Welcome to Countryside
School Kindergarten
Kindergarten Registration Night
Barrington School District 220
2015-2016


Welcome - Mrs. Thomas (School Principal)

Administration - Mrs. Holmes (School Secretary)

Medical - Mrs. Wesoloski (School Nurse)

Welcome to Kindergarten - Mrs. Gorges
(Kindergarten Teacher)


Registration Forms

Proof of Residency

Birth Certificates

FERPA

Transportation


Physicals / Dental / Vision

Emergency Information

 To nurture the love of learning
 Create life long learners
 Spark curiosity
 Foster social/emotional development
 Develop problem solvers and critical thinkers
 Create readers, writers, scientists, explorers, and mathematicians
 Build independence
 Academic learning
 Prepare for 1 st grade

 Able to write his/her name, using a capital letter for first letter only
 Knows the alphabet
 Recognizes both upper case and lower case letters of the alphabet
 Knows some letter sounds
 Can count and write numbers to 1-10
 Can recognize numbers 1-10
 Knows basic shapes
 Knows basic colors

 Can separate easily from adults
 Knows phone number and address
 Can follow one and two-step directions
 Can sit and listen for 10 minutes
 Can get along well with others
 Zip and unzip backpack (pack backpack)
 Take care of bathroom matters independently
 Open his/her own snacks/lunch items
 Tie his or her own shoes (if not Velcro)
 Dress him or herself (coats, shoes, pants, gloves)
 Ask for help when needed
 Advocate for self

Standard ½ Day Kindergarten Program
Curriculum-Based
 Reading
 Math
 Writing
 Science/Social Studies/Health
 Social Emotional Learning-Second Step
 Library
 Recess or Kindergym
 Snack break
 Other school-wide activities, assemblies, or celebrations

 Not curriculum-based
 Thematic units
 Student-directed centers
 Inquiry based learning
 Author study
 Specials- Art, Music, and PE
 Lunch/Recess

Driven by the Common Core State Standards


Math in Focus (aligned with CCSS)

Whole group and small group instruction
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Hands-on learning activities through use of math manipulatives
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Math centers
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Numeracy Concept Development, 1-20
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Calendar math, Every Day Counts

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Taught through whole group instruction
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Differentiated through small group instruction
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Students will learn the 42 letter sounds for our language
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For each letter sound, students will learn a song and action
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Very interactive through use of our Smartboard

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Whole Group- interactive read-alouds of mentor texts & mini-lessons on reading strategies
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Small Guided Reading Groups (differentiated)
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Literacy centers (differentiated)
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One-on-one reading conferences (goal setting)
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Independent reading
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Genre Studies: Nursery Rhymes, Folktales, Pattern
Tales, and Poetry


Handwriting Without Tears

Numbers 1-10
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Upper case and lower case letters
 Writer’s Workshop (whole group, small group, writing conferences)
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Weekend News
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Free Write during literacy centers
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Writing Units-personal narratives, Informational how-to books, opinion writing
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Writing process: brainstorm, rough draft, revise and edit, publish, authors celebration

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Integrated throughout reading and math
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Taught through thematic units
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Science Units: Properties, Animals, Pebbles and
Sand

Social Studies: Communities and Citizenship

Health Units: Basic Hygiene Care and Stranger
Awareness

Social Skills: Second Step (social emotional learning); PBIS; Recess or Kindergym, Free
Choice


Classroom projects
 Reader’s theater

Jolly Phonics songs and actions

Songs for calendar, clean-up, transitions

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Parent-teacher partnerships are important

Daily Folders- please check daily
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Friday Folders
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Weekly Newsletters
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Email

Webpage

Phone

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Letters and letter sounds, sight words,
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Number identification, oral counting
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Continuously assessing informally throughout the year in math, reading, and writing
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Formal benchmark assessments3x’s per year (fall, winter, spring)
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Use data to drive instruction and differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of all learners, in all subject areas
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Goal: To have all readers reading at a Level D with comprehension, by the end of the year.


Halloween party and parade, Winter party,
Valentine’s Day party, end of the year Field Day

100 th day celebration

Super Reader of the Week

Weekly Guest Readers
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Author Celebrations


Assemblies
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School-wide Reading Incentive Programs
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Opportunities to sign up for Chess Club or Lego Robotics Club
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Fundraising and giving back for local charities
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Student council sponsored events
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Back to School Ice Cream Social
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Dances

Visiting Authors

Spirit Days

Monthly Paw Boosters

End of the year Field Day

Countryside Cares 5K

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If your child is a bus rider:
Coming to school : Ed. Assistants will be outside to guide your child to the playground to play or inside the gym until the bell rings.
Going home: Your child will be assigned a 5 th grade bus buddy who will come get your child each day and take him/her to their bus


Dropped off : Your child will wait in between the double doors corridor until the bell rings at 8:50.
Then he/she will walk down to the classroom.
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Going home: Your child will walk to the office to be picked up or if a car rider, he or she will go to the car line and wait for their car number to be called.

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I will meet your child outside by the buses holding a sign with my name on it. I will show them how to walk down to our classroom.
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Bus buddies will start on Day 1 and will take them to their buses at the end of the day.
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I will walk the car riders and office pick ups to their spots so they know what to do and how to get there independently.


Spend the summer talking about kindergarten/school

Buy a regular size backpack (not the small kind)

Have your child work on how to ask for help and advocate for self

Practice using the bathroom independently
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Working on tying shoes and zipping coats/pants
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Practice having your child open up containers and bags they might have in their lunch or for snack
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Read, read, and read with and to your child
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Read a variety of genres
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Teach your child how to open and close their backpack and put things in and take things out
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How to be organized and responsible with their personal items

Visit the school in August for our meet and greet, playdate, and open house

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August (prior to the start of school)
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Kindergarten meet and greet with the teacher
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Kindergarten playdate
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Open House: meet the teacher and see the classroom
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September

Back to School Curriculum Night


Mrs. Nicole Gorges
 ngorges@barrington220.org

847-756-2841

Communication-weekly newsletters, webpage,
Facebook classroom page, email, and phone