WELCOME TO SAN RAFAEL
KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION
2014-2015
Greetings and Introductions
Principal - Rudy Ramirez
PTA President – Noeleen Acosta
Parent Extraordinaire – Emily Mencken
Clerk Typist - Josefina Gomez
Curtis Bennett - Head Custodian
Mirian Espinal – Health Clerk
Marcus Hinkley – LEARNS Coordinator
Dual Immersion Kindergarten Teachers
- Maestra Luz Ceja
- Maestra Elva De Jarnett
- Maestra Karla Cordova
Meet each other!
Please introduce yourself to 5 new people
sitting around you.
Maestra Luz Ceja
Room #9
My name is Luz Ceja and this will be my sixth year teaching in the
Dual-Immersion program at San Rafael. I hold a Master of Arts
degree in Education with an option in Early Childhood Education and a
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential: BCLAD (Spanish). My
philosophy of education is based on the belief that each child is unique,
therefore; teachers should create an environment where each child is
motivated to learn through valuable and memorable experiences. I am
looking forward to a fun, enriching and successful 2014-2015 school
year. Welcome to our San Rafael family!
Maestra Elva De Jarnett
Room #12
Welcome to Kindergarten! My name is Elva De Jarnett and this
will be my fourth year teaching in the Dual-Immersion program at
San Rafael Elementary. I am originally from Paraguay and I studied
at CSU Dominguez Hills and CSU Long Beach, where I earned my
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (BCLAD). I am very thrilled
to share my passion and appreciation for bilingualism and
biculturalism with your children, as well as my love for music, and I
promise to offer a caring learning environment that will reach and
inspire every single one of them.
Maestra Karla Cordova
Room #11
Welcome to Kindergarten and to our wonderful San Rafael
family! My name is Karla Cordova and this will be my fourth year
teaching at San Rafael. I studied at California State University,
Fullerton and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and
Adolescent development and earned a Multiple Subject Teaching
Credential: BCLAD (Spanish). I am passionate about teaching and
I promote a lifelong love of learning in children. I offer students
an enriched learning and caring environment in which they can thrive
and be highly motivated to reach their potential. Together we’ll
have a wonderful and successful 2014-2015 school year!
The Kindergarten Program
Focuses on language development
Incorporates active learning
Provides opportunities for investigation,
exploration, and discovery
Promotes creative expression
Fosters positive interaction with others and
appreciation for diversity
Age and individually appropriate curriculum and
instruction
Safe and supportive classroom environment
Differentiated instruction
Assessments
Sample
Kindergarten Schedule
Networking
Flexible Groups
Morning/Afternoon
Meeting
Centers
– Journal Writing
– Learning Games
– Classroom Library
–
–
–
–
Attendance/Greeting
Weather/Calendar
Daily Message Board
Literature-based
experiences
– Plan for the day
Read Aloud
Recess
–
–
–
–
Language Arts
Mathematics
Science/Social
Studies
– Literacy Stations
Special Subjects
–
–
–
–
Music
PE
Art
Library
Class Meeting/Evaluation
of the Day
Dismissal
Special Kinder Traditions
Birthday
celebrations
Cero el Héroe
Panda Estrella
Super Saco / Show
and tell bag
Bono el Mono / Bona
la Mona
Special Cultural
Celebrations
Literacy activities
Visits to the public
library
100th day
celebration
Santa Monica Beach
Aquarium
Kidspace Children’s
Museum (My
Masterpieces)
Food In the Classroom
SNACKS
Monday through Friday
 SMALL NUTRITIONAL snack from home
Students should be able to open their own
container/packaging
 86 students with 5 adults
Snack: IN ITS OWN LABELED CONTAINER
 EVERYTHING must be labeled with your child’s
first and last name and their room number (use a
Black Sharpie).
•We are a peanut free school.
•Regardless the length of the school day, there is always
first recess and lunch recess.
Play First, Eat Second
At San Rafael, our students play before they eat
Students are walked to the playground at 11:00 am
Students are able to play until 11:15-11:20’sh
Students then line up to get ready to have lunch
If students bring their own lunch, they will be
directed to the Pergola area
If students are having a school lunch, they will line
up to enter the cafeteria
Procedures take a bit longer at the beginning of
the year
FOOD SERVICE
DEPARTMENT
Payment Procedures
Parents may pay by cash or check by going to the
cafeteria. Money can be deposited in student
accounts for future purchases. Please make sure
you update your child’s balance monthly.
Teachers will not collect lunch money.
.
Application for Free or Reduced Priced meals:
We encourage all interested people to complete
an application for free or reduced lunch
Any completed applications must be returned to
the front office or the cafeteria manager
School-Wide Policies &
Procedures
Uniform Policy
Solid navy, light blue, forest green or white shirts with
collars (long or short sleeves)
Official school t-shirts (Panda Wear)
Solid color sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts - preferably
in the four school colors.
Navy or khaki pants, shorts, skirts, skorts and dresses.
No denim/jeans
No open toe shoes or shoes without a back are allowed.
Free dress days are announced by the Principal or
Student Council.
