12 days down 168 days to go

YAY! We have successfully completed our first 12 days of Kindergarten :-)

There are a few things I would like to go over.

1) This is a really great way for me to communicate quickly to everyone and it saves a lot of paper. Please come back often, at the very least once a week.

2) We are having a box top collection contest. The prizes are explained on the sheet that went home yesterday. Make sure your child's name is labeled with the box tops so he/she can get the credit. You may bring them to school in a bag or you can tape or glue them to the back of the notice that went home. If you would like another sheet, please let me know. Thanks.

3) A technology agreement went home yesterday. You need to go over this with your child, fill it out, and return it to school in your child's folder. Thank you.

4) Grading - I intended to return your child's graded work this week but it didn't happen. Yesterday, you received information on how to log onto powerschools. Here you may see your child's grades. You may also see how much money your child owes for lunch. I, too, have just received my login information and have not had time to start entering grades. Do not be alarmed if your child has not received a grade yet. I am in the process of entering grades. A letter will be going home next week explaining the grading system in kindergarten this year.

5) A school newsletter went home yesterday in your child's homework folder. It was also emailed to you. This may be the only time it is sent home in paper form. It will be sent through email every month.

6) Earn and Learn is an awesome program that allows you to help our school earn money while you do your normal every day shopping at the shops at NorTerra (on the north side of Happy Valley Road).

You can go to www.shopandlog.com/norterra (this can be done right on your phone, too). Click on the log receipts online box (it is red) and follow the steps. Make sure you write the last 4 digits of your phone number and make sure the business name, location address, and total dollar amount is clear and visible.

You don't have to shop, either. You can like The Shops at NorTerra Facebook page & type in comment "Imagine Belle Canyon likes The Shops at NorTerra." You can follow The Shops at NorTerra on Instagram and in the comments write, "Imagine Belle Canyon likes The Shops at NorTerra." This is something anyone can do. If you have family outside of the Phoenix area (or even the state) they can help us by doing these two things without even having to spend any money :-) So you can get all your family and friends to help us earn money for our school :-) This is a great fundraiser!                             

7) We started ClassDojo today. Information on how you can log on and see your child's behavior throughout the day. I like this program because you can see exactly what your child is doing during the day and when he/she is exhibiting those behaviors.

8) Please sign up for remind and get text reminders for our class. If you don't want the text reminders you can sign up and request an email reminder. It is very easy to sign up, here's how:

text the message: @a9bc2

to the number: 81010

or send a blank email a9bc2@mail.remind.com to get the email instead

Have a great weekend! My daughter is turning 4 on Monday and we are having her party tomorrow :-) (I'll post a picture on this blog)

Papers Going Home

Dear Parents,

There are many things to look for in your child's folder. Please look through everything.

1) Homework
2) Box Tops sheet
3) Technology Agreement
4) Power Schools login information
5) School Newsletter
6) Earn and Learn flier

Please come back and visit this blog. I will post more about some of these things this weekend.

Thank you.

More Kindergarten Reminders

Here are some more reminders.

Student may only have water in their water bottles in the classroom. Anything else (i.e Poweraid or Gatorade) is for lunch.

Students need to complete their assignments in pencil, unless otherwise indicated.

Please talk to your students about sharing food. We understand that you provide food for your child, not for him/her to give away. I have addressed this issue with our class. It would help if you also talked this over with your child. I have assured the students that the school will make sure everyone has a lunch and they do not need to feel as though they need to give their food to anyone else who they may think is hungry.

Kindergarten Reminders

- Please do not allow your child to bring toys to school - Not even in his/her backpack.
- Please check your child's homework folder every day.
- Please empty your child's folder of excess paper, every day.
- Please make sure your child does his/her homework every day.
- Please make sure the homework folder comes to school every day.
- Please make sure you return the homework calendar every day.
- Please help your child practice writing his/her name capitalizing the first letter only, all the rest are lower case.

Classroom Donations

I have created a online sign up for items we will be needing throughout the year. Please check back often to see what our class will be needing throughout the year. I will try to give advance notice as much as I can. Occasionally there will be items with short notice.


www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0E4CAAA92DA0FE3-supplies 

More Information

Breakfast -

If your child brings a breakfast to eat, make sure he/she does not eat his/her lunch. On Friday a student did not have very much to eat during lunch because he ate most of his lunch during breakfast.

Your child does not have to bring a breakfast to school. He/she may purchase a school provided breakfast.

Snacks -

Make sure your child eats his/her lunch during lunch time. There are a few students who only eat a few things at lunchtime and then try to eat their lunch (i.e. sandwiches) during snack time.

