August 2022

Dear Parents:

Welcome to Kindergarten!  This year will be filled with many new and exciting things for all of us, parents, teachers, and children.  Of course our focus is as always, providing an excellent Christian education for our young children. You will find phrases crossed out or bolded in the handbook. These show the adjustments we have made to our routines for keeping the health of our students and teachers in the forefront.

The mornings will be spent doing much of the core curriculum for Reading and Math.  An afternoon quiet time is scheduled so the children may have some “down time” to sleep and/or read and individual instruction.  Science, Social Studies, and the Arts will fill out the rest of our afternoon.  

I truly believe that educating our children is a partnership between parents and teachers.  Going through the materials your child brings home with them will help them to reinforce what they’ve learned in the classroom and continue to learn.  There will be some reading and math assignments to complete at home and return to school.  Occasionally I will be sending projects home for you and your child to complete.  I know time is in short supply these days, but these projects are designed to extend learning experience into the home and nurture this partnership.

I have compiled this handbook to inform you what we plan to be doing in our classroom this year.  Some things may change or be adapted as necessary to provide the best Christ-centered learning environment for our children.  I ask for your prayers and patience in achieving this.

Feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at school (269-4514) or cell phone (920-210-5284) or email jadelmeyer@stjohnslomira.com.

Yours in Christ’s Service,

Mrs. Adelmeyer

Curriculum Objectives 

Listed below are the skills we are working in Kindergarten.

Word of God: learning God’s truths through Bible stories, applying these truths to our lives, sharing our faith with others through His Word, memorizing Bible passages and hymns, praising God in word and song, speaking to God in prayer, learning about God throughout all areas of the curriculum

Language Arts: learning letters and their sounds, making the connection between letters, sounds, words, and sentences, creating and writing class and individual books, listening and comprehending stories and predicting outcomes

Math: recognizing numerals and writing them, matching sets of items to their corresponding numerals, putting things in order, counting by 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s, comparing quantities and numerals and identifying which is greater than, less than or equal to, understanding addition as putting together and adding to, and understanding subtraction as taking apart and taking from, measuring and comparing objects, identifying, describing, analyzing, creating, and composing shapes.

Science: observing and comparing objects, completing simple investigations, organizing things by similarities and differences, journaling observations and recording data

Social Studies: developing awareness and an appreciation of the similarities and differences in our world in people, places, and how we get there

Music: singing melodies, listening and distinguishing differences in music, playing musical and rhythm instruments, moving to music, creating music

Physical Education: developing and strengthening large and small muscle groups, improving balance and coordination, developing good sportsmanship

Art: improving small muscle group coordination with cutting, folding, tracing, pasting, coloring, and painting, developing an appreciation for art, creating expression through art

Social: developing and nurturing friendships by taking turns, listening to each other, and showing kindness and consideration for each other using Christ as our model

Our Reading series is called Superkids.  This program focuses on the 26 letters of the alphabet. Students systematically learn to read and write letters, to associate letters with sounds, to blend letter-sounds to form words and sentences, and to read and write phonetically regular words as well as Memory Words. It is split into two levels or semesters, “Meet the Superkids” and “The Superkids’ Club”. The Superkids program also has online learning games and interactive leveled readers that the children may access at school and at home.  There is also a parents’ portal that parents can access and see the progression of their child through the program. The balance of all these things will help the children to learn to read fluently, improve listening and comprehension skills, and build writing and oral language skills.

ACTIVITIES IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM 

BIBLE LESSONS & MEMORY WORK

Usually every Monday and Wednesday a new Bible story is taught (short weeks have a slightly different schedule).  Along with this story a memory treasure (Bible verse) is taught.  A Bible story booklet in a red or blue folder will be sent home with this verse on the back of the story.  Please review the story with your child and the memory treasure.  They will be asked to recite it the following day (Tuesdays and Thursdays) individually or in groups.  On Fridays we will be having a school-wide Chapel service in church (parents are welcome to attend). Then we may get together to work with our chapel partners and families on a project or return to the classroom to learn hymns or other songs that coincide with the Bible lesson or that we will sing in church.  

MISSIONS

Mission money will be collected for up to four different projects this year.  Some are for different home mission to help the mission work being done here in our area and the United States, and others are for a world mission, which supports mission work done mostly outside of the U.S.  We will be collecting mission money on Fridays at the Chapel service.  Mission envelopes are sent home attached to the school newsletter on Tuesdays and are to be returned to school by Friday to be placed in the offering plate during chapel.  Please encourage your child to give from the heart.  If they earn allowances for chores, encourage them to put a little aside to give to God first.

