WELCOME TO ST. MALACHY PARISH KINDERGARTEN

            I am very excited for the 2008-2009 school year to begin with a new group of students and families to get to know, in our school’s 53rd year!  I have been teaching at St. Malachy Parish School for 26 years.  My first three years were teaching in the third grade and the last 23 have been teaching kindergarten.  I attended Purdue University and majored in Early Childhood Education.  At IUPUI, I attended classes to be certified in Elementary Education.  I received my Masters Degree in both fields from Butler University.  Each year I attend professional conferences and

in services, as well as read professional books to keep a fresh outlook. I am very blessed to have a profession that I truly enjoy!!

          My husband, Marty and I celebrated our twenty first wedding anniversary in June.  St. Malachy Parish is an important part of our lives and we strive to be active members.  Marty and I have been blessed with two children.  Nolan is a high school senior and Bridget is a freshman.

          Mrs. Ann Dodds is returning as our Kindergarten Aide. 

          I strongly feel that communication between parents and teachers is very crucial for a successful year.  Anytime that you have a question, concern, or comment, please contact me.  I prefer to be contacted during the school day, by sending a note with your child in his/her folder, or by leaving me a school voice mail message at 852-2242, extension 229.  Let me know when a good time to reach you would be (evenings are fine, too), and I will get in touch with you as quickly as possible. My e-mail is usually open all day- my address is mfeeney@stmalachy.org.  You can also reach my e-mail address through the school’s web page- www.saintmalachyschool.org.

 Formal conferences will be held on Tuesday, October 21 and Wednesday, October 22. There will be no kindergarten classes held on either of these days.  Please bring your calendars to our parent Open House tomorrow night, August 14 at 7:00 P.M. to sign up for a conference time on one of these two days.  I send home parent letters on Mondays and monthly calendars. The parent letter is also posted weekly on my link on the school’s webpage.  Our report cards are very detailed and time consuming for me to assess each child, so they will only be issued at the end of each grading quarter.  Kindergarten children will not have progress reports when the rest of the school does.  If I have concerns about your child’s progress between report cards, I will contact you and you may do the same if you have concerns.

              Here is an overview of the McMillan/McGraw Hill Reading Readiness Program:

☺    Read aloud fiction and nonfiction trade books as well as big books introduce the theme and build on prior knowledge. Contemporary and traditional tales develop comprehension skills, reading strategies; facilitate oral language development and vocabulary expansion.

☺    The unit themes are connected to social studies, science, math and fine arts.

☺    The phonics library supports phonics instruction, practices high-frequency words, and develops reading fluency.

☺    Leveled books meet a range of individual reading needs in small groups, beginning in October.

☺    Alphafriends are shaped like small letters to help with letter sound associations.  There is a cd with one song for each character.

☺    Practice books include letter identification, handwriting practice, letter-sound associations, comprehension and literature response, and informal assessments. 

First we will be introducing all of the letters of the alphabet in alphabetical order, how to print the capital and small forms of the letters, listening to stories, singing songs, reviewing nursery rhymes, and learning routines. 

           Our school has implemented a writing workshop at all grade levels.  For the kindergarten children this goes together with learning to read as they apply sight words and sound/letter associations to their writing.  All writing on the children’s pieces will be their own.  If they need help in spelling a sight word that we have not learned yet, we will give it to them on a post it note for them to copy.  The post it note with the word written on it can be kept in their writing folder so they can refer to it again. The children can also confer with a partner to help them with their writing.  We will be sharing together our writing pieces each day.  My hope is that the children will understand that their writing has meaning to them and that conventions allow people to understand what they are writing. They will be writing about their lives, not making up stories, as that is more difficult to make the words come alive.  The writing pieces that the children work on in class will be kept in a “works in progress” folder or a “completed work” folder.  The completed works will be sent home at the end of each grading quarter and you should be able to see progress over the year.           

           Call to Faith is the title of our Religion Series. This kindergarten program gradually introduces the children to the simple truths of faith at their level of experience and understanding.  It helps them to see life and Religion as an integrated whole and initiates them into Catholic traditions.  We enable the children to sense God’s presence, to encounter him and enter into communion with him, through prayerful experiences.  The kindergarten program prepares the children to participate in the liturgy in simple, small steps.  It fosters the awakening of a Christian conscience and good decision making skills. The children will engage in activities that will make them aware of the needs and feelings of others.  The kindergarten children will not be attending the weekly grade school Mass.  They will participate in two Prayer Services.  The Thanksgiving Prayer Service will be during the school day on Monday, November 24 and the Valentine Prayer Service will be in the evening on Thursday, February 12. 

