www.duneland.k12.in.us
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WELCOME FROM BUILDING PRINCIPALS 2
SCHOOL DAY 3
ATTENDANCE, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, & REPORTING PROGRESS 4
GENERAL INFORMATION 5-7
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GROW 8-9
KINDERGARTEN OVERVIEW 10-12
HOLD THE PENCIL 13
ALPHABET 14
NURSEY RHYMES TO KNOW 15-16
Duneland Website: www.duneland.k12.in.us Click on Programs & Services to find information on our special programs and Guidance services.
Dear Parents:
Welcome to Duneland Schools! We know this is an exciting time in your lives as your child begins his/her school career. It may be a day long awaited for, or it may be a day full of apprehension. We hope to make it a positive experience for both you and your child. As you talk with your child about kindergarten, please do not talk about a specific teacher or classroom assignment. It is in your child’s best interest to talk favorably about all the possible kindergarten scenarios. These decisions are made at the district level and are based on final enrollment numbers. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the building principal. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Kevin Zeck, Bailly Elementary 983-3670
Nino Cammarata, Brummitt Elementary 983-3660
Linda Rugg, Jackson Elementary 983-3680
David Alvarado, Liberty Elementary 983-3650
Josh Huwig, Yost Elementary 983-3640
2 | Page
School Day
All Elementary Locations Kindergarten 8:00 a.m. – 2:25 p.m.
Due to supervision and safety reasons, children should not arrive at school before 7:40 a.m. Those who need to make special time arrangements should contact the building principal.
Dismissal Procedures:
Dismissal for kindergarten children can be an anxious time. Keeping a consistent routine will help eliminate some of your child’s fears. If it is necessary to change the routine, a written note with the date should be sent. In an emergency, please call the school’s office by 1:30 p.m. Please leave a message with the school secretary. Teachers do not always have the opportunity to check voicemail or email.
3 | Page
Attendance Please call the school if your child is absent. Positive learning occurs with consistent attendance. For questions regarding medication in the school setting, please refer to the Duneland School handbook.
First Day of School Your child’s first day of kindergarten and the first week of school will be more successful if these simple suggestions are followed. 1. You will receive a nametag prior to the start of school. Please fill out with his/her name, address, phone number, and your name. Also include information about your childcare provider if your child will be going to a babysitter. Please be sure your child wears the name tag the first two weeks of school. 2. Make sure the teacher has any special information about your child’s needs, allergies, etc. 3. Show your child the bus stop and walk to and from it several times before school starts. 4. Place your child’s name on coats, boots, backpack, and other pieces of look-alike clothing. 5. If you go to school with your child, leave cheerfully. It’s important to send your child to school in a positive frame of mind. 6. Your patience is appreciated during the first week of school in regard to bus times. The bus times will vary until a routine is established.
Reporting Progress to Parents Parent conferences will be held in October or November. Please inform the teacher if you have information that would impact your child’s education.
Progress will be issued in the form of report cards four times during the school year. Your child will also be given a math and reading assessment periodically during the school year. The testing will occur in the beginning of the year, middle of the year, and end of the year. These results will be shared with you.
Duneland School Corporation uses Parent Access as a tool for teachers and parents to communicate with one another about their child. The use of parent access allows parents to see real time information about their child in the area of schedules, grades, attendance, discipline and more. 4 | Page
General Information (Refer to the Elementary Handbook for more detailed information; the handbook is distributed at the beginning of the school year)
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) – We highly encourage kindergarten parents to participate in this organization. It is free, and it’s a great way to be involved in your child’s education. Participating in PTO meetings and activities will allow you to meet other families and become involved in your child’s school.
Field Trips – When kindergarten children go on a field trip, the trip occurs during the regular school day. Transportation is on a Duneland School bus. Duneland liability insurance does not cover preschoolers or other non- chaperoning adults on field trips so their participation is prohibited. A minimal fee may be charged to cover field trip expenses.
Parents attending field trips must have a limited history background check. You may request a form from the school office. Parent volunteer chaperones will be contacted by the classroom teacher.
Parties – You will receive information from your child’s teacher or the main office regarding the dates and times for parties. Parents who have a background check on file are encouraged to participate in school parties.
We know that you will be excited to attend these events. As a party volunteer, 100% of your attention will be needed at the party; therefore, younger children are discouraged from attending.
Specials – Your child will have the opportunity to participate in Art, Physical Education (PE) and Music throughout the school year.Gym shoes --- 5 | Page
General Information Continued (Refer to the Elementary Handbook for more detailed information; the handbook is distributed at the beginning of the school year)
Students will be permitted to participate in indoor gym activities if they are wearing gym shoes. There is too much danger of children slipping in socks only. Shoes also protect feet and provide support in these formative years of growth.
