A…Agendas
Agendas are a great communication tool! It is the best way for us
to send quick notes to each other. I will mark behavior each day in your
child’s agenda. Please initial each day’s space so I know that you’ve seen
how your child is doing behaviorally. Feel free to use the agenda to share
important information, share concerns, or ask questions.
B…Birthdays
Your child may bring treats to school on his/her birthday to be
eaten at snack time. Since cupcakes tend to be such a mess, other treats
such as cookies, brownies, Krispy treats, fruit snacks, lollipops, etc.
would be great choices.
Please do not send invitations for birthday parties to school unless a boy
is inviting all of the boys, a girl is inviting all of the girls, or the
entire class is being invited.
C…Communication
Please don’t hesitate to contact me! The quickest way to do this is
to e-mail me at cozartm@wcschools.com. Sending a note to school in your
child’s agenda is another great way to communicate. You may leave a message
on my school voicemail (758-5654 ext. 5620). I will return calls as soon as
possible. If you feel the need to have a conference at any time, please
contact me so that we can plan a time to meet outside of classroom hours.
On Mondays, a weekly note will be sent home to keep you informed of
our activities in the classroom and any upcoming school events.
D…Discipline
The behavior rules are posted in our class, and I will review them
often with the students during the first few weeks of school. I will be
giving you another sheet with more information about my discipline policy.
E…Eating Lunch
Our lunch time is at 10:55 each day, and we only have 30 minutes to
get everyone’s food, eat, clear trash, and line up. If your child is
bringing lunch from home, please make sure that everything is in packages
that he/she is able to open independently. Please do not send carbonated
drinks because they tend to explode.
Student lunches cost $1.50. If your child is buying lunch, it would
be best to send cash or a check to be put on account for your child’s lunch
ticket. Checks should be made out to Mt. Juliet Elementary with your
child’s full name and account number on the memo line. Cafeteria staff
prefers money to be sent on Mondays.
You may eat lunch with your child in the cafeteria. You may buy lunch there
at a cost of $3.00, or you may bring lunch for you and/or your child. If
you will be joining your child for lunch, please meet us by the office or
the cafeteria.
F…Field Trips
Wilson County Board of Education has decided that students will not
be going on field trips this year. If this policy changes, I will let you
know.
G…Going Home
If your child will be going home a different way from his/her usual
routine, you must send a written note to school with your child that day.
In the case of an emergency, please call (758-5654 ext. 5620) and leave a
voicemail message before 1:45 pm. If there is no note or voicemail message,
your child will go home the usual way.
H…Homework
Secret Sacks—Each week every child is to bring in a picture or an
object beginning with the letter sound of that particular week. Place the
object in a plain paper sack and write three clues on the back. We will
have a great deal of fun trying to guess what is in everyone’s secret sack!
These will begin in mid-September.
Family Fun Activities—Periodically, I will be sending home an
activity for you to work on with your child or as a whole family and then
return it to school. You will have several days to complete these projects.
Phonics Word Lists—Weekly word lists will be sent home beginning at
the end of August. When your child has mastered each list, please sign and
return the lists to school.
I…Illness/Attendance
When your child has been absent for any reason, you are required to
send a note explaining the absence. I must turn absentee notes into the
office; therefore, the note should not be written in the agenda. It should
include the date of the absence, the child’s first and last name, and my
name. Attendance is taken at 7:15 am, based on the clock in the school
office.
If your child arrives to school later than 7:15am, you must walk him/her to
the office in order to receive a tardy slip to be given to the teacher. In
the case of tardiness, please do not just drop your child off in the
breezeway or hall.
J… Join the PTO
Please support our school by joining our Parent-Teacher
Organization. There will be opportunities throughout the year to get
involved…fall fundraising, pancake breakfast, basket auction, teacher
luncheon, Kroger gift cards, etc.
K…Kids in our Class
In order for your child to be listed on a class directory that
includes personal information such as phone numbers, we must have your
permission. If you would like your child included on such a class list,
please sign up on the appropriate sign-up sheet.
L…Labels
Please save Campbell’s brand labels and Box Tops for Education!!!!!
Grade levels have a competition each marking period with the winning classes
receiving a treat as a reward. Please see my web page for a link to
participating products.
M…Money
During the year there will be times when you need to send money to
school. All checks sent to school need to be made out to MJE. All cash or
checks need to be sent in an envelope with your child’s name, teacher name,
amount being sent, and purpose for the enclosed money.
N …New Dress Code Enforcement
The dress code policy will be strictly enforced. The school website
(www.wcschools.com/mje) contains the dress code policy as well as
photographs of acceptable and non-compliant clothing. When in doubt, feel
free to send a clothing item to school in your child’s backpack with a note,
and I will be happy to let you know if the item is appropriate to be worn.
