Sense of Smell

Today we used our sense of smell to figure out which cup had plain water! Each table had three cups. The first was water with lemon extract, the second was water, the third was water with vinegar. My favorite moment was the looks on their faces when they smelled the third cup with vinegar.

Johnny Appleseed Day

Here are some pictures of our celebration today! We even did a toast and "cheers" to Johnny Appleseed! Thank you again to all the families that donated.

Third Grade Buddies

Our class is going to be reading buddies with Mr. Spicer's third grade class. We met each other on Friday and sang some songs to get to know everyone! We will read together about once a month.

Johnny Appleseed Day

There is a note sent home today in your child's homework folder or their backpack. If you are able to donate anything on the list please send the sheet back with your child's name on it and I will then confirm with you about the donation so I don't receive 5 gallons of juice!

Thank you for your help!

Your child's work

When you see work come home that isn't checked or scored- don't be alarmed! This is probably their morning "wake up work". It is independent work. That is why it is sometimes incorrect or unfinished.

Thank you!

Open House

Please don't forget open house tomorrow!

Y5K-2 - 5:30-6:30

3-6 - 7:00-8:00

I hope to see you there!

We are Bucket Fillers!!!

We have read this book in class and learned that we all have an invisible bucket! We can either be bucket fillers or bucket dippers. A bucket filler says or does nice things. When we say or do nice things, it not only fills the other person's bucket but it fills ours too! Below is a link to a short video that helps explain this process further.

Fill Your Bucket

Homework

Just to clarify:

You may leave their monthly homework at home but on Friday (each week), please bring in only that week's page so that I can check it (M,T,W,TH). The homework folders will come home everyday specifically with the calendar that describes your child's behavior with their corresponding colors (green, yellow, blue, red). Please be patient as we learn to fill these out on our own :).

Homework Folders

Homework folders will be sent home tomorrow (Tuesday) with your students behavior calendar. There is an a.m. and p.m. side to each day. I did my best to give out each student's folder (that was labeled), if you get an unfamiliar folder home with your child's name on it please don't be alarmed.

Abc's of Kindergarten

The ABC’s of Kindergarten

A

Allergies: Please notify your child’s teacher if your child has any type of allergy.

Atschool: Please make sure you obtain your username and password from the office. Atschool is our online system that will allow you to contact teachers, view your child’s academic and behavior status, and keep track of attendance and tardies.

Absences: If your child is going to be absent from school, please call the office in the morning.  Please refer to the SPS Parent/Student Handbook for our attendance policy.

Arrival: Students should be in the classroom by 7:50 AM.  If students arrive after 8:00 AM, they will be marked tardy.

B

Box tops: We will collect Box Tops labels.

Birthdays: We encourage you to celebrate your child’s birthday by donating a book to the school library.  If you are having a party outside of school and would like to invite friends from class, please contact the families outside of the classroom.  Please do not send birthday party invitations to school unless the entire class is invited.  This will prevent many hurt feelings!

Book Orders: Every month we will send home a Scholastic Book Club Catalog for you and your child to look over.  These clubs offer wonderful books at reduced prices---what a great way to build your home library!  If you choose to order, please make the check payable to Scholastic Book Clubs.

C

Campbell’s Labels: We will collect Campbell’s labels.

Communication: Staying involved in your child’s education is the key to a successful year.  Engage your child in conversation about his or her day, but know that children won’t always give out much information.  Please use the classroom newsletter as a springboard for discussion.  Instead of saying, “What did you do at school today?” you can say, “Oh, I see you’re learning about…what did you find out?”  Another way to stay involved is to check your child’s homework folder EVERY evening for homework and school information.

Conferences: We have formal conferences in the fall and spring.

D

Dismissal Time: Please make sure your child knows where to go at the end of the day—latchkey, pick up with parents, or with a carpool.  We will stand as a class on the sidewalk in front of the building.

E

E-Mail: The kindergarten teachers can be contacted via e-mail.

Ms. Amann: 96.aamann@nhamail.com

Ms. Demksy: 96.ldemsky@nhamail.com

Mrs. Peace: 96.jpeace@nhamail.com

F

Field Trips: We will go on an educational and fun field trip this year.

G

Gym: We will participate in gym class every week.  Please make sure your child has extra tennis shoes to leave at school.  Please make sure your daughter is wearing pants or shorts underneath her skirt or jumper on gym days.

H

Homework: Monthly homework packets will be coming home at the beginning of the month.  Every Friday, your student will need to return the portion of homework for that week.

I

Independent Reading: Because children learn to read by reading, they need plenty of opportunities to read independently.  Sufficient time and appropriate materials are necessary to develop and strengthen reading abilities.  By giving the children time to read both at school and at home, we can work together to provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love of reading.

J

Join: Please plan to get involved in our South Pointe community by joining the PTO.

K

Kindness: Students in our classroom are encouraged and expected to treat all members of our class as well as others with kindness and respect.  Bothering others, bullying and interrupting learning will not be permitted.

Keys: The keys to a successful school year include good communication between home and school, a positive attitude, homework turned in on time, and good attendance.

L

Lunch: We will eat lunch in the gymnasium.  Students can bring a lunch from home (no fast food or pop) or they can order a hot lunch from school.  School lunches need to be paid for in advance.  Your child will be asked EVERY DAY in class if s/he is ordering a hot lunch.  If your child says “yes” your account will be charged accordingly.  Please remind your child every morning if s/he is cold or hot lunch so s/he is not confused by snack.

