Smallwood Drive School - Amherst Middle School

Smallwood Drive School

Kindergarten Orientation

April 01, 2020

Welcome to Smallwood… Starting Kindergarten is an exciting

milestone – for your child and for yourself!

Tonight We Will...

• provide information that is intended to help you and your child with this wonderful transition

• introduce faculty and staff who will be involved in your child’s education

• take a tour of our school and visit a Kindergarten classroom

A True Partnership in Your Child’s Educational Journey

• create a home environment that encourages

learning

• communicate high, yet reasonable, expectations for their child’s achievement and future careers

• become involved in their child’s education

Studies show that the most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is the extent to which that student’s family is able to:

Our Kindergarten Teachers

Jill ZobelJamie CinelliMolly EvartsKathy RansburyLisa PupoStephanie SlocumLindsay Klose

Our Amazing Office Staff

Rose HowardKim CirilloDonna RogalskiKathie Prospero

Other Helpful Resources

School Psychologist Emily Boughton

School Social Worker Jen Noe

Our Assistant Principal

Mr. Richard Crozier

Kindergarten Curriculum

• Follows the Amherst Central School District’s Kindergarten Curriculum which is aligned to the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards

• Thematic planning of units

Balanced Literacy Utilizing the ACSD English Language Arts

Curriculum Guide with a focus on:

• Reading• Writing• Listening• Speaking

Assessments• Early Literacy Profile • Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark

Assessments

• AIMSweb Benchmark Assessments

• Anecdotal Records

Academic Intervention Services

• Extra support is available to meet the wide developmental range of abilities within our entering Kindergarten class

• This support is based on student needs

• Fluid groupings allow teachers to transition students in and out of groups as needed

Reading• Small group• Whole group• Decoding/Fluency• Comprehension

At Home…• Rhyming games

• Dr. Seuss books & nursery rhymes

• Games with beginning sounds

• Music, clapping

• Practice letter identification

• Practice letter sounds

Instill the Love of Books! Read, Read, and Read!!!!

• Sit with your child on your lap and enjoy a story

• Follow the words with your finger

• Ask simple questions about the story

• Model your own enjoyment of reading

• Read what is in your environment

Writing• Handwriting Without

Tears

• Content Writing

• Writer’s Workshop

• Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study – Narrative– Informational– Persuasive

At Home…• Tell stories to your children with

sequence (beginning, middle, end)

• Use materials around the house. (scissors, Playdough, rulers, tape, sand, paint, sidewalk chalk, etc. to strengthen hand/finger muscles)

• Provide writing opportunities and materials

• Practice writing their name

Listening/Speaking

Children are given a variety of opportunities to develop and practice listening and speaking skills.

• Curricular

projects/presentations

• Calendar and Daily News

• Participation in class discussions

Mathematics Utilizing Eureka Math, our math program

consists of:

• Fluency

• Problem Solving

• Number Sense

• Hands-on Approach

At Home…• Use comparative language (thick/thin,

before/after, wide/narrow…)

• Sort objects (animal crackers, laundry…)

• Set the table, count cups, napkins…

• Practice number recognition

• Practice counting to 20

Technology

• One-on-one devices for all students

• Computer Lab in Library Media Center

A Typical Day in Kindergarten

• Morning Routine/Morning Meeting• Word Study• Guided Reading• Shared Reading• Writing • Math• Centers• Lunch• Recess - indoor/outdoor• Specials - Art, Music, P.E., Library/Computer Lab• Dismissal

School Lunch Information• Students eat in the cafeteria

• Students bring or buy lunch

• Lunch account available online

• School monitors and aides assist students

• Practice independence and social skills

• Free and Reduced applications in Opening Day Packet

• Allergies are accommodated

Dismissal• At the end of a busy and productive

day, each child is escorted to the bus by his/her teacher

• Busing is provided for all students regardless of proximity to school

• Busing information will be emailed to you shortly before the start of school. After that, you will be able to create an Aspen account and check on any busing related information

• Of course, you have the option of transporting your child

Social/Emotional Development• P.A.W.S. and Monthly Character Traits

• Second Step Curriculum focusing on emotion management, social skills and problem solving

• The school day is 6.25 hours long

• Help your child be ready to become more independent

• Some ideas…play dates, staying with relatives for the day, summer programs

Independence“I can do it!”

• Simple chores around the house

• Dressing and undressing

• Cleaning up after themselves

• Washing hands, brushing teeth

• Simple problem solving

Help Your Child be Ready to Join a Large Group!

• Encourage them to sit at the dinner table until others are done

• Teach them how to take turns, not only with toys but while talking/listening

• Provide opportunities to follow two or three step directions

What is Kindergarten Screening?

• It is a tool used to assist us so that we can better know our incoming Kindergarten children (strengths and needs)

• It is not used to determine who can or cannot come to Kindergarten

• Any child who turns 5 by December 1st is welcome

• Children will come differing in their rate of growth, energy, size and abilities

Kindergarten Registration and Screening May 19, 2020

- This day is for families new to our district or for students not in the Amherst Pre-K Program

- You will receive an appointment time in the mail within the next two weeks

- Along with your child, please bring two proofs of residency, the Parent Observation Form and Medical Information with you to your appointment

- The process should take approximately one hour

Kindergarten Registration for Those who Attend our UPK Program

- Children currently participating in the Amherst Central School District’s Pre-K Program will not have to come in for screening or registration

- These students have already been screened and registered when coming into the Pre-K Program

- Data and information from your child’s current teacher will be used in the placement process

Our School NurseKathy Celmer

What does a school nurse do?

• Tracks immunizations and physicals

• Administers and monitors medications

• Plans for accommodation of special needs

• Hearing, Vision and Scoliosis Screenings

• Assesses and responds to illness/injuries

• Calls parent or emergency contact if a student is ill or injured

Need slide for Laura Samol

Smallwood PTA

Leslie PisarziewiczPresident

Shannon RagonnetPTA Board Member and

Strategic Planning Team Parent Rep

Amherst Central School District Webpage

www.amherstschools.org

Under the Smallwood Elementary tab you will find….

PTA Information and Membership Aspen Family Portal

School Events Calendar PAWS Press Newsletter

Featured School Activities School Handbook

School Lunch Information

•

Thank you for coming and please remember that we are here to assist you with any questions you may have along the way!

We are looking forward to welcoming your child to our Smallwood family in September!

Tour of Building

Please join a PTA representative for a tour of the building and see a typical Kindergarten classroom.

Questions and Answers• Our team will be up front to answer any questions you may have, please come down

to see any one of us.