Ralph M. Captain Elementary School Student/Parent Handbook   2015 - 2016

     

It is the policy of the School District of Clayton not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability in its programs or employment practices as required by Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Inquiries related to the District’s employment practices should be directed to Kim Harding, Human Resources Consultant, School District of Clayton, #2 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton, Missouri, 63105 or by phone at (314) 854-6032. Inquiries related to the District's student programs should be directed to Greg Batenhorst, Director of Student Services, School District of Clayton, #2 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton, Missouri, 63105 or by phone at (314) 854- 6013. Inquiries or concerns regarding civil rights compliance by school districts should be directed to the local school district Title IX/non-discrimination coordinator. Inquiries and complaints may also be directed to the Kansas City Office, Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education, 8930 Ward Parkway, Suite 2037, Kansas City MO 64114; 816-268-0550; fax 816-823-1404; TDD 877-521-2172. School District of Clayton #2 Mark Twain Circle 314.854.6000

Ralph M. Captain Elementary School “The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value.” ~Carol Dweck, author of Mindset Dear Ralph M. Captain Families, The students of Ralph M. Captain Elementary are the heart of our school community. Faculty and caregivers work in partnership to foster a caring, supportive learning environment where all children embrace challenges, think critically, and persevere to reach high levels of learning. Creativity, innovation, and leadership are just a few of the unique characteristics that describe our diverse group of young learners. Our teachers ensure that each child’s individual strengths are nurtured and serve as the foundation of learning. Ralph M. Captain Elementary students partake in differentiated learning experiences designed to deepen understanding, in order to transfer knowledge and skills to new learning situations. From assisting in the classroom to chairing a school event, parents have many opportunities to volunteer in our school, and they enjoy doing so! The Parent Teacher Organization welcomes parent involvement and continually seeks avenues to further enhance teaching and learning. The Ralph M. Captain Elementary website is a wealth of information; however, please feel free to contact the school directly. On behalf of the staff, I would like to extend a warm welcome to you and your family. We are excited to work with your children. Respectfully,

Principal, Ralph M. Captain Elementary

Ralph M. Captain Elementary School District Information

District Mission Statement As a community, the students, staff, parents and patrons of the School District of Clayton are united in our commitment to student learning. Our mission, vision and core values embody why we are here, what we want our students to become and the principles that guide our work. Mission Statement We inspire each student to love learning and embrace challenge within a rich and rigorous academic culture. Vision Statement We develop leaders who shape the world through independence, creativity and critical thinking. Core Values We model and promote • excellence by challenging our students and ourselves to meet the highest expectations of our community. • trust by building relationships based on integrity, mutual respect and open communication. • inclusiveness by valuing individual differences and the contributions of a diverse student body and staff. • innovation by encouraging ideas and practices that foster adaptability. • accountability by aligning our actions and resources with our stated objectives and taking responsibility for the outcomes. Tag Line

Board of Education Members

Meetings are held in the Board Room on the lower level of the Administrative Center, # 2 Mark Twain Circle. Meeting dates, time and locations are subject to change. Meetings are open to the public, and school district residents and patrons are encouraged to attend. Highlights, audio recordings and official minutes of past meetings can be reviewed online. Materials for Board meetings which are not working drafts or are non-confidential under the Sunshine Law will be available online via the District's Web site on the Monday prior to each meeting. Audio files are archived in MP3 format and are filed with their associated agenda item on each past meetings' agenda. Persons wishing to contact the Board of Education may do so by calling the Superintendent's Office at 854-6000 or in writing to #2 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton, MO 63105.

Schedule of Meetings

Schools of Clayton The Family Center 301 North Gay Avenue Clayton, Missouri 63105 (314) 854-6900 Debbie Reilly, Director Ralph M. Captain Elementary 6345 Northwood Clayton, Missouri 63105 (314) 854-6100 Dr. Jennifer Martin, Principal Glenridge Elementary 7447 Wellington Way Clayton, Missouri 63105 (314) 854-6200 Beth Scott, Principal

Meramec Elementary 400 South Meramec Clayton, Missouri 63105 (314) 854-6300 Lisa Jackson-Terry, Principal Wydown Middle School 6500 Wydown Clayton, Missouri 63105 (314) 854-6400 Dr. Jamie Jordan, Principal Clayton High School #1 Mark Twain Circle Clayton, Missouri 63105 (314) 854-6600 Dr. Dan Gutchewsky, Principal

Central Office Administration Superintendent – Sharmon Wilkinson Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning – Milena Garganino Assistant Superintendent of Student Services - Greg Batenhorst Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources– Sean Doherty Chief Financial Officer - Mary Jo Gruber Chief Technology Officer – Jeff Puls Chief Communications Officer - Chris Tennill

Ralph M. Captain Elementary School Information

Absence We request that parents call the school before 8:45 AM to report a child’s absence. If we are not notified by 9:00 AM, then office personnel will call parents to ensure each child’s safety. Upon return, a dated note mentioning the reason for the absence and signed by a parent or guardian should be submitted to the main office. Office Number: 314.854.6100

Absence Due To Illness Students who were absent due to illness are asked to report to the nurse when returning if any outside medical care was required. The School District of Clayton policy states that any child who is too ill to come to school in the morning should remain home for the entire day to protect the health and safety of all students.

Absence for Other Reasons If a child will be absent for a medical appointment or another preplanned event, please submit an early dismissal request to the student's classroom teacher at the beginning of the day in question. It is preferred to have the request submitted at least one day in advance. In these situations a child may return to school midday.

Arrival at School Opening begins at 8:30 AM so children may begin school at 8:40 AM. Supervision on the playground begins at 8:20 AM. Children should not arrive before that time. Parents who need to leave their child/children at school before 8:20 AM should request information on Captain Kid Zone, our before and after school child care program. Kindergarten children arrive on the kindergarten playground (east side of school) and 1st through 5th grade arrive on the large playground (west side of school).

Attendance/Tardiness One major factor in a child’s success in school is regular attendance. Each time a child is absent from school he/she misses instructional experiences that cannot be duplicated. It is imperative that your child attends school every day unless he/she has a medical excuse. We encourage doctor appointments be scheduled after school hours. If a parent has a concern about their child’s attendance and the effect of

any absence(s) upon grades, the parent is encouraged to speak with their child’s teacher. We believe it is important for every child to arrive on time for school every day. Tardiness to school can cause a disruption to learning and break the continuity of the teaching process. Parents are encouraged to make every effort to get their child to school on time. It is important for children to develop the habit of arriving to school on time. Students enter the building at 8:30 AM and are expected to be in their classrooms at 8:40 AM. Tardy students are always required to check in with the office for a late admittance slip before entering their classroom.

Attire/School Dress Please use the following to provide guidance to your child/children: • Hats, scarves, and sweatbands may be worn to school. The children are asked to remove these upon entering the building. • Clothing is to be free of advertisements and slogans that could be considered inappropriate for elementary students. • Clothing should always be in good taste - for example, very short shorts, sagging pants, and exposed midriffs are not suitable for elementary school. • Students should wear clothing appropriate for the weather conditions, especially for inclement weather. • For safety reasons, it is requested that children have a pair of athletic shoes for Physical Education classes and recess every day. • Parents are encouraged to clearly mark outer clothing with students’ names for easy identification in the event of being lost or misplaced.

