Kindergarten Cavalier by Central Valley Christian School

IN THIS ISSUE

SPRING 2016

THE CAVALIER

C V C PA R E N T G U I D E T O

KINDERGARTEN 16

LIVING THE STORY

THE VIEW BREAK TIME

CVC SIBLINGS

REAL FAMILIES OF CVC

ALUMNI UPDATE

12 2

PARTENT GUIDE TO KINDERGARTEN

THE CAVALIER

From the Superintendent’s Desk

Dear Reader, You’ve probably noticed already that “Kindergarten” is the predominant theme in this issue of The Cavalier. As superintendent on a campus that includes preschoolers all the way to high school seniors, I would put kindergarteners near the top of my list of favorite people with whom to hang out. Unfortunately (maybe fortunately), I am not a certified elementary teacher and, therefore, not trusted to teach those kiddos what they need to know in order to succeed in first grade. The next best thing is to make sure I get down to the bus drop-off and enjoy some conversations each morning. A few weeks ago, I had one of those conversations with a little kindergarten boy who, for the sake of this article, we’ll call Garrett, primarily because that is his name. Garrett was all decked out in western wear and it caught my attention. “Nice cowboy hat you got there, little guy,” I began our conversation. “You too, Mr. Baker,” he replied when he noticed I had on a hat similar to his. He went on, “I also have this cool vest, and it has pockets.” I unzipped my jacket to reveal what was underneath. “I have a vest, too! And guess what? Pockets!” Garrett and I were quickly becoming kindred spirits. Then he showed me his cowboy boots. He looked at my shoes and then, with a question on his face, invited me to pull up my pants leg. I had to confess, “Garrett, I do not own a pair of cowboy boots, but if I did, I would certainly want them to be just like yours.” Before walking off, I noticed that Garrett carefully tucked his pants into his boots so the whole world could see just how cool his boots were. Since that day, I’ve noticed that Garrett also enjoys coming decked out in Spiderman attire. In a recent exchange he pointed out to me that he was wearing a Spiderman sweatshirt with a cowboy hat. It must have been a rather indecisive morning at home. The “S” in the CVCS Mission Statement stands for Shaping Christ-like Character. I am eager to keep my eye on the likes of Garrett, his classmates, and all of the students who walk our campuses each day, year after year. I feel confident that our kindergarten teachers and their colleagues warmly welcome the Spidermen, cowboys and princesses as they enter their rooms each morning and intentionally and patiently join with you, parents, in training these boys and girls, helping them to grow and mature into men and women who reflect the very nature of Jesus Christ to their world.

THE CAVALIER THE CAVALIER CVCCVC Mission Mission

Who’s Who’sReady Ready for forKindergarten? Kindergarten?

Cultivating Cultivating A first-time A first- time p a rent p a rent ’s guid ’s guid e to e CVC to CVC responsible responsible It’s athat given onthat the on very the first very dayfirst of day school of school in kindergarten, in kindergarten, tears will tears be will shed. be shed. What’sWhat’s not not Christian Christian It’s a given a givenaisgiven who is will who shed willthe shed most: theour most: new our hand-holding, new hand-holding, hopping, hopping, skipping, skipping, energetic energetic brand- brandnew-shoe-wearing kindergartners kindergartners (who are (who being are totally being engulfed totally engulfed by theirbybackpacks) their backpacks) - or the- or the adults, adults, Valuing Valuing new-shoe-wearing stroller-pushing, stroller-pushing, Starbucks-sipping, Starbucks-sipping, kiss-giving, kiss-giving, hair-ruffling hair-ruffling parentsparents of a patiently of a patiently potty-trained, potty-trained, academic academic five-year-old, five-year-old, first time first student. time student. excellence, excellence, While that While first that dayfirst of day kindergarten of kindergarten can becan a hard be atransitional hard transitional milestone milestone for everyone, for everyone, it actually it actually may bemay the be research the research that happened that happened monthsmonths beforebefore that was that most wasdifficult. most difficult. connecting connecting 1998, about only 56 about percent 56 percent of children of children attended attended full-dayfull-day kindergarten. kindergarten. Today, Today, that figure that figure biblical biblical truthtruth with with In 1998,Inonly is 80 percent, is 80 percent, according according to the National to the National CenterCenter for Education for Education Statistics, Statistics, and parents and parents are are deeperdeeper into their intokindergarten their kindergarten optionsoptions than ever thanbefore. ever before. Headlines Headlines like “The likeNational “The National everyday everyday living, living, diggingdigging Kindergarten Kindergarten Debate”, Debate”, “Cracking “Cracking the Kindergarten the Kindergarten Code: Get Code: Your GetChild YourInto Child a Good Into a School” Good School” andPressure “The Pressure to Get to Kindergarten Get Kindergarten Right” are Right” encouraging are encouraging parentsparents to really toknow reallytheir know their Shaping Shaping ChristChrist- and “The optionsoptions to ensure to ensure the best theforbest theirforchildren their children - and who - and doesn’t who doesn’t want the want best? the best? like character like character At CVC,Atwe CVC, notwe only not value onlyexcellence value excellence in our academic in our academic programs, programs, but webut alsowe value also value open communication open communication with you with about you those about programs. those programs. So are So youare curious you curious about CVC’s about CVC’s kindergarten? kindergarten? Are you Are in the you middle in the middle of the research of the research and application and application process? process? If so, we If so, invite we invite you to you get to know get toour know kindergarten our kindergarten program. program. 12

