• Welcome to Basha!

    Mrs. Lee’s

    Kindergarten Class

    2023-2024

     

    Welcome to Basha!  Below you will find helpful information about our school, school policies, classroom procedures, and curriculum. An additional curriculum outline can also be found on my website!  If you have any questions about the information below, please let me know.

     

    Kindergarten Hours: Basha school hours are from 8:30-3:00, with the first bell ringing at 8:05 and the tardy bell ringing at 8:30.  Kindergarten dismisses five minutes early at 2:55. With children this young, it takes a little longer to get all our little ones headed in the right direction.

     

    Kinder Quiet Start: Kindergarten students will be allowed to enter the building and head to their classrooms as they arrive at school. Parents may walk their child back on the first day of school only. The rest of the year you give a big hug that lasts the whole day in front of the school. Students will unpack and then start a quiet activity at their desks.

    * Keep in mind that per school policy, children are not allowed on campus prior to 8:05, as there is no supervision at this time. *Siblings of Kinders will line up outside of the school in their designated class area.

     

    CHANGING PICK-UP PROCEDURES: Parents must notify me in writing or by email if a change is to be made regarding pick-up procedures. This is school policy and is necessary for the safety of your child. The only exception would be a phone call made to the office, and then the office staff would notify me of the change. If your child “tells” me he/she will not be riding the bus, I must send him/her on the bus if I haven’t received a written note or email. Please use the daily folder to send notes to school. I check folders each day. If you do not get a confirmation from me call, as I may have a substitute who does not have access to my email. I try my best to let you know when I am out.

     

    Backpacks: Write your child’s name on their backpack inside is fine, but there will be duplicate backpacks and lunch boxes. Please have a backpack large enough to hold folders, artwork, and daily papers that your child will be bringing home. Please no mini backpacks.

     

    It’s a good habit to check your child’s backpack daily.  Going over your child’s daily work will help you understand what we are doing in the classroom, as well as give you and your child some special time together.  Children at this age are very enthusiastic about sharing their accomplishments. If something is not finished, do not worry. If they work the whole time, I am proud of their effort. If I need it to be completed because they were not working hard at school, I will always attach a note.

     

    Blue Daily Folders: These will be used to send home special notes, homework, behavior chart, reading logs & books, etc.  Please remove the important notes, initial behavior grade and have your child return the folder to school EACH day.    

     

    Newsletter:  During the year, I will be corresponding with you through weekly newsletters every Friday.  These newsletters will be sent to you via email, unless otherwise requested.  It will contain academic information, special schedules, and important dates.

     

    Homework:  Beginning in August, Kindergarten homework consists of nightly reading which you will record by coloring one picture per night on the homework log, and the monthly calendar-pick 2-3 activities per week to complete and initial. On the last day of the month, turn in the homework calendar only- keep any work at home. The students receive a treat for returning homework and it is a category on their report card.

     

    Star of the Week VIP:  Every child will have the opportunity to be the “Star of the Week .”  A poster will be sent home the Friday before so you can put pictures on it and fill it out.  They will be the helper for the week.  Their last day as a star is Friday. I invite the parents in on that day. Good times for us are  9:00,12:10, or 2:30, to read your child’s favorite story to our class.  If none of those times work, email me and we will find a different day. If you cannot make it in, you may send me the book and I will read it.

    Weekend Pal: Every child will get a chance to take Zoomer home for the weekend. Zoomer comes with 2 classroom library books and a binder. Please record the visit by drawing, writing and or taping pictures in the binder. Make sure to return everything on Monday. (If something unfortunate happens let me know ASAP and I will send you the replacement link😉)

     

    Birthdays:  We will share in the celebration of your child’s birthday by singing to your child and presenting them with a crown, sticker, and birthday pencil. NO TREATS this year… I am starting a birthday book club. Instead of spending money on cupcakes, the kids only lick the frosting off. You can buy a book from our class library. I have a few favorites on Amazon here or buy us a copy of your child’s favorite. I will put a special label on the book.

    Birthday Invitations If you are having a birthday party, you can send in invitations to the entire class, and I will help pass them out. If only part of the class is invited, please email me and I will get you in touch with those parents. Hearing you are not invited to a birthday is one of the saddest feelings in the world☹

     

     

    Water Bottles:  I strongly suggest that your child brings a water bottle to school during the warm weather months.  On hot days, the water comes out of the drinking fountain rather warm, so children prefer having their own water.  Please label the bottle clearly with your child’s name.  (Please, water only – juice, soda & flavored waters are not allowed.) I also have special buckets in the classroom for water bottles. This keeps the water from spilling onto desks, etc. We take several water breaks during the day to keep hydrated. I PREFER A NON SPILLABLE LID😊

     

    Discipline Plan:  The emphasis in kindergarten is BE POSITIVE & KIND!  I encourage good behavior constantly and look forward to spending each day with these bright and wonderful children.  The children are given lots of praise and positive reinforcement for following rules, as well as stickers, stamps, and pack awards.  The rules are simple and fair.  Be Kind, Be Safe, Work Hard and Have Fun. They will also be discussed often to help the children adjust to their new classroom environment. Good character will be emphasized through our school P.A.C.K.  Positive, Achieving, Compassionate, Kids.

     

    We will spend the first weeks of school reviewing rules and classroom procedures.

     1.)    Walk on the sidewalks and in the hallways

    2.)    Respect one another, use kind words

    3.)    Be kind to one another.  Hands to yourself.