PE Attire - Please dress your child appropriately for gym. Check your monthly class calendar for gym days.
Library – Your child will have the opportunity to participate in the media program. In order to select a new book, the previous book must be returned. Please find a designated place at home to keep the library book clean, safe and away from pets and small children. Reading to your child daily will enhance language and reading skills. iPads - Your child will be issued an iPad and a charger. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure that your child’s iPad comes to school each day charged. Additional information regarding iPad use, policies, and insurance can be referenced in the Duneland Student Handbook.
Homework – The Duneland School Board policy recommends 15 to 20 minutes of homework in grades K-3. Please refer to information regarding homework from your individual school.
6 | Page
General Information Continued (Refer to the Elementary Handbook for more detailed information; the handbook is distributed at the beginning of the school year)
Birthday & Other Celebrations - The Duneland School Corporation’s Wellness guidelines suggest that any snacks served during the school day should make a positive contribution to children’s diets and health. Items such as fruits, vegetables and water should be offered to students as a “healthy choice” option. Non-food related items are also encouraged, such as stickers and pencils. Individual buildings may send home additional guidelines that are building specific. Party invitations may NOT be distributed at school.
Skylert System – When you enroll your child it is important to give the school an accurate phone number and email where you can be reached. When there are weather delays, school closings or important school information, we use Skylert as our automated system to contact all parents in the corporation. No more getting up early and listening to the radio. It is the parent’s responsibility to make changes or update a phone number or e-mail as needed through the Skyward Parent Access.
School Closings and Delays – Should school be closed or closing / opening times altered because of weather the following radio stations will broadcast school closing news by 6 a.m.
Locally: WDSO / 88.3 FM – Chesterton High School WAKE / 1500 AM – Valparaiso WLJE / 105.5 FM – Valparaiso WIMS / 1420 AM – Duneland Radio WEFM / 96 FM – Michigan City WGN / 720 AM - Chicago WBBM / 780 AM - Chicago Chicagoland area TV station channels 2, 5, 7, 9, 32, & CLTV www.cancellations.com www.duneland.k12.in.us www.emergencyclosings.com
If school is delayed, school will start at 10:00 am.
7 | Page
On Your Mark, Get Ready, Grow!
Here are some things that may be helpful for your child to know upon entering kindergarten.
Behavioral Expectations • Able to sit and listen in a group • Maintains eye contact with a speaker • Can keep his hands to himself • Able to take turns • Asks to be included • Uses manners; please/thank you • Understands their behavior can cause consequences; cause/effect • Separates from parents without becoming upset • Can follow rules and demonstrate self-control • Can solve a problem through communication (uses voice not hands) Language Development • Speaks in complete sentences • Verbalizes his wants/needs. Does not use gestures such as pointing, head shaking or pulling clothes for attention • Has a rich vocabulary built by being read to daily • Uses correct grammar • Can describe a common object • Can say Nursery Rhymes and have an understanding of rhyming • Understands basic concepts • Can sing simple songs (ABC song, B-I-N-G-O, etc) • Can say his/her first and last name, address and phone number Reading Readiness • Can recognize capital and small letters out of order • Maintains focus while being read to • Follows the text while being read to • Can answer simple questions about a story that has been read to him • Can re-tell a story once it has been read to him
8 | Page
On Your Mark, Get Ready, Grow! Continued
Visual Development • Knows colors • Can recognize his name in print Fine/Gross Motor Development
• Can write his/her name • Can color within the lines • Can hold a pencil • Can bounce and catch a ball, skip, and hop on one foot • Can tear, cut and paste • Can track mazes, dotted lines and dot to dots • Can zip, button and tie shoes Auditory Development • Follows 3-4 directions • Can repeat a simple 2 step direction Math Skills • Rote count to 30 • Counting objects with 1-1 correspondence • Write numbers to 10 • Recognizing numbers out of order to 30 • Identifies basic shapes Social Development • Demonstrates cooperative play behavior, asks for a turn, shares • Respects others and their differences • Sensitive to feelings
9 | Page
Kindergarten Overview
A developmentally appropriate kindergarten is designed to foster children’s knowledge and skills in all developmental areas including physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and communicative, as well as to establish a foundation for lifelong learning.
Current research shows that learning in young children differs from that of older children.
