Dear Parents,
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you into our Kindergarten classroom. My name is Ms. Rachel Hornby, feel free to address me as Ms. Rachel. I am your child’s Kindergarten teacher! This is my third year of teaching at Champ
Cooper and I am very excited to spend this year with your child!
I feel it is important that the families of my students know enough about me so that they feel comfortable leaving their child under my care. Therefore, I have included a little basic information about myself, my philosophy of teaching, my background and my outlook for my class and this year. If you have any other comments or concerns please feel free to ask me at anytime.
I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from
Southeastern Louisiana University in May of 2012. I am currently working on my
Masters in Special Education at Southeastern Louisiana University. I am originally from the Laplace area (St John Parish) and I am currently a resident of
Ponchatoula, Louisiana. I live with my fiancé, two dogs, and cat. I love coming to work each and every day to see the smiles on the kids’ faces and to make a difference in each and every one of their lives.
This is going to be a very exciting year. Our classroom theme revolves around
Dr. Seuss. I believe he was a great asset to children’s literacy and social development. We will also be focusing on all the other important academic and social subjects of Kindergarten.
I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with you and your child as we begin a new experience at Champ Cooper together. It is my hope that every day this year will be a positive adventure. Please use this booklet as a reference guide

all year. I have prepared it to address some of the most common Kindergarten routine questions. However, if you ever have a question or concern, please feel free to call the school office at (985) 542-6182 and I will return your call as quickly as possible. You can also reach me by email at rachel.hornby@tangischools.org
I have put together a Parent Information Packet for your benefit. It includes all of the details that are a part of our class. Please look through the packet with your child and discuss the contents. The students will be required to follow the procedures explained in the packet at all times.
Having your support in our classroom is very important to me. Feel free to communicate with me at any time through notes in the student's homework folders, phone calls, Email, or conferences. Email is the best way to get information to
me quickly. If we work together, we will have a great year!
Sincerely,
Rachel Hornby

Class Web Page
Please visit our classroom web page. You can find all of the information that you will need in one place. I will also try to post pictures of classroom activities so that you can watch your children grow and learn at school. To access our class web page go to www.tangischools.org
. In the top right corner select Champ Cooper School. Click on the faculty and staff icon and then Hornby, Rachel-Kindergarten Teacher.
Newsletters:
Every Monday my “Seuss-Sational Weekly” Newsletter will go home. This explains what we are doing in each subject as well as new news and reminders. Please look over this each week. Sometimes there will be important information on the back of the news letter.
Please look at it carefully.
Classroom Rules
In our classroom, we establish rules that our class has agreed to follow. The rules are as follows:
1) Listen- Always listen to your teacher and your classmates. DO NOT talk while someone else is talking
2) Raise your hand- Raise your hand to ask a question or for permission.
3) Wait your turn- Wait until you are called on.
4) Walk in line- Walk one behind the other.
5) Be a friend- Be kind and respectful; Treat others how you would want to be treated!
6) Keep your hands to yourself- Do not touch, kick, hit, slap, etc other student or their work in the hallways.
7) Help clean up- Keep your area and our classroom clean!
8) Walk don’t run- Quiet walking feet at ALL TIMES.
9) Share- When using class materials, take turns.

Behavior Policy
To keep track of the student's behavior, a behavior sheet will be placed in their Take
Home folders. The sheet will indicate the color your child was on for each day of the week
I will also use this to write notes about behavior. Please check your child's folder daily
and initial in the designated area if they go home on a color OTHER THAN GREEN.
This will notify me that you saw the folder and its contents. Throughout the year, the students will be rewarded according to the number of days on green they have. The students will also be rewarded with praise, Cougar Cash, notes home, and PBIS events.
Every morning each student will start out with their clip on green. Below is a list of the colors and what they mean.
Color Consequence
First Verbal Warning
Green: Horton’s Heroes= Great Day!
Yellow: Thing One and Thing Two= Warning!
Blue: Red Fish, Blue Fish Lose a Privilege= Consequence (Loss of Recess)
Red: Cat in the Hat= Note/Call Home (No Recess/No Snack)
Purple: Speak with the Once-ler= Principals Office
Severe or repeated misbehavior will require a parent/teacher conference. Students who display behavior that is unacceptable in the classroom will be removed to the office.
Rewards
1) Each student will be given an individual behavior reward chart. For every time the student is caught doing what he or she is supposed to they will receive a sticker. They will also receive a sticker for each day they stay on GREEN. Once their chart is filled (26 stickers) they will be allowed to pick a prize from the pot o’ gold/treasure chest.
2) Other rewards include: chance to move back once on behavior chart, art time, music time, computer time, good notes home, etc..
3) For everyday all 26 students stay on green a bar on our Seuss-success chart will be filled. One the whole chart is filled the class will receive a special mystery reward (pizza party, movie time, extra play time, etc..)
4) Cougar Cash will be distributed when a student is caught doing what they are supposed to by another teacher or myself. When a student gets a cougar cash, they will put their name on it and place it in the bucket. I will draw from the bucket every Friday. The winner will be allowed a choice of prize out of the treasure box.