    4.)    Use a soft voice inside the classroom.  When I am talking to the class, I ask all of the children to be respectful listeners.

    5.)    Always clean up

    6.)    Follow directions when they are given

    7.)  Do your personal best…ALWAYS

     

    Class Discipline Procedures:  A behavior chart will be in the folder.  Students will get a letter circled for their behavior.

    E=Excellent -0 reminders

    S= Satisfactory/ Good day – 1 reminder

    I=Improving w/help 2-3 reminders

    N= Needs Improvement 4+ reminders

    This is a learning process for most students. Please know that the discipline was handled in class. I do ask you to talk with your child about what the reminders were for and together come up with different ways to improve. Progress over perfection.

    If a child consistently needs more than four reminders a day, a misconduct ticket will be necessary. It is a small note sent home for you to sign and return. This is a tangible reminder that they are not following school rules and need to change their behavior.  I am proactive and will implement a behavior plan with your support when I notice behaviors not responding to classroom strategies.   After 3 misconduct tickets in a semester, an office referral is the next step. The referral stays on their school record.

     

    VIOLENCE- THREATS- FIGHTING-PROFANITY are NOT tolerated at Basha.  Those responsible will be sent directly to the principal, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.  Parents will be notified immediately. 

     

    Toys/Electronic Games:  Toys and/or electronic games are not allowed at school per school policy. During the school year, there will be special days when your child is allowed to bring a toy from home (ex: show n' tell days).

     

    Snacks:  Due to our early lunch schedule, Kindergarten will be having an afternoon snack.  Each child will bring their own snack from home.  Please keep it in a separate place from their lunch box & in a throw-away baggie or container. Please NO NUTS for snacks. We share the same playground equipment and do not have a nut-free table at snack time.

     

    Breakfast:  $2.25 must arrive early, 8:05-8:25 and eat in the cafeteria prior to coming to class.

    Lunch:  $3.25

     

    Thematic Units:  During the year we will be working on a variety of Thematic Units through our ELA adoption HMH Into Reading.  Thematic Units let students learn new concepts by integrating all curriculum areas: math, reading, language, science, and social studies.  Through these fun Thematic Units students will become cooperative learners, develop self-esteem, and enjoy working in a positive classroom environment. 

     

    Curriculum:   Please go to my website and view the curriculum PowerPoint! For additional information, refer to our district/school website. Arizona Standards have been adopted and implemented, and all lessons are based on these standards!

    *Individualized Instruction/Assessments: Each child will be assessed and receive work in reading groups according to their instructional level!

     

    Language Arts: In my classroom, Language Arts will consist of whole group instruction, Literacy Stations, small reading group instruction, writing, and a print rich reading environment! Arizona ELA Standards focus heavily on reading, questioning, and learning from informational text. Therefore, our language arts program will integrate science and social science.

     

    Individualized Small Group Reading Instruction: I meet with students 3-4 times a week in small groups. Each group receives instruction on their level. Some groups might be working on learning letters and sounds, while others may be reading books. The reading group book will come home in a plastic sleeve in the daily folder.  Please sign the reading log that indicates the reading has been completed and return it to school the following day.  More communication will come home when groups are about to start in the 2nd quarter.

    *Please be patient, as it takes a few weeks to learn classroom routines, and assess student levels prior to starting small group work.

     

    Writing: In Kindergarten, students start with pictures, then add words, and then sentences to communicate thoughts, ideas, and stories. This is a process that develops over time, but at the end of the year you will be amazed at your child’s progress. Our district handwriting program is based on Ball & Stick writing.

                                           

    Math: In Math, we will do both whole group and small group work. Many of our activities are hands-on, so you will not always see daily worksheets coming home. Arizona Math standards want children to investigate and discover math outcomes! This will be done in class, guided by the teacher, and recorded in math journals.

    Science/Social Studies: As mentioned above, science and social studies will be integrated into our language arts program. We will also do many investigations and record our findings in journals.

     

    Volunteers:  We love volunteers in Kinder!  Please give us time to settle down and we will contact you.

     

    School Colors/Logo:  Our school colors are Navy Blue & Tan/Khaki, and our logo is the Bobcat (Zoomer).

     

    School Supplies: School supplies are provided by the district for all students. We have pencils, scissors, and glue, and each child has their own box of (8) crayons.

    I understand that young children are very excited about shopping for school, so a new backpack and water bottle are always great ideas!  

    If your child wants other items, it’s always a good idea to keep them at home in a special place to use for homework and school projects.

     

     

    Donations: Throughout the year, we do many special projects that require extra supplies.  Here are some that could get us started for the year: 

    • Gallon, sandwich & quart-size Ziploc bags
    • Elmer’s glue sticks
    • Fun Band-Aids
    • New boys’ underwear size 5-we gift these to our health office
    • New girls’ underwear size 5

    The Amazon List has the rest. 23-24 Amazon wish list

    Our domain is www.cusd80.com  If you have any questions regarding the above information, please feel free to contact me at lee.arwen@cusd80.com. You may also contact me via voicemail at 480-883-4434.

     However, email is the most convenient form of communication for me. I check my email at 7:30 am, 11:20 am, and after school at 3:15 pm.  

    I am proud and excited to have a student teacher from ASU  joining our class in August.

     Thank you and I look forward to a fabulous year! 

    Smiles,

     

    Mrs. Lee