We offer Wefull offer dayfull kindergarten day kindergarten in threeinclassrooms, three classrooms, which which each cap each at cap 25 students. at 25 students. When classes When classes are full,are teacher full, teacher aides are aides hired, are ensuring hired, ensuring low student-teacher low student-teacher ratios. ratios. Each classroom Each classroom is home is to home students to students diversediverse in theirin their developmental developmental stages,stages, allowing allowing stronger stronger learners learners to aid to aid and support and support others,others, and encouraging and encouraging students students to learntotolearn to interactinteract well together. well together.

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WHAT WHAT CANCAN I EXPECT? I EXPECT? Our Our schedule schedule and and our teachers our teachers

While we While value we academic value academic excellence, excellence, even (and even (and especially!) especially!) at the kindergarten at the kindergarten level, we level, alsowe value also avalue a child’s child’s time totime be atochild, be aand child, blend and structured blend structured learning learning time (“seat time work”, (“seat work”, group group work and work instruction) and instruction) with plenty with plenty of of exploration exploration and play! and play! Our students Our students enjoy aenjoy private a private kindergarten kindergarten playground playground for recess, for recess, plenty plenty of stimulating of stimulating learning learning aides in aides the in the classroom classroom like books, like books, blocksblocks and puzzles, and puzzles, and special and special Kindergarten Kindergarten classesclasses like art,like music, art, music, and and FieldField TripsTrips library.library. Field trips Fieldthroughout trips throughout the year theencourage year encourage • The zoo • The zoo outsideoutside discovery, discovery, and and •Various •Various plays plays we love webringing love bringing in localin local •The pumpkin •The pumpkin patch patch professionals professionals (like firefighters (like firefighters to successfully to successfully sound sound out unfamiliar out unfamiliar words words - establishing - establishing that that • Imagine • Imagine U Museum U Museum and dental and dental hygienists) hygienists) to to solid foundation solid foundation for reading. for reading. Additionally, Additionally, intentional intentional weeklyweekly •Zoofari •Zoofari animalanimal program program reinforce reinforce different different academic academic exposure exposure to classic to classic and award-winning and award-winning children’s children’s literature literature •On-campus •On-campus professional professional units. units. enables enables us to include us to include qualityquality story time storyintime our day in our to day helptoinstill help instill •Visits •Visits (dental(dental hygienist, hygienist, a love aforlove reading! for reading! firemen, firemen, etc.) etc.) And ofAnd course, of course, no no kindergarten kindergarten program program Math: Math: Kindergartners Kindergartners Kindergarten CVC Kindergarten CVC Kindergarten also puts also puts would would be complete be complete withoutwithoutare taught are taught number number Kindergarten on twoon annual two annual programs: programs: a a fun celebratory fun celebratory days - days like - like recognition BasicBasic DailyDaily Schdeule Schdeule recognition and counting and counting Christmas Christmas program program and a andPenguin a Penguin Day, Crazy Day, Sock Crazy Sock skills, shapes, skills, shapes, basic basic spring program spring program Day, 100th Day, Day, 100thholiday Day, holiday addition 8:15 a.m. 8:15—a.m. Morning — Morning activityactivity addition and subtraction and subtraction partiesparties and other andfun other andfun and and how 8:30—a.m. Devotions — Devotions