Parents, please read the following with your child, sign the parent signature page and return to me by Monday, September 14th.
Things I Should Know
About 2nd Grade
in
Mrs. Longo’s
Class
DAILY ROUTINE
1. Please enter the classroom quietly and put away your jacket, backpack, lunchbox and snack. Mrs. Longo loves to hear a “Good morning!” and see your smiling faces!
2. Check the schedule and have books ready for first class.
3. Sit down in your seat and begin your morning bell ringer activity.
4. Pledge and prayers. Listen quietly to morning announcements.
5. Meet with Mrs. Longo to go over our daily routine/important topics.
6. At snack time, wipe off/wash hands and get snack out. Children will be called two at a time for the bathroom. Be sure to clean up all food/mess when done.
7. Be ready for each new lesson.
8. Be sure to get lunch box or coupons before heading out to the cafeteria.
9. Always check your seat area for any dropped pencils, erasers, papers, etc. Please keep the area around your desk clean.
10. Remember to write down homework in your agenda book. Place
homework books in your seat pouch as it is given.
11. When dismissed, get jackets, backpacks and lunch boxes from
closet. Place books from seat pouch in your backpack.
12. Check your area one last time to clean up any articles left
around your desk.
13. Always walk through the halls quietly, being respectful of the
people and items around you.
14. Quietly listen for end of the day announcements and prayer.
15. Give a smile as you leave for the day!
(I’ve enclosed a schedule for your reference at the end of this document.)
CLASSROOM RULES
1. If someone else is talking (teacher or student), we need to be respectful and listen.
2. We always use soft voices when working in groups.
3. We wait until someone else is finished talking before raising our hands.
4. We take care of our supplies (books, class supplies, desks, classroom.) This is our second home while we are here.
5. Be kind to others, respecting one another’s ideas and answers without giggling or getting annoyed. We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable.
6. Always be safe.
7. Manners matter.
8. Eyes on the teacher when she is talking. This shows that you are ready to learn.
9. Please stay in your seats while I am teaching. If you think you will need tissues, take a handful and keep them at your seat. You may throw out garbage at the end of the class.
10. Uniforms and shoes/sneakers should be worn according to the terms in the student handbook. Shirts should be tucked neatly into pants. Uniform will be checked every day.
BATHROOM TIME
Class time is precious, so leaving to go to the bathroom should happen only during a true emergency. Please discuss with your child what that means. Many children will see someone leave to go to the bathroom, and then they want to leave too. There shouldn’t be twenty dire emergencies during a class. In order to alleviate this, children should use the bathroom at the following times: when they first come to school and are in the gym, when they enter the classroom at the start of the day (before prayers begin), during snack time, during lunch and/or recess, and at the end of the day during the ten minute dismissal time.
Only one boy or girl at a time may go to the bathroom at a time.
Homework
Homework will be given each night in most of the subjects. It is important that children read every day, so please be sure that your child does their GRAB homework and that you sign their page each night. Children are expected to do their homework every day. If a child consistently does not have their homework done, they will be given a lunch detention, and you will be notified.
subjects
LANGUAGE ARTS – includes applying conventions of English language when speaking and writing; using a variety of strategies to distinguish the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary; using appropriate capitalization and punctuation; using correct spelling; determining the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words; presenting a story or experience in complete sentences verbally; recounting key ideas from text read aloud and information presented orally; using the writing process to develop a well-constructed paragraph; responding to prompts drawing from experience or text; utilizing a variety of tools for writing and publishing; participating in shared research and writing projects; applying legible handwriting to all work; applying grade level phonics and word analysis skills; reading with accuracy and fluency; applying reading comprehension strategies; and participating actively in independent reading.
MATHEMATICS – includes adding and subtracting fluently within 20 and adding and subtracting accurately within and up to 1,000; solving one and two-step word problems; constructing the sum of equal sets of objects to represent multiplication; demonstrating an understanding of place value to 1,000; measuring length in standard units; telling tome to the nearest five minutes; counting, adding and subtracting coins and dollar bills; constructing picture and bar graphs to represent date; and recognizing and constructing shapes with specific attributes.
SCIENCE – includes applying vocabulary and concepts; interpreting information from print, graphs and charts; participating in experiments and projects; and applying appropriate process skills. Units include Earth’s Land, Air and Water; Weather and Seasons; Properties of Matter; Energy; Forces and Motion; Sound; Earth and Space; Plants and Animals.
SOCIAL STUDIES (taught by another teacher) – applying vocabulary and concepts; interpreting information from print, graphs and charts; and applying map/globe skills.
RELIGION – demonstrates knowledge of the Catholic faith; demonstrates knowledge of grade appropriate prayers; demonstrates understanding of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist; and demonstrates knowledge of the parts of the Mass.
This is a big year for your child since they will be partaking in the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Please note that there will be a First Reconciliation Parent Meeting on Wed. October 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the church. First Reconciliation is on Sat. Jan. 9 at 9:30 a.m. with a snow date of Sat. Jan. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
There will also be a First Eucharist Parent Meeting on Wed. Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the church, as well as a rehearsal for the children on Wed. May 11 at 2:30 p.m. First Eucharist will take place on Sat. May 14 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Church.
Please mark all the dates on your calendar!
