The Kindergarten Handbook

  Welcome to Kindergarten!
  How you can help: Before school starts
  Settling in
  Schedule for the first few weeks of school
  Daily routines
  Weekly routines and activities
  Kindergarten curriculum information
  How you can help: Throughout the year
  Communication
  Important names and phone numbers
  A few final suggestions

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Kindergarten is a special time in a child's life in school. It is the first year in elementary school and a very magical year filled with growth and change. We're delighted to have the opportunity to spend this special year with your child, and also look forward to getting to know you as we begin this journey together.

This may be your first experience sending a child off to "real school" or you may be a seasoned veteran. In either case, beginning Kindergarten is a big step for you and for your child. We have written this brief handbook to help make that step a little easier and to help you better understand your child's Kindergarten experience at San Francisco Day School. The sections on settling in, daily routines, weekly routines, and communication provide specific information and suggestions for ways you can help, especially during the first weeks of the transition into Kindergarten.

Please read this Kindergarten handbook thoroughly, in conjunction with the more complete San Francisco Day School Handbook. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We are looking forward to this year together!

Sarah Hale and Rebecca Lewis
Kindergarten Teachers

How you can help: Before school starts

• Help your Kindergartner pick out a lunch box, if she/he will be bringing a lunch, and a large backpack. Help your child practice packing the lunch box and a jacket or sweater into the backpack. Kindergartners are expected to pack their backpacks independently at school and extra practice is helpful.
• Buy or pick out a small blanket or large towel to bring to school for rest time. Beach towels work well. These will be sent home to be washed periodically throughout the year.
• Find a large, old shirt to send to school to be used as a smock in art.
• Take time to label your child's backpack, lunch box, sweaters, jackets, art smock, and rest towel. Anything and everything your child brings to school should be labeled with his or her name.
• Drive past the school and show your child the entrance on Golden Gate Avenue where students are dropped off and picked up.
  

Settling in

Beginning Kindergarten is a big transition for most children, even if they have preschool friends or siblings already in the school. We spend much of the first semester working on the transition into the Day School and Kindergarten: learning new names and faces, new routines (including assemblies, fire and earthquake drills), new rules and responsibilities, new rooms for classes such as art and music, and of course making new friends, enjoying new activities, and celebrating new accomplishments. Each child brings a unique personality and learning style to this process, and for every child the transition requires thought, time, and support.

Schedule for the first few weeks of school

Tuesday, September 4: New-student orientation day

You and your child will visit school for one hour in the morning to meet the teachers, other Kindergartners and parents, and to see the classroom.

• 9-9:45am : A-K kindergarten
• 10-10:45am : L-Z kindergarten
• 11-12noon: 1st-8th grade new students

Wednesday, September 5: First day of school (8:30 - 12:00) for kindergarteners whose last names begin with letters A-K.

Thursday, September 6: First day of school (8:30 - 12:00) for kindergarteners whose last names begin with letters L-Z.

Friday, September 7: First day of school for all K students! (8:30 - 12:00)

September 10-21: Short school days for Kindergarten.

Monday, September 24: First full day for Kindergarten. (8:30 - 2:15)

The K day ends at noon for the first three weeks of school. The AEP program is available for after-school care beginning at noon. All students need to bring the usual morning snack and lunch during this period; we will be eating in our rooms and won't participate in the regular lunch program until full days begin.

This period of shorter school days has been very helpful for our students during the transition into a new school. The shorter days also provide time for the Kindergarten teachers to hold a short conference with the parents of each child in the afternoons (you will receive more information about this in August). Even with the shorter days, your child will probably be tired at the end of the day (or wound-up and overly excited). Transitions demand a great deal of physical and mental energy. You may hear everything about the school day or you may hear very little. Your child is taking in lots of information, both verbal and nonverbal, and it may be a while (hours, days, or weeks) before he or she is ready to tell you about school. We will keep you informed about class activities through a weekly newsletter. If you have questions or concerns, please write a note or leave a voicemail or e-mail message for your child's teacher.

Kindergarten daily schedule 8:30-9:30 Classroom activities 9:30-9:50   Snack (snack from home, low-fat milk provided) 9:50-11:00   Classroom activities or "special" 11:00-12:00   Recess and lunch 12:00-12:30   Rest 12:30-2:10   Classroom activities or "special" 2:15   Dismissal The schedule is different each day of the week and may include one or more "specials" (classes such as music and PE, for example). A more detailed weekly schedule will be handed out on Back-to-School Night.