Meals at School -

Students are dropped off in the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch. There are some staff members there to monitor the students but there is no one watching over each child to make sure they are eating the right things.

Free and Reduced Meals at School -

Please complete and fill out the application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals. This needs to be filled out by each family. If you qualified for a free or reduced meal last year, you need to reapply this year, you do not automatically get re-enrolled (there is a 30 day grace period though - until we determine your status for this year). If you did not qualify you need to reapply. Circumstances change from year to year and qualifications change from time to time. You never know this year you may qualify or depending on your situation, you may not qualify this year or you may qualify again. You won't know until you apply.

Classroom Supplies -

Please make sure your child has brought his/her folders to school. There a still a few who have not brought any. If you have any you'd like to donate for those who have not yet brought theirs, that would be greatly appreciated.

Please visit www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0E4CAAA92DA0FE3-supplies for other items you can donate for our class.

First Day

Our first few days of school will be full of learning and practicing our procedures.

There are a few housekeeping items I would like to go over.

1) Students may begin entering classrooms at 7:50 a.m. Please make sure your child goes to the bathroom before coming into the classroom.

2) Breakfast is in the cafeteria from 7:30 am - 7:50 am. Students will enter the school from the playground entrance of the school at 7:30 and will be led into the cafeteria.

3) Please make sure your child's personal items are clearly marked with their name. For security purposes you may choose to out his/her name on the back of the backpack (where the backpack rests against his/her back) or on a label on the inside of the backpack. Items that need to have their name on the them are backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, jackets, and sweaters.

4) Near the end of the day we have snacks and recess. Students are responsible for bringing their own snack to school. Students are not required to bring a snack, however, they will not be provided a snack. If a child wants to have a snack, he/she needs to bring a snack to school.

4) Please make sure your child brings a water bottle to school. Write your child's name on the water bottle (even if it is a disposable water bottle). Your child brings his/her water bottle to school and then brings it home again. Any water bottle that is left at the school on Friday will be thrown away after school. Students will have an opportunity to get drinks of water at a drinking fountain throughout the day but we will not be allowing children to leave individually during class to get a drink of water from the fountain. Having a water bottle in class allows the children to quench their thirst without missing any instruction time. If you are unable to provide a water bottle for your child, please contact me.

5) We will provide 2-3 times for your child to go to the bathroom as a class. It is important that your child attempts to use the bathroom during these times. It interrupts class learning time when we go to the bathrooms together as a class and 15 minutes later a student says he/she has to go to the bathroom. When one student asks, 4-5 other students suddenly have to go to the bathroom, too. We do not want any children to have an accident at school, so if a student needs to use the bathroom between our our class trips to the bathrooms, we will allow him/her to go. However this is often avoided when the child actually goes to the bathroom when we go as a class. Often times the student said he/she didn't have to go or didn't try when we all went together.

6) We have a few students who still have not brought in their folders for class. Each student needs to bring in a green, red, blue, and yellow plastic 2 pocket folder. If you are unable to purchase these things for your child, please contact me. Please make sure your child brings these folders to school as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for sharing your children with me this year.

Kristal Gardner

Welcome!

Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year at Imagine Bell Canyon!  It is my honor and privilege to be your child’s teacher this year.  Below you will find a great deal of information.  It is my recommendation that you keep this packet where you can easily find the information provided throughout the school year.  Thank you for taking the time to read this material.  Also, thank you in advance for your commitment to your child’s education.  I am certain that it will be a great school year.  I am dedicated to providing your child with a great education so please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns throughout the school year!  

Mrs. Gardner J

At meet the teacher night you were given a packet. As a reminder the white papers are for your reference. You may keep these at home and refer to them as needed. The pink papers are forms I need you to complete and return to school by Friday, August 14. 2015. The blue papers are optional. These are forms that will help me get to know you, your child, and your family just a little bit better. Please return all the forms on or before Friday, August 14, 2015. 

Thank you so much!

Spring Conferences

It's Parent Teacher Conference Time!

Spring conferences are optional. Unless I specifically ask you to sign up for a conference, you don't need to sign up for a conference. However, if you would like to have a conference, you are more than welcome to sign up for a conference.

Here is the link to sign up online.

Es de Padres y Maestros Tiempo Conferencia!

Conferencias de primavera son opcionales. A menos que específicamente pido que inscribirse en una conferencia, no es necesario registrarse para una conferencia. Sin embargo, si a usted le gustaría tener una conferencia, usted es más que bienvenido a inscribirse para una conferencia.

Aquí está el enlace para inscribirse en línea.