            The Saxon Math program starts each day with the children participating in a beginning of the day math activity called “Meeting Time.”  During this time, they practice skills related to the calendar, counting, patterning, number recognition, time, money, and estimation.  Each month, “Meeting Time” changes slightly as the children acquire additional knowledge and skills. “The Lesson” occurs later in the day with new objectives, or increments are introduced through carefully selected group activities.  The children use materials, engage in discussions and work together to help one another learn. 

           Please discuss our classroom and school rules with your children so that they know what is expected of him/her.  The three classroom rules cover many behaviors. 

1.     Do what is right.  (Do what the teacher tells you to do, be honest, participate in activities, clean up after yourself, use a quiet voice.)

2.     Do your very best.  (Ask the teacher for help when needed, listen carefully to directions, pay attention, and work carefully and neatly.)

3.     Be kind to others. (Touch others nicely, take turns, say kind words to others, listen to others, and be helpful.)

A stop light system will be used.  Everyday, all children begin their day with a clothespin with their name on it on the green light.  If children are not following the rules, they are reminded.  If they continue to have difficulty following the rules, their clothespin will be moved to a yellow light.  If they intentionally hurt someone or do not change their behavior after a yellow light, his/her clothespin will be moved to a red light.  He/she will be given a five-minute time out, and a note will be sent home to be signed, to be returned the following day. Learning center time may also be withheld depending on the severity and frequency of the problem. If there are frequent episodes of yellow or red lights with your child, I will talk with you to share ideas about how to help your child to improve his/her behavior.  Your support at home makes the biggest difference!  All teachers in the building, especially the Specials Teachers may use the stoplight system with the kindergartners, as good behavior is expected throughout our school building. 

I strive to catch the children following the rules and praising them for this behavior.  Their reward is being able to fully participate in all activities and receiving good conduct marks on their report cards.  Most importantly, they will be happy and so will their parents and teachers! 

          Please carefully read through our school’s parent handbook and keep it handy.  It has important information for kindergarten families!   

  I am looking forward to a great year working together with your child and you. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Mary Feeney

PROCEDURES THAT HELP OUR DAY RUN SMOOTHLY

Please be sure that both parents as well as child care providers are aware of these routines! 

MORNING ARRIVAL-7:15 a.m. , 7:40- tardy

The school opens at 7:15 a.m. The children wait in the gym until the classroom opens at 7:30 a.m.  The children need to be in our classroom by 7:40 a.m. Children arriving after 7:40 a.m. need to report to the office through the front doors for a tardy pass.   Our outside kindergarten door is kept locked for our security.

Car Riders-Children are dropped off at the North (football field side) gym door.  Please see School Arrival in the Parent Handbook for specifics on the car traffic patterns around the school. There are staff members at that door to help the children to know where to go.

Bus Riders- Children enter through the front doors of the school and walk through the lower hallway and across the gym to our room. 

MORNING DISMISSAL-10:40 a.m.

Vehicles form a single line at the south (kindergarten side) gym doors, so that the passenger side is by the gym door.  The children will be allowed to get into the first four vehicles in line.  Then as those vehicles leave, the children that go with the next four vehicles will be allowed to go to them and so on.  You may need to be standing by your vehicle after you pull up to assist your child(ren) to get in.  Please pull up out of the way to buckle seat belts so that we can move the line up as quickly as possible.  If it is raining heavily or it is slippery, the children will get into the vehicles, one at a time.  If you are late and there is no line left, your child will wait for you in the school office. 

AFTERNOON ARRIVAL-11:20 a.m –Tardy- 11:30 a.m.

Vehicles form a single line, by the south (kindergarten side) gym doors.  Please be aware that the elementary children will still be in session upstairs if you arrive early.  Children wait in their vehicles until I come out to accept children to wait in the airlock at 11:20. The first four vehicles in line may have their child(ren) walk to the gym door.  After those vehicles have moved up, the next four vehicles may send their children in and so on. If it is raining heavily or it is slippery, I will release the children from their vehicles one at a time.  After 11:30, take your child to the office for a tardy pass.  Our outside kindergarten door is kept locked for our security. 

AFTERNOON DISMISSAL-STAGGERED

2:30-Brownsburg bus riders exit from the front school door. 

2:35-St. Malachy buses- bus riders exit from the south gym door.

2:40-Car Riders-are dismissed from the North gym door.  You need to arrive before then because that is when the gate is closed to the back parking lot on the football field side.  Please see School Dismissal procedures and traffic patterns in the parent handbook. 

2:32-Southbound walkers and bikers

2:40-Northbound walkers leave and the Extended Day children report to the gym.  

