Back to School Night
September 9, 2015
Gwynedd Square
Elementary School
Kindergarten
Mrs. Cooper
Agenda
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Meet the Teacher
Contact Information
Curriculum Overview
Homework Policy
Behavior Policy
Miscellaneous
Helping Suggestions
Questions???
 Welcome
to Kindergarten!
 A bit about me…
Meet Mrs. Cooper
Contact Information
Email:
cooperam@npenn.org
Voicemail: (215) 855-4331,
extension 4600
Twitter (@Mandi_Cooper)
Please do not use Twitter for direct
messaging, though. Please use email,
a phone call, or a note. 
Curricular Overview ~ Math
 Go
Math ~ math program that
addresses PA Core Standards
 Much more emphasis on
numbers and operations
 Kindergarten Math Skills List
 More information on district
website if you’re interested
(link will be posted on my
website by the end of next
week)
Curricular Overview ~ Language Arts
 Journeys
Program ~ 1st year of implementation
Addresses PA Core Standards
Literature based
Strong emphasis on phonemic awareness & phonics
Students are expected to identify letters and their
sounds (short and long vowel sounds), write all 52
uppercase and lowercase letters, and blend letter
sounds into words
20-80 high-frequency words (sight words, star words)
More emphasis on writing than in past years
 Zaner-Bloser (handwriting)
 Guided Reading and Centers
 RTII (Star Time)
 Parents Go To Kindergarten ~
October 22nd
Curricular Overview ~ Science
 We
cover three science units:
Five Senses – 1st Marking Period
Paper / Paper Making – 2nd Marking
Period
Ladybugs – 3rd Marking Period
*We will also visit the high school’s
planetarium later this year!
Curricular Overview ~ Social Studies
 We
cover five social studies units:
Who We Are
Communities
Work
The USA
Our Earth
*Most of our social studies content
is integrated with language arts.
Homework Policy
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Kindergarten students receive homework beginning
late September. Homework serves a variety of
purposes. It is meant to be an adjunct to what we
are learning in school and it helps your child make
connections between what we are learning and the
real world outside of school. It also serves as a
communication tool to let you know what types of
things we are studying. It is meant to be an
enjoyable experience for you and your child! I may
occasionally send home an activity that your child
did not finish in school to be completed at home.
There will be a note written on the paper letting
you know that it should be completed and sent
back to school should this occur.
Homework Policy (continued)
Weekly Ask Me sheets will be sent home on
the first day of each week. The activities
should be completed throughout the week,
and the sheet should be signed by a parent
and returned on the last day of the week.
 Math homework (Standards Practice Book)
 Homework assignments are designed to be
flexible to meet a variety of student needs.
Please let me know if you need suggestions
for your child’s homework.
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Behavior Policy
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We generated a list of rules as a class (with
teacher guidance) that should be followed
while in our classroom and at Gwynedd
Square so that all children may learn and
have fun in a safe, caring environment. We
discuss these rules often, especially during
the first couple of weeks of school,
emphasizing why we have specific rules and
encouraging students to make “good
kindergarten choices.”
Behavior Policy (continued)
Room
116 Rules
Use a quiet voice.
Raise your hand.
Use kind words.
Take care of our school.
Be safe – always walk.
Be a good listener and follow
directions.
Keep your hands, feet, and objects
to yourself.
Behavior Policy (continued)
A
multi-tiered approach to
behavior:
Banks, tickets, and lots of
positive reinforcement!
Clothespin plan
Schoolwide Positive
Behavioral Support Plan
(Panther Pride Slips)
Miscellaneous Information
 Class
website
 Froggy Folders
 Report Cards – three
times per year
 Conferences - 1-2 per year (November
and Spring)
 Field Trips
 Kid Stuff Books
 Green Folders
Helpful Suggestions
 Read
everyday.
 Count often. Practice counting beginning
at numbers other than 1.
 Share your child’s enthusiasm for learning.
 Ask lots of open-ended questions.
 Be involved in your child’s education.
 Do not hesitate to contact your child’s
teacher with any questions or concerns.
A strong connection between home and
school greatly impacts learning!
Questions???