Labels: Please label ALL items sent to school such as sweaters, coats, shoes, lunch boxes, backpacks, or anything else you feel you would not want your child to lose (believe us, they will!).

Library: We will visit the library once a week. 

M

Monday Mailers: Every Monday (or the first school day of the week) your kindergartner will bring home an orange folder that is our “Monday Mailer” folder.  It will contain informational items from the classroom and the school, such as homework, newsletters, and work samples.  Please return the orange folder by Wednesday.

N

Newsletters: Weekly classroom newsletters (via blogs, emails or paper) will be sent home.  SPS will also send home a weekly newsletter via email.

O

Open House: The SPS Open House is September 18^th.  Students will be giving their parents a tour of the classroom.  Plan to stop by and see what’s happening in kindergarten!

P

Partners: The school and the family are joined as partners in the cause of educating children and this creates a greater chance of success.  Your expectations and reinforcement of quality learning are just as important as those of educators.  We look forward to working with you to help your child reach his or her potential.

Q

Questions: Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher with any questions.

R

Read, read, read:  The best way to help your child be successful in school is to read every night.  Daily homework will include 15 minutes of reading.

Recess: Students will be going outside for recess every day after lunch.

Report Cards: Report cards will be sent home at the end of every trimester.

S

Snack: Students will have snack time around 10:00 am every day.  According to the SPS Parent/Student Handbook, snacks must be healthy.  Great ideas to include are fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cheese and crackers, string cheese, pretzels, applesauce, and trail mix.

School Wide Behavior System: All students at SPS will follow the same behavior system.  Students will start “fresh” every day, with their name magnet on green.  After verbal warnings have been given, students who chose to not follow the rules will then move through the color system (yellow, red, blue).  Appropriate consequences such as time-outs, loss of privileges, or a Think Sheet will be given.  Parents will be contacted when a student reaches red or blue. 

Special Classes: Our special classes include art, music, physical education, and technology.  We will rotate on a daily basis.  Students need an extra pair of tennis shoes that can be left at school for gym.

Scoring Scales: NHA schools use scoring scales to measure student progress.  Students scoring a 3.0 have mastered grade level objectives.

T

Toys: No toys may be brought to school.  Please regularly check pockets and backpacks for small toys that may “sneak” in!

Tying shoes: Please help your child learn to tie his/her shoes. We hope that everyone knows how by December!

U

Urinals: Parents of boys: Please make sure your son knows how to use the urinals without pulling his pants and underwear completely down.  It is a public bathroom, and we want to avoid showing bare bottoms!

Uniforms: Students need to wear a spring green polo shirt (purchased from Image Builders) or a white polo shirt with navy blue pants, shorts, skirts, or jumpers.  Students need to wear black, brown, or blue socks and black or brown dress shoes. Please read the SPS Parent/Student Handbook for more information.

V

Volunteers: We need you!  Parents are encouraged to volunteer at South Pointe.  Parents can work in the classroom (cutting, filing, copying), in the library (checking out and shelving books), during lunch, and on field trips.

Vacations: Please refrain from taking family vacations during the school year.  It is very difficult to make up missed learning opportunities.

W

Water bottles: Students are allowed to bring water bottles to keep in their cubbies.

Wish List: Individual classrooms will have a list of supplies or materials that will be needed throughout the year.  Donating items is optional.

X

eXtra Clothes: As we all know, accidents happen!  We strongly recommend sending an eXtra set of school clothes (at least underwear and pants) with your child.  These can be kept in a gallon size plastic bag and stored in your child’s cubby or backpack.

eXciting Year: Kindergarten is a special grade because it starts the formal education process.  Your child will be learning and growing in so many ways this year.  It’s going to be a fun, engaging, and eXciting year!

Y

Younger Siblings: It is in the students’ best interest to have our parent volunteers available WITHOUT younger children.  This not only allows your full attention to be focused on the class, but also allows for some special time between you and your kindergartner. Thank you for making childcare arrangements for younger siblings.

Z

Zzzzzs: Please make sure that your child gets plenty of rest. Setting and keeping a bedtime is a wonderful gift you can give to your child.  It will help them to be alert and ready to learn each day!  Please talk to your pediatrician about how much sleep is recommended for this age group.

Meet Ms. Demsky's Paraprofessionals

Hello Kindergarten! My name is Mrs. Ashley Frey. I am the Paraprofessional for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This is my first year working as a paraprofessional, and I am super excited. I am so glad to be working with you all, and I look forward to a great year. I am currently going to school at Eastern Michigan University, and I am Majoring in Elementary Education and Mathematics. I am very excited to be working with NHA, and I look forward to seeing all of you students and parents throughout the year!!! 

Hi my name is Amanda Luciow ("loosh-o").  Im thrilled to be helping fabulous Ms. Demsky in her newest kindergarten class this new school year at a brand new NHA school!  I am a person who has a huge heart for children!  I am married to an incredible man and we have been blessed with 3 amazing daughters (8,10 and 11 years young).  I have been a stay-at-home mom for quite some time loving on my girls while they`ve been growing up. I am now getting my feet wet again working as a parapro for South Pointe to help me pay for mission trips for my family.  I have a bachelor´s degree in Behavioral psychology from Western Michigan University and a Master´s degree in Clinical Behavioral psychology.  I love to spend time with friends and family just talking.  I love to read...especially in the sun. My most favorite thing to do is spending time at my local church.  I am beyond blessed.  I cant wait to get to get to know all of your kids and watch them grow!