Bus buddies may arrive two minutes early for the first two weeks of school to meet their kindergartner at either the front or gym doors (not at the kindergarten door, please.)  If you need help finding a bus buddy for your child, please check with our office staff. 

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES

If your child is going home with someone different or a way that is different than usual (ie.from bus rider to car rider), send a written note in your child’s folder. Do not depend on your child to tell me or for me to remember when you verbally tell me.  Call the office if it is a last minute change by 10:20 for the morning class or 2:00 for the afternoon class so there will be time to get the message to me. Please do not use my voice mail or e-mail for this.  This is for your child’s safety.

ABC’s for KINDERGARTEN PARENT INFORMATION

ABSENCE PROCEDURES

CHILD OF THE WEEK

ORDERS FOR BOOK CLUBS

RECOGNITION AWARDS

SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS

SAVE THIS PACKET SO THAT YOU CAN REFER TO IT DURING THE YEAR.  IT WILL ANSWER MANY QUESTIONS!  This information is also on our school website.  THANK YOU!!!

ABSENCES

Parents must call the office by 8:30 a.m. for a morning child or 12:00 p.m. for an afternoon child to report an absence.  Upon returning to school, students must present a written note specifically stating the reason for the absence.  I will make up any essential work with your child, a little each day during learning center time.  Anything sent home does not need to be returned. It is our school policy that students absent for family vacations will not be given work before the absence.   

BE PUNCTUAL and BIRTHDAYS

It is a good habit to be punctual and it starts your child’s day off right! 

Your child’s birthday will be recognized by singing to him/her and have a special sticker and crown to wear.  Summer birthdays will be recognized in May.  Due to state guidelines, birthday treats and treat bags are not allowed.  Our school policy is not to pass out party invitations. You will receive a school directory with the addresses and phone numbers of your child’s classmates. 

CHILD OF THE WEEK

The order of the names on the list is made by drawing names randomly.  On Monday, the special child brings his/her poster to hang in the classroom until the following week.  Please see the sample in this folder for some ideas.  The posters are all unique, just like the children!  On Monday, Clifford or Curious George materials will be sent home with the special child.  During the week, the class will draw pictures of the special child and dictate something that they like about the special child and this will be bound into a booklet.  On Friday, the special child will bring the Clifford or Curious George materials and we will read the story about what they did at your house during that week.  The special child will also be able to visit with Mrs. Sullivan, our principal, and Mrs. Ettenberger, our vice-principal sometime during the month of their special week. 

*If either or both parents would like to come in sometime during your child’s special week to read your child’s favorite story, that would be great! You may come together or on separate days.  Usually 8:40 for the AM class and 11:30 for the PM class work the best.  If you need another time, we can work it out.  Please check with me about the time beforehand.  If you wish to stay our entire class time or even a half hour, the children would enjoy it!  Younger children may only stay while you read the story.  If you are unable to visit our classroom or do not feel comfortable reading to the class, just send in your child’s book and we will be glad to read it to the class as time allows during the week. 

DRESS your child in clothing appropriate with the kindergarten dress code.  Practical, sturdy clothes are best as we spend a lot of time on the carpet. 

EXERCISE is an important part of learning and it truly wakes up your brain!  We do exercises that cross the mid-line of the body to help the two sides to the brain to talk to each other better! 

FORGOTTEN ITEMS-DO NOT GO BACK HOME TO PICK UP items such as book bags, library books, gym shoes, etc.  Your child will save face with their classmates, even though they may be upset about it.  The children need to learn responsibility by the natural consequences of their mistakes and there isn’t anything that we can’t live without.  If you bring those items in late, it is disruptive to our classroom. Your cooperation is appreciated!  If a library book is forgotten, a new book may still be checked out, but please return the old book the next day to me.  I will get it returned to the library. 

GYM class will be once a week.  Please have your child wear athletic shoes that day so that we don’t have to take class time to change shoes.  You will receive a schedule of our weekly classes soon.

HELP your child to be prepared for school the night before!  This will help them learn the days of the week and remember whether they need to return a library book, wear gym shoes and it will help prevent scrambling before school.

INSIDE the school office is a Sign-In book.  All parents and other visitors are asked to sign in each time they enter the building only through the front doors and wear a security badge. 

JESUS is present in our classroom and the reason for our school.  It is our   hope that he is the main reason that your child is attending our school.  The kindergarten children’s hearts are very receptive to learning about God!  

KINDERGARTEN names are written with a capital (upper case) letter at the beginning, but all other letters are small (lower case) ex- Mary Feeney.   Please encourage your child to print his/her name in this form.  

LABEL all jackets, boots, backpacks, etc. with your child’s name. 

MONEY and checks should always be sent in an envelope labeled with your child’s name and what purpose the money is for. 