Classroom Materials
I purchase many of the materials that we use in our classroom with my personal funds. For this reason, I ask the students to take special care of the items. One of our classroom standards is, “I can take care of my things.” We spend time in the beginning of the year learning how to take care of all of the materials used in the classroom. The students will be given several opportunities to learn from their mistakes when classroom materials are destroyed. After the students have had the opportunity to change their behavior, and a material has been destroyed again; it will be their responsibility to replace the material. Please pay attention to the notes on your child’s behavior chart so that you will be aware of any misuse. I will send a note home if an item needs to be replaced. This will only be for items that I have purchased. I appreciate your help with this matter.
Champ Cooper PBIS(Positive Behavior System)
This year there will be a school wide positive behavior incentive program. The students will be rewarded with Cougar Cash for following expectations around the school. The positive behavior system that CCS has adopted is working very well. The students earn
Cougar Cash when they are caught doing the right things. This makes it easy to praise the students who are following the rules instead of correcting the students who are not. The students are able to attend these PBIS events as long as they meet the requirements on the PBIS calendar. For my class that is no blue red or purple marks in their behavior chart for that 6 weeks. Champ Cooper also recently started the “Cougar List’’. Each six weeks an exceptional student will be chosen to be the Cougar Winner. A ceremony will be held where their parents attend. The students are called on stage and receive a t-shirt and certificate. Students must exhibit exceptional behavior to be selected by their homeroom teacher.
Lunch
Lunch information will be sent home with your child. Always send money in labeled envelopes or baggies! The label should include: child’s name, teacher’s name, and the amount of money that is included. NEVER send lose money please! Parents are encouraged to prepay for lunches. It might make it easier for you to send in a check for several lunches. The cafeteria staff keeps track of your child’s lunch account balance. Feel free to send your child with packed lunches as well.

Health
1) Medication, even over the counter medications must be accompanied by a doctor’s note and must be distributed by the office. Even with a doctor’s note, an adult must bring all medications to school. Children may not bring medication in their backpacks/lunch boxes.
2) All emergency cards must be turned into the office in case we need to reach you due to a medical emergency. Please make us aware of changes throughout the school year.
3) If your child has a communicable disease (cold, flu, etc) they need to stay home. Ill children will be sent home. As always your child will be responsible for any work missed.
4) Please send extra clothes to school for emergency situations, please send them in a clearly labeled Ziploc bag.
5) If your child has a severe medical condition or any allergies, please let me know immediately.
Activities
Throughout the year, we will conduct many different types of activities. I strive to meet the goals of every student, and every student learns in a different way. Some students learn best by hearing information; others need to see information, and still others need to be able to move in order to learn. This is why we will use many different types of activities. Our activities will include presentations and projects. We will also complete regular assignments such as workbook pages. The students will be asked to work alone and in groups. The students will also conduct work in learning centers on a daily basis. To further promote classroom activities, each student will be assigned a classroom job. The jobs will be changed on a weekly basis.
Classroom Jobs:
1) Our classroom job chart is placed in the room.
2) Each job has a heading and will be explained the first day.
3) Each student will have a name plate that can be placed on the job board.
4) In the morning the students are asked to look and see if their name is placed for any job that day.
5) Students who have jobs are expected to do them at the appropriate times (times will be distinguished and gone over with during the first day)
6) The jobs will be changed daily.

