Welcome!
Miss Filis’ Kindergarten 2015-2016
My Background
• I grew up in BISD
Foster Village
Elementary
North Ridge Middle
Richland High
School
• I graduated from Texas Woman’s University in Denton TX
Family
Kindergarten Team
•Teri Clifford
•Carrie Hollingsworth
•Lauren Filis
•Jessica Brooker, Deaf Ed
Porter Staff
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Mr. Greg Bicknell, principal
Mr. Chad Paris, vice principal
Mrs. Shannon Bruce, counselor
Mrs. Latasha Tegtmeier, secretary
Mrs. Paula Obermueller, attendance secretary
Mrs. Pat Ashley, office assistant
Ms. Tracy Jennings, nurse
Mrs. Chantal Scott, speech therapist
Mrs. Carol Fields, BEARS lab/CSI
Ms. Kim Harrington P.E. coach
Mrs. Katie Jenkins, music
Mr. Dillon Pappas, custodian
W.A. Porter
Lauren Filis
Lauren.filis@birdvilleschools.net
817-547-2900 School
817-547-2993 Room
(If you call a classroom during the
Day, 8:00-4:00, you will get voice-mail.
After 4:00, it will ring in the room.)
Conference time: 2:30-3:00
Class webpage: Go to
www.birdvilleschools.net,
schools, W.A. Porter, and find
your teacher under faculty &
Staff.
Hours/Absences/Tardies
It is NOT “Just Kindergarten” Anymore!
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School starts at 8:10 and ends at 3:25.
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Students are allowed in the classroom at 8:00, but must wait in the
café if arriving earlier. Students will be counted tardy if they are not
in the classroom at 8:10.
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After school, students will be walked out to the front of the school
building. Bus children will be picked up on the north side of the
building. Please call if you will be late picking up.
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Absences: If your child will not be in attendance, please call the office.
Send a note to excuse your child if there has been an absence.
Kindergartners can be retained if excessive absences hinder their
progress.
To be early is to be on time,
to be on time is to be late,
and to be late is to be behind.
Snacks
• There are no regular snacks provide by the district. We ask each
family to help by providing snacks for one week each semester.
Your teacher will send home a pre-assigned list for the class.
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Peanut-free snacks may include animal crackers, pretzels,
popcorn, graham crackers, or cereal. Two or three boxes should
be adequate.
• We are NOT allowed to serve “foods of minimal nutritional value”,
which would include gummies, candies, and marshmallow
products.
Lunch
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Children may bring their lunch from home, or order lunch through the café.
Milk or water is also available if a student is bringing lunch from home.
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If bringing lunch from home, have your child practice opening containers
independently. Microwaves are available in the café, however, due to time,
meals that need to be heated are discouraged.
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First semester kindergarten will have two choices, either the plate lunch for
the day or grilled cheese on M/Th, and munchables on T/W/F.
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The cost of lunch this year will be $2.50
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Buying additional snacks is discouraged.
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A monthly menu and prices may be found on the Birdville website under
Please
remember
to discuss
with your
Departments,
“Child
Nutrition”.
Our lunch time will be
child table manners and being respectful
10:45-11:15
in the café.
Medication and Allergies
• All medications are to be dispensed by the school nurse and must
be in their original containers.
• If your child has been ill, they should be fever free for 24 hours
before returning to school.
• Please notify the nurse and your teacher of any child with asthma
or medical conditions that we should be aware of. We also need to
know allergies of any kind.
Birthdays!
We LOVE Birthdays, and your child will be recognized
in class! However, please know…
• NO invitations are to be sent to school and handed out, not even
if there is one for everyone. If you need addresses, the room rep
can be contacted for a list.
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NO treats can be sent to school that are not on the approved
snack list. That being said, if you would like to send a birthday
treat for the whole class to enjoy during our snack time, it has to
be on the approved snack list!
Curriculum
• Kindergarten uses a themed-based, integrated approach to cover
all subject areas of curriculum. We have a balanced language arts
program which focuses on oral language and phonemic awareness,
as well as knowledge of alphabetic principles, within a literaturerich environment.