Daily routines

Your child's school day begins with drop-off at the Golden Gate Avenue entrance. School staff will be near the curb from 7:55-8:30 am to help children leave cars and enter the building. During the first week of school extra staff and parent volunteers will help students find their classrooms. You may wish to park and walk with your child to the classroom for the first few days of school. We will begin encouraging the Kindergartners to walk to the classroom in the mornings with school staff or other students as soon as they are comfortable with the route to the classroom. Your support of and confidence in your child is helpful as the students begin walking into the school independently.

Classroom activities begin at 8:30 am. The school doors open at 7:30 am. Early-arriving students wait with a teacher in the entrance area until 7:55 am, when they go to their classrooms. We ask that children arrive at school 10-15 minutes before classroom activities begin, around 8:15 am. This daily welcoming and greeting time, when teachers welcome the children and help them settle in to the classroom, is very important for teachers and children. Each child can visit with a teacher in an informal way, share any exciting news or information, or give the teacher a note from home.

Weekly routines and activities

The classes that we call "specials" are an important part of our curriculum.

Physical education

Kindergarteners attend physical education (PE) classes twice each week with Mary O'Brien. Students are introduced to the attitude and skill benchmarks below.

Attitude Sportspersonship Social interaction Fair play Cooperation Sharing

Skills Locomotor movement, development Motor skills and development Fitness level and improvement Effort during activities Body control and balance Flexibility, overall coordination

Our goal is to help students improve their fitness, coordination, and locomotor skills with day-to-day activity. Students will focus on sharing and caring for each other through cooperative games and activities. Each day the children will stretch, run, and exercise, and a never-ending game will be introduced to focus on particular locomotor movements and/or skills.

Some important benchmarks for the year will be:

• To enjoy overall physical activity alone or with others
• To develop a sense of gaining strength and improving overall body fitness levels with a "feeling strong" attitude
• To achieve continued overall improvement of social, emotional, and physical development through physical activities
• And, of course, to have fun every day!

Art

Kindergarteners spend one 90-minute session each week in the art studio with Karen Richards. They become acquainted with doing art in a designated space, begin to think of art as a subject, and feel respected as working artists.

Through the "artist of the month" curriculum, they learn to value the unique characteristics of each artist. They develop basic hands-on technical skills while learning how to slow down their process in order to convey ideas. They discover technical vocabulary as it applies to their own artwork. Students are encouraged to talk about their own art throughout the process; they learn how to take turns listening and talking about art in a non-judgmental environment.

The Kindergartners learn the discipline and routine of demonstration, work time, and sharing time in the art studio, along with the specific tasks of clean up.

Music

Kindergarteners have music class twice each week with Kent Jue. The music program in Kindergarten builds a musical community while creating an atmosphere of enjoyment and respect for the performing arts.

Through a variety of exploratory songs, chants, games, movement experiences, and instrument-playing activities, the children focus on matching pitch, singing with an appropriate "singing voice," and establishing an internal beat reference. Once this beat reference is set, Kindergartners explore words and the numbers of sounds given to one beat. This introduction is the foundation of their future rhythmic study. Kindergartners also begin to learn about our pitched percussion instrumentarium and study basic mallet technique; learning to use the pitched percussion instruments is always a highlight of the year. Lastly, the children continue to refine their performance practice skills at various assemblies and the evening Soiree.

Library

Kindergarteners have one session each week in our Library with Renee Otero.

Assembly

Assembly is scheduled weekly. We meet as a whole school, in lower (K-4) and upper (5-8) school divisions, as grade levels, or with our buddy classes. These gatherings provide an opportunity for students to hear guest performers and speakers and to share information or skills they have learned. Families are not usually invited to assemblies, but you are welcome to attend any time our classes are performing (we will let you know in advance if this is happening). Once each month the Kindergartners meet with their eighth-grade buddies during assembly time.

Field trips

Field trips are special events in Kindergarten. In October the two classes go to the pumpkin patch in Half Moon Bay. In late May or early June, the Kindergartners are introduced to the School's outdoor education program -- we spend a day hiking and observing plants and animals in Berkeley's Tilden Park. Additional field trips are sometimes scheduled during the second semester as the curriculum unfolds.