Before and After School Child Care–KID ZONE A before and after school child care program (KID ZONE) is available at R.M. Captain School. It operates from 7:00-8:30 AM and again from 3:30-6:00 PM. Interesting and challenging recreational activities are planned. An afternoon snack is served daily. Fees are charged for this program and applications are available on the school website. Financial assistance is available for students on the free or reduced lunch and breakfast program. Phone #: 314.854.6147

Birthday Treats R.M. Captain Elementary recognizes that birthdays are special days for the children. Students will have their names read over the intercom for recognition and will receive something special on their birthdays (halfbirthdays for students with summer days) from the school. In order to protect instructional time and to maintain a safe environment for all students who have food allergies, birthday treats are not allowed. In honor of their child’s birthday, families are welcome to donate a book to the classroom or school library or a “Birthday Bag” for the local food pantry.

Food Allergy Management Policy for District

The School District of Clayton is working to ensure that our schools are welcoming and safe for students with life threatening or other serious food allergies. With the safety of all students in mind, the Board of Education approved a Food Allergy Management policy, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. • No peanuts, tree nuts or products containing peanuts or tree nuts may be brought into classrooms for any purposes, such as snacks, classroom parties, etc. • The district will not serve peanuts, tree nuts or products containing peanuts or tree nuts. Additionally, the policy contains changes that are grade-level specific: Grades K – 2: Students may not have peanuts, tree nuts or products containing peanuts or tree nuts in their lunches. There will be a table in the cafeteria designated as a nut-restricted table. Grades 3-5: Students may have peanuts, tree nuts or products containing peanuts or tree nuts in their lunches to be consumed only in the cafeteria during lunch. There will be a table in the cafeteria designated as a nutrestricted table.

Breakfast Program The breakfast program is a regular part of our cafeteria service. Breakfast is served from 8:158:30 AM. Students in child care and students who ride the bus go directly to the cafeteria and then go out to play after they eat. Breakfast is not served to students who arrive after 8:30 AM. Breakfast includes cereal, milk, fruit or juice, bread, muffins, etc.

Bus Procedure A note from a parent is required any time a student who is scheduled to ride the bus and has other dismissal plans. This will help us make certain we keep your child safe and comply with your wishes.

Captain’s LOG/e-News Parents will receive a weekly e-news blast including information about school functions, events, and other school-related matters. Families may request to receive a paper copy of the eblast by contacting the office Other information/communication will be backpacked. For families with more than one child enrolled at Captain, the updates and notes will be sent with the youngest child.

Cell Phones

Since we protect the learning time of your child, students are not permitted to use cell phones in class. If parents desire their child to carry a cell phone, it must remain turned off and in the backpack during the school day. We ask parent volunteers to refrain from using cell phones while volunteering in the classrooms.

Conferences Conferences are held during the first and third quarters of the school year. First quarter conferences are goal-setting conferences when parents, students, and teachers set goals for the school year. Third quarter conferences are used to assess progress toward those goals. Additional conferences may also be scheduled any time during the school year by contacting your child’s teacher.

Dismissal School is dismissed at 3:25 PM for kindergarten students and 3:30 PM for students in grades 1-5. Students should go directly home after school and check in with an adult unless they are involved in a school-sponsored activity meeting immediately after school. Children accompanied by a parent or supervising adult may return to play on the playground. A note from a parent is required for early dismissal. Safety precautions require that students sign-out in the office prior to leaving the building. • • •

Kindergarten – Dismiss from Classrooms Grades 1-3 – Dismiss from Cafeteria Grades 4-5 – Dismiss onto Playground (west side of the school)

E-Readers At Ralph M. Captain Elementary, we are supportive of students in grades 3-5 using personal e-readers in the classroom. The devices are to be used for reading only. Students are not allowed to use the devices for playing games. The Ralph M. Captain Elementary staff is NOT responsible for lost, misplaced, stolen, broken, or damaged ereaders. Please consider this when making the decision to allow your child to bring his/her ereader to school.

Excuse from P.E. A note from a parent is required if a student needs to be excused from Physical Education. In accordance with School District policy, these requests will be honored for one week. Requests that a child be excused from Physical Education for more than one week must be from a physician.

Inclement Weather and School Closings

Information regarding school closings or schedule changes due to extreme weather will be posted on the front page of the District Website as soon as a decision is made. Typically, a decision to close school or open on a snow schedule is not made until 5:00 AM on the morning in question. When a snow schedule is announced, starting times for the school will be one hour later than normal (9:40 AM - 3:30 PM). School will still be let out at the regular time. The before and after school child care program (Kid Zone) will follow a regular schedule unless otherwise announced. Please check this site or tune to local media for information on school closings. On days that the District is closed or on a snow schedule, School Messenger, the District’s broadcast telephone messaging system, will call all District families at their primary contact number to announce a closing or late start. The School District of Clayton also posts school closings on the local radio and television stations School closing information may also be obtained by calling the District Administration Building at 314-854-6000.

Emergency Preparedness Fire, Tornado, Earthquake Practice drills are held throughout the school year. Children will practice the correct positions and procedures for maximum safety. In case of severe storm warnings at the end of the school day, dismissal may be delayed until it is safe for the children to leave the building. Fire Procedures: Signal: Uninterrupted sounding of alarm Procedures: • Exit building and report to the west side of the playground. Staff will use alternate exit routes as necessary. Teachers will complete attendance sheet and report anyone who is missing. Tornado Procedures: Signal: Uninterrupted sounding of alarm/Directions over intercom Procedures: • Walk to designated safe area and assume “duck, tuck and cover head” position. The designated safe areas include the stairwells, bathrooms, and rooms/hallways without windows. Teachers take attendance and report to the administrative team. Earthquake Procedures: Signal: Building/Ground Shaking Procedures: • Indoors: Duck, tuck and cover under a table or desk. • Outdoors: Move to open area away from buildings and wires. • When movement has stopped, the building leader will order evacuation of the school over the loud speaker. Security Drill Procedures: An announcement saying, “This is a Security Alert” (intruder drill) and staff will direct the children to respond in one of the following ways based on the information they have regarding the location of the intruder: •

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Educate: The best way we can work to keep the school safe is to be aware of anything in school that does not seem right. If you see someone in the school that you do not know who is acting in a strange manner, please report that immediately to the first adult you see. That adult will then address the situation and will make sure you are safe. Evade: Sometimes the best response when there is a dangerous person in the building is to hide from the person. Remember, when we attempt to hide we will turn off the lights,

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remain quiet, and stay out of sight as best as possible. We will practice that today, and we will also look for ways to make it more difficult for a dangerous person to get into the room (will practice barricading room in one minute). Escape: Sometimes the best response when there is a dangerous person in the building is to escape the building if we think we can do so safely. Today during our drill there will be an announcement about the location of an intruder. If that location is far enough away for us to escape, we are going to walk to the nearest safe escape route. When we do so, please remain quiet and follow my directions. Engage: If there is a situation where the dangerous person comes into our room, the best option may be to make it as difficult as possible for the person to do harm to anyone. If that is the case, please look around and identify items you may be able to throw at the person to distract or hurt them. Then, take the first opportunity you have and exit the classroom and building and get to a safe place outside of school.

