has a medical exemption your doctor will complete that space on the VA Health Assessment Form. *the first day packet will contain detailed explanations of the medication administration policies. The link to the forms was in the August newsletter.*we will be contacting parents after we review health records if any gaps need to be closed. 

The clinic will be staffed from 10 - 2 Monday through Friday and 10-12 on noon dismissal days. We try to get the students back to class when possible but if there is fever over 100 we call the parents. When students visit the clinic most times we send parents an email update. Please feel free to email us atschoolnurse@stann.org in the event that you have any health concerns. 

We are looking forward to meeting the kindergarteners! As well as their parents!

Your school nurses, Dianne Cancian and Marie Corvo

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100th Day of School Projects & Party!Around February, we will celebrate the 100th day of school! Students will have 2 activities at home to prepare.

1. Make a 100 Day Poster Project! Please use 100 of something, such as beads, beans, plastic ‘jewels’, flat marbles, to arrange to make a beautiful picture or poster. *BONUS: make something to honor God or our Mother Mary! This is DUE on the 100th day of school . Parents are encouraged to help make the craft. Children are proud of the beautiful creations they make with their family. This poster can be ANY size or shape!

2. 100 Treats! Please help your child to practice counting (moving from one pile to another to prevent re-counting of the same treat) up to 100! Then send 100 of the small treats. Nothing that contains traces of nuts, please. Ideas: mini marshmallows, fruit snacks, gold fish, skittles, pieces of a favorite cereal (again, be careful about nuts in cereal). Thank you! We look forward to this special day!

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