5/29/19
Happy summer Sun Devil Families!
We cannot believe how quickly this year passed by. Our students have learned so much and come so far, and we could not be more proud of them. To our 2018-2019 families, we hope you have a relaxing and safe summer and best of luck in first grade!
To our incoming families, we can't wait to meet most of you this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for our readiness meetings! Please make sure you are on time for your time slot, and let the office know if you are unable to make it for any reason. For those of you who were unable to attend these meetings this week, we will be doing our incoming assessing during the first few weeks of school. Be sure to check this Weebly page often as we may be posting updates. We are so excited to kick off a brand new year with you! Have a safe and relaxing summer and we will see you soon.
The Kindergarten Team :)
5-17-19
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It has been a busy and exciting few weeks! We have made so many beautiful memories with our final Summative of the year, our field trip to Odysea Aquarium and promotion! A big thank you to all of those who helped us prepare and participated in these events to support our young learners! We understand that promotion pamphlets went quickly on our big night, we are sending home an extra copy for each student!
Today at school, our students got to participate in annual "Move Up Day", where they have a short block of time to meet the teachers in first grade and explore their classrooms. While placements will not be finalized until July, this gives students the opportunity to feel comfortable and prepare for the upcoming change!
Next week we will be working on memory books with the students as we also wrap up language and math studies. Students will be taking home Data Notebooks - containing information about their final DRA score, a special graduation book from their homeroom teacher (and full day students will have an alphabet book from learning lab, a nursery rhyme book from music, and their JA workbook and certificate of completion).
Thursday we will be celebrating another quarter of great behavior, school-wide kindness and effort in rigorous study. To celebrate these accomplishments Mrs. Mendoza has gifted K-4 students a dress down day on Thursday. Also as a grade level reward, we will be viewing the film "Moana" as we prepare to say "aloha" to our friends! If you do not wish for your child to view this film, please contact your child's homeroom teacher to opt out so that we may plan an alternative.
Yearbook orders will be passed out the final day, students will have the opportunity to collect student and staff autographs and then will participate in the traditional "Senior Walk". During the "Senior Walk" our graduating Sun Devil senior students are paired with a kindergartener and they walk hand in hand throughout the school. This serves two purposes, one - to congratulate the senior for their hard work and two, to motivate the kindergartener for their educational journey ahead! After this celebratory parade, students will be dismissed at 11:30AM. Do not have your child bring a lunch or backpack on the last day of school.
If you still have any Reader's Theater books, guided reading books, or STEM book bags at home, PLEASE send them in NO LATER than Monday!!!!!
We cannot believe the final week is here! We have loved watching this class of students grow from dependent little learners to independent big kids. We know they will do great things in their first grade year!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
5-14-19
PLEASE READ!
All information for Promotion is below :)
PLEASE make sure to be on time tomorrow morning as we will bewalking over to Aravaipa immediately after attendance
-You need to arrive between 4:30 and 4:45 in the lobby of Aravaipa.PLEASE no earlier than 4:30, and NO LATER than 4:45!
-Your child may wear semiformal attire, no uniforms required fortomorrow night
-Parking is noted on the map (attached)
-Please give yourself plenty of time to get there, as we will startpromptly at 5:00 and do not want any late stragglers
-If your child is at Club Poly, you MUST check them out and transport them yourself. Club Poly is not involved in our promotion
-This event goes until about 6:30, please make sure your child has had a snack or dinner so they are prepared to stand on stage for this length of time
-Congratulatory gifts/flowers for your students are allowed, but please do not give them these gifts until you pick them up after the ceremony
-Please wait until all students have exited the auditorium before you head out the front door to meet them. When you come to pick up your child, please make sure your homeroom teacher sees you have them
We are sending all of this information (including a map) in your child's backpack today--Half day friends will get their hard copy tomorrow
If you have any questions, please let us know! We are SO EXCITED! See you all tomorrow!
Best,
The Kinder Team :)
5/8/19
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We have some quick notes for the week ahead:
-We sent home each student's line for the end of the year poem attached to their homework. Each student has two lines, one letter of the alphabet plus the letter Zz, which we will all do together. PLEASE read this with your child and practice, practice, practice each day! Our Promotion is a little over one week away and we need to make sure all students feel confident and comfortable with their line before next Wednesday!
--If for some reason your child will be unable to join us for Kindergarten Promotion on Wednesday, May 15th from 5:00-6:30,please let us know ASAP
-Keep an eye out for a walking permission slip as all kindergarten students will be walking to Aravaipa to do a full run through of promotion one morning next week
--Wednesday is Dress Like Your Teacher Day! If you would like to dress like your teacher, go for it! Otherwise, you have the option to wear your teacher's favorite color. Miss Anderson's favorite color is pink or glitter, Mrs. Bull's is purple, and Mrs. Sterenberg's is navy blue.
-Important field trip notes:
-Each student needs a completely disposable lunch and water
-They need to wear their uniforms
-All chaperones are expected to meet in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom for an important meeting at 8:30 AM Friday morning with a backpack big enough to carry lunches in.
-We will be back at school by 1:30 for half day students to be picked up.
-We are looking for recycled materials for some fun STEAM projects coming up. Items to donate include (but are not limited to): toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, cereal boxes, snack boxes, water bottles, milk jugs, soda bottles, etc.
-If you are planning on sending in a special memory book that you are wanting your teacher to sign (Oh! The Places You'll Go! for example) please send those in sooner rather than later so we can get started on our nice notes!
-We are looking for donations of clorox wipes!! We still have three weeks to go, and that means three weeks of germs we want to disinfect! :)
-Last Day of School is Friday, May 24th and dismissal is at 11:30 (NOTNOON as we previously stated)! Remember, no lunch on this day!
-Remember, we need all of our school books back!n If you have anyASU Prep books at home, send them in right away. Thank you!
Have a great week!
The Kinder Team :)
4-26-19
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It’s been a busy week as we have started the process of collecting end of the year data! We are so impressed with the growth we’ve seen from each and every one of our Sun Devils! The data notebooks will be coming home to you before the end of the school year - it’s a wonderful keepsake measuring everything your little one accomplished over the course of their year! On this same note, please keep in mind that with DRA assessments we are not going to be sending home books or meeting with small groups as consistently as usual. Thank you for your patience!
If you have any school books that are not the little, paper copies, PLEASE send them back in! We are missing quite a few of these books and we need them by the end of the year!
We are putting the finishing touches together for our upcoming Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1-2 Grade Summative on Thursday, May 2nd from 5:00-6:30PM. In addition to viewing showcased work, full day kindergarten students will be participating in a musical performance led by Mrs. Jernigan. Homeroom performance times to be announced soon! Summative is a drop-in event, so you are welcome to come and go as you please and bring any and all family members to celebrate all their hard work your Sun Devil has done this semester!
We have six happy, healthy and LOUD baby chicks that will be around for viewing at Summative! It was such an amazing experience hatching these adorable creatures and it has been so fun to see our kindergarteners interact with them!
Please make sure your child is brining a labeled water bottle each day, it is getting HOT again! We want to make sure
The countdown is on, we have 20 more instructional days, the year has just flown by! Make sure you have these dates on your May Calendar - we will have our final field trip to OdySea Aquarium on May 10th, Kindergarten Promotion on May 15th from 5:00-6:30PM, and final day of school is May 24th.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
4/14/19
Happy Sunday Sun Devil Families!
It has been another amazing week of learning! We are wrapping up letter studies of Xx and Zz this week and focusing on long vowels for the remainder of the semester. In math we continue to work on composition and decomposition within the context of story problems using a variety of strategies including number sentences formation, number bonds, pictures and manipulatives. These mathematicians are certainly building up their fact fluency!
Next week your child's permission slip for our upcoming field trip to OdySea Aquarium (on May 10th) will be attached to their weekly homework. We are sending this form early so that we can get an accurate headcount as far as chaperones/ adults attending. We need to give a final headcount several weeks in advance to OdySea so we can confirm the discounted rate for those going. There is a firm payment deadline listed on the permission slip form for both students and adults attending. If you have a change in plans past payment deadline and want to attend, you are still welcome to meet us there but will need to pay regular admission at the door. This is our final field trip of the kindergarten school year and by far our favorite! We have spent the last week in project group studying ocean animals and we're excited to see some of these animals up close!
Preschool, Kindergarten and 1/2 Grade Level Summative is on Thursday, May 2nd from 5:00-6:30PM. Kindergarten will have a musical performance (scheduled by homeroom class TBA).
Kindergarten Promotion is on Wednesday, May 15th from 5:00-6:30PM at Aravaipa Hall (on ASU Polytechnic Campus). The promotion event will be held indoors and students may wear semi-formal attire but it is not required. Students will be reciting a poem, performing a song and will be individually recognized and awarded a promotion certificate.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Tuesday Sun Devil Families!
See the message below from our ASU Prep PSTO regarding this Friday's Carnival! (P.S. Come see your teachers get a pie in the face at 7:00pm!)
ASU Prep Carnival
Let the Fun Begin!!
Please join us Friday, Apr. 12 for our annual school carnival from 5-7:30pm
Click on the above carnival link to see all the fun details!
Volunteers still needed!!!!
-sign up at bit.ly/ASUCarnivalVolunteers
In addition, thank you SO MUCH for all the playground donations. The students are absolutely loving them! Thank you so much for those of you who donated items for our grade level Spring Carnival basket! It turned out amazing! This will be a great contribution to our school fundraiser! We so appreciate your generosity!
We have had an exciting couple weeks in Kindergarten. We have three dozen fertilized eggs that are incubating as we speak, and should start hatching next week! We also had some adorable baby bunnies on our playground that the mother has finally moved to a safer spot. It has been so fun to watch these bunnies grow!
If there are any parents that are willing to refurbish our sand table, we would be greatly appreciative! We are just thinking maybe it needs to be sanded and painted ASU colors.
Here are the remaining important dates!
--Friday, April 12th: ASU Prep Spring Carnival
--Thursday, May 2nd: ASU Prep Spring Summative (Grades Pre-k, Kindergarten, 1/2)
--Friday, May 10th: Field Trip to OdySea Aquarium
***Look for permission slips soon!!***
--Wednesday, May 15th: Kindergarten Promotion
That's all for now!
Thank you,
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It was wonderful to see all of you for our final ILP this week! We're so proud of all of these amazing Sun Devils! It's hard to believe we are already in the fourth quarter of school!
This week we have had a wonderful time talking and writing about all the fun things that we did over spring break. We have also been reviewing the addition property and doing a mini unit on insect and animal life cycles focusing on the ladybug and the frog.
Next week our more normal academic schedule will resume as will homework. Tuesday, March 26th is school-wide spring pictures. Mrs. Mendoza has allowed this to be a free dress down day for students (even if you are not planning on purchasing spring pictures). We have several other events coming up so mark your calendars:
--Friday, April 12th: ASU Prep Spring Carnival
--Thursday, May 2nd: ASU Prep Spring Summative (Grades Pre-k, Kindergarten, 1/2)
--Friday, May 10th: Field Trip to Odysea Aquarium
--Wednesday, May 15th: Kindergarten Promotion
More information about each of these events to come as we get closer to these calendar dates.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Happy Wednesday Sun Devil Families,
We have an early message this week as there are some important things added to our schedule.
Officer Latella and his trauma dog, Dutch, from ASU Police Department will be coming to ASU Prep K-2 students on Mar. 6, 2019 in the afternoon. Each grade will meet with Officer Latella and his dog for 25 minutes while he reads a story and tells the students about Dutch. Dutch is a Labrador breed. Students will be given the opportunity to pet Dutch at the end of the assembly. If you would like to opt out of this experience for any reason please let your homeroom teacher know. Read this article in ASU Now to learn more about Dutch: https://asunow.asu.edu/20181115-sun-devil-life-asu-police-departments-newest-four-legged-member-will-comfort-crime-victims
To end our unit on Earth Materials (rock, soil and water) and in celebration of Read Across America Week where we celebrate Dr. Seuss, we will be viewing "The Lorax" film on Friday, March 8th as our third quarter reward. "The Lorax" film is made from the popular Dr. Seuss text about protecting animal and plant life for the purpose of preserving our planet for future generations. This will provide our students with foundational knowledge going into our discussion of Earth Day. This moview is rated PG, so if you would like your child to opt out of the viewing of "The Lorax" please contact their homeroom teacher so they may plan an alternative.
Finally, a Sign Up Genius will be going out for March volunteers as well as for Mystery Readers! Next week is Read Across America Week and we are inviting family members to come in to read to their child's class in the afternoons. If you choose to come in and read, please make sure you have the book you have chosen and costumes/props to match are encouraged!
We hope you have a wonderful rest of your week!
The Kinder Team :)
Friday, February 22, 2019
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been an incredibly wet week but we survived the weird weather!
We have been learning about the composition and decomposition of numbers within 10 using a variety of strategies, pictures and math tools. In language arts, our texts focused on important people in our nation's history and how we honor them, including but not limited to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
It's hard to believe how fast this year is going by, we have two weeks left of the quarter! We are wrapping up informal and formal assessments and preparing for the upcoming ILPs!
Our annual Spring Carnival is coming up! Our grade level theme is Birthday Party in a Basket! We already have the large component of our basket, a birthday party package at USA Youth Fitness Center, and we will be sending out a Sign Up Genius with a list of other items to complete this basket for our school's fundraiser. Any contributions you can make are greatly appreciated! 😊
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you so much for all the sweets, treats and cards - you made us feel so loved on Valentine's Day! The Friendship STEAM Celebration was another success - we are so thankful for the parents that stepped up to lead, organize, donate and volunteer to run stations. You made the day such a wonderful memory for our little Sun Devils!
Please remember with all of the holiday fun, to keep sweet treats at home and not send them to school as a part of your child's lunch or snack. We encourage them to have healthy brain food that will help them sustain focus and consistent energy levels for our busy day of learning.
Remember NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 18th as we are observing President's Day.
We encourage you to maintain consistent home routines making sure your little one is starting to become more independent with homework as we enter the last months of kindergarten. We have been having more discussions at school about getting focused and ready for first grade. RAZ-Kids and Dreambox are excellent resources to differentiate your child's practice in addition to the homework sent home - a tallybox is on the homework to record how many log-ins your child has done that week. In addition there are challenge activities on that same page to push your child's thinking beyond the packet.
Mark your calendars - Monday, March 11th through Friday, March 15th is SPRING BREAK. There is no school but we encourage you to continue reading routines at home and log-ins to RAZ-Kids and Dreambox.
The last few weeks of the quarter we will be collecting data samples to share with you at ILPs regarding your child's progress and growth. Please make sure your child is well rested and coming to school on time as we will be conducting a variety of formal and informal assessments. ILPs will be held on Monday, March 18th and Tuesday, March 19th. Our front office staff will be sending out a sign up link like they have in previous sessions. Remember ILPs are a required component of being in our ASU Prep community. Your child is invited to attend this conference as they are a crucial part of our academic team, but we ask that younger siblings do not attend as we want the primary focus to be on your kindergartener.
We are looking for donations of play dough, noodles and treasure box items. If you are able to send in any of these things, please notify your child's homeroom teacher by email so we can be on the lookout for these coming in next week!
We hope you had a wonderful three day weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devils!!
We hope you are enjoying your day off! Your teachers are working hard on our professional development, and we can't wait to see you on Monday! Some things to keep in mind for this upcoming week:
-PK, K, 1st, and 2nd grades have WON THE MONEY WARS! We have earned a Pajama Day THIS Friday, February 8th. Your student(s) in Preschool, kindergarten, first, or second grade can wear school appropriate pajamas and athletic shoes this Friday!
-Don't forget--we are asking for each child to bring in at least one rock to observe and eventually make a pet rock. This should be labeled with your child's name, and be about the size of their fist or smaller.
-The link for Sign Up Genius for the Friendship Party (for supplies needed) is:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080948a9ab29a7fa7-valentines
We will need to have these materials in BY MONDAY, 2/11 at the latest so our wonderful volunteers can get all set up before our party on Thursday, 2/14.
-As we have done before, Half Day friends are invited to stay all day on Thursday, February 14th for our Friendship STEAM Party. Please let us know if your child is staying full day.
-Please begin working on your Valentines boxes and Valentine cards so your child can bring them in for their homeroom class on Thursday, February 14th. (This, of course, is optional! Please remember NO PEANUTS in any shape or form will be allowed)
-The Sign Up Genius for classroom volunteers in February will be going out this weekend
-Important Dates
-NO SCHOOL Monday, February 18 due to President's Day
-NO SCHOOL Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15 due to Spring Break
-NO SCHOOL Monday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 19 due to ILP Conferences
-Our School Carnival with be Friday, April 12th
-PK-2 Summative will be Thursday, May 2
-OdySea Aquarium Field Trip Aquarium will be May 10th
-Kindergarten Promotion will be Wednesday, May 15th
-Last Day of School will be Friday, May 24
Happy Tuesday Sun Devils!
Just a few quick things to keep in mind this week:
-This week is the Great Kindness Challenge!
-Monday: Hats Off for Kindness-- students can wear hats with their uniforms
-Tuesday: Crazy for Kindness-- student can have wacky hair and socks with their uniforms
-Wednesday: Team Up to Clean Up-- students can wear their favorite sport jersey or shirt with uniform bottoms
-Thursday: $1 Dress Down-- students can wear whatever they like with a $1 donation for the Great Kindness Challenge
-Friday: NO SCHOOL!
-We are also doing a challenge to raise money for a hospital in Liberia! We are asking students to bring in coins for the Coin Wars. Coins in kindergarten's bucket=positive points, and any dollars=negative points! The grade level with the most points will earn a Pajama Day!! (Hint: You can bring in a dollar to put in another grade level's bucket to take points away, or bring coins for ours!)
-Yearbooks are on sale! $20 each, due March 8th
-We are looking for donations to make our Rocks, Soil, and Water lessons come to life! We are asking for:
-All students to bring in at least one rock, LABELED with their name to observe and decorate to make Pet Rock. Not too big, not too small please (should be able to fit in the palm of their hand), and we will ned these by next week1
-Any cool rocks/collections to look closely at (you will get these back as long as you label the bag/container with your name)
-sand
-white modeling clay
-small rocks used for fishbowls
-potting soil
Have a great day!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Wednesday Sun Devils!
Our field trip to Children's Museum of Phoenix is coming up! It THIS Friday, January 18th. Students must wear their uniform maroon polo (short or long sleeves are both acceptable), khaki bottoms and tennis shoes as there are three floors of exhibits - so LOTS of walking! Students must bring a completely disposable lunch, snack and plastic water bottle - all labeled with their first and last name. Parent chaperones will keep these items with them as we break for snack and lunch at the Museum. A parent chaperone meeting will be held in Mrs. Sterenberg's room on Friday, January 18th at 8:30AM-8:45AM to go over the itinerary for our day, hand out museum resources, assign student groups and get supplies organized. Please make sure your child is on time as we have a strict timeline to follow. Half day student pick up will shift from 11:45AM to 1:30PM because of our arrival time back to ASU Prep from the Museum.😊
Friday is also our 100th day of school, but because we are on the field trip we will be celebrating the 101st day on Tuesday, January 22nd! Your child may wear a t-shirt decorated with 101 (or 100 if you had one ready for Friday) non edible objects on Tuesday.
NO SCHOOL Monday due to MLK Day!
NO SCHOOL Friday, February 1st due to teacher Wellness Day
***Due to a scheduling conflict, the Kindergarten Promotion will be on Wednesday, May 15th in the evening*****
If you are still interested in helping to plan the Friendship Party on 2/14, please reach out to your homeroom teacher as soon as possible please!
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It was wonderful meeting with all of you during this quarter's ILP conferences. We are so proud of our little Sun Devils as they have made so much progress as we work toward our goal of being ready for FIRST GRADE! It's hard to believe we are half way through the year!
We have a final Friendship STEAM Celebration on Thursday, February 14th (a.k.a. Valentine's Day). We are looking for parent volunteers to lead, help plan, prep, donate creative stations. Any and all help is appreciated - these events are something our students absolutely love about their kindergarten year. Please notify your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in contributing in any way! Half day students are invited to stay full day for this special event, so please make sure that you send them with a lunch and adjust pick up time to 3:15PM for that Thursday.
Our field trip to Children's Museum of Phoenix is coming up! It is on Friday, January 18th. Students must wear their uniform maroon polo (short or long sleeves are both acceptable), khaki bottoms and tennis shoes as there are three floors of exhibits - so LOTS of walking! Students must bring a completely disposable lunch, snack and plastic water bottle - all labeled with their first and last name. Parent chaperones will keep these items with them as we break for snack and lunch at the Museum. A parent chaperone meeting will be held in Mrs. Sterenberg's room on Friday, January 18th at 8:30AM-8:45AM to go over the itinerary for our day, hand out museum resources, assign student groups and get supplies organized. Please make sure your child is on time as we have a strict timeline to follow. Half day student pick up will shift from 11:45AM to 1:30PM because of our arrival time back to ASU Prep from the Museum.😊
Looking ahead, below are some important dates listed to add to your calendar!
-Friday, January 18th: Field Trip to Children's Museum of Phoenix
-Monday, January 21st: MLK Jr. Day Observed - NO SCHOOL
-Friday, February 1st: Mandatory District Health and Wellness Event for Employees - NO SCHOOL
-Monday, February 18th: President's Day Observed - NO SCHOOL
-Monday, March 11th-Friday, March 15th: Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
-Monday, March 18th-Tuesday, March 19th: 3rd ILP Conferences - NO SCHOOL
-Thursday, May 2nd :Preschool, Kindergarten, 1/2 Grade Spring Summative (in Evening)
-Friday, May 10th: Field Trip to OdySea Aquarium
-Wednesday, May 15th: (TBD) Kindergarten Promotion (in Evening)
-Friday, May 24th: Last Day of School
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We made it! Happy last school day of 2018! Just a few quick notes before you have your long break:
-We have notified parents who have been drawn for chaperones for our Children's Museum field trip. If you were not chosen, don't fret! The museum is open to having parents meet us there, but you will just not have a group or ride the bus with us.
-Sign ups for ILP Conferences go live tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd. Please note, Mrs. Bull will be at a professional development seminar for the morning of the 8th. She will not be available for conferences at this time
-ILP Conferences are Tuesday, January 8th and Wednesday, January 9th.
-School resumes Thursday, January 10th.
Have a safe, relaxing, fun-filled 19 days with your children! We will miss them dearly!
Happy Holidays,
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We are getting so close to break, and the excitement is in the air! Remember, as we get closer to the holidays, it is more important than ever to ensure all kiddos are getting enough rest, washing their hands, and wearing coats in the chilly mornings. In addition please adhere to school policy concerning students being fever-free for 24 hours We do not want anyone sick for the break!
Square One art deliveries were made today, please check backpacks for these orders! We have not had our Run Devil Run prizes delivered yet, but they should be in soon!
Our field trip to the Children's Museum is quickly approaching, and we are still missing many permission slips. If you have not done so already, please send in these permission slips and pay the fees online or through cash or check. If your child is unable to attend for some reason, please let your homeroom teacher know so this can be documented. We will choose chaperones this week!
This Friday is a big day! Kindergarten students have the option to wear pajamas (with tennis shoes) or a holiday sweater (with uniform bottoms). We will be watching a movie in the morning to celebrate our learning, and will be having our Winter STEAM celebration in the afternoon. Half day friends are invited to stay all day, and will need to bring a lunch. Please let us know if your half day student is going to attend that afternoon or not.
Remember, there is NO SCHOOL December 22nd-January 6th due to Winter Break. There is also NO SCHOOL Monday, January 7th, Tuesday, January 8th, and Wednesday January 9th due to ILP Conferences. School resumes Thursday, January 10th.
The sign up for ILP Conferences will go live on Friday, January 22st. We are looking forward to seeing you all there! Remember, we would love to see our kinder friends at these conferences so they can show you their great work, BUT if possible, please leave siblings at home to ensure we have enough time to get through everything we need to in that short time slot.
This time of year is so exciting, and we know it can also be stressful. We wanted to take a moment and thank you all so much for your support this year! We would not be able to do what we do without awesome parents like you! Happy Holidays! :)
Thank you,
The Kinder Team!
December, 7 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another wonderful, winter week at ASU Prep Kindergarten! We have been busy in our measurement units in Engage New York and supplemental activities while also growing our high frequency word bank, working on our comprehension of story elements and reading fluency.
We have had a lot of winter coats go missing! Please make sure your child's jacket, sweaters and coats are clearly labeled so that if it is misplaced outside, at lunch, at specials, etc. that we can find the owner. Thank you!
We are already preparing for our next field trip!!! We will be going to the Children's Museum of Phoenix on Friday, January 18th, 2019. We are looking for a LOT of parent chaperones as we would ideally like to have a 2:1 adult: student ratio as it is a very large, exciting location. Chaperones will be chosen by lottery however each homeroom class is looking for 13 parents so your chances are VERY good! :) Field trips will be coming home attached to homework on Monday, December 10th. Please send them back ASAP so we can organize the Purchase Order with our front office to prepare for the event. Chaperones will be notified prior to winter break so work accommodations can be made. We are counting the days until this amazing adventure!
We have some exciting events coming up at the end of the quarter. We will be having a Behavior Reward movie morning on Friday, December 21st - students are invited to wear cozy pajamas to school that day with tennis shoes or they may participate in the school-wide holiday sweater (with uniform bottoms). We will also be having our Winter STEAM Celebration that afternoon. It will follow the same schedule as our Fall STEAM Celebration. Half Day students are invited to stay Full Day for that day, so they would need to pack a lunch, will get to enjoy Specials Classes that day and our winter festivities until our normal school day end at 3:15PM.
We have been collecting new data in all content areas and we are so excited to share the progress your child has made over the last quarter! ILP Conference Sign Up information will be sent out from our front office for Tuesday, January 8th and Wednesday, January 9th. School will resume with a normal schedule on Thursday, January 10th
Homework will continue through the next two weeks (with field trip permission slip attached on this week's). We encourage you to read wonderful wintery and seasonal books and continue logging into Dreambox and RazKids to keep your child's reading and math skills growing. If you need a password reset for any of our online supplements please contact your child's teacher.
Just a reminder, the steps to log in to Dreambox are as follows:
1. Use this link to access Dreambox from a computer: https://play.dreambox.com/login/asqh/gr98
2. To download the DreamBox Learning Math app, go to https://www.dreambox.com/ipad, or search for "DreamBox Learning Math" in the App Store. If you already have the app installed, you’ll want to make sure the latest version of the app has been installed so your student receives the most current experience and lessons. When prompted in the app, enter this school code: asqh/gr98
If you have any questions, or if you need info on how to log in to RazKids, please let us know!
Since we have four months of practice under our belt with dismissal, teachers will no longer be escorting groups of students at the end of the day. Full day students will be practice walking in groups to the office or driveline under the supervision of staff stationed at points in the hallway and in the office as we work toward our goal of being prepared for first grade!
As always, thank you for all you do to help your child be successful at school. We love to see all these sweet, smiling faces every day and we're so excited for all the fun celebrations and activities coming up!
Have a great weekend,
The Kinder Team
November 30, 2018
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another busy week of learning! Hard to believe this week is the beginning of December - we are almost to the midpoint of the year!
Since we have four months of practice under our belt with dismissal, teachers will no longer be escorting groups of students at the end of the day. Full day students will be practice walking in groups to the office or driveline under the supervision of staff stationed at points in the hallway and in the office as we work toward our goal of being prepared for first grade!
We are so thankful for all the wonderful volunteers popping into our classrooms, helping with ornaments and book making - it takes a village and we're so lucky you're in our village! :) Watch your emails for future volunteer opportunities.
Other dates to mark in your calendar: Friday, December 21st is our Winter STEAM Celebration. It will be in the afternoon as was our Fall STEAM Celebration. Half day friends are invited to stay for lunch, specials, and the celebration that day! More information to come on that event. Winter break will be from Monday, December 24th until Thursday, January 10th. Our next ILP conferences will be held on Tuesday, January 8th and Wednesday, January 9th (a sign up will be sent to you from our front office staff). School will resume on Thursday, January 10th. Our next field trip will be to the Children's Museum of Phoenix on Friday, January 18th. More information to come regarding chaperone opportunities, travel details and permission slips.
As we close the second quarter, our reading groups schedules are a little irregular, so take home books may not be coming home as often. We encourage you to continue to use RAZ Kids as a resource for reading materials at your child's independent level. DreamBox math practice is also an excellent site to grow your child's math skills (if you need your password again, please contact your child's homeroom teacher). These websites are fantastic tools and are an expectation as a part of weekly homework :)
Remember, Mrs. Mendoza is strictly enforcing dress code policy. Outerwear can be any color or pattern and worn outdoors, but must be taken off indoors. Only ASU apparel (or SOLD maroon, black, white) sweaters/ jackets may be worn indoors. Please be mindful of socks and leggings, as these need to be solid white, black, grey, or maroon as well.
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
November 19, 2018
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
What an exciting week we had last week! Thank you to everyone who helped make our Fall Summative a great success, and thank you so much to all families who were able to come and see the amazing work our students have been doing this semester! Run, Devil, Run was also last week and our school raised over $25,000! This event would not be possible without incredible families like you, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Some important information for this week:
--Tomorrow is the very last day to turn in any order forms for the Square 1 Art fundraiser. (Today was technically the last day, but Mrs. Olson is so nice she is still accepting forms tomorrow!) *This is only for full day students
-NO (paper) HOMEWORK, enjoy time with your family :)
-Please keep plugging away on your Dream Box and RazKids accounts! We are checking to see who is consistently logging in, and we are able to see great progress with these kids!
-Book Orders are going out this week. This is a great time to get gifts for your children while supporting our classroom libraries! Book orders are DUE NO LATER than Friday, November 30th to ensure we will get the shipment on time!
-The Food Drive is happening! If you are able, please send in some nonperishable food items with your child before November 19th. If ASU Prep collects 800lbs or more, we will earn a Free Dress Day!
-Thank you to all parents who signed up for donations! Please make sure these come in as soon as possible so we have time to create!
Mrs. Mendoza sent out an email regarding uniforms, and we wanted to make sure kindergarten was all on the same page. We will be STRICTLY enforcing these policies (see below), so please be mindful! In addition, we ask that you PLEASE label all outerwear with your child’s first and last name. The chill is just beginning and we are already seeing many lost sweaters, sweatshirts, and coats.
Outerwear:
Shoes:
The Kinder Team :)
November 13, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil families!
We are so appreciative of all the volunteers coming in to help us prepare for our first of two Summatives! We could not do it without you! Sign-Up Genius links will be going out for more volunteer opportunities (including Summative break down on November 16th) and donations for things we need for upcoming projects - so watch for those upcoming emails!
For those of you new to the ASU Prep family, each grade level hosts a Summative (or celebration of learning/ "open house") to show off the tremendous works our students have created. The first Summative, as was noted on our list of important dates, will be Thursday, November 15th from 5:00-6:30PM. We have no scheduled performances for this Summative so this is a drop-in event, come and go as you please within that window of time. Please do not arrive any earlier than 5:00PM as our staff will be putting the finishing touches on displays for the event.
Our primary grade levels are trying something a little different this year - we are sharing the spotlight with the first/second grade clusters. For those of you with students in those grade levels you are getting two events for the price of one! :) That being said, it will be a busy evening and parking lots will be busy so please plan according to your family's needs.
Students do not need to wear their school uniforms for this event, and all family members are invited to attend. Your kindergartener will be excited to show off their work and tell you about everything we have been learning!
Student work will be displayed in hallways and all three kindergarten classrooms as it is grouped by theme or topic, so please make sure to visit Miss Anderson's, Mrs. Bull's and Mrs. Sterenberg's classrooms to view your child's creations. For the most part, works are grouped by homeroom (to make it easier to find your child's work) and labeled with their name. Please note, there are some projects that were done in Project Group, therefore only full day students have completed these particular projects.
As a friendly reminder, Summative is not a time that we will be discussing individual student data or progress. Our next ILP (Individual Learning Plan) Conferences will be held in January with the most up-to-date data including both formal and informal assessments as we revisit goals set at our last ILPs in October. If you have any immediate questions or concerns, please contact your child's homeroom teacher via email or Class Dojo so that we discuss privately.
Our Winter STEAM Celebration is Friday, December 21st! We are looking for some amazing parents that would like to be in charge of planning this incredible afternoon. This will run the same as the Fall STEAM Celebration, and half day friends will once again be invited to stay. If you are interested in leading this fun afternoon, please let your homeroom teacher know!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the amazing donations that have been coming in for Run Devil Run! As a kindergarten team, our students have raised a whopping $2,571.10!! As a K-4 cluster we have 47% participation, and we are getting closer to that goal of 75% to earn our Otter Pops! If you still have donations, please make sure they get sent in or submitted online ASAP! Friday is the big day, so PLEASE make sure you child has good running shoes and a water bottle!
We are collecting cans for our annual canned food drive! Please bring nonperishable/canned food items to donate to the United Food Bank starting Tuesday, November 13 until Tuesday, November 19. Our school goal is to collect 800 pounds of food. Help us support the less fortunate in our community.
We hope you had a great long weekend,
The Kinder Team
November 2. 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families,
What a great Spirit Week! It was so fun to see everyone dressed up and we had an amazing Fall STEAM Celebration. Thank you to all parents for contributing your time and donations to help make this exciting event happen for our kiddos.
Here are your upcoming important dates:
11/12: Veteran's Day--NO SCHOOL
11/15: K-2 Summative--5-6:30pm Come and see all the great projects we have been working on this semester!
11/16: Run, Devil, Run--Get those pledges in. If we have 75% participation we get an Otter Pop Party!
11/22-11/22: Thanksgiving Holiday--NO SCHOOL
We love to see all the hard work that is being done on homework! Remember to get on RazKids and Dream Box a couple times per week to get that differentiated practice in! In addition, if you are looking for more practice or challenge activities, they are listed on the bottom of the back of the first page!
Be on the look out for more opportunities to volunteer via SignUpGenus, we are looking for people to help with in-class student support, Summative set-up, at home or in school book making, and assistance with Reader's Workshop. We appreciate all your help!
Thanks and have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 26, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been busy, busy, busy at school! TONIGHT!! Trunk or Treat in the ASU Prep parking lot from 5-6. ALSO TONIGHT!! Parent's Night Out Color Guard fundraiser from 6-10!
Next Week Is Spirit Week! Remember, you MUST wear uniform bottoms each day (except Wednesday and Friday)
Monday: Match a Friend--Students may wear a matching top to a friend with uniform bottoms. If your child does not choose a friend to dress like, have them wear a solid black or white shirt to be twins with everyone!
Tuesday: Aloha Tuesday--Students may wear Hawaiian shirt and/or accessories with uniform bottoms
Wednesday: Character Day--Students may wear their costume but NO MASKS, WEAPONS, FACE PAINT, BLOOD, OR PROPS Please :)
***Our Fall STEAM Party is also Wednesday! We are inviting half day friends to stay all day, so PLEASE remember to pack a lunch! Dismissal is the same at 3:15, please come through Drive Line or you may also opt to pick your child up in the office.
Thursday: Team Thursday--Students may wear any jersey or team apparel with uniform bottoms
Friday: Free Dress Friday!--Students may dress as they please (appropriately) Teachers will be dress up too...
We have started a regular rotation of small reading groups, you should notice paper take-home books coming home in guided reading bags at least once a week. These paper books are for you to keep for your child's personal collection. You can keep them in a shoebox or a bag in a special place that they can access regularly. The more the read, the more fluent they will get! It is great to review these books in addition to new books your child acquires. :)
We have seen some unlabeled sweatshirts and jackets come through - please make sure your child's warm weather clothing is labeled clearly so we can return it to the correct owner. Please remember, children can wear whatever coat they please outside, but inside we must follow uniform regulations: Solid black, white, or maroon, or ASU sweatshirts/sweaters only please!!
We are so appreciative of all the parent volunteers coming in to help prepare activities, take home books and special projects for the upcoming Fall STEAM Celebration. We could not do it without you!
With all of the fall festivities, trunk or treats and parties, please make sure that no candy or sweet treats are coming to school in lunch boxes or for snack. We encourage healthy lunches and snacks for brain food as we have a rigorous day and sugar often leads to an energy crash.
If you are interested in being your child's homeroom representative for the Junior Achievement (JA) Program and/or are trained in the JA curriculum, please contact your child's homeroom teacher so we can start organizing dates for the spring. We are going to align the lessons with our language curriculum when we pull in social studies standards talking about wants versus needs, etc.
Thanks and have a SPOOKY weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 17, 2018
Happy Wednesday Sun Devil Families!Just to make all aware, Miss Anderson is out Thursday-Monday for family obligations and Mrs. Sterenberg is out Friday for a medical procedure. Keep this in mind when monitoring Class Dojo points as substitute teachers do not always have access to this behavior management tool.
A reminder with the modified homework and optional extension activities, it is not due back until Monday, however keep practicing those spelling words as the spelling test will continue to be on Fridays. Students will get a new homework on Monday, October 22nd that will be due back on Monday, Octobert 29th and so on. We'd love to hear how RAZ Kids A-Z and Dreambox are going, feel free to give us some feedback!
The weather continues to be cool - we see a lot of jackets and coats coming in. If you know your child will also want to bundle up indoors, make sure it follows the school dress code, maroon, black or white and with or without the ASU logo. Sweaters, jackets and coats that do not fall within the dress code policy will need to be taken off indoors. Long socks and leggings must also follow the code colors, no patterns please. Shoes must be active tennis shoes, no boots please for safety purposes at recess and P.E.
Sign Up Genius for pumpkin donations and Fall STEAM Celebration will be going out. If you sign up to donate a pumpkin, we will need them ASAP for activities starting Monday.
Thank you to all the wonderful parent volunteers we've had over the last few days - you've been so helpful and we are appreciative of all your effort and time! These opportunities will continue in the coming weeks.
Spirit Week is coming! Your child may dress up (with uniform bottoms!) as follows for the week of October 29-November 2nd (NOT NEXT WEEK!)
Monday: Match a Friend--Students may wear a matching top to a friend with uniform bottoms. If your child does not choose a friend to dress like, have them wear a solid black or white shirt to be twins with everyone!
Tuesday: Aloha Tuesday--Students may wear Hawaiian shirt and/or accessories with uniform bottoms
Wednesday: Character Day--Students may wear their costume but NO MASKS, WEAPONS, FACE PAINT, BLOOD, OR PROPS Please :)
Thursday: Team Thursday--Students may wear any jersey or team apparal with uniform bottoms
Friday: Free Dress Friday!--Students may dress as they please (appropriately) Teachers will be dress up too...
We can't wait for the fun!
Have a great evening!
The Kinder Team
October 12, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Today's field trip to Schnepf Farms was amazing! If you were a chaperone and took some wonderful pictures of our Sun Devils, please forward them to your child's homeroom teacher so we can compile the pictures for all to enjoy! 😊
A message will go out early next week regarding the minor changes to our homework packet. And a Sign Up Genius will be going out regarding volunteer opportunities!
Thanks so much for everything you guys do to help our kindergarten classes!
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
October 11, 2018
Hi Sun Devil Families!
Just a reminder that Friday, October 12th is our kindergarten field trip to Schnepf Farm. Your child will need a completely disposable snack, lunch and water bottle, labeled with their full name. Their parent chaperone will be responsible for carrying these for your child on our trip. *Parent chaperones please bring a large enough bag to carry items. Chaperone meeting to discuss further details will begin at 8:40AM in Mrs. Sterenberg’s room.
Looking at the weather projections - light showers are expected in the early morning. Our trip will continue as planned but here are some suggestions to keep your child prepared. Temperatures will be in the high 70's, for some of these Arizona babies, this might be considered "chilly". ASU Prep students still must follow the school dress code policy - khaki shorts or khaki pants are acceptable as are short or long sleeve maroon polos. Socks with closed-toe tennis shoes are required as we will be walking the farm and there are several activity and play sites. Students may bring/ wear a light rain jacket per the weather projections.
Students will be touring the farm and the fall festivities in small chaperoned groups. Since we will be outdoors for several hours, sunscreen and/or bug repellant spray are recommended but not required. No ASU Prep staff are allowed to apply these to students, so these steps must be done before the student comes to school.
We will be leaving ASU campus at approximately 9:00AM and returning at 2:00PM. Half day student pick up schedules will be changed for this day, instead of their usual 11:45AM. If you choose to sign your child out from school at this point, your child's homeroom teacher will have a sign out sheet for dismissal.
We look forward to an amazing adventure on the farm!
The Kinder Team :)
September 26, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families,
We cannot believe the first quarter of school is in the books! If you have not already, please make sure you sign up for an ILP day and time with your child's homeroom teacher. We look forward to discussing your child's progress with you at this conference. Your child is an important part of our academic team, so please make sure that they come with you to their ILP. Because we have such limited time to discuss so much important information we would appreciate if younger siblings were not in attendance so we can focus entirely on your kindergartener! :)
An email thread has been started for those of you who expressed interest in leading/ assisting with our Fall STEM Celebration. If you still wish to volunteer for this event, please contact your child's teacher so we can put you in contact with our Event Lead.
Chaperones have been chosen for our first field trip to Schnepf Farm. If you were not contacted to be a chaperone for this event, we have put you as priority for one of the other two events. We do our best to make sure everyone has a chance to accompany their child on one of these amazing adventures! Chaperone payment is due immediately - instructions are in the confirmation email sent.
Homework will take a brief hiatus the week of ILPs but will restart the week of October 15th. In the meantime, read lots of great books! We hope you have a wonderful Fall Break with your families!
The Kinder Team
September 24, 2018
Happy Monday Sun Devils!
Just a few quick notes for the week:
-All field trip permission slips are due no later than Wednesday of this week!
-On Friday, we will be watching Chicken Little (rated G) to support our learning about fables and fairy tales and also to celebrate an excellent first quarter. If you would like your child to miss this for any reason, please let your teacher know.
-We are looking for recycled materials (cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, etc.) for a special STEM project we are doing in Project Group this week. Thanks in advance!
-The ILP sign ups are live! Make sure you choose a time to meet with your teacher to chat about your child's progress this quarter!
-We are looking for some at-home helpers over Fall Break to cut out our laminated centers for next quarter. Let your teacher know if you are interested in helping out, and we will put the lamination in your child's backpack
Thanks for all you do!
The Kinder Team :)
September 21, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!It's been another amazing and jam-packed week! We just love our little Sun Devils and had so much fun in reading, writing, math and project group! Please read all the way through to the end to catch some important dates and volunteer opportunities!
In our language block we have been focusing on Fables! We learned that fables are short stories, with animals as characters and teach us a lesson. We read "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Little Helper" and we used character columns to make lists about what we knew about the characters we identified in the story. Based on the character's actions and things they said in the story, we practiced making inferences.
In math we were introduced to story problems and using manipulatives to represent items in the story. We also used math vocabulary "one more than" to identify and create greater numbers. We continued to build on this concept by making "math stairs" to 10 with unifix cubes.
Project Group was so much fun this week! We began a Storybook STEM Unit with the theme: The Three Little Pigs. Each day we read a different version of the traditional fairy tale. We compared and contrasted texts, identified characters in the different versions and choral read our favorite parts! In teams we used the STEM cycle to plan, design and create a house fit for a little pig! Of course, no little pig house is approved until it's been tested by the Big Bad Wolf. We had extra fun testing the durability of our structures with a hair dryer and a leaf blower! :)
A special fall event will be coming up quickly - our annual Fall STEAM Celebration event! The event will be held on Wednesday, October 31st from 1:30-3:00PM. Half Day Students have been invited by the Kindergarten Team and Mrs. Mendoza to experience this celebration, therefore they will need to bring a lunch on this day. This is a great opportunity for families to plan and prep outside of school or pop in for a one-day volunteer commitment!
What this event looks like:
We have three kindergarten classrooms with six tables in each room. Parents collectively plan, prep and lead a variety of games and activities that are centered around the fall season that align with ASU Prep's STEM (or STEAM) mindset. For those of you new to the STEAM acronym - it stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math. Students will travel to all three kindergarten rooms and rotate between activities. It is certainly one of our most memorable and fun events of the year!
What we need:
We need at least one parent to take the lead on listing activities (18 in total) to fill all 3 classrooms, list the supplies needed to be prepped or purchased prior for games and activities, and assigning volunteers (at least one adult stationed for each game or activity table). We will support by creating a Sign Up Genius from the list to make sure we have all supplies and volunteers we need for the event to be fabulous! Volunteers will also need to set up, you have as early as 12:30 (but must be prepared by 1:30PM) and breakdown their station from 3:00-3:30PM.
If this is something you are interested in helping with - please let your child's homeroom teacher know ASAP. An email thread will be started with all who are interested to get the ball rolling. While I know it is early to be thinking about this event, with Fall Break and ILP Conferences coming up we want plenty of time to prepare! *Please make special note if you are interested in being the lead volunteer of this event!*
October Break is Monday, October 1st through Friday, October 5th, no school or extracurricular activities will be in session.
ILP Conferences are coming up! Conference scheduling will open Saturday, September 22nd at 6:00am and close October 7th at 11:30pm. There will be no school Monday, October 8th (due to a teacher prep day) through Wednesday, October 10th due to these conferences. Please note that Mrs. Bull's ILP schedule will look a little different. She will only be conducting conferences on Wednesday, October 10th due to school-wide mentor training. Please contact her via e-mail if you have any questions.
We have just finalized all three field trips for our kindergarten year! Get your calendars ready!
We will be traveling to Schnepf Farm on Friday, October 12th for a Pumpkin Picking Field Trip. Permissions slips are in your child's take home folder today! We will be able to have 10 parent chaperones per homeroom class. Chaperones will be chosen on a lottery system, must ride the bus to and from the event with a small group (2-3) children which will include their child. More information on our itinerary, things your child will need to wear or bring, cost, etc. will be coming soon.
Our second field trip will be to Children's Museum of Phoenix on Friday, January 18th. Students will have the opportunity to have hands-on experiences that align with ASU Prep's STEM mission.
Our final field trip will be to the OdySea Aquarium on Friday, May 10th. Students will be able to explore ocean plants and animals up close with sensory tanks, special viewing areas and demonstrations.
Our spelling words for next week will be: Uppercase T, lowercase t, go, see, the, we, plus two bonus words.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
September 13, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Another week in the books! We cannot believe how quickly this school year is flying by! We are seeing newfound independence and student confidence in our routines and procedures, and seeing friendships continue to develop in the classroom and on the playground.
We just got word from Ms. Urban that an ILP (Independent Learning Plan) conference Sign Up link will be sent out on September 22nd. There is no school October 1st-5th due to Fall Break, and 8th-10th due to these conferences. Monday, October 8th is a teacher prep day, Tuesday, October 9th will have morning, afternoon and evening conference slots, and Wednesday, October 10th will have additional opportunities for morning conferences. School will resume on Thursday, October 11th. More information on ILPs and what information to expect as we get closer to those dates.
Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who were able to come in to help make take-home books for our students! We are so thankful to have such an amazing group of parents supporting our kindergartners and school! We can't wait to start sending these home! When your child starts taking their guided reading bags home, please read this book each night, put it back in the bag, and send it back to school daily.
We just wrapped up our first unit in Benchmark Advance language curriculum - "Rules at Home at School". Our next unit, "Every Story has Characters", focuses on in the essential question "How are characters different?". We will be spending time identifying and describing story characters and events as well as comparing and contrasting between texts. We will also be learning about plural nouns and question words in the next weeks.
In math, we have been subitizing (identifying a number set with automaticity) and counting to numbers 9 and 10 in different configurations (linear, array, circular and scattered). We have been learning organizational strategies in our counting and matching object sets to numerals. These foundational skills are so important for when we compose and decompose larger numbers later!
In project group we learned about Police Officers, the tools they use, patrol cars and their K-9 units. We had a special visit from ASU's Police Officers and their K-9 unit "Zeke". Officer Przeor let us tour his patrol car and Officer Davis did a demonstration with "Zeke" how they work together to keep us safe. We are so thankful to have brave officers in our community!