NOTES to me should be sent in your child’s folder in the book bag.  Please do not hand them to me in the dismissal or arrival car line- I am likely to misplace it.  Your child will open his/her backpack upon arriving in the classroom to check the folders daily and it is expected for you to check it as well, for correspondence, projects, papers, and newsletters from me.  Please empty the folder daily.  The children learn responsibility by bringing the folder back and forth every day.  Please have your child choose one folder so that your child doesn’t have to look through multiple folders for your notes. 

ORDERS FOR BOOK CLUBS

I place monthly orders from Seesaw Book club.  These orders are optional.  Seesaw is from Scholastic Books and they offer good literature selections and are reasonably priced.  If you wish to order, I will send home instructions how to order online with the monthly selections. Watch the due dates on the order forms.  Your ordered items will be sent to our classroom and I will place them in your child’s backpack.  The best part for our class is that we earn free books and materials through these orders. 

PERMISSIONS SLIPS- the children will ride on the St. Malachy bus and will need a permission slip for each trip.  PTO funds our trips!  Some of the trips that we may attend are: Beasley’s apple orchard in September, The Animal Den kennel in October, Day of the Dead celebration by walking to St. Malachy cemetery in early November, Sally’s Ceramics in December, Comfort Dental office in March, Mexican grocery store in April, and  a farm in May.  Chaperones are limited to six parents per class per trip. You may indicate your interest in attending on the permission slip, a couple of weeks before the trip.  You will be notified if you will be chaperoning for that trip after the due date.  I will keep track of how many trips you have attended to give families at least one turn to chaperone during the school year.  Please keep in mind that siblings are not allowed to attend field trips.  Some visiting class speakers may be: police officer, firefighters, and a doctor.  If you have any suggestions for field trips or guest speakers, feel free to share them with me.

QUESTIONS from you are always welcome!  Please save time and ask me rather than your friends.  Send me a note, call and leave a message on my voice mail at 852-2242-extension 229 or e-mail me at mfeeney@stmalachy.org. 

RECOGNITION AWARDS

Our school awards are given at the end of each grading quarter. 

CHRISTIAN AWARD-The children secretly choose the person who acts the most like Jesus-kind, friendly, helpful, sharing, etc. 

STUDENT AWARD-I choose someone who is doing an overall excellent job, has made many improvements, or has shown a lot of effort on their work.  

ATTENDANCE AWARD-All students who had no absences or were not tardy during the past quarter.  Please keep ill children home. Children must be free of fever over 100 degrees or stomach flu symptoms-even diarrhea- for 24 hours without the aid of medication,  before returning to school in order not to infect their classmates.  

ST. MALACHY is our Patron Saint.  St. Malachy was a bishop in Ireland.  He was a wonderful Church leader until his death at 41 years. His feast day is on November 3. 

TOYS should be left at home.  We have so much power-packed learning going on that we don’t want to spend time settling squabbles, looking for lost parts, or mending broken hearts over broken toys. 

USUALLY a newsletter from me will come home on Fridays and it will be posted on the school web site.  This newsletter will explain what topics the children have been learning about and upcoming events.  It will give you clues about what to ask your youngster to get him or her talking about what we have been doing at school. 

VOLUNTEERS

Please fill out the PTO volunteer sheet if you wish to help in our school in any capacity.  Our school needs copy room help, cafeteria volunteers, library volunteers, etc.  P.T.O. needs many volunteers for their committees in order to provide support for our school.  Room mothers and fathers help by coordinating helpers for our holiday cooking activities.  Individual or small group recipes are made during each party.  It is our school policy that younger siblings are not allowed to attend field trips or parties so that your full attention can be on the kindergartners.  

WEB SITE for our school is www.saintmalachyschool.org.  I will post our class newsletters on it and you may e-mail me through the link on it. 

EXTENDED DAY is available for the afternoon class until 6:00 P.M. for additional fees.  Please check in the office for more information. Your child needs to be registered with the Extended Day program before attending for the first time. 

YOU are the most important teacher that your child has, especially about Religion.  Your child will mirror your attitude toward school.  Let your child know that what happens in school is a priority for you.  Please have your child get plenty of rest at night –bedtime by 8:00-and eat a healthy meal.  He/she will learn so much better! 

ZIPPING one’s own jacket and pants, and tying one’s own shoes makes a child feel confident and independent, but it comes with practice and the coordination and development of small muscles.  Also practice your address with town/city, phone number, and birth date with your child.   Please help your child to learn these skills! 

I appreciate your taking the time to read through all of this information! 

I am looking forward to having a successful year together!

Mrs. Mary Feeney