Welcome to Glacier Ridge 16-17
Your guide to a successful
kindergarten
school year:)
Class of
2029
Choose Kind
“Significant learning begins with
significant relationships”
We Love Kindergarten
We Love Kindergarten Video:
We Love Kindergarten Because...
Introductions
Pete Kurty – Principal
Sarah Wilcox – Administrative Intern
Laurie Coon – Guidance Counselor
Maureen Knostman – Kindergarten
Lauren Scott- Kindergarten
● Annette Wiblin - PTO co-president
● Michelle Holden - PTO co-president
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Schedule
*SLIGHT TIME ADJUSTMENT
● 7:00 - 7:20pm Welcome, info & questions
● 7:20– 7:35 – Session 1
● 7:35 – 7:50 – Session 2
● 7:50 – 8:05 – Session 3
● 8:05 - ? - Computer help
●Sign up on the Dashboard for communication
●Sign up for community rewards
Folder Contents
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) Info
Frequently Asked Questions
● Kindergarten Classroom Placement Form
●Health and Clinic Information & Immunization
● DCS Calendar 16-17
●Day Care Services & Latchkey
●GRE Communication
● School Supply Info
● Link not available yet. See future GRE
communication
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Parent Teacher Organization
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PTO FOLDER CONTENTS:
●PTO welcome letter
●Open chair and volunteer positions
●Community & work reward programs
●Box tops
GRE PTO Facebook Page
PTO Website: http://www.glacierridgepto.com
Class Placement
● Student
Placement Profile Sheet & AM or PM
Preference:
Complete and submit tonight
• Describe your child as a learner
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Provide information about the best learning
environment for your child.
● Next
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Steps:
AM/PM assignment & phase in day notification letter by
mail in June
● School letter & info by email in July
● Classroom placement by email in August
● Meet the teacher August 16th
● Curriculum Nights – first few weeks of school
Phase-in Days
Phase-in days:
● Wednesday, August 17th
● Thursday, August 18th
1/2 of all students
each day
●ALL students attend school on Friday, August 19th
During the phase-in time, students are oriented to the world
of kindergarten and teachers take some time to accurately
assess individual skill levels in a small-group setting. Your child
will only be attending kindergarten one of the first two days of
school. You will receive a letter in June with your assigned day.
The students will also be administered the Kindergarten
Readiness Assessment (KRA).
Glacier Ridge Basics
● School Hours
● AM Kdg 9:10-11:45 a.m. (arrive at 9:00)
● PM Kdg 1:00-3:40 p.m. (arrive at 12:50)
●Transportation: 614-764-5926
● Posted on the Parent Dashboard in August
● Should receive a phone call from the bus driver
● All students are offered transportation at mid-day. Eligible
students offered both ways.
●GRE Website
● Student handbook
● Birthday treat policy
● Volunteer policy
● School specific policies
10th Anniversary & Playground
Celebration on Aug. 11 3-5pm
What Will My Child Learn?
Our kindergarten curriculum
incorporates thinking & enrichment
skills into daily instruction: ask
questions, collaborate,
create/innovate, communicate,
persevere, think flexibly
Questions?
Ask our team:
● Teachers
● Parents
● Counselor
● PTO
Counselor Tips
Getting Ready for Kindergarten
*Educators and other experts say that in order to be successful in
school, young children need to develop skills in executive functions.
*Executive functions lay the groundwork for school success.
*Compared with children who show weaker executive functioning,
children who start school with strong skills make greater gains in
cognitive or academic areas like math or reading.
What exactly are
executive functions?
Teachers rate these specific qualities as more important than academic
skills. Experts say that children who lag behind in these executive
functioning skills are less ready to learn traditional academic skills than
their classmates.
*Using words to communicate needs and wants.
*Being able to follow directions.
*Being sensitive to other children’s
feelings.
*Being able to take turns and to
*Not being disruptive in class.
share.
*Being curious and willing to take risks.
*Being able to sit still and pay
attention.
*Being able to focus and finish tasks.
*Developing independence and self-direction.
Let's find out a little more
about Executive Functions!
Executive Functioning Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efCq_vH
UMqs
What can I do at home to help
instill these Executive Functions?
*Encourage independence
*Let your child put on his coat, learn to zip, button, tie own shoes
*Problem Solve, struggle, work through issues
(allow extra time in your schedule)
*Develop a routine
*Coming in from outside, going to bed, eating lunch/dinner, give multi-step
directions
*Delay gratification
*Teach them how to wait until you get off the phone, make them earn a toy
*Give them a chore
*Develops responsibility, confidence, perseverance, what can you let go and
hand over?
What else can I do at home…..
Ask questions instead of praise!
*Ask your child to explain their process and what
they created.
*Ask your child how they felt about how/what they
did and why they think that.
*Ask your child to come up with another way to
solve a problem.
Resources for Parents
*Nurtureshock
by Po Bronson
*How Children Succeed
by Paul Tough
*Executive Function in the Classroom
by Christopher Kaufman
GRE Guidance Services
-Laurie Coon
We are here to support students
with personal-social needs,
educational needs, and goals for
the future!
Your Child &
Literacy
Joyfully learning about reading & writing
Begin with what they LOVE!
Make it fun!
More fun!
Spotting Letters and words
Thank you notes:
Authentic Reasons to Write
Lists:
Rhyming fun
Letters and sounds
Strengthening Fine Motor Skills
Speaking and Listening
Read, Read, Read!
Your Child & Mathematics
Math is All Around Us
Numbers in Our World
Music is Math!
Playing Math Games
No Flashcards!
Developmental Stages of Math
One and Two More
One and Two Less
Visual Patterns
Anchoring to 5 and 10
Comparison
Part-Part-Whole
Place and Value
Operations
What can your child do around the house with math?
Reading Math Books