Everyone is doing such a great job with their homework each week! Tomorrow is our first spelling test (using letters/words uppercase M, lowercase m, uppercase A, lowercase a, the high frequency word I, and the high frequency word like, plus two bonus words)
Our spelling words for next week will be: Uppercase S, lowercase s, I, like, the, we, plus two bonus words.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
September 7, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Wow! What a week! We have finished DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) screening and have wonderful data from the DIBELS assessment and are preparing to start differentiated reading groups. We will be sharing the results of these assessments with you at your child's Individual Learning Plan (ILP) conference.
Early this week a small purple sight work sticker books was sent home. This booklet is aligned to our Benchmark Advance Language Arts program and is a tool that will remain at home. Each page focuses on the sight words for each week of the program. If your child already knows the sight word focus for that week, do not worry - we are also enriching their sight word bank by following and tracking their goals using the Fry's First 100 sight words. *If your child has mastered the Benchmark Advance list, you can be expecting a more challenging list coming home in the next weeks.
In math we have been counting and identifying objects sets of amounts 5-9. We have been using a variety of manipulatives and technology to show how we can count object sets in linear and scattered configurations.
In project group, we were learning about Firefighters, fire engines and fire safety! The brave firefighters from the Mesa Fire Department came with Engine 215 to show us their truck, tools and let us climb aboard to explore!
If you haven't gotten a chance to stop by ASU Prep's Scholastic Book Fair, no worries - you still have Friday afternoon and Monday before and after school. There are a lot of great selections and it's a great time to support our school and build your child's library!
We had our first "practice run" spelling test today and the students did a great job! Moving forward, the spelling test will consist of the uppercase and lowercase letter of the week, which we will make sure to outline in the prior week's Friday message, and the sight words taught that week. For example, this Friday our spelling words will be uppercase M, lowercase m, uppercase A, lowercase a, the words I, like, and then two bonus words using the letters m and a.
Please make sure your child has a change of clothes labeled in a gallon Ziploc bag, or if they have used them - make sure to wash and send back. :)
Mrs. Bull will be sending out a Sign Up Genius for parents to come in and help make books for guided reading bags. There will also be an opportunity to be on the "Super Special, Super Secret, Amazing, Fantastic, and Totally Adorable Kindergarten Project." We will have a parent from last year leading the pack to help organize and explain the jobs needed for this project. Be on the look out, and thank you in advance for you help!
Thanks!
The Kinder Team
August 31, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil families!
We can’t believe we are already five weeks into the school year! Only four more weeks until the quarter is over and it is fall break! We have been working hard this week on National Symbols, decomposing and writing numbers to 7, and getting into full swing with our work stations during Reader’s Workshop. During this time we are comparing fiction and nonfiction texts, as well as taking a closer look at poetry and getting our feet wet with writing. We are loving seeing all the responsible kindergartners bringing their homework in on Fridays, and we hope that these routines are going well at home.
The Book Fair is next week! Starting Tuesday, August 4th it will be set up in the K-4 Gallery. Kindergarten students will have an opportunity to visit the Book Fair to make a wish list and you are welcome to come before or after school next week to shop. This is a great time build your library at home!
We are in the process of collecting information from the DIBELS assessment and DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment). These assessments help us to gather the data needed to teach each student at their individual instructional levels, the results of these assessments will be discussed with you at your child’s next ILP conference following October break. An online sign up will be sent out from the front office for ILP conferences.
On Class Dojo, PLEASE do not send Nicole Wilborn (on site substitute teacher that all students will have at some point this year) messages on unless they are meant to go directly to her. Any messages that go to her account DO NOT come to any of the homeroom teachers. If you are trying to get in touch with Mrs. Bull, Mrs. Sterenberg, or Miss Anderson, please send a message to The Kindergarten Team account or send us an email directly. In addition, we are not using portfolios as of now in kindergarten. You do not need to set anything else up if you are able to access the points and messages :)
One last thing, please make sure you send your child with a labeled water bottle, it is still hot outside!
Have a great long weekend and remember there is NO SCHOOL Monday!
The Kinder Team :)
August 24, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for the fruit and supply donations - the Friendship Fruit Salad was a huge success! We had so much fun singing, following the directions to make and EATING the delicious treat! It was a great community building activity for our kindergarteners!
Please remember to be sending your child with a water bottle labeled with their first and last name. The temperatures outside in the morning and afternoon have still been very warm despite some of the rainy weather.
We had students showing great responsibility turning in their first homework (reading log) today! Thank you for helping instill those responsible behaviors in your learner! Next week's homework will still include a reading log, in addition to some math content. More opportunities for both digital practice and differentiated lessons will be coming soon!
We are in need for treasure box donations! Great suggestions for items are things you'd find in party favor bags or at the party store (little toys, bracelets, trinkets, etc) please no food or candy.
The Book Fair will be coming in the next few weeks. We will send notification and times when your child may shop.
We have completed the first twenty days of our Benchmark Advance language instruction and will be diving into our first instructional unit. The topic of this unit is "Rules at Home and School". Next week in Engage New York Math, we will continue working with numbers within 10, practicing numeral formation and different configurations. In Project Group, we will be doing a snapshot study of some National Symbols including the Statue of Liberty, the White House, the American Flag and the Bald Eagle.
*Some Class Dojo Tips*
We have had some questions regarding additional account setup for your child's Class Dojo page. This is only for their online portfolio, which kindergarten is not going to do quite yet. You can ignore this for now.
You will also notice Nicole Wilborn's name as a teacher on Class Dojo. This just means she has access to give and take points when she is subbing in any one of our rooms. PLEASE only send messages to the Kindergarten Team message board so your homeroom teacher can view them. If you send them directly to Mrs. Wilborn, only she will be able to see them. In the future, you might see the names of our instructional assistants (Mrs. Laureano, Mrs. Reyes, and Mrs. Rowland) who all frequently work closely with all students.
Let us know if you have any questions, and have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
August 16, 2018
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
It's been a wonderful week of practicing parts of our Reader's Workshop, building our stamina as readers and learning about different workstations to help us become better readers! We have started building our own book boxes with books that interest us and have the tools prepared to start working independently at workstations. Differentiated group instruction will be starting soon!
We have continued with Engage New York math instruction, focusing on sorting objects and matching object sets to numerals.
In Project Group we have continued to learn about ourselves by learning about our body parts and the five senses. We have labeled body parts with post-it notes, sorted foods by flavor on a giant tongue with "sweet", "salty", "sour" and "bitter" spots, conducted a "smell test", played "guess that sound!", had to guess what objects were hidden in the balloon for "touch" and took our "camera" to snap a picture of something we saw. It's been so much fun exploring with our five senses!
Thursday we toured our new playground equipment and talked about how to play safe and be kind to each other. We are so excited to start playing on our new playground!
Homework will be starting MONDAY, our first round is a one-sided reading log. Make sure to read with your child every night. Record the title of the book and the number of minutes read and return Friday of the same week for credit. As the year progresses, the homework will increase in difficulty and vary in content. Right now establishing routines and reading is priority.
We will be looking for small fruit donations to make "Friendship Salad" at the end of next week. If for any reason you do not want your child participating in the consumption of a teacher-made fruit salad please, contact your child's homeroom teacher. We have already cross referenced our allergy list and will not be including any foods that may cause reactions. More details to follow on the Sign Up Genius going out!
A quick note for Miss Anderson's families--Miss Anderson will be out of town Friday, August 17th and Monday, August 18th. Please do not be alarmed if you do not see any ClassDojo points, and be aware that she will be available to answer emails upon her return on Tuesday. If you need anything before then, please address Mrs. Bull or Mrs. Sterenberg in the first line of your message on Class Dojo. Thank you for understanding!
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
August 10, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
What a great second week! We have been practicing our school rules, introducing new literacy and math routines, and getting to know each other in our classrooms. Keep in mind, the beginning of the year is all about routines and procedures, and the rigor will increase as the year goes on. This year is going to be a wonderful year!
We are seeing finishing touches on the playground, and we are hoping to get out and play as soon as next week. Make sure your child is wearing athletic shoes and brings a labeled water bottle each and every day as it is still HOT outside!
ASU Prep is kicking off our Anti-Bullying week on Monday, August 13th. We will be having an assembly to talk about what bullying is, and what to do if a child is being bullied or sees someone being bullied. The theme of this week is Every Sprinkle Counts: Donut Bully. We will be doing various activities to support the positivity of kindness all week, and Friday the children will have the opportunity to sit with new friends from other classes at our Mix it Up Lunch.
We are posting our directory onto the Weebly today! It will be a tab on the left side of the page.
Make sure to send in your 2” white binder, extra clothes, and homework folder if you child does not yet have one.
As always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, punny jokes, great recipes, or insightful quotes, let us know! We appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to teaming up with you to make this year the best one yet!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kinder Team :)
August 3, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had a wonderful and busy first week of school! We have spent this week learning about each other, our classroom rules and routines and important people and places around our school.
Homework folders have been coming to and from school on a daily basis for practice. If you have not yet purchased a homework folder for your child, please do so ASAP as we will be beginning to assign homework soon.
Please remember to send full day students with napkins and utensils inside their lunchbox each day. The expectation is to supply your child with their own utensils for whatever food they have packed.
If you have not yet sent your student's change of clothes, please remember to send a uniform polo, khaki bottoms, socks and underwear in a ziplock bag labeled with their first and last name. Having this readily available helps if any accidents or spill emergencies should occur.
Curriculum Night is Tuesday, August 7th. It is preferred that only adults attend this event so we can have an in-depth conversation about kindergarten curriculum. Please note that this is not a time for individual updates on student progress, if you have questions specific to your student please contact your child's homeroom teacher separately. If you are unable to attend Curriculum Night our powerpoint presentation and information about our curriculum resources will be available on our Kindergarten Weebly. Our weebly address is kindergartenasuprep.weebly.com.
We did treasure box and our first round of classroom meetings today. We will consistently have students choose a prize from the prize box for 80% or better points accumulated on Class Dojo, and our class meetings will include 7 Habits vocabulary and give students a time to discuss great moments of their week and/ or concerns.
Please make sure you are abiding by our school uniform policy, this does include the color of tall socks. And remember on Fridays, students may wear any ASU apparel top with their khaki bottoms. We love seeing Sun Devil spirit!
Our playground is not quite ready, we are hoping it will be available for use after next week. In the mean time, if you've seen coloring pages trickle home, those have been the opening activity for students to complete after they have finished their unpacking procedures in lieu of morning recess.
We will begin our Engage New York math curriculum Monday - more information on what will be covered in this first unit and following modules at curriculum night.
We have loved spending time with these little Sun Devils and look forward to another amazing week!
We hope you have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
June 4, 2018
Happy summer Sun Devil Families!
We cannot believe how quickly this year passed by. Our students have learned so much and come so far, and we could not be more proud of them. To our 2017-2018 families, we hope you have a relaxing and safe summer and best of luck in first grade!
To our incoming families, we can't wait to meet most of you this Thursday and Friday for our readiness meetings! Please make sure you are on time for your time slot, and let the office know if you are unable to make it for any reason. For those of you who were unable to attend these meetings this week, we will be offering additional dates right before our Meet the Teacher Night. Please stay tuned for additional information. Be sure to check this Weebly page often as we may be posting updates. We are so excited to kick off a brand new year with you! Have a safe and relaxing summer and we will see you soon.
The Kindergarten Team :)
5/30/18
Happy Wednesday Sun Devil Families!
Wow this year flew by! We feel so lucky to have had each and every one of these little learners in our kindergarten cluster and we are SO proud of their accomplishments! Just a reminder that tomorrow is the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL and it is a HALF DAY! Pick up will be at 12:00PM so students will not be eating lunch, but will still need morning snack so please plan accordingly.
Thursday's schedule will include yearbook signing, the Senior Walk tradition and student awards given by homeroom teachers. Report cards will be sent home Thursday, so please check your child's backpack.
Today we sent home a collection of assessments that were used to formulate end of year grades, as well as summer work to keep those little brains busy. Remember to take advantage of your student's IXL and RAZ-Kids accounts as they will be active through July.
A note from the front office - they have uniforms in a variety of sizes available for swap. So bring your little uniforms and trade for the next size up! 😊
Here is the link to the Kindergarten Slideshow! The video can ONLY be viewed if you have this specific link, as it is "unlisted" on YouTube. This means no one but our families has access and it cannot be searched. PLEASE DO NOT share this video on social media, post it in a playlist, or give the link to anyone that will share it. This is intended for our families only, and we thank you for respecting this :)
https://youtu.be/7G6HrpylRns
We hope you have a fun-filled summer full of great books and exciting adventures!
The Kinder Team :)
5/18/18
Happy Friday Sun Devils!
A few quick things:
1. Please see previous messages for promotion information, students are to wear semi formal attire as we are NOT getting caps and gowns
2. KEEP PRACTICING YOUR LINES! We want to feel confident in our public speaking on Thursday.
3. Spelling words for this week are: rode, hose, slope, note
4. We decided to only walk over to Araivipa ONCE next week, on Thursday morning. We will have access to the risers on campus so there will not be a need to walk all three times.
That's all for now, have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
5/11/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you so much for spoiling us with yummy treats, beautiful flowers and lovely gifts!! We love our profession - it is our calling, and families like you make it extra special. You made our hearts feel so full!
Tuesday, May 15th is our Volunteer Appreciation event. There will be donuts before school and popcorn after school to thank all of our amazing volunteers who have helped this year! We could not do this without you!! (For more info please refer to previous emails sent, this was rescheduled due to the statewide teacher walk out)
If you have not yet returned your child's permission slip to walk to Araivipa Hall on ASU Polytechnic campus to practice for our upcoming promotion event, please do so ASAP! Students will be performing a poem and a song (conducted by Mrs. Jernigan) as well as receiving individual promotion certificates. More information is listed on the permission slip, please contact your child's homeroom teacher for other questions or concerns.
Students will receive three lines of the poem that they will be reciting in a small group at promotion. This will be their "homework" to practice every day until our promotion event. One line will be read in a small group of three, and the last two are read as a whole group. Please make sure your child knows these by heart!
We are sending the master image of all the lines on Class Dojo (and Miss Anderson will see if she can't figure out how to load it here too!) These names are color-coded: Mrs. Bull's names are green, Miss Anderson's are purple, and Mrs. Sterenberg's are orange. Whatever letter your child's name is above is what they are responsible for reciting, in addition to the lines for "Y" and "Z"
Spelling words this week: long i words in the i_e pattern.
-dime -hike -glide -chime
(Plus a sentence dictation using and sight words)
Next week we have EADMS testing in language and math content areas. Testing will be held on Monday and Tuesday, and please make sure your child is getting a good night's sleep and brain food to help them focus on these assessments.
We are conducting the last round of DRAs (Developmental Reading Assessment) and remaining standards based assessments. We will be communicating your child's final score of the year as we close this quarter. Remember, you should still be reading with your child each day!
If you are wanting teachers to write and sign in memory books (ex. "Oh the Places You'll Go..." by Dr. Seuss or others) please send them in as soon as possible so teachers have time to work on them.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
As a grade level we want to thank you for the love and support we felt during such a critical time in education. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful community of parents and students that make our hearts feel so full.
Last night's spring Kindergarten Summative was nothing short of amazing! We were so happy to see families from all homeroom classes and share all of the fantastic works these amazing children have completed over the course of the semester. Mrs. Jernigan gave us a beautiful snapshot of the music curriculum she covers with our young learners and we're so thankful to have such a passionate educator exposing our children to the rich content of fine arts. If you were unable to attend, your child's collection of works will be coming home with them today. In the inside pocket of their Data Notebook, you will find their personalized ILP document and highlighted standards checklist. We are so proud of the growth these almost-first graders have achieved throughout the year!
A permission slip will be coming home in regard to the walk from our campus to Araivipa Hall on ASU Prep's Polytechnic Campus. This hall is where the Kindergarten Promotion event will be held and we will be holding dress rehearsals on two days during school hours to help the students feel comfortable with this setting and the new procedures.
We are saying "goodbye" to the little chicks today as they will be returned to the farm for more space, heartier adult food and a happy life. We are so happy to have had the experience of incubating and caring for these little guys the last few weeks.
Final DRA (Developmental Reading Assessments) for this academic year will be taking place in the next week as well as the final EADMS assessment in Kindergarten. More details and information about results will be communicated as these assessments are finalized.
In lieu of homework, students will be receiving a line to be recited at promotion. This will be a short line recited in a small group on stage. You can look for this next week! We will also send out spelling words on Class Dojo each week. We will be starting long vowels next week, beginning with long a words in the a_e pattern (late, fame, pale, etc.)
Spelling words next week: made, late, tape, plate plus a sentence practicing these words.
Guided reading groups will be inconsistent due to DRA assessments.
Please send us pictures from your experience at summative, ASU admin was so impressed by our student's works and scientific exploration that they would like to showcase the event in the upcoming edition of our school's newsletter.
We will be looking for donations of colorful cupcake liners, green pipe cleaners, brown yarn, and fruits and vegetables with visible seeds by Thursday of next week. Thank you!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
4/23/18
Good afternoon! IMPORTANT UPDATES FOR TOMORROW!
For tomorrow:
-FREE DRESS DAY, must be school appropriate and wear comfortable shoes. NO white shirts or bathing suits allowed
-Bring a labeled water bottle, hats are optional (it will be a warm one!)
-PLEASE apply sunscreen at home, we are NOT allowed to help put any on students
-If you are available, we are still looking for volunteers to help with setting up, cleaning up, or running a rotation, please contact Coach Brown via the Sign Up Genius that was emailed
-If you have not sent in the permission slips for the Lorax viewing or for half day friends staying full day PLEASE do that tomorrow
-If you have not turned in your picture packet, whether or not you chose to order, they are DUE TODAY
-Homework and Pet Rock Houses are DUE TOMORROW
-PIZZA PARTY TOMORROW! Please make sure you still pack a snack and sides for your child, as all we are providing is pizza
-NO SCHOOL Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and please watch your email for the most up to date changes in the school schedule.
-SUMMATIVE is Thursday, May 3rd from 5:00-6:30
-KINDERGARTEN PROMOTION is Thursday, May 24th from 5:00-6:30 (more details to come)
The end of the year is so bonkers, we appreciate your continued support :)
4/20/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another whirlwind week learning about insects and butterflies! It has been so amazing to watch our itty bitty caterpillars grow and form a chrysalis - we are anticipating the miraculous change to a Painted Lady butterfly any day! We are also in the third week of our chicken egg incubation. We're hoping to have baby chicks hatching early next week and to have all this new creatures available for viewing at ILPs!
There are a lot of important things going on in our homerooms, the kinder cluster and school-wide so read this next part carefully!
Monday -
Spring picture envelopes are due back whether or not you chose to purchase pictures. If 100% of each kindergarten homeroom roster returns their envelopes, we can earn a giftcard for a pizza party! How fun!
Also due Monday, permission for half-day friends to participate in ASU Prep's Annual Field Day. Half-day students are invited to stay extended day to participate in Field Day event scheduled from 1:30-3:00PM. *More information on Field Day in general below.
A permission slip is due for students to view "The Lorax" (rated PG) as we learn about the importance of caring for our planet on Earth Day.
Tuesday -
PreK-4 Spring Assembly showcasing our very own ASU Prep Color Guard, a presentation of our graduation Teacher Candidates, and a choreographed performance featuring ASU Prep's staff members!
A shout out to Ms. Rae and Mrs. Laureano for coming in 1st place at the Barro's Pizza Fundraiser and pizza making contest! They won a pizza party for our entire kindergarten cluster! They are amazing and it gives us yet another reason to love them! ❤ Students must bring their own drink and side (fruit or veggie - if you wish) as we are only providing the main course. We understand there are some dietary restrictions, please touch base with your teacher individually to make a plan :)
There will be a PreK/ Kindergarten Field Day from 1:30-3:00PM. Students will rotate in small groups through a variety of water and field activities led by a teacher or instructional assistant. Students are encouraged to have sunblock applied prior to arriving school and may bring additional sunblock to reapply before event. ASU Prep staff members are not permitted to apply sunblock to any student, so please plan accordingly. This would be a great opportunity to have a mini lesson about skin care in Arizona and teaching your child about applying sunblock in anticipation of the upcoming hot summer months. Students will wear their uniform polo, uniform shorts, and tennis shoes but may bring closed-toe water shoes to change into for Field Day. Students may also bring a beach towel labeled with their name so they are able to dry off before pick up. Students are encouraged to bring a hat and/or sunglasses and a labeled water bottle to travel with them from station to station to stay hydrated. Students will receive an OtterPop popsicle as one of the stations, if your child is not able to have this treat please let your child's homeroom teacher know as soon as possible. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE EXTRA VOLUNTEERS! Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in helping in any way!
Remember Wednesday, April 25th there is NO SCHOOL due to teacher prep for ILP Conferences. ILP Conferences include the entire academic team's attendance and participation, for the purpose of our individual meetings that includes the parent or guardian, the student, and the student's homeroom teacher. As the year has gone on, we have collected a large sample of data regarding your child's progress and our conference time is a brief 20 minutes from start to finish. That being said we encourage you to be 5-10 minutes early to your scheduled time so that we may start and end promptly.
If you haven't already marked your calendars, here is a list of upcoming important dates:
Thursday, May 3rd: Kindergarten Summative from 5:00-6:30PM
Thursday, May 24th: Kindergarten Promotion at ASU Polytechnice's Aravaipa Hall from 5:00-6:30PM (More information in upcoming messages about timeline for check-in, seating, performance and presentation of promotion certificates)
Thursday, May 31st: Last day of school!
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
4/12/18
FIELD TRIP TOMORROW! IMPORTANT INFORMATION BELOW
Checklist for your child tomorrow:
-School uniform (ASU maroon polo, khaki bottoms, socks and tennis shoes)
-NO BACKPACK!
-Completely disposable morning snack labeled with name
-Completely disposable lunch labeled with name
-Completely disposable water bottle labeled with name
If you selected and paid to be a chaperone please remember to be on campus in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom promptly at 8:15AM for a chaperone meeting. Remember, if you are chaperoning you are required to ride on the school bus to and and from the field trip destination, however you may check your child out for the day upon returning to campus. All students must be on campus at regular start time to unpack, use the restroom, receive name tags and review field trip rules and policies. We will be taking attendance and loading the bus at 9:00AM sharp. The bus will return by 1:30 and half day students can be picked up at that point.
If you signed up and paid to be a chaperone, please respond to this dojo message with the first and last name of the parent/ family member chaperoning and the cell phone of that number so that the homeroom teacher overseeing that group can contact in case of emergency.
Thank you,
The Kinder Team :)
4/6/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We got our chicken eggs this week! We are so excited to incubate these eggs in our classroom and learn about the life cycle of chickens! We have several different types of chicken eggs incubated and we can't wait to put on our scientist hats and make observations about the similarities and differences of the eggs and chicks!
In math we are wrapping up 3-Dimensional shapes and moving into non-standard units of measurement. This will be a helpful tool in helping us make observations about the size of our chicks!
In language arts we are continuing with our short vowel word family study and have used mentor texts and thinking maps to write narrative pieces. We have learned so many sight words over the course of the year and it is helping us so much in our reading and writing fluency!
During project group we began our study of the ocean and the different animals that live there. So far we have found treasures about whales, dolphins, and sharks! We can't wait to celebrate our learning and show off our wonderful projects at our upcoming summative night on Thursday, May 3rd, so save the date!
If you selected and paid to be a chaperone for our field trip to OdySea on Friday, April 13, please remember to be on campus in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom promptly at 8:15 AM for a chaperone meeting. Remember, if you are chaperoning you are required to ride on the school bus to and and from the field trip destination, however you may check your child out for the day upon returning to campus. All other students must be on campus BY 8:15 AM to unpack, use the restroom, receive name tags and review field trip rules and policies. We will be taking attendance and loading the bus at 9:00AM sharp.
Your child must wear their ASU uniform for the field trip and tennis shoes as usual. Please make sure you send your child with a lunch in a brown paper bag and disposable water bottle. Both need to be clearly labeled with your child's name in black Sharpie. Keep in mind that your child's lunch will not be refrigerated, so pack accordingly. Please make sure there are no rubbermaid containers, and that all other items in the lunch bag are disposable. If your child brings a non-disposable water bottle they will not be able to take it on the field trip. *Chaperones please make sure you bring a bag to hold your group's lunches.
Our entrance into the OdySea Aquarium is scheduled for 10:00AM if you are choosing to meet us there. We are scheduled to be back at school at 1:30PM which is when half-day students will be dismissed. If you will be taking your child home after we return to campus you will need to sign them out with your child's teacher before leaving.
Remember there are several important upcoming dates to pencil into your calendar:
OdySea Field Trip: April 13
ILPs: April 26-27
Kindergarten Summative: May 3
Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony: May 24
Last Day of School: May 31
A link to sign up for ILP conference slots will be sent out shortly. If you do not receive this email, please contact the office immediately so that you may set up a time to meet with your child's homeroom teacher.
A Sign Up Genius has been sent out for volunteer dates, and we are looking for donations more clorox wipes as we enter the end of the year! We are so appreciative of all your time and donations, it helps our team tremendously as we prepare to give our students the best learning experience possible!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
3/31/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
This week we wrapped up the water portion of our "Rock, Soil and Water" unit. In our STREAM centers we had so much fun testing objects to see if they would sink or float, planning and designing rivers and lakes, and exploring how water repels oil. Our math groups have had a great time working on 3-Dimensional shape and measurement properties and discovering the real life application of these skills.
Our last kindergarten field trip is coming up on Friday, April 13th. Permission slips were sent out Wednesday of this week. Final due date of permission slip and payment is Monday, April 2nd as we need to check these payments through our front office for the final payment order to be prepared for OdySea. We are very fortunate to announce that we will not have a chaperone limitation on this field trip and we would love to have you share in what will be our most favorite event of the year. Remember, in order to receive the discounted chaperone price ($27.00), your payment must be made by Monday, April 2nd as well, otherwise OdySea will only accept regular adult admission price the day of at the door which is $37.95.
Please see upcoming event dates listed in our last Weebly entry. It is important to consider that there will be no school on April 25-27 due to ILPs so you will need to find alternative care for your child. Camp Poly will be advertised in the coming weeks and is on a first come first served basis with limited availability. A conference link will be made available to you from our front office. Please remember that your child's ILP is an important part of the ASU Prep commitment - and your child is a part of our educational team, so they are encouraged to be in attendance.
We are sending out a Sign Up Genius for weekly volunteers for April and May early next week. We will also be looking for grade level volunteers for our annual Field Day on Tuesday, April 24th. If this is something you might be interested in, save the date on your calendar and please watch for more information in upcoming posts.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Remember today is the last day of our Scholastic Book Fair! You can still shop this afternoon from 3:15-3:45PM! This is a great opportunity to grow your home library and support our wonderful ASU Prep!
We have had a wonderful first week back after spring break! We began Monday with an introduction to flexible seating in all three kindergarten classrooms and we LOVE it! Students have the opportunity to choose to sit in traditional kindergarten chairs, stools, floor pillows, rocking chairs, bosu balls/yoga balls or stand at our high table. You may have seen a Flexible Seating Contract come home - this is a basic statement that we are holding each child accountable for making safe and academically responsible choices while using flexible seating and that teachers can modify seating as needed if students show unexpected behaviors.
We are finishing our pet rocks and rock studies and have learned great information about soil and made discovery jars as we discussed the layers within soil. It has been so much fun examining soil samples with magnifying glasses and how earthworms navigate through the soil! We love being scientists at ASU Prep!
We will be continuing with our short vowel word family studies for the next few weeks and then progressing onto long vowels. As we are finishing our DRA (Development Reading Assessment) checkpoint, the normal routine of reading groups and guided reading bags will be reinstated. Please make sure your child is bringing their guided reading bag daily so we can be rotating books to practice on a regular basis.
A note from our instructional assistants: Please make sure that if your child is bringing a snack or lunch item that requires a utensil (fork or spoon) that you are sending them with one as we do not have these on hand.
Mark your calendar with these important dates:
April 13th--Field Trip to OdySea (look for permission slips next week)
April 25th-27th--NO SCHOOL ILP Conferences
May 3rd--Kindergarten Summative
May 24th--Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony
May 28th--NO SCHOOL Memorial Day
May 31st--Last day of kindergarten!
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
3/19/18
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
Welcome back! We hope you had a restful and safe spring break and are ready to rock and roll for the fourth quarter, we know we are! Some things to think about this week:
-The Book Fair is here! You can come before school from 7:45-8:45 am and 2:45-3:45 pm through this Friday to purchase books. There will be sales tax in addition to the price of the books, and cash, check, and cards are all accepted. Your child will have an opportunity to make a wish list this week. If you choose to send in cash for your child to shop during the day, please take into consideration the additional tax ,and place the money in a clearly labeled envelope. We will not be checking backpacks, so students need to remember to hand us their envelopes in the morning.
-We have started flexible seating this week! We have been experimenting with flexible seating all year, but have added yoga balls, stools, high and low tables, rugs, and lap desks. We are so excited to be fully engulfed in this style of seating as it meets the needs of each child, encourages choice in learning, and is enriching for brain and body. There will be a parent letter and student contract coming home tomorrow. Please read this contract with your child and send back the form this week. We want to make sure this is a safe and engaging experience for all!
-As we are finishing progress monitoring, there may or may not be time for book bags this week. In addition, homework and the family STEAM project will be sent home tomorrow.
It is fourth quarter already, and our kids are almost big first graders! Our focus this quarter to make sure our behavior and academics continue to grow and reflect the ASU Prep way!
The Kinder Team :)
3/8/18
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families,
ASU Prep's Annual Talent show is this evening, the K-4 performances will begin at 4:30PM. There is a special intermission performance by your very own ASU Prep teachers and staff. We'd love to see you there!
If your child has lost items as they have gone in and out and to and from specials, we encourage you to visit the front desk and they can direct you to the lost and found collection by the multipurpose room. To prevent further items from being misplaced it is very helpful to all teachers and instructional assistants to have your child's personal items labeled with their name.
We are wrapping up 3rd quarter assessments and will be progress monitoring your child's DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) as a means of tracking their growth over the last quarter. We will discuss the results of these assessments in depth at our next ILP in April.
Next week is spring break so there is NO SCHOOL so please plan accordingly!
Just a PSA students have a full 25 minutes for eating at lunch (with a 5 minutes clean up and pack up time). We are having a lot of students talking and playing when they should be eating. If you could please reiterate the importance of following this school routine - it would certainly help us out.
If your child has not brought in their rock, please send them with one TOMORROW! Thank you!
Yearbook orders are due tomorrow - please place your order in the parent portal which will also provide you an immediate receipt. Yearbooks are issued the last week of school.
There is NO spelling test tomorrow! Monthly STEM projects and homework calendars will be sent home the Monday following spring break.
We hope you have a wonderful week off with your families!
Thank you,
The Kinder Team :)
3/1/18
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
We've had a wonderful week of celebrating fantastic authors and enjoying special Read Across America activities. Kindergarten had several amazing mystery readers bring some great literature alive in the classroom, a visit from the author of "Beautiful Oops!" Barney Saltzberg, and we will have older student buddies read with us at the end of the week.
Tomorrow is $1 Dress Down! If your child brings their homeroom teacher $1 tomorrow, he or she may dress how they choose (school appropriate and tennis shoes of course. Many classes will be doing their Jump Rope For Heart and we want their feet to be safe!)
Remember our Spring Carnival is tomorrow, Friday, March 2nd from 5:00-8:00PM. There will be lots of food, fun and entertainment - bring the whole family! The more the merrier! Cash only ticket sales for admission or a $10 wristband will provide unlimited access to bounce houses and games for each child, but are not required for admission.
Please make sure your child's book bag is coming to school daily. Keep in mind we are testing for report cards, so your child's book may not change as often.
Spring break is on its way! Plan according for child care for the week of March 12th-16th. There will be no Camp or Club Poly during this time as the entire campus is closed.
Watch for a notice in your child's backpack for donations to our rock and soil collections as we will be starting a Rock, Soil and Water unit. We are looking for each child to bring a fist sized rock, labeled in sharpie with their name on the bottom. We would also love any other rocks to be donated to the classrooms, as we are going to be geologists for the next few weeks!
Remember February homework is due tomorrow - March STEM, math and literacy homework will be sent home after spring break. Enjoy some wonderful books and family time over the next two weeks.
We can't believe third quarter is coming to a close! Watch student backpacks for report cards that will be sent home on Friday, March 9th.
Thank you and have a great night!
The Kinder Team :)
2/23/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another fantastic week in Kindergarten! We are finishing up our subtraction study and continuing to grow as writers in opinion writing! As always, there is a lot going on around our campus so here is what you need to know!
Student Council is promoting a $1 Dress Down Day Fundraiser. Students may bring $1 to their homeroom teacher ON Thursday, March 1st which will earn them a Dress Down Coupon that may be used on Friday, March 2nd. Dress Down attire may include any shorts or pants, skirts and dresses, any t-shirt with sleeves (no spaghetti strap or tank tops) but please no pajamas and shoes must still be tennis shoes for safety purposes.
Read Across America Week will be held next week! We will be celebrating two fantastic authors, Theodore Giesel (Dr. Suess) and the great Barney Saltzberg, who we will be hosting at our own ASU Prep! Remember, if you want a book you own written by Barney Saltzber autographed to please bring it to school on Thursday when he visits. We are so excited to meet this esteemed author and will be focusing our studies on the great works of these two writers.
A Sign Up Genius for Mystery Readers built into the Read Across America celebrations has been sent out. We still have slots open! This is a great opportunity to show your silly side and share your love of books with your student and their class! If you are interested in dressing like a character from a beloved book and reading aloud to your child's homeroom, please see the Sign Up Genius as this will be a favorite memory for your child's kindergarten year!
As we approach the end of 3rd quarter we are still having many students ask us to tie shoes. We strongly encourage extra practice at home as students prepare for 1st grade, it will be an expectation that they do this independently.
Another adjustment we will be gradually changing is dismissal procedures. For the past three quarters teachers walk kindergarten students up when their name registers on Drive Line dismissal system. Students will now practice walking in groups together to their dismissal location. A large portion of our students already have practice walking with older siblings, and there is support with hallway and front office monitors - so we feel this is a good point in time to have our kindergarteners to practice big kid procedures.
Students are working hard to improve their reading in school, and we want to ensure their reading is supported at home too. We are noticing some guided reading bags are not returning to school, which means new and enriching books are not going home to be practiced. Before your child can take home a new book, they must return the one they currently have. Please make sure you do not have any guided reading books hiding at home, thank you!
Bandaids! Our supply has been depleted and we could use donations of bandaids for all three kindergarten classrooms - if you are able to donate a box, please send in your child's backpack. Thank you!
Jump Rope for Heart will conclude next week, Friday, March 2nd. Keep up the great work raising money for this awesome cause!
The following is a message from our wonderful PTSO:
Hello Parents!!
The ASU Prep 2018 Spring Carnival is fast approaching and we are so excited to bring this fun evening to our amazing families! Below, you'll find some opportunities to help us make this event the best it can be. The carnival is Friday, March 2nd from 5-8pm here on campus. There will be games, food, bounce houses, drawings, auction baskets and MUCH MORE! Please take a look at the link below and if you have 45 minutes to spare, we'd be so appreciative! Thank you for investing in our school! See you at the carnival!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040949a9ab2faa8-asuprep1
Please mark your calendar as Spring Break is fast approaching and will be the week of March 12th-16th and will resume Monday, March 19th.
Thank you,
The Kinder Team!
2/19/18
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you to all the parent volunteers that donated their time and supplies to our Valentine STEAM day. We had a very successful rotation of activities through the classroom ranging from subtraction practice, experiments, various technology stations and note writing. We love seeing the confidence blooming in each child as they exercise their independence in the skills we've learned this year!
We have thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Kindness Week with our kindergarten Sun Devils and participating in this school wide spirit week.
A reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 19th due to President's Day. School will resume Tuesday, February 20th.
We are still collecting supplies for our Birthday-themed basket to represent our grade level at the Spring Carnival, Friday, March 5th. We are so thankful for all the items already donated to help make this fundraiser a success! If you are still wanting to make a donation, please see the Sign Up Genius for any remaining items. More information to come in future posts about the carnival time, cost and available activities.
Have a great three-day weekend!
The Kinder Team
2/9/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!We have had a fantastic first week of February! We have had some beautiful STEM Valentine boxes come in - as soon as your child finishes this project they are welcome to bring them to school. They must be done and brought in by Wednesday, February 14th so they are available for card and treat trading. We continue to breeze through our word families and are seeing great gains in opinion writing, spelling and penmanship!
Next week is Kindness Week - this is a school wide spirit week. Students have the opportunity to participate in daily themes and random acts of kindness. A handout was sent home about this school wide event and contains the following information on daily themes:
Monday - Hats off for Kindess
-Wear a hat to school, but must wear your uniform tops and bottoms.
-Students are encouraged to fill out a Teacher Sparky Shout Out and turn into the front office
Tuesday - Team up to Clean
-Wear your favorite teams' jersey with a uniform bottom
-Clean up around the school with your class
Wednesday - Show Some Love
-Wear red, pink, and/or white shirts and uniform bottom
Thursday - Shine for Kindness
-Wear neon shirts and/or socks with uniform bottom
-Smile at 25 people
Friday - Go Crazy for Kindess
-Wear Wacky Hair
-Mix It Up day at lunch (sit by someone new!)
We are looking for a few items for our STEAM Friendship Day on Wednesday, February 14th - be on the lookout for a Sign Up Genius for the few needed items. There is still one slot open for volunteers on that day as well. Thank you!
We are nearing our Annual ASU Prep Spring Carnival. Thank you to all who have donated already! We are still looking for a few items to add to our "Birthday Party Basket" to contribute. Please refer to the Sign Up Genius if you are able to donate - on behalf of the Kindergarten team and ASU Prep Poly, your generosity is so appreciated!
Just a reminder that maroon, black and white jackets are to be worn indoors, other color jackets are fine for outdoor only. It is still chilly in the mornings so please make sure your child has the jacket available for that first recess. Also only tennis shoes are permitted as part of our school wide dress code, this is not only part of the uniform but for safety when the children are playing or attending P.E. So please keep those cute boots for after school and weekends. Socks and leggings must also follow the color code of maroon, black or white. Thank you!
We have had a few children forget to bring snack, this is a great time in the year to start giving them a "big kid checklist" to check and prep their backpacks with the daily necessities (e.g., lunch -- if full day, snack, folder, book bag, etc.) Practicing this level of independence now will set them up for success as they enter first grade!
We are moving and grooving through third quarter and are having so much fun!
Thanks,
The Kinder Team :)
1/5/18
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We loved meeting with you all at last week's ILP conferences - it's always so exciting to share the progress each child is making in their kindergarten journey! We've had a wonderful week learning about penguins and have continued to acquire strategies to solve simple subtraction problems. We also attended an assembly about the upcoming Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser and event, more information will be coming home in the next few days.
Thank you to the parents who volunteered to help on the day of our Friendship Party! At this point, we have not had anyone step forward to lead the event, so we will plan on doing a STEAM day in place of that event. If you are interested in volunteering on that day please contact your child's homeroom teacher ASAP. Thank you!
Sight word books are not being sent home as we had a disruption in our regular routine in the last few weeks and recently have not had enough volunteers to test sight words on a regular basis. We would love to restart this station as it very much benefits our students. Unfortunately we do not have enough man-power to include this in our day without the help of volunteers. We may just have to scale this back to a monthly circuit. If this is something that interests you, please contact your child's homeroom teacher or refer to the Sign Up Genius as we would love this station to be filled regularly.
Even though the temperatures are climbing, the mornings are still chilly and we are seeing many children coming to school without long sleeves or jackets. Even though the afternoons are warm, we encourage your child to bring something to keep them warm for when they are outside in the early morning.
We have been sanitizing and sterilizing supplies often, however cold and flu season is in full effect. If your child has a fever or has thrown up, please observe the health office rules and keep your child home the full 24 hours past the event, so that we do not pass these germs on to fellow students, instructional aids or teachers.
We are so proud of each child's behavior and academic growth - it's hard to believe it's already February and in a few months they will be first graders!
The Kinder Team
Dear ASU Prep Families,
The Kindergarten team has selected "Birthday Party in a Basket" for their grade level baskets that will be auctioned off at this year’s ASU Prep School Carnival. The carnival will be held on Friday, March 2, 2018.
The PTSO and teachers are working hard to help make this year’s carnival a success, and we need your help in collecting new items for these auction baskets. If you are able to donate a new item(s) that corresponds with either theme, please send in your donation no later than February 16th. Go ASU Sun Devils!
SignUp Genius Link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ca5a62da0fa7-kindergartens
Thank you for your support!
1/19/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another fantastic week of subtraction, short vowel -e word families, and opinion writing! Our full day friends have gotten to explore concepts of wet and extreme weather.
Monday is the 100th day of school. Your child may create and wear a shirt that has 100 items (these items may not be food or candy) and school uniform bottoms must be worn. We will have special in class 100th day activities to celebrate 100 days of learning.
We will be EADMS testing Monday and Tuesday, so please make sure your child is well-rested, on time, and has a good breakfast so they can show us all the great things they know!
Remember ILPs are next week, please sign up if you have not already to claim your spot. ILPs are a requirement of ASU Prep. Your child is part of our academic team and is also invited to their personal conference. Make your best effort to arrive 5-10 minutes before your ILP time to ensure we start promptly and end promptly as to keep schedule intact. Lastly, there is NO SCHOOL on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday so please make arrangements for child care as needed.
There will be a Carnival donations Sign Up Genius circulating as well as a hard copy given out at ILPs. We would appreciate any and all donations for our "Birthday" themed basket to be auctioned off at our Spring Carnival on Friday, March 2nd. There will also be opportunities to volunteer at the Spring Carnival to earn school volunteers hours. As of now we know the carnival will be running from 5:00-8:00pm but they will also need set up and clean up crews. Any questions please contact your child's homeroom teacher.
Make sure your child is bringing home their water bottle on a DAILY basis. With all of the cold and flu germs circulating we want to make sure your child is practicing good hygiene and using a fresh water bottle.
As per rules from our health office, if your child has a fever, they must stay home and cannot return to school until they have been fever-free for 24 hours. This rule is in place to help stop illness from spreading and keeping everyone happy and healthy.
MRS. BULL'S CLASS--IMPORTANT
Mrs. Bull is having some technical difficulties with her email, so if you need to contact her do so through Class Dojo until further notice. Thank you for your flexibility!
Thank you, and see you all next week!
The Kinder Team :)
1/12/14
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been a wonderful first week back at school! All math groups have started learning all about subtraction and we've begun working on short vowel e word families in all classrooms. Teachers have started conducting the second round of DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) sessions. Your child's results will be reported to you at our next ILP the week of January 22nd.
Remember there is NO SCHOOL Monday due to MLK Jr. observance.
If you have not already signed up for your ILP session please click the link sent by Ms. Urban to reserve your spot. ILP availabilities range from Wednesday after 12:00PM and Thursday 8:00AM-3:00PM. Students will have a normal schedule Monday and Tuesday, no school Wednesday and Thursday due to ILPs and no school Friday due to a Mandatory District Meeting for all staff.
Please make sure your child is adhering to the ASU Prep dress code. All sweatshirts and jackets are okay for outside, but when indoors all winter apparel must be maroon, black or white and/or have the ASU logo. All other jackets that do not follow this dress code rule must be put away in cubbies during instructional time. This applies to all undershirts, leggings, tights, and socks as well!
Our next celebration this year will be our "Friendship Party" on Wednesday, February 14th. Like our last two events, please email your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in leading or co-leading this event or if you have an interest in donating or running a table the day of this event. The same structure applies, 6 activities per class, so 18 activities are needed in total. Students may bring Valentine's cards, but if they are choosing to, they must bring for their entire homeroom class (25 kids). If they would like to also make cards for friends in other homerooms that is fine too. Class and teacher lists will be sent home at the beginning of February. Looking ahead, our family STEM project for February will be to create a Valentine's box to collect cards. You may start this project early to make it special for this exciting day.
We hope everyone had a safe, fun, and relaxing break! Enjoy your long weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
Good morning everyone!
-Tomorrow is PJ Day! School appropriate jammies and tennis shoes only please :)
-Your child may bring a stuffed animal to cuddle tomorrow during our movie if they would like!
-No spelling test this week!
-Winter Party is tomorrow, thank you for all donations and volunteers
-These STEAM projects were SO GREAT and have been sent home yesterday or today.
Thanks,
The Kinder Team :)
Hello again everyone!
There is a lot of yucky sickness going around and we are trying to arrange groups for the field trip tomorrow. If you know your child will be absent, PLEASE let us know as soon as you can, so we can have groups ready for chaperones.
Also, the Sign Up Genius for the Winter Party is ready! We are looking for lots of donations and help to make this a special day, thank you :)
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ca5a62da0fa7-winter
12/14/17
Tomorrow is the field trip! Chaperones, please meet in MissAnderson's room at 7:45 for a parent meeting and don't forget to bring a backpack to carry lunches in. Students are to wear their uniforms, bring a disposable lunch and snack,and be ready for some fun! :)
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We would like to thank all families who were able to join us at our Summative. It is so wonderful to have you help celebrate our learning!
If you ordered books from Scholastic and you want them to be a secret for your child, please let us know and we will put them in the office for you.
Tuesday and Wednesday marks our Network EADMS testing. It is essential for your child to be on time, get a good night's rest, have a great breakfast, and is ready to show what they know.
This Friday is our field trip to the Phoenix Children's Museum! If you notified us about your interest in chaperoning, you MUST pay the $8 fee by 8:00 am Tuesday morning as we need to have solid groups and give a final headcount to the museum.
** IMPORTANT--We are looking for a few more parent volunteers as this is a very interactive field trip and we want everyone to have a safe and fun time.**
If you choose to come, let us know and pay the fee online ASAP
On Friday, your child must bring a completely disposable sack lunch and water bottle labeled with their name. It is a bit chilly in the mornings, so we suggest a coat or sweatshirt, but your child is responsible for carrying it if they choose not to wear it at the museum. MAKE SURE it is labeled or we cannot promise lost coats will return home from the museum.
Buses will arrive and we will depart at 9:00AM, our arrival time at PCM will be approximately 10:00AM. Children will have about 30 minutes on each level to explore and all groups will meet on the front patio/ steps for lunch at 11:30-12:00PM. We will board the buses at 12:00PM for the ride back to ASU Prep to return at 1:00PM.
**Half day students will be dismissed as soon as we arrive back at 1:00pm, so pleas adjust your pickup accordingly**
If you plan to meet us at the museum and would like to check your child out from there, you must sign out with your homeroom teacher before leaving.
NEXT Friday, December 22nd is our Winter Party and Pajama Day! Be on the lookout for a Signup Genius for things we will need for the party. As for PJs, please make sure they are school-appropriate and regular tennis shoes must still be worn. In lieu of Treasure Box on the 22nd, we have decided to allow students to bring a stuffed animal if they earn 80% or better on Class Dojo (individual sticker chart plans will be evaluated separately). We will send you a message if your child does not qualify for this on Thursday December 21st.
Typically, emotions tend to run high in anticipation of the holidays, two weeks at home, special activities and all the fun and stress this season brings. We encourage you to keep your schedule as routine as possible and have your child get enough sleep. This will help your child's productivity, behavior, and overall attitude both at home and at school :)
The end of the quarter is here, which means report card, district, and DRA assessments are abound. Do not be surprised if your child's guided reading bags or red sight word books to not make it home until the new year. Please keep practicing the sight words on the back of the homework and read often on RazKids
Let us know if you have any questions,
The Kinder Team :)
Good afternoon Sun Devil Families!
Happy December! Tonight is the Holiday Boutique here at ASU Prep from 3:30-7:30. There will be lots of local vendors and a bake sale to support the school. It will be a fun event, so come get some of your holiday shopping done!