Young children: • Need to have their learning rooted in concrete experiences because they are not abstract thinkers and have shorter attention spans • Learn most harmoniously when their learning is integrated because they do not differentiate by subject • Need to be actively engaged in order for learning to be meaningful. • Need frequent opportunities to interact and socialize with others to promote development of “the whole child”
The program: • Responds to the individual abilities and maturational needs of the child • Follows a mission of moving the child as far forward in his or her development as possible • Acknowledges that young children learn best through active exploration and by using hands-on materials • Integrates the curriculum so that learning in traditional subject areas occurs primarily through projects, learning centers, and meaningful interaction • Provides many math manipulatives and opportunities for children to apply geometry, measurement, and number skills for solving real problems • Promotes literacy development through purposeful, authentic experiences which foster oral language, listening, reading, and writing
Reading is taught in kindergarten. A major focus of our program is to help children love books and to develop the knowledge and experience to become successful readers. Reading is viewed as only one component of communication ability. Writing, reading, listening, and speaking will be planned as integrated experiences to support language learning. For
10 | Page example, learning letter names and sounds will be connected to authentic reading activities. The children will: • Understand that speech can be written down • Develop familiarity with many different types of books • Learn the patterns of spoken and written language • Use invented spelling to convey written meaning • Learn that reading is meaningful and pleasurable • Develop a rich background of knowledge about the world • Understand rhyming patterns
Other curricular areas taught are social studies, science, math, art, music, health, physical education, computer literacy, and library skills. These will be integrated into the curriculum through use of themes.
Play Play is children’s work. Many studies document the importance of active learning. Through play, children are learning to make choices and decisions for themselves. Through play, all facets of development are enhanced.
“Play is how children learn what no one can teach them.” -Lawrence Frank
Here is some of what children learn through “play” activities.
Fingerplays, Songs, and Silly Rhymes • Develop phonemic awareness which is vital to success in reading • Develop oral language • Children are able to remember things taught through rhyme and song faster and easier
Block Building • Builds math and science concepts such as: o Geometry and spatial relations o Balance o Gravity o Stability
11 | Page
Kindergarten Overview
• Encourages problem solving and oral language development • Helps with gross motor development • Develops classification skills
The Pretend Area • Develops early writing behaviors (messages by phone, grocery lists, etc.) • The phone is used to help develop what to do in emergencies (911) • Increases language development and communication skills • Builds problem solving strategies • Role-playing – “trying on life”
Listening • Develops emergent literacy • Allows children to hear stories being “retold” which helps to build reading comprehension • Develops print concepts: front and back of books, left to right, return sweep, one to one word matching, turning pages, and voice print • Vocabulary development • Develops listening skills • Increases the development of problem solving abilities • Increases concentration
Math Manipulatives • Develops concepts of number • Develops concepts of classification • Concepts of geometry • Concepts of measurement • Ability to create patterns and problem solve
Our curriculum is developed according to Indiana’s Academic Standards.
12| Page
Nursery Rhymes Jack and Jill
to Know
Jack and Jill went up the hill Rhyming meets Indiana State to fetch a pail of water. Standards and is an indicator Jack fell down and of early reading success. broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after.
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Humpty Dumpty One, two buckle my shoe. Humpty Dumpty three, four sat on the wall. close the door. Humpty Dumpty five, six had a great fall. pick up sticks. All the king’s horses seven, eight and all the king’s men lay them straight. couldn’t put Humpty nine, ten together again! big fat hen
Page 15 Jack Be Nimble Little Boy Blue Jack be nimble, Little Boy Blue Jack be quick, come blow your horn. Jack jump over The sheep’s in the meadow, the candlestick. the cow’s in the corn. Where is the boy who looks after the sheep? He’s under the haystack Little Miss Muffet fast asleep! Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet
eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider who Hey, Diddle, Diddle sat down beside her, and frightened Miss Muffet away!
Hickory, Dickory, Dock Hey, diddle, diddle the cat and the fiddle, Hickory, dickory, dock the cow jumped over the moon. The mouse ran up the clock. The little dog laughed The clock struck one, To see such sport, The mouse ran down. And the dish ran away Hickory, dickory, dock. With the spoon.
Page 16 HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILD?
• Be enthusiastic about what your child brings home or tells you about!
• Encourage your child to bring creations home for you to see.
• Praise your child generously for tasks well done.
• Let your child initiate activities and play independently.
• Encourage your child to do his/her best and to be cooperative.
• Make sure they know you love them even when they make mistakes.
• Talk with the kindergarten teacher throughout the year to check on your child’s progress and successes.
• Volunteer in your child’s classroom or school
Duneland School Corporation is committed to equal opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, handicapping conditions, or national origin including limited English proficiency, in any employment opportunity. No person is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination on such basis under any educational program or student activity.
Updated 1/2019 Back Cover