EXPLANATION OF AR (Accelerated/Advanced Reader)
Second graders will begin the Accelerated Reading program for the first time. Your child goes to the library once a week, and every student participates. Students are given a goal number of points to achieve each marking period, and these points are counted towards the evaluation of their reading grade. Books that qualify for AR are marked with a yellow sticker showing the reading level. Each student reads an Accelerated Reading book and then takes a 5-10 question comprehension test on the computers in the computer lab. The students will be able to take quizzes during library or when they go to the computer lab. They may also take a test at a time during the day that does not interfere with our class. For example, if they have completed their morning exercise and want to take the AR test before we have Morning Meeting, they may do so.
You can go to www.arbookfind.com to find out information about a title your child may want to read. Many of these books are available from our library for checkout on library day. You may also choose to read books from the list that you already have at home or that you check out of the regular library. Please note that students must have the book with them when they take their quiz so that they can make sure they have the correct title and author.
For this marking period, each student should obtain 2 points. The books should be at a level of at least 1.7 but no higher than a 3.0. If your child chooses a book that is above a 3.0, its content must meet your approval, as well as the “five finger rule”. (Please click on and read the following article for help with choosing a “just right” book for your child. http://www.readingrockets.org/article/selecting-books-your-child-finding-just-right-books
Each marking period, the points will increase by one point, ending the year with a 5-point goal.
Grade reports will go home approximately every week in the Friday folder. They should be reviewed and the test packet signed by a parent, and these should be returned on Monday in the Friday folder.
tests
Test grades will be sent home in the Friday folder each week. Parents need to review all of the grades, sign the attached note and return the entire packet in the Friday folder on Monday.
PROPER HEADING
All work handed in will have the following heading:
Name # Date
St. Joseph School Grade
Subject
Behavior
Every child is expected to be “Ready to Learn.” If a child is talking or disrupting others, out of their seat unnecessarily, etc., he/she will be given a verbal warning. If that child continues to misbehave, he/she will have their name put on the board. If the child continues to choose to disrupt the class, they will receive a check mark next to their name. At this point, the child will lose a privilege such as going to recess or being able to participate in some classroom activity.
If I see that a child is having trouble with their behavior choices too many times, I will Email you so we can conference and figure out why.
REPORT CARD
The second grade report cards are standards based. The goals that I mentioned under each subject heading will be the goals that will be assessed throughout the year. Students will be given the following marking codes:
4 Exceeds Proficiency, 3 Proficient, 2 Developing, 1 Beginning, and NM Not measured at this time. (Note: 4 does not equal an A, 3 does not equal a B, etc.)
The children will also be assessed for the Specials (Art, Music, Physical Education and World Language), as well as for Social and Learning Behaviors (skills such as Participates respectfully in prayer and liturgical celebrations and Completes homework assignments on time.)
The best example of how this is more helpful to the child would be if a child begins a class in writing and receives a 70 on their assignment. If they received an 80 on the next assignment and a 90 on the last assignment, their average would be an 80. However, it is clear that over time the child has become more proficient at writing and would then receive a 3 for that marking period. As expectations get a bit harder, there is the possibility for a child to receive a 2 after having received a 3. This simply means that your child will need to continue to work to become more proficient on those skills.
STAR STUDENT OF THE WEEK INSTRUCTIONS
Listed on the next page is each child’s name and the date they will be student of the week. The reason for this is honor is to share information about themselves with the rest of the students and the visitors to our class. Normally I choose numbers randomly, but being that we have such a small class, I tried to fit each child in during the week of their birthday, giving each child a couple of weeks to display their pictures and information. For summer birthdays, I chose a week in the order of how they occur.
On the Friday before your child is scheduled, I will send home a folder with the information to be filled out on the wipe off cards. Please use the enclosed white board marker to complete this and return that information with one or more of the following:
* Pictures of your child
* Pictures of your child with the family, including brothers or sisters, pets, your child in a sports uniform/dance costume, etc.
I gave each child about a two-week period to display their information and pictures. Your child will be able to present their information and pictures during snack at some point during that time frame. I also will be displaying all the children’s pictures for First Communion pictures. May 2 is a substitute day for any child who forgot to bring their pictures during their allotted time frame.
I want this to be a way for all of the children to feel special and important to our classroom family!
Sept. 21 – Elise
Sept. 28 –
Oct. 5 – Jordan
Oct. 12 -
Oct. 19 – Chloe
Oct. 26 -
Nov. 2 - Isabella
Nov. 9 -
Nov. 16 – Alexa
Nov. 23
Nov. 30 - Kylee
Dec. 7
Dec. 11 – Kevin
Dec. 21
Jan. 4 – Tommy M.
Jan. 11
Jan. 18 – Zachary
Jan. 25 –
Feb. 1 - Bernice
Feb. 8
Feb. 15 - Devon
Feb. 22
Feb. 29 - Rylan
Mar. 7
Mar. 14 – Claire
Mar. 21
April 4 - Jacob
April 11
April 18 –
April 25
May 2 – Makeup day
May 9 -
May 16 -
May 23 –
May 30 – First Communion pics
June 6
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Working as a team
When we all work together as a team, your child will benefit. Your help and cooperation is so important to your child’s success. I’m excited to be working with you and your child, and I know we will have a fun academic year!
Please keep this booklet in a spot where you can refer to it throughout the year. The refrigerator is always a good spot! : ) Please sign, detach and return the Parent Signature Page so that I know that you have read this booklet. Thank you!
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Parent Signature Page
I have read the information in Things I Should Know About 2nd Grade in Mrs. Longo’s Class, and I understand what is expected of my child.
____________________________ ___________________
Parent Signature Date
____________________________________________
Parent Name (Printed)
____________________________________________
Child’s Name
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