We are gearing up for Summative Night. Summative will be this Thursday, December 7th from 5:00-6:30 (we heard through the grapevine that there was an error in one of our communications, sorry! THIS is the correct date and time). Ms. Anderson’s homeroom class will be performing winter songs at 5:00PM with Mrs. Jernigan, Mrs. Bull’s class will be performing at 5:30PM and Mrs. Sterenberg’s class will be performing at 6:00PM. The performance will last approximately 25 minutes in the multipurpose room and you have the rest of the summative time to explore and visit. If for some reason your child is unable to perform at their scheduled homeroom time, they are welcome to join in with another class. Your child does not need to wear their school uniform. They may come dressed as they please. Come to see all the great learning we have done so far this year. We are proud teachers; these kids have worked hard!
Our next field trip will be Friday, December 15th to the Phoenix Children’s Museum. Permission slips will be due Monday, December 4th and we are still missing a few! Please make sure to turn in the forms and pay the associated fees so your child will be able to attend. If you would like to chaperone, just make sure you notated that on your permission slip and we will email you specifically with more details.
As the weather cools, please make sure your child has a sweater or sweatshirt for those chilly mornings. Children can wear whatever outerwear they please outside, but inside the uniform code is solid black, white, maroon or ASU sweaters/sweatshirts. (This applies to socks too!) In addition to staying warm in the mornings, we ask that all breakfast foods and drinks are finished before they get on the playground.
As the quarter winds down, our normal routines are being interrupted. Holidays, field trips, district-wide testing, report card assessments (report cards will be coming home the last day of the semester, 12/22), and general December craziness have all affected the guided reading and sight word club routines. If you are wondering why you are not seeing these items as regularly, this would be why! Please continue practicing reading on Razkids, math on IXL, review sight words daily, and look for the homework calendar next week.
Calling all volunteers! If you are interested in helping volunteer with the Winter Party, please let us know and we will put you in contact with our AWESOME coordinating team J
We are looking for recycled materials for a fun project next week. Thank you!
Thanks and have a wonderful weekend,
The Kinder Team :)
Good afternoon!
A few quick things:
-Book orders, homework, STEAM projects, and red sight word books all need to be returned by TOMORROW
-Tomorrow is the Holiday Boutique at ASU Prep from 3:30-7:30 if you are interested in shopping local and supporting the school (I hear Elsa might be taking pictures...)
Thank you!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
Tomorrow is Run Devil Run! Please make sure your child is wearing solid running shoes that will not slip off. ALL Run Devil Run pledges and forms are due tomorrow too!
Candy STEAM Projects went home today, or will be sent home tomorrow. What an AMAZING job everyone did! We are very excited to see the nature STEAM projects coming in already, keep up the great work!
There will be NO SCHOOL Wednesday, November 22, Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24 to celebrate Thanksgiving. Enjoy the time off with your family.
Thank you,
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you for a successful first field trip! We all had a wonderful time (and are exhausted!) We appreciate everyone's flexibility in adjusting as we found out last minute that Farmer Vertuccio was ill and in the hospital. Even in spite of the change, the Vertuccio Farm staff were very accommodating and made our visit so memorable! We so appreciated having so much parent support for our students!
Our Run Devil Run school fundraiser is here! We're looking for 75% of the kindergarten cluster's participation in Run Devil Run Donations. 75% participation will earn us an otter pop party after we run. Donations can be as little as $1.00 but every penny counts as it will benefit our students. These donations are tax deductible! The last day to donate is Friday, November 17th.
Kindergarten will need a volunteer for the Run Devil Run event on Friday, November 17th from 9:00-10:00AM. Volunteers will assist in walking students back and forth between the event and classroom, handing out pedometers, and collecting pedometer data once the run is over. The volunteer sign up has been sent out to PTSO parents, but there are still slots available to volunteer. Any help would be appreciated in helping make the Run day a success!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054cadac2ba4fa7-volunteer
Please join us on Thursday, November 30th, from 5:30-7:30, for an evening at the Arizona Science Center to view ASU Prep STEM projects and explore the center for FREE!. All ASU Prep students and families are invited. All students who attend will receive a coupon for a free dress day. Free transportation will be provided from ASU Prep Poly STEM Academy to the Arizona Science Center. Please sign-up here
(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfk4DfD0Z9ucCOT_11tgQJxxH2x-F3-AKrL6eZSDdYDd5WA-w/viewform)
Bus Interest Form for ASU Prep STEM Expo @ The AZ Science Center on November 30, 2017
docs.google.com
Please complete the interest form by Friday, November 23, 2017 if you plan to ride the bus to and from the ASU Prep STEM Expo @ The AZ Science Center on Thursday, November 30, 2017 to ride the bus from ASU Prep STEM Academy to the AZ Science Center. The bus will leave ASU Prep at 4:30 pm and depart from the AZ Science Center at 7:30 pm. (Students must be accompanied by their parent or guardian to ride the bus).OOPS! On the homework we had listed that we would be working on a new word family the week of Thanksgiving, but since that is only a two day week we will be reviewing word families previously taught to that point instead. Thank you for your flexibility.
The Kinder team wishes a Happy Veteran's day to those who have served our country! Have a great three day weekend with your families!
The Kinder Team :)
November 7, 2017
Happy Tuesday Sun Devil Families!
We have so much going on this week that we wanted to touch base with you to make sure you are in the know!
Remember our field trip to Vertuccio Farm is Thursday, November 9th. If you have selected to be a chaperone and paid the chaperone fee, please arrive on campus at 7:45AM for a chaperone meeting in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom. Students will drop off their backpacks and proceed right to the playground for morning recess. Please make sure you pack a personal snack with no peanuts for your child, a completely disposable lunch and water bottle labeled with your child's first and last name. Check the weather forecast as it might be chilly, if your child is sensitive to weather send them with a labeled jacket. Hats, sunglasses and sunblock are optional but we will not apply sunblock to your child.
Per Mrs. Olsen, the deadline for Square1 orders is November 13th. The catalogues say November 8th but she is accepting orders through November 13th, but no exceptions for late turn ins beyond that point.
Due to no school on Friday, the field trip on Thursday, and this week being a review over the -at and -ab word families, there will be NO spelling test. However, please continue to review these word families as the support and repeated practice is very necessary.
We will be needing new lead parents to plan the winter celebration held on Friday, December 22nd. It will run similar to the fall celebration. 18 centers will need to be planned, prepped and implemented (6 per kindergarten classroom). If you are interested in leading, helping or donating to this event please contact your child's homeroom teacher and a separate party thread will be emailed out.
Remember our kindergarten first semester summative is Thursday, December 7th!
Mark your calendar for our next field trip on Friday, December 15th. We will be going to the Phoenix Children's Museum! More information to come as we get closer to the event date.
Watch for Sign Up Genius lists going on for volunteer opportunities - these will be the final opportunities for 2017!
Have a great day!
The Kindergarten Team
November 3, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We want to give a HUGE shoutout to the volunteers that spent time choosing, planning and preparing all of the wonderful activities for our Fall Celebration this last Tuesday. And thank you to the volunteers that ran each station for our kiddos, they were so excited to see the familiar faces and celebrate with you. The event was an absolute success - there were a great variety of sensory and art activities, crafts and games and we know it will be remembered as a highlight of their kindergarten year.
November's homework calendar was sent home today as well as the new family STEM project. Please check that both documents made it home - otherwise contact your child's homeroom teacher and we can send another copy.
Remember our field trip is Thursday, November 9th to Vertuccio Farm. More detailed information was given in our last Weebly entries, please review if you need a reminder on what to wear and/or bring for the event. A mandatory chaperone meeting will be held Thursday, November 9th at 7:45AM. Students will be dismissed to the playground and parents will meet in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom to receive chaperone group lists, itinerary and any other important information.
There is NO SCHOOL Friday, November 10th due to Veteran's Day. School will resume as normal on Monday, November 13th.
Students attended our RUN DEVIL RUN school fundraiser kick off today. Please check your child's backpack for important papers regarding this event and how you can help raise money for our school. Special prizes are awarded to grade level clusters and individual students based on participation and monies donated. The RUN DEVIL RUN event will be held on Friday, November 17th. More information to come as we get closer to the event.
Mark your calendars for our first semester Kindergarten Summative on the evening of December 7th. We will be showcasing all of the wonderful work our students have produced over the course of the first semester in all three kindergarten classrooms.
As the weather continues to cool please remember to label your child's jacket or sweatshirt with his or her name. We have had a few jackets get mixed up and fortunately we have been able to find the correct owner thanks to names on tags. If you see a jacket come home that is not your child's, please just send it back and we will make sure it finds the right home. 😊
If you have not turned in your STEM family project for the month of October, please do so ASAP. We have been allowing students to share their construction as they came in, and they will be showcased in our hallway for all to see for the next week or so to show off these amazing STEM creations! These will be sent home after a week or so. As some of these projects are a bit larger, we will let you know so a pick-up can be arranged.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 27, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We are so excited to announce that ASU Prep Poly K-4 has officially been accredited as a STEM school! We are so thrilled to be acknowledged for all the wonderful brain works going on throughout our campus.
Just a reminder to continue working on your family STEM project. It is not due until November 3rd, but may be turned in as soon as it's finished so that it may be displayed for a longer duration. We are not looking for perfection, but for creative planning and design with a growth mindset!
Tuesday, October 31st will be our Fall Celebration. Parent volunteers have been working diligently to plan activities in each kindergarten classroom. Students will rotate through parent-led activities and candy and treats may come home with your child. We have been very clear with all volunteers that food will not be eaten at school - so that you may let your child partake at your discretion at home. Mrs. Mendoza has announced students may come dressed in costume on Tuesday, October 31st however, masks, weapons, and face paint are not permitted.
We understand that students may acquire large amounts of candy Tuesday night, but this is a friendly reminder that absolutely no candy is allowed at school for snack or lunch.
Remember our field trip is coming up!
We will be leaving campus on Thursday, November 9th at approximately 8:45AM and arriving at Vertuccio at 9:00AM, and we will be leaving after our picnic lunch at 12:15PM and arriving back at school by 12:30PM.
All students must wear their ASU Prep uniform shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. We recommend sunblock, hats and sunglasses as we will be outside for several hours. Please apply sunblock to your child at home before school as we are not allowed to apply it to them here at school.
Send your child with a disposable water bottle and paper bag lunch labeled with their name.
Half day children will be dismissed later due to the field trip at 12:30PM, so please adjust your pick up routine accordingly.
Make sure you are practicing your guided reading bags and red sight word books when they are coming home with your child, and being returned to school daily. The red sight word books do not need to be handed in until Wednesdays.
Homework is due Friday! Please make sure you turn in the parent signed page and any additional pages to show your student's work. We are excited to see the great thing you have been practicing at home! Your child will be bringing home a November Homework Menu on Friday.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 20, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Please make sure your child's guided reading bag returns daily with the book intact. You will most likely see the same book more than once throughout the week as we are in the beginnings of Daily Five and that is okay. As the year progresses, groups will move more fluidly and books will change more rapidly.
Remember to send in your child's sight word book on Wednesday, as they are collected and inventoried to be ready for Friday's assessment. We did not have an assessment today due to our schedule.
We have had some questions arise regarding the STEAM homework. As our school is a STEM Academy we are working hard to incorporate STEM throughout our program, including what is practiced at home. There is no right or wrong answer it's about the process, being creative, problem solving and critical thinking. This is a great opportunity to explore and generate unique ideas, plan and design with your child. Remember there is no right or wrong way to do it, so have a growth mindset! 😊 You can send them in to school as soon as they are finished, we'd love to display them for everyone to see!
Information about the Vertuccio Farm Field Trip...
A Chaperone email was sent out this morning to those of you who selected that you were interested in accompanying us on our field trip to Vertuccio Farm.
We will be leaving campus at approximately 8:45AM and arriving at Vertuccio at 9:00AM, and we will be leaving after our picnic lunch at 12:15PM and arriving back at school by 12:30PM.
All students must wear their ASU Prep uniform shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. We recommend sunblock, hats and sunglasses as we will be outside for several hours. Please apply sunblock to your child at home before school as we are not allowed to apply it to them here at school.
Send your child with a disposable water bottle and paper bag lunch labeled with their name.
Half day children will be dismissed later due to the field trip at 12:30PM, so please adjust your pick up routine accordingly.
If you are finding any special goodies on sale to replenish our treasure box, we would be most appreciative!
Mark your calendar for our first Kindergarten Summative on the evening of Thursday, December 7th. We are so excited to show you what we've been working on all semester!
A huge shout out to all our handprint calendar, sight word club, treasure box and classroom volunteers - you all are amazing and we appreciate all you do!
The Kinder Team :)
October 13, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had a wonderful first week of our second quarter! We have been studying digraphs /sh/ and /th/, practicing Daily 5 rotations, and started our new math groups! You should have seen your child's guided reading bag come home for the first time this week. A letter accompanied your child's leveled book to answer any questions, along with a sound chart and reading log. If you still need further clarification, please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher.
After getting to know our students this quarter, we have decided to make a change in homework to meet the needs of ALL students. Each child has a different ability level across all subject areas, and we felt a monthly Menu format would allow families to pick and choose which activities would best meet the needs of their student. We understand that this is a change to the system you are used to, and we would not typically change how we do homework into second quarter, but we as a team really feel this will benefit your children.
Our new homework menu will start next week (more information will come on Monday on the details of this exciting new system!) - In the meantime, practice your child's leveled book bag, IXL and Raz-Kids as well as this month's family STEAM project!
We are STILL have abandoned water bottle issues on the playground. PLEASE label your child's water daily or we will put it in the Lost and Found. Thank you!
Field trip permission slips were due today, so if you have not yet turned in permission and paid for your chid's entry to Vertuccio Farm on Thursday, November 9th, please do so ASAP!
Many parents have selected the option to chaperone this field trip. Chaperones will be chosen by lottery early next week and we will send an email confirmation to those parents so that they may make the necessary preparations (i.e., taking off work, finding care for younger siblings, etc.) for this field trip. If you are not chosen for this specific experience, there will be other chaperone opportunities as the year goes on.
However, we have GREAT NEWS! Even if you are not chosen to be a lead chaperone, you can still join us on this field trip! We have it confirmed by Vertuccio Farm that there is no limit as to how many parents can join us. Ms. Urban will be setting up a link on the Parent Portal for adult entry (it is only $5) so both lead chaperones and parents wanting to join us, can make an online payment, or you can also send cash or check.
Parents chosen to be a lead chaperone will attend a chaperone meeting the morning of our field trip, accompany the children on the bus to and from the field trip location, and watch over the small group during the duration of the experience.
Parents who are not chosen to lead a group will join the group their child is in and stay with that group for the duration of the field trip. *We will have a small amount of seats available on the bus, if you would prefer to travel with us, this will be on a first come, first served basis - so please let your child's homeroom teacher know.
Children will need to bring a disposable water bottle and paper bag lunch as we will be eating a picnic lunch on the farm. Students will need to wear their ASU Prep uniforms and tennis shoes, hats and sunglasses are okay since we will be outside for several hours. (your child will be responsible for all extra items, and they should be clearly labeled with first and last names) More information about field trip specifics will come closer to the event date.
Thanks to all of the volunteers helping the last few weeks on our special project! We could not tackle such a big project without your help!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
-------------------------------------------
Welcome to 2nd Quarter Sun Devil Families!
We are so glad to have everyone back at school! Here are some helpful reminders for the start of this week:
-This message is a reminder to send in your child's permission slip for the Vertuccio Farm field trip and payment if you have not already done so.
-There are a few students that had incomplete re-enrollment forms, please check your child's folder to make sure they are complete and send them back in ASAP.
-We are looking for extra helpers in assembling handprint calendar pages - a Sign Up Genius is going out.
-We have a LOT of lost jackets here in kindergarten, PLEASE make sure your child's name is clearly labeled on the tag.
-There will NOT be typical homework this week (as it is a short week). Instead, check for the STEAM Family Project in your child's folder. This will be due Friday, November 3rd. If you have any questions please let us know!
Thank you and have a great night!
The Kinder Team :)
September 22, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil families!
This message is short and sweet. Picture retakes are taking place on Monday, September 25th. Children only need retakes if they were absent for Picture Day or sent their envelopes back. Also, there will be NO HOMEWORK next week, due to ILPs. You can still practice reading and math on RazKids and IXL! :) Make sure you are signed up for ILP conferences, and have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
September 15, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had another wonderful week of letter study, exploring and building numbers and learning about apples. As the weeks go by we are seeing improved stamina and better focus in all content areas. We see evidence of how hard you are working at home in reviewing letters, numbers and handwriting skills to supplement your child's learning -- and it is making a huge difference. The kindergarten team sends a huge "shout out" to our wonderful Sun Devil Families for all of your support!
If you have not already registered for an ILP conference please refer to the link sent by Ms. Urban to choose your day and time with your child's homeroom teacher. Even if your child visits another kindergarten teacher's classroom for math, the homeroom teacher will have all up to date data in all content areas to share with you. ILPs include the teacher, parents and we encourage your student to come along. During this time we will review and discuss all data that has been collected, projected goals for the year and answer any individual questions or concerns. Conferences are scheduled very tightly - please arrive a few minutes before your individual time to ensure we start promptly according to the sign up so that we can keep on schedule. At this meeting you will receive yours child's report card, individual ILP form and a document reflecting any areas we suggest for additional practice.
Remember students will not have school on Wednesday, September 27th due to a teacher work day, and Thursday, September 28th or Friday, September 29th due to ILPs. Following ILP week students will not have school due to October break (Monday, October 2nd - Friday, October 6th) and Monday, October 9th due to Columbus Day.
Be on the lookout for a volunteer calendar for October - we have lots of projects and opportunities as well as a fall party at the end of the month. We will need a fall party leader to help organize activities and be in contact with other parent helpers. We will need 6 activities planned for each of the kindergarten classrooms (so 18 in total) and a parent stationed at each activity to facilitate. Please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in volunteering for the fall party.
We cannot believe how quickly this quarter is flying by! Enjoy your weekend :)
The Kinder Team
IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!
ASU Prep will be doing our 2017-2018 Parent Handbook electronically this year. Please review the document under the "Parent Handbook" tab on the left of your screen, and then go to asuprepsignatures.weebly.com to complete the signature page by Friday, September 8th 2017
You may have noticed a red Sight Word Fluency book in your child's folder or backpack on Friday. Please review the words on List one (especially the ones without a check, as these are ones they do not know yet). The books should be returned in your child's folder by Wednesday of each week.
On this note, folders should be coming back to school each day, as we may have important papers to go home.
You may notice grades are starting to trickle in from the assessments from the beginning of the quarter. Just keep in mind, if your child has an F (falls below the standard) or A (approaching the standard) its OK! That just means they are not there YET! We will update these grades as we reassess throughout the year.
Thank you!
The Kinder Team
September 1, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It’s been another busy week in kindergarten!
Last week as we started our study of community helpers – we were fortunate to have a student’s dad, a Captain within the local fire department, present to our students. We have learned important facts about fire fighters, what to do if a fire happens at home or at school and practiced fire drills as a grade level. This week we had our very first school wide fire drill of the year and all three kindergarten classes did AMAZING! We are so proud of them!
We’ve had a few more wonderful volunteers present about their community helpers roles. We were also able to learn about a set builder for the Mesa Arts Center, a teacher who tutors second language learners, and a nurse practitioner who showed us all her cool tools! Officer Gill came in to visit today and told us all about being a Police Officer. It has been so interesting to hear about the impact they have on their communities as workers and volunteers!
Thank you for all the wonderful volunteers who came in to present this week or help out with the crazy Friday morning activities! We are so very appreciative!! :)
We have had many questions about PowerSchool and the grades students are earning. ASU Prep has F.A.M.E. grading scale. F=Falls below the standard, A=Approaches the standard, M=Meets the standard, and E= Exceeds the standard. We have standards-based grading, which means we are expecting all student to be Meeting the standard by the end of the year. Many of the assessments we have entered are pre-tests and will be given again after more practice with each skill. Do not panic if your child is not meeting the standard now, they have all year to grow!
Along with this week's homework, watch for your child’s login information for Raz-Kids and IXL. Raz-Kids will be the technology component for language homework and IXL will be the technology component for math homework. These sites are wonderful resources for your student and can also be opportunities for enrichment and extra practice. Remember, homework is given on Fridays and students have until the following Friday to complete it.
In the next few weeks we will be needing newspaper donations and cardboard egg cartons for an upcoming paper mache project. We will also be looking for several volunteers from each classroom to help us get a little messy paper mache-ing. :) No previous experience needed!
With cold and flu season coming up next month we will continue to go through hand sanitizer rapidly. We would so appreciate extra bottles for our classrooms to keep germs at bay.
Mark your calendars, ILPs will be on Thursday, September 28th and Friday, September 29th . There will be no school on Wednesday, September 27th through Friday September 29th. Wednesday is a teacher work day to prepare for these individual conferences. Club Poly will offer Camp Poly for those three days. Camp Poly includes games and activities lasting the period of a normal school day. If you are needing care for your child, this may be an option you want to consider. Please note it is on a first come, first serve basis.
For those of you new to the ILP process a Sign Up schedule will be sent by ASU Prep Poly’s front office and you will be able to choose a day and time. During your child’s ILP we will share your child’s progress to date, their performance on the DRA, work samples as well as behavior summaries and productivity in content areas. If your child travels to a different teacher for math you do not need to schedule a conference with anyone other than your child’s homeroom teacher. Your child’s homeroom teacher will have all work and assessment documents housed in their Data Notebook to discuss progress, questions and/or concerns.
Thank you and have an excellent long weekend!
The Kinder Team
August 25, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Please check your child’s backpack for their first homework assignment. Please remember that these are not yet leveled as we are still conducting assessments. Please make sure you are reviewing letter names and letter sounds notated on your child’s homework. If this is a simple task for your child, an extension of this activity would be asking for a word that begins with that sound or advancing further, using that word in a complete sentence. This is a great time to establish a homework routine with your child in addition to reading every day.
We loved seeing all of the family projects coming in! The Community Helper figures were amazing and the children were so proud to show them off! This was a great project to begin our Community Helpers unit.
IXL and RAZ Kids login information and passwords will be coming home next week. Please be on the lookout for these important codes as this will be the technology component of your child’s homework.
Please make sure you are clarifying with your child which foods are for snack and which are for lunch. We still have some students confused as they prepare for the day. To help your child be successful in the afternoons, please pack brain-stimulating foods. As we move into our Community Helper unit we will integrate aspects of personal health and hygiene. Packing foods based on the Nutrition Food Groups Plate will provide your child’s brain with the necessary fuel they need to be focused and energized for the afternoon academics. Try to avoid foods with high sugar content as we are seeing a negative trend in their academic performance and behavior.
There’s a possibly opportunity for a visit from some furry canine friends next week. We understand there might be some sensitivities to dogs, so if you would like your child to opt out of this experience, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher. If we do not hear from you all Full Day students will be included in this lesson.
We so appreciated books that were donated to our classrooms. They were so much fun to read and will make an excellent addition to our classroom libraries!
Have FABULOUS weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
August 18, 2017
Good afternoon all! We had an awesome week! Here are some important things to know:
*Family Projects are due Friday, August 25th! We have seen some really neat community helpers coming in. This weekend is a good time to gather supplies if you still need to finish yours!
*Homework and homework folders will be sent out Friday, August 25th. Remember, all homework will be at the same level while we finish our DRA assessments and finalize differentiated groups. Take this opportunity to establish solid homework routines so they are ready when homework begins to be leveled!
*Treasure Box--Students have the opportunity to earn a small prize each Friday if their Class Dojo percentage is above 80% (This is up to teacher discretion)
*Donations--We are looking for small plastic toys to fill our treasure box and get kids excited to earn points during the week. Examples include, but are not limited to:
-Plastic rings, bracelets, necklaces, etc
-Small party favors
-Small toys
-Please avoid anything messy, play dough, ink, etc
-We are also looking for a few plastic soda bottles for a fun interactive project this week!
*Solar Eclipse--For the safety of our students, kindergarten will NOT be participating in the viewing of the solar eclipse. Instead, we will watch NASA's live feed so the children can still watch this historic event safely.
*Volunteers--We are so excited to have so many volunteers this year! Watch for a Sign Up Genius for various in school and at home volunteer opportunities soon.
*Book Fair-- The Book fair is running next week! Purchases can be made:
Monday-Friday before and after school
Half Day students may shop on Tuesday 11:15-12:00 with their parents
Wednesday is open after school until 6:00 pm
You are more than welcome to send money with your students to purchase books during school, but please make sure it is in a labeled envelope with your child's first and last name, teacher, and amount included. Students will have an opportunity to shop this week to create a wish list.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
August 17, 2017
Good afternoon everyone!
Just a few things:
-The directory was resent as it sounds like we had some email issues. It is also posted on the Weebly
-If you are having troubles with Class Dojo, I have spoken to the tech department and they suggested to delete the app and reinstall. If you have any issues further, you can let them know and they should be able to help further!
-To protect time with our families, we as a team have decided to turn on the "Quiet Hours" feature for the app. We will not be notified of new messages between the hours of 5:00pm to 7:00am or on Saturdays or Sundays. We are here for your children, but we also need time for our own. If you send a message between those hours, we will be able to respond during the day within 24 hours. Thank you for your understanding!
Thank you!
The Kinder Team :)
August 14, 2017
Happy Monday!
We have been learning all about our bodies and the five senses. Ask your child about what each sense is and what part of the body they use for each. In math, we are diving deep into the numbers 1-10, patterns, and shapes. We are very excited about the alphabet book we are creating in literacy. Each letter has a D'Nealian handwriting component, letter name and sound identification, and an art enrichment activity. We are noticing all students can be practicing their names in D'Nealian, beginning with a capital letter and ALL the rest should be lowercase.
This morning, our school had the opportunity to learn all about anti-bullying, and the difference between a student who is being rude, mean, or bullying.
- If a child does something unkind without knowing one time, it is rude.
-If a child does something unkind on purpose it is mean.
-If a child does something unkind, on purpose, repeatedly, it is bullying.
Students are taught that bullying is unacceptable and should seek help from an adult at school and at home immediately.
Just a few notes to remember:
*Picture Day is THIS Wednesday, August 16th! Packets went home on Friday and we are collecting money as soon as you can send them in. Please remind your child to take the envelope out of their backpack to give it to us as soon as possible.
**School Uniforms ONLY please**
*Family Projects also went home on Friday and are due back to school Friday, August 25th. Take your time and do your best as these will all be displayed at Summative Night.
*EADMS Assessments will be administered on Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Please make sure your child is at school ON TIME and has had a great breakfast so their brain is ready to rock and roll!
Have a marvelous Monday!
The Kinder Team!
______________________________________________
August 4, 2017
Good afternoon Sun Devil Families!
What a week! We had so much fun getting to know your children, and we are looking forward to a great year. Check the Dojo for photos and updates as the year progresses. Here are some important reminders:
-As you may have noticed, your child did not bring homework home this week. We will start this routine next Friday.
-We noticed some children did not have a snack this morning, or did not know what they were supposed to eat. PLEASE make sure your child both has a snack AND knows what it is. In addition, if they need utensils for anything they are eating, send them with the lunch or snack. We do not have extras :)
-Please remember that kindergartners MUST wear tennis shoes (not Mary Janes, flats, sandals, boots, etc) for their own safety when they are running on the playground or are participating in P.E. Socks should only be solid white, black, or maroon.
-It is a bit chilly in our rooms, your child may bring a solid white, black, maroon, or ASU sweatshirt/sweater LABELED with their first and last name.
-We are looking for donations of plastic bags and hand sanitizer to keep germs and sickness away from our classrooms. Thank you!
-We are LOVING Class Dojo so far, and the messaging system is super nice. If you are writing a message to a specific teacher, please make sure to include her name in the first line. This helps us sort through and answer each one in a timely manner.
-Tuesday is Curriculum Night! We are starting promptly at 5:30 to present specific information about what we will be learning this year. Keep in mind, this is NOT an ILP conference and while we are here to help answer all questions you may have, we ask that conversations about specific students are kept to e-mail, Class Dojo, phone calls, or scheduled appointments. Due to FERPA and the rights of students, we are not allowed to discuss individual student progress in a group or in front of other parents. Thank you for understanding!
Thank you for reading our weekly message! We have a sneaky favor to ask you... We are trying to see how many families are making it over to our Weebly to read our important message. Since you are here, please send an emoji in a Dojo Message that describes your child's first week at school. This will help us greatly.
Thank you!
The Kinder Team
July 31, 2017
Good afternoon Sun Devil families!
We are SO excited to see you all on our first day of kindergarten tomorrow. Here is some important information you need to know:
-We are requesting that snacks contain NO NUTS AT ALL. Previously, we stated that the allergies were mainly peanuts but we would like to stress that it is ALL NUTS. We have some severe allergies and ask for your cooperation if possible!
-Please make sure you are checking the Weebly on a frequent basis. This is where we will communicate all of our Friday messages. The website is:
http://kindergartenasuprep.weebly.com/
-Invitations for Class Dojo were sent out Friday afternoon. If you did not receive an invitation, please respond asap so we can resend it. This tool will be used for communication, behavior tracking, and strengthening the home-school connection. Please sign up as soon as you can.
-If your pick-up procedures are going to change from what was documented on ILP night, please let your homeroom teacher know when it will be in effect.
-It's chilly in our classroom. If your child chooses to wear a sweatshirt or a sweater, please make sure it adheres to our school dress code. It must be solid black, white, or maroon, or have an ASU logo on it.
-For the first day, please remember:
-Backpack
-Nut-free snack
-Water bottle labeled with first and last name
-Lunch (full day--If your child chose hot lunch, please let us know for first week)
-White packet of kinder info (if you have not already turned it in)
-Crayon coloring (if you have not already turned it in)
-White 2 inch binder (if you have not already turned it in)
-Extra uniform top, bottoms, socks, underwear in a gallon bag labeled with first and last name (if you have not already turned it in)
Thank you and we cannot wait to see you all tomorrow 😊
The Kinder Team
May 31, 2017
Happy summer Sun Devil Families!
We cannot believe how quickly this year passed by. Our students have learned so much and come so far, and we could not be more proud of them. To our 2016-2017 families, we hope you have a relaxing and safe summer and best of luck in first grade!
To our incoming families, we loved meeting you at Orientation and cannot wait to see your smiling faces at our first ILP in July. Be on the look out for a Sign Up Genius to schedule a meeting with our kindergarten team. Be sure to check this Weebly page often as we may be posting updates. We are so excited to kick of a brand new year with you! Have a safe and relaxing summer and we will see you soon :)
The Kindergarten Team
May 5, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
First of all, thank you so much for spoiling us this week with sweets, flowers, notes, and kind gifts. We are so appreciative of all the treats!
Moving into the next week we will be continuing final quarter assessments and some long vowel team sounds. There will be no homework, guided reading bags or spelling tests for the remainder of the year. Please continue to read on a daily basis with your child. In addition on Monday check your child's folder for a small paper that will be their script for a promotion poem. Please practice this line with your child every night as it needs to be memorized for their role in our promotion event.
The following week is a busy one. Make sure your calendar includes:
-Wednesday, May 17th for our field trip to the Children's Museum of Phoenix. Your child will need to bring a completely disposable lunch and disposable water bottle. They will wear their school uniform and tennis shoes.
-The following day, Thursday, May 18th will be our kindergarten promotion. The event will begin at 5:00PM sharp, please have your child here at 4:30PM - no sooner, no later. Drop them off in the kindergarten classrooms and proceed to the basketball court (on the south side of the campus) to get your seat. Student attire for this event is "dress to impress" (no jeans or flip flops). *For those of you who will be at Science Camp please email your child's homeroom teacher so we can set up an alternative solution for you.
Sign Up Genius emails will be sent out for binder stuffing, Mystery Day and Mystery Readers for the final days of school.
The last day of school is Thursday, May 25th - it will be a half day. Both half day and full day students will be dismissed at 12:00PM. Students will have snack that day, but no lunch. Students may not bring their backpacks the last day, but may bring their yearbooks with their name clearly marked. Students will receive their report card at dismissal. If you are not planning on not being here that day, your child's report card will be mailed to you.
Thanks again for helping make all us feel so loved this week! :)
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
April 28, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been an exciting week watching our little chicks grow! Next week we will be returning them to the farm so they can have the space they need to live a happy life as chickens and roosters!
If you have an "Oh, The Places You'll Go" book or other, please bring it as soon as possible with your child's name clearly marked inside the front cover and a post it note attached with the teachers you are wanting to sign it.
Next week will be the last week of "magic e" vowels, homework, spelling tests and guided reading bags. In the weeks following we will be covering vowel pairs but there will be no guided reading bags, homework or spelling tests for the remainder of the year.
We will also be taking our final EADMS assessment in the coming weeks, standard based assessments for Quarter 4 and follow up DRA testing for the students who did not meet a Level 6 (in the mean time READ, READ, READ!).
RAZ Kids and IXL will be available to your family over the summer, just in case you were wondering.
There are some dates to remember on your calendar. Our field trip to the Children's Museum of Phoenix is on Wednesday, May 17th. Permission slips are due next Friday. You will be notified by email Thursday night if you have been chosen as a chaperone.
Kindergarten Promotion is on Thursday, May 18th beginning at 5:00PM. Have your kindergarten student come dressed to impress (no jeans or flip flops). They will be bringing home a part to memorize in the upcoming weeks, please help them learn their part.
FYI, we have noticed that all three of our emails have been acting up and we have missed a few internal emails. Just in case, if you have tried contacting us and we have not responded in our normal amount of time, please send us a little written note to make sure we have received your message. Thanks!
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
April 17, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Tuesday is Field Day! Students may wear their Friday Sun Devil Shirts and any shorts with tennis shoes or water shoes (MUST be closed toe). NO BATHING SUITS. Make sure you bring a water bottle! Half day students will stay the entire afternoon for the event and must bring a lunch. Half day and full day students will be dismissed at 3:15PM.
Next week are ILP Conferences. Students will not have school on Wednesday, April 19th, Thursday, April 20th, and Friday, April 21st. If you have not already scheduled your ILP conference please contact your child's homeroom teacher. There will be no homework and no guided reading bags next week due to ILPs.
ASU Prep Poly will be housing a Scholastic Book Fair next week. It will be open during the ILP days, so make sure you stop by to add to your personal library and support our school!
Tutoring is done for the school year, please make sure plan accordingly for your child's adjusted schedule.
Our chicks should be hatching sometime next week - if you have an extra bag of chicken feed you would like to donate that would be great!
With this viral bug that is spreading fast, we are also in need of Clorox Wipes and Hand Sanitizer ("hanitizer" as some students still lovingly call it).
As our temperatures on the rise, and our playground water fountain in repair, please make sure you are sending your child with a water bottle labeled with their name daily.
Please remember that Kinder promotion is set for May 18th. More details to come soon.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
April 10, 2017
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRS. H!!!
Tuesday is the last day of tutoring for the year. If your child attends tutoring, they may bring a special snack for themselves to celebrate the last day of tutoring.
Please make sure if you are ordering any hot lunches for your child that you have made the payments so that the catering company has meals planned correctly.
The Kinder Team
April 3rd
Thank you so much for coming out and supporting all of our students' hard work at Summative! We feel so lucky to have such an amazing group this year :) Make sure you sign up for a time for ILPs, the link opened on April 1st. The LAST DAY of tutoring for the year is NEXT Tuesday, April 11th.
Thanks and have a great week!
The Kinder Team
March 24
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Mark your calendar - Summative is next week on Thursday, March 30th at 5:00PM. Families including children and siblings are invited. Uniforms do not need to be worn. There will be a musical performance hosted by Mrs. Jernigan, we will email out the time as soon as we receive it.
Next week starts testing for the older grade levels, however this will affect our schedules in different ways. Just so you are aware. There will be no guided reading books sent home this weekend or next week.
Sign up for ILP conferences will come out next Saturday, April 1st. Please watch for this email and sign up in a timely manner as it is only open for one week. This will be the final ILP conference for this academic year.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
March 10
What an eventful day! :) Please see your child's folder for a letter from Mrs. Mendoza about today's incident. If your child is a half day student, we have also uploaded a digital copy.
A flyer was also sent about spring school picture day on Thursday, March 23rd. This will be a free dress day for all students.
Spring Break is next week, school will resume Monday, March 20th.
Report cards will be sent home the week we return.
Have a wonderful, relaxing Spring Break!
The Kinder Team
March 3
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you to those of you who were able to join us on our field trip today to Schenpf Farms. Without you these field trips would not be possible. We are so lucky to have such amazing families here at ASU Prep. The field trip was an absolute success and was a great experience for our students in the midst of our farm unit. If you did not get to join us there will be at least one, if not two, other field trip opportunities before the end of the year.
Our spring summative will be March 30th, please mark your calendars now. This will be a fun night that is sure not to disappoint! :)
Spring break is the week of March 13th-17th, there is no school and no Club/Camp Poly. School will resume Monday, March 20th.
EADMS testing will be next week. It is imperative that your child is here and on time. Please make sure they are well rested and have an extra big, healthy breakfast.
We have loved having Mrs. Laureano as part of our team this week. Below is a little information about the newest member of the Kindergarten team.
Hi! My name is Cynthia Laureano. This is my third year here at ASU Preparatory Academy. In my first year, I was the Reading Specialist. The next two and a half years, I had the pleasure of working as an Instructional Assistant in our Special Education Department. I am extremely excited to embark on my new position as one of the Instructional Assistants on the Kindergarten team. I am so thrilled and look forward to working with and getting to know all our Kindergarteners.
On a personal note, I was born and raised in California about 10 minutes from Disneyland. I moved to Mesa, Arizona with my husband in 2003. We have been married almost 14 years and have an amazing son (Nathan) who attends ASU Preparatory. He is in 4 th grade this year. I have an adorable 13 year old tuxedo cat named Mina. When I am not working, I enjoy sleeping, listening to music, and hanging out with my two boys (My hubby and Nathan). – Mrs. Laureano
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
February 24,
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all of the donations for our Spring Carnival Fit Family Kindergarten Basket, donations for Jump Rope for Heart and craft donations and volunteers for our Friendship Party. We had so much fun spreading the love on Tuesday! We are so lucky to have such involved and supportive families!
Our Spring Carnival is next week, on Friday, February 24th. It begins at 5:00PM and ends at 8:00PM. Wristbands are available for purchase at the event, or pre-sale at the Playground Gate Tuesday through Friday from 7:45AM-8:15AM. Wristbands are $10 each or $30 for a Family Pack. Please visit our Weebly to view the Carnival flyer that was sent home this week. We still need volunteers to help with the Kindergarten Face Painting Booth, no experience necessary. The Sign Up Genius will be re-sent later today.
Scholastic book orders were submitted this week, we will send them home in your child's backpack as soon as they are shipped to us. Do not forget there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 20thdue to President's Day.
Tutoring permissions slips went home with children who met the criteria and would benefit from this next tutoring session. If you have not already returned your permission slip, please do so ASAP or your child will not be allowed to stay. The start date is Monday, February 27th.
Schnepf Farms field trip permission slips also went home this week. Please return them ASAP and either send in check or money, or make your payment online. If you are choosing to volunteer for this field trip, please make sure you let us know on the permission form and pay the chaperone fee. It is important that we submit the correct headcount and money order to Schnepf Farms prior to our event date. More information about this event will be revealed as we get closer to Friday, March 3rd.
Thank you and have a great three day weekend!
The Kinder Team
February 10, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We've had another fantastic week in kindergarten as we are wrapping up our insect unit and beginning our farm unit of study. Please watch for upcoming permission slip to be sent home for our field trip to Schnepf Farms on March 3rd. All parents are invited to join us, prices will be listed on the permission slip. We do need you to notate on the permission slip whether or not you will be attending and collect payment so that we can provide Schnepf Farm with a headcount.
Next week is our Friendship party on Tuesday, February 14th. Students must bring their completed Valentine's boxes and Valentines by Monday, February 13th. Half day students are invited to stay for lunch after the Friendship party. And will be dismissed promptly at 12:00PM. All students must bring a main course. Drinks, sides and a treat will be provided. Please refer back to the Sign Up Genius for donations needed for these activities and crafts.
A reminder that Scholastic book orders are also due by noon on Tuesday, February 14th and Harkins Summer Movie Passes are due by Wednesday, February 22nd.
There was also a Sign Up Genius sent out for the Spring Carnival. We will need several volunteers throughout the night for face painting.
There is a new section on homework. Per your child's individual goals they will either have a passage to practice fluency or comprehension. Please make sure you are sending your student with their Guided Book Bag every day.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
February 3, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Many of you have been asking about Valentine's Day. We will be having a Friendship Day Party that will be similar to our Fall and Winter Parties in the past. A SignUp Genius will be sent out next week for volunteers and material donations.
There will be no homework next week, INSTEAD please help your child create and decorate a Valentine Box (a shoe box is usually the perfect size.) Please make sure your child's name is on the box. These will be due in class by Friday, February 10th. Your child MAY bring valentine cards. If choosing to participating, you must bring a valentine for each child in your child's homeroom class. However, they may bring extras for students in other kinder classes if they want. A list with student names for your child's homeroom will be sent home today. Please check your child's backpack.
On that day, please send your child with a main dish for their own lunch. Juice, sides, and a sugar cookie will be served at school. Half day students are welcome to join us for lunch, and will be dismissed promptly at 12:00 pm.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
January 20, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had another busy week! Please remember that there is no school next week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday due to ILPs. Teachers are looking forward to meeting with you, please remember that this is a great opportunity to talk about your child's success and to gain strategies to challenge your child throughout the rest of the year. Please remember your student should be in attendance.
There will be no homework next week due to ILP conferences.
Remember that the Scholastic book orders are still active with February 14th being the due date.
DRA testing has been completed, your student's current level will be discussed at their ILP and reflected in their upcoming guided reading books. Please remember these guided reading books are meant to challenge your child in comprehension, not just reading fluency. Please have your child identify, character, setting, problem and solution, sequencing of events and their favorite as well as what it makes them think of in their own life.
If you are interested in helping with the Valentine's Party, please email Carrie Caviness directly at cavinesscarrie@gmail.com.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Homework will start up again next week. Guided Reading and Sight Word Club will also continue. Please keep in mind due to DRA testing, guided reading books will not be gone over in depth in the classroom.
Sign up for ILP Conferences will go live tomorrow. Please watch for the email from Ms. Urban. Students do not have school January 25th, 26th, and 27th. If you need a conference time that is not available, please email your child's teacher to make arrangements.
Next week starts the Great Kindness Challenge at school, please view the attached flyer.
Our school Spring Carnival is coming up, please see the attached flyer for our cluster's basket donation with the theme Fitness Party Basket.
We are in need of 7 cardboard egg cartons, hand sanitizer, and pipe cleaners.
We are looking for parents to lead or co-lead the Friendship Party on Tuesday, February 14th. This will be run similarly to our last two events, 6 activities are needed per classroom, for a total of 18. Some activities in the past are graphing with conversation hearts, making a "love bug", red or pink "gak", etc.
Please make sure you are checking the Weebly for your snack day. Please also continue to initial your child's behavior calendar on a daily basis.
The Kinder Team
January 4, 2016
Hello Sun Devil Families!
FIELD TRIP TODAY!! :)
Tomorrow is our grade level field trip to the OdySea Aquarium. If you were contacted as a chaperone please remember to be on campus in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom promptly at 7:30AM for a chaperone meeting. Remember, if you are chaperoning you are required to ride on the school bus to and and from the field trip destination, however you may check your child out for the day upon returning to campus. All other students must be on campus at 7:45AM to unpack, use the restroom, receive name tags and review field trip rules and policies. We will be taking attendance and loading the bus at 8:20AM sharp.
Please make sure you send your child with a lunch in a brown paper bag and disposable water bottle. Both need to be clearly labeled with your child's name in black Sharpie. Keep in mind that your child's lunch will not be refrigerated, so pack accordingly. Please make sure there are no rubbermaid containers, and that all other items in the lunch bag are disposable. If your child brings a non-disposable water bottle they will not be able to take it on the field trip. *Chaperones please make sure you bring a bag to hold your group's lunches.
Your child must wear their ASU uniform for the field trip and tennis shoes as usual.
Our entrance into the OdySea Aquarium is scheduled for 9:30AM if you are choosing to meet us there. We are scheduled to be back at school at 1:30PM which is when half-day students will be dismissed. If you will be taking your child home from the OdySea Aquarium you will need to sign them out with your child's teacher before leaving.
The Kinder Team
December 15, 2016
Happy Friday :)
If your child will not be here next week, please let his or her teacher know immediately as there are things that need to go home tomorrow. We are still missing a few materials for our winter party, please check out our Sign Up Genius to see where you can help. Remember Wednesday, December 21st is our winter party and pizza lunch. Half day students are invited to join us for lunch this day and will be dismissed promptly at 12:00PM. We will also be allowing our students to come in their pajamas that day.
There will be no homework or guided reading bags sent home next week or over the break. The Scholastic Book Fair will close tomorrow, so the last opportunity to shop will be in the morning before school.
Please check your child's homework folder on Wednesday, December 21st for their report card and a list of assessments used to enter their grades. (The highlighted items on the assessment list are skills your child has not yet mastered). Please note if your child is absent, you will not receive their report card until they return in January.
Please watch for a Sign Up Genius over break for filing and data notebook help. This is a great way to get in your 30 required service hours for the school year.
Our field trip will be on Wednesday, January 4th to OdySea Aquarium, if you have not yet returned your child's permission slip and $20 field trip fee (or made payment online), please do so before December 20th. Do not pay the chaperone fee until we have drawn from the lottery that contains all names of those interested in chaperoning, which will also be done on the 20th. Chaperone fees will be due on the 21st. We will contact you individually to let you know if you have been selected to accompany us. If you are not chosen as a chaperone, you may still drive yourself to the OdySea Aquarium and join us. If you are chosen as a chaperone, you must come with us on the bus and be able to attend a parent meeting before school on Wednesday, January 4th at 7:30AM.
Have a great Friday and rest of your weekend!
The Kinder Team
December 9, 2016
The results are in from Run Devil Run, although we fell short by just a few students of 100% participation, we know how hard they worked and have decided to give them their well-deserved pizza party. This will take place on December 21st, following our winter party. Half day students are welcome to stay for lunch and will be dismissed promptly at 12:00PM. If your student is unable to have pizza, please send an alternative lunch for your child that day. Pizza, grapes, apples, juice and a sugar cookie will be served.
There will be no guided reading books sent home for the rest of the quarter due to EADMS and other assessments.
Our first field trip will be taking place January 4th to the Odysea Aquarium. Please look for your child's permission slip, coming home on Monday. The permission slip will be due back by December 20th. We are only able to take a small amount of parent volunteers with us. If you would like to chaperone please indicate that on your child's permission slip. Names will be pulled by lottery in order to be fair.
The Scholastic Book Fair will be open next week. Please see flyers in your child's backpack today or Monday. You are welcome to send money for your child in a clear ziplock bag labeled with their name on Wednesday. They will be taken up in small groups to shop.
Sign Up Geniuses went out today for both volunteers and materials for our winter party. If you are able to donate your time or materials that would be awesome! In addition we are also looking for other materials for projects over the next week. If you are able to donate materials for gingerbread houses, please let your child's teacher know ASAP. We are also in need of Clorox Wipes.
Tutoring is officially done for the quarter, please watch for permission slips in January for the next tutoring session if your child is a candidate for the skills we are focusing on. Students will not be able to attend tutoring without a signed permission slip.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
December 2, 2016
Next week is the last week of tutoring for the second quarter. We will be looking at data to see who will be a candidate for our next session. If your child would benefit from the content in our next session, you will be contacted individually. Please do not assume that your child will be in tutoring until you get a permission slip from us.
We are in need of Clorox Wipes, and paper grocery bags for our winter party.
We are still looking for volunteers to head or plan activities for our winter party. Please contact your child's teacher if this is something you are interested in doing.
This month’s Scholastic Reading Club flyers are now available! Please take a few moments to explore the selection together and let your child help choose books he or she is excited to read.
You can order online at scholastic.com/readingclub, where you’ll find a wide selection of quality children’s books that are just right for your child’s reading level and interests.