Emergency Contact Information It is important that we have up-to-date telephone numbers for each parent and the telephone numbers of two other people authorized to act for you, the parent, as well as the names and telephone numbers of your child’s doctor and dentist. If it becomes necessary to contact parents for an emergency situation such as an illness or injury this information is critical so that we may act in the best interest of your child. Please update this information immediately whenever a change has been made. Children are strongly encouraged to memorize parent’s phone numbers for emergency purposes.

Extracurricular Activities/Clubs Captain teachers share their interests and expertise in a variety of before and after school clubs and intramural sports. These extracurricular activities are offered on a semester basis. A description of available activities is sent home at the beginning of each semester and students have the opportunity to register for the activities in which they are interested. Specific information on these activities will appear in a separate flyer.

Gifted Education Program The identification process for the Clayton Gifted Program is approved by the State of Missouri and is based on a portfolio model including multiple identification methods. The formal process for identifying students in need of gifted education services is based on nomination and a matrix of performance criteria including scores for academic achievement, cognitive ability, and gifted behaviors. The use of a multiple criteria matrix assures that no one testing method or instrument will be used for identification but rather multiple identifiers designed to recognize latent, emergent, or manifest indicators of giftedness as well as an inclusive, rather than exclusive, approach for gifted identification. If you would like more information on our gifted program, please contact the school’s counselor. (A detailed description of all levels can be found on our District website: www.clayton.k12.mo.us/gifted.)

Holiday Room Parties Halloween, Winter Holiday and Valentine’s Day are the three regularly scheduled classroom parties each year. Grade level representatives selected by the Parent-Teacher Organization are responsible for the organization of the celebrations.

Homework

Purpose: • To offer further practice or reinforce taught concepts • To study/review for assessments • To teach responsibility/time management/organization • To offer enrichment • To foster independence

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Language development through talking Word-work/spelling Math reinforcement At home projects assigned throughout year Monthly Spanish practice

Second Grade: • Reading familiar books/being read to by caregiver - 20 minutes • Word-work/spelling • Math fact practice, reinforcement of taught concepts, games • Study for assessments in science or social studies • Monthly Spanish practice Third Grade: • Reading familiar books – 20 minutes • Word-work/spelling • Comprehension skills reinforcement • Math fact practice, reinforcement of taught concepts • Review for assessments in science, social studies, math • Gathering data and skill practice • Monthly Spanish practice Fourth Grade: • Reading familiar books - 20-30 minutes • Word-work/spelling • Literature letters • Math fact practice, reinforcement of taught concepts • Review for assessments in science, social studies, and math • Gathering research • Content area skill practice • Monthly Spanish practice

Kindergarten: • Reading to caregiver and/or being read to by caregiver • Language development through talking • Practice writing letters and numbers • Counting, playing cards, dice, and/or board games

Fifth Grade: • Reading familiar books – 30-40 minutes • Word-work/spelling • Math fact practice, reinforcement of taught concepts • Time management and organization • Review for assessments in science, social studies, and math • Gathering research • Monthly Spanish practice

First Grade: • Reading familiar books/being read to by caregiver - 20 minutes

Student Expectations for Homework • Students will read or be read to daily. • Students will be responsible for assigned

work and strive to complete it with independence. • Students will communicate to teacher if they need help with completing homework. Parent Expectations for Homework • Parents serve as facilitators of homework. • Parents communicate with teacher if questions should arise. • Parents monitor student reading. • Parents go over feedback with students. • Parents refrain from doing a child’s work; parents should provide assistance only. If this becomes difficult, parents should contact their child’s teacher. Teacher Expectations for Homework • Teachers will assign meaningful experiences that are developmentally appropriate. • Homework might be reinforcement/review of problem solving skills. • Teachers provide homework that is not new learning. • Teachers offer feedback about students’ completion of homework. • Teachers monitor students’ reading.

Home/School Communications Ralph M. Captain Elementary believes in strong partnerships with parents/caregivers supported by solid communication. When parents have questions or concerns, it is important to contact the classroom teachers first. Teachers represent the first step in resolving concerns because they are knowledgeable about your children and the school program.

Immunizations Missouri State Law mandates that children must be completely immunized and you must provide the school with the immunization record by the first day of school attendance. Any child who is not fully immunized or properly exempted will not be allowed to enter school. Missouri School Immunization Law requires the following immunizations for all school children unless naturally immunized, or exempt for religious beliefs. For further information or clarification, please contact the school nurse.

• Rubeola (Measles):

Two doses on or after first birthday separated by at least 30 days, for students who started kindergarten, or who were 5 or 6 years of age, as of and after the 1990-91 school year.

• Rubella (German Measles):

One dose on or

after first birthday.

• Mumps: One dose on or after first birthday. • Polio: At least 3 doses. Last dose must have been at age 4 or older.

• Diphtheria (DPT, DT, Td):

At least 3 doses (+10 yr. booster). Last dose must have been at age 4 or older.

• Pertussis (DPT):

At least 3 doses. Applies to students 6 years of age and younger. Last dose must have been at age 4 or older.

• Tetanus (DPT, DT, Td):

At least 3 doses (=10 year booster). Last dose must have been at age 4 or older.

Lost and Found Each year many valuable personal possessions are not claimed from our Lost and Found. Due to the similarity of items, it is very important that all belongings brought from home be clearly labeled with the child’s first and last name. We suggest that parents encourage children to carefully check for lost items; parents are also invited to look through the Lost and Found located on the first floor of the school. All items left in the Lost and Found are donated to charity during the Winter Break and at the end of the school year.

Lunch Students may bring a lunch from home or purchase a lunch from the Cafeteria. The last week of each month the school sends home a copy of the upcoming menu for the following month. Parents deposit money into each child’s lunch account. As the children come through the lunch line, the cashier deducts the day’s purchase from his/her account. Students may purchase milk or juice to accompany lunch from home. Lunch prices are reviewed and often adjusted annually. At the beginning of the year, information is sent home to inform families of lunch costs. Students whose lunch account falls in

arrears will be served a cheese sandwich for their lunch until the account is paid in full. Please check at the front desk or with the cafeteria staff to ensure your child’s account is up-to-date.

Medication taken by Students at School Regulations for administering prescribed medications to students are as follows: • Medications must be brought to school in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician and taken directly to the clinic. • Written permission must be provided by the parent requesting the medication be taken at school and appropriate forms completed in the school office. • Parents and/or physician should keep school personnel informed regarding the effectiveness and continuation of the medication taken during school hours. • Non-prescription medications such as aspirin, cold tablets, cough drops, etc. are not given in the school.

volunteer within the curriculum. The PTO participation not only helps parents learn about our curriculum; it broadens a parent’s understanding of the entire school. Meetings are open to all interested parents and are announced in the Captain’s Log. Our PTO is organized with grade level representatives and officers. Each classroom has a grade level representative. The representative works with the teachers and parents in planning the three classroom parties, in working on a larger PTO project, and in acting as a connection to our families. A very important part of PTO is fostering community. We sponsor several events throughout the year that help us to connect with each other and deepen our community spirit. These events include the Book Fair, Black History Night, Captain Fair, and Art Show. The PTO Board meetings are held at Captain in the Library every month. We encourage our parents to come and participate in our decisionmaking process and to update themselves about what is going on in our school community. Notices about meetings, community events, and volunteer opportunities are published regularly in the Captain’s Log.

