Rawsonville Elementary School

All Day Kindergarten Program

In order to enroll your child you must have the following:

2 proofs of residency (driver’s license, lease agreement, utility bills, phone bills - as long as it has you name and address on it)

Birth certificate 

Shot / immunization records

Social Security Card

What Will Kindergarten Be Like?

Rawsonville Elementary offers many outstanding kindergarten opportunities:

· Breakthrough to Literacy computer-based reading program in every kindergarten classroom

· High standards in early academic learning

· Curriculum aligned with the MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program)

· Paraprofessional support in every classroom

Language Arts: Science:

- phonemic awareness - scientific process

- concepts of print - life science

- letter/sound connections - earth science

- comprehension strategies - physical science

- attitudes about reading

- writing process

Social Studies:

Mathematics: - Students learn about the physical

- patterns, relationships and functions and social environments of their

- geometry and measurement classroom. Basic social skills

- data analysis and statistics are introduced. The children

- number sense and numeration explore basic economic concepts

- numerical and analytical thinking involving wants and needs and

- probability and discrete mathematics making choices

We plan to treat your child with respect and kindness. We ask that you support our efforts by understanding that your child will be happier, have more friends, and make better school progress if your child treats others with respect and kindness, too.

This is difficult for many children; they are still very “ME” centered. It helps if you reinforce the message that they are part of a group. They need to learn to take turns – when they talk with the teacher and when they play with other children. They will need to share materials rather than grab for them. It helps to emphasize to your child that you realize this is not always an easy lesson to learn but that it is a very important lesson. It helps also if they know that you are proud of the good efforts that they make at being part of this big, school group.

We will encourage your child to write every day. Please support this by having paper and pencils, crayons, markers, and scissors available for your child to use at home. These informal opportunities provide much-needed practice and encouragement.

We are committed to the idea of literacy skills emerging in a developmentally predictable fashion that varies comfortably from child to child. We will encourage your child to “write in his/her own way” – which might involve early scribbling, drawing, and making letter like marks before actually producing recognizable letters. Gradually this process is refined and we will work to form letters. A copy of the form of print that is used in our school is attached in the event that your child is ready to try writing using conventional letters.

We will read to your child every day. Please support your child’s early literacy learning by similarly reading to your child at home each day! Encourage your child to talk about the book before reading, question while reading, and discuss after reading. Be prepared to read favorite books many times. All of these techniques – together with the wonderful time that you and your child sit closely together, are absolutely invaluable!

Additionally, let your child see you read. Involve your child in the act of watching how important reading is for your life and work. For example, make a point of looking up information, phone numbers, reading the street signs aloud, reading items and prices while shopping, reading the menu or carry out folder when choosing pizza. These early “reading lessons” are more important than any phonics that extensive kits can offer.

Please support us by making use of the most ordinary math opportunities in your kitchen. Ask your child to count the napkins, set enough places at the table for each member of the family, plan if there are enough cookies for everyone to have two, divide the pizza, and compare the sizes and quantities of dishes of dessert. These experiences cost nothing but they develop awareness, provide practice, and demonstrate that acquiring these skills makes it easier to get work done.

We will verbally acknowledge your child over and over for making efforts. We will not expect everything to be done perfectly. What we will support wholeheartedly is that your child will put forth the best effort possible and that we will together note the progress that is being made. We will emphasize that it is always a good idea to “try”, to “take risks,” because in so doing, each of us gradually gets better at doing things that are at one time or another quite difficult.

And, very importantly, please consider scheduling some time to assist us in learning in the classroom. When you join us, you demonstrate to your child that not only do you value the child, but you value learning.

Additionally, you see your child in the perspective of others of that age; you have much better understanding of the curriculum and the reasons for the choice of materials; you have a more complete understanding of what is involved in the active, hands-on learning of a classroom of busy young learners.

We are here to guide and support your child’s first public school learning experiences. Please join us . . . it’s an exciting experience!

The Rawsonville Elementary School

Early Childhood Staff