Remember, you help our class earn FREE Books and supplies with every order. Thank you for supporting your child’s reading both at home and in the classroom!
First Time Ordering Online?
Mrs. Sterenberg's Code: PM8QB
Ms. Anderson's Code: Q67YY
Mrs. Fernandez' Code: L4NPH
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
November 18, 2016
Our winter party is right around the corner (December 21st). We are looking for parents to co-head and parents to volunteer to get this organized and executed. Let your child's teacher know if you are interested. It would be much appreciated as these parties are a fun and exciting time for our students.
Next week is the last week for the canned food drive. If you have not donated already and would like to, you may continue to send in items with your student. The cluster with the most cans donated will win a free dress down day.
Thank you for your pledges and getting your child's Run Devil Run form turned in. We are looking forward to getting our steps in tomorrow! This event will begin at 8:30AMwith a kickoff from our color guard, followed by the kindergarten run at 9:00AM.
There will be no guided reading bags tomorrow due to Run Devil Run. There will be no homework or guided reading bags next week as there are only two days of school. If your student will be out next week, please let your child's teacher and front office know if you have not done so already.
Please help your child to remember their guided reading bag on a daily basis as we only have a set number of each title.
Tutoring will be held on Tuesday for both the AM and PM sessions, but there will be no tutoring on Thursday due to no school.
Have a great rest of your week and weekend!
The Kinder Team
November 10, 2016
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
Remember there is NO SCHOOL tomorrow due to Veteran's day! :)
If you have not already sent in your Run Devil Run contribution form please send it in on Monday. Kindergarten is really trying to hit the goal of 100% participation. Participation can be for $1 or greater. Donations can be sent it with your student in their folder or made online. Instructions for online donations came home with the original Run Devil Run form. If we hit our goal of 100% participation our students will earn a pizza party on December 21st!
The Run Devil Run event is Friday, November 18th. Please make sure your child is wearing tennis shoes for this event and on a daily basis. Kindergarten students will run at approximately 9:00AM with pedometers to track their steps.
The canned food drive is in full effect, please send in can food with your child. The cluster with the most cans collected earns a dress down day!
We are in search of toilet paper or paper towel rolls for a project on Wednesday, as well as clorox wipes and hand sanitizer to keep our kinders germ free!
As the weather is getting cooler we are seeing more jackets and sweaters coming to school. Please make sure your child's winter clothes are labeled with their name so that it is not mixed up or lost among other children's belongings.
Guided reading books did not go home today, students will get a new book on Monday.
Enjoy your long weekend!
The Kinder Team
Attention all families!
The seasons are changing, and with those changes comes new germs! We are already seeing lots of sick kids needing to stay at home, and we would like to stop these germs at school. We are looking for donations of:
-Hand Sanitizer
-Disinfectant Wipes
-Baby Wipes
In addition, there are many lost jackets already. PLEASE make sure you are putting your child's names on the tags so they do not get lost.
Thank you so much!
The Kinder Team
November 4th, 2016
It has been an action packed week with our Fall Party and Summative! We were so happy to have such a wonderful turn out of families! The kids were all so excited to show off all of their hard work! We appreciate you braving the weather to celebrate all the wonderful learning that happened during our first quarter of school! Thank you for all the volunteered time and donations to make these two events such a success!
Today in your child's backpack please look out for the lime green Run Devil Run information. If we get 100% participation from our kindergarten grade level the students can earn a pizza party on December 21st! :) The Run Devil Run Event will take place in the morning on November 18th. Students will receive pedometers to track their steps as they run the outdoor course.
Remember there is no school next Friday due to Veteran's Day. Since we do not have school on Friday there will not be a spelling test, but there will still be homework.
Tutoring will be normal next week for the Tuesday/Thursday morning and afternoon sessions. Just as a reminder, your child is only in tutoring if you signed a tutoring slip for this quarter.
The Can Food Drive begins next week. The grade level with the most cans donated can win a dress down day! :)
Please make sure your children are wearing athletic shoes on a daily basis. And make sure you are returning your guided reading books, otherwise your child cannot participate in their reading group.
The Kinder Team
October 28th, 2016
Hello Sun Devil Families!
No homework next week due to the Fall Party and Summative. We still encourage you to monitor your child's progress on their guided reading bags, you can also have your child log on to Raz Kids and IXL and practice the digraphs ch, sh, th, wh. They will still get a new book for the guided reading bag on Monday. Speaking of guided reading bags, it is imperative that the guided reading bag and book comes back to school each day with their behavior folder so that we make continue our lessons on fluency and comprehension.
Please remember your students may dress up as their favorite character tomorrow (no face paint, no masks, no props). Make sure that your student is still wearing tennis shoes as they will still have recess and P.E. tomorrow.
Please wear regular uniforms on Monday. :)
There will be no afternoon tutoring session on Thursday, November 3rd due to Summative. However, the morning tutoring session will still take place.
Thank you for all the fantastic donations and time spent planning for our Fall Party - we are so lucky to have such wonderful support from the community of families. All of our kindergarteners are excited with anticipation for this fun event!
Please be on the lookout for more Sign Up Geniuses as more volunteer opportunities will be available!
Have a fantastic weekend!
The Kinder Team
October 21, 2016
Happy Friday Kindergarten Families!
It has been a wonderful week back after fall break! This week was the introduction to student book bags. Guided Reading Bags will go home every day. Please make sure that you are documenting the book only one time on the reading log but practicing it every day. Students will be working on the same book Monday through Thursday and bring the book bag to school every day so that we can do guided reading during Daily 5. Sometimes books may seem too easy, please understand that we are not just working on reading fluency. Talk with your child about decoding, setting, characters, problem and solution. They will get a new book on Friday to practice for the weekend.
Homework will be reintroduced on Monday, October 24th. It will be leveled for reading and math based on individual student needs. There will also be RAZ Kids language and IXL math components. All teachers check for the completion of each of these assignments by Friday. If your child is level C for math, they are in Mrs. Fernandez' math class; if they are level D for math, they are in Ms. Anderson's math class; if they are in level E for math, they are in Mrs. Sterenberg's math class. Please refer to these class codes when the Sign Up Genius goes out for math center volunteers to ensure you are volunteering in the classroom your child will be in.
Tutoring permission slips have been sent home based on newly acquired data. If your child was previously in tutoring but was not invited to this next session, it means they have already mastered the skills being taught during tutoring. We will continue to evaluate students and will let you know when a new session will begin and if your child is a candidate. If your child did receive the permission slip, please return it by Monday, October 24th or your child will not be able to stay. Please note the change in days and times on the permission slip. Tutoring will begin Tuesday, October 25th.
Next week is ASU Prep school wide spirit week. Spirit week is optional. If you choose to have your child participate the themes are as follows:
Monday: Wacky hair day with school uniform
Tuesday: Team shirt or jersey with school uniform bottoms
Wednesday: Cool glass/sunglasses with school uniform
Thursday: Twin Day with school uniform bottoms
Friday: Favorite character costume (no props, no face paint, no masks)
Monday, October 31st we will be having a special lunch for the students. Half day students are invited to stay and have lunch and will be dismissed at 12:00PM promptly. Please send your child with a main dish for the lunch only for your student; fruit, veggies, drinks and dessert will be provided. We are looking for donations for fruit and veggie trays, drinks as well as desserts. Juice boxes are preferred, no soda please. If you are interested in sending in an item please contact any of the kindergarten teachers: Mrs. Fernandez at aallen16@asu.edu; Ms. Anderson atnmande11@asu.edu; or Mrs. Sterenberg at lori.sterenberg@asu.edu.
Our first field trip is in the works, you will be getting information in the next few weeks.
Kindergarten Summative will be held Thursday, November 3rd at 5:00PM. This is a family event to showcase all the content areas and thematic units we've worked on up to this point. It will not disappoint, we can't wait to see you all there!
The Kindergarten Team
Happy Friday Kinder Families!
Just some reminders for the upcoming weeks, please make sure you are on time for your ILPs and to have your child attend. It is the ASU Prep way to involve all members of the academic team which certainly includes the most important member, your child! :)
There is no homework or tutoring next week, the week of October 2nd or the week of October 9th.
We also want to give Mrs. Fernandez a shout out as she will be celebrating her birthday on October 15th! Show Mrs. Fernandez some love and give her extra high fives, hugs and birthday wishes!
We look forward to meeting with you all next week! Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
September 23, 2016
Hi Sun Devil Families!
It's been another wonderful week in Kindergarten! This week our Kinders took their first EADMS assessment in literacy and math on the school lap tops. We were pleasantly surprised to see how well most of the children used these tools. To preview next week's skills, students will practice letter names, sounds, writing the letter and words that begin with B and K. We're continuing to work on short a word families and numbers through 20. Please continue to review sight words with your child as it helps as they develop their reading fluency.
ILP Sign Ups will be sent out tomorrow Saturday, September 24th. If you do not receive the email, please contact Kathy Urban at kaurban@asu.edu.
Please remember that students do not have school, Wednesday October 5th, Thursday October 6th and Friday October 7th due to ILPs. There is also no school the following week of October 10th-14th due to fall break.
There will be no homework or tutoring the weeks of October 3rd and October 10thdue to the ILPs and fall break.
There will also be a Sign Up Genius in the next week or so for community workers to present information about their job on November 1st and 2nd.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
September 19, 2016
Hi Sun Devil Families!
We had a fantastic week in kindergarten talking about the letter /i/, word families -ap and -an, the color purple, and we've continued our number explorations with sequencing and comparing. We've also talked about community workers including nurses and dentists.
Please make sure you are monitoring your child's completion of the RAZ kids and IXL components of their homework. This is an excellent resource to provide extra practice and enrichment for your child.
We are in desperate need of donations for cardboard egg cartons to finish one of our projects. We also need food magazines as we explore the restaurant industry and create menus, and clean styrofoam take out containers as well as styrofoam blocks for a lesson on the printing process.
ILPs are fast approaching, the sign up form for this will be coming out in the next few weeks so watch your email closely. Please remember students will not have school Wednesday, October 5th, Thursday, October 6th and Friday, October 7th. The following week of October 10th-14th will be Fall Break and there is no school or extracurricular activities. There will be no tutoring the weeks of October 3rd and October 10th due to the ILPs and October Break.
If your child is in tutoring, please check your master calendar that was previously emailed to confirm which dates tutoring will occur. We want to prevent any miscommunication of after school plans.
There will be several Sign Up Geniuses coming out for filling help and putting piggies together.
Have a great week!
The Kindergarten Team
September 12, 2016
Next week we will have the Scholastic Book Fair on campus. Kindergarten students will be previewing and making a book wish list to bring home on Monday afternoon. If you would like your child to purchase any books off of their wish list, please send money with the names of the books your child will be buying in a ziplock bag with their name in their homework folder. You may also take your child before and after school throughout the week.
Thank you for the great response in recycled donations. Our projects have been completed with great success.
Please remember to complete both math IXL and literacy RAZ Kids homework each week.
We are now looking for donations for hot mini glue sticks. If you are able to send in a bag it would be greatly appreciated!
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Please make sure you are checking and initialing your child's behavior chart daily.
Thank you so much for providing snack this last month, please refer to the Weebly for the September snack calendar. We have had a lot of Goldfish and Cheeze-its donated, so other types of snacks would be a welcome change for our students. If you are not sending prepackaged snacks please make sure you are sending dixie cups for serving purposes.
Kindergarten will be doing their Developmental Reading Assessment onSeptember 9th, 12th and 15th. Please make sure your child is not absent on these days. It is imperative for grouping in the upcoming weeks.
Please make sure your child is completing Raz Kids, IXL and paper homework each week, or your child will be complete it during Fun Friday.
We are needing recycled materials such as cardboard egg cartons, water bottles, tissue boxes, plastic gallon jugs, etc. for our kindergarten creations. These items are needed by Thursday, September 8th. We would also appreciate small prizes to replenish our community prize box.
The book fair is coming the week of the 12th-19th. Your child should have brought home a catalog in the last few days. We will be visiting as a class during the week. So if you would like to send your child with money, please send it in a Ziploc bag with their name as well as the names of the books you would like your child to purchase.
Please remember there is no school or tutoring on Monday, September 5th due to Labor Day. We hope you enjoy your long weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 26th, 2016
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had another wonderful week with all of our kindergarteners. This week we worked on the letters Nn, Pp and the sight word my. Please continue to reviews these as well as your child's sight word club list (half day kids will receive theirs on Monday). Next week we will focus on the letters Cc, Aa, the sight word the, the number four, color blue and shape rectangle. We practiced moving to math groups this week and students will continue to receive differentiated instruction based upon their individual needs.
Each student's homework will be differentiated beginning this next week. In addition to an IXL assignment, there will also be a RAZ Kids assignment. Login information will be attached to their homework.
If you are still interested in placing a Scholastic book order through your classroom account, please do so by midnight tonight, so the order can promptly be placed. If you do not wish to place an order currently but are interested in purchasing later, there will be a visiting Scholastic Book Fair at ASU Prep in the next few weeks as well as future book club flyer opportunities.
We are needing binder tabs, hand sanitizer, cardboard egg cartons, and pink pipe cleaners. If you are able to donate any of these items it would be greatly appreciated.
If your child is enrolled in tutoring, it will begin on Monday. There will be NO tutoring on Wednesday due to a staff meeting. Your child may only stay if we have a signed permission slip. Any questions please contact Lori Sterenberg or Nikki Anderson.
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 19th, 2016
Parents and Guardians of our Kinder Sun Devils,
Please remember when dropping off your students in the morning to pull all the way up on the curb to the first available stop. Do not stop in front of the office. There will be teachers available to escort your child from the car to the front office doors. If you prefer to walk your student to the door, please park and use the crosswalk.
We are still in need of large brown paper grocery bags, cardboard egg cartons, small prizes for our treasure chest and sidewalk chalk.
Please make sure your child is completing their homework on a nightly basis. For the upcoming week you will notice a section called IXL has been added. IXL is an online website. Your child's login information will be stapled to their homework packet which will come home on Monday. In your child's folder today will be their second sight word club list, please practice the letter name, sound or word with your child throughout the week in addition to their homework. Lists 1-10 are letter names, 11-15 are letter sound, and 16 and up are words.
Please make sure you are also reviewing your child's behavior for the day and initialing it in their folder.
You are invited to attend an Internet Safety Meeting held here at ASU Prep Poly on Thursday, September 1st from 5:30-6:30PM. Your attendance is not required for this event but if you are looking for more information in regard to internet safety this would be a great resource.
Tutoring will be starting soon, if we feel your child is a good candidate for this program you will be receiving an invitation in their folder in the upcoming weeks. Please sign and return.
Last day for Scholastic orders will be August 26th. Please remember that ordering through Scholastic is fun, cheap and earns free books for your child's classroom.
Please do not pull up at the gate at recess if you see your child playing. Some children may get upset as it may remind them that they miss their parent and may disrupt their day. It also contradicts the safety values we try to enforce with our students in regard to stranger danger.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 17, 2016
Good afternoon! Tomorrow is Picture Day at ASU Prep. Please make sure your child is in a clean uniform and your picture money is turned in. Kids, bring your best smiles to school! :)
The Kindergarten Team
August 15, 2016
A Note From Coach Fahey:
The date on the Laces Club flyer was incorrect. All the slips need to be turned in by Wednesday, August 17th (not the 19th). The lottery will be on Thursday August 18th.
August 14, 2016
Hello Parents and Guardians of Kindergarten Sun Devils!
Please make sure to pick up your student promptly at 11:45AM in the drive line. Thank you for your effort in making this happen!
Please watch your email for Sign Up Genius links and our Weebly site for more volunteer opportunities. We appreciate all of your involvement!
We wanted to address a few things to explain paperwork coming home and clarify a few expectations. We have officially started our Sight Word Club. You should find a half sheet list of letters or words in your child's backpack. Every Friday your child will receive a list, any letters or words that are underlined designates that they need practice with that content. We encourage you to practice these with your child to help ensure their success the following week. Lists 1-10 practice reading the letter names, lists 11-15 practice reading the letter sounds, and lists 16 and up are reading words. Any questions, please let us know!
Please make sure that your child is completing a portion of their homework every night. This is helping them develop routine and academic habits that will follow them in subsequent grades.
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 11, 2016
Happy (wet!) Thursday!
We have uploaded the powerpoint from Curriculum Night under the Curriculum Night tab on the bottom left side of your page. Please take a look at these slides if you were unable to make it, or if you need a refresher of the information presented. As always, let any of us know if you have any questions!
Stay dry today!
The Kindergarten Team :)
August 10, 2016
CURRICULUM NIGHT IS TONIGHT! Come learn all about what your child is learning tonight at 5:30 in the Multipurpose room. We cannot wait to see you!
The Kindergarten Team
August, 8, 2016
Parents,
Please check your child's backpack today for their homework!!
August 5, 2016
Hi ASU Prep Poly Families!
Our kindergarteners have had a fantastic first week at school. We've toured the campus and introduced our newest Sun Devils to key staff members and we've learned procedures for in and out of the classroom.
There have been questions in regard to the behavior charts coming home in student folders. Please check the orientation powerpoint on our Weebly site for definitions and color codes. Please make sure you are reviewing and initialing daily so that we know you are discussing your child's choices with them each day.
Homework will begin as of Monday. The first few weeks of homework will be the same for everyone as we continue to work on classroom procedures. Homework will be sent home on Monday, to be completed and returned by Friday.
The kindergarten directory will be emailed out. If you do not receive it or your email is incorrect, please contact Mrs. Sterenberg at Lori.Sterenberg@asu.edu
We are in need of the following donations: brown paper grocery store bags, cardboard egg cartons, and 75 regular size balloons.
If you have not sent in the following items for your child, please do so by next Friday: White 2" binder labeled with your child's name in sharpie in the upper inside left corner, 100 sheet protectors, change of clothes (shirt, bottoms, underwear, socks).
Please make sure your child is bringing a water bottle every day.
Half day parents, please make sure you are staying in your vehicle during dismissal to ensure the safety of your child and that the process is quick.
Please make sure to visit our Kindergarten Weebly site for pictures, lessons and the most up to date classroom information. Mark your calendars for our Curriculum Night on Wednesday, August 10th from 5:30-7:30PM. We can't wait for you to learn about all the wonderful things in our kindergarten curriculum!
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
July 31, 2016
Here it is! Tomorrow is the first day of school! We are so excited to see everyone, and want to make sure you remember a few important things:
1. Make sure to bring a water bottle with your child's first and last name, their backpack and lunch.
2. Thank you for those who have turned in your paperwork! If you have not done so yet, no worries. Please bring them tomorrow when you drop your children off.
3. Please remember that we encourage you to come in with your student for the first two days of school! You may park, walk your child through the school to the playground, and come in with them to put their name tags on and help them with the morning routine. We would like to establish independence early, so we will not allow this starting on Wednesday. We promise to take care of your children as if they were our own :)
4. The PowerPoint from our first ILP can be found under the "ILP PowerPoint" tab to the left of your screen.
Thank you for checking in, and we look forward to seeing your smiling faces tomorrow!
The Kindergarten Team :)
_________________________________________________________
July 25, 2016
We are very busy getting everything ready to meet you all this week! Just a reminder that our Meet the Teacher Night is on Wednesday, July 27th at 5:30. If you have not done so already, please make sure you have signed up for a time slot for your ILP on Thursday, July 28th. If you need the link again, please email Aallen16@asu.edu and she will send you information you need. We are THRILLED to meet you!
The Kindergarten Team :)
________________________________________________________
July 15, 2016
Hello!!! Welcome back to the new 2016-2017 school year. You should have already received a school email with lots of information. This is our kindergarten Weebly page and we will update it once a week with all of the school wide information as well as information pertinent to Kindergarten. Meet the Teacher will be July 27th at 5:30. This will be a time for your student to meet all the teachers and aides and get familiar with the Kindergarten classrooms. The following day, July 28th, will be an orientation/assessment day. You will be dropping your students off with our aides in one of the Kindergarten classrooms to get assessed. This will ensure that we have enough data to place them in a reading and math group that challenges them. While your students are getting assessed, you will be meeting with the Kindergarten teachers in a separate Kindergarten classroom to talk about drop off, lunch, uniforms, procedures, First Day of School, etc. If you have not received the sign up genius for this, please email Mrs. Fernandez at aallen16@asu.edu. You are welcome to bring any school supplies that you may have purchased on either of these two days. We are also looking for a donation of 18 Xlarge metal cookie sheets. If you are able to help out with these, please email Mrs. Fernandez and let her know. The snack schedule is up and posted under the more tab as well as a list of Pre Approved snacks. Keep checking this site as it is being updated daily. Click around and familiarize yourself with it.
The Kindergarten Team
________________________________________________________
Summer 2016
We are excited about the new and upcoming year!! Please keep checking our Weebly page for updates for the 2016-2017 school year. Please continue to work with your students this summer on writing their first name using upper and lowercase letters correctly, letter names and sounds, number recognition 1-20, and counting to 100. Have a safe, fun, and relaxing summer. We can't wait to meet you in July!
The Kindergarten Team
_________________________________________________________
May 23, 2016
Hello again!
Our field trip is tomorrow! If you are a chaperone, please report to Mrs. Kochis' classroom by 8:00am.
If your student is a half day, pick up will be immediately following our return at 1:30pm.
Students do not need to bring their backpacks!
Lunches need to be packed in a disposable bag with your students name clearly visible. Chaperones will need to bring a lunch as well.
See you tomorrow!
The Kindergarten Team
May 16, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
On Tuesday, May 17th ASU will conduct a school-wide evacuation and family reunification drill. Please read the procedures listed below carefully!
1. Do not go to the regular driveline pick up line.
2. Follow the signs: From Williams Field Road, take the traffic circle north to Innovation Way North. Turn right at Innovation Way North. Continue to the stop sign. Turn right at Innovation Way East. Take the first right at Texas Road. Follow Texas Road west until you are at the pick up area.
3. Do not get out of your car!
4. Have your driveline number visible for the Release Point Team.
5. All drivers will need to sign for the students who they are transporting in their vehicle.
6. After pick kup, continue south on Utah Ave. Turn right on Innovation Way South and continue to your home location.
Students will not be released after 2:15 the day of the reunification drill.
Also, no students will be able to be signed out/picked up after 2:15 that day to ensure a smooth transition from the school to the relocation area.
If you signed up to donate items for the class party and have not brought them in, please do so by Monday so the party planning committee can get a head start on preparing each activity. If you would like to volunteer for the class party, please sign up online using the link sent out by Mrs. Kochis. Also, be on the look out for a food sign up for the class party.
Teacher of the day will begin next week! Please send in all materials needed for your student's activity in a bag with their name clearly visible. Remember, you do not need to include pencils, crayons, markers, glue sticks, or wet glue as we have these items available.
Finally, a big thank you to all the parents who volunteered on Mystery Day this past Friday. From the costumes to the chocolate cake, it was definitely a day to remember!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
Hello Kinder Families,
Tonight is our first end of the year celebration/summative night! Doors will open at 4:30. Seating is first come, first serve. The celebration will be held in the multi purpose area in front of the 3rd/4th grade classrooms. The actual program will begin promptly at 5:30. Student work will also be displayed in every kinder classroom. We encourage you to walk around and see it prior to the program as you might not have a lot of time after. Students will need to be in the kinder cluster room at 5:15 to practice and line up. Students DO NOT need to wear their uniforms. They may come dressed in nice clothing. We look forward to seeing you tonight! Make sure to bring your camera and tissue;-)
May 9, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
All field trip forms were due Friday. If you have not yet turned yours in, please do so by Monday so we can give the final head count to the museum and begin grouping students with chaperones.
Friday we began practicing for our of the year celebration! Please continue practicing with your child as they will be speaking in front of a large audience. Encourage them to speak in a loud voice and make eye contact with their audience.
All Teacher of the Day forms are due by Monday, May 9th. If your child is signed up and you would like to send the materials early, you may do so as early as next week. Please put all needed materials inside a bag and label it with your student's name. We can't wait to see the students in action!
Also, last week was the last week of homework, guided reading, and sight word club. Students will be busy preparing for the end of the year celebration in addition to completing the last assessments for the year.
Please note some upcoming important dates for the rest of the year:
Lastly, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of the flowers, candy, and giftcards we received this week! We certainly felt the love!
Have a wonderful weekend,
April 18, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
You're invited to our Book Fair Grand Event! Grandparent(s) are invited to join students for breakfast goodies and some special shopping time at the book fair on April 19, 2016 from 7:30-8:30am. Meet us in the K-4 Gallery.
April 11, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you for attending summative! We hope you had an enjoyable evening with your student. It was especially exciting when a baby chick started to hatch! Since then, 8 more have hatched making a total of 10 chicks. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the chicks on Monday prior to being returned to the farm later in the week.
Next Friday, April 15th will be another kindergarten only dress up day. More pictures will be taken for a special gift received at the end of the year:-). Students may bring their uniform to change into after pictures.
ILP conferences will be held Thursday, April 21st and Friday, April 22nd. Please sign up using the link sent out by the front office. We look forward to meeting with you! Please note that there will be no tutoring during ILP week.
Finally, Mrs. H's birthday is today and we'd like to help her celebrate on Monday. If your student would like to make her a card, her favorite colors are purple and green, she loves baking and crafting and especially loves coffee!
Happy Sunday,
The Kindergarten Team
March 28, 2016
Hello Kinder Families!
Spring pictures will be held this Tuesday, March 29th. It is a free dress, dress up day. All students will be photographed.You will have the option to buy these pictures at a later date.
If you have not already signed up for our end of the year celebration/summative, please do so as soon as possible. We will assign you a day if you have not signed up by today (Sunday). Remember, you are signing up your child. Therefore, you only need to sign up for one slot. The celebration days are Wednesday, May 11th and Thursday, May 12th.
Kindergarten summative is the evening of April 6th. Hopefully our baby chicks will hatch and make their big debut as well!
Finally, please send in any recycled materials (i.e., old plastic food containers, empty egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, etc) by Wednesday of next week. Students will use these to build something special for summative!
Thanks and Happy Easter!
The Kindergarten Team
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to all the chaperones who attended the field trip this past Thursday. We really appreciate your time, flexibility, and generosity. We would also like to thank all the families who donated supplies this week! You guys ROCK!!
Friday at 6pm you should have received the link to sign up for our end of the year celebration/summative. Remember, you only need to sign up for ONE slot on either Wednesday or Thursday (no matter how many relatives are coming). If you do not have a preference, please wait until Sunday to sign up. Please note that once you have selected a day, you will not be able to switch due to performance assignments. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Lastly, our spring summative is the evening of April 6th. Please make sure to mark your calendars for an unforgettable evening!
2/28/16
Hello Kinder Families,
We are still in the process of collecting field trip forms. Please be sure to fill out both the yellow and pink forms and send them both in with your child along with either a check or cash (unless you paid online), Scholastic book orders are due by the end of the month. Please be sure to use your student's class code when ordering. Also, if you would like to purchase a yearbook, all payments are due by March. 4th
Read Across America week will begin this Monday! Students will be engaging in a variety of reading activities in addition to a few, fun dress up "accessory" days.Wednesday, March 2nd is silly sock day and Friday, March 4th is hat day. Both days are optional. Socks and hats are to be worn with regular school uniform.
Spring break is March 7-11th. We hope you and your kiddos enjoy the extra time together. It's supposed to be great weather!
Lastly, kindergarten summative is Wednesday, April 6th, followed by ILP conferences on April 21st and 22nd. Other important dates pertaining to the rest of the year can be found under the more tab on this page.
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
Hello Kinder Families,
Guided reading books came home yesterday. Please make sure you practice reading these with your child and send them back on Monday. With regards to homework, new concepts are introduced periodically so please look over your students work to make sure they are working through each concept correctly. Scholastic book orders were also sent home last week. Please remember to use your child's class code when ordering. All orders are due by February 28th.
Be on the look out for a permission slip to the World Wild Life Zoo and Aquarium to come home with your student sometime early next week. Specific details regarding the trip will be included with your permission slip but Thursday, March 17th will be the actual date of the trip.
Read Across America week is February 29-March 4th. Students will be engaging in a variety of reading activities in addition to a few fun dress up days. Wednesday, March 2nd is silly sock day and Friday, March 4th is hat day. Both days are optional. Socks and hats are to be worn with regular school uniform.
Our music teacher, Mrs. Jernigan, is in need of colored tissue paper. Please send this in with your child anytime if you are able to donate.
Lastly, Spring Break is March 7-11. School will resume Monday, March 14th.
Happy Sunday,
The Kindergarten Team
2/14/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to the party planners and volunteers who helped make our Friendship party a raging success. We appreciate all the time and effort it took to prepare the activities! The students had a blast!
No guided reading books or sight word lists came home yesterday because of our party. Please note that your student will be receiving a new book on Tuesday so please make sure they come prepared!
There will be no school this upcoming Monday in honor of President's Day. Enjoy the extra day of family time!
Mark your calenders for Wednesday, February 24 from 5:00-6:30 pm for Family Academic Enrichment night. This will be a time for you and your student to participate in game like, academic enrichment activities in the areas of STEM & Literacy. Fun and exciting new activities will be set up in all 3 kinder classrooms! We hope to see you there!
Lastly, Mrs. Fernandez had her baby! Preston Kash Fernandez came February 9th and weighed 7lbs 15oz. Both mom and baby are doing great!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
2/7/16
Hello Kinder Families,
As some of you may already know, Mrs. Fernandez is officially on maternity leave! We are fortunate enough to have a familiar face, Mrs. Penman, taking over until she returns.
Our Friendship Party is this Friday! If you signed up to donate supplies, please send them in with your child by Tuesday, February 9th. For lunch, students will enjoy a complimentary piece of pizza, drink, and special dessert. If you think your student will need additional side items, please pack them in their lunchbox. As always, half day students are invited to stay for lunch. Pick up for these students will be at 12:30instead of 11:45.
If your child is planning on handing out valentines and has them ready ahead of time, they may bring them in anytime next week and we will keep them in the classroom until the day of the party.
Lastly, we have a new intern! Her name is Miss Mallory and she is with us twice a week for the next 11 weeks! If your student would like to make her a valentine, we will make sure she gets them!
Have a Wonderful Weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
2/1/16
Kinder Families,
Our Valentine's Day Friendship Party is on Friday, February 12th. If you signed up to donate supplies, please send them in with your child by Tuesday, February 9th. We have also decided to combine the Friendship party with the pizza party Mrs. Kochis' class earned for their participation in Run Devil Run. Pizza, paper plates, napkins, and a drink will all be provided on the day of the party however if you think your student will need additional side items, you will need to pack them in their lunchbox. As always, half day students are invited to stay for lunch. Pick up for these students will be at 12:30 instead of 11:45.
If your child is planning on bringing Valentines, remember they only need to bring enough for their homeroom class. If your child wants to bring some for students in another homerooms, they may do so as well.
We are in need of toilet paper rolls for an upcoming project. Please send them in with your child anytime next week.
Lastly, your child should have received a new guided reading book. Please practice reading with your child and return the bag on Monday!
Thanks!
The Kindergarten Team
1/25/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Guided reading books should have come home Friday. Please practice reading with your student over the weekend and return on Monday. You can also support your child by asking them to retell the story using character names and details. You can also ask specific questions such as "Who is the character?" or "What is the setting?" Unlike the usual copied books, these books are part of our schools collection. You can help us track and return the books in a timely manner by helping your student remember to bring it back everyday. This also ensures your student will be prepared to receive a new book during the next guided reading group.
Scholastic book orders also should have come home Friday. Ordering online is a quick and easy way to add to your home library. All orders are due by Friday, January 29th. When ordering, please make sure to use your child's class code.
Your child should have also brought home a letter regarding Valentines Day earlier this week. I have also attached a copy of the letter just in case. Please remember, if your child is bringing valentines, they need to bring one for everyone in their homeroom class. If your student has a friend in another homeroom, they may bring one for them as well. Students may attach candy or other small items if they choose. We will also be having a Friendship party Friday February, 12th. Specific details regarding the party are still to come but you can be on the lookout for a link to sign up for volunteering, party supplies, and food in the coming week.
The Leader in Me committee is putting together "The Great Kindness Challenge" that will take place next week from January 25th- 29th. This is a school wide initiative that we are encouraging all students to participate in. Students will be receiving a gold "Kindness Challenge" bracelet on Monday to serve as a reminder. Students will also be receiving a checklist with a list of various acts of kindness.
Sparky Ambassadors will be collecting coins during the week to donate to an organization that is trying to build a school in Kenya. All students will be given a baggie on Monday with a note in it to take home to collect spare change. Students may bring the bag back anytime during the week. Thank you in advance for your support and participation!
We are in need of 2 volunteers that can come in on Friday mornings to help run the class store. Please let me know if you are interested! We also are in need of volunteers during center time. Please sign up online if you are available. We REALLY appreciate it!.
Lastly, we are in need of some more white paper bags. Please send them in with your child anytime next week.
1/18/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to all the parents who accompanied our students on the field trip to Schnepf Farm. It was fun seeing the kids pick the radishes and brush the goats! Please send any pictures you took to Mrs. Kochis!
No guided reading books were sent home on Friday because of the field trip. Please continue sending the bags in everyday to ensure your student's active participation during guided reading time.
Student Council is sponsoring the 100th day of school on Thursday, Jan. 21. All students are encouraged to decorate a shirt with 100 items (no candy). The class with the most participation and creativity will win a pizza party. If your student chooses not to participate, they must dress in their regular uniform attire.
We are in need of paper plates and regular size red solo cups for a 100th day of school activity. Art is also asking for baby wipes. If you are able to donate any of these items, please send them in with your child next week. We appreciate any and all donations!
Have a wonderful week,
The Kindergarten Team
1/14/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Just as a reminder, our field trip to Schnepf Farm is tomorrow! If you are a chaperone, please remember that you will need to report to Mrs. Kochis' room at8:45 for a short meeting. Please allow yourself enough time to park and get a pass for your car prior to the start of the meeting.
Lunches need to be packed in brown paper bags with your student's name on it. We have no way of keeping the lunches cold so please pack food items that do not need to be kept cold. If you are chaperoning, please remember to pack a lunch for yourself as well. If you would like to send your child in with a water bottle, please send in disposable water bottles only!
As far as what to wear, your child must come dressed in their maroon uniform polo. Also, the farm has requested that ALL students and chaperones wear long pants (i.e., jeans, sweatpants, leggings) and closed toe shoes.
Students DO NOT need to bring their backpacks tomorrow.
If your student is a half day, please make sure you pick them up promptly at 1:00pmin the drive line.
Thanks,
The Kindergarten Team1/10/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Guided reading books should have come home today. Please practice reading with your student over the weekend and return on Monday. Unlike the usual copied books, these books are part of our schools collection. You can help us track and return the books in a timely manner by helping your student remember to bring it back everyday. This also ensures your student will be prepared to receive a new book during the next guided reading group.
Our field trip is next Friday! I have attached the list of parents who will be traveling on the bus as well as those traveling by car. Please let us know if where we have placed you is something other than you indicated on the permission slip. If you are chaperoning, please be aware that you will need to park and get a parking pass for your car prior to meeting with Mrs. Kochis at8:45. Remember, lunches need to be in a brown paper bag labeled with your students name. Students may wear non uniform bottoms with the maroon polo shirt.
Student Council is sponsoring the 100th day of school on Thursday, Jan. 21. All students are encouraged to decorate a shirt with 100 items (no candy). The class with the most participation and creativity will win a pizza party. If your student chooses not to participate, they must dress in regular uniform attire.
We are still looking for volunteers to help during center time. Please use the link sent out by Mrs. Kochis to view the available slots and sign up where you can. We really love having you!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
1/4/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Happy New Year! We hope you had an enjoyable break. We are looking forward to the upcoming quarter.
We are in need of parent volunteers for centers this week! If you are willing and able, please use the link sent out by Mrs. Kochis to sign up. We greatly appreciate the help!
Guided reading will resume this week. If for some reason your child's reading bag is lost, they will receive a new one. Since we are starting back to school on a Tuesday, students will not be receiving a book tomorrow. Instead, a new book will be coming home on Friday. Starting next week, we will send books home on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Please support your student by reading these books each night. This helps build their confidence and allows us to continually challenge your child.
Please check to make sure your child's name is in each jacket worn to school. If you forgot to check the kindergarten lost and found during ILP's, please do so. There are several unclaimed jackets/sweatshirts.
This quarter you will see dictation on your child's homework. The dictation sentence is located on the bottom of the reading homework. The page to record the sentence is on a separate sheet included in the homework packet. It is set up this way so you can dictate, or read, the sentence to your student and they can record. The way your child practices at home, is the way they will record on their assessment. Please encourage your child to use an uppercase letter at the beginning of the sentence, lowercase letters throughout, spaces between words, and punctuation and the end. Check to make sure your student is spelling each and every word correctly.
See you tomorrow!
The Kindergarten Team12/13/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to all the volunteers and party planners who helped make the winter party one to remember! We would also like to thank the volunteers who have spent countless hours stuffing portfolios! If you are available to come in on Monday or Tuesday to finish stuffing, please let us know via email. We really appreciate all your help!
Field trip forms should have come home with your child yesterday. Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you did not see one in your child's backpack/folder. Please note that money is due by Friday, December 18th. If you are unable to send in money by then, please at least send in the signed permission slip. We need to give the final headcount to the farm prior to winter break.
The final after school tutoring session is Monday, December 14th. As far as tutoring for next quarter, we will let you know after break if tutoring will be offered as well as who is eligible.
Just as a reminder, "Ugly Sweater" day is Tuesday, December 15th. If your child wishes to participate, they must wear uniform bottoms.
Lastly, ILP conferences are this Thursday, December 17th and Friday, December 18th. Please make sure you have signed up! We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the tremendous growth your student has made this quarter!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
12/7/15
Hello Kinder Families,
A link to sign up for ILP conferences was sent out by the front office on Friday. Please make sure you sign up for a spot on eitherThursday, December 17th or Friday, December 18th. We look forward to meeting with you!
Our Winter Party is this Friday, December 11th. If you signed up to bring in supplies, please make sure you bring them in beforeFriday. Food items for the party may be brought in on the day of the party. If you are volunteering, we ask that you kindly leave siblings at home. This is a special day for you and your child to enjoy together. Students need only to bring a "main entree" for lunch as snacks, dessert, and a drink will be provided. Half day students are encouraged to stay for lunch. Pickup for half day students on this day will be at 12:30 instead of 11:45.
The Sparky Ambassadors are collecting new toys to help restock the Banner Children's Hospital toy closet. Students who would like to participate should bring a new, unwrapped toy that is appropriate for a student around their age group (a seven-year-old boy could bring a toy that he would love for himself). Donations can be of all price ranges, and even small contributions are appreciated for the sick children to provide comfort during their hospital stay. Toys can be brought to the assembly on December 11, or students can bring them to their classrooms ahead of time to store.
The final participation count for the Run Devil Run was announced this week. While we did not meet our goal of 100% participation, we came awfully close! A big thank you to those who participated!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
12/1/15
Hello Families,
We hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving break. Can you believe we only have 2 1/2 more weeks before winter break? Guided reading books will not be coming home this week or next. We will be using our guided reading time during centers to administer the reading assessment. Please continue to support your child in reading by logging into Raz Kids on a nightly basis.
We are in need of parent volunteers! If you are available to volunteer during centers this week or next, please let us know via email. Mrs. Kochis will also be sending out a link to sign up for portfolio stuffing as an additional volunteering opportunity so be on the lookout for that as well.
Our winter party planning committee has arranged for the students to make their own gingerbread house as one of the activities. While the students will not be eating the house, they will be touching candy items to decorate it. If your child is unable to participate in this activity due to allergy or other reasons, please let us know. Hot cocoa will also be made available during story time. Again, if your student is unable to have this, please let us know.
Lastly, keep in mind ILP conferences are Thursday, December 17th and Friday, December 18th. A link to sign up will be sent out by Mrs. Urban in the next few weeks. We look forward to meeting with you!
Thanks!
The Kindergarten Team
11/25/15
Hello Families,
Just as a reminder, the fall party is today! Students only need to bring a main entree for lunch. Snacks, dessert, and juice will be provided to complete the lunch. Snacks include fruit, veggies, lunch meat, cheese, and crackers. The dessert will be a store bought sugar cookie with frosting. If your child is unable to have the dessert, please send in something comparable for them to enjoy. If your child is signed up for hot lunch, you do not need to send in a main entree.
If your child is a half day student, please note that pick up is 12:30, not 11:45.
Thank you to the parents who worked hard putting this party together! We can't wait to enjoy the day tomorrow!
Thanks,
The Kindergarten Team
11/15/15
Hello Kinder Families,
A big thank you to all the families who made a donation to the Run Devil Run! We are anxiously awaiting the final participation count for each homeroom. The homeroom(s) who had 100% participation will be awarded a pizza party.
Student Council will be sponsoring their annual food drive from Nov. 16-20. There will be large containers located in each area of the school however you can send cans in with your child to the classroom directly and we will put them in the appropriate container. The winning cluster will win a free dress day. All canned food will be donated to the United Food Bank and will be picked up on Monday, Nov. 23.
We are in need of a sugar cubes, craft sticks, and craft straw for an upcoming project. If you are able to donate, please send them in with your child. We appreciate any and all donations.
Our fall party will be on Wednesday November, 25th. A sign up for supplies and food for the party will be emailed to you by Mrs. Kochis sometime next week so be on the lookout! On the day of the party, students will participate in a variety of fall themed activities similar to choice activities. The parent committee who is hosting the party will be sending out a sign up for volunteers to run the activities so be on the lookout for that too. For lunch, students will only need to bring a "main entree" (i.e., a sandwich). Special snacks, dessert, and a drink will be given to the students to complete their lunch. As an added treat, half day students are invited to stay for lunch! Pick up for these students will be 12:30 instead of 11:45. There will also be no tutoring for half day students on this day.
The Kindergarten Team
11/9/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you for making summative a truly memorable night. It was fun to see the kiddos take ownership of their work!
In honor of Veteran's day, there will be no school Wednesday, November 11th.
Thank you to all the families who made a donation to the Run Devil Run. If you weren't able to get your pledge form in by Friday, there is still time! Students have until the day of the run to turn them in. We are anxiously awaiting the final count to see if we met our goal of 100% participation! The run will take place this Friday, November 13th. Kindergarten will run from 9-10am. Details regarding attire will be sent out later this week.
Mrs. Kochis will be sending out a sign up for volunteers to come in the afternoon next week to stuff student work in portfolios. If you would like to help, please sign up using the link! We really appreciate the help!
Thanks!
The Kindergarten Team
11/1/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Summative is this coming Wednesday, November 4th from 5:00-6:30! It is an open house format so you can come and go as you please. There is a lot to see so make sure you leave enough time to enjoy all of your student's work.
Don't forget to pledge for the upcoming Run Devil Run! You can do so online or by using the form that was sent home a few weeks ago. Remember, all forms are due by Friday, November 6th to be entered into a raffle for a chance to win principal for the day! As a kindergarten class, we are still hoping to meet our goal of 100% participation! Several pledges have already been made in each homeroom but we need everybody by Friday to win a pizza party!
A note about work coming home. You may have noticed your child coming home with incomplete work and wondered why it was not finished. You are not alone! During center time, children participate in some sort of hands on activity prior to recording their answers and usually are not left with enough time to finish. If you have any other questions about this, please don't hesitate to contact your child's homeroom teacher.
The Kindergarten Team
P.S. Don't forget to send your child to school with chocolate for their teachers on Monday:-)
10/27/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Your child should have brought home a Run Devil Run pledge form this afternoon. If you did not get one, please let your child's homeroom teacher know. We are hoping to get 100% participation in each of the 3 kindergarten homerooms. To get the kids excited about pledging, we came up with some class incentives! We will be checking the progress of our participation on Thursday October 29th, Tuesday November 3rd, and Friday November 6th.
If 5 or more students from each homeroom have pledged online by October 29th, each class that met the goal will receive an extra morning recess! If 15 or more students from each homeroom have pledged online by November 3rd, each class that met the goal will receive an otter pop for snack that day. Yum! If all students in each homeroom have participated by November 6th, each class that met the goal will celebrate by having a pizza party! (We will announce the day of this at a later date if need be).
Please note that only the homerooms that have met the goal each time will receive the incentive.
All pledge forms are due by November 6th to be entered in a raffle to win principal for the day!
Finally, we are in need of more parent volunteers for this Wednesday, October 28th from1-3pm. Volunteers will paper mache a few extra piggy banks, glue tails on the finished ones, and build a fire station out of cardboard boxes! If you are interested, please let us know via email. We truly appreciate all the help!
Have a wonderful evening,
The Kindergarten Team10/25/15
Now that the weather is Finally starting to cool down, we ask that you please remember to write your child's name in his/her jacket. If your child wishes to wear a jacket inside (the building does have a tendency to get cold) they must be solid black, white, grey, maroon, or ASU colors. Jackets worn outside may be any design or color.
This week is Spirit Week.
- Mustache Monday- must wear with school uniform
-Team Tuesday- wear your favorite team's shirt with uniform bottoms
-Wacky Wednesday- crazy hair and crazy socks with school uniform
-Thinking cap Thursday- wear a crazy hat with school uniform
-Famour Friday- dress up like your favorite famous character (No masks or props)
Please note that Spirit days are OPTIONAL.
A reminder to all tutoring students! If your child is a Full Day student, tutoring is from 3:30-4:15 on Mondays and Wednesdays. If your child is a half day student, tutoring is from 11:45- 12:30 on Fridays only. Your child may bring a snack on these days.
All scholastic book orders should have come home last week. If you have not received one, please contact your student's homeroom teacher. All book orders are due by Friday, October 30th.
We are in need of pumpkin seeds for a special project. If you are able to, please send them in with your child next week. We appreciate any and all donations.
With regards to homework, please look over each section to ensure your child is not only doing it correctly, but also understanding each concept. For the writing portions, please check to make sure your child is using capital letters only when appropriate and not in the middle of words.
Lastly, Kindergarten summative is Wednesday, November 4th from 5:00-6:30. It is an open house format. There is a lot to see, so please make sure you come with enough tie to see it all.
Thanks,
The Kindergarten Team
10/19/15
We are looking for treasure box donations and glue stick donations. If you could send either of these in it would be fantastic!! Please don't forget to log into Raz Kids and IXL math on a daily/weekly basis. Please sign up to volunteer in the classroom if you can. We need you!!
10/13/15
Welcome back! We hope you had a restful break. It was great to meet with all of your during ILP conferences. If you did not make yours, please email your child's teacher to reschedule as it is imperative that you attend one. Ms. D'Amore is back from maternity leave, yay!! Ms. Allen is now Mrs. Fernandez after a fantastic wedding on October 2nd. This week starts our new centers. Please refer to your child's new group that was handed out during conferences. (Mrs. Fernandez' s will go home today) Please sign up for as many slots as you would like =) Picture retakes will be on October 15th, the same day as Mrs. Fernandez's birthday. Mrs. Kochis will also be having a birthday on the 20th. Please make sure that you are sending your child with a water bottle every day, their homework folder, reading group book bag (will go home today), and their lunch.
Thanks so much,
The Kindergarten Team
Happy summer Sun Devil Families!
We cannot believe how quickly this year passed by. Our students have learned so much and come so far, and we could not be more proud of them. To our 2018-2019 families, we hope you have a relaxing and safe summer and best of luck in first grade!
To our incoming families, we can't wait to meet most of you this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for our readiness meetings! Please make sure you are on time for your time slot, and let the office know if you are unable to make it for any reason. For those of you who were unable to attend these meetings this week, we will be doing our incoming assessing during the first few weeks of school. Be sure to check this Weebly page often as we may be posting updates. We are so excited to kick off a brand new year with you! Have a safe and relaxing summer and we will see you soon.
The Kindergarten Team :)
5-17-19
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It has been a busy and exciting few weeks! We have made so many beautiful memories with our final Summative of the year, our field trip to Odysea Aquarium and promotion! A big thank you to all of those who helped us prepare and participated in these events to support our young learners! We understand that promotion pamphlets went quickly on our big night, we are sending home an extra copy for each student!
