Welcome to Mrs. Van Lenten's website! 

Welcome to Kindergarten, a very exciting year for your child, and you! 

Our philosophy in Kindergarten is experiential, to be hands on as much as possible, and  infuse reading  activities through the day.  We use manipulative materials in our Go Math lessons, and partner and group work to learn to work with others. 

Our reading program, Journeys was introduced in 2015-2016. This program utilizes small flexible groupings that meet the needs of each student.  The program is comprised of six units with thirty lessons that relate to all areas of our curriculum.  The students all experience whole class lessons to introduce the target skill. We began Wilson Fundations Phonics program 2014-2015, which was a big success. Children love Echo and Baby Echo owl puppets to help them remember the letter sounds and digraphs.  It includes many fun activities to reinforce the concepts.

Students will have periodic tests with math and reading skills. In Kindergarten we utilize one to one oral testing formats, along with whole class written tests approximately every six weeks once a unit has been completed.  From time to time other diagnostic measures are employed, as in our phonics evaluations. We also listen to students read orally in a one to one situation, which helps determine their reading level.

Homework  is an opportunity for the parent and child to communicate what is being learned in the classroom, and for the child to practice independently skills being taught.  If your child has difficulty with any concept, simply write directly on the homework, and we will address it in class.  Homework is checked as being completed, or not completed.  Homework is also an opportunity for your child to develop responsibility.   They will come to know what assignments should occur on which days, when to bring their Library books back, and wear the correct shoes on their days for gym.
Your children will also have lessons in Social Studies, Science, and Character Education.  These lessons can vary with our big book texts, videos, and the holidays and seasons throughout the year.  We also have Weekly Reader magazine which covers these same topics, as well as Health. Weekly Reader magazine includes an online component with activities and videos to use with our Smartboard. We do varying activities and crafts within these subject areas.  Our class trips this year included two walking trips.  The first in October is to the Fire and Police Station, and in April we walk to the public library and your child will receive their own cards.  In the Spring we go to Turtle Back Zoo, a wonderful place for this age group.  We take the opportunity to discuss and study the animals we will see on our visit.

My personal philosophy includes that your children and I should enjoy our day together. I use music in the classroom  as an enjoyment and a learning tool to remember skills learned. Singing is another way to help shy, and new language learners practice their skills.  We can learn from each other  each day, and should treat each other fairly. Mr. Jordan believes the children should know to treat others as we would like to be treated.  I taught first grade at Memorial School  for over 10 years.  I have taught Kindergarten, Nursery School and second grade as well. Each school year is different based on the group,  using their interests and personalities whenever possible to drive projects or assignments.  Thank you for the opportunity to work with your child.

Mrs. Van Lenten