Messages for Students If you need to leave a message for your child about going home a different way, please call before 3:00 PM so office personnel can deliver the message before dismissal.

Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) PTO THEME/FOCUS: SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES At Captain School, our children, parents, and teachers have worked hard to create a community of learners. We believe the participation of everyone in our school community is a key ingredient to successfully educate our children. Everyone in our community is a part of PTO and we especially welcome new parents and families. We are continually working toward a community where every voice is heard and everyone is able to participate. We are proud of the partnership we are building between parents and teachers. The PTO offers workshops and ways for parents to

Safety Bicycle Safety - For the safety and welfare of our students we have outlined the following list of bicycle rules to be followed during the school day: • walk bicycles on the sidewalks on Northwood • provide locks for all bicycles and lock them to the bike rack located at the front entrance, not on the chain fences • do not bring skateboards to school We encourage students to wear helmets and to store them in their lockers. Pedestrian Safety - Children who walk to school should stay on the sidewalk. They should cross the street only at the corner or designated crosswalk. Children should not take short cuts through driveways or alleys. Crossing guards are located at the corners of Northwood and

Demun, Clayton and Demun, and Wydown and Cecil.

Volunteer and Visitor Sign In/Out School Spirit Student Committee - The purpose of this committee is to promote school spirit and pride, to plan all-school events, to organize community outreach programs, and to make decisions that affect the life of the school. School Song and Colors - School colors are red and blue and the school mascot is the cougar. The Captain School song is sung to the tune of the Notre Dame fight song. Ralph M. Captain, loyal and true Cougars are fighting for red and blue We have classes of all kinds helping to build up students’ minds Soccer, football, basketball, too We’re always planning something to do We have power by the hour So fight on for red and blue! Hurray!

Telephone Use by Students The phone lines are kept open for school business. After-school arrangements should be made at home prior to school time. Students will be asked to plan play dates when they get home from school. In cases of an emergency, a phone call will be made by a school staff member.

We take the safety of your child seriously. On school days from 8:40-3:20, all visitors and volunteers to Ralph M. Captain Elementary must enter through the front door and be buzzed in by office personnel. Please do not ask students to open exterior doors. Volunteers and visitors to Ralph M. Captain must sign-in in the office and wear a visitors’ sticker. Please do not go to a classroom before you sign in at the office. For the safety of our students, we must know who is in the building at all times.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are a number of ways parents can be productively involved in Captain School. Parents can help plan a variety of social and fundraising events that enrich our school community and serve on a variety of planning and curriculum committees. When you become a volunteer, your work takes on special significance -- though you are not part of the staff, you share their responsibilities while working with students. When you volunteer at Ralph M. Captain Elementary, you help . . . • your child • other children • teachers • administrators • the community Volunteers are expected to complete the background safety check and complete training required by District policy. Additional information can be found on the School District of Clayton’s website or at Ralph M. Captain’s main office. Thank you for sharing your time with the children.

Ralph M. Captain Elementary Curriculum Information

Curriculum Overview Curriculum Students at Captain School follow the elementary school curriculum designed and approved by the School District of Clayton. The basic subjects for all grade areas are communication arts (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), mathematics, social studies and science. In addition, specialists provide instruction in music, art, physical education, Spanish, computer and library skills. The School District of Clayton curriculum committees composed of teachers, administrators, and parents have designed a rich, challenging curriculum. The School District curriculum outlines what elementary students should know and be able to do at each grade level within each subject area: language literacy, mathematics, social studies, science, health, art, music, physical education, Spanish, and technology. Knowledge is built and developed within each discipline through a carefully developed and articulated plan to build a strong foundation for each child’s education.

Communication Arts The communication arts curriculum focuses on developing skilled and enthusiastic readers and writers. Elementary students learn to be active and capable readers of both fiction and nonfiction. As a result, students engage in a wide range of activities designed to develop their ability to comprehend a variety of print materials and to provide them with skills required for them to continue to grow as readers. Elementary students are also writers: they are learning to write and writing to learn. Students write in a variety of genres – thus developing their ability to express their ideas, emotions, and beliefs while acquiring a firm, yet developmentally appropriate, foundation in the fundamentals of writing. Moreover, the District strives to develop students who enjoy reading and writing and who value reading and writing as a means for exploring their imagination, for learning about themselves and the world, and for communicating with others.

Life Skills School works in partnership with home to develop important life skills needed throughout life. At Captain, we strive to help children learn about themselves within a group of peers and caring adults. We provide opportunities for children to develop in many capacities: • Work cooperatively with others • Work independently • Listen attentively and follow directions • Resolve conflicts with appropriate strategies • Demonstrate curiosity • Work on creative, self-initiated tasks • Learn in new ways • Organize and complete daily work • Respect rights and property of others • Assume initiative in seeking help when needed

Mathematics

The elementary mathematics curriculum resource, “Math in Focus”, emphasizes problem-solving, deep understanding, and model drawing. Through Math in Focus, teachers introduce fewer topics at each grade to a greater depth. Topics are taught to mastery, so they build from year to year across grade levels without repetition. Math in Focus is highly visual, following a concrete-to-pictorial-to-abstract progression. The program is sequenced in a way to ensure that students develop and maintain strong number sense. Teachers will teach your children both how and why math works. This deep understanding means that they will be better able to use math in real-life situations.

Science Science education should encourage an attitude of inquiry in the world around us, excite an interest in the nature and process of science to society, technology, mathematics, and other disciplines. Through the science curriculum, students gain a foundation of process skills, leading to organized reasoning, analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Social Studies

Social studies is a multi-disciplinary, integrated approach to the study of people, their physical environment, histories, traditions, and cultures. The kindergarten through fourth grade program focuses on culture and geography. Students study people and cultures, past and present, from all over the world. They learn how the physical environment shapes culture. They also learn about, and appreciate, similarities and differences among cultures. Fifth graders begin a three-year sequence studying American history from pre-Columbian times to 1800. The central themes include the diverse cultural make-up of the Americas, the causes of the American Revolution and the meaning of our core concepts: freedom, liberty, and equality.

Music The study of music necessitates activity and growth in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. It expands the learner’s appreciation of the arts and helps develop the creative thinking processes. The music curriculum provides students the musical opportunities and experiences necessary to become informed consumers, creators, and/or performers of music.

Physical Education Physical education is an integral part of the curriculum, which concentrates on the development of students’ physical potential and their related social, emotional, and intellectual growth. Through the physical education curriculum, students gain feelings of pleasure, accomplishment, and sense of self-worth and dignity that results from participation in physical activities.

Health In the elementary years, students study how the amazing human body works and what individuals can do to keep it healthy. The health curriculum impacts the development of the whole child: physical, emotional, mental, and social. Through the curriculum students become discriminating consumers of health information and products thus empowered for a lifetime of wellness.

Art Creation is at the heart of the visual art curriculum. Students learn to work with various tools, processes, and media. They learn how to make choices to enhance the communication of their ideas. Students learn to make critical judgments as they develop aesthetic perception by interacting with works of art and becoming knowledgeable about history and world culture.