Today at school, our students got to participate in annual "Move Up Day", where they have a short block of time to meet the teachers in first grade and explore their classrooms. While placements will not be finalized until July, this gives students the opportunity to feel comfortable and prepare for the upcoming change!
Next week we will be working on memory books with the students as we also wrap up language and math studies. Students will be taking home Data Notebooks - containing information about their final DRA score, a special graduation book from their homeroom teacher (and full day students will have an alphabet book from learning lab, a nursery rhyme book from music, and their JA workbook and certificate of completion).
Thursday we will be celebrating another quarter of great behavior, school-wide kindness and effort in rigorous study. To celebrate these accomplishments Mrs. Mendoza has gifted K-4 students a dress down day on Thursday. Also as a grade level reward, we will be viewing the film "Moana" as we prepare to say "aloha" to our friends! If you do not wish for your child to view this film, please contact your child's homeroom teacher to opt out so that we may plan an alternative.
Yearbook orders will be passed out the final day, students will have the opportunity to collect student and staff autographs and then will participate in the traditional "Senior Walk". During the "Senior Walk" our graduating Sun Devil senior students are paired with a kindergartener and they walk hand in hand throughout the school. This serves two purposes, one - to congratulate the senior for their hard work and two, to motivate the kindergartener for their educational journey ahead! After this celebratory parade, students will be dismissed at 11:30AM. Do not have your child bring a lunch or backpack on the last day of school.
If you still have any Reader's Theater books, guided reading books, or STEM book bags at home, PLEASE send them in NO LATER than Monday!!!!!
We cannot believe the final week is here! We have loved watching this class of students grow from dependent little learners to independent big kids. We know they will do great things in their first grade year!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
5-14-19
PLEASE READ!
All information for Promotion is below :)
PLEASE make sure to be on time tomorrow morning as we will bewalking over to Aravaipa immediately after attendance
-You need to arrive between 4:30 and 4:45 in the lobby of Aravaipa.PLEASE no earlier than 4:30, and NO LATER than 4:45!
-Your child may wear semiformal attire, no uniforms required fortomorrow night
-Parking is noted on the map (attached)
-Please give yourself plenty of time to get there, as we will startpromptly at 5:00 and do not want any late stragglers
-If your child is at Club Poly, you MUST check them out and transport them yourself. Club Poly is not involved in our promotion
-This event goes until about 6:30, please make sure your child has had a snack or dinner so they are prepared to stand on stage for this length of time
-Congratulatory gifts/flowers for your students are allowed, but please do not give them these gifts until you pick them up after the ceremony
-Please wait until all students have exited the auditorium before you head out the front door to meet them. When you come to pick up your child, please make sure your homeroom teacher sees you have them
We are sending all of this information (including a map) in your child's backpack today--Half day friends will get their hard copy tomorrow
If you have any questions, please let us know! We are SO EXCITED! See you all tomorrow!
Best,
The Kinder Team :)
5/8/19
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We have some quick notes for the week ahead:
-We sent home each student's line for the end of the year poem attached to their homework. Each student has two lines, one letter of the alphabet plus the letter Zz, which we will all do together. PLEASE read this with your child and practice, practice, practice each day! Our Promotion is a little over one week away and we need to make sure all students feel confident and comfortable with their line before next Wednesday!
--If for some reason your child will be unable to join us for Kindergarten Promotion on Wednesday, May 15th from 5:00-6:30,please let us know ASAP
-Keep an eye out for a walking permission slip as all kindergarten students will be walking to Aravaipa to do a full run through of promotion one morning next week
--Wednesday is Dress Like Your Teacher Day! If you would like to dress like your teacher, go for it! Otherwise, you have the option to wear your teacher's favorite color. Miss Anderson's favorite color is pink or glitter, Mrs. Bull's is purple, and Mrs. Sterenberg's is navy blue.
-Important field trip notes:
-Each student needs a completely disposable lunch and water
-They need to wear their uniforms
-All chaperones are expected to meet in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom for an important meeting at 8:30 AM Friday morning with a backpack big enough to carry lunches in.
-We will be back at school by 1:30 for half day students to be picked up.
-We are looking for recycled materials for some fun STEAM projects coming up. Items to donate include (but are not limited to): toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, cereal boxes, snack boxes, water bottles, milk jugs, soda bottles, etc.
-If you are planning on sending in a special memory book that you are wanting your teacher to sign (Oh! The Places You'll Go! for example) please send those in sooner rather than later so we can get started on our nice notes!
-We are looking for donations of clorox wipes!! We still have three weeks to go, and that means three weeks of germs we want to disinfect! :)
-Last Day of School is Friday, May 24th and dismissal is at 11:30 (NOTNOON as we previously stated)! Remember, no lunch on this day!
-Remember, we need all of our school books back!n If you have anyASU Prep books at home, send them in right away. Thank you!
Have a great week!
The Kinder Team :)
4-26-19
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It’s been a busy week as we have started the process of collecting end of the year data! We are so impressed with the growth we’ve seen from each and every one of our Sun Devils! The data notebooks will be coming home to you before the end of the school year - it’s a wonderful keepsake measuring everything your little one accomplished over the course of their year! On this same note, please keep in mind that with DRA assessments we are not going to be sending home books or meeting with small groups as consistently as usual. Thank you for your patience!
If you have any school books that are not the little, paper copies, PLEASE send them back in! We are missing quite a few of these books and we need them by the end of the year!
We are putting the finishing touches together for our upcoming Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1-2 Grade Summative on Thursday, May 2nd from 5:00-6:30PM. In addition to viewing showcased work, full day kindergarten students will be participating in a musical performance led by Mrs. Jernigan. Homeroom performance times to be announced soon! Summative is a drop-in event, so you are welcome to come and go as you please and bring any and all family members to celebrate all their hard work your Sun Devil has done this semester!
We have six happy, healthy and LOUD baby chicks that will be around for viewing at Summative! It was such an amazing experience hatching these adorable creatures and it has been so fun to see our kindergarteners interact with them!
Please make sure your child is brining a labeled water bottle each day, it is getting HOT again! We want to make sure
The countdown is on, we have 20 more instructional days, the year has just flown by! Make sure you have these dates on your May Calendar - we will have our final field trip to OdySea Aquarium on May 10th, Kindergarten Promotion on May 15th from 5:00-6:30PM, and final day of school is May 24th.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
4/14/19
Happy Sunday Sun Devil Families!
It has been another amazing week of learning! We are wrapping up letter studies of Xx and Zz this week and focusing on long vowels for the remainder of the semester. In math we continue to work on composition and decomposition within the context of story problems using a variety of strategies including number sentences formation, number bonds, pictures and manipulatives. These mathematicians are certainly building up their fact fluency!
Next week your child's permission slip for our upcoming field trip to OdySea Aquarium (on May 10th) will be attached to their weekly homework. We are sending this form early so that we can get an accurate headcount as far as chaperones/ adults attending. We need to give a final headcount several weeks in advance to OdySea so we can confirm the discounted rate for those going. There is a firm payment deadline listed on the permission slip form for both students and adults attending. If you have a change in plans past payment deadline and want to attend, you are still welcome to meet us there but will need to pay regular admission at the door. This is our final field trip of the kindergarten school year and by far our favorite! We have spent the last week in project group studying ocean animals and we're excited to see some of these animals up close!
Preschool, Kindergarten and 1/2 Grade Level Summative is on Thursday, May 2nd from 5:00-6:30PM. Kindergarten will have a musical performance (scheduled by homeroom class TBA).
Kindergarten Promotion is on Wednesday, May 15th from 5:00-6:30PM at Aravaipa Hall (on ASU Polytechnic Campus). The promotion event will be held indoors and students may wear semi-formal attire but it is not required. Students will be reciting a poem, performing a song and will be individually recognized and awarded a promotion certificate.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Tuesday Sun Devil Families!
See the message below from our ASU Prep PSTO regarding this Friday's Carnival! (P.S. Come see your teachers get a pie in the face at 7:00pm!)
ASU Prep Carnival
Let the Fun Begin!!
Please join us Friday, Apr. 12 for our annual school carnival from 5-7:30pm
Click on the above carnival link to see all the fun details!
Volunteers still needed!!!!
-sign up at bit.ly/ASUCarnivalVolunteers
In addition, thank you SO MUCH for all the playground donations. The students are absolutely loving them! Thank you so much for those of you who donated items for our grade level Spring Carnival basket! It turned out amazing! This will be a great contribution to our school fundraiser! We so appreciate your generosity!
We have had an exciting couple weeks in Kindergarten. We have three dozen fertilized eggs that are incubating as we speak, and should start hatching next week! We also had some adorable baby bunnies on our playground that the mother has finally moved to a safer spot. It has been so fun to watch these bunnies grow!
If there are any parents that are willing to refurbish our sand table, we would be greatly appreciative! We are just thinking maybe it needs to be sanded and painted ASU colors.
Here are the remaining important dates!
--Friday, April 12th: ASU Prep Spring Carnival
--Thursday, May 2nd: ASU Prep Spring Summative (Grades Pre-k, Kindergarten, 1/2)
--Friday, May 10th: Field Trip to OdySea Aquarium
***Look for permission slips soon!!***
--Wednesday, May 15th: Kindergarten Promotion
That's all for now!
Thank you,
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It was wonderful to see all of you for our final ILP this week! We're so proud of all of these amazing Sun Devils! It's hard to believe we are already in the fourth quarter of school!
This week we have had a wonderful time talking and writing about all the fun things that we did over spring break. We have also been reviewing the addition property and doing a mini unit on insect and animal life cycles focusing on the ladybug and the frog.
Next week our more normal academic schedule will resume as will homework. Tuesday, March 26th is school-wide spring pictures. Mrs. Mendoza has allowed this to be a free dress down day for students (even if you are not planning on purchasing spring pictures). We have several other events coming up so mark your calendars:
--Friday, April 12th: ASU Prep Spring Carnival
--Thursday, May 2nd: ASU Prep Spring Summative (Grades Pre-k, Kindergarten, 1/2)
--Friday, May 10th: Field Trip to Odysea Aquarium
--Wednesday, May 15th: Kindergarten Promotion
More information about each of these events to come as we get closer to these calendar dates.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Happy Wednesday Sun Devil Families,
We have an early message this week as there are some important things added to our schedule.
Officer Latella and his trauma dog, Dutch, from ASU Police Department will be coming to ASU Prep K-2 students on Mar. 6, 2019 in the afternoon. Each grade will meet with Officer Latella and his dog for 25 minutes while he reads a story and tells the students about Dutch. Dutch is a Labrador breed. Students will be given the opportunity to pet Dutch at the end of the assembly. If you would like to opt out of this experience for any reason please let your homeroom teacher know. Read this article in ASU Now to learn more about Dutch: https://asunow.asu.edu/20181115-sun-devil-life-asu-police-departments-newest-four-legged-member-will-comfort-crime-victims
To end our unit on Earth Materials (rock, soil and water) and in celebration of Read Across America Week where we celebrate Dr. Seuss, we will be viewing "The Lorax" film on Friday, March 8th as our third quarter reward. "The Lorax" film is made from the popular Dr. Seuss text about protecting animal and plant life for the purpose of preserving our planet for future generations. This will provide our students with foundational knowledge going into our discussion of Earth Day. This moview is rated PG, so if you would like your child to opt out of the viewing of "The Lorax" please contact their homeroom teacher so they may plan an alternative.
Finally, a Sign Up Genius will be going out for March volunteers as well as for Mystery Readers! Next week is Read Across America Week and we are inviting family members to come in to read to their child's class in the afternoons. If you choose to come in and read, please make sure you have the book you have chosen and costumes/props to match are encouraged!
We hope you have a wonderful rest of your week!
The Kinder Team :)
Friday, February 22, 2019
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been an incredibly wet week but we survived the weird weather!
We have been learning about the composition and decomposition of numbers within 10 using a variety of strategies, pictures and math tools. In language arts, our texts focused on important people in our nation's history and how we honor them, including but not limited to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
It's hard to believe how fast this year is going by, we have two weeks left of the quarter! We are wrapping up informal and formal assessments and preparing for the upcoming ILPs!
Our annual Spring Carnival is coming up! Our grade level theme is Birthday Party in a Basket! We already have the large component of our basket, a birthday party package at USA Youth Fitness Center, and we will be sending out a Sign Up Genius with a list of other items to complete this basket for our school's fundraiser. Any contributions you can make are greatly appreciated! 😊
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you so much for all the sweets, treats and cards - you made us feel so loved on Valentine's Day! The Friendship STEAM Celebration was another success - we are so thankful for the parents that stepped up to lead, organize, donate and volunteer to run stations. You made the day such a wonderful memory for our little Sun Devils!
Please remember with all of the holiday fun, to keep sweet treats at home and not send them to school as a part of your child's lunch or snack. We encourage them to have healthy brain food that will help them sustain focus and consistent energy levels for our busy day of learning.
Remember NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 18th as we are observing President's Day.
We encourage you to maintain consistent home routines making sure your little one is starting to become more independent with homework as we enter the last months of kindergarten. We have been having more discussions at school about getting focused and ready for first grade. RAZ-Kids and Dreambox are excellent resources to differentiate your child's practice in addition to the homework sent home - a tallybox is on the homework to record how many log-ins your child has done that week. In addition there are challenge activities on that same page to push your child's thinking beyond the packet.
Mark your calendars - Monday, March 11th through Friday, March 15th is SPRING BREAK. There is no school but we encourage you to continue reading routines at home and log-ins to RAZ-Kids and Dreambox.
The last few weeks of the quarter we will be collecting data samples to share with you at ILPs regarding your child's progress and growth. Please make sure your child is well rested and coming to school on time as we will be conducting a variety of formal and informal assessments. ILPs will be held on Monday, March 18th and Tuesday, March 19th. Our front office staff will be sending out a sign up link like they have in previous sessions. Remember ILPs are a required component of being in our ASU Prep community. Your child is invited to attend this conference as they are a crucial part of our academic team, but we ask that younger siblings do not attend as we want the primary focus to be on your kindergartener.
We are looking for donations of play dough, noodles and treasure box items. If you are able to send in any of these things, please notify your child's homeroom teacher by email so we can be on the lookout for these coming in next week!
We hope you had a wonderful three day weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devils!!
We hope you are enjoying your day off! Your teachers are working hard on our professional development, and we can't wait to see you on Monday! Some things to keep in mind for this upcoming week:
-PK, K, 1st, and 2nd grades have WON THE MONEY WARS! We have earned a Pajama Day THIS Friday, February 8th. Your student(s) in Preschool, kindergarten, first, or second grade can wear school appropriate pajamas and athletic shoes this Friday!
-Don't forget--we are asking for each child to bring in at least one rock to observe and eventually make a pet rock. This should be labeled with your child's name, and be about the size of their fist or smaller.
-The link for Sign Up Genius for the Friendship Party (for supplies needed) is:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080948a9ab29a7fa7-valentines
We will need to have these materials in BY MONDAY, 2/11 at the latest so our wonderful volunteers can get all set up before our party on Thursday, 2/14.
-As we have done before, Half Day friends are invited to stay all day on Thursday, February 14th for our Friendship STEAM Party. Please let us know if your child is staying full day.
-Please begin working on your Valentines boxes and Valentine cards so your child can bring them in for their homeroom class on Thursday, February 14th. (This, of course, is optional! Please remember NO PEANUTS in any shape or form will be allowed)
-The Sign Up Genius for classroom volunteers in February will be going out this weekend
-Important Dates
-NO SCHOOL Monday, February 18 due to President's Day
-NO SCHOOL Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15 due to Spring Break
-NO SCHOOL Monday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 19 due to ILP Conferences
-Our School Carnival with be Friday, April 12th
-PK-2 Summative will be Thursday, May 2
-OdySea Aquarium Field Trip Aquarium will be May 10th
-Kindergarten Promotion will be Wednesday, May 15th
-Last Day of School will be Friday, May 24
Happy Tuesday Sun Devils!
Just a few quick things to keep in mind this week:
-This week is the Great Kindness Challenge!
-Monday: Hats Off for Kindness-- students can wear hats with their uniforms
-Tuesday: Crazy for Kindness-- student can have wacky hair and socks with their uniforms
-Wednesday: Team Up to Clean Up-- students can wear their favorite sport jersey or shirt with uniform bottoms
-Thursday: $1 Dress Down-- students can wear whatever they like with a $1 donation for the Great Kindness Challenge
-Friday: NO SCHOOL!
-We are also doing a challenge to raise money for a hospital in Liberia! We are asking students to bring in coins for the Coin Wars. Coins in kindergarten's bucket=positive points, and any dollars=negative points! The grade level with the most points will earn a Pajama Day!! (Hint: You can bring in a dollar to put in another grade level's bucket to take points away, or bring coins for ours!)
-Yearbooks are on sale! $20 each, due March 8th
-We are looking for donations to make our Rocks, Soil, and Water lessons come to life! We are asking for:
-All students to bring in at least one rock, LABELED with their name to observe and decorate to make Pet Rock. Not too big, not too small please (should be able to fit in the palm of their hand), and we will ned these by next week1
-Any cool rocks/collections to look closely at (you will get these back as long as you label the bag/container with your name)
-sand
-white modeling clay
-small rocks used for fishbowls
-potting soil
Have a great day!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Wednesday Sun Devils!
Our field trip to Children's Museum of Phoenix is coming up! It THIS Friday, January 18th. Students must wear their uniform maroon polo (short or long sleeves are both acceptable), khaki bottoms and tennis shoes as there are three floors of exhibits - so LOTS of walking! Students must bring a completely disposable lunch, snack and plastic water bottle - all labeled with their first and last name. Parent chaperones will keep these items with them as we break for snack and lunch at the Museum. A parent chaperone meeting will be held in Mrs. Sterenberg's room on Friday, January 18th at 8:30AM-8:45AM to go over the itinerary for our day, hand out museum resources, assign student groups and get supplies organized. Please make sure your child is on time as we have a strict timeline to follow. Half day student pick up will shift from 11:45AM to 1:30PM because of our arrival time back to ASU Prep from the Museum.😊
Friday is also our 100th day of school, but because we are on the field trip we will be celebrating the 101st day on Tuesday, January 22nd! Your child may wear a t-shirt decorated with 101 (or 100 if you had one ready for Friday) non edible objects on Tuesday.
NO SCHOOL Monday due to MLK Day!
NO SCHOOL Friday, February 1st due to teacher Wellness Day
***Due to a scheduling conflict, the Kindergarten Promotion will be on Wednesday, May 15th in the evening*****
If you are still interested in helping to plan the Friendship Party on 2/14, please reach out to your homeroom teacher as soon as possible please!
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It was wonderful meeting with all of you during this quarter's ILP conferences. We are so proud of our little Sun Devils as they have made so much progress as we work toward our goal of being ready for FIRST GRADE! It's hard to believe we are half way through the year!
We have a final Friendship STEAM Celebration on Thursday, February 14th (a.k.a. Valentine's Day). We are looking for parent volunteers to lead, help plan, prep, donate creative stations. Any and all help is appreciated - these events are something our students absolutely love about their kindergarten year. Please notify your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in contributing in any way! Half day students are invited to stay full day for this special event, so please make sure that you send them with a lunch and adjust pick up time to 3:15PM for that Thursday.
Our field trip to Children's Museum of Phoenix is coming up! It is on Friday, January 18th. Students must wear their uniform maroon polo (short or long sleeves are both acceptable), khaki bottoms and tennis shoes as there are three floors of exhibits - so LOTS of walking! Students must bring a completely disposable lunch, snack and plastic water bottle - all labeled with their first and last name. Parent chaperones will keep these items with them as we break for snack and lunch at the Museum. A parent chaperone meeting will be held in Mrs. Sterenberg's room on Friday, January 18th at 8:30AM-8:45AM to go over the itinerary for our day, hand out museum resources, assign student groups and get supplies organized. Please make sure your child is on time as we have a strict timeline to follow. Half day student pick up will shift from 11:45AM to 1:30PM because of our arrival time back to ASU Prep from the Museum.😊
Looking ahead, below are some important dates listed to add to your calendar!
-Friday, January 18th: Field Trip to Children's Museum of Phoenix
-Monday, January 21st: MLK Jr. Day Observed - NO SCHOOL
-Friday, February 1st: Mandatory District Health and Wellness Event for Employees - NO SCHOOL
-Monday, February 18th: President's Day Observed - NO SCHOOL
-Monday, March 11th-Friday, March 15th: Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
-Monday, March 18th-Tuesday, March 19th: 3rd ILP Conferences - NO SCHOOL
-Thursday, May 2nd :Preschool, Kindergarten, 1/2 Grade Spring Summative (in Evening)
-Friday, May 10th: Field Trip to OdySea Aquarium
-Wednesday, May 15th: (TBD) Kindergarten Promotion (in Evening)
-Friday, May 24th: Last Day of School
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We made it! Happy last school day of 2018! Just a few quick notes before you have your long break:
-We have notified parents who have been drawn for chaperones for our Children's Museum field trip. If you were not chosen, don't fret! The museum is open to having parents meet us there, but you will just not have a group or ride the bus with us.
-Sign ups for ILP Conferences go live tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd. Please note, Mrs. Bull will be at a professional development seminar for the morning of the 8th. She will not be available for conferences at this time
-ILP Conferences are Tuesday, January 8th and Wednesday, January 9th.
-School resumes Thursday, January 10th.
Have a safe, relaxing, fun-filled 19 days with your children! We will miss them dearly!
Happy Holidays,
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We are getting so close to break, and the excitement is in the air! Remember, as we get closer to the holidays, it is more important than ever to ensure all kiddos are getting enough rest, washing their hands, and wearing coats in the chilly mornings. In addition please adhere to school policy concerning students being fever-free for 24 hours We do not want anyone sick for the break!
Square One art deliveries were made today, please check backpacks for these orders! We have not had our Run Devil Run prizes delivered yet, but they should be in soon!
Our field trip to the Children's Museum is quickly approaching, and we are still missing many permission slips. If you have not done so already, please send in these permission slips and pay the fees online or through cash or check. If your child is unable to attend for some reason, please let your homeroom teacher know so this can be documented. We will choose chaperones this week!
This Friday is a big day! Kindergarten students have the option to wear pajamas (with tennis shoes) or a holiday sweater (with uniform bottoms). We will be watching a movie in the morning to celebrate our learning, and will be having our Winter STEAM celebration in the afternoon. Half day friends are invited to stay all day, and will need to bring a lunch. Please let us know if your half day student is going to attend that afternoon or not.
Remember, there is NO SCHOOL December 22nd-January 6th due to Winter Break. There is also NO SCHOOL Monday, January 7th, Tuesday, January 8th, and Wednesday January 9th due to ILP Conferences. School resumes Thursday, January 10th.
The sign up for ILP Conferences will go live on Friday, January 22st. We are looking forward to seeing you all there! Remember, we would love to see our kinder friends at these conferences so they can show you their great work, BUT if possible, please leave siblings at home to ensure we have enough time to get through everything we need to in that short time slot.
This time of year is so exciting, and we know it can also be stressful. We wanted to take a moment and thank you all so much for your support this year! We would not be able to do what we do without awesome parents like you! Happy Holidays! :)
Thank you,
The Kinder Team!
December, 7 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another wonderful, winter week at ASU Prep Kindergarten! We have been busy in our measurement units in Engage New York and supplemental activities while also growing our high frequency word bank, working on our comprehension of story elements and reading fluency.
We have had a lot of winter coats go missing! Please make sure your child's jacket, sweaters and coats are clearly labeled so that if it is misplaced outside, at lunch, at specials, etc. that we can find the owner. Thank you!
We are already preparing for our next field trip!!! We will be going to the Children's Museum of Phoenix on Friday, January 18th, 2019. We are looking for a LOT of parent chaperones as we would ideally like to have a 2:1 adult: student ratio as it is a very large, exciting location. Chaperones will be chosen by lottery however each homeroom class is looking for 13 parents so your chances are VERY good! :) Field trips will be coming home attached to homework on Monday, December 10th. Please send them back ASAP so we can organize the Purchase Order with our front office to prepare for the event. Chaperones will be notified prior to winter break so work accommodations can be made. We are counting the days until this amazing adventure!
We have some exciting events coming up at the end of the quarter. We will be having a Behavior Reward movie morning on Friday, December 21st - students are invited to wear cozy pajamas to school that day with tennis shoes or they may participate in the school-wide holiday sweater (with uniform bottoms). We will also be having our Winter STEAM Celebration that afternoon. It will follow the same schedule as our Fall STEAM Celebration. Half Day students are invited to stay Full Day for that day, so they would need to pack a lunch, will get to enjoy Specials Classes that day and our winter festivities until our normal school day end at 3:15PM.
We have been collecting new data in all content areas and we are so excited to share the progress your child has made over the last quarter! ILP Conference Sign Up information will be sent out from our front office for Tuesday, January 8th and Wednesday, January 9th. School will resume with a normal schedule on Thursday, January 10th
Homework will continue through the next two weeks (with field trip permission slip attached on this week's). We encourage you to read wonderful wintery and seasonal books and continue logging into Dreambox and RazKids to keep your child's reading and math skills growing. If you need a password reset for any of our online supplements please contact your child's teacher.
Just a reminder, the steps to log in to Dreambox are as follows:
1. Use this link to access Dreambox from a computer: https://play.dreambox.com/login/asqh/gr98
2. To download the DreamBox Learning Math app, go to https://www.dreambox.com/ipad, or search for "DreamBox Learning Math" in the App Store. If you already have the app installed, you’ll want to make sure the latest version of the app has been installed so your student receives the most current experience and lessons. When prompted in the app, enter this school code: asqh/gr98
If you have any questions, or if you need info on how to log in to RazKids, please let us know!
Since we have four months of practice under our belt with dismissal, teachers will no longer be escorting groups of students at the end of the day. Full day students will be practice walking in groups to the office or driveline under the supervision of staff stationed at points in the hallway and in the office as we work toward our goal of being prepared for first grade!
As always, thank you for all you do to help your child be successful at school. We love to see all these sweet, smiling faces every day and we're so excited for all the fun celebrations and activities coming up!
Have a great weekend,
The Kinder Team
November 30, 2018
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another busy week of learning! Hard to believe this week is the beginning of December - we are almost to the midpoint of the year!
Since we have four months of practice under our belt with dismissal, teachers will no longer be escorting groups of students at the end of the day. Full day students will be practice walking in groups to the office or driveline under the supervision of staff stationed at points in the hallway and in the office as we work toward our goal of being prepared for first grade!
We are so thankful for all the wonderful volunteers popping into our classrooms, helping with ornaments and book making - it takes a village and we're so lucky you're in our village! :) Watch your emails for future volunteer opportunities.
Other dates to mark in your calendar: Friday, December 21st is our Winter STEAM Celebration. It will be in the afternoon as was our Fall STEAM Celebration. Half day friends are invited to stay for lunch, specials, and the celebration that day! More information to come on that event. Winter break will be from Monday, December 24th until Thursday, January 10th. Our next ILP conferences will be held on Tuesday, January 8th and Wednesday, January 9th (a sign up will be sent to you from our front office staff). School will resume on Thursday, January 10th. Our next field trip will be to the Children's Museum of Phoenix on Friday, January 18th. More information to come regarding chaperone opportunities, travel details and permission slips.
As we close the second quarter, our reading groups schedules are a little irregular, so take home books may not be coming home as often. We encourage you to continue to use RAZ Kids as a resource for reading materials at your child's independent level. DreamBox math practice is also an excellent site to grow your child's math skills (if you need your password again, please contact your child's homeroom teacher). These websites are fantastic tools and are an expectation as a part of weekly homework :)
Remember, Mrs. Mendoza is strictly enforcing dress code policy. Outerwear can be any color or pattern and worn outdoors, but must be taken off indoors. Only ASU apparel (or SOLD maroon, black, white) sweaters/ jackets may be worn indoors. Please be mindful of socks and leggings, as these need to be solid white, black, grey, or maroon as well.
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
November 19, 2018
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
What an exciting week we had last week! Thank you to everyone who helped make our Fall Summative a great success, and thank you so much to all families who were able to come and see the amazing work our students have been doing this semester! Run, Devil, Run was also last week and our school raised over $25,000! This event would not be possible without incredible families like you, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Some important information for this week:
--Tomorrow is the very last day to turn in any order forms for the Square 1 Art fundraiser. (Today was technically the last day, but Mrs. Olson is so nice she is still accepting forms tomorrow!) *This is only for full day students
-NO (paper) HOMEWORK, enjoy time with your family :)
-Please keep plugging away on your Dream Box and RazKids accounts! We are checking to see who is consistently logging in, and we are able to see great progress with these kids!
-Book Orders are going out this week. This is a great time to get gifts for your children while supporting our classroom libraries! Book orders are DUE NO LATER than Friday, November 30th to ensure we will get the shipment on time!
-The Food Drive is happening! If you are able, please send in some nonperishable food items with your child before November 19th. If ASU Prep collects 800lbs or more, we will earn a Free Dress Day!
-Thank you to all parents who signed up for donations! Please make sure these come in as soon as possible so we have time to create!
Mrs. Mendoza sent out an email regarding uniforms, and we wanted to make sure kindergarten was all on the same page. We will be STRICTLY enforcing these policies (see below), so please be mindful! In addition, we ask that you PLEASE label all outerwear with your child’s first and last name. The chill is just beginning and we are already seeing many lost sweaters, sweatshirts, and coats.
Outerwear:
- Color: Must be a solid color (no pattern). Black, tan, white, maroon, gold or gray are preferred.
- Logo: ASU, ASU Prep logos ONLY.
- Style: jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts worn over a uniform shirt with the collar showing. (Long-sleeve shirts are not considered outerwear and will not be permitted to be worn as such, however, they can wear the solid colored shirts (black, tan, white, maroon, gray) under their uniform shirts.
- ONLY ASU and ASU Prep hoodies will be allowed with the collar showing!!
- ONLY solid colored socks/tights or leggings will be allowed. (Black, tan, white, maroon or gray)
- ASU socks ARE allowed
Shoes:
- Athletic shoes ONLY—No boots allowed!
The Kinder Team :)
November 13, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil families!
We are so appreciative of all the volunteers coming in to help us prepare for our first of two Summatives! We could not do it without you! Sign-Up Genius links will be going out for more volunteer opportunities (including Summative break down on November 16th) and donations for things we need for upcoming projects - so watch for those upcoming emails!
For those of you new to the ASU Prep family, each grade level hosts a Summative (or celebration of learning/ "open house") to show off the tremendous works our students have created. The first Summative, as was noted on our list of important dates, will be Thursday, November 15th from 5:00-6:30PM. We have no scheduled performances for this Summative so this is a drop-in event, come and go as you please within that window of time. Please do not arrive any earlier than 5:00PM as our staff will be putting the finishing touches on displays for the event.
Our primary grade levels are trying something a little different this year - we are sharing the spotlight with the first/second grade clusters. For those of you with students in those grade levels you are getting two events for the price of one! :) That being said, it will be a busy evening and parking lots will be busy so please plan according to your family's needs.
Students do not need to wear their school uniforms for this event, and all family members are invited to attend. Your kindergartener will be excited to show off their work and tell you about everything we have been learning!
Student work will be displayed in hallways and all three kindergarten classrooms as it is grouped by theme or topic, so please make sure to visit Miss Anderson's, Mrs. Bull's and Mrs. Sterenberg's classrooms to view your child's creations. For the most part, works are grouped by homeroom (to make it easier to find your child's work) and labeled with their name. Please note, there are some projects that were done in Project Group, therefore only full day students have completed these particular projects.
As a friendly reminder, Summative is not a time that we will be discussing individual student data or progress. Our next ILP (Individual Learning Plan) Conferences will be held in January with the most up-to-date data including both formal and informal assessments as we revisit goals set at our last ILPs in October. If you have any immediate questions or concerns, please contact your child's homeroom teacher via email or Class Dojo so that we discuss privately.
Our Winter STEAM Celebration is Friday, December 21st! We are looking for some amazing parents that would like to be in charge of planning this incredible afternoon. This will run the same as the Fall STEAM Celebration, and half day friends will once again be invited to stay. If you are interested in leading this fun afternoon, please let your homeroom teacher know!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the amazing donations that have been coming in for Run Devil Run! As a kindergarten team, our students have raised a whopping $2,571.10!! As a K-4 cluster we have 47% participation, and we are getting closer to that goal of 75% to earn our Otter Pops! If you still have donations, please make sure they get sent in or submitted online ASAP! Friday is the big day, so PLEASE make sure you child has good running shoes and a water bottle!
We are collecting cans for our annual canned food drive! Please bring nonperishable/canned food items to donate to the United Food Bank starting Tuesday, November 13 until Tuesday, November 19. Our school goal is to collect 800 pounds of food. Help us support the less fortunate in our community.
We hope you had a great long weekend,
The Kinder Team
November 2. 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families,
What a great Spirit Week! It was so fun to see everyone dressed up and we had an amazing Fall STEAM Celebration. Thank you to all parents for contributing your time and donations to help make this exciting event happen for our kiddos.
Here are your upcoming important dates:
11/12: Veteran's Day--NO SCHOOL
11/15: K-2 Summative--5-6:30pm Come and see all the great projects we have been working on this semester!
11/16: Run, Devil, Run--Get those pledges in. If we have 75% participation we get an Otter Pop Party!
11/22-11/22: Thanksgiving Holiday--NO SCHOOL
We love to see all the hard work that is being done on homework! Remember to get on RazKids and Dream Box a couple times per week to get that differentiated practice in! In addition, if you are looking for more practice or challenge activities, they are listed on the bottom of the back of the first page!
Be on the look out for more opportunities to volunteer via SignUpGenus, we are looking for people to help with in-class student support, Summative set-up, at home or in school book making, and assistance with Reader's Workshop. We appreciate all your help!
Thanks and have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 26, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been busy, busy, busy at school! TONIGHT!! Trunk or Treat in the ASU Prep parking lot from 5-6. ALSO TONIGHT!! Parent's Night Out Color Guard fundraiser from 6-10!
Next Week Is Spirit Week! Remember, you MUST wear uniform bottoms each day (except Wednesday and Friday)
Monday: Match a Friend--Students may wear a matching top to a friend with uniform bottoms. If your child does not choose a friend to dress like, have them wear a solid black or white shirt to be twins with everyone!
Tuesday: Aloha Tuesday--Students may wear Hawaiian shirt and/or accessories with uniform bottoms
Wednesday: Character Day--Students may wear their costume but NO MASKS, WEAPONS, FACE PAINT, BLOOD, OR PROPS Please :)
***Our Fall STEAM Party is also Wednesday! We are inviting half day friends to stay all day, so PLEASE remember to pack a lunch! Dismissal is the same at 3:15, please come through Drive Line or you may also opt to pick your child up in the office.
Thursday: Team Thursday--Students may wear any jersey or team apparel with uniform bottoms
Friday: Free Dress Friday!--Students may dress as they please (appropriately) Teachers will be dress up too...
We have started a regular rotation of small reading groups, you should notice paper take-home books coming home in guided reading bags at least once a week. These paper books are for you to keep for your child's personal collection. You can keep them in a shoebox or a bag in a special place that they can access regularly. The more the read, the more fluent they will get! It is great to review these books in addition to new books your child acquires. :)
We have seen some unlabeled sweatshirts and jackets come through - please make sure your child's warm weather clothing is labeled clearly so we can return it to the correct owner. Please remember, children can wear whatever coat they please outside, but inside we must follow uniform regulations: Solid black, white, or maroon, or ASU sweatshirts/sweaters only please!!
We are so appreciative of all the parent volunteers coming in to help prepare activities, take home books and special projects for the upcoming Fall STEAM Celebration. We could not do it without you!
With all of the fall festivities, trunk or treats and parties, please make sure that no candy or sweet treats are coming to school in lunch boxes or for snack. We encourage healthy lunches and snacks for brain food as we have a rigorous day and sugar often leads to an energy crash.
If you are interested in being your child's homeroom representative for the Junior Achievement (JA) Program and/or are trained in the JA curriculum, please contact your child's homeroom teacher so we can start organizing dates for the spring. We are going to align the lessons with our language curriculum when we pull in social studies standards talking about wants versus needs, etc.
Thanks and have a SPOOKY weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 17, 2018
Happy Wednesday Sun Devil Families!Just to make all aware, Miss Anderson is out Thursday-Monday for family obligations and Mrs. Sterenberg is out Friday for a medical procedure. Keep this in mind when monitoring Class Dojo points as substitute teachers do not always have access to this behavior management tool.
A reminder with the modified homework and optional extension activities, it is not due back until Monday, however keep practicing those spelling words as the spelling test will continue to be on Fridays. Students will get a new homework on Monday, October 22nd that will be due back on Monday, Octobert 29th and so on. We'd love to hear how RAZ Kids A-Z and Dreambox are going, feel free to give us some feedback!
The weather continues to be cool - we see a lot of jackets and coats coming in. If you know your child will also want to bundle up indoors, make sure it follows the school dress code, maroon, black or white and with or without the ASU logo. Sweaters, jackets and coats that do not fall within the dress code policy will need to be taken off indoors. Long socks and leggings must also follow the code colors, no patterns please. Shoes must be active tennis shoes, no boots please for safety purposes at recess and P.E.
Sign Up Genius for pumpkin donations and Fall STEAM Celebration will be going out. If you sign up to donate a pumpkin, we will need them ASAP for activities starting Monday.
Thank you to all the wonderful parent volunteers we've had over the last few days - you've been so helpful and we are appreciative of all your effort and time! These opportunities will continue in the coming weeks.
Spirit Week is coming! Your child may dress up (with uniform bottoms!) as follows for the week of October 29-November 2nd (NOT NEXT WEEK!)
Monday: Match a Friend--Students may wear a matching top to a friend with uniform bottoms. If your child does not choose a friend to dress like, have them wear a solid black or white shirt to be twins with everyone!
Tuesday: Aloha Tuesday--Students may wear Hawaiian shirt and/or accessories with uniform bottoms
Wednesday: Character Day--Students may wear their costume but NO MASKS, WEAPONS, FACE PAINT, BLOOD, OR PROPS Please :)
Thursday: Team Thursday--Students may wear any jersey or team apparal with uniform bottoms
Friday: Free Dress Friday!--Students may dress as they please (appropriately) Teachers will be dress up too...
We can't wait for the fun!
Have a great evening!
The Kinder Team
October 12, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Today's field trip to Schnepf Farms was amazing! If you were a chaperone and took some wonderful pictures of our Sun Devils, please forward them to your child's homeroom teacher so we can compile the pictures for all to enjoy! 😊
A message will go out early next week regarding the minor changes to our homework packet. And a Sign Up Genius will be going out regarding volunteer opportunities!
Thanks so much for everything you guys do to help our kindergarten classes!
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
October 11, 2018
Hi Sun Devil Families!
Just a reminder that Friday, October 12th is our kindergarten field trip to Schnepf Farm. Your child will need a completely disposable snack, lunch and water bottle, labeled with their full name. Their parent chaperone will be responsible for carrying these for your child on our trip. *Parent chaperones please bring a large enough bag to carry items. Chaperone meeting to discuss further details will begin at 8:40AM in Mrs. Sterenberg’s room.
Looking at the weather projections - light showers are expected in the early morning. Our trip will continue as planned but here are some suggestions to keep your child prepared. Temperatures will be in the high 70's, for some of these Arizona babies, this might be considered "chilly". ASU Prep students still must follow the school dress code policy - khaki shorts or khaki pants are acceptable as are short or long sleeve maroon polos. Socks with closed-toe tennis shoes are required as we will be walking the farm and there are several activity and play sites. Students may bring/ wear a light rain jacket per the weather projections.
Students will be touring the farm and the fall festivities in small chaperoned groups. Since we will be outdoors for several hours, sunscreen and/or bug repellant spray are recommended but not required. No ASU Prep staff are allowed to apply these to students, so these steps must be done before the student comes to school.
We will be leaving ASU campus at approximately 9:00AM and returning at 2:00PM. Half day student pick up schedules will be changed for this day, instead of their usual 11:45AM. If you choose to sign your child out from school at this point, your child's homeroom teacher will have a sign out sheet for dismissal.
We look forward to an amazing adventure on the farm!
The Kinder Team :)
September 26, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families,
We cannot believe the first quarter of school is in the books! If you have not already, please make sure you sign up for an ILP day and time with your child's homeroom teacher. We look forward to discussing your child's progress with you at this conference. Your child is an important part of our academic team, so please make sure that they come with you to their ILP. Because we have such limited time to discuss so much important information we would appreciate if younger siblings were not in attendance so we can focus entirely on your kindergartener! :)
An email thread has been started for those of you who expressed interest in leading/ assisting with our Fall STEM Celebration. If you still wish to volunteer for this event, please contact your child's teacher so we can put you in contact with our Event Lead.
Chaperones have been chosen for our first field trip to Schnepf Farm. If you were not contacted to be a chaperone for this event, we have put you as priority for one of the other two events. We do our best to make sure everyone has a chance to accompany their child on one of these amazing adventures! Chaperone payment is due immediately - instructions are in the confirmation email sent.
Homework will take a brief hiatus the week of ILPs but will restart the week of October 15th. In the meantime, read lots of great books! We hope you have a wonderful Fall Break with your families!
The Kinder Team
September 24, 2018
Happy Monday Sun Devils!
Just a few quick notes for the week:
-All field trip permission slips are due no later than Wednesday of this week!
-On Friday, we will be watching Chicken Little (rated G) to support our learning about fables and fairy tales and also to celebrate an excellent first quarter. If you would like your child to miss this for any reason, please let your teacher know.
-We are looking for recycled materials (cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, etc.) for a special STEM project we are doing in Project Group this week. Thanks in advance!
-The ILP sign ups are live! Make sure you choose a time to meet with your teacher to chat about your child's progress this quarter!
-We are looking for some at-home helpers over Fall Break to cut out our laminated centers for next quarter. Let your teacher know if you are interested in helping out, and we will put the lamination in your child's backpack
Thanks for all you do!
The Kinder Team :)
September 21, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!It's been another amazing and jam-packed week! We just love our little Sun Devils and had so much fun in reading, writing, math and project group! Please read all the way through to the end to catch some important dates and volunteer opportunities!
In our language block we have been focusing on Fables! We learned that fables are short stories, with animals as characters and teach us a lesson. We read "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Little Helper" and we used character columns to make lists about what we knew about the characters we identified in the story. Based on the character's actions and things they said in the story, we practiced making inferences.
In math we were introduced to story problems and using manipulatives to represent items in the story. We also used math vocabulary "one more than" to identify and create greater numbers. We continued to build on this concept by making "math stairs" to 10 with unifix cubes.
Project Group was so much fun this week! We began a Storybook STEM Unit with the theme: The Three Little Pigs. Each day we read a different version of the traditional fairy tale. We compared and contrasted texts, identified characters in the different versions and choral read our favorite parts! In teams we used the STEM cycle to plan, design and create a house fit for a little pig! Of course, no little pig house is approved until it's been tested by the Big Bad Wolf. We had extra fun testing the durability of our structures with a hair dryer and a leaf blower! :)
A special fall event will be coming up quickly - our annual Fall STEAM Celebration event! The event will be held on Wednesday, October 31st from 1:30-3:00PM. Half Day Students have been invited by the Kindergarten Team and Mrs. Mendoza to experience this celebration, therefore they will need to bring a lunch on this day. This is a great opportunity for families to plan and prep outside of school or pop in for a one-day volunteer commitment!
What this event looks like:
We have three kindergarten classrooms with six tables in each room. Parents collectively plan, prep and lead a variety of games and activities that are centered around the fall season that align with ASU Prep's STEM (or STEAM) mindset. For those of you new to the STEAM acronym - it stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math. Students will travel to all three kindergarten rooms and rotate between activities. It is certainly one of our most memorable and fun events of the year!
What we need:
We need at least one parent to take the lead on listing activities (18 in total) to fill all 3 classrooms, list the supplies needed to be prepped or purchased prior for games and activities, and assigning volunteers (at least one adult stationed for each game or activity table). We will support by creating a Sign Up Genius from the list to make sure we have all supplies and volunteers we need for the event to be fabulous! Volunteers will also need to set up, you have as early as 12:30 (but must be prepared by 1:30PM) and breakdown their station from 3:00-3:30PM.
If this is something you are interested in helping with - please let your child's homeroom teacher know ASAP. An email thread will be started with all who are interested to get the ball rolling. While I know it is early to be thinking about this event, with Fall Break and ILP Conferences coming up we want plenty of time to prepare! *Please make special note if you are interested in being the lead volunteer of this event!*
October Break is Monday, October 1st through Friday, October 5th, no school or extracurricular activities will be in session.
ILP Conferences are coming up! Conference scheduling will open Saturday, September 22nd at 6:00am and close October 7th at 11:30pm. There will be no school Monday, October 8th (due to a teacher prep day) through Wednesday, October 10th due to these conferences. Please note that Mrs. Bull's ILP schedule will look a little different. She will only be conducting conferences on Wednesday, October 10th due to school-wide mentor training. Please contact her via e-mail if you have any questions.
We have just finalized all three field trips for our kindergarten year! Get your calendars ready!
We will be traveling to Schnepf Farm on Friday, October 12th for a Pumpkin Picking Field Trip. Permissions slips are in your child's take home folder today! We will be able to have 10 parent chaperones per homeroom class. Chaperones will be chosen on a lottery system, must ride the bus to and from the event with a small group (2-3) children which will include their child. More information on our itinerary, things your child will need to wear or bring, cost, etc. will be coming soon.
Our second field trip will be to Children's Museum of Phoenix on Friday, January 18th. Students will have the opportunity to have hands-on experiences that align with ASU Prep's STEM mission.
Our final field trip will be to the OdySea Aquarium on Friday, May 10th. Students will be able to explore ocean plants and animals up close with sensory tanks, special viewing areas and demonstrations.
Our spelling words for next week will be: Uppercase T, lowercase t, go, see, the, we, plus two bonus words.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
September 13, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Another week in the books! We cannot believe how quickly this school year is flying by! We are seeing newfound independence and student confidence in our routines and procedures, and seeing friendships continue to develop in the classroom and on the playground.
We just got word from Ms. Urban that an ILP (Independent Learning Plan) conference Sign Up link will be sent out on September 22nd. There is no school October 1st-5th due to Fall Break, and 8th-10th due to these conferences. Monday, October 8th is a teacher prep day, Tuesday, October 9th will have morning, afternoon and evening conference slots, and Wednesday, October 10th will have additional opportunities for morning conferences. School will resume on Thursday, October 11th. More information on ILPs and what information to expect as we get closer to those dates.
Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who were able to come in to help make take-home books for our students! We are so thankful to have such an amazing group of parents supporting our kindergartners and school! We can't wait to start sending these home! When your child starts taking their guided reading bags home, please read this book each night, put it back in the bag, and send it back to school daily.
We just wrapped up our first unit in Benchmark Advance language curriculum - "Rules at Home at School". Our next unit, "Every Story has Characters", focuses on in the essential question "How are characters different?". We will be spending time identifying and describing story characters and events as well as comparing and contrasting between texts. We will also be learning about plural nouns and question words in the next weeks.
In math, we have been subitizing (identifying a number set with automaticity) and counting to numbers 9 and 10 in different configurations (linear, array, circular and scattered). We have been learning organizational strategies in our counting and matching object sets to numerals. These foundational skills are so important for when we compose and decompose larger numbers later!
In project group we learned about Police Officers, the tools they use, patrol cars and their K-9 units. We had a special visit from ASU's Police Officers and their K-9 unit "Zeke". Officer Przeor let us tour his patrol car and Officer Davis did a demonstration with "Zeke" how they work together to keep us safe. We are so thankful to have brave officers in our community!
Everyone is doing such a great job with their homework each week! Tomorrow is our first spelling test (using letters/words uppercase M, lowercase m, uppercase A, lowercase a, the high frequency word I, and the high frequency word like, plus two bonus words)
Our spelling words for next week will be: Uppercase S, lowercase s, I, like, the, we, plus two bonus words.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
September 7, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Wow! What a week! We have finished DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) screening and have wonderful data from the DIBELS assessment and are preparing to start differentiated reading groups. We will be sharing the results of these assessments with you at your child's Individual Learning Plan (ILP) conference.