LITERATURE BAGS

As research shows, the most important contributing factor to developing a child’s ability to read is reading out loud to him.  I’ve put together literature bags to send home to help provide this opportunity for you and your child.  In these bags will be a book and perhaps a puppet or toy that goes with the story and some guidelines for sharing this book with your child.  The bags will be sent home on Wednesdays and should come back to school on Mondays.  

JOURNAL MONSTER

We have a traveling monster named Nibbles in our classroom that will be visiting your homes several times this year.  He comes with his suitcase, a book of his adventure, a toothbrush, and a journal.  This activity is designed to provide your child with more writing experience.  The monster will be sent home when it’s your child’s turn and you may keep it at home for one day or several.  Your child is asked to draw and/or write what the monster did on his visit to your home (hopefully he doesn’t cause too much trouble).  Encourage your child to illustrate something that happened and then tell what it was.  He may either write the story himself (with you writing little notes to decipher the words if necessary), you can write down what he says on a separate piece of paper and he can copy it into the book, or he can dictate to you what he wants to be written and you can write it in the book.  Have your child practice reading the journal entry so he can share it with the class.

TECHNOLOGY

Kindergarteners will have regular access to iPads.  Along with playing our usual educational games provided with our reading and math curriculums, assessments are also done on the ipads. We also use an interactive flat panel display for various activities throughout the day and the students do learn how to manipulate items on the board.

PROJECTS AT HOME

Occasionally I will send home an assignment for your child to complete at home and then return to school for a project.  When you’ve completed the assignment with your child, please return it to school in her folder. The Reading series also has little readers that will be brought home to be read, signed, returned.  These are required homework assignments.

BOOK ORDERS

Each month book orders will be sent home with your child.  These books are geared for your child’s interest level.  They are reasonably priced and make great gifts or incentives.  We try to encourage the children to choose the good books and not some of the novelty items offered.  If you choose to order, please put the cash or check (made out to Scholastic) and order form in a clearly marked envelope.  Scholastic, the company from which we order, also allows you to go online and order and then pay with your credit card if you so wish.  You can create an account and use our classroom’s code GK9JD at checkout.  With every purchase our classroom receives bonus points to apply toward free books and classroom materials.

SNACKS

Mid-morning we take time for a snack. Each student will need to bring their own healthy snack from home, but we do have pretzels or crackers on hand if someone forgets to bring a snack. Students will be asked to keep a leak-proof (both when closed and open) straw-type water bottle filled with water only. Bottles can be refilled at school. Please have mercy on me and shy away from high sugar snacks, but bring healthier snacks like cheese and crackers, pretzels, real fruit, raw vegetables and dip.  We will reinforce the table prayer and table manners during snack time and lunch.  

LUNCH

Because Kindergarten stays full days, your child will need to bring a cold lunch or order hot lunch.  The cost for hot lunch is $3.50/day.  Hot lunch menus are sent home with the school newsletter monthly along with a hot lunch sheet to mark ahead of time for the week or month which days your child will eat hot lunch.  The hot lunch menu and order slip are posted online on the school site if you lose yours. Please enclose the slip with payment in an envelope or re-closable bag marked “hot lunch” so I know it’s not book orders, field trip money, etc.  1% white or fat free chocolate milk is available at lunchtime.  Milk may be purchased for the entire year at the beginning of the school year.  All hot lunch orders need to be turned in no later than the Friday prior.

REST TIME

Full days at school can be very physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding on a 5-6year old.  In order for every child to give his brain and body some time to rejuvenate, rest time is scheduled after lunch each day for about 30 minutes.  During this time the children will be required to lie down on their mats.  Each student is required to bring a mat such as a Kindermat to school.  These mats are available for purchase at Walmart, Target, etc.  Each child may also bring a swim or bath towel to use as a blanket, and/or a small stuffed toy, which can be stored at school and be sent home occasionally to be laundered.  Everyone will lie down to rest and may look at a book while they are resting if they can’t fall asleep.  If a child falls asleep, he will be left to sleep as long as necessary.

MYSTERY SHOW AND TELL

One letter sound will be focused on each week.  The letter that we are studying is listed on the calendar. When it is your child’s turn on the calendar, your child should bring an item that begins with the letter listed on that day.  Your child will keep that item hidden and provide 2 or 3 clues so the children may guess what it is.  You may want to help them come up with some clues ahead of time.

FOLDERS

Each child should have a folder for taking home papers and one to stay at school for works in progress.  Please check your child’s folder every day for papers and notes.  I send notes home every Friday with a review of what we did during the week and reminders.  The Bible stories will also come home in a folder (either red or blue) usually on Mondays and Wednesdays.  They should always be returned the next day.