and daily and daily andtohow count to to count to 8:30 a.m. sometimes sometimes wacky wacky eventsevents 100. Additionally, routines (flag salutes, (flag salutes, calendar calendar time time 100. Additionally, they theyroutines that allow thatour allow teachers our teachers to creatively to creatively integrate integrate learning learning into into activities, activities, singing, singing, counting, counting, etc.) etc.) are exposed are exposed to timetoand time and play! play! 8:55 a.m. 8:55—a.m. Math —activities Math activities moneymoney skills, and skills, spend and spend 9:35 a.m. 9:35—a.m. Snack — Snack time and time and much of much mathoftime mathwith time with Our teachers Our teachers enjoy the enjoy freedom the freedom to not only to notinspire only inspire their their manipulative manipulative learning learning recessrecess students students through through creative creative celebratory celebratory days and days structured and structured 10:00—a.m. Phonics — Phonics and literacy and literacy tools totools keeptothis keep unit this unit 10:00 a.m. class time, classbut time, also but toalso caretofor care ourfor students our students by providing by providing hands-on. 11:20 a.m. 11:20—a.m. Lunch — Lunch hands-on. a loving a loving Christian Christian atmosphere atmosphere as these as new thesechildren new children 11:45 a.m. 11:45—a.m. Recess — Recess (and families!) (and families!) become become part of part our school. of our school. We value We open value openLanguage: 12:20—p.m. short —rest/quiet short rest/quiet Language: As in our As in our 12:20 p.m. communication communication and provide and provide many volunteer many volunteer opportunities opportunities time,time, BibleShare time, Share time and time and readingreading time, strong time, strong time, Bible so parents so parents can becan involved be involved in theirinchild’s their child’s learning. learning. Science/Social Science/Social StudiesStudies phonetic phonetic skills are skills taught are taught 1:35—p.m. Recess — Recess for both forreading both reading and and 1:35 p.m. 2:00—p.m. Center — Center time, art time, art writing.writing. In writing, In writing, the the 2:00 p.m. K ACADEMICS: K ACADEMICS: projects and story andtime]w story time]w students students learn correct learn correctprojects What What will my will child my child learn? learn? letter formation, letter formation, properproper line usage, line usage, and basic and basic Reading: Reading: Through Through this subject, this subject, our students our students receivereceive a solida solid sentence sentence structure structure - “starts- “starts with a capital, with a capital, ends with ends a period” with a period” foundation foundation for reading. for reading. Most students Most students will begin will to begin readtobyread to byset the to set foundation the foundation for further for further writingwriting skills. skills. the end the of end theiroftime theirintime kindergarten, in kindergarten, depending depending on where on where they are they developmentally, are developmentally, and alland students all students will learn willsights learn sights Bible: Bible: At Bible Attime, Biblechildren time, children learn many learn of many the major of the stories major stories words words and strong and strong phonetic phonetic skills, providing skills, providing them the them tools the tools in the Old in the Testament, Old Testament, as wellas aswell the as holiday the holiday storiesstories in the New in the New 13

THE CAVALIER

Testament Testament (Christmas (Christmas and Easter). and Much Easter). time Much is spent time in is spent in Bible memory Bible memory - each year, - each ouryear, kindergartners our kindergartners learn all of learn all of BEFORE BEFORE THEYTHEY GO: Psalm 23,Psalm Psalm23, 100, Psalm and 100, the Lord’s and the prayer! Lord’s prayer!

