Welcome to

Kindergarten
Mrs. Vamos
&
Mrs. Zelesky

Willow Springs Elementary

2018-2019
Dear Parents,

Welcome to our Kindergarten class!!! I (Mrs. Vamos) will be your child’s

Kindergarten teacher this year, and Mrs. Zelesky will be our teaching assistant.

We are really looking forward to getting to know you and your child! The

upcoming weeks will mark important milestones in the life of your child as

he/she begins school. We hope that this packet of information will help answer

any questions you may have concerning the procedures in our classroom and

school. Please keep this booklet nearby and refer to it throughout the year as

needed.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your child’s educational

journey! We are both excited and honored to be working with you and your

child to make this the best Kindergarten experience possible. We look forward

to a bright year ahead!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Vamos & Mrs. Zelesky

 The

'
of Kindergarten
The following sections will provide you with all the information you may need in making
Kindergarten the best possible experience for your child. I have tried to include information on
everything a parent might like to know so you may want to keep this in a safe spot as a
reference packet for the school year. 

Absence- Kindergarten is a continuous experience, with each day’s learning built on the day
before. If your child is sick, however it is important that he/she stays home until he/she has
been fever free without medicine for 24 hours and no vomiting for 24 hours. This will prevent
passing any illness to others. If your child is absent, please send an email or note explaining the
reason for the absence. A form of documentation is required in order for the absence to be
excused.

Behavior- Our behavior management plan is set in place to promote positive behavior at all
times. Each student has a clip on their personal Rock Star Rainbow. All students begin on
green every day. Green means we are ready to go for the day. Students have the opportunity
to move up (to teal, blue, or purple) if they display behavior that is above and beyond what is
expected. However, if a student is not following the rules, they will be given one warning. If the
behavior does not change after the warning is given, the student will be asked to move their
clip down (to orange, yellow, and then red.) Each child’s goal is to demonstrate behavior that
shines and to move up the rainbow each day! At the end of every day, students will color a
star on their monthly behavior log to represent the color their clip was on. It is their responsibility
to communicate their choices to you. If your child’s clip is on red at the end of the day, that
indicates that your child had a tough day, and you will receive either a written response or
phone call from me, depending on the situation. We of course hope that does not happen
this year!  Please review the Kindergarten Behavior Expectation form with your child so that
they are aware of the behavioral expectations and are prepared to be their best.

Birthdays- Your child’s birthday is a very important part of his/her life and should be shared with
friends! If you would like to send in a special treat on your child’s birthday, please let us know
at least 48 hours ahead of time. You are welcome to bring in your child’s treats at lunch time
(1:00) or at 3:00 in the afternoon. Any food items sent in must be store bought.
Cafeteria: Each child has his/her own lunch number that will be sent home. Please help your
child learn this number. If your child would like to buy lunch, milk, or a treat from the
cafeteria, please send his/her money in a Ziploc bag or envelope labeled with his/her name
and lunch number. If your child will be purchasing lunch on a regular basis, you may find it
easier to pay for several weeks at a time. In this case you can write a check and place it in
your child’s daily folder.

Conferences- Parent/Teacher conferences are extremely important to keep you informed of

your child’s progress in Kindergarten. We will meet for two scheduled conferences (at the end
of the first and third quarters) to discuss your child’s progress. Other conferences may be
scheduled throughout the year if necessary. If you are unable to attend a scheduled
conference, please call the school and leave a message that you would like to reschedule.

Communication- Please be sure to check your child’s folder DAILY. This is a great location to
exchange notes if needed. In an effort to Go Green, as well as enhance learning through
other means, you may not see as much paperwork being sent home. If there is, please take a
moment to look over it and discuss it with your child. Hopefully your child will be able to share
other avenues of learning we explored if there isn't a paper sent home that day!

Discipline- Our classroom rules are student-generated. We collaborate as a class to create

rules to make sure we stay safe, have fun, and learn every day. We call these important rules
“Our Promise” because each student promises to do his or her personal best to follow the rules.
You will see our class rules displayed in our classroom with each student’s signature around it.

Our school-wide rules encourage students to demonstrate excellent behavior at all times: Be
Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible. This includes excellent behavior in the hallways, cafeteria,
bathrooms, Specials, and dismissal areas. Students know that it is important that our eyes are
watching and our ears are listening.

Dismissal- It is very important that I know how your child is getting home from school each day.
If this information changes, I must have a written note. Without a note, your child will be sent
home the usual way. Verbal messages from your child are not accepted. Please refrain from
email, as I may not see your message in time. You are always welcome to call the front office
with any last minute transportation changes. Thank you in advance for your understanding!

E-mail- This is a great way in which we can communicate with one another. You can contact
me any time via my e-mail address: jvamos@wcpss.net. I will check my e-mail daily during
school hours and respond as soon as I have the chance. Please allow 24 hours for me to
respond.
Expectations: All children need to pass a reading level B by mid-year to be on track for First
Grade. By the end of the year, students must be reading on at least a level D and need to be
a level 3 (or higher) in Literacy and Math to be eligible for promotion to First Grade.