FIELD TRIPS

I plan on scheduling small field trips to surrounding communities that coincide with our units and probably two large field trips that are further away.  We always need drivers and chaperones and welcome you to come along.  I will give you more details when these times arise.

COMMUNICATION

For your child’s safety, please notify me with a phone call, email, text, or a written note if your child will be going home with someone different than usual.  You and other family members are always welcome in our classroom to visit, stop by to share a story, or leave a message.  If your child would like to bring a guest, please let me know ahead of time, so that I may prepare extra materials for them. Absences need to be excused with a note either ahead of time for planned absences or when your child returns to school.  A phone call, text, or email is also greatly appreciated.

NEWSLETTERS

School newsletters are sent home twice a month and sometimes in between with time sensitive news. Our class newsletter is sent home about once a week with reminders of upcoming events, details of what had been going on in the classroom, and other special information.

WEBSITE

Our church and school have a website set up at stjohnslomira.com.  Our classroom even has its own pages at earlychildhood.stjohnslomira.com 

where information, photos, schedules, links, etc. can be found.  The snack calendar, class calendar, school calendar, links to book orders, and more can be found there.  

BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays are extra special in our classroom.  On your child’s birthday (or as near to it as possible) they may bring in a special treat to share with the class for snacktime. A parent, grandparent, or special adult friend is asked to come in to help share. Your child may bring in his favorite storybook from home and I will read it to the class.  I will get a hold of you to make these arrangements shortly before your child’s birthday.

EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS

Throughout the school year, the school district has set up days when classes are dismissed early.  On those days we will have class until 12:20pm.  Hot lunch will be served on those days. Sometimes we will have an early dismissal at 11:30am, then lunch will not be served.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

These are the commands God has given us to live by and I strive to help my students understand them better. As they begin to understand how much God loves us, I hope to help them learn how to show love to Him by showing love to others. This is the basis for my teaching philosophy and classroom management. I believe all classroom behavior should follow two main rules: “Be kind” and “Be safe”. Being kind envelops all the behaviors I’d like to see in my classroom and are the most conducive to learning. Respecting others by not speaking out of turn, keeping hands and other body parts to oneself, and considering others’ feelings during conflict resolution and some of the ways of being kind. Being safe includes playground safety such as not throwing rocks, going up the ladder and down the slide; and indoor safety such as walking feet, and not tipping chairs/crates. All expected behaviors are developmentally appropriate as well as the consequences for misbehaviors. Modifications are made for students who are unable to meet these expectations due to physical, mental, emotional, or social development.

BUSSING

Lomira School District provides bussing for St John’s students.  Kindergarteners that live in Lomira School District are eligible to ride the bus to and from school.  If you live outside the school district or have any other questions about bussing, you may contact at the public school at 920-269-4396.  Occasionally there is no AM and/or PM bussing because St John’s has school when the public school does not.  Please consult the school calendar and/or newsletter for those dates.

ADMINISTRATIVE RELEASE TIME

This year I am also serving as principal at St. John’s. In order to better fulfill those duties, I will be having Mrs. Ardis Weigand and Ms. Karla Seibel supervise the Kindergarten students from 11am-12:30pm each day during recess, lunch, and Bible lesson review/devotion time. I will often still be in the room with the students, just not directly supervising them.

DAILY SCHEDULE

7:45-8:15                Arrival & Morning Work

8:15-8:55                 Morning Greeting Devotion and Bible Lesson

        Friday: Chapel  

8:55-9:10                      Music and Movement Activities        

9:10-9:30                      Math Meeting (Calendar, Weather, Counting)

9:30-10:00             Literacy Activities

10:00-10:15           Snack

10:15-10:35           Look at books time and Storytime

10:35-11:00           Math

11:00-11:25        Recess

11:30-12:00        LUNCH    

12:05-12:30        Devotion/Bible Lesson review

12:30-1:00          REST TIME/Silent reading

1:00-1:30                 Free choice (children may play in their choice of areas in room)

1:30-2:00                 Literacy Activities

2:00-2:15                 RECESS

2:15-2:55                 Science/Social Studies Unit Time

2:55-3:05                 Clean up & Review

3:05                         Dismissal

This is the general schedule of the school day we will try to follow.  It may change according to the needs of the children.  Please have your child at school by no later than 8:00 am, so that he can get temperature checked, settled in and we may begin promptly. At dismissal at 3:05, students will be brought outside to the sidewalk and will be dismissed to parents when the teacher has checked them off the list.  Please cross the parking lot to come pick up your child from the front sidewalk, so he may return to your vehicle safely.