• Our math and science program focuses on a variety of hands-on,
learner-centered, activities, which often are connected to the
literature selections of our theme.
High-Frequency Words
• The kindergarten curriculum focuses on
one word each week.
• These words will come home in your
child’s folder. Please display them in a
prominent place and help your child
practice reading them daily.
Reading
“Children are made readers in the laps of their parents”
Emilie Buchwald
• When easy readers get sent home, if they are too hard for your child
please send them back.
• Reading at home should be fun, parents should not have to teach,
but should be supportive and encouraging.
• Make reading interactive!
• Remember to read to your child EVERY DAY!
Progress Reports
• A standards based report card
and report of your child’s social
skills and work habits goes
home every six weeks.
Testing
• Kindergarten reading readiness
assessments are done in October,
January and April. Math assessments
are completed in January and April.
Conferences
• Individual parent/teacher conferences will take
place during the second six weeks of school.
• Parents or teachers may also request
conferences at any time during the school year.
• To schedule a conference, please email your
teacher to set up a time to talk without your
child present.
Folders
• Each child will have a daily take-home folder. This folder
will contain weekly homework assignments, notes on
behavior, and schoolwork.
• This folder is our means of communication. Please check
with your child and review the contents of the folder daily.
• Folders will be checked upon return for any information from
home.
Poems and Songs Book
• The “ I Can Read Poems and Songs” Book will be
sent home most Fridays. Please read, sing, and
review this over the weekend and return on
Mondays.
Computer Lab
• In addition to CSI lab (during our
‘specials’ rotation’), we will be going to
BEARS lab once a week.
Library
• We will be attending library once a week.
• Each child may check out one book for one week.
• Please remind your child to return the book the
following week so he/she can check out another
one.
Kindergarten Attire
• Children need to dress for active and involved play.
• Children will need to wear tennis shoes for P.E. and
playground play daily.
• It is also a good idea to keep a change of clothes in your
backpack.
• Please label jackets, coats, and hats. No hats are to be
worn in the classroom unless it is a special occasion.
• Your child is welcome to bring a sweater or sweatshirt
to keep in his/her locker. Just be sure to label with
names!
• Girls are encouraged to wear shorts under dresses and
skirts.
• See BISD Student Handbook for dress code.
“Sharing Time”
• If at any time you have materials that might
interest the class and pertain to our unit of study,
please feel free to send them in!
• Discourage children from bringing toys to school
unless it is a teacher request or they have prior
approval.
Class Parties
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Christmas- NO gift exchanges
Valentines Day- exchange cards
Spring-Egg hunt
End of School- Splash Day!
Room reps will be contacting families
for help and any needed supplies.
Pictures
• Each year we attempt to document your
Child’s accomplishments and special
occasions in kindergarten by taking
photographs.
• I do need the photo and video release signed
and returned in order to include your child in
our class pictures and videos.
• Your teacher will let you know if they need
help with purchasing prints.
Scholastic Book Club Orders
• Strictly optional, please make
checks out to Scholastic Book Club
or you can order through the
website online.
Volunteers
Your help is greatly appreciated!
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If you plan to be up at school helping in the classroom, attending field
trips, or joining us for class parties, make sure that you are a
registered volunteer!
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Go to the BISD home page, scroll down and on the bottom left hand
side you will see the volunteer application.
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We can also use volunteers at home to prepare materials.
Sign up with your teacher for volunteer opportunities!
Helping Hands
• Take a hand with the item on it that you will
be sending back to class with your student.
This is voluntary!
• Throughout the year there will be different
items that we will ask for depending on the
season, holiday, or occasion.
Sleep Is Important
• Remember to get you child to bed
early. We stay busy all day and
learning is difficult if you are tired!
Remind
• To receive messages via text:
• Text
@filis to 81010.
It is going to be a wonderful year!
Be positive“The process is more important
than the product.”
Thank you for coming tonight,
Ms. Filis 