F Folders: Please send your child’s Daily Folder to school each day. This practice teaches your
child responsibility. Make sure to check the folder each day for important information. If you
need to send a note, you can include it in the daily folder. Please initial your child’s monthly
behavior calendar daily.

Friday Work: All of your child’s work from the week will be sent home in their blue folders every
Friday. Please remove your child’s work from their folder each week. 

Good habits to follow:

 Check and sign folder daily.
 Designate a special place for your child to put his/her papers and work.
 Label sweaters, jackets, coats, and raincoats.
 Label lunch boxes and water bottles.
 Call or e-mail me with any questions/concerns.
 Check your child’s homework and papers. Have him/her correct mistakes before returning
the work.
 Send a written note if there is a change in your child’s transportation.
 Help your child accomplish his/her homework, especially in the beginning when he/she
needs your help with reading.
 Please make sure to READ DAILY with your child! 

Homework- Your child will receive a weekly homework calendar in their red homework folders,
along with 4 books on their independent reading level. Homework each week is due by Friday.
I do understand how busy we can be with other activities. Just send me a note if you need
extra time to complete any assignments. These activities will serve as reinforcement of the skills
we are learning at school. They will consist of activities such as reading, practicing sight words,
written assignments, math, and/or fun family projects. If homework is taking longer than 20
minutes at any time, please let me know.
Internet- As we continue to “Go Green,” we will try to save as much paper as possible by using
email. If you do not have access to the internet, a hard copy of our weekly newsletter will be
sent home. You can refer to our classroom website for other fun information. Go to the school
website at http://willowsprings.wcpss.net, click on K-5 information. Our class website is
http://mrsvamoskindergarten.weebly.com.

Journals- Each day the students will write in their writing journals. This is when students
independently apply concepts they have learned in phonics, reading, and writing instruction. I
would encourage you to have your child write in a journal at home as well. He/She can write
about thoughts, feelings, or any ideas that he/she may have.

Jackets: When the weather turns cooler and your child needs to wear a jacket to school,
please make sure that it is labeled with his/her name. We do not want them to get lost. Please
practice zipping or snapping their jacket with them at home so that they are able to put on
and take off their jacket independently.

Kindness- Students in our classroom are expected to treat all members of our class and
school with kindness and respect.

Literacy: Kindergarten is an important time for literacy development. We will use a variety of
strategies to help your child become a confident, independent reader and writer including
shared and guided reading, independent reading, phonics, Daily 5 stations, and writer’s
workshop. We will be sharing these strategies with you throughout the school year.

Lost and Found: We have a lost and found located in the cafeteria. If you have a lost jacket
or lunchbox, you might find it in our lost and found.

Lunch: We welcome you to have lunch with your child any day. Please stop by the office to
sign in to get your visitor sticker and meet us in the cafeteria. We will eat lunch at 1:00 each
day, with the exception of early release days when we eat at 12:30.
Money- Please remember when sending in money to school, to place it in an envelope and
label it with your child’s name and what it is to be used for. I am unable to provide any
change.

Math: We will engage in a variety of hands-on activities using manipulatives in whole group,
small groups, and with our Math partners. We will problem-solve using strategies that will
allow us to understand the process before arriving at the answer.

Newsletter- Weekly newsletters will be emailed/sent home every Friday. Newsletters are to
keep you informed of our weekly learning goals and up to date with upcoming events or
activities happening in our classroom and school.

Outside- Children need sunshine and fresh air. We will go outside to recess daily. Please have
your child dressed appropriately for the playground. Please remember sneakers and shorts
under skirts are highly recommended.

Open Communication: I strongly believe that open communication between parents and
teachers is vital to a student’s success in school. Please feel free to contact me at any time
with any questions you may have. The best way is through a note in your child’s daily folder. E-
mail is also a great way to reach me except in matters that need immediate attention. (My e-
mail address is: jvamos@wcpss.net ) Sometimes our day is so busy that I am unable to check
my e-mail until specials or after school. (Please do not send transportation changes via e-mail
for this reason. Please call the office if it is an emergency change.

Parties: We love parties and celebrations! We typically have several parties throughout the
year. Parents are always welcome to join us for these activities. Information about days and
times will be included in our newsletters or in a separate invite.

P.E. During the weeks we have PE, your child must be wearing tennis shoes to participate in the
physical activities. Weekly specials will be posted on the weekly newsletter.

Play Centers: Free play is imperative to your child’s learning. This is a daily 30 minute block of
time where he/she makes choices and engages cooperatively with others. In our classroom,
we have the following stations: Art, Library, Technology, Science, Home Living, Constructive
play, and Math.
Parental Involvement- I would love for all parents to be fully involved in the education of their
child. We have many special events happening at school. Please join us for these fun school
events. Read to your child and have your child read to you every day. Ask your child to tell
you what happened at school each day. Staying involved in your child’s education will
ensure a successful school career for him/her.