Assessment
It would not be fair to students to use many different types of activities and assess them all in the same way. The Kindergarten report card is different than in older grades.
There are skills listed for reading and math, however the students are able to master those skills throughout the entire year. The first six weeks of Kindergarten are used to review skills, but if your child has already mastered a report card skill it may be recorded.
The students will continually be assessed on report card skills and as a skill is mastered it will reflect on the report card at the end of each six weeks. There may be skills that your child is able to do that are not marked. This is because we target certain skills each six weeks. All items will be assessed by the 5 th six weeks of school. At the end of the school year, any skills that the students have not mastered will be reassessed. The students must master at least 26 skills by the end of the school year.
Grading Scale:
S- 80%-100%... Satisfactory
P- 70%-79%... Progressing
N- 0-69%... Not Satisfactory
Homework
Homework will be an important part of our classroom. It will be used as a way to extend the student's learning and to share his/her knowledge with you. I do not expect you or the students to spend hours agonizing over homework. The homework should take no more than one half hour each day. Each student will have a Take Home Folder. In the folder there will be a pocket that says homework/return. If there is a homework page assigned, it will be in the pocket of the folder. THERE WILL NOT BE A HOMEWORK
ASSIGNMENT DAILY. However, there will always be activities listed in the Seuss-
Sational Weekly newsletter to do on a nightly basis. Homework should be viewed as a positive activity.

Take Home Folder
I feel it is extremely important that we communicate frequently about your child’s progress in my classroom. Each student is required to bring in a “take home folder” that includes two sides, one for homework and one for notes, papers, etc. The side labeled
“Homework return” is where the homework will be. The side labeled “keep” is work done in class for you to keep at home. I have also included a copy of their behavior chart so that you are aware of their behavior in class. Please be sure to check his/her folder every night and sign papers/documents when needed. Also please return any requested items, money, permission slips, etc in this folder. Newsletters will be sent home weekly. Please read them carefully. They contain important weekly information. Any notes for you to keep will be placed on the keep side. The behavior chart, as well as any homework or returnable papers will always be placed on the return/homework side. Please keep the behavior chart in the students folder.
The Take Home folders are very important in our classroom. This is our line of communication between home and school each day. This folder contains: the weekly newsletter, snack calendar, behavior chart, notes home, PBIS reward calendar, and homework. Please check your child's folder each day and replace it back in his/her
book sack. It becomes a problem if the folders are not returned to school each day. It will help the students if the same routine is followed daily at home as well as at school. If
I am ever absent for the day, folders will go home but will not be marked. I do not allow the sub to mark folders.
It is the student's responsibility to turn in his/her Take Home folder each day, and not misplace it.
Communicators
When report cards, test, or other official papers from the school must go home they will be sent in the white communicator. These folders will be sent home on Tuesdays.
The folders will contain important notes from the office and graded papers. Please check the information in the folder and sign the front each Tuesday it is sent home. The white communicator must be returned to school the next day. The graded papers and any information that is filled out; needs to be returned in the white communication
folder.

Parent Involvement
There will be many opportunities this year for you to take part in our classroom. I will send notes home throughout the year requesting volunteers for things such as guest readers, arts and crafts, and learning activities. Please watch your child’s Take Home folder or communicator folder for more details.
Visitors
Visitors are always welcome in the school and classroom except for during testing periods. Every time you enter the building, a visitor badge must be worn. You must also sign in and out of the office. If your child will NOT be going home following their usual routine, I must have this information in writing. Please provide the office with all current contact information for emergencies. Please also provide me with an email address or number where you can be reached if needed.
Snack Calendar
The students will be required to bring snack once a month for the class. A snack calendar will be placed in the student's Take Home folder at the beginning of each month.
On the day that your child's name is printed, please send a prepackaged snack and drink for each student in the class. The number of students will be listed at the top of the calendar. The snacks can be dropped off at the office any time before 1:00pm on that day or sent with your child that morning.
Share Time
The students will be allowed to share something from home on a monthly basis on the
same day that he/she brings snack. I would prefer if the students would bring a book from home to share with the class. The student's last year really enjoyed talking about pictures and reading simple books to each other. However, the students are allowed to bring anything to share that they wish. The student's share day will be the same as their snack day.

