Welcome Back

Dear Parents,

Welcome to room 413, Ms. Renteria’s room. I am very excited to get started working with your child. This is my 18th year of teaching elementary school with 15 of those years being here at Marshpoint. As you know, Marshpoint is a Primary Years International Baccalaureate school, therefore the expectations here are always very high. You can expect to see your child progress into a new level of learning. Second grade is such an exciting year as the children develop and mature into confident capable students.

Please read each section of this letter carefully, as it contains very important information concerning your child’s class.

School Hours 8:25-3:10 – Students may arrive no earlier than 8:00 and are tardy after 8:30. Students are allowed to come into the classroom upon arrival unless I have hallway duty. Instruction begins immediately at 8:25.

Arrival Information

  • Cars bringing students should enter the school parking lot from HWY 80 in front of Coastal Middle School, but then will take the first right and travel behind Coastal Middle School. Students cannot be dropped off until 8:00 when staff is on duty. No student should walk in the parking lot without a parent holding his/her hand.
  • Buses will unload students as they arrive beginning at 8:05.
  • Walkers are students that live in Battery Point, Sea Gate, Mercer Place, and Riverside. Walkers can enter the school at 8:00. Walkers must enter through the front of the building.
  • Parents may accompany their child to class the first week of school. After the first week of school, parents should let their children begin walking to class by themselves if they haven’t started this already.
  • All visitors must sign in and wear a visitor badge.

Dismissal Information

  • Cars enter only from Highway 80 in front of Coastal Middle School. Cars can line up at 3:00 p.m. Car rider students will be dismissed at 3:10 p.m. Students will be escorted to the FRONT of the school building. Have your child’s name and grade posted on a car rider pick-up sign in the window of your car to expedite the loading of students. If you do not have one of these signs, contact the office to get one.
  • Buses will be dismissed as soon as they arrive beginning at 3:10 p.m.
  • Walkers will be escorted in a line across the street to Map Maker Lane with the help of our crossing guards and teachers on duty. Sea Gate/Mercer Place walkers will meet at the end of the kindergarten wing and walk together to the Sea Gate walk through.
  • In order to minimize interruptions and maximize instruction for all students, we ask that students not be checked out after 2:30 p.m. Early dismissals stop at 2:30.
  • According to new BOE policy, emergency contacts will no longer be able to sign students out during the day unless there is an actual emergency. Parents/guardians are the only people allowed to sign students out for doctor appointments, lunch, early dismissal, etc.

If at any time throughout the year your child needs to go home a different way from what was initially planned, a written note must be sent.

Breakfast/Lunch – Breakfast free for ALL students

Lunch $2.25 ($.40 reduced)

Milk $.50

If your child will be eating breakfast at school, he/she needs to arrive by 8:05 and go immediately to the lunch room (breakfast is served from 8:05-8:25). The cafeteria accepts cash, money orders or certified bank checks, for prepayments. Parents can pay for the week, month, or school year. Parents can also add money to their students' accounts by registering online and using . Students who do not have lunch money will receive a sandwich, fruit or vegetable, and milk.

Supplies – Please check to make sure that your child has all supplies listed on the Second Grade Supply List. I collect pencils, index cards, hand soap/sanitizer and tissue to store in the classroom until needed. Throughout the year, I will remind the children that their supplies are getting low. Please replenish supplies as quickly as possible.

Academics – I will send home a weekly letter on Mondays. This letter will explain the assigned homework for the week, list the vocabulary words and spelling patterns that will be focused on, explain any special projects that are due, and discuss any activities that will be going on in the classroom. Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday. It is expected to be turned in on time and complete.

  • Math – complete by Friday.
  • Reading - turned in on Friday

Students will sit out during their recess time and complete any homework that was not completed. Incomplete homework will be recorded. In the case of a family emergency or illness, please send a written note explaining the situation and your child will receive additional time to complete the assignment. All projects/reports are due on the date assigned. Ample time is given to complete such assignments, therefore no late projects are accepted. If your child is having difficulty with an assignment, contact me and I will provide additional instruction for your child.

Green and White Communication Folders - are sent home on Wednesdays and will contain important school announcements and graded papers for the week. Please look through all papers and sign and return the folder the following day. By working together, we are sure that your child will have a very successful second grade year!

Contact Information – If at any time during the year you need to change your contact information, you must make these changes in the office. You will need to bring your id and complete the change of address or phone number form. The office will provide you with this form. I am unable to change contact information. Please be sure to keep your information updated in case of an emergency.

Discipline – I love to reward students. Each day the class will have an opportunity to earn a “Happy Stick”. Each “Happy Stick” indicates a special activity or reward for the class’ good behavior. Your child is expected to follow all classroom and school rules. The students will learn the rules and we will go over them as often as needed. In addition, I will review the Code of Conduct. Please help your child to understand the importance of following the rules. I do not send home a daily behavior sheet as was done in the previous years. I expect all of our students to do well everyday. If a problem does arise, a deficiency notice will be sent home in the homework folder. Please sign and return it the next day. After five deficiency notices are received, a detention will be assigned. I do not expect to have to send many notes home. The children here at Marshpoint always do a fine job following the rules. You may contact me any time you have a concern about your child.

Snack Time – We will have a time for snack daily. Each child is expected to bring a healthy snack to school. Snacks should be able to be opened by the student and eaten quickly with little mess. Candy is not allowed. Small water bottles are permitted, but MUST contain WATER only. Food is not to be shared among students.

Birthdays/Parties – If you plan on sending in a treat for your child’s birthday, please be sure to notify me in advance and have it here before our lunch time. The treat will be enjoyed in the lunchroom. If you would like any invitations to parties sent home with students in the class, they must be sent in by Tuesday morning. Invitations will be placed in the Communication folders that are sent home on Wednesdays. Please plan ahead for this since there will be no exceptions.

Conferences – We will be meeting throughout the year to discuss your child’s progress. Generally, conferences are held before or after school. I will be sure to give ample notice and provide several options for meeting. If you are unable to attend a scheduled conference, please contact me in advance so that I can schedule someone else in your time slot. Do not hesitate to ask for a conference at any point during the year.

I am looking forward to working with you and your child. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the school at 395-4000 and leave a message. My e-mail address is . This is the best way to contact me. Voice mail is much more difficult to check throughout the school day.

Sincerely,

Ms. Prince