Welcome to an Exciting Year in 2Nd Grade! I Am Looking Forward to an Enjoyable and Productive

Welcome to an exciting year in 2nd grade! I am looking forward to an enjoyable and productive year of learning. This is a grade level full of changes for both you as a parent and for your child. River Ridge is a large school as I am sure you have experienced. Due to this, our school has been divided into families of grade levels. Ms. Currin, Ms. Kathleen Thelen and I make up one of the two 2nd grade teaching teams. We will be working together to provide the best possible learning experience for your child.

I know this is a time of great anticipation and many questions, so I have done my best to give you an overview of what you can expect in this letter. In order to keep you informed of school events, I will be sending home newsletters as well as emails. Please be sure to check your child’s folder and planner nightly for any important information.

Common Core Standards

We are very excited to be teaching the new Common Core Standards this year. In the past, our standards were specific to Kentucky but now they are nationwide. The great thing about these new standards is that they allow your child to really master skills before moving on to new material.

MAP Test

This is the 2nd year we are using the MAP test, a computer based test, to assess our students. This test is a great resource to help your child make as much progress as possible. It truly allows your child to focus on growing in specific areas and provides us with many resources to differentiate their instruction. We will take it 3 times this school year: fall, winter, and spring. Reports will be sent home. After taking the test, your child will receive a RIT score. This will allow us to target specific areas that are strengths and weaknesses. Below are two great websites that your child can get on at home to work on their specific skills:

Math:

Reading:

Math: We will follow a math model that allows the students plenty of hands on opportunities to explore the concepts being taught. Please look for math homework to come home Monday-Thursday in the homework packet. All homework will be a review or practice of a skill taught in class. A very important skill for 2nd graders is to be able to master their addition and subtraction facts. We have the FASTT math computer program at school as a tool and we will also be taking daily fact tests. Students will have 50 problems to complete in 2 minutes and 30 seconds. They will begin with their +1 and will continue through their +12. Students will then move on to their subtraction facts. Flashcards are a great way for students to quickly master their basic facts. A few minutes a night can make a BIG difference!

Reading: We will have a weekly story from our Basal reader in addition to a variety of genres that go along with our new Common Core Standards. Students will be given opportunities to participate in guided reading groups, independent reading, and will be read to daily.

Every night for homework, students are asked to read for 15 minutes. Please take advantage of this opportunity to spend some quality time with your child. In the student planner, please write the name of the book that was read and sign next to the titles. I will be checking planners every morning to see that the reading (and other homework) was done and for your signature.

Accelerated Reader:

Accelerated Reader is a web-based program that will monitor your child’s comprehension of a book. You will now have the ability to search for books from the internet at . There are 6 goal periods for the school year. Your child will have a goal to meet each period. This includes earning the point goal, as well as scoring an 80% or higher on the test. Students who meet their goals will be rewarded with VERY fun prizes and parties ! I will keep you updated of your child’s goal progress by putting weekly labels in their planner.

Specials: Your child will attend specials for 45 minutes daily. Our special time is from 10:35-11:20.

The chart below shows the rotation for how our class will rotate through specials. This will require daily communication. Please check your child’s planner nightly to see what special day we will be on the next day so your child will be prepared. Your child needs to wear tennis shoes on days in which we have PE (Day C & G) and return library books on Library Day (Day E).

Here is our scheduled rotation:

We start school on Wednesday, August 17, so that will be a "Day A" special day. Our class will have PE. On Thursday, we will go to Art, and on Friday we will go to Music. When we return on Monday, it will be a "Day D" special day and we will go to PE and continue the rotation.

If we are off of school for a planned day or a snow day(s), we will always return to school picking up the special that we were to attend next. Therefore, if we have a snow day on a special C, we would still have special C the day we return to school. This will eliminate your child missing a special because school is not in session.

Binders & Homework – Your child will be keeping a binder in his/her backpack. Please check this binder every night for homework assignments. Homework will be given every week Monday – Thursday. Homework can be completed ahead of schedule, but cannot be completed later than the assigned date. Your child will have a two pocket folder inside the binder that will contain notes and completed work. Please help your child check this folder each night for notes and to clean out all completed papers.

Folders: The pockets of your child’s folder will be labeled “Left at Home” and “Bring Right Back”. This folder will then be placed into a binder along with a student planner and will need to go back and forth between home and school every day for the entire school year. I do check each child’s folder every day. These folders are our daily communication.

Planners-Your child will be keeping a daily planner to write homework assignments, record their color, record special classes, and to take the Thursday practice test. Please check this book each night and sign your name in the designated area. If a child loses the assignment book, the cost to replace it is $5.00.

Lunch: Our lunch time is 11:30-11:55. Your child’s lunch costs $1.75. Reduced lunches cost 40 cents. An extra juice or milk is 30 cents. Breakfast, which is served from 8:15-8:35 daily, costs $1.25. Your child will be given a lunch number on the first day of school. This will be their lunch account # for the duration of the school year. Your child must memorize this number. You may deposit money into your child’s lunch account via the Kenton Co. Schools web page ( or you may send money to school with your child. If sending money to school, you may prepay your child’s lunch one week, or even one month, in advance. Simply write a check payable to River Ridge and include your child’s lunch # in the blank space. If sending money, please put into an envelope with your child’s name and lunch #. Your child may choose to purchase or pack his/her lunch.

Transportation: If your child will be going home differently than usual, please send a note in the morning. Verbal instructions from the child are not acceptable. Unless written instructions are given, students will be sent home their usual way.

Absences

Your child should be in school every day that he/she is not ill. Every absence, even part of a school day interferes with your child’s progress at school. In the event your child is going to be absent, please contact the school office at 341-5260. If you need to pick your child up from school early, you must go to the office first to check him/her out. A written note is required when he/she returns to school in order for the absence to be excused. If your child visits the doctor when absent, then a doctor’s note is expected upon his/her return to school.

Discipline: A school wide discipline plan is in place using a color code system. Please read the student handbook in the folder for more information. We use a Stoplight so students can self-monitor how their day is going. All students start their day on green. If he/she chooses not to follow a rule, they must change their clothespin to the first yellow, which is a warning. A second yellow follows, and five minutes of recess are lost. If your child goes to red, they lose all of their recess and a note will be written in the planner stating the reason. If your child goes to blue, I will consult the principal and we will decide what steps should be taken on an individual basis. A note will be written in the planner. Serious infractions (hitting, fighting, or making threatening statements) will cause your child to move to blue without first going to yellow, red, etc.

My goal is to promote positive and appropriate behaviors to create a safe learning environment. An individual and class incentive program will be implemented during the school year to recognize each student’s efforts and work habits.

Birthday Treats: Students love to celebrate their birthdays at school. Please let me know at least one day in advance, if you are planning to send treats for a birthday. Treats that work best are cookies, cupcakes, and brownies. Summer birthdays will be celebrated in the last few weeks of school. Please refer to the student handbook for policies on party invitations.

As parents, you are a valuable ingredient for a successful year. Together, we will strive to develop the best possible student and person your child can be while making this year rewarding and enjoyable. Working together, we can help your child grow and achieve more each day. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me through e-mail: or call me. The office number is 341-5260. I will return your e-mail or call as soon as possible. Please know that if you leave a voicemail for me, I may not get the message until after school or even the next day as I rarely have an opportunity to check those messages during the school day. Email is the best way to contact me. If it is an emergency please contact the school secretary.

Note: Please read the Student/Parent Handbook for additional school information and procedures.