Spanish (Grades 1-5) The Spanish curriculum is based on the belief that anyone who can learn his or her native language can learn a second language. The curriculum is designed for all learners and addresses a variety of learning styles. Language as communication is emphasized; students are given frequent opportunities to interact and use the language. Grammar is presented through and for usage, not as the object of instruction. Teachers emphasize task-oriented, hands-on, concrete activities, which integrate all five-language skills: listening, reading, writing, speaking, and culture.

Technology Technology motivates and empowers all members of our learning community to explore, experiment, and connect with the larger global community. Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum to expand resources for learners, improve communication, and provide greater versatility in the curriculum.

Ralph M. Captain Elementary Peace Plan/Norms/Discipline Information

RALPH M. CAPTAIN ELEMENTARY

COMMUNITY PEACE PLAN SCHOOL GUIDELINES/NORMS FOR BEHAVIOR At R.M. Captain Elementary, we respect ourselves, others, and the property of the school. We do this by living the following norms: • We do the right thing even when no one is watching. • We will never be disruptive or hurtful. • We resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. Captain Kids Care About: Themselves Therefore they… • use appropriate language. • arrive at school on time. • take responsibility for completing assignments and homework on time. • assume responsibility for their own behavior. Other People Therefore they… • listen to their teachers and to each other. • communicate without teasing, name-calling or put-downs. • respect other people’s property. • keep their hands, feet and objects to themselves. • resolve conflicts with words. • follow directions the first time they’re given. • make certain a teacher always knows where they are. Their Community Therefore they… • make quick and orderly transitions. • walk in the building. • follow cafeteria, playground and transition norms. • keep school property clean and free of litter. • show respect for all members of our community. • welcome newcomers and visitors. • model appropriate behavior for one another.

CAFETERIA NORMS BE KIND AND CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS. • Use an indoor voice. • Follow teacher instructions the FIRST time they are given. • Welcome everyone -- no saved seats. • Use good manners. • Choose one seat and stay there. WORK AND PLAY SAFELY. • Eat your own food -- don’t touch or trade food. • Raise your hand to be excused. • Keep your food on your tray or in your mouth -- no throwing or playing with food. RESPECT OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. • Clean up table and floor where you sit. • Pick up any trash you see on the floor and put it in a trashcan.

TRANSITION NORMS (Moving from place to place) BE KIND AND CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS. • Keep your hands to yourself -- don’t touch anyone else while you are in line. • Remain quiet and calm to maintain peace. BE SAFE. • Stay behind the leader and the person in front of you. • Keep up with the class.

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Walk in the building -- no running or jumping.

PLAYGROUND NORMS

Field Trip Guidelines

BE KIND AND CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS

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INCLUDE EVERYONE. • Ask others to play with you. • You can’t say, “You can’t play.” • Take turns on equipment.

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BE A GOOD SPORT AND TEAM PLAYER. • Shake hands at the end of a game. Let go of bad feelings. • Communicate without teasing, namecalling or put-downs. • When the whistle blows, stop what you are doing and line up immediately. • Leave toys and sports equipment at home unless the P.E. teacher asks you to bring them for intramurals. WORK AND PLAY SAFELY. • Use equipment safely. • Get an adult’s permission before leaving the playground. • Play gently without being rough. • Go down the slide feet first. No walking up or stopping on the slide. • One person at a time in the tunnel. • Leave woodchips on the ground -- no throwing. RESPECT OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. • Take care of our trees, plants and school property. • Return equipment to the right place. • Pick up litter and trash wherever you see it.

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Follow directions the first time they are given. Treat people and property with respect. Behave appropriately on the bus. o Stay in your seat. o Observe timed silence. o Use quiet voices. Be a good audience. o Listen carefully when someone is talking. o Wait until the speaker is finished to ask questions. o Listen while others are talking. Keep hands and feet to yourself. Always follow Captain Kids Peace Plan!

How Adults Can Help Make Field Trips More Successful Please help teachers by … • Reminding students of appropriate behavior. • Explicitly modeling appropriate behavior. • Verbally redirecting inappropriate behavior. • Asking for assistance if needed.

Ralph M. Captain Elementary Policies

Special School District The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protect students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are entitled to a “free appropriate, public education,” which is defined by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or similar document. The rights of students with disabilities and the responsibilities of Clayton and the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County are described in the SSD’s Compliance Plan, the County-wide General Assurance Document, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Procedural Safeguards for Children and Parents brochure, and Procedures Safeguards for Children and Parents brochure also are available from the schools. Additionally, parents have the right to inspect, review, and request amendment of personally identifiable information maintained on their children under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FOREPAW). All individuals from 3 to 21 years of age residing in St. Louis County, as well as St. Louis City residents attending Clayton schools, are eligible for special education services offered by the SSD if they are diagnosed with educational disabilities. The SSD provides special education services to students diagnosed with one of the following educational disabilities: learning disabilities, speech/language disorders, mental retardation, behavioral disorders/emotionally disturbed, physically/other health impaired, hearing impaired, visually impaired, deaf/blind, children with multiple disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, or early childhood special education. The SSD offers a variety of programs and related services for preschool and school age children, most of whom are served in Clayton facilities. The SSD also provides audiological and special education evaluations, hearing and speech/language screening services, Special Non-Public After School Program (SNAP), for students in private/parochial schools, and Home Teaching for home or hospitalbound students (both with and without disabilities). Additionally, the SSD operates a variety of applied technology, vocational, adult education, and “transitional” services for students with or without disabilities. Staff, parents or anyone else who has significant educational concerns about a student or believes an individual may have a disability can initiate the special education and/or Section 504 “identification” process. When there are educational concerns about a student, the school is

to begin considering and implementing alternative intervention strategies to address those concerns. If the educational concerns about a student are not resolved through the use of general education resources and interventions or the parent requests a special education referral/evaluation, the school is to assemble a “data gathering” packet (documenting concerns, interventions, and additional information about the student). The school’s Building Level Team, which includes a representative of the SSD, determines if a special education evaluation is warranted or not. Parents are to be notified in writing of the decision, the reasons for it, and their rights. Appeals of any disability related decisions should be submitted in writing to the Clayton Superintendent of Schools. Initial questions or requests for assistance/information should be directed to your child’s teacher, or school counselor. Speech and Language The Special School District speech and language pathologist implements programs with students who have diagnosed speech and/or language impairments. A speech and/or language impairment may be a disorder of voice, difficulty in making sounds, flow of speech, difficulty in understanding and/or expressing language, or a combination of these problems. Remediation is adapted to the student’s needs and is provided in small groups or individually. Conferences are held with teachers and parents throughout the year to review goals and objectives of each student. Children are screened when referred by their teacher or the parent. SERVICES AND RIGHTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Students with disabilities have rights and safeguards under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and, when eligible, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA2004). Students with disabilities are protected from discrimination and guaranteed a "free appropriate public education" (FAPE), which is defined by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or, for Section 504, Individualized Accommodation Plan (IAP). The rights of students with disabilities and the roles/responsibilities for Clayton and the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County are described in: • Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) State Plan for Special Education and IDEA-2004 Procedural Safeguards for Children and Parents brochure • The SSD's Compliance Plan

