The ABCs of Kindergarten

Everything you need to know!

 Absences
Daily attendance is critical. We are building language, working
on auditory development, and using hands-on materials to enhance
our learning. These activities cannot be duplicated for students who
are missing. Excessive absences hinder a childs progress. If your
child is absent please send a note to school explaining the absence on
their return or it will be marked as an unexcused absence.

Allergies
If your child has any allergies, please
make sure that we are aware of them.
We especially need to know about
food allergies and insect bite reactions.

 Birthdays
If you would like to celebrate your childs birthday at school,
please do so during our lunch time. It is school policy that
shared food items are store bought only. Please let me know if you are
coming ahead of time and check in at the office.

B.I.R.D Books
B.I.R.D (Be Independent & Responsible Daily) books are
one way we communicate between home and school. These
must be checked and signed EVERY DAY. These books
hold your childs homework, important papers, money,
notes, etc.

Bloomz App
Please download this FREE smartphone app. It will be a
primary means of communication this year. I will send
updates, reminders, & important information via this app.
It will also be a fun way to share student work. This app is
private and can only be seen by our class.
 Communication
Communication between home and school is very important!
Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss anything you need. My
email address is clementk@gcs.k12.nc.us. You can also call the school
office to schedule a time to meet with me. The schools number is
919-528-2313. Also feel free to send any notes to school via your
childs B.I.R.D book.

Dismissal
School is dismissed at 2:40p. If your child is to
go home a different way than his/her normal manner,
YOU MUST send a written note to the teacher or call the
front office before 2:20p. I WILL NOT change a students
transportation home based on their word --- a note or
phone call MUST be received or they will go home in
their normal manner. This is school policy.
 Emergencies
The school may need to contact you in case of an emergency. If your
phone number, address, or e-mail changes, please notify the school
immediately.

Field Trips
Throughout the year, we will schedule field trips to enhance our
curriculum. Permission slips and requests for fees will be sent
home prior to each trip. School buses will provide the transportation.
Parent volunteers are welcome to join us, but may not
ride the buses. This is a school policy. In order to chaperone our field trips, a
background checks must be completed. This can be completed online and can
be found on our school web page. Please fill this out at least 2 weeks in
advance.
 Gym
Please make sure that your student has athletic shoes to wear
to gym. Our day in the gym is Friday. We are active every day
and ask that you send your student to school in practical shoes that stay
secured to their feet.

Homework
Your child will have reading homework Monday
through Thursday. Every week students will bring home a
book that they have read during our guided reading time.
They should read this book with you every night to develop
their fluency, increase their reading stamina, and help them
gain confidence in their reading abilities. Please practice
reading and writing sight words at home as well.
 Independence
Independence is a goal for students because it builds self-
esteem and self-confidence. Kindergarteners are very capable
of doing many things on their own and we encourage them to do as
much as they can for themselves in the classroom. Please continue to
work on zipping and tying skills. Also, we expect them to be carrying in
their OWN backpacks every morning. We practice how to unpack them
and place them in their cubbies. These are skills that must be taught and
practiced. Thank you for your support!

Joyful Learning
Children learn best when they are
feeling loved and encouraged to try
new things. Our classroom builds a feeling of
mutual respect, being risk-takers, and
supporting each other even when we make
mistakes.
 Kindness
Students in our classroom are encouraged and expected to
treat all members of our class, as well as others in society, with
kindness and respect. Bothering others, bullying, and interrupting
learning will not be permitted.

Labeling
Please label all personal items that your child brings to school,
especially his or her lunch box, backpack, and outerwear.

Lunch
Lunch is from 11:45 am 12:05 pm. You are more than welcome to
join us! Please check in at the front office before meeting us in
the cafeteria.
 Meetings
Please respect that teachers are not available before or after
school unless you have a scheduled appointment. As you
can imagine, our schedules are quite full with weekly staff meetings,
staff development trainings, or other committee work and school
obligations. Because of this, we are not able to meet with you unless
you have a scheduled appointment. To schedule a meeting please
email me at or call the front office.