Early this week a small purple sight work sticker books was sent home. This booklet is aligned to our Benchmark Advance Language Arts program and is a tool that will remain at home. Each page focuses on the sight words for each week of the program. If your child already knows the sight word focus for that week, do not worry - we are also enriching their sight word bank by following and tracking their goals using the Fry's First 100 sight words. *If your child has mastered the Benchmark Advance list, you can be expecting a more challenging list coming home in the next weeks.
In math we have been counting and identifying objects sets of amounts 5-9. We have been using a variety of manipulatives and technology to show how we can count object sets in linear and scattered configurations.
In project group, we were learning about Firefighters, fire engines and fire safety! The brave firefighters from the Mesa Fire Department came with Engine 215 to show us their truck, tools and let us climb aboard to explore!
If you haven't gotten a chance to stop by ASU Prep's Scholastic Book Fair, no worries - you still have Friday afternoon and Monday before and after school. There are a lot of great selections and it's a great time to support our school and build your child's library!
We had our first "practice run" spelling test today and the students did a great job! Moving forward, the spelling test will consist of the uppercase and lowercase letter of the week, which we will make sure to outline in the prior week's Friday message, and the sight words taught that week. For example, this Friday our spelling words will be uppercase M, lowercase m, uppercase A, lowercase a, the words I, like, and then two bonus words using the letters m and a.
Please make sure your child has a change of clothes labeled in a gallon Ziploc bag, or if they have used them - make sure to wash and send back. :)
Mrs. Bull will be sending out a Sign Up Genius for parents to come in and help make books for guided reading bags. There will also be an opportunity to be on the "Super Special, Super Secret, Amazing, Fantastic, and Totally Adorable Kindergarten Project." We will have a parent from last year leading the pack to help organize and explain the jobs needed for this project. Be on the look out, and thank you in advance for you help!
Thanks!
The Kinder Team
August 31, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil families!
We can’t believe we are already five weeks into the school year! Only four more weeks until the quarter is over and it is fall break! We have been working hard this week on National Symbols, decomposing and writing numbers to 7, and getting into full swing with our work stations during Reader’s Workshop. During this time we are comparing fiction and nonfiction texts, as well as taking a closer look at poetry and getting our feet wet with writing. We are loving seeing all the responsible kindergartners bringing their homework in on Fridays, and we hope that these routines are going well at home.
The Book Fair is next week! Starting Tuesday, August 4th it will be set up in the K-4 Gallery. Kindergarten students will have an opportunity to visit the Book Fair to make a wish list and you are welcome to come before or after school next week to shop. This is a great time build your library at home!
We are in the process of collecting information from the DIBELS assessment and DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment). These assessments help us to gather the data needed to teach each student at their individual instructional levels, the results of these assessments will be discussed with you at your child’s next ILP conference following October break. An online sign up will be sent out from the front office for ILP conferences.
On Class Dojo, PLEASE do not send Nicole Wilborn (on site substitute teacher that all students will have at some point this year) messages on unless they are meant to go directly to her. Any messages that go to her account DO NOT come to any of the homeroom teachers. If you are trying to get in touch with Mrs. Bull, Mrs. Sterenberg, or Miss Anderson, please send a message to The Kindergarten Team account or send us an email directly. In addition, we are not using portfolios as of now in kindergarten. You do not need to set anything else up if you are able to access the points and messages :)
One last thing, please make sure you send your child with a labeled water bottle, it is still hot outside!
Have a great long weekend and remember there is NO SCHOOL Monday!
The Kinder Team :)
August 24, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for the fruit and supply donations - the Friendship Fruit Salad was a huge success! We had so much fun singing, following the directions to make and EATING the delicious treat! It was a great community building activity for our kindergarteners!
Please remember to be sending your child with a water bottle labeled with their first and last name. The temperatures outside in the morning and afternoon have still been very warm despite some of the rainy weather.
We had students showing great responsibility turning in their first homework (reading log) today! Thank you for helping instill those responsible behaviors in your learner! Next week's homework will still include a reading log, in addition to some math content. More opportunities for both digital practice and differentiated lessons will be coming soon!
We are in need for treasure box donations! Great suggestions for items are things you'd find in party favor bags or at the party store (little toys, bracelets, trinkets, etc) please no food or candy.
The Book Fair will be coming in the next few weeks. We will send notification and times when your child may shop.
We have completed the first twenty days of our Benchmark Advance language instruction and will be diving into our first instructional unit. The topic of this unit is "Rules at Home and School". Next week in Engage New York Math, we will continue working with numbers within 10, practicing numeral formation and different configurations. In Project Group, we will be doing a snapshot study of some National Symbols including the Statue of Liberty, the White House, the American Flag and the Bald Eagle.
*Some Class Dojo Tips*
We have had some questions regarding additional account setup for your child's Class Dojo page. This is only for their online portfolio, which kindergarten is not going to do quite yet. You can ignore this for now.
You will also notice Nicole Wilborn's name as a teacher on Class Dojo. This just means she has access to give and take points when she is subbing in any one of our rooms. PLEASE only send messages to the Kindergarten Team message board so your homeroom teacher can view them. If you send them directly to Mrs. Wilborn, only she will be able to see them. In the future, you might see the names of our instructional assistants (Mrs. Laureano, Mrs. Reyes, and Mrs. Rowland) who all frequently work closely with all students.
Let us know if you have any questions, and have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
August 16, 2018
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
It's been a wonderful week of practicing parts of our Reader's Workshop, building our stamina as readers and learning about different workstations to help us become better readers! We have started building our own book boxes with books that interest us and have the tools prepared to start working independently at workstations. Differentiated group instruction will be starting soon!
We have continued with Engage New York math instruction, focusing on sorting objects and matching object sets to numerals.
In Project Group we have continued to learn about ourselves by learning about our body parts and the five senses. We have labeled body parts with post-it notes, sorted foods by flavor on a giant tongue with "sweet", "salty", "sour" and "bitter" spots, conducted a "smell test", played "guess that sound!", had to guess what objects were hidden in the balloon for "touch" and took our "camera" to snap a picture of something we saw. It's been so much fun exploring with our five senses!
Thursday we toured our new playground equipment and talked about how to play safe and be kind to each other. We are so excited to start playing on our new playground!
Homework will be starting MONDAY, our first round is a one-sided reading log. Make sure to read with your child every night. Record the title of the book and the number of minutes read and return Friday of the same week for credit. As the year progresses, the homework will increase in difficulty and vary in content. Right now establishing routines and reading is priority.
We will be looking for small fruit donations to make "Friendship Salad" at the end of next week. If for any reason you do not want your child participating in the consumption of a teacher-made fruit salad please, contact your child's homeroom teacher. We have already cross referenced our allergy list and will not be including any foods that may cause reactions. More details to follow on the Sign Up Genius going out!
A quick note for Miss Anderson's families--Miss Anderson will be out of town Friday, August 17th and Monday, August 18th. Please do not be alarmed if you do not see any ClassDojo points, and be aware that she will be available to answer emails upon her return on Tuesday. If you need anything before then, please address Mrs. Bull or Mrs. Sterenberg in the first line of your message on Class Dojo. Thank you for understanding!
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
August 10, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
What a great second week! We have been practicing our school rules, introducing new literacy and math routines, and getting to know each other in our classrooms. Keep in mind, the beginning of the year is all about routines and procedures, and the rigor will increase as the year goes on. This year is going to be a wonderful year!
We are seeing finishing touches on the playground, and we are hoping to get out and play as soon as next week. Make sure your child is wearing athletic shoes and brings a labeled water bottle each and every day as it is still HOT outside!
ASU Prep is kicking off our Anti-Bullying week on Monday, August 13th. We will be having an assembly to talk about what bullying is, and what to do if a child is being bullied or sees someone being bullied. The theme of this week is Every Sprinkle Counts: Donut Bully. We will be doing various activities to support the positivity of kindness all week, and Friday the children will have the opportunity to sit with new friends from other classes at our Mix it Up Lunch.
We are posting our directory onto the Weebly today! It will be a tab on the left side of the page.
Make sure to send in your 2” white binder, extra clothes, and homework folder if you child does not yet have one.
As always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, punny jokes, great recipes, or insightful quotes, let us know! We appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to teaming up with you to make this year the best one yet!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kinder Team :)
August 3, 2018
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had a wonderful and busy first week of school! We have spent this week learning about each other, our classroom rules and routines and important people and places around our school.
Homework folders have been coming to and from school on a daily basis for practice. If you have not yet purchased a homework folder for your child, please do so ASAP as we will be beginning to assign homework soon.
Please remember to send full day students with napkins and utensils inside their lunchbox each day. The expectation is to supply your child with their own utensils for whatever food they have packed.
If you have not yet sent your student's change of clothes, please remember to send a uniform polo, khaki bottoms, socks and underwear in a ziplock bag labeled with their first and last name. Having this readily available helps if any accidents or spill emergencies should occur.
Curriculum Night is Tuesday, August 7th. It is preferred that only adults attend this event so we can have an in-depth conversation about kindergarten curriculum. Please note that this is not a time for individual updates on student progress, if you have questions specific to your student please contact your child's homeroom teacher separately. If you are unable to attend Curriculum Night our powerpoint presentation and information about our curriculum resources will be available on our Kindergarten Weebly. Our weebly address is kindergartenasuprep.weebly.com.
We did treasure box and our first round of classroom meetings today. We will consistently have students choose a prize from the prize box for 80% or better points accumulated on Class Dojo, and our class meetings will include 7 Habits vocabulary and give students a time to discuss great moments of their week and/ or concerns.
Please make sure you are abiding by our school uniform policy, this does include the color of tall socks. And remember on Fridays, students may wear any ASU apparel top with their khaki bottoms. We love seeing Sun Devil spirit!
Our playground is not quite ready, we are hoping it will be available for use after next week. In the mean time, if you've seen coloring pages trickle home, those have been the opening activity for students to complete after they have finished their unpacking procedures in lieu of morning recess.
We will begin our Engage New York math curriculum Monday - more information on what will be covered in this first unit and following modules at curriculum night.
We have loved spending time with these little Sun Devils and look forward to another amazing week!
We hope you have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
June 4, 2018
Happy summer Sun Devil Families!
We cannot believe how quickly this year passed by. Our students have learned so much and come so far, and we could not be more proud of them. To our 2017-2018 families, we hope you have a relaxing and safe summer and best of luck in first grade!
To our incoming families, we can't wait to meet most of you this Thursday and Friday for our readiness meetings! Please make sure you are on time for your time slot, and let the office know if you are unable to make it for any reason. For those of you who were unable to attend these meetings this week, we will be offering additional dates right before our Meet the Teacher Night. Please stay tuned for additional information. Be sure to check this Weebly page often as we may be posting updates. We are so excited to kick off a brand new year with you! Have a safe and relaxing summer and we will see you soon.
The Kindergarten Team :)
5/30/18
Happy Wednesday Sun Devil Families!
Wow this year flew by! We feel so lucky to have had each and every one of these little learners in our kindergarten cluster and we are SO proud of their accomplishments! Just a reminder that tomorrow is the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL and it is a HALF DAY! Pick up will be at 12:00PM so students will not be eating lunch, but will still need morning snack so please plan accordingly.
Thursday's schedule will include yearbook signing, the Senior Walk tradition and student awards given by homeroom teachers. Report cards will be sent home Thursday, so please check your child's backpack.
Today we sent home a collection of assessments that were used to formulate end of year grades, as well as summer work to keep those little brains busy. Remember to take advantage of your student's IXL and RAZ-Kids accounts as they will be active through July.
A note from the front office - they have uniforms in a variety of sizes available for swap. So bring your little uniforms and trade for the next size up! 😊
Here is the link to the Kindergarten Slideshow! The video can ONLY be viewed if you have this specific link, as it is "unlisted" on YouTube. This means no one but our families has access and it cannot be searched. PLEASE DO NOT share this video on social media, post it in a playlist, or give the link to anyone that will share it. This is intended for our families only, and we thank you for respecting this :)
https://youtu.be/7G6HrpylRns
We hope you have a fun-filled summer full of great books and exciting adventures!
The Kinder Team :)
5/18/18
Happy Friday Sun Devils!
A few quick things:
1. Please see previous messages for promotion information, students are to wear semi formal attire as we are NOT getting caps and gowns
2. KEEP PRACTICING YOUR LINES! We want to feel confident in our public speaking on Thursday.
3. Spelling words for this week are: rode, hose, slope, note
4. We decided to only walk over to Araivipa ONCE next week, on Thursday morning. We will have access to the risers on campus so there will not be a need to walk all three times.
That's all for now, have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
5/11/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you so much for spoiling us with yummy treats, beautiful flowers and lovely gifts!! We love our profession - it is our calling, and families like you make it extra special. You made our hearts feel so full!
Tuesday, May 15th is our Volunteer Appreciation event. There will be donuts before school and popcorn after school to thank all of our amazing volunteers who have helped this year! We could not do this without you!! (For more info please refer to previous emails sent, this was rescheduled due to the statewide teacher walk out)
If you have not yet returned your child's permission slip to walk to Araivipa Hall on ASU Polytechnic campus to practice for our upcoming promotion event, please do so ASAP! Students will be performing a poem and a song (conducted by Mrs. Jernigan) as well as receiving individual promotion certificates. More information is listed on the permission slip, please contact your child's homeroom teacher for other questions or concerns.
Students will receive three lines of the poem that they will be reciting in a small group at promotion. This will be their "homework" to practice every day until our promotion event. One line will be read in a small group of three, and the last two are read as a whole group. Please make sure your child knows these by heart!
We are sending the master image of all the lines on Class Dojo (and Miss Anderson will see if she can't figure out how to load it here too!) These names are color-coded: Mrs. Bull's names are green, Miss Anderson's are purple, and Mrs. Sterenberg's are orange. Whatever letter your child's name is above is what they are responsible for reciting, in addition to the lines for "Y" and "Z"
Spelling words this week: long i words in the i_e pattern.
-dime -hike -glide -chime
(Plus a sentence dictation using and sight words)
Next week we have EADMS testing in language and math content areas. Testing will be held on Monday and Tuesday, and please make sure your child is getting a good night's sleep and brain food to help them focus on these assessments.
We are conducting the last round of DRAs (Developmental Reading Assessment) and remaining standards based assessments. We will be communicating your child's final score of the year as we close this quarter. Remember, you should still be reading with your child each day!
If you are wanting teachers to write and sign in memory books (ex. "Oh the Places You'll Go..." by Dr. Seuss or others) please send them in as soon as possible so teachers have time to work on them.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
As a grade level we want to thank you for the love and support we felt during such a critical time in education. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful community of parents and students that make our hearts feel so full.
Last night's spring Kindergarten Summative was nothing short of amazing! We were so happy to see families from all homeroom classes and share all of the fantastic works these amazing children have completed over the course of the semester. Mrs. Jernigan gave us a beautiful snapshot of the music curriculum she covers with our young learners and we're so thankful to have such a passionate educator exposing our children to the rich content of fine arts. If you were unable to attend, your child's collection of works will be coming home with them today. In the inside pocket of their Data Notebook, you will find their personalized ILP document and highlighted standards checklist. We are so proud of the growth these almost-first graders have achieved throughout the year!
A permission slip will be coming home in regard to the walk from our campus to Araivipa Hall on ASU Prep's Polytechnic Campus. This hall is where the Kindergarten Promotion event will be held and we will be holding dress rehearsals on two days during school hours to help the students feel comfortable with this setting and the new procedures.
We are saying "goodbye" to the little chicks today as they will be returned to the farm for more space, heartier adult food and a happy life. We are so happy to have had the experience of incubating and caring for these little guys the last few weeks.
Final DRA (Developmental Reading Assessments) for this academic year will be taking place in the next week as well as the final EADMS assessment in Kindergarten. More details and information about results will be communicated as these assessments are finalized.
In lieu of homework, students will be receiving a line to be recited at promotion. This will be a short line recited in a small group on stage. You can look for this next week! We will also send out spelling words on Class Dojo each week. We will be starting long vowels next week, beginning with long a words in the a_e pattern (late, fame, pale, etc.)
Spelling words next week: made, late, tape, plate plus a sentence practicing these words.
Guided reading groups will be inconsistent due to DRA assessments.
Please send us pictures from your experience at summative, ASU admin was so impressed by our student's works and scientific exploration that they would like to showcase the event in the upcoming edition of our school's newsletter.
We will be looking for donations of colorful cupcake liners, green pipe cleaners, brown yarn, and fruits and vegetables with visible seeds by Thursday of next week. Thank you!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
4/23/18
Good afternoon! IMPORTANT UPDATES FOR TOMORROW!
For tomorrow:
-FREE DRESS DAY, must be school appropriate and wear comfortable shoes. NO white shirts or bathing suits allowed
-Bring a labeled water bottle, hats are optional (it will be a warm one!)
-PLEASE apply sunscreen at home, we are NOT allowed to help put any on students
-If you are available, we are still looking for volunteers to help with setting up, cleaning up, or running a rotation, please contact Coach Brown via the Sign Up Genius that was emailed
-If you have not sent in the permission slips for the Lorax viewing or for half day friends staying full day PLEASE do that tomorrow
-If you have not turned in your picture packet, whether or not you chose to order, they are DUE TODAY
-Homework and Pet Rock Houses are DUE TOMORROW
-PIZZA PARTY TOMORROW! Please make sure you still pack a snack and sides for your child, as all we are providing is pizza
-NO SCHOOL Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and please watch your email for the most up to date changes in the school schedule.
-SUMMATIVE is Thursday, May 3rd from 5:00-6:30
-KINDERGARTEN PROMOTION is Thursday, May 24th from 5:00-6:30 (more details to come)
The end of the year is so bonkers, we appreciate your continued support :)
4/20/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another whirlwind week learning about insects and butterflies! It has been so amazing to watch our itty bitty caterpillars grow and form a chrysalis - we are anticipating the miraculous change to a Painted Lady butterfly any day! We are also in the third week of our chicken egg incubation. We're hoping to have baby chicks hatching early next week and to have all this new creatures available for viewing at ILPs!
There are a lot of important things going on in our homerooms, the kinder cluster and school-wide so read this next part carefully!
Monday -
Spring picture envelopes are due back whether or not you chose to purchase pictures. If 100% of each kindergarten homeroom roster returns their envelopes, we can earn a giftcard for a pizza party! How fun!
Also due Monday, permission for half-day friends to participate in ASU Prep's Annual Field Day. Half-day students are invited to stay extended day to participate in Field Day event scheduled from 1:30-3:00PM. *More information on Field Day in general below.
A permission slip is due for students to view "The Lorax" (rated PG) as we learn about the importance of caring for our planet on Earth Day.
Tuesday -
PreK-4 Spring Assembly showcasing our very own ASU Prep Color Guard, a presentation of our graduation Teacher Candidates, and a choreographed performance featuring ASU Prep's staff members!
A shout out to Ms. Rae and Mrs. Laureano for coming in 1st place at the Barro's Pizza Fundraiser and pizza making contest! They won a pizza party for our entire kindergarten cluster! They are amazing and it gives us yet another reason to love them! ❤ Students must bring their own drink and side (fruit or veggie - if you wish) as we are only providing the main course. We understand there are some dietary restrictions, please touch base with your teacher individually to make a plan :)
There will be a PreK/ Kindergarten Field Day from 1:30-3:00PM. Students will rotate in small groups through a variety of water and field activities led by a teacher or instructional assistant. Students are encouraged to have sunblock applied prior to arriving school and may bring additional sunblock to reapply before event. ASU Prep staff members are not permitted to apply sunblock to any student, so please plan accordingly. This would be a great opportunity to have a mini lesson about skin care in Arizona and teaching your child about applying sunblock in anticipation of the upcoming hot summer months. Students will wear their uniform polo, uniform shorts, and tennis shoes but may bring closed-toe water shoes to change into for Field Day. Students may also bring a beach towel labeled with their name so they are able to dry off before pick up. Students are encouraged to bring a hat and/or sunglasses and a labeled water bottle to travel with them from station to station to stay hydrated. Students will receive an OtterPop popsicle as one of the stations, if your child is not able to have this treat please let your child's homeroom teacher know as soon as possible. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE EXTRA VOLUNTEERS! Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in helping in any way!
Remember Wednesday, April 25th there is NO SCHOOL due to teacher prep for ILP Conferences. ILP Conferences include the entire academic team's attendance and participation, for the purpose of our individual meetings that includes the parent or guardian, the student, and the student's homeroom teacher. As the year has gone on, we have collected a large sample of data regarding your child's progress and our conference time is a brief 20 minutes from start to finish. That being said we encourage you to be 5-10 minutes early to your scheduled time so that we may start and end promptly.
If you haven't already marked your calendars, here is a list of upcoming important dates:
Thursday, May 3rd: Kindergarten Summative from 5:00-6:30PM
Thursday, May 24th: Kindergarten Promotion at ASU Polytechnice's Aravaipa Hall from 5:00-6:30PM (More information in upcoming messages about timeline for check-in, seating, performance and presentation of promotion certificates)
Thursday, May 31st: Last day of school!
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
4/12/18
FIELD TRIP TOMORROW! IMPORTANT INFORMATION BELOW
Checklist for your child tomorrow:
-School uniform (ASU maroon polo, khaki bottoms, socks and tennis shoes)
-NO BACKPACK!
-Completely disposable morning snack labeled with name
-Completely disposable lunch labeled with name
-Completely disposable water bottle labeled with name
If you selected and paid to be a chaperone please remember to be on campus in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom promptly at 8:15AM for a chaperone meeting. Remember, if you are chaperoning you are required to ride on the school bus to and and from the field trip destination, however you may check your child out for the day upon returning to campus. All students must be on campus at regular start time to unpack, use the restroom, receive name tags and review field trip rules and policies. We will be taking attendance and loading the bus at 9:00AM sharp. The bus will return by 1:30 and half day students can be picked up at that point.
If you signed up and paid to be a chaperone, please respond to this dojo message with the first and last name of the parent/ family member chaperoning and the cell phone of that number so that the homeroom teacher overseeing that group can contact in case of emergency.
Thank you,
The Kinder Team :)
4/6/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We got our chicken eggs this week! We are so excited to incubate these eggs in our classroom and learn about the life cycle of chickens! We have several different types of chicken eggs incubated and we can't wait to put on our scientist hats and make observations about the similarities and differences of the eggs and chicks!
In math we are wrapping up 3-Dimensional shapes and moving into non-standard units of measurement. This will be a helpful tool in helping us make observations about the size of our chicks!
In language arts we are continuing with our short vowel word family study and have used mentor texts and thinking maps to write narrative pieces. We have learned so many sight words over the course of the year and it is helping us so much in our reading and writing fluency!
During project group we began our study of the ocean and the different animals that live there. So far we have found treasures about whales, dolphins, and sharks! We can't wait to celebrate our learning and show off our wonderful projects at our upcoming summative night on Thursday, May 3rd, so save the date!
If you selected and paid to be a chaperone for our field trip to OdySea on Friday, April 13, please remember to be on campus in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom promptly at 8:15 AM for a chaperone meeting. Remember, if you are chaperoning you are required to ride on the school bus to and and from the field trip destination, however you may check your child out for the day upon returning to campus. All other students must be on campus BY 8:15 AM to unpack, use the restroom, receive name tags and review field trip rules and policies. We will be taking attendance and loading the bus at 9:00AM sharp.
Your child must wear their ASU uniform for the field trip and tennis shoes as usual. Please make sure you send your child with a lunch in a brown paper bag and disposable water bottle. Both need to be clearly labeled with your child's name in black Sharpie. Keep in mind that your child's lunch will not be refrigerated, so pack accordingly. Please make sure there are no rubbermaid containers, and that all other items in the lunch bag are disposable. If your child brings a non-disposable water bottle they will not be able to take it on the field trip. *Chaperones please make sure you bring a bag to hold your group's lunches.
Our entrance into the OdySea Aquarium is scheduled for 10:00AM if you are choosing to meet us there. We are scheduled to be back at school at 1:30PM which is when half-day students will be dismissed. If you will be taking your child home after we return to campus you will need to sign them out with your child's teacher before leaving.
Remember there are several important upcoming dates to pencil into your calendar:
OdySea Field Trip: April 13
ILPs: April 26-27
Kindergarten Summative: May 3
Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony: May 24
Last Day of School: May 31
A link to sign up for ILP conference slots will be sent out shortly. If you do not receive this email, please contact the office immediately so that you may set up a time to meet with your child's homeroom teacher.
A Sign Up Genius has been sent out for volunteer dates, and we are looking for donations more clorox wipes as we enter the end of the year! We are so appreciative of all your time and donations, it helps our team tremendously as we prepare to give our students the best learning experience possible!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
3/31/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
This week we wrapped up the water portion of our "Rock, Soil and Water" unit. In our STREAM centers we had so much fun testing objects to see if they would sink or float, planning and designing rivers and lakes, and exploring how water repels oil. Our math groups have had a great time working on 3-Dimensional shape and measurement properties and discovering the real life application of these skills.
Our last kindergarten field trip is coming up on Friday, April 13th. Permission slips were sent out Wednesday of this week. Final due date of permission slip and payment is Monday, April 2nd as we need to check these payments through our front office for the final payment order to be prepared for OdySea. We are very fortunate to announce that we will not have a chaperone limitation on this field trip and we would love to have you share in what will be our most favorite event of the year. Remember, in order to receive the discounted chaperone price ($27.00), your payment must be made by Monday, April 2nd as well, otherwise OdySea will only accept regular adult admission price the day of at the door which is $37.95.
Please see upcoming event dates listed in our last Weebly entry. It is important to consider that there will be no school on April 25-27 due to ILPs so you will need to find alternative care for your child. Camp Poly will be advertised in the coming weeks and is on a first come first served basis with limited availability. A conference link will be made available to you from our front office. Please remember that your child's ILP is an important part of the ASU Prep commitment - and your child is a part of our educational team, so they are encouraged to be in attendance.
We are sending out a Sign Up Genius for weekly volunteers for April and May early next week. We will also be looking for grade level volunteers for our annual Field Day on Tuesday, April 24th. If this is something you might be interested in, save the date on your calendar and please watch for more information in upcoming posts.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Remember today is the last day of our Scholastic Book Fair! You can still shop this afternoon from 3:15-3:45PM! This is a great opportunity to grow your home library and support our wonderful ASU Prep!
We have had a wonderful first week back after spring break! We began Monday with an introduction to flexible seating in all three kindergarten classrooms and we LOVE it! Students have the opportunity to choose to sit in traditional kindergarten chairs, stools, floor pillows, rocking chairs, bosu balls/yoga balls or stand at our high table. You may have seen a Flexible Seating Contract come home - this is a basic statement that we are holding each child accountable for making safe and academically responsible choices while using flexible seating and that teachers can modify seating as needed if students show unexpected behaviors.
We are finishing our pet rocks and rock studies and have learned great information about soil and made discovery jars as we discussed the layers within soil. It has been so much fun examining soil samples with magnifying glasses and how earthworms navigate through the soil! We love being scientists at ASU Prep!
We will be continuing with our short vowel word family studies for the next few weeks and then progressing onto long vowels. As we are finishing our DRA (Development Reading Assessment) checkpoint, the normal routine of reading groups and guided reading bags will be reinstated. Please make sure your child is bringing their guided reading bag daily so we can be rotating books to practice on a regular basis.
A note from our instructional assistants: Please make sure that if your child is bringing a snack or lunch item that requires a utensil (fork or spoon) that you are sending them with one as we do not have these on hand.
Mark your calendar with these important dates:
April 13th--Field Trip to OdySea (look for permission slips next week)
April 25th-27th--NO SCHOOL ILP Conferences
May 3rd--Kindergarten Summative
May 24th--Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony
May 28th--NO SCHOOL Memorial Day
May 31st--Last day of kindergarten!
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
3/19/18
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
Welcome back! We hope you had a restful and safe spring break and are ready to rock and roll for the fourth quarter, we know we are! Some things to think about this week:
-The Book Fair is here! You can come before school from 7:45-8:45 am and 2:45-3:45 pm through this Friday to purchase books. There will be sales tax in addition to the price of the books, and cash, check, and cards are all accepted. Your child will have an opportunity to make a wish list this week. If you choose to send in cash for your child to shop during the day, please take into consideration the additional tax ,and place the money in a clearly labeled envelope. We will not be checking backpacks, so students need to remember to hand us their envelopes in the morning.
-We have started flexible seating this week! We have been experimenting with flexible seating all year, but have added yoga balls, stools, high and low tables, rugs, and lap desks. We are so excited to be fully engulfed in this style of seating as it meets the needs of each child, encourages choice in learning, and is enriching for brain and body. There will be a parent letter and student contract coming home tomorrow. Please read this contract with your child and send back the form this week. We want to make sure this is a safe and engaging experience for all!
-As we are finishing progress monitoring, there may or may not be time for book bags this week. In addition, homework and the family STEAM project will be sent home tomorrow.
It is fourth quarter already, and our kids are almost big first graders! Our focus this quarter to make sure our behavior and academics continue to grow and reflect the ASU Prep way!
The Kinder Team :)
3/8/18
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families,
ASU Prep's Annual Talent show is this evening, the K-4 performances will begin at 4:30PM. There is a special intermission performance by your very own ASU Prep teachers and staff. We'd love to see you there!
If your child has lost items as they have gone in and out and to and from specials, we encourage you to visit the front desk and they can direct you to the lost and found collection by the multipurpose room. To prevent further items from being misplaced it is very helpful to all teachers and instructional assistants to have your child's personal items labeled with their name.
We are wrapping up 3rd quarter assessments and will be progress monitoring your child's DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) as a means of tracking their growth over the last quarter. We will discuss the results of these assessments in depth at our next ILP in April.
Next week is spring break so there is NO SCHOOL so please plan accordingly!
Just a PSA students have a full 25 minutes for eating at lunch (with a 5 minutes clean up and pack up time). We are having a lot of students talking and playing when they should be eating. If you could please reiterate the importance of following this school routine - it would certainly help us out.
If your child has not brought in their rock, please send them with one TOMORROW! Thank you!
Yearbook orders are due tomorrow - please place your order in the parent portal which will also provide you an immediate receipt. Yearbooks are issued the last week of school.
There is NO spelling test tomorrow! Monthly STEM projects and homework calendars will be sent home the Monday following spring break.
We hope you have a wonderful week off with your families!
Thank you,
The Kinder Team :)
3/1/18
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
We've had a wonderful week of celebrating fantastic authors and enjoying special Read Across America activities. Kindergarten had several amazing mystery readers bring some great literature alive in the classroom, a visit from the author of "Beautiful Oops!" Barney Saltzberg, and we will have older student buddies read with us at the end of the week.
Tomorrow is $1 Dress Down! If your child brings their homeroom teacher $1 tomorrow, he or she may dress how they choose (school appropriate and tennis shoes of course. Many classes will be doing their Jump Rope For Heart and we want their feet to be safe!)
Remember our Spring Carnival is tomorrow, Friday, March 2nd from 5:00-8:00PM. There will be lots of food, fun and entertainment - bring the whole family! The more the merrier! Cash only ticket sales for admission or a $10 wristband will provide unlimited access to bounce houses and games for each child, but are not required for admission.
Please make sure your child's book bag is coming to school daily. Keep in mind we are testing for report cards, so your child's book may not change as often.
Spring break is on its way! Plan according for child care for the week of March 12th-16th. There will be no Camp or Club Poly during this time as the entire campus is closed.
Watch for a notice in your child's backpack for donations to our rock and soil collections as we will be starting a Rock, Soil and Water unit. We are looking for each child to bring a fist sized rock, labeled in sharpie with their name on the bottom. We would also love any other rocks to be donated to the classrooms, as we are going to be geologists for the next few weeks!
Remember February homework is due tomorrow - March STEM, math and literacy homework will be sent home after spring break. Enjoy some wonderful books and family time over the next two weeks.
We can't believe third quarter is coming to a close! Watch student backpacks for report cards that will be sent home on Friday, March 9th.
Thank you and have a great night!
The Kinder Team :)
2/23/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another fantastic week in Kindergarten! We are finishing up our subtraction study and continuing to grow as writers in opinion writing! As always, there is a lot going on around our campus so here is what you need to know!
Student Council is promoting a $1 Dress Down Day Fundraiser. Students may bring $1 to their homeroom teacher ON Thursday, March 1st which will earn them a Dress Down Coupon that may be used on Friday, March 2nd. Dress Down attire may include any shorts or pants, skirts and dresses, any t-shirt with sleeves (no spaghetti strap or tank tops) but please no pajamas and shoes must still be tennis shoes for safety purposes.
Read Across America Week will be held next week! We will be celebrating two fantastic authors, Theodore Giesel (Dr. Suess) and the great Barney Saltzberg, who we will be hosting at our own ASU Prep! Remember, if you want a book you own written by Barney Saltzber autographed to please bring it to school on Thursday when he visits. We are so excited to meet this esteemed author and will be focusing our studies on the great works of these two writers.
A Sign Up Genius for Mystery Readers built into the Read Across America celebrations has been sent out. We still have slots open! This is a great opportunity to show your silly side and share your love of books with your student and their class! If you are interested in dressing like a character from a beloved book and reading aloud to your child's homeroom, please see the Sign Up Genius as this will be a favorite memory for your child's kindergarten year!
As we approach the end of 3rd quarter we are still having many students ask us to tie shoes. We strongly encourage extra practice at home as students prepare for 1st grade, it will be an expectation that they do this independently.
Another adjustment we will be gradually changing is dismissal procedures. For the past three quarters teachers walk kindergarten students up when their name registers on Drive Line dismissal system. Students will now practice walking in groups together to their dismissal location. A large portion of our students already have practice walking with older siblings, and there is support with hallway and front office monitors - so we feel this is a good point in time to have our kindergarteners to practice big kid procedures.
Students are working hard to improve their reading in school, and we want to ensure their reading is supported at home too. We are noticing some guided reading bags are not returning to school, which means new and enriching books are not going home to be practiced. Before your child can take home a new book, they must return the one they currently have. Please make sure you do not have any guided reading books hiding at home, thank you!
Bandaids! Our supply has been depleted and we could use donations of bandaids for all three kindergarten classrooms - if you are able to donate a box, please send in your child's backpack. Thank you!
Jump Rope for Heart will conclude next week, Friday, March 2nd. Keep up the great work raising money for this awesome cause!
The following is a message from our wonderful PTSO:
Hello Parents!!
The ASU Prep 2018 Spring Carnival is fast approaching and we are so excited to bring this fun evening to our amazing families! Below, you'll find some opportunities to help us make this event the best it can be. The carnival is Friday, March 2nd from 5-8pm here on campus. There will be games, food, bounce houses, drawings, auction baskets and MUCH MORE! Please take a look at the link below and if you have 45 minutes to spare, we'd be so appreciative! Thank you for investing in our school! See you at the carnival!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040949a9ab2faa8-asuprep1
Please mark your calendar as Spring Break is fast approaching and will be the week of March 12th-16th and will resume Monday, March 19th.
Thank you,
The Kinder Team!
2/19/18
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you to all the parent volunteers that donated their time and supplies to our Valentine STEAM day. We had a very successful rotation of activities through the classroom ranging from subtraction practice, experiments, various technology stations and note writing. We love seeing the confidence blooming in each child as they exercise their independence in the skills we've learned this year!
We have thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Kindness Week with our kindergarten Sun Devils and participating in this school wide spirit week.
A reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 19th due to President's Day. School will resume Tuesday, February 20th.
We are still collecting supplies for our Birthday-themed basket to represent our grade level at the Spring Carnival, Friday, March 5th. We are so thankful for all the items already donated to help make this fundraiser a success! If you are still wanting to make a donation, please see the Sign Up Genius for any remaining items. More information to come in future posts about the carnival time, cost and available activities.
Have a great three-day weekend!
The Kinder Team
2/9/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!We have had a fantastic first week of February! We have had some beautiful STEM Valentine boxes come in - as soon as your child finishes this project they are welcome to bring them to school. They must be done and brought in by Wednesday, February 14th so they are available for card and treat trading. We continue to breeze through our word families and are seeing great gains in opinion writing, spelling and penmanship!
Next week is Kindness Week - this is a school wide spirit week. Students have the opportunity to participate in daily themes and random acts of kindness. A handout was sent home about this school wide event and contains the following information on daily themes:
Monday - Hats off for Kindess
-Wear a hat to school, but must wear your uniform tops and bottoms.
-Students are encouraged to fill out a Teacher Sparky Shout Out and turn into the front office
Tuesday - Team up to Clean
-Wear your favorite teams' jersey with a uniform bottom
-Clean up around the school with your class
Wednesday - Show Some Love
-Wear red, pink, and/or white shirts and uniform bottom
Thursday - Shine for Kindness
-Wear neon shirts and/or socks with uniform bottom
-Smile at 25 people
Friday - Go Crazy for Kindess
-Wear Wacky Hair
-Mix It Up day at lunch (sit by someone new!)
We are looking for a few items for our STEAM Friendship Day on Wednesday, February 14th - be on the lookout for a Sign Up Genius for the few needed items. There is still one slot open for volunteers on that day as well. Thank you!
We are nearing our Annual ASU Prep Spring Carnival. Thank you to all who have donated already! We are still looking for a few items to add to our "Birthday Party Basket" to contribute. Please refer to the Sign Up Genius if you are able to donate - on behalf of the Kindergarten team and ASU Prep Poly, your generosity is so appreciated!
Just a reminder that maroon, black and white jackets are to be worn indoors, other color jackets are fine for outdoor only. It is still chilly in the mornings so please make sure your child has the jacket available for that first recess. Also only tennis shoes are permitted as part of our school wide dress code, this is not only part of the uniform but for safety when the children are playing or attending P.E. So please keep those cute boots for after school and weekends. Socks and leggings must also follow the color code of maroon, black or white. Thank you!
We have had a few children forget to bring snack, this is a great time in the year to start giving them a "big kid checklist" to check and prep their backpacks with the daily necessities (e.g., lunch -- if full day, snack, folder, book bag, etc.) Practicing this level of independence now will set them up for success as they enter first grade!
We are moving and grooving through third quarter and are having so much fun!
Thanks,
The Kinder Team :)
1/5/18
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We loved meeting with you all at last week's ILP conferences - it's always so exciting to share the progress each child is making in their kindergarten journey! We've had a wonderful week learning about penguins and have continued to acquire strategies to solve simple subtraction problems. We also attended an assembly about the upcoming Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser and event, more information will be coming home in the next few days.
Thank you to the parents who volunteered to help on the day of our Friendship Party! At this point, we have not had anyone step forward to lead the event, so we will plan on doing a STEAM day in place of that event. If you are interested in volunteering on that day please contact your child's homeroom teacher ASAP. Thank you!
Sight word books are not being sent home as we had a disruption in our regular routine in the last few weeks and recently have not had enough volunteers to test sight words on a regular basis. We would love to restart this station as it very much benefits our students. Unfortunately we do not have enough man-power to include this in our day without the help of volunteers. We may just have to scale this back to a monthly circuit. If this is something that interests you, please contact your child's homeroom teacher or refer to the Sign Up Genius as we would love this station to be filled regularly.
Even though the temperatures are climbing, the mornings are still chilly and we are seeing many children coming to school without long sleeves or jackets. Even though the afternoons are warm, we encourage your child to bring something to keep them warm for when they are outside in the early morning.
We have been sanitizing and sterilizing supplies often, however cold and flu season is in full effect. If your child has a fever or has thrown up, please observe the health office rules and keep your child home the full 24 hours past the event, so that we do not pass these germs on to fellow students, instructional aids or teachers.
We are so proud of each child's behavior and academic growth - it's hard to believe it's already February and in a few months they will be first graders!
The Kinder Team
Dear ASU Prep Families,
The Kindergarten team has selected "Birthday Party in a Basket" for their grade level baskets that will be auctioned off at this year’s ASU Prep School Carnival. The carnival will be held on Friday, March 2, 2018.
The PTSO and teachers are working hard to help make this year’s carnival a success, and we need your help in collecting new items for these auction baskets. If you are able to donate a new item(s) that corresponds with either theme, please send in your donation no later than February 16th. Go ASU Sun Devils!
SignUp Genius Link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ca5a62da0fa7-kindergartens
Thank you for your support!
1/19/18
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been another fantastic week of subtraction, short vowel -e word families, and opinion writing! Our full day friends have gotten to explore concepts of wet and extreme weather.
Monday is the 100th day of school. Your child may create and wear a shirt that has 100 items (these items may not be food or candy) and school uniform bottoms must be worn. We will have special in class 100th day activities to celebrate 100 days of learning.
We will be EADMS testing Monday and Tuesday, so please make sure your child is well-rested, on time, and has a good breakfast so they can show us all the great things they know!
Remember ILPs are next week, please sign up if you have not already to claim your spot. ILPs are a requirement of ASU Prep. Your child is part of our academic team and is also invited to their personal conference. Make your best effort to arrive 5-10 minutes before your ILP time to ensure we start promptly and end promptly as to keep schedule intact. Lastly, there is NO SCHOOL on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday so please make arrangements for child care as needed.
There will be a Carnival donations Sign Up Genius circulating as well as a hard copy given out at ILPs. We would appreciate any and all donations for our "Birthday" themed basket to be auctioned off at our Spring Carnival on Friday, March 2nd. There will also be opportunities to volunteer at the Spring Carnival to earn school volunteers hours. As of now we know the carnival will be running from 5:00-8:00pm but they will also need set up and clean up crews. Any questions please contact your child's homeroom teacher.
Make sure your child is bringing home their water bottle on a DAILY basis. With all of the cold and flu germs circulating we want to make sure your child is practicing good hygiene and using a fresh water bottle.
As per rules from our health office, if your child has a fever, they must stay home and cannot return to school until they have been fever-free for 24 hours. This rule is in place to help stop illness from spreading and keeping everyone happy and healthy.
MRS. BULL'S CLASS--IMPORTANT
Mrs. Bull is having some technical difficulties with her email, so if you need to contact her do so through Class Dojo until further notice. Thank you for your flexibility!
Thank you, and see you all next week!
The Kinder Team :)
1/12/14
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been a wonderful first week back at school! All math groups have started learning all about subtraction and we've begun working on short vowel e word families in all classrooms. Teachers have started conducting the second round of DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) sessions. Your child's results will be reported to you at our next ILP the week of January 22nd.
Remember there is NO SCHOOL Monday due to MLK Jr. observance.
If you have not already signed up for your ILP session please click the link sent by Ms. Urban to reserve your spot. ILP availabilities range from Wednesday after 12:00PM and Thursday 8:00AM-3:00PM. Students will have a normal schedule Monday and Tuesday, no school Wednesday and Thursday due to ILPs and no school Friday due to a Mandatory District Meeting for all staff.
Please make sure your child is adhering to the ASU Prep dress code. All sweatshirts and jackets are okay for outside, but when indoors all winter apparel must be maroon, black or white and/or have the ASU logo. All other jackets that do not follow this dress code rule must be put away in cubbies during instructional time. This applies to all undershirts, leggings, tights, and socks as well!
Our next celebration this year will be our "Friendship Party" on Wednesday, February 14th. Like our last two events, please email your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in leading or co-leading this event or if you have an interest in donating or running a table the day of this event. The same structure applies, 6 activities per class, so 18 activities are needed in total. Students may bring Valentine's cards, but if they are choosing to, they must bring for their entire homeroom class (25 kids). If they would like to also make cards for friends in other homerooms that is fine too. Class and teacher lists will be sent home at the beginning of February. Looking ahead, our family STEM project for February will be to create a Valentine's box to collect cards. You may start this project early to make it special for this exciting day.
We hope everyone had a safe, fun, and relaxing break! Enjoy your long weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
Good morning everyone!
-Tomorrow is PJ Day! School appropriate jammies and tennis shoes only please :)
-Your child may bring a stuffed animal to cuddle tomorrow during our movie if they would like!
-No spelling test this week!
-Winter Party is tomorrow, thank you for all donations and volunteers
-These STEAM projects were SO GREAT and have been sent home yesterday or today.
Thanks,
The Kinder Team :)
Hello again everyone!
There is a lot of yucky sickness going around and we are trying to arrange groups for the field trip tomorrow. If you know your child will be absent, PLEASE let us know as soon as you can, so we can have groups ready for chaperones.
Also, the Sign Up Genius for the Winter Party is ready! We are looking for lots of donations and help to make this a special day, thank you :)
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ca5a62da0fa7-winter
12/14/17
Tomorrow is the field trip! Chaperones, please meet in MissAnderson's room at 7:45 for a parent meeting and don't forget to bring a backpack to carry lunches in. Students are to wear their uniforms, bring a disposable lunch and snack,and be ready for some fun! :)
Happy Monday Sun Devil Families!
We would like to thank all families who were able to join us at our Summative. It is so wonderful to have you help celebrate our learning!
If you ordered books from Scholastic and you want them to be a secret for your child, please let us know and we will put them in the office for you.
Tuesday and Wednesday marks our Network EADMS testing. It is essential for your child to be on time, get a good night's rest, have a great breakfast, and is ready to show what they know.
This Friday is our field trip to the Phoenix Children's Museum! If you notified us about your interest in chaperoning, you MUST pay the $8 fee by 8:00 am Tuesday morning as we need to have solid groups and give a final headcount to the museum.
** IMPORTANT--We are looking for a few more parent volunteers as this is a very interactive field trip and we want everyone to have a safe and fun time.**
If you choose to come, let us know and pay the fee online ASAP
On Friday, your child must bring a completely disposable sack lunch and water bottle labeled with their name. It is a bit chilly in the mornings, so we suggest a coat or sweatshirt, but your child is responsible for carrying it if they choose not to wear it at the museum. MAKE SURE it is labeled or we cannot promise lost coats will return home from the museum.
Buses will arrive and we will depart at 9:00AM, our arrival time at PCM will be approximately 10:00AM. Children will have about 30 minutes on each level to explore and all groups will meet on the front patio/ steps for lunch at 11:30-12:00PM. We will board the buses at 12:00PM for the ride back to ASU Prep to return at 1:00PM.
**Half day students will be dismissed as soon as we arrive back at 1:00pm, so pleas adjust your pickup accordingly**
If you plan to meet us at the museum and would like to check your child out from there, you must sign out with your homeroom teacher before leaving.
NEXT Friday, December 22nd is our Winter Party and Pajama Day! Be on the lookout for a Signup Genius for things we will need for the party. As for PJs, please make sure they are school-appropriate and regular tennis shoes must still be worn. In lieu of Treasure Box on the 22nd, we have decided to allow students to bring a stuffed animal if they earn 80% or better on Class Dojo (individual sticker chart plans will be evaluated separately). We will send you a message if your child does not qualify for this on Thursday December 21st.
Typically, emotions tend to run high in anticipation of the holidays, two weeks at home, special activities and all the fun and stress this season brings. We encourage you to keep your schedule as routine as possible and have your child get enough sleep. This will help your child's productivity, behavior, and overall attitude both at home and at school :)
The end of the quarter is here, which means report card, district, and DRA assessments are abound. Do not be surprised if your child's guided reading bags or red sight word books to not make it home until the new year. Please keep practicing the sight words on the back of the homework and read often on RazKids
Let us know if you have any questions,
The Kinder Team :)
Good afternoon Sun Devil Families!
Happy December! Tonight is the Holiday Boutique here at ASU Prep from 3:30-7:30. There will be lots of local vendors and a bake sale to support the school. It will be a fun event, so come get some of your holiday shopping done!
We are gearing up for Summative Night. Summative will be this Thursday, December 7th from 5:00-6:30 (we heard through the grapevine that there was an error in one of our communications, sorry! THIS is the correct date and time). Ms. Anderson’s homeroom class will be performing winter songs at 5:00PM with Mrs. Jernigan, Mrs. Bull’s class will be performing at 5:30PM and Mrs. Sterenberg’s class will be performing at 6:00PM. The performance will last approximately 25 minutes in the multipurpose room and you have the rest of the summative time to explore and visit. If for some reason your child is unable to perform at their scheduled homeroom time, they are welcome to join in with another class. Your child does not need to wear their school uniform. They may come dressed as they please. Come to see all the great learning we have done so far this year. We are proud teachers; these kids have worked hard!