O…Ordinary Day
An ordinary day in our class will include circle time activities;
instruction in phonics, reading, and math; developmental and literacy based
learning centers; themed lessons in social studies and science; lunch;
recess; rest time; snack; and specials classes. Our specials class schedule
is as follows:
Monday- Computer
Tuesday-Art
Wednesday- P.E.
Thursday-Library
Friday- Music
P…Phonics/Reading
These are the most important things that we spend the greatest
amount of time on during our day. They both set the stage for your child’s
success in reading for the years to come. Our school uses Saxon Phonics
(please see attached letter from Saxon) and Scott Foresman’s reading
series. In addition, we will be working with other activities that will
stress skills such as letter identification, letter sounds, rhyming words,
high frequency words seen over and over in our reading, spelling words,
writing our own stories to read, listening to stories, word identification,
reading common things in our environment, etc.
Some children in our class will already know how to read and others
may not be sure of all of their letters or sounds when they enter school.
Most parents are anxious for their child to be reading in kindergarten, but
please be patient as reading is a developmental skill. Also, please try not
to catch yourself in the comparison trap. Your child is going to learn to
read when your child is ready to read, and I will do all that I can to take
your child where his/her skills are and stretch those skills and your child
to his/her utmost.
The 2 most important things you can do are to read to your child
every day possible and to celebrate your child’s successes in reading…even
if they come in baby steps.
Q…Questions
Please feel free to ask me any questions at any time. There is so
much information when your child enters school, and I have tried to be
thorough. In case I have left something out or you feel you have brain
overload, no question is considered silly.
R…Rest Time
We are required to have a 45 minute rest time each day. I do not
require that the students sleep, but I do expect them to lie quietly and
still during that time. The room can be cold so your child may bring a
small blanket to use as a cover.
S…Snacks
The students have snack time every afternoon. Please send a
healthy snack (no candy, cake, cookies, etc.) each day in your child’s
backpack. Occasionally, parents forget to pack a snack. If you would like
to donate packages of individually wrapped snacks, I will make sure that
children with missing snacks are covered. Please do not send drinks for
snack. Students will be allowed to use the water fountain in our classroom.
T…Treats
Treat Jar- Returning items when they are due or having great behavior could
earn a trip to the treat jar. Donations of small, individually wrapped
candy are greatly appreciated!
Treasure Chest—We have a sticker reward system in our class. Students may
earn tickets by having a great day—not moving their stick at all, completing
homework, having exceptional behavior, completing tasks on time, etc.
Students with 10 stickers may redeem them for a treat from the treasure
chest. If you have any small toys no longer needed by your child, they make
great donations to the treasure chest.
Compliment tree—There is a palm tree with a monkey hanging in our
classroom. For each compliment that our class receives, the monkey moves up
a number. When the monkey reaches the top of the tree, I will reward the
students with some sort of “party” (popcorn party, Popsicles party, ice
cream party, etc.)
U…Unusual Circumstances
If there are any unusual circumstances that may be affecting your
child (changes in the family, health issues, parental trips away from the
child, etc.), please let me know if you feel that they are affecting your
child in a way that would be beneficial for me to know.
V…Volunteers
No matter what your interests, abilities, or time, there is a job
for you. I always need parent volunteers to do a variety of tasks. Some
include: teacher savers (cutting, coloring, tracing, ripping, etc.),
helping with larger classroom projects(cooking, art), sending in ingredients
for recipes, tutoring, and photography. Please sign up on the Room Parent
lists if you would be interested in helping out.
W…Wish List and Website
Parents often ask if there is anything we need for the class. It is
not an expectation, but if you would like to help provide some of the things
our class will need this year, I will be very grateful for your help.
Please see my attached “Wish List” for requested items. I keep an updated
copy of my wish list on my website.
My website will be a helpful tool for you this year. There will be
explanations of what your child is learning and ideas of what you can do at
home to help. There will also be a calendar to keep you informed of what is
going on in the classroom.
X…”X-tra” Supplies
The school supplies you have sent in for your child will not last
all year (or sometimes not even until December). While all the stores are
having back to school sales, you might want to stock up for later in the
year. Children will typically need extra crayons, pencils, and glue sticks.
It is very important for you to send an extra set of dress code
clothes in a large zip bag to school. Even if you don’t think your child
will have a bathroom type accident, other spill type accidents do occur
quite frequently.
Y…You & Us Together
You are a definite expert on your child, and I am considered an
expert in the classroom. With us partnering together, your child will
definitely benefit in the best way possible.
Z…Zippers, Buttons, and Shoelaces
Each child needs to become as independent as possible in taking care
of all of his/her dressing needs. This includes putting on coats, zipping
up pants’ flies, tying shoes, tucking in shirts, etc. Please continue to
practice these skills at home so that your child can be independent at
school.