GO: How do How I know do I know if my if child my child is is ready ready for Kindergarten? for Kindergarten? Science/Social Science/Social Studies: Studies: In this subject, In this kindergartners subject, kindergartners are are taught about taught “objects about “objects all around allus” around by reviewing us” by reviewing our five our five Atas CVC, we At CVC, have we onehave basicone standard basic standard that all our that all our senses, seasons senses, seasons and weather, and weather, water, plants, water,and plants, animals and as animals kindergarten kindergarten applicants applicants must meet: must the meet: child the must child be must be well as topics well as like topics fire and like safety fire and and safety dental andcare. dental care. 5 years old 5 years on orold before on orSeptember before September 1 (no exceptions). 1 (no exceptions). Additionally, Additionally, as part ofasour part application of our application process, process, your childyour child will take will a Kindergarten take a Kindergarten Readiness Readiness Assessment Assessment that will give that will give FAITHFAITH INTEGRATION: INTEGRATION: great insight greatinto insight whether into whether or not your or not childyour is ready child to is ready start to start What What does does that mean? that mean? - and while - and your while childyour does child notdoes neednot to know need letters to know and letters and sounds, or sounds, be able or to bewrite able their to write name, their it only name, benefits it only benefits them them Our greatest Our greatest commitment commitment at CVC isattoCVC glorify is to God glorify in God in if they do! if they do! everything everything we do. For we us, do.this Formeans us, thispartnering means partnering with with ChristianChristian families and families theirand churches their churches in raisingincovenant raising covenant Here areHere someare other some questions other questions you can ask you yourself can ask to yourself help to help children children by providing by providing excellentexcellent academics academics from a distinctly from a distinctly assess if assess your child if your is ready: child is ready: ChristianChristian worldview. worldview. While thisWhile includes this includes structured structured Bible Bible • Does my • Does child my have child independent have independent skills? (Can skills? he/she (Canuse he/she use time andtime memory and memory verses, our verses, faith our is not faith contained is not contained to one to one the bathroom the bathroom without assistance, without assistance, put on a put jacket, on aand jacket, openand open subject - subject it is integrated - it is integrated into everything into everything we do. we do. and clean and upclean his/her upown his/her lunch?) own lunch?) • Has my•child Has my been child introduced been introduced to basic tactile to basic skills, tactile likeskills, like Morals and Morals behavior and behavior expectations expectations are connected are connected with living with living coloring,coloring, cutting orcutting gluing? or gluing? the way God the way callsGod us through calls us the through Bible.the Life Bible. skillsLife - like skills - like • Can my• child Can my follow child multi-step follow multi-step directions directions (e.g. “write (e.g. your “write your learning learning to be a friend to be or a friend how toorpray howortohow praytoorsolve how social to solve social name onname the paper on the and paper put itand in the putbag”)? it in the bag”)? problemsproblems - are taught - arefrom taught a Biblical from aperspective. Biblical perspective. Each day,Each day, • Can my• child Can my sit through child sit athrough 10-minute a 10-minute story time? story time? we commit weagain commit to again come to alongside come alongside you and you reinforce and reinforce those those • Does my • Does child my have child basic have social basic skills social likeskills waiting likehis/her waiting his/her Biblical truths Biblical that truths you that teach you your teach children your children at home,at and home, that and that turn or sharing turn orwith sharing peers? with peers? we celebrate we celebrate together together in the church. in the church. 14

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no kindergartner has mastered any While noWhile kindergartner has mastered any of the questions above, an introduction to of the questions above, an introduction to theatbasics home helps them start off at the basics home at helps them start off at kindergarten to succeed. If they have kindergarten ready to ready succeed. If they have been introduced these concepts, been introduced to these to concepts, we can we can partner together to help them continue to partner together to help them continue to these skills.what That’s build on build theseon skills. That’s we what do atwe do at CVC kindergarten set the foundation for CVC kindergarten - set the -foundation for learning!learning!

NO KIDDING: NO KIDDING: What What it’s like it’stolike be to a be a kindergartner kindergartner in 2016 in 2016 • During •library During time, library teachers time, teachers focus onfocus on helping our helping students our students learn to use learn a to mouse. use a mouse. In the age In of thetouchscreens, age of touchscreens, this is a new this is a new (and often (and difficult) often concept difficult) concept for a 5-year-old for a 5-year-old to grasp!to grasp! • After 3+• years After 3+ of extreme years of extreme drought in drought in California, California, many of our many kindergartners of our kindergartners have littlehave to no little recollection to no recollection of rain. This of rain. This El Nino year El Nino has year brought has much brought wide-eyed much wide-eyed excitement excitement and exuberant and exuberant puddle jumping puddle jumping (and consequently (and consequently soaked shoes) soakedtoshoes) our to our kindergarten kindergarten classrooms! classrooms!