On field trip days, please be sure your child is appropriately dressed for the destination and possible changes in the weather. Students buying lunch will be provided with a special lunch for field trips.

Birthdays

Birthdays are a very important part of Kindergartners' lives. We enjoy celebrating in the classroom (including summer birthdays). Celebrations are held once each month, with treats provided by the school. Your child's teacher will provide more specific information.

We discourage talk about individual parties at school and ask that you not plan parties that conflict with school time or events. Be thoughtful about the guest list; remember that birthday parties are big events in the lives of Kindergartners and it is very hurtful for a child to be the only one not invited to a classmate's party. We ask that you please do not send invitations or presents to school (even if you are inviting the whole class) or use school dismissal time to transport children in groups to parties.

Kindergarten curriculum information

Language Arts

Kindergartners learn the names, shapes, and sounds of the English alphabet and how letters and sounds can be put together and taken apart. They become familiar with and begin to memorize age-appropriate sight words (non-phonetic words). They listen to and discuss a rich range of age-appropriate literature that reflects the curriculum and values of the Day School. And they begin to put the language they hear and see onto paper through writing and dictation. Kindergartners are encouraged to use their "best guess" or phonetic spelling when they write, as they practice and express their growing knowledge of the relationship between letters and sounds in the English language.

Math

Kindergartners explore a wide range of mathematical ideas. These concepts are introduced through experiences with a large variety of manipulatives and are connected to literature whenever possible. Kindergartners sort and classify objects, make sets, compare and count number sets, and learn the meaning of zero. They explore addition and subtraction of numbers, using manipulative materials to combine and compare sets. They explore place value and learn to recognize two-digit numerals. Students experiment with measurement using standard and non-standard linear measurement, volume, area, weight, time, and temperature. They explore shapes and develop their own sense of space. They recognize, create, and extend repeated patterns, perform simple probability experiments, and collect, record, and analyze simple data. Kindergartners are encouraged to make use of all methods and techniques that they know or create to help them approach a variety of math problems.

Kate Philpott, math lab teacher, provides additional math experiences for the children during bi-weekly visits with the students in their classroom.

Social Studies

The focus of the Kindergarten social studies curriculum is on the child's transition from the preschool environment to the community of a K-8 school. Through group projects, discussions, classroom play, and field trips, the children learn to interact positively with others while building the self-esteem, confidence, and self-control necessary for learning the skills and work habits needed to be successful learners and members of the School community.

During the first semester, we emphasize San Francisco Day School values, expectations, and routines as well as getting to know classmates, teachers, administrators, and staff and the wider student body. Second semester builds on this foundation and begins to expand the children's knowledge of each other's families and cultures. Children share similarities and differences through the study of their own development, their families (including holidays and traditions), and cooperative activities and projects with students at other grade levels.

Science

The K science curriculum is designed to deepen each student's understanding of the natural world through investigations and experiences with real materials and discussions designed to help them draw conclusions from their observations. The program celebrates diverse and divergent approaches to problem-solving while also encouraging cooperation as the students work together to discover scientific principles. Kindergartners study states of matter, the five senses, habitats, and the life cycle (including their own!). Science investigations are integrated with language arts, math, and social studies units.

How you can help: Throughout the year

Arrival

Make sure your child arrives at school in time to settle in before 8:30 am (10-15 minutes before school begins).

Backpacks

Help your child remember to bring a backpack to school every day. Establish a special place at home near the front door to put the backpack and any other things to take to school. Pack the backpack the night before with items such as library books or special homework to be returned to school.

Snacks

Send a snack from home with your child each day. The snack should be small and nutritious; for example, half an apple, a small yogurt, some dried fruit, or a granola bar. Please do not send candy bars, cake, other sweets, or sodas for snack.

Lunches

If your child is bringing lunch, be sure to keep portions small. You can always add more depending on your child's needs. Do not send glass containers or sodas to school. Pack snack and lunch items separately and be sure your child can easily tell which is for snack and which is for lunch.

Clothing

Dress your child comfortably so that he or she can fully participate in all activities, and always have a sweatshirt or jacket in the backpack (for our unpredictable San Francisco weather!). Your child also needs secure footwear (strapless sandals, flip-flops, or platform shoes are not appropriate for school). Please label all outerwear.

