Occasionally, Mr. Dukler (Overlook Social Worker) will come into our morning
and afternoon classes to work on a social skills program called Second Step.
It's a marvelous, developmentally appropriate way for young children to learn
how to react in social situations. Puppets, pictures,and role plays are all a
part of the lessons. The kids enjoy it very much!
We also use a school-wide positive behavior program called the Overlook RAP.
No matter where we are or who we are with in the building, all of the
expectations are the same. We continually practice being Respectful while
Acting responsibly and Practicing our manners.
Library is scheduled on a weekly basis for the kindergartners. AM and PM
classes will go to the library on Tuesdays. Each week, the children will
have the opportunity to check out a library book to bring home and read.
Please make sure your child brings the book back to school in his/her
backpack before the next library day. A gentle reminder to put the library
book in the red box on my desk is always very much appreciated!!
Our second kindergarten book review program will start the first week of
January. Each child will be assigned a specific day to bring in a favorite
story to share with his/her classmates. Look for your date on the January
newsletter. This second session will focus on the characters in the story.
Who are they? What makes them special? Do they remind you of other
characters? Do they remind you of real people? What would you do differently
as compared to the character? Would that change the ending of the story?
Sight word folders will be sent home starting January 5, 2010 (if you did not
have the chance to send in a plastic pocket folder with brads on the inside,
then a large zip lock baggie with all of the sight word supplies will be sent
home instead). Please practice the words inside of the folder several times a
week in addition to the nightly homework assignments. Please make sure the
folder (or zip lock baggie) is inside of your child's backpack each Friday so
that we can add a new word to the word ring.
January newsletters and homework calendars will go home on Monday, 1/4/10.
Center helper calendars for January will go home then as well. Please,
please, please make sure that your child puts his/her name on anything that
is turned in!
As the new year starts, we will begin a new program called "Bagged Books
to Borrow". It's an exciting reading and writing connection between home and
school. Each Monday and Wednesday, your child will have the opportunity to
choose a book to borrow for a few days. Depending on the situation, someone
at home can read the book aloud, or, if the child is able to read the story,
then s/he will read it aloud to a family member. After that, the child will
draw a picture of his/her favorite part and attempt to write a sentence in
the literacy log.
The program actually starts with a series of musical ABC videos. As a class,
we will view one of these movies at school at the beginning of January. A
note will then go home with your child, and if you would like to borrow the
videos for a short time to watch them together at home, you may do so. Many
of the beginning books are introduced in one of the videos which then helps
to form a strong connection to the stories - it's familiar, therefore
motivation is high. More info to come later...
