Jessica Austin

I am thrilled to be a part of Grove Public Schools and love my job! I love being a part of an awesome team of women who work together, having the greatest boss to work with and for and teaching great children. I have made many friends through my students, parents and staff that I work with. My family cannot imagine leaving Grove. We love the community and everyone here.

I grew up in Tulsa and attended public schools until High School. I then went to Bishop Kelley. After High School, I attended the University of Tulsa for five years. I have two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Psychology and one in Elementary Education. I am Early Childhood and Elementary Education Certified.

I have been married for 8 ½ years to my husband, Justin. We have two boys, Cole (5) and Chase (3). We are expecting another child in late March.

I love teaching Kindergarten. The children are so excited about learning. I enjoy teaching math, phonics and reading skills to the kids. We also do a ton of hands on learning activities & centers that incorporate art projects, writing, science/social studies, computers and cooperative groups. I really strive to get all the kids the basic skills they need to be ready and prepared for 1 st Grade to do basic addition & subtraction facts and be reading in some form.Our skills learned in Kindergarten cover a wide range. Here are a few things the students are taught and should know to be successful for 1 st grade.

• Recognize capital & lowercase letters
• Says beginning sounds of letters
• Recognize numbers 0-20
• Counts backward from 10 to 0
• Can count to 100
• Counts objects using 1:1 correspondence and can match sets of objects to 10
• Names days of the week & months of the year
• Identifies and names sizes (bigger, small, long, shortest)
• Names 4 basic shapes
• Names 8 basic colors
• Cuts on lines
• Writes legible letters and numbers
• Identifies & can write first and last name
• Holds pencil correctly & uses firm strokes
• Identifies rhyming words
• Can sequence (first, middle, last)
• Recognizes OK & US flag and Oklahoma on a US map
• Participates in group discussions & activities
• Understands & follows safety rules
• Keeps hands, feet and objects to self
• Stays on task during seat work
• Follows 2 step directions
• Interacts appropriately during group
• Works independently
• Responds when spoken to
• Communicates verbally
• Takes turns speaking
• Separates easily from parents

In my classroom I have a daily folder to help with communication between school and parents, it is called my BEACH Folder- Bring Everything Always Communication Helps. This folder has our monthly homework & event calendar, monthly newsletter, menu/snack & block schedule, our daily schedule, daily reading log, daily behavior log and spots for notes, homework along with a zipper bag for money. In addition, I send home a Kindergarten Manual at the beginning of the year. It has a behavior contract, school papers, classroom rules/procedures, my discipline plan and other information for parents. Here are copies of these items.

Kindergarten Behavior & Discipline Plan

In the Kindergarten Classroom we practice using Good Character, Manners and the Golden Rule "treating others how we would want to be treated".

There are 4 overall procedures that our classmates need to follow daily:

1. Be on task. During a lesson, the students should participate and be working on the assignments that have been given.
2. Be kind to others, no putdowns.
3. Be prepared to learn at all times.
4. Follow all classroom procedures.

(Classroom procedures are on large poster board in our classroom and are gone over periodically as needed. They will also be sent home, so parents can remind children who may need to be reminded more frequently. There are a few examples below.)

*Enter the room quietly.

*Raise your hand to speak.

*Work cooperatively with others.

Making mistakes is part of the learning and growing process. We all make them. In our classroom we have a color card system to help monitor each child's behavior on a daily basis throughout the course of each day. If a student does not follow the Kindergarten Behavior Plan or Classroom Procedures, the student will change their color card to the next color on each occasion that he/she has a problem.

The color card system is as follows:

Green-Great behavior, on task and following directions with no problems all day. If a child's card stays green all day, they receive a trip to the treat or reward box.

Blue-1st Warning, the child is visited with to discuss the problem and how to correctly handle it next time. At this point, the child will loose play time at recess.

Yellow-2nd Warning, the child will talk with the teacher again, with hope that we can stop the problem at this point. Now, the child will loose play time from 2nd recess and a note will be sent home to the parent to sign and return.