Early Finisher Activity
There are times in the classroom when your child may be finished with a project before the time allowed for the activity is over. When this happens, your child will be able to complete an Early Finisher activity. We have many things available in the classroom; however I would like you to send one thing that you know your child will enjoy. REMEMBER the activity must be done while others are still working, so it must be quiet and done without the help of other students or the teacher. Some examples are: word searches, coloring books, flash cards, memory games, or books. Please send only one thing since the students will keep them in their desk. Your child can bring it home and exchange it for something else though out the year. Keep in mind the activity must be taken out and put away quickly. It can be sent to school at any time and is not required. You know your child best!
Lost and Found/Toys:
Please be sure to put your child’s name on everything especially jackets, coats, sweaters.
If an item is found without a name, it will be sent to the lost and found. Children are not permitted to bring toys or electronics into the school.
Birthdays/ Celebrations:
I feel it is important to celebrate each of my students birthday’s as well as holidays.
Throughout the year we will have various celebrations. If you ever wish for your child to not celebrate with us please send notice and we will arrange for them to be placed in another classroom during this time.
Children may bring in a treat for their birthday. Please be sure that there is enough treats for each student in the class. If you wish to bring a cake I ask that you deliver it sometime throughout the day and do not send it with the student. Also if you plan to do a cake and “birthday party” in class please give me notice ahead of time so it can be worked into our schedule.
Holiday celebrations will be schedule throughout the year. Parties will be a class event in which I will send home a signup sheet for contributions and volunteers in advance.
Rest Time
We will take a 60 minute rest time each afternoon. You will provide your child with a mat. The nap mat must be able to fit into your child’s cubby. The thick green

mats will not fit into the cubbies. You can also send a small blanket or beach towel for your child to use. This too must fit into the cubby and be small enough for your child to fold on his/ her own. Please do not send pillows or stuff animals. I will send the blankets home to wash on an as needed basis. Please wash them and return them to school.
Scholastic Book Orders
The students will be able to place orders through www.scholasticbooks.com
. We are no longer able to take money into the classroom for book orders so all orders will have to be placed and paid for online. I encourage you to order books for your child. Not only will your child benefit from reading the new stories, but we will also earn books for our classroom. There will be a note about orders in the communicator about every six weeks.
This will explain in detail how to place an order.
Computer Log Ins:
Throughout the year computer logins for the programs we use at school will go home. I will keep a copy of the students’ logins so they have them at school. I ask that you practice logging into the computers (practice typing and where the letters are on the keyboard) with your child so they can get the most out of the programs at school by maximizing their times.

Entering the classroom/bell work:
1) Enter the classroom quietly, quickly, appropriately and on time.
2) Deposit your take home folder into the designated milk carton.
3) Place notes or labeled money in basket on desk.
43) Unpack any needed supplies for bell work/beginning of the day. Such as; pencil boxes, crayons, etc.
5) Hang book sack and jacket on correct hook in your designated cubby.
6) Grab a sheet from the stack by the computer to work on until I call time. You may also work in your own coloring books or read a book from the library.
7) Sit in your desk and begin bell work ( coloring sheets, word puzzles, etc)
Attendance:
1) After every student has entered the room the teacher will take attendance.
2) While the teacher is taking attendance continue to work on your bell work.
3) Listen for your name to be called and ONLY answer for YOUR NAME.
4) If you finish your bell work early, get an early finisher sheet out of the early finisher bin or use the early finisher you have brought from home.
Pencil Sharpening:
1) A caddy will be placed on each groups table. It will include a glue, scissors. Eraser and 2 pencils per student. The pencils will be sharpened each afternoon by myself and fresh pencils will be placed back in the caddy. The students are to use the pencils in the caddy on their table throughout the day. If all the pencils in the caddy break or are being used the student will raise their hand to tell me and I will allow them to grab an extra pencil off my desk.
2) If you wish you may send your child with their own pencils that they can keep in their coloring boxes, which are kept in their desk.
Trash:
1) Students are asked to keep their trash at their desk until we are exiting the classroom.
2) Students will then be given the opportunity to throw away their trash.
3) Limit the amount of unnecessary trash kept at the desk to maximize work space.
Tissue:
1) If a tissue is needed during instructional time. The student is asked to hold their nose quietly and raise their hand. This will allow me to know I don’t have to stop the lesson to answer a