Medication
The school cannot dispense medication to students unless it
has been prescribed by a physician AND with written
approval of the parent/guardian.
Medication must be in an appropriate prescription container
which includes the physician’s directions for dispensing.
All medication is administered and kept in the Front Office.
Please do not send any medication with your child, as they
may want to share it.
Parents may give the medication to the bus driver for safe
delivery.
Please notify the classroom teacher and Front Office if your
child has any medical conditions or allergies or if they
require medication during school hours.
Teachers do not administer medication to students.
Bell Schedule
7:30am
7:45am
7:50am
9:00am
11:00am
12:35pm
2:15pm
2:15pm
Morning Supervision begins
Line-up (1st Bell)
SCHOOL BEGINS (2nd Bell)
Kindergarten Recess (15 Minutes)
Kindergarten Lunch (45 Minutes)
DISMISSAL (Monday)
DISMISSAL (Tuesday -Friday)
LEARNS, Parks & Rec (until 6:00 pm)
Minimum Days
Check the calendar on our school website for
specific days
– Back to School Night (Sept 18th at 6:00 pm)
– Fridays before Winter Break and Spring Break
– Open House (TBA)
– Last Day of School
Typically, students are released at 12:30 pm but it
varies
Birthday Celebrations
Each classroom has its own way of celebrating birthdays.
Teachers usually pick a day at the end of each month to
celebrate the birthdays of that month.
Celebrations are held the last 20 minutes of the school day.
Parents may wish to bring in healthy snacks.
– There is a district policy that outlines acceptable foods and drinks,
which we follow.
– Do not bring unhealthy snacks or treats like potato chips, Cheetos,
Flaming Red Hot Cheetos, Doritos, Flaming Doritos, etc., sodas, candy,
frosting covered cookies and cupcakes
– Please consider items such as mini-muffins, grapes, apple slices, dried
fruit, string cheese, and other healthy choices
To avoid hurt feelings, distribution of invitations to birthday
parties is not allowed during school hours.
Lost and Found
Please clearly label EVERYTHING with your student’s first
and last name and room number (with a black Sharpie).
The lost and found is located in the cafeteria.
The PTA will regularly lay out the contents of the Lost &
Found at meetings.
Due to limited space, the Lost & Found is cleaned every
month or two.
All unclaimed items are donated to local charities, including a
program supporting PUSD students.
If your student has lost an item, please be sure to check the
Lost & Found prior to the end of the month.
It is the parents’ responsibility to check the Lost & Found
Miscellaneous Information
“OOPS” Policy
– From time to time, students may have an
“accident” while at school
– Please send a FULL change of clothes in a gallonsized ziploc bag. Make sure to label it with your
student’s full name.
Parties
– Halloween, Thanksgiving, Winter, Valentine’s Day,
100th Day, Spring and End of the Year Parties
are celebrated by all kindergarten students
together.
Wish List
You can help our Kindergarten program by
donating some of the school supplies used
during the school year for special projects
Take advantage of the Back-to-School sales
and stock up!
We always need reams of paper.
Look at the “Wish List” on the school
website for your child’s grade level
needs/wants.
Stay on the look-out for the Scholastic
Book Fair wish list.
Homework
Children typically bring home a homework folder on Monday
and return it on Friday
Please review the folder carefully as it often comes with
notes from your teacher
Students are expected to work for a certain number of
minutes every day.
– If your student exceeds this time on a regular basis, please talk to your
student’s teacher.
Kindergarten – 15 minutes daily on homework plus 15 minutes
of reading time
– Until your student is reading on his/her own, it is
expected that you spend this time reading to your
student.
– Read books in the language(s) in which you are fluent.
– Homework is a PUSD Policy
Communication
Phone Call
– School Messenger on
Sunday evening
• Principal, Student
Council, PTA, etc.
– PUSD Monday
Message
(Superintendent)
Online
– San Rafael Website
– E-blast
• (PLEASE SIGN UP)
– Facebook
Wednesday folder
– Principal’s Weekly
Newsletter
– Flyers
With Teachers
– Via e-mail
– In person
– Conferences
Room Parents
– Shutterfly websites
– E-mails
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR
TEACHER
Classrooms will not be interrupted during
classroom instruction time. Classroom
instruction is a very valuable time of the day
that must be protected allowing for enhanced
student achievement.
E-Mail
– E-Mail is only checked before and after
school
– Please do not e-mail important information
during school hours as it will not be read
Notes delivered by your student
Driving and Parking
Safety is #1!!!!
Follow all traffic and pedestrian laws.
– Don’t make u-turns in driveways or intersections
– Follow all posted speed limit and parking signs and go
slowly
– Don’t double park
Be mindful of our neighbors
– Do not block their driveways, play in their front yards or
move their garbage cans
– Trash pickup day is typically Thursdays
Parking
Safety is #1!!!!
There is no school parking lot
Do not park in the School Bus Zone (front of school)
Do not park in our neighbors’ driveways or block
their driveways
Observe all posted parking signs – you will get a
ticket
Give yourself enough time because you may need to
walk a block or two to campus (sometimes)
Do not jay walk – use the crosswalks
Please don’t litter; help us keep our neighborhood
lovely
Morning Drop-Off
“Valet” drop-off is available on Nithsdale (front of school)
and on San Rafael (east entrance)
Please pull forward and allow for staff to assist you
NO PARKING in valet lane ! ! !