Quarterly Assessments: We will assess each child in Literacy, Math, Science, and Social Studies
at the conclusion of each quarter. We also have ongoing common assessments that help us
gauge where each child is with the essential skills in each subject area.

Report Cards: Report cards are sent home at the end of each quarter. A student needs to
have a score of 3 or higher to be considered proficient in that subject area.

Rest/DEAR: We will have rest time for about twenty minutes each day until October. I will play
quiet music during this time. The children are not required to sleep. This serves as a time to
relax and regroup. Beginning in October, we will replace this time with DEAR (Drop Everything
and Read). Please send in a towel labeled with your child’s name. (No mats please). We will
send towels home every Friday so they can be washed. Please return on Monday.

Snack- We will have snack time daily at 11:20. Please make it a priority to send in a healthy
snack for your child each day. Please make sure your child has utensils if needed.
Kindergarten will be eating lunch at 1:00.

Supplies- Please find our classroom supply list @ www.teacherlists.com. Please DO NOT label
your child’s individual supplies.

Transportation: Your child’s transportation cannot be changed unless I receive a note from you
or you call the front office. Please do not rely on your child to verbally relay the message.

Transportation Tags: On the first day of school, your child will be given a transportation tag that
shows how your child will be going home. All Kindergarten students must wear the tags for the
entirety of the year. This is very important so we can assure all children are where they need to
be at the end of the day.
Toys: No toys are allowed at school. If your child has special accommodations, I am happy to
discuss those with you at any time. 

Treasure Box: We have a treasure box in our classroom. We welcome any donations to add to
our bucket of fun (fun pencils, erasers, notepads, bubbles, etc). The children love them! The
children who earn “purple” on their behavior chart will visit the treasure box that day.

Technology: Your child will be using various forms of technology this year. In our classroom, we
have computers, an interactive Smart board, iTouches, iPads, Chromebooks, and Kindle Fires.

Units of Study- We will be exploring many different units of study this year!

Unique: Each child is unique and special. We look for each child’s strengths on which to build
upon each and every day.

Volunteers: We love to have volunteers working in our classroom. All volunteers must complete
a volunteer registration before working with children. This needs to be done each year, so if you
did one last year, you must complete another one for the new school year. This process will
take several weeks. I will start volunteers in September. I love to have parents and other family
members help in the classroom. I am very flexible on the times you would like to help. Please
let me know if you are interested in becoming a classroom volunteer.

Writing- Writer’s Workshop: We will be writing on a daily basis. By the end of the year, your
child will be engaging in pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing tasks to create
stories. Children learn through taking academic risks, and they are encouraged to spell words
phonetically using the sounds they hear in the word. At first, it may be difficult to read this
“inventive spelling,” but as they continue to practice, you will begin to see some conventional
spelling. Please encourage your child to use the sounds that he/she hears in the words when
they are writing. At this stage of development, helping them to try and sound out words and
write creative stories is more important than aiding them in spelling the words correctly.

Wish List- Throughout the year, we sometimes need supplies above and beyond our classroom
materials (or what the school provides). Items that will be needed throughout the year are
large containers of snacks (goldfish, pretzels, crackers) and art supplies. We are also known to
go through tissues, hand wipes, and glue sticks very quickly in Kindergarten! Any and all
donations are appreciated! Extra items that you think we might be able to use are always
welcome too!

“X”-periences- We will have many wonderful learning eXperiences this year such as
collaborating with peers, STEM activities, Math challenges, Science experiments, and so much
more. They will all be fun and eXciting!

“X”-tra clothes: Please send in an extra set of seasonally appropriate clothes in a labeled
Ziploc bag to be kept at school for your child. These clothes will be sent home when we track
out. If your child has a toileting accident, the clothes must be picked up from the front office
within 24 hours. They cannot be sent home in your child’s backpack.

Younger Siblings- Younger siblings are not permitted to accompany parent volunteers. This is to
allow your full attention and focus to be on our Kinder friends. Thank you for making childcare
arrangements for younger siblings.

You- You can help make your child feel successful this year by staying involved in their
education. Read with your child, ask your child questions, and check your child’s folder and
homework nightly.

Year Long Learning and Fun- I am looking forward to working with you and getting to know
you. Your child will learn a lot this year and will be sure to have a lot of fun in the process.

Year-Round: Because we are a year-round school we may have slight changes in our
schedules when we track back in. I will send home updates prior to each track-out to make
you aware of any changes.

Zillion Praises: We love to give your child “zillions of praises!”

ZZZZ’s- Please make sure that your child gets plenty of rest each night. 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 place this packet in a safe place and sign and return the form
below. Thank you! 

I have received and discussed the ABC’s of Kindergarten packet with my child.
We are ready for a fun and exciting year!!!

Your signature _______________________________________________________________

Child's signature _____________________________________________________________

Date ________________________________________________________________________