question, but will still allow be to signal to the student that they can get a tissue.
2) Students are asked to immediately throw away used tissue and quietly use disincentive or a baby wipe.
Questions:
1) Students who have a question are asked to raise their hand and wait for the teacher to call on them.
2) If I see your hand, I know you have a question and I will give you time to ask. You do not need to wave your hand in the air or make noises. This is distracting to me and to other students.
3) I will let you know when it is a calling out time and when it is a raise your hand time.
Lining Up:
1) When it is time to line up and exit the classroom, I will ask you to line up. Please do not line up until you are asked to do so.
2) Once you are instructed to line up, you will line up in your number order. Each student will be given a number in the beginning of the year, It is important they learn it.
3) Only three students may be out of number order (the line leader, the door holder and the caboose) these three students are assigned when we distribute the classroom job titles in the morning.
4) The door holder (job titles established in morning) will open the door and hold it until the caboose is out of the room. The door holder will then get in their position (second in line) until we come to another door that needs held.
Walking the halls:
1) We walk down the hall quietly. We are responsible students who respect the rights of students who are learning.
2) We walk on the right hand side of the hallway and stay in a line, one student behind the other.
3) Being appropriate in line means: keep your hands to yourself (this means no touching other students’ work in the hallway!), keep your shoes on your feet, walk don’t run, and stay behind the person in front of you. We are setting examples for the Pre-K and showing the older grades what big boys and girls we can be.
5) Failure to walk appropriately in the halls will result in given consequences.
Bathroom:
1) Students are asked to go to the bathroom during morning work and the other scheduled bathroom breaks.
2) Students will be given multiple group bathroom breaks during class time.

3) When the class is at the bathroom as a whole students will be called by tables for the bathroom.
4) After the student is finished they are to return to their designated seat.
5) If you must use the bathroom while in class raise your hand. This will allow me to know that you need to be excused. I will then respond to you. Students will be required to take the appropriate hall pass and report to the bathroom. Report back to class immediately, failure to do so will result in consequences.
6) No student will be allowed to use the bathroom DURING lunch, since we will all visit the bathroom right BEFORE lunch.
7) If you must use the restroom at recess please see and ask the teacher on duty if I am not on duty for that day.
Fire Drills/Emergency Alerts:
1) If a fire drill happens students are asked to leave all their belongings and line up in number order immediately.
2) Students are asked to follow “walking the hall” procedures and exit the building as the teacher directs.
3) You DO NOT take anything with you!
Tardy:
1) All students who are tardy must report to the front office and check in before reporting to class.
2) Students need to be inside the classroom and ready to begin by 7:50am everyday!
Make up Work:
1) In the front of the room are 5 different colored manila folders with Mon-Friday on it. I place missed work for those days in the folders. If your child misses a day I will send home the missed assignments the next day they are present in their take home folder.
Classroom visitors/ Announcements:
1) When someone visits the class or an announcement is being made you may quickly say hello and then continue on with your work.
2) If the visitor or announcement is for you personally, you will be notified.
3) Do not get off task.
4) During morning announcements I ask that you continue to work but also listen.
Attention Getter:
1) The theme in our classroom is Dr. Seuss!
2) When I want to get the classes attention I will clap twice and say “One fish, two fish”

3) Students are asked to clap twice back and say “Red fish, Blue fish”. This will let me know that
I have everyone’s attention.
Packing Up:
1) You may not pack up until the last remaining ten minutes of the day. I will instruct you to do so.
2) Your folders will be given back out to you after nap.
3) If you brought your lunch, don’t forget to take your lunchbox home.
4) Take your belongings off your hook and back to your seat.
5) Wait quietly while others pack up. Read a book or work on an early finisher.
6) Carpool will be called first
7) I will then call busses to line up and I will walk the remainder of the class out to their buses.
8) Follow hallway rules while walking to the bus. I will walk you out and dismiss you to your bus.
Cubbies:
1) Each student will be given a cubby on the first day of school. It will have their name on it and a hook to hang their school bag.
2) In the cubbies the students are asked to keep their book bags, blankets and napping mats.
3) Coloring books, coloring boxes, workbooks and other such items will be kept in their desk.
4) Their own individual behavior charts (the ones they place their stickers on) will be taped in their cubbies, so the students don’t lose them and can keep track of their stickers.
5) It is important to keep these cubbies clean.
Classroom Supplies:
1) All supplies should have your name on it.
2) Most of their supplies will be kept in their desk.
3) Tissue, paper towels, playdoh, dry erase markers and other such items will be stored elsewhere.
2) If throughout the year you need to replace the supplies in your color box with some from our storage (such as crayons or markers), I will replace them.
3) If you ever need supplies other than that in your box for an activity. I will give them to you.
* Please sign and date this bottom slip and return it with your child by Tuesday September 2,
2014.
This is to show that you have read over our classroom rules and procedures and have discussed it with your child. Thank you for your cooperation!