Author: Sammi Burroughs

August 15, 2018

Burroughs’ Buzz

Get Ready for a “Bee-utiful” Year in Kindergarten!

Welcome to Mrs. Burroughs’ class! I am so excited to be here for your student’s first year of school! I hope to make the transition as fun and memorable for you as I know it will be for me!
This is my eleventh year teaching kindergarten, but I have also had experience teaching in the first and second grades. I grew up in the Odessa area, as well as attended the R-VII School District. I graduated from Missouri Valley College in Marshall, with my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education in 2008, and I graduated in 2012 with my Masters in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction at UCM, and I am currently working on my Specialist Degree in Technology at UCM! I am looking forward to this school year with your student!
We have so many exciting things to look forward to this year! In a few weeks we have a field trip to visit the library, a Pumpkin Patch field trip to look forward to in October, and our big field trip to Science City in April!!! We will also get to do many other fun school activities like Thanksgiving Feast, Snuggle Party, Bulldog Bonanza and so much more!
This is just a sample of what I will be sending home weekly to you. Attached to this you will find your student’s weekly homework assignment! Please work with your student on their weekly homework assignment and send it in as soon as possible. I know they are in kindergarten, so there will be no grade on this, but it is a chance to practice some skills, and so you can see some of the things we are working on in class! As a motivator, I give out prizes throughout the year to students that have turned in their weekly homework-it may be for the week, it may be for the month, and I did give out a couple of big prizes last year to students that turned in their homework all year long!
If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call (816)633-5334 or send me an email sburroughs@odessar7.net

Upcoming Dates of Importance:
Class T-Shirt Money Due Friday, August 24th
Picture Day-Thursday, August 23rd
Early Release-Friday, August 31st @11:30am
NO SCHOOL-Monday, September 3rd

Behavior Calendars and Processes

McQuerry School follows the behavior plan called BIST. Students are on a 3-level system, based on colors. The colors are green, yellow, and red. Everyone starts on green. A student will move their card to yellow when they are given a warning (talking out, not following directions, etc.). A yellow is not necessarily bad, it just means your student had to be reminded of our classroom rules. Once the student has moved their card to yellow and if the behavior continues they will then move their card to red. Moving a card to red results in the student sitting in a safe seat in the classroom. If the behavior continues after sitting in the safe seat, the student may have to spend some time in a buddy room, or in our school’s recovery room. I will process with the student discussing the problem, at each step of the process, so that they can rejoin our classroom as soon as they are ready. For more information on the school’s discipline policy, please see McQuerry’s Student Handbook.
In your student’s take-home folder, you will find a monthly calendar. Each day I will mark your student’s behavior for the day with the appropriate color. Please make sure you initial or sign each day. Thanks!

Class T-Shirt Order Forms AND Money is due NEXT FRIDAY, 24TH! If you are a parent planning to attend school events, you have the option to order one for yourself as well! Shirts are $8 unless you are ordering a 2XL or 3XL.

This will normally not be two pages! I’m sorry to be sending you so much, but I want you to know what to expect for the rest of the year!!

Bee of the Week

Every week one student will be selected to be the Bee of the Week! The student of the week will be displayed on the door of our classroom. They will get to be an extra helper, and get to do show and tell. I will send a note home on Thursday or Friday before if your student is selected. That will give you time to fill out the Bee form and to send a few pictures to display, and pick TWO items for show and tell!

Reminder!
On your student’s calendar in their take-home folders (where I will mark their daily behavior) I will remind you what special class we have that day. Please take a look at what days we have P.E. so that your student wears appropriate clothing (tennis shoes, comfortable clothing, etc.).

If have not yet sent me your email, and want to be added to the email list, please send in a note with your email or send me an email at sburroughs@odessar7.net This is a great way for me to remind you of upcoming events and reminders! I will send an email to those that signed up this week! So please check your email to ensure I got everything spelled correctly (as in sent to the correct address)! Thanks!
ALSO: If you wanted to sign up for the text alert, there is still time! This is truly one of the best ways to communicate with me! Text the code: @hf79d2
to the number: 81010
*Also remember to ask to join our FB Page: Mrs. Burroughs Kindergarten Class 2018-19

Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful

Every month I will pick someone who has been a good citizen at McQuerry! This is a special honor for someone who is safe, or responsible, or respectful. We talk a lot about what those words mean and what they mean in each area of our day! They will get their name called on the intercom and a special certificate. Talk to your student about being safe, respectful and responsible!