Our next field trip will be Friday, December 15th to the Phoenix Children’s Museum. Permission slips will be due Monday, December 4th and we are still missing a few! Please make sure to turn in the forms and pay the associated fees so your child will be able to attend. If you would like to chaperone, just make sure you notated that on your permission slip and we will email you specifically with more details.
As the weather cools, please make sure your child has a sweater or sweatshirt for those chilly mornings. Children can wear whatever outerwear they please outside, but inside the uniform code is solid black, white, maroon or ASU sweaters/sweatshirts. (This applies to socks too!) In addition to staying warm in the mornings, we ask that all breakfast foods and drinks are finished before they get on the playground.
As the quarter winds down, our normal routines are being interrupted. Holidays, field trips, district-wide testing, report card assessments (report cards will be coming home the last day of the semester, 12/22), and general December craziness have all affected the guided reading and sight word club routines. If you are wondering why you are not seeing these items as regularly, this would be why! Please continue practicing reading on Razkids, math on IXL, review sight words daily, and look for the homework calendar next week.
Calling all volunteers! If you are interested in helping volunteer with the Winter Party, please let us know and we will put you in contact with our AWESOME coordinating team J
We are looking for recycled materials for a fun project next week. Thank you!
Thanks and have a wonderful weekend,
The Kinder Team :)
Good afternoon!
A few quick things:
-Book orders, homework, STEAM projects, and red sight word books all need to be returned by TOMORROW
-Tomorrow is the Holiday Boutique at ASU Prep from 3:30-7:30 if you are interested in shopping local and supporting the school (I hear Elsa might be taking pictures...)
Thank you!
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
Tomorrow is Run Devil Run! Please make sure your child is wearing solid running shoes that will not slip off. ALL Run Devil Run pledges and forms are due tomorrow too!
Candy STEAM Projects went home today, or will be sent home tomorrow. What an AMAZING job everyone did! We are very excited to see the nature STEAM projects coming in already, keep up the great work!
There will be NO SCHOOL Wednesday, November 22, Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24 to celebrate Thanksgiving. Enjoy the time off with your family.
Thank you,
The Kinder Team :)
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you for a successful first field trip! We all had a wonderful time (and are exhausted!) We appreciate everyone's flexibility in adjusting as we found out last minute that Farmer Vertuccio was ill and in the hospital. Even in spite of the change, the Vertuccio Farm staff were very accommodating and made our visit so memorable! We so appreciated having so much parent support for our students!
Our Run Devil Run school fundraiser is here! We're looking for 75% of the kindergarten cluster's participation in Run Devil Run Donations. 75% participation will earn us an otter pop party after we run. Donations can be as little as $1.00 but every penny counts as it will benefit our students. These donations are tax deductible! The last day to donate is Friday, November 17th.
Kindergarten will need a volunteer for the Run Devil Run event on Friday, November 17th from 9:00-10:00AM. Volunteers will assist in walking students back and forth between the event and classroom, handing out pedometers, and collecting pedometer data once the run is over. The volunteer sign up has been sent out to PTSO parents, but there are still slots available to volunteer. Any help would be appreciated in helping make the Run day a success!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054cadac2ba4fa7-volunteer
Please join us on Thursday, November 30th, from 5:30-7:30, for an evening at the Arizona Science Center to view ASU Prep STEM projects and explore the center for FREE!. All ASU Prep students and families are invited. All students who attend will receive a coupon for a free dress day. Free transportation will be provided from ASU Prep Poly STEM Academy to the Arizona Science Center. Please sign-up here
(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfk4DfD0Z9ucCOT_11tgQJxxH2x-F3-AKrL6eZSDdYDd5WA-w/viewform)
Bus Interest Form for ASU Prep STEM Expo @ The AZ Science Center on November 30, 2017
docs.google.com
Please complete the interest form by Friday, November 23, 2017 if you plan to ride the bus to and from the ASU Prep STEM Expo @ The AZ Science Center on Thursday, November 30, 2017 to ride the bus from ASU Prep STEM Academy to the AZ Science Center. The bus will leave ASU Prep at 4:30 pm and depart from the AZ Science Center at 7:30 pm. (Students must be accompanied by their parent or guardian to ride the bus).OOPS! On the homework we had listed that we would be working on a new word family the week of Thanksgiving, but since that is only a two day week we will be reviewing word families previously taught to that point instead. Thank you for your flexibility.
The Kinder team wishes a Happy Veteran's day to those who have served our country! Have a great three day weekend with your families!
The Kinder Team :)
November 7, 2017
Happy Tuesday Sun Devil Families!
We have so much going on this week that we wanted to touch base with you to make sure you are in the know!
Remember our field trip to Vertuccio Farm is Thursday, November 9th. If you have selected to be a chaperone and paid the chaperone fee, please arrive on campus at 7:45AM for a chaperone meeting in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom. Students will drop off their backpacks and proceed right to the playground for morning recess. Please make sure you pack a personal snack with no peanuts for your child, a completely disposable lunch and water bottle labeled with your child's first and last name. Check the weather forecast as it might be chilly, if your child is sensitive to weather send them with a labeled jacket. Hats, sunglasses and sunblock are optional but we will not apply sunblock to your child.
Per Mrs. Olsen, the deadline for Square1 orders is November 13th. The catalogues say November 8th but she is accepting orders through November 13th, but no exceptions for late turn ins beyond that point.
Due to no school on Friday, the field trip on Thursday, and this week being a review over the -at and -ab word families, there will be NO spelling test. However, please continue to review these word families as the support and repeated practice is very necessary.
We will be needing new lead parents to plan the winter celebration held on Friday, December 22nd. It will run similar to the fall celebration. 18 centers will need to be planned, prepped and implemented (6 per kindergarten classroom). If you are interested in leading, helping or donating to this event please contact your child's homeroom teacher and a separate party thread will be emailed out.
Remember our kindergarten first semester summative is Thursday, December 7th!
Mark your calendar for our next field trip on Friday, December 15th. We will be going to the Phoenix Children's Museum! More information to come as we get closer to the event date.
Watch for Sign Up Genius lists going on for volunteer opportunities - these will be the final opportunities for 2017!
Have a great day!
The Kindergarten Team
November 3, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We want to give a HUGE shoutout to the volunteers that spent time choosing, planning and preparing all of the wonderful activities for our Fall Celebration this last Tuesday. And thank you to the volunteers that ran each station for our kiddos, they were so excited to see the familiar faces and celebrate with you. The event was an absolute success - there were a great variety of sensory and art activities, crafts and games and we know it will be remembered as a highlight of their kindergarten year.
November's homework calendar was sent home today as well as the new family STEM project. Please check that both documents made it home - otherwise contact your child's homeroom teacher and we can send another copy.
Remember our field trip is Thursday, November 9th to Vertuccio Farm. More detailed information was given in our last Weebly entries, please review if you need a reminder on what to wear and/or bring for the event. A mandatory chaperone meeting will be held Thursday, November 9th at 7:45AM. Students will be dismissed to the playground and parents will meet in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom to receive chaperone group lists, itinerary and any other important information.
There is NO SCHOOL Friday, November 10th due to Veteran's Day. School will resume as normal on Monday, November 13th.
Students attended our RUN DEVIL RUN school fundraiser kick off today. Please check your child's backpack for important papers regarding this event and how you can help raise money for our school. Special prizes are awarded to grade level clusters and individual students based on participation and monies donated. The RUN DEVIL RUN event will be held on Friday, November 17th. More information to come as we get closer to the event.
Mark your calendars for our first semester Kindergarten Summative on the evening of December 7th. We will be showcasing all of the wonderful work our students have produced over the course of the first semester in all three kindergarten classrooms.
As the weather continues to cool please remember to label your child's jacket or sweatshirt with his or her name. We have had a few jackets get mixed up and fortunately we have been able to find the correct owner thanks to names on tags. If you see a jacket come home that is not your child's, please just send it back and we will make sure it finds the right home. 😊
If you have not turned in your STEM family project for the month of October, please do so ASAP. We have been allowing students to share their construction as they came in, and they will be showcased in our hallway for all to see for the next week or so to show off these amazing STEM creations! These will be sent home after a week or so. As some of these projects are a bit larger, we will let you know so a pick-up can be arranged.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 27, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We are so excited to announce that ASU Prep Poly K-4 has officially been accredited as a STEM school! We are so thrilled to be acknowledged for all the wonderful brain works going on throughout our campus.
Just a reminder to continue working on your family STEM project. It is not due until November 3rd, but may be turned in as soon as it's finished so that it may be displayed for a longer duration. We are not looking for perfection, but for creative planning and design with a growth mindset!
Tuesday, October 31st will be our Fall Celebration. Parent volunteers have been working diligently to plan activities in each kindergarten classroom. Students will rotate through parent-led activities and candy and treats may come home with your child. We have been very clear with all volunteers that food will not be eaten at school - so that you may let your child partake at your discretion at home. Mrs. Mendoza has announced students may come dressed in costume on Tuesday, October 31st however, masks, weapons, and face paint are not permitted.
We understand that students may acquire large amounts of candy Tuesday night, but this is a friendly reminder that absolutely no candy is allowed at school for snack or lunch.
Remember our field trip is coming up!
We will be leaving campus on Thursday, November 9th at approximately 8:45AM and arriving at Vertuccio at 9:00AM, and we will be leaving after our picnic lunch at 12:15PM and arriving back at school by 12:30PM.
All students must wear their ASU Prep uniform shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. We recommend sunblock, hats and sunglasses as we will be outside for several hours. Please apply sunblock to your child at home before school as we are not allowed to apply it to them here at school.
Send your child with a disposable water bottle and paper bag lunch labeled with their name.
Half day children will be dismissed later due to the field trip at 12:30PM, so please adjust your pick up routine accordingly.
Make sure you are practicing your guided reading bags and red sight word books when they are coming home with your child, and being returned to school daily. The red sight word books do not need to be handed in until Wednesdays.
Homework is due Friday! Please make sure you turn in the parent signed page and any additional pages to show your student's work. We are excited to see the great thing you have been practicing at home! Your child will be bringing home a November Homework Menu on Friday.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
October 20, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Please make sure your child's guided reading bag returns daily with the book intact. You will most likely see the same book more than once throughout the week as we are in the beginnings of Daily Five and that is okay. As the year progresses, groups will move more fluidly and books will change more rapidly.
Remember to send in your child's sight word book on Wednesday, as they are collected and inventoried to be ready for Friday's assessment. We did not have an assessment today due to our schedule.
We have had some questions arise regarding the STEAM homework. As our school is a STEM Academy we are working hard to incorporate STEM throughout our program, including what is practiced at home. There is no right or wrong answer it's about the process, being creative, problem solving and critical thinking. This is a great opportunity to explore and generate unique ideas, plan and design with your child. Remember there is no right or wrong way to do it, so have a growth mindset! 😊 You can send them in to school as soon as they are finished, we'd love to display them for everyone to see!
Information about the Vertuccio Farm Field Trip...
A Chaperone email was sent out this morning to those of you who selected that you were interested in accompanying us on our field trip to Vertuccio Farm.
We will be leaving campus at approximately 8:45AM and arriving at Vertuccio at 9:00AM, and we will be leaving after our picnic lunch at 12:15PM and arriving back at school by 12:30PM.
All students must wear their ASU Prep uniform shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. We recommend sunblock, hats and sunglasses as we will be outside for several hours. Please apply sunblock to your child at home before school as we are not allowed to apply it to them here at school.
Send your child with a disposable water bottle and paper bag lunch labeled with their name.
Half day children will be dismissed later due to the field trip at 12:30PM, so please adjust your pick up routine accordingly.
If you are finding any special goodies on sale to replenish our treasure box, we would be most appreciative!
Mark your calendar for our first Kindergarten Summative on the evening of Thursday, December 7th. We are so excited to show you what we've been working on all semester!
A huge shout out to all our handprint calendar, sight word club, treasure box and classroom volunteers - you all are amazing and we appreciate all you do!
The Kinder Team :)
October 13, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had a wonderful first week of our second quarter! We have been studying digraphs /sh/ and /th/, practicing Daily 5 rotations, and started our new math groups! You should have seen your child's guided reading bag come home for the first time this week. A letter accompanied your child's leveled book to answer any questions, along with a sound chart and reading log. If you still need further clarification, please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher.
After getting to know our students this quarter, we have decided to make a change in homework to meet the needs of ALL students. Each child has a different ability level across all subject areas, and we felt a monthly Menu format would allow families to pick and choose which activities would best meet the needs of their student. We understand that this is a change to the system you are used to, and we would not typically change how we do homework into second quarter, but we as a team really feel this will benefit your children.
Our new homework menu will start next week (more information will come on Monday on the details of this exciting new system!) - In the meantime, practice your child's leveled book bag, IXL and Raz-Kids as well as this month's family STEAM project!
We are STILL have abandoned water bottle issues on the playground. PLEASE label your child's water daily or we will put it in the Lost and Found. Thank you!
Field trip permission slips were due today, so if you have not yet turned in permission and paid for your chid's entry to Vertuccio Farm on Thursday, November 9th, please do so ASAP!
Many parents have selected the option to chaperone this field trip. Chaperones will be chosen by lottery early next week and we will send an email confirmation to those parents so that they may make the necessary preparations (i.e., taking off work, finding care for younger siblings, etc.) for this field trip. If you are not chosen for this specific experience, there will be other chaperone opportunities as the year goes on.
However, we have GREAT NEWS! Even if you are not chosen to be a lead chaperone, you can still join us on this field trip! We have it confirmed by Vertuccio Farm that there is no limit as to how many parents can join us. Ms. Urban will be setting up a link on the Parent Portal for adult entry (it is only $5) so both lead chaperones and parents wanting to join us, can make an online payment, or you can also send cash or check.
Parents chosen to be a lead chaperone will attend a chaperone meeting the morning of our field trip, accompany the children on the bus to and from the field trip location, and watch over the small group during the duration of the experience.
Parents who are not chosen to lead a group will join the group their child is in and stay with that group for the duration of the field trip. *We will have a small amount of seats available on the bus, if you would prefer to travel with us, this will be on a first come, first served basis - so please let your child's homeroom teacher know.
Children will need to bring a disposable water bottle and paper bag lunch as we will be eating a picnic lunch on the farm. Students will need to wear their ASU Prep uniforms and tennis shoes, hats and sunglasses are okay since we will be outside for several hours. (your child will be responsible for all extra items, and they should be clearly labeled with first and last names) More information about field trip specifics will come closer to the event date.
Thanks to all of the volunteers helping the last few weeks on our special project! We could not tackle such a big project without your help!
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kinder Team
-------------------------------------------
Welcome to 2nd Quarter Sun Devil Families!
We are so glad to have everyone back at school! Here are some helpful reminders for the start of this week:
-This message is a reminder to send in your child's permission slip for the Vertuccio Farm field trip and payment if you have not already done so.
-There are a few students that had incomplete re-enrollment forms, please check your child's folder to make sure they are complete and send them back in ASAP.
-We are looking for extra helpers in assembling handprint calendar pages - a Sign Up Genius is going out.
-We have a LOT of lost jackets here in kindergarten, PLEASE make sure your child's name is clearly labeled on the tag.
-There will NOT be typical homework this week (as it is a short week). Instead, check for the STEAM Family Project in your child's folder. This will be due Friday, November 3rd. If you have any questions please let us know!
Thank you and have a great night!
The Kinder Team :)
September 22, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil families!
This message is short and sweet. Picture retakes are taking place on Monday, September 25th. Children only need retakes if they were absent for Picture Day or sent their envelopes back. Also, there will be NO HOMEWORK next week, due to ILPs. You can still practice reading and math on RazKids and IXL! :) Make sure you are signed up for ILP conferences, and have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
September 15, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had another wonderful week of letter study, exploring and building numbers and learning about apples. As the weeks go by we are seeing improved stamina and better focus in all content areas. We see evidence of how hard you are working at home in reviewing letters, numbers and handwriting skills to supplement your child's learning -- and it is making a huge difference. The kindergarten team sends a huge "shout out" to our wonderful Sun Devil Families for all of your support!
If you have not already registered for an ILP conference please refer to the link sent by Ms. Urban to choose your day and time with your child's homeroom teacher. Even if your child visits another kindergarten teacher's classroom for math, the homeroom teacher will have all up to date data in all content areas to share with you. ILPs include the teacher, parents and we encourage your student to come along. During this time we will review and discuss all data that has been collected, projected goals for the year and answer any individual questions or concerns. Conferences are scheduled very tightly - please arrive a few minutes before your individual time to ensure we start promptly according to the sign up so that we can keep on schedule. At this meeting you will receive yours child's report card, individual ILP form and a document reflecting any areas we suggest for additional practice.
Remember students will not have school on Wednesday, September 27th due to a teacher work day, and Thursday, September 28th or Friday, September 29th due to ILPs. Following ILP week students will not have school due to October break (Monday, October 2nd - Friday, October 6th) and Monday, October 9th due to Columbus Day.
Be on the lookout for a volunteer calendar for October - we have lots of projects and opportunities as well as a fall party at the end of the month. We will need a fall party leader to help organize activities and be in contact with other parent helpers. We will need 6 activities planned for each of the kindergarten classrooms (so 18 in total) and a parent stationed at each activity to facilitate. Please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in volunteering for the fall party.
We cannot believe how quickly this quarter is flying by! Enjoy your weekend :)
The Kinder Team
IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!
ASU Prep will be doing our 2017-2018 Parent Handbook electronically this year. Please review the document under the "Parent Handbook" tab on the left of your screen, and then go to asuprepsignatures.weebly.com to complete the signature page by Friday, September 8th 2017
You may have noticed a red Sight Word Fluency book in your child's folder or backpack on Friday. Please review the words on List one (especially the ones without a check, as these are ones they do not know yet). The books should be returned in your child's folder by Wednesday of each week.
On this note, folders should be coming back to school each day, as we may have important papers to go home.
You may notice grades are starting to trickle in from the assessments from the beginning of the quarter. Just keep in mind, if your child has an F (falls below the standard) or A (approaching the standard) its OK! That just means they are not there YET! We will update these grades as we reassess throughout the year.
Thank you!
The Kinder Team
September 1, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It’s been another busy week in kindergarten!
Last week as we started our study of community helpers – we were fortunate to have a student’s dad, a Captain within the local fire department, present to our students. We have learned important facts about fire fighters, what to do if a fire happens at home or at school and practiced fire drills as a grade level. This week we had our very first school wide fire drill of the year and all three kindergarten classes did AMAZING! We are so proud of them!
We’ve had a few more wonderful volunteers present about their community helpers roles. We were also able to learn about a set builder for the Mesa Arts Center, a teacher who tutors second language learners, and a nurse practitioner who showed us all her cool tools! Officer Gill came in to visit today and told us all about being a Police Officer. It has been so interesting to hear about the impact they have on their communities as workers and volunteers!
Thank you for all the wonderful volunteers who came in to present this week or help out with the crazy Friday morning activities! We are so very appreciative!! :)
We have had many questions about PowerSchool and the grades students are earning. ASU Prep has F.A.M.E. grading scale. F=Falls below the standard, A=Approaches the standard, M=Meets the standard, and E= Exceeds the standard. We have standards-based grading, which means we are expecting all student to be Meeting the standard by the end of the year. Many of the assessments we have entered are pre-tests and will be given again after more practice with each skill. Do not panic if your child is not meeting the standard now, they have all year to grow!
Along with this week's homework, watch for your child’s login information for Raz-Kids and IXL. Raz-Kids will be the technology component for language homework and IXL will be the technology component for math homework. These sites are wonderful resources for your student and can also be opportunities for enrichment and extra practice. Remember, homework is given on Fridays and students have until the following Friday to complete it.
In the next few weeks we will be needing newspaper donations and cardboard egg cartons for an upcoming paper mache project. We will also be looking for several volunteers from each classroom to help us get a little messy paper mache-ing. :) No previous experience needed!
With cold and flu season coming up next month we will continue to go through hand sanitizer rapidly. We would so appreciate extra bottles for our classrooms to keep germs at bay.
Mark your calendars, ILPs will be on Thursday, September 28th and Friday, September 29th . There will be no school on Wednesday, September 27th through Friday September 29th. Wednesday is a teacher work day to prepare for these individual conferences. Club Poly will offer Camp Poly for those three days. Camp Poly includes games and activities lasting the period of a normal school day. If you are needing care for your child, this may be an option you want to consider. Please note it is on a first come, first serve basis.
For those of you new to the ILP process a Sign Up schedule will be sent by ASU Prep Poly’s front office and you will be able to choose a day and time. During your child’s ILP we will share your child’s progress to date, their performance on the DRA, work samples as well as behavior summaries and productivity in content areas. If your child travels to a different teacher for math you do not need to schedule a conference with anyone other than your child’s homeroom teacher. Your child’s homeroom teacher will have all work and assessment documents housed in their Data Notebook to discuss progress, questions and/or concerns.
Thank you and have an excellent long weekend!
The Kinder Team
August 25, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Please check your child’s backpack for their first homework assignment. Please remember that these are not yet leveled as we are still conducting assessments. Please make sure you are reviewing letter names and letter sounds notated on your child’s homework. If this is a simple task for your child, an extension of this activity would be asking for a word that begins with that sound or advancing further, using that word in a complete sentence. This is a great time to establish a homework routine with your child in addition to reading every day.
We loved seeing all of the family projects coming in! The Community Helper figures were amazing and the children were so proud to show them off! This was a great project to begin our Community Helpers unit.
IXL and RAZ Kids login information and passwords will be coming home next week. Please be on the lookout for these important codes as this will be the technology component of your child’s homework.
Please make sure you are clarifying with your child which foods are for snack and which are for lunch. We still have some students confused as they prepare for the day. To help your child be successful in the afternoons, please pack brain-stimulating foods. As we move into our Community Helper unit we will integrate aspects of personal health and hygiene. Packing foods based on the Nutrition Food Groups Plate will provide your child’s brain with the necessary fuel they need to be focused and energized for the afternoon academics. Try to avoid foods with high sugar content as we are seeing a negative trend in their academic performance and behavior.
There’s a possibly opportunity for a visit from some furry canine friends next week. We understand there might be some sensitivities to dogs, so if you would like your child to opt out of this experience, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher. If we do not hear from you all Full Day students will be included in this lesson.
We so appreciated books that were donated to our classrooms. They were so much fun to read and will make an excellent addition to our classroom libraries!
Have FABULOUS weekend!
The Kinder Team :)
August 18, 2017
Good afternoon all! We had an awesome week! Here are some important things to know:
*Family Projects are due Friday, August 25th! We have seen some really neat community helpers coming in. This weekend is a good time to gather supplies if you still need to finish yours!
*Homework and homework folders will be sent out Friday, August 25th. Remember, all homework will be at the same level while we finish our DRA assessments and finalize differentiated groups. Take this opportunity to establish solid homework routines so they are ready when homework begins to be leveled!
*Treasure Box--Students have the opportunity to earn a small prize each Friday if their Class Dojo percentage is above 80% (This is up to teacher discretion)
*Donations--We are looking for small plastic toys to fill our treasure box and get kids excited to earn points during the week. Examples include, but are not limited to:
-Plastic rings, bracelets, necklaces, etc
-Small party favors
-Small toys
-Please avoid anything messy, play dough, ink, etc
-We are also looking for a few plastic soda bottles for a fun interactive project this week!
*Solar Eclipse--For the safety of our students, kindergarten will NOT be participating in the viewing of the solar eclipse. Instead, we will watch NASA's live feed so the children can still watch this historic event safely.
*Volunteers--We are so excited to have so many volunteers this year! Watch for a Sign Up Genius for various in school and at home volunteer opportunities soon.
*Book Fair-- The Book fair is running next week! Purchases can be made:
Monday-Friday before and after school
Half Day students may shop on Tuesday 11:15-12:00 with their parents
Wednesday is open after school until 6:00 pm
You are more than welcome to send money with your students to purchase books during school, but please make sure it is in a labeled envelope with your child's first and last name, teacher, and amount included. Students will have an opportunity to shop this week to create a wish list.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
August 17, 2017
Good afternoon everyone!
Just a few things:
-The directory was resent as it sounds like we had some email issues. It is also posted on the Weebly
-If you are having troubles with Class Dojo, I have spoken to the tech department and they suggested to delete the app and reinstall. If you have any issues further, you can let them know and they should be able to help further!
-To protect time with our families, we as a team have decided to turn on the "Quiet Hours" feature for the app. We will not be notified of new messages between the hours of 5:00pm to 7:00am or on Saturdays or Sundays. We are here for your children, but we also need time for our own. If you send a message between those hours, we will be able to respond during the day within 24 hours. Thank you for your understanding!
Thank you!
The Kinder Team :)
August 14, 2017
Happy Monday!
We have been learning all about our bodies and the five senses. Ask your child about what each sense is and what part of the body they use for each. In math, we are diving deep into the numbers 1-10, patterns, and shapes. We are very excited about the alphabet book we are creating in literacy. Each letter has a D'Nealian handwriting component, letter name and sound identification, and an art enrichment activity. We are noticing all students can be practicing their names in D'Nealian, beginning with a capital letter and ALL the rest should be lowercase.
This morning, our school had the opportunity to learn all about anti-bullying, and the difference between a student who is being rude, mean, or bullying.
- If a child does something unkind without knowing one time, it is rude.
-If a child does something unkind on purpose it is mean.
-If a child does something unkind, on purpose, repeatedly, it is bullying.
Students are taught that bullying is unacceptable and should seek help from an adult at school and at home immediately.
Just a few notes to remember:
*Picture Day is THIS Wednesday, August 16th! Packets went home on Friday and we are collecting money as soon as you can send them in. Please remind your child to take the envelope out of their backpack to give it to us as soon as possible.
**School Uniforms ONLY please**
*Family Projects also went home on Friday and are due back to school Friday, August 25th. Take your time and do your best as these will all be displayed at Summative Night.
*EADMS Assessments will be administered on Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Please make sure your child is at school ON TIME and has had a great breakfast so their brain is ready to rock and roll!
Have a marvelous Monday!
The Kinder Team!
______________________________________________
August 4, 2017
Good afternoon Sun Devil Families!
What a week! We had so much fun getting to know your children, and we are looking forward to a great year. Check the Dojo for photos and updates as the year progresses. Here are some important reminders:
-As you may have noticed, your child did not bring homework home this week. We will start this routine next Friday.
-We noticed some children did not have a snack this morning, or did not know what they were supposed to eat. PLEASE make sure your child both has a snack AND knows what it is. In addition, if they need utensils for anything they are eating, send them with the lunch or snack. We do not have extras :)
-Please remember that kindergartners MUST wear tennis shoes (not Mary Janes, flats, sandals, boots, etc) for their own safety when they are running on the playground or are participating in P.E. Socks should only be solid white, black, or maroon.
-It is a bit chilly in our rooms, your child may bring a solid white, black, maroon, or ASU sweatshirt/sweater LABELED with their first and last name.
-We are looking for donations of plastic bags and hand sanitizer to keep germs and sickness away from our classrooms. Thank you!
-We are LOVING Class Dojo so far, and the messaging system is super nice. If you are writing a message to a specific teacher, please make sure to include her name in the first line. This helps us sort through and answer each one in a timely manner.
-Tuesday is Curriculum Night! We are starting promptly at 5:30 to present specific information about what we will be learning this year. Keep in mind, this is NOT an ILP conference and while we are here to help answer all questions you may have, we ask that conversations about specific students are kept to e-mail, Class Dojo, phone calls, or scheduled appointments. Due to FERPA and the rights of students, we are not allowed to discuss individual student progress in a group or in front of other parents. Thank you for understanding!
Thank you for reading our weekly message! We have a sneaky favor to ask you... We are trying to see how many families are making it over to our Weebly to read our important message. Since you are here, please send an emoji in a Dojo Message that describes your child's first week at school. This will help us greatly.
Thank you!
The Kinder Team
July 31, 2017
Good afternoon Sun Devil families!
We are SO excited to see you all on our first day of kindergarten tomorrow. Here is some important information you need to know:
-We are requesting that snacks contain NO NUTS AT ALL. Previously, we stated that the allergies were mainly peanuts but we would like to stress that it is ALL NUTS. We have some severe allergies and ask for your cooperation if possible!
-Please make sure you are checking the Weebly on a frequent basis. This is where we will communicate all of our Friday messages. The website is:
http://kindergartenasuprep.weebly.com/
-Invitations for Class Dojo were sent out Friday afternoon. If you did not receive an invitation, please respond asap so we can resend it. This tool will be used for communication, behavior tracking, and strengthening the home-school connection. Please sign up as soon as you can.
-If your pick-up procedures are going to change from what was documented on ILP night, please let your homeroom teacher know when it will be in effect.
-It's chilly in our classroom. If your child chooses to wear a sweatshirt or a sweater, please make sure it adheres to our school dress code. It must be solid black, white, or maroon, or have an ASU logo on it.
-For the first day, please remember:
-Backpack
-Nut-free snack
-Water bottle labeled with first and last name
-Lunch (full day--If your child chose hot lunch, please let us know for first week)
-White packet of kinder info (if you have not already turned it in)
-Crayon coloring (if you have not already turned it in)
-White 2 inch binder (if you have not already turned it in)
-Extra uniform top, bottoms, socks, underwear in a gallon bag labeled with first and last name (if you have not already turned it in)
Thank you and we cannot wait to see you all tomorrow 😊
The Kinder Team
May 31, 2017
Happy summer Sun Devil Families!
We cannot believe how quickly this year passed by. Our students have learned so much and come so far, and we could not be more proud of them. To our 2016-2017 families, we hope you have a relaxing and safe summer and best of luck in first grade!
To our incoming families, we loved meeting you at Orientation and cannot wait to see your smiling faces at our first ILP in July. Be on the look out for a Sign Up Genius to schedule a meeting with our kindergarten team. Be sure to check this Weebly page often as we may be posting updates. We are so excited to kick of a brand new year with you! Have a safe and relaxing summer and we will see you soon :)
The Kindergarten Team
May 5, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
First of all, thank you so much for spoiling us this week with sweets, flowers, notes, and kind gifts. We are so appreciative of all the treats!
Moving into the next week we will be continuing final quarter assessments and some long vowel team sounds. There will be no homework, guided reading bags or spelling tests for the remainder of the year. Please continue to read on a daily basis with your child. In addition on Monday check your child's folder for a small paper that will be their script for a promotion poem. Please practice this line with your child every night as it needs to be memorized for their role in our promotion event.
The following week is a busy one. Make sure your calendar includes:
-Wednesday, May 17th for our field trip to the Children's Museum of Phoenix. Your child will need to bring a completely disposable lunch and disposable water bottle. They will wear their school uniform and tennis shoes.
-The following day, Thursday, May 18th will be our kindergarten promotion. The event will begin at 5:00PM sharp, please have your child here at 4:30PM - no sooner, no later. Drop them off in the kindergarten classrooms and proceed to the basketball court (on the south side of the campus) to get your seat. Student attire for this event is "dress to impress" (no jeans or flip flops). *For those of you who will be at Science Camp please email your child's homeroom teacher so we can set up an alternative solution for you.
Sign Up Genius emails will be sent out for binder stuffing, Mystery Day and Mystery Readers for the final days of school.
The last day of school is Thursday, May 25th - it will be a half day. Both half day and full day students will be dismissed at 12:00PM. Students will have snack that day, but no lunch. Students may not bring their backpacks the last day, but may bring their yearbooks with their name clearly marked. Students will receive their report card at dismissal. If you are not planning on not being here that day, your child's report card will be mailed to you.
Thanks again for helping make all us feel so loved this week! :)
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
April 28, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
It's been an exciting week watching our little chicks grow! Next week we will be returning them to the farm so they can have the space they need to live a happy life as chickens and roosters!
If you have an "Oh, The Places You'll Go" book or other, please bring it as soon as possible with your child's name clearly marked inside the front cover and a post it note attached with the teachers you are wanting to sign it.
Next week will be the last week of "magic e" vowels, homework, spelling tests and guided reading bags. In the weeks following we will be covering vowel pairs but there will be no guided reading bags, homework or spelling tests for the remainder of the year.
We will also be taking our final EADMS assessment in the coming weeks, standard based assessments for Quarter 4 and follow up DRA testing for the students who did not meet a Level 6 (in the mean time READ, READ, READ!).
RAZ Kids and IXL will be available to your family over the summer, just in case you were wondering.
There are some dates to remember on your calendar. Our field trip to the Children's Museum of Phoenix is on Wednesday, May 17th. Permission slips are due next Friday. You will be notified by email Thursday night if you have been chosen as a chaperone.
Kindergarten Promotion is on Thursday, May 18th beginning at 5:00PM. Have your kindergarten student come dressed to impress (no jeans or flip flops). They will be bringing home a part to memorize in the upcoming weeks, please help them learn their part.
FYI, we have noticed that all three of our emails have been acting up and we have missed a few internal emails. Just in case, if you have tried contacting us and we have not responded in our normal amount of time, please send us a little written note to make sure we have received your message. Thanks!
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
April 17, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Tuesday is Field Day! Students may wear their Friday Sun Devil Shirts and any shorts with tennis shoes or water shoes (MUST be closed toe). NO BATHING SUITS. Make sure you bring a water bottle! Half day students will stay the entire afternoon for the event and must bring a lunch. Half day and full day students will be dismissed at 3:15PM.
Next week are ILP Conferences. Students will not have school on Wednesday, April 19th, Thursday, April 20th, and Friday, April 21st. If you have not already scheduled your ILP conference please contact your child's homeroom teacher. There will be no homework and no guided reading bags next week due to ILPs.
ASU Prep Poly will be housing a Scholastic Book Fair next week. It will be open during the ILP days, so make sure you stop by to add to your personal library and support our school!
Tutoring is done for the school year, please make sure plan accordingly for your child's adjusted schedule.
Our chicks should be hatching sometime next week - if you have an extra bag of chicken feed you would like to donate that would be great!
With this viral bug that is spreading fast, we are also in need of Clorox Wipes and Hand Sanitizer ("hanitizer" as some students still lovingly call it).
As our temperatures on the rise, and our playground water fountain in repair, please make sure you are sending your child with a water bottle labeled with their name daily.
Please remember that Kinder promotion is set for May 18th. More details to come soon.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
April 10, 2017
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRS. H!!!
Tuesday is the last day of tutoring for the year. If your child attends tutoring, they may bring a special snack for themselves to celebrate the last day of tutoring.
Please make sure if you are ordering any hot lunches for your child that you have made the payments so that the catering company has meals planned correctly.
The Kinder Team
April 3rd
Thank you so much for coming out and supporting all of our students' hard work at Summative! We feel so lucky to have such an amazing group this year :) Make sure you sign up for a time for ILPs, the link opened on April 1st. The LAST DAY of tutoring for the year is NEXT Tuesday, April 11th.
Thanks and have a great week!
The Kinder Team
March 24
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Mark your calendar - Summative is next week on Thursday, March 30th at 5:00PM. Families including children and siblings are invited. Uniforms do not need to be worn. There will be a musical performance hosted by Mrs. Jernigan, we will email out the time as soon as we receive it.
Next week starts testing for the older grade levels, however this will affect our schedules in different ways. Just so you are aware. There will be no guided reading books sent home this weekend or next week.
Sign up for ILP conferences will come out next Saturday, April 1st. Please watch for this email and sign up in a timely manner as it is only open for one week. This will be the final ILP conference for this academic year.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
March 10
What an eventful day! :) Please see your child's folder for a letter from Mrs. Mendoza about today's incident. If your child is a half day student, we have also uploaded a digital copy.
A flyer was also sent about spring school picture day on Thursday, March 23rd. This will be a free dress day for all students.
Spring Break is next week, school will resume Monday, March 20th.
Report cards will be sent home the week we return.
Have a wonderful, relaxing Spring Break!
The Kinder Team
March 3
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you to those of you who were able to join us on our field trip today to Schenpf Farms. Without you these field trips would not be possible. We are so lucky to have such amazing families here at ASU Prep. The field trip was an absolute success and was a great experience for our students in the midst of our farm unit. If you did not get to join us there will be at least one, if not two, other field trip opportunities before the end of the year.
Our spring summative will be March 30th, please mark your calendars now. This will be a fun night that is sure not to disappoint! :)
Spring break is the week of March 13th-17th, there is no school and no Club/Camp Poly. School will resume Monday, March 20th.
EADMS testing will be next week. It is imperative that your child is here and on time. Please make sure they are well rested and have an extra big, healthy breakfast.
We have loved having Mrs. Laureano as part of our team this week. Below is a little information about the newest member of the Kindergarten team.
Hi! My name is Cynthia Laureano. This is my third year here at ASU Preparatory Academy. In my first year, I was the Reading Specialist. The next two and a half years, I had the pleasure of working as an Instructional Assistant in our Special Education Department. I am extremely excited to embark on my new position as one of the Instructional Assistants on the Kindergarten team. I am so thrilled and look forward to working with and getting to know all our Kindergarteners.
On a personal note, I was born and raised in California about 10 minutes from Disneyland. I moved to Mesa, Arizona with my husband in 2003. We have been married almost 14 years and have an amazing son (Nathan) who attends ASU Preparatory. He is in 4 th grade this year. I have an adorable 13 year old tuxedo cat named Mina. When I am not working, I enjoy sleeping, listening to music, and hanging out with my two boys (My hubby and Nathan). – Mrs. Laureano
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
February 24,
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all of the donations for our Spring Carnival Fit Family Kindergarten Basket, donations for Jump Rope for Heart and craft donations and volunteers for our Friendship Party. We had so much fun spreading the love on Tuesday! We are so lucky to have such involved and supportive families!
Our Spring Carnival is next week, on Friday, February 24th. It begins at 5:00PM and ends at 8:00PM. Wristbands are available for purchase at the event, or pre-sale at the Playground Gate Tuesday through Friday from 7:45AM-8:15AM. Wristbands are $10 each or $30 for a Family Pack. Please visit our Weebly to view the Carnival flyer that was sent home this week. We still need volunteers to help with the Kindergarten Face Painting Booth, no experience necessary. The Sign Up Genius will be re-sent later today.
Scholastic book orders were submitted this week, we will send them home in your child's backpack as soon as they are shipped to us. Do not forget there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 20thdue to President's Day.
Tutoring permissions slips went home with children who met the criteria and would benefit from this next tutoring session. If you have not already returned your permission slip, please do so ASAP or your child will not be allowed to stay. The start date is Monday, February 27th.
Schnepf Farms field trip permission slips also went home this week. Please return them ASAP and either send in check or money, or make your payment online. If you are choosing to volunteer for this field trip, please make sure you let us know on the permission form and pay the chaperone fee. It is important that we submit the correct headcount and money order to Schnepf Farms prior to our event date. More information about this event will be revealed as we get closer to Friday, March 3rd.
Thank you and have a great three day weekend!
The Kinder Team
February 10, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We've had another fantastic week in kindergarten as we are wrapping up our insect unit and beginning our farm unit of study. Please watch for upcoming permission slip to be sent home for our field trip to Schnepf Farms on March 3rd. All parents are invited to join us, prices will be listed on the permission slip. We do need you to notate on the permission slip whether or not you will be attending and collect payment so that we can provide Schnepf Farm with a headcount.
Next week is our Friendship party on Tuesday, February 14th. Students must bring their completed Valentine's boxes and Valentines by Monday, February 13th. Half day students are invited to stay for lunch after the Friendship party. And will be dismissed promptly at 12:00PM. All students must bring a main course. Drinks, sides and a treat will be provided. Please refer back to the Sign Up Genius for donations needed for these activities and crafts.
A reminder that Scholastic book orders are also due by noon on Tuesday, February 14th and Harkins Summer Movie Passes are due by Wednesday, February 22nd.
There was also a Sign Up Genius sent out for the Spring Carnival. We will need several volunteers throughout the night for face painting.
There is a new section on homework. Per your child's individual goals they will either have a passage to practice fluency or comprehension. Please make sure you are sending your student with their Guided Book Bag every day.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
February 3, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Many of you have been asking about Valentine's Day. We will be having a Friendship Day Party that will be similar to our Fall and Winter Parties in the past. A SignUp Genius will be sent out next week for volunteers and material donations.
There will be no homework next week, INSTEAD please help your child create and decorate a Valentine Box (a shoe box is usually the perfect size.) Please make sure your child's name is on the box. These will be due in class by Friday, February 10th. Your child MAY bring valentine cards. If choosing to participating, you must bring a valentine for each child in your child's homeroom class. However, they may bring extras for students in other kinder classes if they want. A list with student names for your child's homeroom will be sent home today. Please check your child's backpack.
On that day, please send your child with a main dish for their own lunch. Juice, sides, and a sugar cookie will be served at school. Half day students are welcome to join us for lunch, and will be dismissed promptly at 12:00 pm.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
January 20, 2017
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had another busy week! Please remember that there is no school next week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday due to ILPs. Teachers are looking forward to meeting with you, please remember that this is a great opportunity to talk about your child's success and to gain strategies to challenge your child throughout the rest of the year. Please remember your student should be in attendance.
There will be no homework next week due to ILP conferences.
Remember that the Scholastic book orders are still active with February 14th being the due date.
DRA testing has been completed, your student's current level will be discussed at their ILP and reflected in their upcoming guided reading books. Please remember these guided reading books are meant to challenge your child in comprehension, not just reading fluency. Please have your child identify, character, setting, problem and solution, sequencing of events and their favorite as well as what it makes them think of in their own life.
If you are interested in helping with the Valentine's Party, please email Carrie Caviness directly at cavinesscarrie@gmail.com.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Homework will start up again next week. Guided Reading and Sight Word Club will also continue. Please keep in mind due to DRA testing, guided reading books will not be gone over in depth in the classroom.
Sign up for ILP Conferences will go live tomorrow. Please watch for the email from Ms. Urban. Students do not have school January 25th, 26th, and 27th. If you need a conference time that is not available, please email your child's teacher to make arrangements.
Next week starts the Great Kindness Challenge at school, please view the attached flyer.
Our school Spring Carnival is coming up, please see the attached flyer for our cluster's basket donation with the theme Fitness Party Basket.
We are in need of 7 cardboard egg cartons, hand sanitizer, and pipe cleaners.
We are looking for parents to lead or co-lead the Friendship Party on Tuesday, February 14th. This will be run similarly to our last two events, 6 activities are needed per classroom, for a total of 18. Some activities in the past are graphing with conversation hearts, making a "love bug", red or pink "gak", etc.
Please make sure you are checking the Weebly for your snack day. Please also continue to initial your child's behavior calendar on a daily basis.
The Kinder Team
January 4, 2016
Hello Sun Devil Families!
FIELD TRIP TODAY!! :)
Tomorrow is our grade level field trip to the OdySea Aquarium. If you were contacted as a chaperone please remember to be on campus in Mrs. Sterenberg's classroom promptly at 7:30AM for a chaperone meeting. Remember, if you are chaperoning you are required to ride on the school bus to and and from the field trip destination, however you may check your child out for the day upon returning to campus. All other students must be on campus at 7:45AM to unpack, use the restroom, receive name tags and review field trip rules and policies. We will be taking attendance and loading the bus at 8:20AM sharp.
Please make sure you send your child with a lunch in a brown paper bag and disposable water bottle. Both need to be clearly labeled with your child's name in black Sharpie. Keep in mind that your child's lunch will not be refrigerated, so pack accordingly. Please make sure there are no rubbermaid containers, and that all other items in the lunch bag are disposable. If your child brings a non-disposable water bottle they will not be able to take it on the field trip. *Chaperones please make sure you bring a bag to hold your group's lunches.
Your child must wear their ASU uniform for the field trip and tennis shoes as usual.
Our entrance into the OdySea Aquarium is scheduled for 9:30AM if you are choosing to meet us there. We are scheduled to be back at school at 1:30PM which is when half-day students will be dismissed. If you will be taking your child home from the OdySea Aquarium you will need to sign them out with your child's teacher before leaving.
The Kinder Team
December 15, 2016
Happy Friday :)
If your child will not be here next week, please let his or her teacher know immediately as there are things that need to go home tomorrow. We are still missing a few materials for our winter party, please check out our Sign Up Genius to see where you can help. Remember Wednesday, December 21st is our winter party and pizza lunch. Half day students are invited to join us for lunch this day and will be dismissed promptly at 12:00PM. We will also be allowing our students to come in their pajamas that day.
There will be no homework or guided reading bags sent home next week or over the break. The Scholastic Book Fair will close tomorrow, so the last opportunity to shop will be in the morning before school.
Please check your child's homework folder on Wednesday, December 21st for their report card and a list of assessments used to enter their grades. (The highlighted items on the assessment list are skills your child has not yet mastered). Please note if your child is absent, you will not receive their report card until they return in January.
Please watch for a Sign Up Genius over break for filing and data notebook help. This is a great way to get in your 30 required service hours for the school year.
Our field trip will be on Wednesday, January 4th to OdySea Aquarium, if you have not yet returned your child's permission slip and $20 field trip fee (or made payment online), please do so before December 20th. Do not pay the chaperone fee until we have drawn from the lottery that contains all names of those interested in chaperoning, which will also be done on the 20th. Chaperone fees will be due on the 21st. We will contact you individually to let you know if you have been selected to accompany us. If you are not chosen as a chaperone, you may still drive yourself to the OdySea Aquarium and join us. If you are chosen as a chaperone, you must come with us on the bus and be able to attend a parent meeting before school on Wednesday, January 4th at 7:30AM.
Have a great Friday and rest of your weekend!
The Kinder Team
December 9, 2016
The results are in from Run Devil Run, although we fell short by just a few students of 100% participation, we know how hard they worked and have decided to give them their well-deserved pizza party. This will take place on December 21st, following our winter party. Half day students are welcome to stay for lunch and will be dismissed promptly at 12:00PM. If your student is unable to have pizza, please send an alternative lunch for your child that day. Pizza, grapes, apples, juice and a sugar cookie will be served.
There will be no guided reading books sent home for the rest of the quarter due to EADMS and other assessments.
Our first field trip will be taking place January 4th to the Odysea Aquarium. Please look for your child's permission slip, coming home on Monday. The permission slip will be due back by December 20th. We are only able to take a small amount of parent volunteers with us. If you would like to chaperone please indicate that on your child's permission slip. Names will be pulled by lottery in order to be fair.
The Scholastic Book Fair will be open next week. Please see flyers in your child's backpack today or Monday. You are welcome to send money for your child in a clear ziplock bag labeled with their name on Wednesday. They will be taken up in small groups to shop.
Sign Up Geniuses went out today for both volunteers and materials for our winter party. If you are able to donate your time or materials that would be awesome! In addition we are also looking for other materials for projects over the next week. If you are able to donate materials for gingerbread houses, please let your child's teacher know ASAP. We are also in need of Clorox Wipes.
Tutoring is officially done for the quarter, please watch for permission slips in January for the next tutoring session if your child is a candidate for the skills we are focusing on. Students will not be able to attend tutoring without a signed permission slip.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
December 2, 2016
Next week is the last week of tutoring for the second quarter. We will be looking at data to see who will be a candidate for our next session. If your child would benefit from the content in our next session, you will be contacted individually. Please do not assume that your child will be in tutoring until you get a permission slip from us.
We are in need of Clorox Wipes, and paper grocery bags for our winter party.
We are still looking for volunteers to head or plan activities for our winter party. Please contact your child's teacher if this is something you are interested in doing.
This month’s Scholastic Reading Club flyers are now available! Please take a few moments to explore the selection together and let your child help choose books he or she is excited to read.
You can order online at scholastic.com/readingclub, where you’ll find a wide selection of quality children’s books that are just right for your child’s reading level and interests.
Remember, you help our class earn FREE Books and supplies with every order. Thank you for supporting your child’s reading both at home and in the classroom!
