Kindergarten 2024-2025 Mrs. Eckhardt

Starting Kindergarten Larsen Elementary

Times–Full day kindergarten will be from 9:15-3:30, except for on Mondays, when we will meet from 9:15-2:45. Half-day students will go home at noon every day. Students will be picked up out front in the pick-up lane, students will stay by our door until they see someone there for them. If you are planning on having your child walk, please let me know.

Lunch-We will eat lunch and have lunch recess from 12:10-12:30. If your child is eating a home lunch, please make sure they know how to open/close containers and that they know how to take care of the things that they bring their lunch in.

Folders-A folder will come home from school each day and needs to return to school each morning. Anything going home from school will be in the folder. Anything you need to send to me you can put in the folder.

Back Pack-Your child needs a back pack or bag to carry things in.  The simple habit of being responsible for a backpack is one that will have lasting results for your child. At the end of each day take a few minutes to check your child’s backpack for things that have come home.

Birthdays-Right before your child’s birthday, a bag will come home from school.  Please help your child choose some things to bring to school that are special to them. This could be a favorite book, toys, pictures etc…  If you would like to send a treat, they need to be store bought.  If your child has a summer birthday, we will choose a day for your child to have an un-birthday so we can celebrate it.

Homework–The main homework for kindergarten is home reading. Our goal is for you to do 20 minutes a night of reading-to, with, and by your child. Leveled library books will come home each time you return one. Please have your child read the book to you a few times, helping where needed. Then, send the book back to school with your child so that they can choose a new one. Any other books you read with your child can be counted toward their minutes as well. A reading calendar will come home at the start of each month to record minutes on, and should be returned at the end of each month.

In addition, kindergarten students can complete minutes on i-ready which is an online program. Our goal for i-ready homework is at least 30 minutes a week (15 math, 15 reading). Information about logging into i-ready will come later.

Surprise Bag and Math Bag-In place of show-n-tell, we will do the surprise bag.  When it is your child’s turn, they will come home with a sticker on their shirt. That night please help your child choose one item from home to put it in a grocery sack or other bag. Write down three clues that he/she can tell the class.  The next day the other children will try and guess what is in the bag.  We will do math bag too.  When your child has the math bag sticker, help them choose something to bring that we can sort or count.  Put the items in a grocery sack or other bag. Think of a question that we can answer (like how many kinds of buttons are in the bag?) and write it on a paper.  PLEASE TRY TO SEND THE BAG THE NEXT DAY. 

Newsletter-Look for a weekly newsletter to come out electronically on Mondays (or the first day of the week).  I will send an email and a remind text with the information. You will notice information about the week and any special activities you should be aware of. It’s will also be online at https://sites.google.com/a/nebo.edu/angela-eckhardt/

Writing-We will be doing a lot of writing in kindergarten.   Please encourage your child to write at home.  There are many stages of writing, and each stage is important.  We will actually be doing a lot of writing in crayon this year at the beginning. Please applaud every sincere effort to write.  Your support will help give them confidence. We will be writing in daily journals in class.  Help your child learn to sound spell words and help him/her with sight words so they can spell frequently used words correctly.  Enjoy your child’s sound spelling without constantly correcting. 

Book Orders-About once a month, I will send book order forms home via email.  This is a great opportunity to buy quality books for you home library at a reduced price.  Please feel no obligation to order. You may go online and use a credit card or debit card, our class code for online ordering is V48Y9.

Planning time- We will attend planning time four days a week.  Tuesday we will go to computers. Wednesday is our PE day.  It is best for your child to wear clothes and shoes that are appropriate for physical activity on Wednesday.  Thursday is art, Friday is library.  Kindergarteners will not check out books from the library.