Red-3rd Warning, the child will once again talk to the teacher about how to better handle the situation and why this is a bad choice. Since, all other options have be utilized (talking to the student, time out from 2 recesses) the child will now be sent to the office to visit with the principal. Depending on the action or problem at this point, the Principal will talk to the child as well, possibly take away other items, or call for your child to be picked up by you if you marked no for corporal punishment or spank the student if you marked yes to corporal punishment. A note will also be sent home stating what has occurred throughout the day for it to get to this point.

Behavior Contract for Kindergarten

We feel that it is important for children to know what is expected of them. Children function the best when they have limits with very clear expectations. To help ensure that each child has the opportunity to succeed we have given each family a copy of our Classroom Behavior, Reward & Discipline Plan and a copy of our Classroom Procedures for Kindergarten. Please go over the plan and procedures with your child at home, as we will go over them in class. Help your child to understand how important these classroom guidelines are. After you have read and reviewed the guidelines with your child, please sign the following behavior contract and return it to school.

I have read our classroom behavior, reward and discipline plan and classroom procedures. I am prepared to practice beautiful "bee"havior in our classroom. I understand the guidelines for success and I will do my very best to follow them and "bee" on task.

Student Signature:________________________________________________

I have reviewed the classroom guidelines with my child and I will work with them to practice them daily in class.

Parent Signature:_________________________________________________

Mrs. Austin’s Class Procedures for Kindergarten

Kindergarten Pledge

• I will follow directions when asked.

• I will be respectful to Mrs. Austin.

• I will be respectful to my classmates.

• I will keep my things organized.

• I will use an inside voice in our room.

• I will save my rowdiness for outside.

• I will show effort and stay on task.

• I will enter and exit our class in a positive mood.

• I will practice beautiful “bee”havior daily.

Arrival to School

• If you arrive early to school you should go to the

Cafeteria to sit until the bell rings.

• Always follow directions from adults at all times.

• When the bell rings, walk quietly to class.

*If you ride a bus to school, exit the bus and walk up the walkway quietly into the building and to class.

Entering the Classroom

• Greet Mrs. Austin with a handshake and say “Good

Morning”.

• Hang up your backpack and coat on your hook.

• Get your pencil box and journal packet out of your cubbies and begin your work.

• Remember to work quietly and independently, so you don’t interrupt others around you.

5. Put your BEACH Folder in the File Box for Mrs. Austin.

Journal-Do 2 pages daily with the help of the teacher and complete your work before breakfast.

Breakfast Procedures

• Line up at the door.

• Walk to the bathroom to wash hands.

• Walk to the cafeteria and wait quietly in a straight line to give your number to the cafeteria lady.

• Get your napkin, utensils, milk and tray. Remember your manners “please” and “thank you”.

• Walk to the table quietly and sit in the first seat you see.

• Eat your food then push your tray forward and sit quietly.

• When dismissed, put all trash on your tray and walk to the trashcan. Close your milk carton and place it in the trash can. Put your utensils in the bucket. Dump your tray.

• Line up by the cafeteria door quietly.

Opening/Group Time Procedures

• Quietly come to the group time area and sit on the carpet quietly.

• Sit cress cross applesauce in “L” position with your hands in your lap.

• Use attentive listening “listening with your heart” and mutual respect the whole time.

• Pay attention while classmates are doing their jobs (flag, calendar, weather, helper chart). If someone is sharing, listen and remember we all have the right to voice our own opinions and that we won’t always agree.

• Raise your hand to ask or answer questions, do not shout out.

• When finished, listen for directions of where to go next.

Line Up Procedures

• Keep your personal space.

• Always give places back.

• Join at the end of the line.

• Hold hands at your side.

• Make sure your five is up and voice is off.

• Hold supplies still (hug them).

• Eyes on the person in front of you.

• Have a quiet thinking time while we are walking, so we can receive compliments (sticker for our star in the hallway).

Hallway Procedures

• Use walking feet.

• Walk on the right side on the hall in a single file line.

• Keep your hands and feet to yourself at all times.

• Remember there are classes going on, so be quiet so we can get compliments.