First Time Ordering Online?
- Go to scholastic.com/readingclub
- Enter our one-time Class Activation Code.
- Shop and submit your child's book order.
- Your books will be delivered directly to the classroom.
Mrs. Sterenberg's Code: PM8QB
Ms. Anderson's Code: Q67YY
Mrs. Fernandez' Code: L4NPH
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
November 18, 2016
Our winter party is right around the corner (December 21st). We are looking for parents to co-head and parents to volunteer to get this organized and executed. Let your child's teacher know if you are interested. It would be much appreciated as these parties are a fun and exciting time for our students.
Next week is the last week for the canned food drive. If you have not donated already and would like to, you may continue to send in items with your student. The cluster with the most cans donated will win a free dress down day.
Thank you for your pledges and getting your child's Run Devil Run form turned in. We are looking forward to getting our steps in tomorrow! This event will begin at 8:30AMwith a kickoff from our color guard, followed by the kindergarten run at 9:00AM.
There will be no guided reading bags tomorrow due to Run Devil Run. There will be no homework or guided reading bags next week as there are only two days of school. If your student will be out next week, please let your child's teacher and front office know if you have not done so already.
Please help your child to remember their guided reading bag on a daily basis as we only have a set number of each title.
Tutoring will be held on Tuesday for both the AM and PM sessions, but there will be no tutoring on Thursday due to no school.
Have a great rest of your week and weekend!
The Kinder Team
November 10, 2016
Happy Thursday Sun Devil Families!
Remember there is NO SCHOOL tomorrow due to Veteran's day! :)
If you have not already sent in your Run Devil Run contribution form please send it in on Monday. Kindergarten is really trying to hit the goal of 100% participation. Participation can be for $1 or greater. Donations can be sent it with your student in their folder or made online. Instructions for online donations came home with the original Run Devil Run form. If we hit our goal of 100% participation our students will earn a pizza party on December 21st!
The Run Devil Run event is Friday, November 18th. Please make sure your child is wearing tennis shoes for this event and on a daily basis. Kindergarten students will run at approximately 9:00AM with pedometers to track their steps.
The canned food drive is in full effect, please send in can food with your child. The cluster with the most cans collected earns a dress down day!
We are in search of toilet paper or paper towel rolls for a project on Wednesday, as well as clorox wipes and hand sanitizer to keep our kinders germ free!
As the weather is getting cooler we are seeing more jackets and sweaters coming to school. Please make sure your child's winter clothes are labeled with their name so that it is not mixed up or lost among other children's belongings.
Guided reading books did not go home today, students will get a new book on Monday.
Enjoy your long weekend!
The Kinder Team
Attention all families!
The seasons are changing, and with those changes comes new germs! We are already seeing lots of sick kids needing to stay at home, and we would like to stop these germs at school. We are looking for donations of:
-Hand Sanitizer
-Disinfectant Wipes
-Baby Wipes
In addition, there are many lost jackets already. PLEASE make sure you are putting your child's names on the tags so they do not get lost.
Thank you so much!
The Kinder Team
November 4th, 2016
It has been an action packed week with our Fall Party and Summative! We were so happy to have such a wonderful turn out of families! The kids were all so excited to show off all of their hard work! We appreciate you braving the weather to celebrate all the wonderful learning that happened during our first quarter of school! Thank you for all the volunteered time and donations to make these two events such a success!
Today in your child's backpack please look out for the lime green Run Devil Run information. If we get 100% participation from our kindergarten grade level the students can earn a pizza party on December 21st! :) The Run Devil Run Event will take place in the morning on November 18th. Students will receive pedometers to track their steps as they run the outdoor course.
Remember there is no school next Friday due to Veteran's Day. Since we do not have school on Friday there will not be a spelling test, but there will still be homework.
Tutoring will be normal next week for the Tuesday/Thursday morning and afternoon sessions. Just as a reminder, your child is only in tutoring if you signed a tutoring slip for this quarter.
The Can Food Drive begins next week. The grade level with the most cans donated can win a dress down day! :)
Please make sure your children are wearing athletic shoes on a daily basis. And make sure you are returning your guided reading books, otherwise your child cannot participate in their reading group.
The Kinder Team
October 28th, 2016
Hello Sun Devil Families!
No homework next week due to the Fall Party and Summative. We still encourage you to monitor your child's progress on their guided reading bags, you can also have your child log on to Raz Kids and IXL and practice the digraphs ch, sh, th, wh. They will still get a new book for the guided reading bag on Monday. Speaking of guided reading bags, it is imperative that the guided reading bag and book comes back to school each day with their behavior folder so that we make continue our lessons on fluency and comprehension.
Please remember your students may dress up as their favorite character tomorrow (no face paint, no masks, no props). Make sure that your student is still wearing tennis shoes as they will still have recess and P.E. tomorrow.
Please wear regular uniforms on Monday. :)
There will be no afternoon tutoring session on Thursday, November 3rd due to Summative. However, the morning tutoring session will still take place.
Thank you for all the fantastic donations and time spent planning for our Fall Party - we are so lucky to have such wonderful support from the community of families. All of our kindergarteners are excited with anticipation for this fun event!
Please be on the lookout for more Sign Up Geniuses as more volunteer opportunities will be available!
Have a fantastic weekend!
The Kinder Team
October 21, 2016
Happy Friday Kindergarten Families!
It has been a wonderful week back after fall break! This week was the introduction to student book bags. Guided Reading Bags will go home every day. Please make sure that you are documenting the book only one time on the reading log but practicing it every day. Students will be working on the same book Monday through Thursday and bring the book bag to school every day so that we can do guided reading during Daily 5. Sometimes books may seem too easy, please understand that we are not just working on reading fluency. Talk with your child about decoding, setting, characters, problem and solution. They will get a new book on Friday to practice for the weekend.
Homework will be reintroduced on Monday, October 24th. It will be leveled for reading and math based on individual student needs. There will also be RAZ Kids language and IXL math components. All teachers check for the completion of each of these assignments by Friday. If your child is level C for math, they are in Mrs. Fernandez' math class; if they are level D for math, they are in Ms. Anderson's math class; if they are in level E for math, they are in Mrs. Sterenberg's math class. Please refer to these class codes when the Sign Up Genius goes out for math center volunteers to ensure you are volunteering in the classroom your child will be in.
Tutoring permission slips have been sent home based on newly acquired data. If your child was previously in tutoring but was not invited to this next session, it means they have already mastered the skills being taught during tutoring. We will continue to evaluate students and will let you know when a new session will begin and if your child is a candidate. If your child did receive the permission slip, please return it by Monday, October 24th or your child will not be able to stay. Please note the change in days and times on the permission slip. Tutoring will begin Tuesday, October 25th.
Next week is ASU Prep school wide spirit week. Spirit week is optional. If you choose to have your child participate the themes are as follows:
Monday: Wacky hair day with school uniform
Tuesday: Team shirt or jersey with school uniform bottoms
Wednesday: Cool glass/sunglasses with school uniform
Thursday: Twin Day with school uniform bottoms
Friday: Favorite character costume (no props, no face paint, no masks)
Monday, October 31st we will be having a special lunch for the students. Half day students are invited to stay and have lunch and will be dismissed at 12:00PM promptly. Please send your child with a main dish for the lunch only for your student; fruit, veggies, drinks and dessert will be provided. We are looking for donations for fruit and veggie trays, drinks as well as desserts. Juice boxes are preferred, no soda please. If you are interested in sending in an item please contact any of the kindergarten teachers: Mrs. Fernandez at aallen16@asu.edu; Ms. Anderson atnmande11@asu.edu; or Mrs. Sterenberg at lori.sterenberg@asu.edu.
Our first field trip is in the works, you will be getting information in the next few weeks.
Kindergarten Summative will be held Thursday, November 3rd at 5:00PM. This is a family event to showcase all the content areas and thematic units we've worked on up to this point. It will not disappoint, we can't wait to see you all there!
The Kindergarten Team
Happy Friday Kinder Families!
Just some reminders for the upcoming weeks, please make sure you are on time for your ILPs and to have your child attend. It is the ASU Prep way to involve all members of the academic team which certainly includes the most important member, your child! :)
There is no homework or tutoring next week, the week of October 2nd or the week of October 9th.
We also want to give Mrs. Fernandez a shout out as she will be celebrating her birthday on October 15th! Show Mrs. Fernandez some love and give her extra high fives, hugs and birthday wishes!
We look forward to meeting with you all next week! Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
September 23, 2016
Hi Sun Devil Families!
It's been another wonderful week in Kindergarten! This week our Kinders took their first EADMS assessment in literacy and math on the school lap tops. We were pleasantly surprised to see how well most of the children used these tools. To preview next week's skills, students will practice letter names, sounds, writing the letter and words that begin with B and K. We're continuing to work on short a word families and numbers through 20. Please continue to review sight words with your child as it helps as they develop their reading fluency.
ILP Sign Ups will be sent out tomorrow Saturday, September 24th. If you do not receive the email, please contact Kathy Urban at kaurban@asu.edu.
Please remember that students do not have school, Wednesday October 5th, Thursday October 6th and Friday October 7th due to ILPs. There is also no school the following week of October 10th-14th due to fall break.
There will be no homework or tutoring the weeks of October 3rd and October 10thdue to the ILPs and fall break.
There will also be a Sign Up Genius in the next week or so for community workers to present information about their job on November 1st and 2nd.
Have a great weekend!
The Kinder Team
September 19, 2016
Hi Sun Devil Families!
We had a fantastic week in kindergarten talking about the letter /i/, word families -ap and -an, the color purple, and we've continued our number explorations with sequencing and comparing. We've also talked about community workers including nurses and dentists.
Please make sure you are monitoring your child's completion of the RAZ kids and IXL components of their homework. This is an excellent resource to provide extra practice and enrichment for your child.
We are in desperate need of donations for cardboard egg cartons to finish one of our projects. We also need food magazines as we explore the restaurant industry and create menus, and clean styrofoam take out containers as well as styrofoam blocks for a lesson on the printing process.
ILPs are fast approaching, the sign up form for this will be coming out in the next few weeks so watch your email closely. Please remember students will not have school Wednesday, October 5th, Thursday, October 6th and Friday, October 7th. The following week of October 10th-14th will be Fall Break and there is no school or extracurricular activities. There will be no tutoring the weeks of October 3rd and October 10th due to the ILPs and October Break.
If your child is in tutoring, please check your master calendar that was previously emailed to confirm which dates tutoring will occur. We want to prevent any miscommunication of after school plans.
There will be several Sign Up Geniuses coming out for filling help and putting piggies together.
Have a great week!
The Kindergarten Team
September 12, 2016
Next week we will have the Scholastic Book Fair on campus. Kindergarten students will be previewing and making a book wish list to bring home on Monday afternoon. If you would like your child to purchase any books off of their wish list, please send money with the names of the books your child will be buying in a ziplock bag with their name in their homework folder. You may also take your child before and after school throughout the week.
Thank you for the great response in recycled donations. Our projects have been completed with great success.
Please remember to complete both math IXL and literacy RAZ Kids homework each week.
We are now looking for donations for hot mini glue sticks. If you are able to send in a bag it would be greatly appreciated!
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
Please make sure you are checking and initialing your child's behavior chart daily.
Thank you so much for providing snack this last month, please refer to the Weebly for the September snack calendar. We have had a lot of Goldfish and Cheeze-its donated, so other types of snacks would be a welcome change for our students. If you are not sending prepackaged snacks please make sure you are sending dixie cups for serving purposes.
Kindergarten will be doing their Developmental Reading Assessment onSeptember 9th, 12th and 15th. Please make sure your child is not absent on these days. It is imperative for grouping in the upcoming weeks.
Please make sure your child is completing Raz Kids, IXL and paper homework each week, or your child will be complete it during Fun Friday.
We are needing recycled materials such as cardboard egg cartons, water bottles, tissue boxes, plastic gallon jugs, etc. for our kindergarten creations. These items are needed by Thursday, September 8th. We would also appreciate small prizes to replenish our community prize box.
The book fair is coming the week of the 12th-19th. Your child should have brought home a catalog in the last few days. We will be visiting as a class during the week. So if you would like to send your child with money, please send it in a Ziploc bag with their name as well as the names of the books you would like your child to purchase.
Please remember there is no school or tutoring on Monday, September 5th due to Labor Day. We hope you enjoy your long weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 26th, 2016
Happy Friday Sun Devil Families!
We have had another wonderful week with all of our kindergarteners. This week we worked on the letters Nn, Pp and the sight word my. Please continue to reviews these as well as your child's sight word club list (half day kids will receive theirs on Monday). Next week we will focus on the letters Cc, Aa, the sight word the, the number four, color blue and shape rectangle. We practiced moving to math groups this week and students will continue to receive differentiated instruction based upon their individual needs.
Each student's homework will be differentiated beginning this next week. In addition to an IXL assignment, there will also be a RAZ Kids assignment. Login information will be attached to their homework.
If you are still interested in placing a Scholastic book order through your classroom account, please do so by midnight tonight, so the order can promptly be placed. If you do not wish to place an order currently but are interested in purchasing later, there will be a visiting Scholastic Book Fair at ASU Prep in the next few weeks as well as future book club flyer opportunities.
We are needing binder tabs, hand sanitizer, cardboard egg cartons, and pink pipe cleaners. If you are able to donate any of these items it would be greatly appreciated.
If your child is enrolled in tutoring, it will begin on Monday. There will be NO tutoring on Wednesday due to a staff meeting. Your child may only stay if we have a signed permission slip. Any questions please contact Lori Sterenberg or Nikki Anderson.
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 19th, 2016
Parents and Guardians of our Kinder Sun Devils,
Please remember when dropping off your students in the morning to pull all the way up on the curb to the first available stop. Do not stop in front of the office. There will be teachers available to escort your child from the car to the front office doors. If you prefer to walk your student to the door, please park and use the crosswalk.
We are still in need of large brown paper grocery bags, cardboard egg cartons, small prizes for our treasure chest and sidewalk chalk.
Please make sure your child is completing their homework on a nightly basis. For the upcoming week you will notice a section called IXL has been added. IXL is an online website. Your child's login information will be stapled to their homework packet which will come home on Monday. In your child's folder today will be their second sight word club list, please practice the letter name, sound or word with your child throughout the week in addition to their homework. Lists 1-10 are letter names, 11-15 are letter sound, and 16 and up are words.
Please make sure you are also reviewing your child's behavior for the day and initialing it in their folder.
You are invited to attend an Internet Safety Meeting held here at ASU Prep Poly on Thursday, September 1st from 5:30-6:30PM. Your attendance is not required for this event but if you are looking for more information in regard to internet safety this would be a great resource.
Tutoring will be starting soon, if we feel your child is a good candidate for this program you will be receiving an invitation in their folder in the upcoming weeks. Please sign and return.
Last day for Scholastic orders will be August 26th. Please remember that ordering through Scholastic is fun, cheap and earns free books for your child's classroom.
Please do not pull up at the gate at recess if you see your child playing. Some children may get upset as it may remind them that they miss their parent and may disrupt their day. It also contradicts the safety values we try to enforce with our students in regard to stranger danger.
Have a wonderful weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 17, 2016
Good afternoon! Tomorrow is Picture Day at ASU Prep. Please make sure your child is in a clean uniform and your picture money is turned in. Kids, bring your best smiles to school! :)
The Kindergarten Team
August 15, 2016
A Note From Coach Fahey:
The date on the Laces Club flyer was incorrect. All the slips need to be turned in by Wednesday, August 17th (not the 19th). The lottery will be on Thursday August 18th.
August 14, 2016
Hello Parents and Guardians of Kindergarten Sun Devils!
Please make sure to pick up your student promptly at 11:45AM in the drive line. Thank you for your effort in making this happen!
Please watch your email for Sign Up Genius links and our Weebly site for more volunteer opportunities. We appreciate all of your involvement!
We wanted to address a few things to explain paperwork coming home and clarify a few expectations. We have officially started our Sight Word Club. You should find a half sheet list of letters or words in your child's backpack. Every Friday your child will receive a list, any letters or words that are underlined designates that they need practice with that content. We encourage you to practice these with your child to help ensure their success the following week. Lists 1-10 practice reading the letter names, lists 11-15 practice reading the letter sounds, and lists 16 and up are reading words. Any questions, please let us know!
Please make sure that your child is completing a portion of their homework every night. This is helping them develop routine and academic habits that will follow them in subsequent grades.
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
August 11, 2016
Happy (wet!) Thursday!
We have uploaded the powerpoint from Curriculum Night under the Curriculum Night tab on the bottom left side of your page. Please take a look at these slides if you were unable to make it, or if you need a refresher of the information presented. As always, let any of us know if you have any questions!
Stay dry today!
The Kindergarten Team :)
August 10, 2016
CURRICULUM NIGHT IS TONIGHT! Come learn all about what your child is learning tonight at 5:30 in the Multipurpose room. We cannot wait to see you!
The Kindergarten Team
August, 8, 2016
Parents,
Please check your child's backpack today for their homework!!
August 5, 2016
Hi ASU Prep Poly Families!
Our kindergarteners have had a fantastic first week at school. We've toured the campus and introduced our newest Sun Devils to key staff members and we've learned procedures for in and out of the classroom.
There have been questions in regard to the behavior charts coming home in student folders. Please check the orientation powerpoint on our Weebly site for definitions and color codes. Please make sure you are reviewing and initialing daily so that we know you are discussing your child's choices with them each day.
Homework will begin as of Monday. The first few weeks of homework will be the same for everyone as we continue to work on classroom procedures. Homework will be sent home on Monday, to be completed and returned by Friday.
The kindergarten directory will be emailed out. If you do not receive it or your email is incorrect, please contact Mrs. Sterenberg at Lori.Sterenberg@asu.edu
We are in need of the following donations: brown paper grocery store bags, cardboard egg cartons, and 75 regular size balloons.
If you have not sent in the following items for your child, please do so by next Friday: White 2" binder labeled with your child's name in sharpie in the upper inside left corner, 100 sheet protectors, change of clothes (shirt, bottoms, underwear, socks).
Please make sure your child is bringing a water bottle every day.
Half day parents, please make sure you are staying in your vehicle during dismissal to ensure the safety of your child and that the process is quick.
Please make sure to visit our Kindergarten Weebly site for pictures, lessons and the most up to date classroom information. Mark your calendars for our Curriculum Night on Wednesday, August 10th from 5:30-7:30PM. We can't wait for you to learn about all the wonderful things in our kindergarten curriculum!
Have a great weekend!
The Kindergarten Team
July 31, 2016
Here it is! Tomorrow is the first day of school! We are so excited to see everyone, and want to make sure you remember a few important things:
1. Make sure to bring a water bottle with your child's first and last name, their backpack and lunch.
2. Thank you for those who have turned in your paperwork! If you have not done so yet, no worries. Please bring them tomorrow when you drop your children off.
3. Please remember that we encourage you to come in with your student for the first two days of school! You may park, walk your child through the school to the playground, and come in with them to put their name tags on and help them with the morning routine. We would like to establish independence early, so we will not allow this starting on Wednesday. We promise to take care of your children as if they were our own :)
4. The PowerPoint from our first ILP can be found under the "ILP PowerPoint" tab to the left of your screen.
Thank you for checking in, and we look forward to seeing your smiling faces tomorrow!
The Kindergarten Team :)
_________________________________________________________
July 25, 2016
We are very busy getting everything ready to meet you all this week! Just a reminder that our Meet the Teacher Night is on Wednesday, July 27th at 5:30. If you have not done so already, please make sure you have signed up for a time slot for your ILP on Thursday, July 28th. If you need the link again, please email Aallen16@asu.edu and she will send you information you need. We are THRILLED to meet you!
The Kindergarten Team :)
________________________________________________________
July 15, 2016
Hello!!! Welcome back to the new 2016-2017 school year. You should have already received a school email with lots of information. This is our kindergarten Weebly page and we will update it once a week with all of the school wide information as well as information pertinent to Kindergarten. Meet the Teacher will be July 27th at 5:30. This will be a time for your student to meet all the teachers and aides and get familiar with the Kindergarten classrooms. The following day, July 28th, will be an orientation/assessment day. You will be dropping your students off with our aides in one of the Kindergarten classrooms to get assessed. This will ensure that we have enough data to place them in a reading and math group that challenges them. While your students are getting assessed, you will be meeting with the Kindergarten teachers in a separate Kindergarten classroom to talk about drop off, lunch, uniforms, procedures, First Day of School, etc. If you have not received the sign up genius for this, please email Mrs. Fernandez at aallen16@asu.edu. You are welcome to bring any school supplies that you may have purchased on either of these two days. We are also looking for a donation of 18 Xlarge metal cookie sheets. If you are able to help out with these, please email Mrs. Fernandez and let her know. The snack schedule is up and posted under the more tab as well as a list of Pre Approved snacks. Keep checking this site as it is being updated daily. Click around and familiarize yourself with it.
The Kindergarten Team
________________________________________________________
Summer 2016
We are excited about the new and upcoming year!! Please keep checking our Weebly page for updates for the 2016-2017 school year. Please continue to work with your students this summer on writing their first name using upper and lowercase letters correctly, letter names and sounds, number recognition 1-20, and counting to 100. Have a safe, fun, and relaxing summer. We can't wait to meet you in July!
The Kindergarten Team
_________________________________________________________
May 23, 2016
Hello again!
Our field trip is tomorrow! If you are a chaperone, please report to Mrs. Kochis' classroom by 8:00am.
If your student is a half day, pick up will be immediately following our return at 1:30pm.
Students do not need to bring their backpacks!
Lunches need to be packed in a disposable bag with your students name clearly visible. Chaperones will need to bring a lunch as well.
See you tomorrow!
The Kindergarten Team
May 16, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
On Tuesday, May 17th ASU will conduct a school-wide evacuation and family reunification drill. Please read the procedures listed below carefully!
1. Do not go to the regular driveline pick up line.
2. Follow the signs: From Williams Field Road, take the traffic circle north to Innovation Way North. Turn right at Innovation Way North. Continue to the stop sign. Turn right at Innovation Way East. Take the first right at Texas Road. Follow Texas Road west until you are at the pick up area.
3. Do not get out of your car!
4. Have your driveline number visible for the Release Point Team.
5. All drivers will need to sign for the students who they are transporting in their vehicle.
6. After pick kup, continue south on Utah Ave. Turn right on Innovation Way South and continue to your home location.
Students will not be released after 2:15 the day of the reunification drill.
Also, no students will be able to be signed out/picked up after 2:15 that day to ensure a smooth transition from the school to the relocation area.
If you signed up to donate items for the class party and have not brought them in, please do so by Monday so the party planning committee can get a head start on preparing each activity. If you would like to volunteer for the class party, please sign up online using the link sent out by Mrs. Kochis. Also, be on the look out for a food sign up for the class party.
Teacher of the day will begin next week! Please send in all materials needed for your student's activity in a bag with their name clearly visible. Remember, you do not need to include pencils, crayons, markers, glue sticks, or wet glue as we have these items available.
Finally, a big thank you to all the parents who volunteered on Mystery Day this past Friday. From the costumes to the chocolate cake, it was definitely a day to remember!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
Hello Kinder Families,
Tonight is our first end of the year celebration/summative night! Doors will open at 4:30. Seating is first come, first serve. The celebration will be held in the multi purpose area in front of the 3rd/4th grade classrooms. The actual program will begin promptly at 5:30. Student work will also be displayed in every kinder classroom. We encourage you to walk around and see it prior to the program as you might not have a lot of time after. Students will need to be in the kinder cluster room at 5:15 to practice and line up. Students DO NOT need to wear their uniforms. They may come dressed in nice clothing. We look forward to seeing you tonight! Make sure to bring your camera and tissue;-)
May 9, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
All field trip forms were due Friday. If you have not yet turned yours in, please do so by Monday so we can give the final head count to the museum and begin grouping students with chaperones.
Friday we began practicing for our of the year celebration! Please continue practicing with your child as they will be speaking in front of a large audience. Encourage them to speak in a loud voice and make eye contact with their audience.
All Teacher of the Day forms are due by Monday, May 9th. If your child is signed up and you would like to send the materials early, you may do so as early as next week. Please put all needed materials inside a bag and label it with your student's name. We can't wait to see the students in action!
Also, last week was the last week of homework, guided reading, and sight word club. Students will be busy preparing for the end of the year celebration in addition to completing the last assessments for the year.
Please note some upcoming important dates for the rest of the year:
- Wednesday, May 11th and Thursday, May 12th- End of the Year Celebration/Summative from 5-6:45pm. Program will begin promptly at 5:30pm. Students should come dressed in their Sunday best!
- Friday, May 13th- Mystery Day. If you signed up to participate, please come dressed in character!
- Friday, May 20th- End of the Year Class Party
- Tuesday, May 24th- Field trip to the Children's Museum of Phoenix
- Thursday, May 26th Last Day of School- All students, including half days, will be dismissed at noon.
Lastly, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of the flowers, candy, and giftcards we received this week! We certainly felt the love!
Have a wonderful weekend,
April 18, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
You're invited to our Book Fair Grand Event! Grandparent(s) are invited to join students for breakfast goodies and some special shopping time at the book fair on April 19, 2016 from 7:30-8:30am. Meet us in the K-4 Gallery.
April 11, 2016
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you for attending summative! We hope you had an enjoyable evening with your student. It was especially exciting when a baby chick started to hatch! Since then, 8 more have hatched making a total of 10 chicks. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the chicks on Monday prior to being returned to the farm later in the week.
Next Friday, April 15th will be another kindergarten only dress up day. More pictures will be taken for a special gift received at the end of the year:-). Students may bring their uniform to change into after pictures.
ILP conferences will be held Thursday, April 21st and Friday, April 22nd. Please sign up using the link sent out by the front office. We look forward to meeting with you! Please note that there will be no tutoring during ILP week.
Finally, Mrs. H's birthday is today and we'd like to help her celebrate on Monday. If your student would like to make her a card, her favorite colors are purple and green, she loves baking and crafting and especially loves coffee!
Happy Sunday,
The Kindergarten Team
March 28, 2016
Hello Kinder Families!
Spring pictures will be held this Tuesday, March 29th. It is a free dress, dress up day. All students will be photographed.You will have the option to buy these pictures at a later date.
If you have not already signed up for our end of the year celebration/summative, please do so as soon as possible. We will assign you a day if you have not signed up by today (Sunday). Remember, you are signing up your child. Therefore, you only need to sign up for one slot. The celebration days are Wednesday, May 11th and Thursday, May 12th.
Kindergarten summative is the evening of April 6th. Hopefully our baby chicks will hatch and make their big debut as well!
Finally, please send in any recycled materials (i.e., old plastic food containers, empty egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, etc) by Wednesday of next week. Students will use these to build something special for summative!
Thanks and Happy Easter!
The Kindergarten Team
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to all the chaperones who attended the field trip this past Thursday. We really appreciate your time, flexibility, and generosity. We would also like to thank all the families who donated supplies this week! You guys ROCK!!
Friday at 6pm you should have received the link to sign up for our end of the year celebration/summative. Remember, you only need to sign up for ONE slot on either Wednesday or Thursday (no matter how many relatives are coming). If you do not have a preference, please wait until Sunday to sign up. Please note that once you have selected a day, you will not be able to switch due to performance assignments. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Lastly, our spring summative is the evening of April 6th. Please make sure to mark your calendars for an unforgettable evening!
2/28/16
Hello Kinder Families,
We are still in the process of collecting field trip forms. Please be sure to fill out both the yellow and pink forms and send them both in with your child along with either a check or cash (unless you paid online), Scholastic book orders are due by the end of the month. Please be sure to use your student's class code when ordering. Also, if you would like to purchase a yearbook, all payments are due by March. 4th
Read Across America week will begin this Monday! Students will be engaging in a variety of reading activities in addition to a few, fun dress up "accessory" days.Wednesday, March 2nd is silly sock day and Friday, March 4th is hat day. Both days are optional. Socks and hats are to be worn with regular school uniform.
Spring break is March 7-11th. We hope you and your kiddos enjoy the extra time together. It's supposed to be great weather!
Lastly, kindergarten summative is Wednesday, April 6th, followed by ILP conferences on April 21st and 22nd. Other important dates pertaining to the rest of the year can be found under the more tab on this page.
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
Hello Kinder Families,
Guided reading books came home yesterday. Please make sure you practice reading these with your child and send them back on Monday. With regards to homework, new concepts are introduced periodically so please look over your students work to make sure they are working through each concept correctly. Scholastic book orders were also sent home last week. Please remember to use your child's class code when ordering. All orders are due by February 28th.
Be on the look out for a permission slip to the World Wild Life Zoo and Aquarium to come home with your student sometime early next week. Specific details regarding the trip will be included with your permission slip but Thursday, March 17th will be the actual date of the trip.
Read Across America week is February 29-March 4th. Students will be engaging in a variety of reading activities in addition to a few fun dress up days. Wednesday, March 2nd is silly sock day and Friday, March 4th is hat day. Both days are optional. Socks and hats are to be worn with regular school uniform.
Our music teacher, Mrs. Jernigan, is in need of colored tissue paper. Please send this in with your child anytime if you are able to donate.
Lastly, Spring Break is March 7-11. School will resume Monday, March 14th.
Happy Sunday,
The Kindergarten Team
2/14/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to the party planners and volunteers who helped make our Friendship party a raging success. We appreciate all the time and effort it took to prepare the activities! The students had a blast!
No guided reading books or sight word lists came home yesterday because of our party. Please note that your student will be receiving a new book on Tuesday so please make sure they come prepared!
There will be no school this upcoming Monday in honor of President's Day. Enjoy the extra day of family time!
Mark your calenders for Wednesday, February 24 from 5:00-6:30 pm for Family Academic Enrichment night. This will be a time for you and your student to participate in game like, academic enrichment activities in the areas of STEM & Literacy. Fun and exciting new activities will be set up in all 3 kinder classrooms! We hope to see you there!
Lastly, Mrs. Fernandez had her baby! Preston Kash Fernandez came February 9th and weighed 7lbs 15oz. Both mom and baby are doing great!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
2/7/16
Hello Kinder Families,
As some of you may already know, Mrs. Fernandez is officially on maternity leave! We are fortunate enough to have a familiar face, Mrs. Penman, taking over until she returns.
Our Friendship Party is this Friday! If you signed up to donate supplies, please send them in with your child by Tuesday, February 9th. For lunch, students will enjoy a complimentary piece of pizza, drink, and special dessert. If you think your student will need additional side items, please pack them in their lunchbox. As always, half day students are invited to stay for lunch. Pick up for these students will be at 12:30instead of 11:45.
If your child is planning on handing out valentines and has them ready ahead of time, they may bring them in anytime next week and we will keep them in the classroom until the day of the party.
Lastly, we have a new intern! Her name is Miss Mallory and she is with us twice a week for the next 11 weeks! If your student would like to make her a valentine, we will make sure she gets them!
Have a Wonderful Weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
2/1/16
Kinder Families,
Our Valentine's Day Friendship Party is on Friday, February 12th. If you signed up to donate supplies, please send them in with your child by Tuesday, February 9th. We have also decided to combine the Friendship party with the pizza party Mrs. Kochis' class earned for their participation in Run Devil Run. Pizza, paper plates, napkins, and a drink will all be provided on the day of the party however if you think your student will need additional side items, you will need to pack them in their lunchbox. As always, half day students are invited to stay for lunch. Pick up for these students will be at 12:30 instead of 11:45.
If your child is planning on bringing Valentines, remember they only need to bring enough for their homeroom class. If your child wants to bring some for students in another homerooms, they may do so as well.
We are in need of toilet paper rolls for an upcoming project. Please send them in with your child anytime next week.
Lastly, your child should have received a new guided reading book. Please practice reading with your child and return the bag on Monday!
Thanks!
The Kindergarten Team
1/25/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Guided reading books should have come home Friday. Please practice reading with your student over the weekend and return on Monday. You can also support your child by asking them to retell the story using character names and details. You can also ask specific questions such as "Who is the character?" or "What is the setting?" Unlike the usual copied books, these books are part of our schools collection. You can help us track and return the books in a timely manner by helping your student remember to bring it back everyday. This also ensures your student will be prepared to receive a new book during the next guided reading group.
Scholastic book orders also should have come home Friday. Ordering online is a quick and easy way to add to your home library. All orders are due by Friday, January 29th. When ordering, please make sure to use your child's class code.
Your child should have also brought home a letter regarding Valentines Day earlier this week. I have also attached a copy of the letter just in case. Please remember, if your child is bringing valentines, they need to bring one for everyone in their homeroom class. If your student has a friend in another homeroom, they may bring one for them as well. Students may attach candy or other small items if they choose. We will also be having a Friendship party Friday February, 12th. Specific details regarding the party are still to come but you can be on the lookout for a link to sign up for volunteering, party supplies, and food in the coming week.
The Leader in Me committee is putting together "The Great Kindness Challenge" that will take place next week from January 25th- 29th. This is a school wide initiative that we are encouraging all students to participate in. Students will be receiving a gold "Kindness Challenge" bracelet on Monday to serve as a reminder. Students will also be receiving a checklist with a list of various acts of kindness.
Sparky Ambassadors will be collecting coins during the week to donate to an organization that is trying to build a school in Kenya. All students will be given a baggie on Monday with a note in it to take home to collect spare change. Students may bring the bag back anytime during the week. Thank you in advance for your support and participation!
We are in need of 2 volunteers that can come in on Friday mornings to help run the class store. Please let me know if you are interested! We also are in need of volunteers during center time. Please sign up online if you are available. We REALLY appreciate it!.
Lastly, we are in need of some more white paper bags. Please send them in with your child anytime next week.
1/18/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to all the parents who accompanied our students on the field trip to Schnepf Farm. It was fun seeing the kids pick the radishes and brush the goats! Please send any pictures you took to Mrs. Kochis!
No guided reading books were sent home on Friday because of the field trip. Please continue sending the bags in everyday to ensure your student's active participation during guided reading time.
Student Council is sponsoring the 100th day of school on Thursday, Jan. 21. All students are encouraged to decorate a shirt with 100 items (no candy). The class with the most participation and creativity will win a pizza party. If your student chooses not to participate, they must dress in their regular uniform attire.
We are in need of paper plates and regular size red solo cups for a 100th day of school activity. Art is also asking for baby wipes. If you are able to donate any of these items, please send them in with your child next week. We appreciate any and all donations!
Have a wonderful week,
The Kindergarten Team
1/14/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Just as a reminder, our field trip to Schnepf Farm is tomorrow! If you are a chaperone, please remember that you will need to report to Mrs. Kochis' room at8:45 for a short meeting. Please allow yourself enough time to park and get a pass for your car prior to the start of the meeting.
Lunches need to be packed in brown paper bags with your student's name on it. We have no way of keeping the lunches cold so please pack food items that do not need to be kept cold. If you are chaperoning, please remember to pack a lunch for yourself as well. If you would like to send your child in with a water bottle, please send in disposable water bottles only!
As far as what to wear, your child must come dressed in their maroon uniform polo. Also, the farm has requested that ALL students and chaperones wear long pants (i.e., jeans, sweatpants, leggings) and closed toe shoes.
Students DO NOT need to bring their backpacks tomorrow.
If your student is a half day, please make sure you pick them up promptly at 1:00pmin the drive line.
Thanks,
The Kindergarten Team1/10/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Guided reading books should have come home today. Please practice reading with your student over the weekend and return on Monday. Unlike the usual copied books, these books are part of our schools collection. You can help us track and return the books in a timely manner by helping your student remember to bring it back everyday. This also ensures your student will be prepared to receive a new book during the next guided reading group.
Our field trip is next Friday! I have attached the list of parents who will be traveling on the bus as well as those traveling by car. Please let us know if where we have placed you is something other than you indicated on the permission slip. If you are chaperoning, please be aware that you will need to park and get a parking pass for your car prior to meeting with Mrs. Kochis at8:45. Remember, lunches need to be in a brown paper bag labeled with your students name. Students may wear non uniform bottoms with the maroon polo shirt.
Student Council is sponsoring the 100th day of school on Thursday, Jan. 21. All students are encouraged to decorate a shirt with 100 items (no candy). The class with the most participation and creativity will win a pizza party. If your student chooses not to participate, they must dress in regular uniform attire.
We are still looking for volunteers to help during center time. Please use the link sent out by Mrs. Kochis to view the available slots and sign up where you can. We really love having you!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
1/4/16
Hello Kinder Families,
Happy New Year! We hope you had an enjoyable break. We are looking forward to the upcoming quarter.
We are in need of parent volunteers for centers this week! If you are willing and able, please use the link sent out by Mrs. Kochis to sign up. We greatly appreciate the help!
Guided reading will resume this week. If for some reason your child's reading bag is lost, they will receive a new one. Since we are starting back to school on a Tuesday, students will not be receiving a book tomorrow. Instead, a new book will be coming home on Friday. Starting next week, we will send books home on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Please support your student by reading these books each night. This helps build their confidence and allows us to continually challenge your child.
Please check to make sure your child's name is in each jacket worn to school. If you forgot to check the kindergarten lost and found during ILP's, please do so. There are several unclaimed jackets/sweatshirts.
This quarter you will see dictation on your child's homework. The dictation sentence is located on the bottom of the reading homework. The page to record the sentence is on a separate sheet included in the homework packet. It is set up this way so you can dictate, or read, the sentence to your student and they can record. The way your child practices at home, is the way they will record on their assessment. Please encourage your child to use an uppercase letter at the beginning of the sentence, lowercase letters throughout, spaces between words, and punctuation and the end. Check to make sure your student is spelling each and every word correctly.
See you tomorrow!
The Kindergarten Team12/13/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you to all the volunteers and party planners who helped make the winter party one to remember! We would also like to thank the volunteers who have spent countless hours stuffing portfolios! If you are available to come in on Monday or Tuesday to finish stuffing, please let us know via email. We really appreciate all your help!
Field trip forms should have come home with your child yesterday. Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you did not see one in your child's backpack/folder. Please note that money is due by Friday, December 18th. If you are unable to send in money by then, please at least send in the signed permission slip. We need to give the final headcount to the farm prior to winter break.
The final after school tutoring session is Monday, December 14th. As far as tutoring for next quarter, we will let you know after break if tutoring will be offered as well as who is eligible.
Just as a reminder, "Ugly Sweater" day is Tuesday, December 15th. If your child wishes to participate, they must wear uniform bottoms.
Lastly, ILP conferences are this Thursday, December 17th and Friday, December 18th. Please make sure you have signed up! We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the tremendous growth your student has made this quarter!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
12/7/15
Hello Kinder Families,
A link to sign up for ILP conferences was sent out by the front office on Friday. Please make sure you sign up for a spot on eitherThursday, December 17th or Friday, December 18th. We look forward to meeting with you!
Our Winter Party is this Friday, December 11th. If you signed up to bring in supplies, please make sure you bring them in beforeFriday. Food items for the party may be brought in on the day of the party. If you are volunteering, we ask that you kindly leave siblings at home. This is a special day for you and your child to enjoy together. Students need only to bring a "main entree" for lunch as snacks, dessert, and a drink will be provided. Half day students are encouraged to stay for lunch. Pickup for half day students on this day will be at 12:30 instead of 11:45.
The Sparky Ambassadors are collecting new toys to help restock the Banner Children's Hospital toy closet. Students who would like to participate should bring a new, unwrapped toy that is appropriate for a student around their age group (a seven-year-old boy could bring a toy that he would love for himself). Donations can be of all price ranges, and even small contributions are appreciated for the sick children to provide comfort during their hospital stay. Toys can be brought to the assembly on December 11, or students can bring them to their classrooms ahead of time to store.
The final participation count for the Run Devil Run was announced this week. While we did not meet our goal of 100% participation, we came awfully close! A big thank you to those who participated!
Have a wonderful weekend,
The Kindergarten Team
12/1/15
Hello Families,
We hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving break. Can you believe we only have 2 1/2 more weeks before winter break? Guided reading books will not be coming home this week or next. We will be using our guided reading time during centers to administer the reading assessment. Please continue to support your child in reading by logging into Raz Kids on a nightly basis.
We are in need of parent volunteers! If you are available to volunteer during centers this week or next, please let us know via email. Mrs. Kochis will also be sending out a link to sign up for portfolio stuffing as an additional volunteering opportunity so be on the lookout for that as well.
Our winter party planning committee has arranged for the students to make their own gingerbread house as one of the activities. While the students will not be eating the house, they will be touching candy items to decorate it. If your child is unable to participate in this activity due to allergy or other reasons, please let us know. Hot cocoa will also be made available during story time. Again, if your student is unable to have this, please let us know.
Lastly, keep in mind ILP conferences are Thursday, December 17th and Friday, December 18th. A link to sign up will be sent out by Mrs. Urban in the next few weeks. We look forward to meeting with you!
Thanks!
The Kindergarten Team
11/25/15
Hello Families,
Just as a reminder, the fall party is today! Students only need to bring a main entree for lunch. Snacks, dessert, and juice will be provided to complete the lunch. Snacks include fruit, veggies, lunch meat, cheese, and crackers. The dessert will be a store bought sugar cookie with frosting. If your child is unable to have the dessert, please send in something comparable for them to enjoy. If your child is signed up for hot lunch, you do not need to send in a main entree.
If your child is a half day student, please note that pick up is 12:30, not 11:45.
Thank you to the parents who worked hard putting this party together! We can't wait to enjoy the day tomorrow!
Thanks,
The Kindergarten Team
11/15/15
Hello Kinder Families,
A big thank you to all the families who made a donation to the Run Devil Run! We are anxiously awaiting the final participation count for each homeroom. The homeroom(s) who had 100% participation will be awarded a pizza party.
Student Council will be sponsoring their annual food drive from Nov. 16-20. There will be large containers located in each area of the school however you can send cans in with your child to the classroom directly and we will put them in the appropriate container. The winning cluster will win a free dress day. All canned food will be donated to the United Food Bank and will be picked up on Monday, Nov. 23.
We are in need of a sugar cubes, craft sticks, and craft straw for an upcoming project. If you are able to donate, please send them in with your child. We appreciate any and all donations.
Our fall party will be on Wednesday November, 25th. A sign up for supplies and food for the party will be emailed to you by Mrs. Kochis sometime next week so be on the lookout! On the day of the party, students will participate in a variety of fall themed activities similar to choice activities. The parent committee who is hosting the party will be sending out a sign up for volunteers to run the activities so be on the lookout for that too. For lunch, students will only need to bring a "main entree" (i.e., a sandwich). Special snacks, dessert, and a drink will be given to the students to complete their lunch. As an added treat, half day students are invited to stay for lunch! Pick up for these students will be 12:30 instead of 11:45. There will also be no tutoring for half day students on this day.
The Kindergarten Team
11/9/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Thank you for making summative a truly memorable night. It was fun to see the kiddos take ownership of their work!
In honor of Veteran's day, there will be no school Wednesday, November 11th.
Thank you to all the families who made a donation to the Run Devil Run. If you weren't able to get your pledge form in by Friday, there is still time! Students have until the day of the run to turn them in. We are anxiously awaiting the final count to see if we met our goal of 100% participation! The run will take place this Friday, November 13th. Kindergarten will run from 9-10am. Details regarding attire will be sent out later this week.
Mrs. Kochis will be sending out a sign up for volunteers to come in the afternoon next week to stuff student work in portfolios. If you would like to help, please sign up using the link! We really appreciate the help!
Thanks!
The Kindergarten Team
11/1/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Summative is this coming Wednesday, November 4th from 5:00-6:30! It is an open house format so you can come and go as you please. There is a lot to see so make sure you leave enough time to enjoy all of your student's work.
Don't forget to pledge for the upcoming Run Devil Run! You can do so online or by using the form that was sent home a few weeks ago. Remember, all forms are due by Friday, November 6th to be entered into a raffle for a chance to win principal for the day! As a kindergarten class, we are still hoping to meet our goal of 100% participation! Several pledges have already been made in each homeroom but we need everybody by Friday to win a pizza party!
A note about work coming home. You may have noticed your child coming home with incomplete work and wondered why it was not finished. You are not alone! During center time, children participate in some sort of hands on activity prior to recording their answers and usually are not left with enough time to finish. If you have any other questions about this, please don't hesitate to contact your child's homeroom teacher.
The Kindergarten Team
P.S. Don't forget to send your child to school with chocolate for their teachers on Monday:-)
10/27/15
Hello Kinder Families,
Your child should have brought home a Run Devil Run pledge form this afternoon. If you did not get one, please let your child's homeroom teacher know. We are hoping to get 100% participation in each of the 3 kindergarten homerooms. To get the kids excited about pledging, we came up with some class incentives! We will be checking the progress of our participation on Thursday October 29th, Tuesday November 3rd, and Friday November 6th.
If 5 or more students from each homeroom have pledged online by October 29th, each class that met the goal will receive an extra morning recess! If 15 or more students from each homeroom have pledged online by November 3rd, each class that met the goal will receive an otter pop for snack that day. Yum! If all students in each homeroom have participated by November 6th, each class that met the goal will celebrate by having a pizza party! (We will announce the day of this at a later date if need be).
Please note that only the homerooms that have met the goal each time will receive the incentive.
All pledge forms are due by November 6th to be entered in a raffle to win principal for the day!
Finally, we are in need of more parent volunteers for this Wednesday, October 28th from1-3pm. Volunteers will paper mache a few extra piggy banks, glue tails on the finished ones, and build a fire station out of cardboard boxes! If you are interested, please let us know via email. We truly appreciate all the help!
Have a wonderful evening,
The Kindergarten Team10/25/15
Now that the weather is Finally starting to cool down, we ask that you please remember to write your child's name in his/her jacket. If your child wishes to wear a jacket inside (the building does have a tendency to get cold) they must be solid black, white, grey, maroon, or ASU colors. Jackets worn outside may be any design or color.
This week is Spirit Week.
- Mustache Monday- must wear with school uniform
-Team Tuesday- wear your favorite team's shirt with uniform bottoms
-Wacky Wednesday- crazy hair and crazy socks with school uniform
-Thinking cap Thursday- wear a crazy hat with school uniform
-Famour Friday- dress up like your favorite famous character (No masks or props)
Please note that Spirit days are OPTIONAL.
A reminder to all tutoring students! If your child is a Full Day student, tutoring is from 3:30-4:15 on Mondays and Wednesdays. If your child is a half day student, tutoring is from 11:45- 12:30 on Fridays only. Your child may bring a snack on these days.
All scholastic book orders should have come home last week. If you have not received one, please contact your student's homeroom teacher. All book orders are due by Friday, October 30th.
We are in need of pumpkin seeds for a special project. If you are able to, please send them in with your child next week. We appreciate any and all donations.
With regards to homework, please look over each section to ensure your child is not only doing it correctly, but also understanding each concept. For the writing portions, please check to make sure your child is using capital letters only when appropriate and not in the middle of words.
Lastly, Kindergarten summative is Wednesday, November 4th from 5:00-6:30. It is an open house format. There is a lot to see, so please make sure you come with enough tie to see it all.
Thanks,
The Kindergarten Team
10/19/15
We are looking for treasure box donations and glue stick donations. If you could send either of these in it would be fantastic!! Please don't forget to log into Raz Kids and IXL math on a daily/weekly basis. Please sign up to volunteer in the classroom if you can. We need you!!
10/13/15
Welcome back! We hope you had a restful break. It was great to meet with all of your during ILP conferences. If you did not make yours, please email your child's teacher to reschedule as it is imperative that you attend one. Ms. D'Amore is back from maternity leave, yay!! Ms. Allen is now Mrs. Fernandez after a fantastic wedding on October 2nd. This week starts our new centers. Please refer to your child's new group that was handed out during conferences. (Mrs. Fernandez' s will go home today) Please sign up for as many slots as you would like =) Picture retakes will be on October 15th, the same day as Mrs. Fernandez's birthday. Mrs. Kochis will also be having a birthday on the 20th. Please make sure that you are sending your child with a water bottle every day, their homework folder, reading group book bag (will go home today), and their lunch.
Thanks so much,
The Kindergarten Team
| curriculum_night_2015-16_k-4.ppt |