Dismissal

Follow the School dismissal procedures carefully. At dismissal time, all children will be brought to the entrance on Golden Gate Avenue. Please remain in your car while we assist your child into the car and seat belt.

The School must be informed about any changes in your child's after-school plans. We cannot send a child home with another parent or in another carpool without your written permission or notification by phone prior to dismissal time. We will pass on all notes about AEP to the AEP Director.

Transition support for your child

One of the most important (and the hardest) ways that Kindergarten parents can help their child with the transition into school is to support the child's growing independence by letting the child fully "own" the Kindergarten experience. This means, for example, leaving the Kindergarten room as soon as your child is comfortable on the first few days and allowing the child to walk independently into the classroom after full days begin. Parents are welcome to visit with each other and with school staff in the lobby; we hope that you will get to know each other and build a sense of community as parents.

Volunteer opportunities for parents

In addition to the school-wide volunteer opportunities offered through the Parents' Forum (check the SFDS Handbook or ask your roomparent for further information), Kindergarten parents are offered the opportunity to help their child's class in several ways. Parents assist teachers with weekly cooking projects, lead book-sharing groups with students (called "passports"), and help with biweekly math lab activities. Sign-up sheets for volunteer opportunities will be available on Back-to-School Night.

Communication

Communication between home and school is very important during Kindergarten. Please let us know about any changes at home that might affect your child, such as relatives visiting, out-of-town trips for parents, or the death of a pet.

Newsletters

We will inform you about life at school including curriculum, upcoming events, and happenings in the classroom through the classroom newsletter, a phone call, or a note home. Be sure to read the entire Friday envelope your child will bring home each week. This envelope, clearly marked with your child's name, will contain the classroom newsletter and any work your child has completed at school that is being sent home. Please help your child remember to return the envelope to school the following Monday.

The monthly Newsletter will be emailed home monthly; copies will also be available in the Masonic Lobby if you prefer print form. Please read these newsletters too, as they will provide important information about school news, curriculum, and upcoming events.

Conferences

Within the first three weeks of school, your child's teacher will contact you to set up a time for a short conference to answer any questions you may have about the transition. At any time during the year, please contact us if you are concerned about an area of your child's school or home life. We are with the students between the hours of 8:00 am and 2:30 pm and not available for conversations except for emergencies. We suggest that you send a note with your child including a good time to reach you, or leave us a voicemail or e-mail message. We will contact you when we are able to do so.

Parent get-togethers

Parent coffees and potlucks provide opportunities to get to know other Kindergarten parents and learn more about school.

Emergencies

In case of an emergency, contact us immediately by calling the front desk at (415) 931-2422.

Important names and phone numbers

Front Desk: 931-2422

Head Teacher,Sarah Hale: 568-3617

Head Teacher, Rebecca Lewis: 568-3616

AEP Director, Sheri Lee: 568-3650

A few final suggestions

• For your child's safety and in support of our educational program, please make sure that your child leaves toys, jewelry, money, watches, and electronic games at home. We have many interesting materials at school chosen just for our Kindergartners.
• Try to keep school mornings as relaxed as possible. Lay out clothing and help your child pack his or her backpack the night before with anything that needs to go to school (library book, notes for the teacher, etc.).
• Consistent, predictable routines are helpful for Kindergartners during transitions (at home and at school). We suggest talking about and practicing new morning and evening routines and maintaining consistency in school arrival and departure routines to help your child during the early months of school.
• Keep after-school events (classes or playdates) to a minimum during the first few weeks of school. Many Kindergartners need to go home and relax after a busy day.
• Most Kindergartners need at least 9 1/2 to 10 hours of sleep on school nights, including Sunday night. We suggest that TV and movies be reserved for weekends to help support a consistent and early bedtime.
• Your Kindergartner will probably appreciate some extra time with you during this transition. We suggest that you set aside some special time (even ten minutes) just to be with your Kindergartner and eat a snack, take a walk, sing a song, or read a story. Kindergartners need to know that you're still there for them, even as you celebrate their growing maturity and independence as they enter the world of Kindergarten.
• One of the best ways to learn about your child's school experience is to volunteer. In order to maintain a normal flow to the school day and to ensure that the educational process is not interrupted, we ask that parents not make unscheduled visits to the classroom. Parents who wish to visit the classroom at a time other than as a volunteer should contact the classroom teacher.