• When we are standing in the hall remember to keep your feet in one square and stay one square away from the wall.

Bathroom Procedures

• Enter quietly.

• No more than four people at a time.

• Use the restrooms, wash and dry your hands (1 squirt of soap; 2 pulls on the paper towels).

• Throw your paper towel in the trash.

• Come out and line up in the hall after you get a drink of water.

Lunch Procedures

• Use hallway procedures while in the hall and bathroom procedures while washing hands.

• Keep your lunch card in your hand and give to the

Cafeteria lady when you tell her your number.

• Stand in line quietly and patiently.

• Get your napkin, utensils, milk and tray.

• Walk to your seat quietly and eat lunch.

• When dismissed, pick up all your trash and tray and take it the trashcan.

• Then walk quietly outside to recess.

Recess Procedures

• Walk until outside on the grass by the playground, or if an inside day to the room where we will watch a movie.

• Follow the school rules and listen to the teachers on duty.

• Line up when the whistle is blown three times in your class line.

• Walk to your teacher when dismissed.

Supplies Procedures

• Walk to your cubbies to get your supply box and

Return to your seat to do your work.

*Remember to sharpen your pencils before the bell rings. If your pencil breaks throughout the day, put it in the pencil box to be sharpened and get one that is sharpened from the tub.

• If we are using community supplies, get what you need from the community bin at your table and remember to share.

Tardy Procedures

If you arrive to school late, please go to the office to get a tardy slip from the office.

Absent Procedures

If you are absent, ask your teacher what you missed. I usually put all of the work you missed in your cubbies.

Assembly Procedures

• Be a role model for others around you.

• Use hallway procedures while walking to the cafeteria or Middle School Auditorium.

• Sit in listening position and use attentive listening.

Video/Movie Procedures

• When watching a video, please sit in listening position.

• Stay in one spot and do not lie down.

• Be quiet, so we can all hear.

• Be prepared to answer questions at the end.

Rest Time Procedures

• Get your mat and put it in your assigned spot.

• Lay down on your mat, be still and quiet.

• When rest time is up, put your mat back on the shelf.

Block Procedures

At block time, Mrs. Austin will walk you to the block class for the day. Follow directions and listen to the teacher. Mrs. Austin will pick you up and walk you back to class.

If you finish your work early you may:

Write and draw in your Journal.

Find a book to look at and read.

Get a file folder game to work at your seat quietly.

Centers Procedures

• Walk to the center your group is assigned to.

• Work at the center until it is time to rotate to the next center.

• Before we change centers, clean up the area.

• Work together and have fun.

*Follow each individual centers rules while at that center.

File Folders Procedures

• Go to the file folder box; pick one game to work at your seat.

• At your seat, work the game.

• When you finish, take the folder back to the box.

End of the day leaving procedures

• Put up all supplies in proper places.

• Organize your table area and make sure the room is clean.

• Put your chair on top of the table.

• Get all your supplies out of your cubbies; make sure you get your folder to take home with all your notes & bulletins, along with your daily work.

• Line up at the door quietly and tell Mrs. Austin

Good-bye. Kids who go to the YMCA will leave a few minutes early. Car riders will walk to the pick up area by the Building and Bus Riders will walk to the buses with Mrs. Austin.

**Check the mailbox in the lounge for any bus notes or changes.

My teaching philosophy is that all children can learn and succeed at their own level. Each child is unique and learns differently. So, I try to use several different teaching methods so I can reach out to each child and help them be successful at their level of achievement. We do hands on activities, auditory, visual, movement, paper/pencil and just about whatever else I can think of to help teach the skills or objectives we are learning.

I usually hand out resources for books, websites, and etc. to parents at my Parent Teacher Conferences in the Fall and Spring. I also give them a copy of Dolch/Sight Words to practice over the summer for 1 st Grade. It is always a great idea to read to and with your child every night. I also suggest flashcards for sight words, shapes, colors, numbers, addition/subtraction facts, letters & sounds. Ultimately the more time we spend teaching at school and the parents spend reinforcing skills taught, the more successful the students are overall.