• The St. Louis County General Assurance Document • The U.S. General Education Provision Act (GEPA) • Clayton’s policies/guidelines and Section 504 rights handout. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents have the right to review, request amendment of, and file complaints concerning personally identifiable information maintained on their child. Parents/guardians (or majority age students) are to be provided with their procedural safeguards and written notification regarding the identification, evaluation, and/or placement of students with disabilities. Children under Clayton’s jurisdiction between the ages of three (3) and twenty-one (21) may be eligible for special education and related services. The SSD provides services to students diagnosed with one of the following educational disabilities: Autism, Deaf/Blindness, Emotional Disturbance, Hearing Impairment and Deafness, Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairments, Specific Learning Disabilities, Speech or Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visual Impairment/Blind, or Young Child with a Developmental Delay. Clayton provides accommodations and services to students with Section 504 disabilities who are not eligible under the IDEA. The SSD offers special education and related services (e.g., physical and occupational therapy, speech and/or language services, social work services, counseling) for students. These include evaluation, screening, and special education services for students with educational disabilities attending non-public schools. For students with and without diagnosed educational disabilities, the districts offer Homebound Instruction (for home or hospital-bound students) and applied technology/vocational programming. The districts are required to locate, evaluate, and identify children with disabilities under their jurisdiction, regardless of the severity of the disability, and assist the State with information and referral services in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for Missouri’s First Steps Program. This includes non-resident children attending private schools in Clayton, highly mobile children (i.e. migrant and homeless children), and children suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though advancing from grade to grade. When staff has significant concerns about a student, they are to initiate the “problem solving” process and, when needed, refer the student to the school’s Care Team. Clayton Care

Teams initiate the disability identification process when appropriate. Parents/guardians who suspect a disability may initiate the disability "identification" process by making a request to school staff. All students with disabilities are served in the least restrictive environment and attend their neighborhood Clayton schools unless determined otherwise. A student’s IEP or IAP Team determines what placement, program, special education and related services supplemental aids, adaptations, curriculum modifications, or other accommodations are required. The opportunity to participate in the Clayton curriculum, earn "regular" or “modified curriculum" credit, and obtain a high school diploma is available to all students. STUDENT STUDY TEAM & “PROBLEM-SOLVING” All Clayton schools utilize a Student Study Team and “problem-solving” model for addressing concerns of any type that arise at school about a student. A Student Study Team is a group of professional staff representing a variety of disciplines. These may include general education, guidance and counseling, administration, school health/nursing, special education, speech/language pathology, school social work, and school psychology. To the extent warranted, the “problem-solving” process involves problem identification (i.e., definition and analysis), the development and implementation of interventions, evaluation of their effectiveness, and, as needed, referral (e.g., for assistance, additional assessment, or services). This process is based on systematic data collection and analysis, documentation, consideration of all relevant and available information, and hypotheses development/testing. Student Study Teams rely on existing educational information and staff input, but also collect additional data through the intervention process and, when necessary, individual student assessment. Informed parent consent generally will be obtained before any student is individually assessed or observed by a member of the school staff UNLESS the assessment is part of the District’s screening activities (i.e., something done with a particular group of students) or the normal instructional process (i.e., reading assessments). Student Study Teams also encourage parents to provide any and all relevant information, including from outside professionals or agencies, about their children. Questions about Student Study Teams and the “problem-solving” process should be directed to guidance counselors or school administrators. ELEMENTARY SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION - Special Education

In conjunction with the Clayton School District, the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County provides special education staff, services, and programs for Clayton students with disabilities. A student qualifies for special education and related services when it is determined through evaluation that there is an educational disability which “adversely affects educational performance” and requires special education services. All decisions regarding a student’s Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Individualized Education Program (IEP) are to be made by the student’s IEP Team, which includes the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) and, as appropriate, the student. Emphasis is on keeping the student in the “least restrictive environment” (LRE) and supporting the student in Clayton’s general education curriculum. The and amounts of special education and related services, service delivery models, settings in which the services are delivered, curriculum modifications, necessary adaptations, and all other instructional decisions related to the student’s disability are to be made by the IEP Team. Certain procedural safeguards, which include the right to appeal diagnostic and IEP decisions, are available to students with disabilities and their parents. Special Education Services Special education services can be provided in a number of ways. These include: Consultative Services: Special education staff members work with general educators to monitor student performance and to adapt and/or modify classroom instruction, curriculum, materials, and tests in order to address student needs. Direct Special Education Services In A Special Education Setting: Special education staff provide direct instruction and/or other services in a special education classroom or other setting outside of the general education programs. This model is frequently used for either: • Learning Strategies: Instruction follows specific curricula to teach studying, writing, note taking, outlining, test preparation, test taking, and other skills designed to meet a student’s individual goals. • Individualized Instruction: These IEP determined areas of instruction and support could include:

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Learning Support: Support is provided in content areas through remediation, review, and opportunities to apply "Learning Strategies" skills to daily classroom assignments. Alternative (e.g., Alt. Math, Alt. Eng.): Direct instruction in content areas (e.g., math, reading, writing, English, science) is tailored specifically to student needs. Individualized Instruction: A “curriculum” which is individualized for a student by the IEP team (for example, to address IEP goal(s)/objectives), does not relate to a traditional content area, and is based on materials and/or activities adapted by the special education teacher or on an established curriculum is provided. This does NOT mean 1-to-1 instruction. Community Access: Special education supervised community experiences may be a component of some specialized programs.

Direct Special Education Services In A General Education Setting: Special education staff provides instructional support and/or other services in a general education classroom/setting. A frequently employed model for doing so is: • Collaborative Instruction [i.e., Class-WithinA-Class (CWC)]: Special education services are provided through collaborative planning and teaching involving a Clayton general education teacher and a special education teacher. Collaborative instruction is not offered in all content areas, grades, or classrooms. Availability will vary according to building needs and resources, as well as on student needs identified through the IEP process. Related Services: Related services are to be provided to a student with a disability when such services “are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.” Related services include, but are not limited to: social work, counseling, speech-language services, occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and adaptive physical education (APE). A student’s determines the types and minutes/week of related services and the settings in which they are provided IEP Team based on need.

Ralph M. Captain Elementary Parent Resources

Guidelines for Helping With HomeworkDon't Work Harder Than Your Child! By Dr. Charles Fay • Set aside a time each day for family learning. Set aside at least 30 minutes, devoted to "family brain cell development." During this time, there should be no TV, video games, computer games, etc. Model your own excitement for learning by reading a book, writing letters, etc. Your child may learn by doing their homework, reading about something they love, writing stories, etc. • Help only when your child truly wants it. Some parents make the mistake of forcing help upon their kids. This only creates frustration, anger, and kids who believe they can't learn without their parents' help. • Help only when there's an absence of anger or frustration. When either you or your child gets frustrated or angry, learning becomes associated with frustration and anger. • Help only when your child can describe what the teacher said. This ensures that your child continues to believe that it's important to pay attention to teachers. Unfortunately, some kids learn that it's best to "tune–out" at school and let their parents do all of the teaching at home. • Move away from your child before he/she "gets it." Some children believe they can only learn something, or "get it," when an adult is in the same room…or is guiding them every inch of the way. To prevent this dependency, avoid falling into the habit of sitting at the table as your child does their homework, especially when they are on the brink of learning something new.