– When one car parks in the valet lane, the entire system
stops
Student supervision begins at 7:30 am on the Upper
Playground and in the Cafeteria
If you will be walking your student to the Upper Playground,
please be aware of restricted bus lanes and traffic signs
when you park your car
Students line up on their classroom number in the morning
There is “No Playing” in the am
– With over 450 students, playing in the am would be unsafe
What if I’m late to school?
Classroom instruction begins at 7:50 am
Students are marked “late” to school if they
arrive after the bell rings
Parents must escort students to the Front Office
if they are late
Students will not be admitted into the classroom
without a tardy slip from the office
Please give yourself plenty of time in the morning
Pick-Up From School
Safety is #1!!!!
If you are picking up your student after school, teachers
walk their students to the Outdoor Classroom (fenced area
behind Room #12)
If you are carpooling or picking up other students, you need
to have written permission from those students’ parents or
guardians
Parents should either call the front office an hour before
school ends or have their students bring a note with them to
school (NO EXCEPTIONS)
In the event of a major emergency, please meet at the Back
Gate on Lower Playground
– Students will only be released to an authorized adult on the Emergency
Card with photo identification
– Parents will not be allowed on campus during emergency events
Red Flag Days
Red Flag Days are announced by the City of Pasadena
– Please sig up with the city to receive e-mail
notifications
Red Flag Days are declared when the temperature is
high and the humidity level is low
Red Flag Days allow for Emergency Personnel to access
narrow streets
ALL three curbs on the San Rafael side of the street
(Nithsdale, San Rafael, and Hermosa) are RED FLAG
postings
Please be informed and give yourself plenty of time
Driving Map
Parking Map
Campus Map
School Traditions
Spirit Days
Birthday Celebrations
Monthly recognition
assemblies
Healthy Pandas
– Play First/Eat
Second
– Field Day
Student Council
Events
– Posting Party
(classroom rosters posted)
– Back To School BBQ
– Back To School night
– Halloween/Costume
Parade
– Sweetheart Lunch
(Valentine’s Day)
– Open House
– Career Day
School Traditions Continued
Holiday
Performances /
Celebrations
Talent Show
District Music
Program
My Masterpieces
Room 13
Outdoor classroom
Picture Days
Summer School/PEF
Future Projects
– Science Lab
– Technology
Resource Center
Parent Information
Volunteers are not allowed in the classroom
for the first six weeks of school.
To volunteer in the classroom, you must first fill out an application
(found in the Front Office) and get a TB test.
If you are volunteering consistently and attending field trips, you
must go to the Ed Center (PUSD office) to get a background
screening. (Principal must approve your request first)
When you step foot on campus to volunteer, immediately go to the
Front Office to sign in & record your hours.
– Please do not go directly to any classroom
San Rafael will ask you to sign-in and wear a “Visitor’s Tag” during
your visit.
Please ONLY use adult restrooms.
Younger children are not allowed during volunteering as they can
distract classroom instruction and learning.
Parent Groups
Parent Teacher Association
(PTA)
– Monthly meetings
(alternating at 2:30 pm and
6:00 pm)
– Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch
– Scholastic Book Fair
– Read-a-Thon
School Site Council (SSC)
Annual Fund (AF)
Room #13 Art Studio
Wellness Committee/Healthy
Pandas
– Field Day
African American Parent Council
(AAPC)
Dual Immersion Advisory Council
(DIAC)
– School tours
– Cultural committee
– Marketing & outreach
– Academic
– Middle School
English Learner Advisory Council
(ELAC)
Gifted and Talented Education
(GATE)
Tech Committee
School Fundraisers
PTA
– Pumpkin Patch
– Read-a-thon
– Scholastic Book Fair
– Amazon.com URL
– Box Tops for Education
– Restaurant nights
– Movie nights
– Inkjet Cartridge, Laser
Cartridge, Batteries
and Mobile Phone
Recycling Program
Annual Fund
-Direct Appeals
-Bamboo Club (monthly
pledge)
-Panda Padre Fiesta
-Grants
Kindergarten “Rules”
Kindergarten teachers will not “break” language in
front of students.
They will only speak to you in Spanish.
Please Note:
This is an important aspect of our DualImmersion program.
You can either ask another parent to
translate or step away to where you can
speak freely without students overhearing
you.
Upcoming Events
Aug 15
“Posting Party” at 4:00 pm
(Classroom Rosters Posted)
Aug 18 Classes Resume (7:45 am)
Aug 18 “Boo-Hoo” Parent Breakfast at 8:00 am on the
Lower Playground
Aug 22 Back to School Picnic at 6:00pm
Sept 1
Labor Day Holiday – No School
Sept 4 PTA Meeting at 6:00 pm
Punch with the Principal at 5:30 pm
Sept 15 Scholastic Book Fair begins
Sept 18 Back to School Night – Minimum Day
Sept 23 School Site Council meeting at 2:30 pm