Welcome parents/guardians of kindergarten students in North Bend Schools

Reading

In kindergarten, children spend a good deal of time developing the skills they need to read:
*recognizing all the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds
*reading words and short sentences
*being able to retell a story after listening to it
*recognizing and using rhyming words
*quickly recognizing “sight words”, words that frequently appear in beginning reading books like, a, come, can, do, my, me, look, we, you, at, and, I, in

To encourage your child’s interest in reading, read aloud to your child every day, talk about letter sounds, look for words in everyday life, visit the library, and give books as gifts.

Math

In kindergarten, children learn about numbers, counting, sorting, and grouping. By the end of the year,kindergarteners typically are expected to be able to count to 100, write numbers up to 20, and give you the “next number” for numbers 1 to 100.

Here are some tips for building your child’s math skills:
*Ask your child to bring you a specific number of objects.
*Use relative terms like, more, less, smaller, taller, heavier, lighter.
*Practice grouping and sorting.
*Play board games.
*Use the calendar to count the days until a special event.

Writing

Your child will start the year writing individual letters and will progress to writing whole words and short sentences. As your child works on his/her writing skills in school, there are a number of things you can do at home to further develop these skills.

*Help your child learn to write his/her name with a capital letter to start.
*Help your child write a thank you note for a gift, or a get well note to a friend.
*Have your child make and sign birthday and greeting cards.
*Use sidewalk chalk to practice writing.
*Use finger paint to practice letter formation.
*Be encouraging, and praise all of your child’s writing efforts.

Build independence

Kindergarteners are expected to be able to take care of more things on their own. You can help your child become more self-sufficient and independent by providing your child with choices, and giving your kindergartener age-appropriate responsibilities.

*Give your child a simple household task, such as feeding the dog, helping set the table, or watering the plants.
*Encourage your child to get dressed without your help. Be patient if your child becomes frustrated with zippers or buttons.
*Help your child develop decision-making skills by giving him/her choices. Let your child choose which shirt to wear, what to eat for lunch, or what game to play.
*When something is difficult, don’t immediately swoop in to help. Let your child try to problem solve- and celebrate when he/she is successful.

What does a typical kindergarten day look like?

The kindergarten day is packed full of learning and fun!
*75 minute reading block
*60 minute math block

Woven throughout the day…
writing, science, social studies, art, and recess

Experienced over a week…
P.E., music, library, and computers

What can I expect with the bus?

When you register your child online you will be able to select if your child needs bussing transportation. The bus company will then get in touch with you to confirm bussing plans.

What can I expect at Kindergarten Orientation in September?

You will be contacted by your child’s teacher and sign up for a block to time to attend school with your kindergarten child. You and your child will bring your school supplies and come get acquainted with your child’s teacher and school. Students will do a quick assessment, and you will get all your remaining questions about kindergarten answered.

Success

Helping your child have a successful year doesn’t require doing extraordinary things. It’s the little things you do every day that provide the guidance and support your child needs. With your encouragement, love, and support, your child is sure to be successful this year, and in the years to come!