1. How can I become a volunteer?
2. Do you celebrate birthdays?
3. Can I send birthday party invitations home in backpack mail?
4. How can I get in contact with you?
5. I'd like a conference with you. What's the best way to schedule one? When are you free?
6. What can I say if my child is stuck on a word while reading?
7. What is Scholastic?
8. I like your website. Did you make it on your own?

1. How can I become a volunteer?

You can sign up at Back to School Night. If you aren't able to attend, please send in a note in with your child letting me know you would like to be a volunteer and which days work best for you. If you can't come in during the school day to volunteer but would like to help out at home, please let me know. Volunteers will start at the beginning of October. This gives me time to establish a classroom routine and to get to know the students. Please know that you may or may not be working with students. Instead of working with students, I may have you coloring, cutting, pasting, or copying- it depends on my need. If you are not comfortable working with students, please let me know via email or a note sent in with your child.

Yes, we do celebrate student birthdays in Kindergarten! If you would like to bring a treat in to share with the class MCPS policy states that you bring in store bought individually packaged treats (snack packs, cupcakes, etc.) and not a treat that needs to be cut and distributed. Your child will pass out the treat to his/her classmates in the cafeteria during lunch or during our afternoon snack time. Birthday celebrations should be a snack not a "party." Birthday parties with goodie bags, activities, etc. should be take place outside the school day and not interupt instructional time.

No. All birthday party invitations must be sent using US mail. This is to prevent childrens feelings being hurt in each grade and in the school. This is school policy.

4. How can I get in contact with you?

The easiest way to get in touch with me is through email. I try to check my email several times daily and usually respond within 24 hours. Sending a note in with your child also works out well. Of course, you can also call me at 301-650-6440. Phone calls are more difficult to return during the school day, but I usually return a call within 24 hours. If you have a problem or a concern, please do not hesitate to ask or inquire about it.

 

5. I'd like a conference with you. What's the best way to schedule one? When are you free?

If you'd like to schedule a parent conference the easiest way to reach me is by email. I will try to get back to you with in 24 hours with a date & time. Currently this year I have graduate courses on Thursdays beginning at 4pm so I leave right with the students on that day. Please send me an idea about what you would like to meet about and times that would be preferable to you. I often arrive at school by 8am so if you would prefer a morning conference again please let me know. *Sometimes parents show up at my class door and would like to have a talk during the instructional day. This is not an appropriate time to discuss student performance and I will ask you to please schedule a conference to discuss your child.

6. What can I say if my child is stuck on a word while reading?

Never tell your child a word without letting him/her try it first! She/he must learn this to become an independent reader. When he/she is stuck, say these things to help: "Look at the picture. Are there clues in it?" "What word would fit in that space? ... Does the word you said match the one on the page?" "Go back to the beginning and try it again." "Look at the first letter. Get your mouth ready to say that word." "Skip that word. Read the rest of the sentence." ... "Now, what is missing?" "Think about the story. What is happening?" "What are the characters/author talking about?"

7. What is Scholastic?

Scholastic is a company that sells books at a very reasonable cost. Each month I will send home 2-3 book orders with a due date. Usually, the book orders are due within one week. You can order books by sending in the book order along with a check in your child's backpack, or you can order online. The web address for ordering is: www.scholastic.com/parentordering. The username is misswhyte and the password: wizard Please remember this is purely optional. You are under no obligation!

8. I really like your website. Did you make it on your own?

Thank you! Yes, I have taken up website design as one of my many hobbies and have turned it into a small buisiness called Whyte's Web Design. If you'd like more information please visit my company website at Whyte's Web Design.