Schoolwork By Jim Fay You're on your way home from work. You're anxious for some encouraging talk and a little relaxation after a hard day. You need all the support you can get to recharge your batteries and feel strong enough to go back tomorrow and face another working day. You are greeted with, "Hi, Honey. How was it today? Where are your papers? I want to see how you did all day." "It was OK," you reply. "I really don't want to talk about it. I'm really beat." "Well, no wonder you don't want to talk about it. Look at these papers. You can do a lot better than this. Where was your mind today? You sit down right now and we'll go over these proposals you wrote and get the spelling straightened out. And look at these paragraphs. You'll never get promoted at this rate. I don't understand this. You have so much more potential than this." How long would it be before you find a more comfortable place to go after work? "Who needs this?" you'll say.” I can find someone who can show me a little more appreciation for my hard work!" Many school–age children face this same situation daily. They are greeted after school with, "What did you learn today?" and "Where is your homework? You get on it right now!" Children are also requested to bring home their papers so that the mistakes can be corrected. Even though this is done with love and caring, it trains them to focus on their weaknesses. The problem faced by students is that they can't choose to go somewhere else after school. They can't avoid facing a replay of their daily failures. They must return home and listen to whatever their parents have to say. It is very difficult for a child to say,” Mother! Do you realize you are training me to keep my school progress a secret from you?" Soon they quit bringing home papers. They make excuses and blame it on their teachers. "She never gives me my papers to bring home." The next step is for the parent to go to school demanding that the teacher develop some sort of foolproof reporting method. Teachers are actually faced with writing daily and weekly reports for parents. This never provides a long-term solution because it addresses the wrong problem. It also robs teachers of valuable teaching and preparation time. The real problem is that the child has learned that it is unsafe to discuss school with his or her parents. Rather than developing a reporting plan, it is much wiser to work on the real problem–helping children and parents learn to talk to each other in safe and supportive ways. This solution works, and it lasts a lifetime. You can teach your child to discuss school with you. While you are doing this, you can also lay the foundation blocks that will build a true winner out of your youngster. STEP ONE: Sit down with your children two to three times per week. Have them point out the best things they did on their papers. STEP TWO: Make sure your child describes to you the reasons for his or her success. As they put these into words, the reasons for the success will be imprinted on their brain, never to be erased. They will start to believe they are in control of their success. STEP THREE: Work with your children on their mistakes only when they ask for your help. Let the schoolwork on deficiencies. Teachers have training to help with the deficiencies in effective ways. STEP FOUR: Be patient. This is a real change in operation. It will take the child a period of time to believe that this is not just a new phase his parents are going through. Look for the real benefits to show up in several months or maybe during the next few years, depending upon the child's past history.

Appropriate Use of the Internet Trying to find helpful information regarding appropriate use of the Internet by children can be a challenge for parents and educators. One helpful site is NetSmartz, www.netsmartz.org, which was created by a partnership of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The following information is from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Following are some online safety tips to share with your children; Set up rules: Post clear, simple, easy-to-read rules on or near the monitor. Create your own computer rules or print out the Internet Safety Pledge from NetSmartz. You and your children should sign it and periodically review it. Use filters: Consider using filtering or monitoring software for your computer. Look into safeguarding programs or options your online service provider might offer. These can include monitoring or filtering capabilities. Have your children use child-friendly search engines when completing homework. As the parent, the Internet accounts should be in your name, and you should have the primary screen name and control passwords. Don't allow your children to children complete a profile for a service provider, and make sure their screen names are nondescript enough that a stranger won't know the user is a child. Check out privacy policies: Always read a Web site's privacy policy before you or your children provide any personal information. Also make sure that a Web site offers a secure connection before giving creditcard information. Web sites for children are not permitted to request personal information without a parent's permission. Talk to your children about what personal information is and why you should never give it to people online. Talk about the dangers of e-mail and chat: If your children use chat or e-mail, talk to them about never meeting an online friend face-to-face. Talk to your children about not responding to offensive or dangerous e-mail, chat or other communications. Report any such communication to local law enforcement. Do not delete the offensive or dangerous e-mail; instead turn off the monitor, and contact local law enforcement. Know whom your children are exchanging e-mail with, and only let them use chat areas that you have visited. Know what is going on: Keep the computer in the family room or another open area of your home. Let your children show you what they can do online, and visit their favorite sites or chat rooms with them. If you suspect online stalking of a child, report it to your local law enforcement agency. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has a system, the CyberTipline, for identifying online predators and child pornographers and contributing to law-enforcement investigations. Leads forwarded to the site are acknowledged and shared with the appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation. By following these tips, parents can help keep the Internet a safe place for their children to learn, grow and play. Tammy Roth is a school counselor at Morris Area Elementary School in Morris, Minn., and president-elect for the Minnesota School Counselor Association. She can be reached at [email protected]. Materials based on information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Ways to Help Your Child with Reading at Home Consider these ideas on how you can support reading at home. Setting the Atmosphere • Help your child find a comfortable, quiet place to read. • Orient your child to the book by looking at the cover first and talking about what you think it may be about or any way it reminds you of your life. • Ask your child what s/he thinks. • Have your child see you as a reading model. • Read aloud to your child. Re-read favorite stories. • Read with your child. • Discuss the stories you read together. • Recognize the value of silent reading. • Keep reading time enjoyable and relaxed. • Let your child see you reading for enjoyment and for information. Responding to Errors in Reading Based on the way most of us were taught to read, we tell children to “sound it out” when they come to an unknown word. To help children become independent readers who monitor and correct themselves as they read, try the following ideas before saying “sound it out”. When your child has trouble reading a word, give him or her wait time of 5 to 10 seconds. See what he attempts to do to help himself and then apply one or more of the following questions or comments. • “What would make sense there?” • “What do you think that word could be?” • “Use the picture to help you figure out what it could be.” • “Go back to the beginning and try that again.” • “Skip over it and read to the end of the sentence (or paragraph). Now what do you think it is?” • “Put in a word that would make sense there.” • “You read that word before on another page. See if you can find it.” • Help your child sound it out or tell what the word is. Most importantly, focus on what your child is doing well and attempting to do. Remain loving and supportive. When your child is having difficulty and trying to work out the trouble spots, try these comments. • “Good for you. I like the way you tried to work that out.” • “That was a good try. Yes, that word would make sense there.” • “I like the way you looked at the picture to help yourself.” • “I like the way you went back to the beginning of the sentence and tried it again. That’s what good readers do.” • “You are becoming a good reader. I’m proud of you.”

The Importance of Play by Patricia M. Mikelson Play is as vital as love, food, care and hope. Child development experts agree that play is very important in the learning and emotional development of all children. Play is multi-faceted: • • • • • • •

Play is how children experience fun and joy. Through play children develop their personalities and a positive sense of self, realize their potential and experience success. Play unlocks children's creativity and imagination, and develops reading, thinking and problemsolving skills as well as motor skills. Through play, children process and manage emotions, and understand and interpret the world around them. It develops social and cultural understandings. Play helps children learn relationship and social skills, and develop values and ethics. It allows children to express their thoughts and feelings. Play provides opportunities to meet and solve real problems. Play develops language and literacy skills and concepts.