Nightly Reading
Nightly reading is essential for future success. All students are
expected to read nightly. In class, we will work on many reading
comprehension strategies and we will share those with you to practice at
home as well. Your reading aloud to your child is just as important as your
child practicing their independent reading. The books we send home
should be practiced over and over. Building fluency is an essential part of
successful reading.
 Outside Play
We go outside each day for recess, weather permitting. We will
not go outside if the temperature is below 32F. Please send your child
dressed appropriately for outside play. (ie: proper shoe, jackets, mittens,
etc.) For the most part, if your child is well enough to come to school, he/
she is well enough to participate in recess. Children that have a cold or
stuffy nose are not allowed to stay in from recess due to lack of
supervision.
Parental Involvement
Your support of school activities makes your child feel important
and sends the message that you value school. There will be
a variety of special classroom activities and celebrations throughout
the school year. I hope that you can come and join in the fun!

Practical Clothes
Have your child wear practical clothes to school. Food gets
spilled and paint happens. Learning can be messy!
 Questions
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns
regarding your childs education. I will make every effort to meet with you
and discuss your concerns. We feel that it is our job to work together as
partners to help your child have a successful first year.

Restrooms
Children are allowed to use the restroom as needed, although
not encouraged during a directed instruction time. Accidents
do happen from time to time, so please make sure to send in an extra
change of clothes to be kept in your childs cubby. Please include a
clean shirt, pants, underwear, and socks.

Reading
Read to your child or have them read to you every night. After reading
spend time discussing the story to increase their comprehension. Ask
your child to identify the characters, what happened at the beginning,
middle, and end, did they like the story, why or why not, etc.
 Snack Time
Students will have a 5 minute snack time each day. Please
send in a healthy snack for your child to eat at that time. No
candy. If you child forgets their snack, I do have a community snack
basket with some healthy snacks that they will be allowed to choose
from if they are hungry. Donations for this snack basket are welcomed
throughout the year.
 Transportation Change
If there is a change in transportation, you must send a written
note or call the office before 2:20p. Do not rely on your child to
tell us this information, because children often become confused and
relay information incorrectly. If no written note or a phone call is
received your child will be sent home by his/her usual method of
transportation.

Talk to Your Child

Talk to your child about their day! To get the
conversation started ask them who they sat
with at lunch, what centers they went to, what
did they do in specials, etc.

Unique
Each child in our class is unique and wonderful!!
In kindergarten, we learn about how we are unique and special,
and we celebrate our differences and similarities. We also learn about
the different cultures within our class.
 Visitors
ALL GUESTS (including familiar faces) are required to check
in at the school office and wear a visitors badge. If you do not
have a pass, then you will be escorted back to the office to sign in and
get a badge. It is important to remember that while this may seem
inconvenient to frequent visitors, it is the goal and responsibility of the
school to create a safe learning environment.

Volunteer
If you would like to volunteer, please stop by
the front office to fill out a background check
request form or it can be found online on our
school webpage. We would appreciate the help
and love to have you involved in our campus
and classroom!
 Web Site
Our school has a website which can be accessed at
http://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/creedmoor. It is full of useful
information, including the current lunch, breakfast menu, school and
district calendars, staff email addresses, grade-level information and
links, photo albums, and much more. You can even add money to your
students meal account online!
 X-tra Special and X-citing
Kindergarten is such an exciting, magical year! Each child is
extra special to us and we will guide them gently and
consistently all year long. Thank you for sharing them!


You!
Please remember that YOU are
your child's first and most
important teacher. No one can influence
your child's life in the way that you can!
Thank you for all that you do!
 Zzzzs
Your child should get plenty of rest each night. Kindergarten
students require 10-12 hours of sleep per day. Set a bedtime and
be consistent. Setting and keeping a bedtime is a wonderful gift you can
give to your child. It will help them to be attentive and prepared to learn
each day!

Zoom
Sit back and watch your child's skills take off! You will be
amazed and surprised at the incredible
growth and changes in your child this year!

Im looking forward to an
incredible year!
Mrs. Clement