Through experience, we have found that children strive to meet our expectations. At Bethany Elementary, we have high expectations for your children both academically and behaviorally. Our goal is to teach the students to be: • Respectful • Responsible and • Ready to Learn In Kindergarten, we establish and model behavior expectations for the classroom, the restroom, the hallways, cafeteria, playground and even in the neighborhood. The children also earn Bear Bucks. The specifics of the behavior plan are explained at the curriculum meeting at the beginning of the year. An explanation is also in the child's take home folder where a smiley face or a note indicates how your child's school day went. A communication card is in each child's take home folder. The folder and card are to be returned to school each day and signed weekly.

Each day your child will bring home a folder. Some days it will contain finished work. This is our way of transporting information from school to home and home to school, so please place any papers from home in this folder also. The students will bring their folder to an assigned place in the room and then at the end of the day place it back in their back pack. At home you may want to have an assigned place to keep this folder each night or after looking at it you may want your child to keep it in his/her backpack. This process will prepare them for their planner in first grade. After the children have settled into the routine of getting things back and forth between school and home, book bags will start being sent home. This is a folder containing a book(s) that is on your child's instructional reading level. Your child will have read this book several times in class and should be able to read it to you easily. After reading with your child, please return the book (in its bag) to school the next day. This Reading folder will come to school every day. Throughout the year we will have star word homework, integrated curriculum activities, and math activities to extend learning at home. ALL students are encouraged to complete the homework and return it to their teacher. If you have any questions about the homework, please contact your child's teacher. Each child is encouraged to read or be read to for 20 minutes daily.

Writer's Workshop – Each day, students use pictures and words to express their thoughts. As we move through the year, students write more and draw less. Modeled Writing - The teacher writes in front of students demonstrating writing mini-lessons. This is also a time to show correct penmanship. Shared Writing - Students share personal experiences with the class. Some writing is done by the teacher and some by the student. Guided Writing - The teacher does mini lessons to teach new writing skills or reteaches skills that may need more work. This is done with the whole class, a small group, or with an individual. Handwriting - Our kindergarten uses the modern handwriting program that introduces correct letter formation and finger grip.

Modeled Reading - The teacher selects good literature to read to students. Shared Reading - The teacher and the students read stories together to build reading skills. Independent Reading - Students reading books independently. We do a lot of work with words - putting words together, and taking words apart. Rhyming, Blending, Changing word beginnings and endings are also an important part of our program. Kindergarten has 31Star words. Our Kindergarten students need to know how to read them, write them, and locate them in sentences.

Star Words fo Kindergarten

Calendar teaches days, weeks, months, and years - number order, counting, odd and even patterns, sequence, ordinal numbers, graphs, place value, weather, and position words. Whole group instruction - Daily block of time to teach grade level appropriate math skills and extend mathematical thinking. Small group instructions – Groups are formed based on skill level and the teacher models her lesson based on each group’s instructional level. CGI math (Cognitively Guided Instruction) - Time used to solve story problems and work out math concepts with individual counters. Math Workshop - Area in room where independent math activities take place. Students are also able to revisit other math games and manipulatives.

Computer Station - This station has computer programs to develop math, reading, writing, science and social study skills. Literacy Stations - These stations have activities that develop and extend literacy skills learned in the classroom. Math Station - This station has manipulatives and math games that extend math concepts. Teacher Station/Guided Reading Table - Area of room where the teacher will work with small groups.

In Kindergarten we have a large area where students work on sharing and verbal communication skills. This area is made up of several small areas each set up to help foster social and academic growth. These areas include: • Manipulatives • Computers • Puppets • Library/Writing/Puzzles • Art • Home and Family Center • Sand Table • Math Blocks • Dramatic Play