Play is a "brain food" to help brains develop in ways critical to school success. It provides the foundation for learning including language, reading, thinking and reasoning skills. In addition, parent-child play provides important opportunities for parent-child bonding. The most authentic play experiences are child-initiated, freely chosen, and child powered. Such play is pleasurable and fun, active and mind absorbing. Dr. Edgar Klugman, Professor Emeritus at Wheelock College, Boston, one of the foremost experts in play, identifies the different categories of play as follows: Functional Play: The child enjoys repetitive play with objects and gains motor and practice skills. Good examples are dumping, filling, stacking, water play, and outdoors play. Functional play characterizes infants and toddlers and at age 3 constitutes 50% of a child's play. Although functional play decreases as a child grows older, it remains important. Functional play can be either solitary or parallel (another child is involved in a similar activity at the same time.) Children experience enjoyment, develop motor skills, and achieve mastery through functional play. Constructive Play: The child creates or makes something and solves problems. Examples are building with blocks, playing with arts, crafts and puppets and doing puzzles. Approximately 50% of all activity for 4, 5 and 6 year olds is constructive play, and this type of play continues to be important through the primary grades. Children can play constructively alone as well as with others. This type of play develops thinking and reasoning skills, problem-solving, and creativity. Pretend Play: Through pretend play, children transform themselves, others, and objects from real into make-believe. Pretend play can be both a solitary and a group activity. It reaches its highest level at preschool and kindergarten age and becomes less important as a child grows older. Pretend play helps children process emotions and events in their lives, practice social skills, learn values, develop language skills, and create a rich imagination. Games with Rules Play: This play involves pre-set rules such as board games, ball games, chanting, and skipping games. This type of play becomes dominant as children reach school age. Through this type of play children learn and practice cooperation, mutual understanding, and logical thinking. SOURCE: Klugman, Edgar, and Fasoli, Lynn. Taking the High Road Toward a Definition of Play, Play, Policy and Practice. St. Paul, Minnesota: Red Leaf Press, 1995. pp. 195 – 201

Respectful Conflict Resolution Helps Build Character We’ve all been there. Maybe you’re a teacher discussing a story with children clustered on the rug when one blurts out, “Matt is pushing me!” and then delivers a quick punch to Matt’s arm. Or maybe you’re a parent gathering children into the van after a soccer game, when Sonia yells, “You always cut in line just so you’ll get to sit by the window!” This may be accompanied by some shoving. Obviously, it’s time for conflict resolution. Character is, above all, the ability to live with and among others with integrity, honesty, and a sense of fair play. Eileen Stapleton, a teacher and parent, uses a specific method for resolving conflicts. The concept is not new, but it bears repeating because it gets great results. At the beginning of the school year, Ms. Stapleton explains the way students should talk to one another when there is a conflict between them. “When you have a problem with someone, use ‘I’ statements,” she explains: “I feel (something) when you (do something). I would like you to (do something else).” Then, she gives some examples: “Let’s say that Brittany takes your pencil because she can’t find hers. This really bothers you. What would you say?” The students then go through the series of phrases, arriving at the following “‘I’ statement.” “I feel mad when you take my pencil without asking. I would like you to ask me if you can borrow my pencil before taking it.” Ms. Stapleton practices what she preaches. For example, she might say to the class, “I feel frustrated when you talk during silent writing time. I would like you to remember not to talk until I ring the bell.” This strategy works for minor conflicts as well as for those that are more serious and might require a conference with the teacher. Soon the strategy becomes second nature and almost always dissolves conflict, Ms. Stapleton says. Ms. Stapleton also sends a letter home to parents sharing this strategy with them. She advises her students to practice it with their siblings, relatives, and friends. She reports that parents appreciate knowing the strategy and find it useful in many contexts, even though it sometimes ends with comic results. For example, one parent reported that her daughter announced, “I feel disgusted when you put broccoli on my plate. I would like you to give me French fries instead.” Another benefit of this method is that children become more attuned to their emotions. When they can understand their emotions and label them, they are better able to channel their feelings into appropriate behavior. During writing time, the class sometimes compiles a list of feeling words, such as “frustrated, elated, astonished, worried, scared, excited, relieved, amazed.” These words not only help with conflict resolution, but also find their way into the children’s written pieces. Ms. Stapleton also addresses the concept that it’s possible to feel more than one emotion at a time, for example, excited and frightened about leaving the safety of the classroom to go on a field trip. This work with feelings and conflict resolution helps lay the groundwork for the development of sound character in children. The “I” statements encourage them to take responsibility for themselves and to avoid the “blame game.” Listening to the “I” statements of others encourages good listening and mutual respect. Having an easy method to address conflict teaches children that conflict is a normal part of life. How we deal with it says something about who we are and how hard we are willing to work to be the best we can be. Joan Tornow, PhD, is a writer, education researcher, and writing teacher.

Directness Takes Courage and Gains Respect by Brady Wilson

If someone has food stuck in his/her teeth after a meal, do you tell them, or do you just let it go, only to giggle about it with someone else later? What prevents you from telling that person - perhaps a fear of embarrassing them? Regardless of how embarrassed that person was, they were probably grateful you said something, to spare them from further humiliation. That's the power of directness - the more you use it, the more trusted and credible you become as a reliable source for reality. Indirectness also has strength. It devours courage and it's the greatest source for toxic communication in a relationship. It's what people don't say that creates long-term toxicity, rather than what they do say. Directness is candidly asserting your reality to others, face-to-face. Candidly asserting your reality transcends most people's definition of honesty and takes you to a place of not withholding what's going on inside you. It means being open to telling your truth and getting it "out there" into the world. Naturally, this isn't an easy task - especially if an organizational culture doesn't support the truth and actually punishes the messengers. The face-to-face component of directness is the conduit that allows the most reality to flow through. The telephone, voicemail and email are all good conversation tools, but face-to-face conversation is the best medium for sending certain messages. When sharing anything that could be perceived as change, ambiguous or hurtful, face-to-face conversations allow you to convey empathy and more accurately read others' emotions. My experience tells me that far too many people use voicemail and email for messages that should be delivered face-to-face. And according to some research conducted by HR consulting firm, Towers-Perrin, 94 per cent of employees say there is a need for greater openness and candor in organizational communication from leaders. Employees want to hear the truth about their company, their pay and benefits and their jobs. The report also finds that the most credible source of information comes from face-to-face meetings with their immediate supervisors or managers. There are a lot of reasons people site for not being direct. Here are some of the reasons we hear most: 1. I'm afraid to bring this up to her. I don't need the ugly confrontation. 2. This feels too awkward. I don't want to embarrass her with the truth. I don’t know how she will take it. 3. I can't own up to this. He wouldn't understand. He'll jump to conclusions before I have a chance to explain. 4. Who am I to try to teach him? He's the specialist. What do I know? - I have no credibility. 5. I've tried to tell her - she doesn't care and she never listens to me. 6. I rather just vent to you about the situation…I don’t think I can impact change.

If you catch yourself saying any of these statements, than perhaps it's an indication that you need to be more direct. Direct, face-to-face conversations are not always about being nice and they're not always easy. But, employees owe it to themselves, their peers and their leaders to be direct. And leaders owe it to the bottom line and their people to create an environment of openness. Being direct takes courage. And the upfront investment of discomfort is worth the eventual paybacks of respect, trust, collaboration and goodwill.

HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD WITH MATHEMATICS 1) Create a homework routine Familiar routines help work go smoothly at school and at home. With your child, decide on a time and place to do homework, along with a few rules. A typical routine might be – come home, have a snack, clear a space at the table, start math homework.

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