Welcome to Ms. Sheehan’s 2nd Grade Classroom!
Welcome to another great year at Jenks East Elementary. I look forward to a year in which we can work together for the good of your child. Here is important information that will ensure we all get off to a great start by keeping the lines of communication open. Please feel free to talk to me about any questions or concerns you may have.
School Start/End Times
8:50 am-3:30 pm
Teacher Contact Information
My classroom phone number is 299-4415 Ext. 5226. My email is E-mail is more reliable than leaving a phone message. I will get back to you within 24 hours UNLESS I am not here!
However, if it is urgent or something you need the same day and I haven’t responded to you (out sick for the day), please call the secretary Roberta Haus at 299-4415 Ext. 5543/5544.
Parent Contact Information
Please be sure that I have the most recent phone number and address on file. I want to ensure that the school and I are able to contact you in case of an emergency. If you have an email address that you check regularly, please make sure that I have that on file as well.
Absent Students
Please remember to call 299-4415 Ext. 5544/5543 if your child will be absent. I would like for you to notify me by e-mail if possible too. During this time, I will compile a folder of missed assignments. Upon their return to school, I will give them an equivalent number of days equal to their absence to complete it.
Student Internet/Computer Release-Handbook Release-Media Release
These permission forms are located in the front of the Student Handbook. Please be sure to sign and return this back to me. The Internet release allows participation in Internet research activities. The media release allows participation in classroom pictures or videos.
Parent Teacher Conferences
School Wide Parent-Teacher conferences will be in the fall 2011 in October and March of 2012. If concerns ever arise about your child’s academic or behavioral progress, I will be more than happy to meet with you at other times throughout the school year. However, it is easier if you schedule a time to meet with me in advance so that I may plan accordingly. A scheduled conference or phone conversation allows me to ensure your child’s personal information remains private.
Progress Reports/Report Cards
A progress report will be sent home after the first 4 weeks of school. Report cards will be sent home at the end of every 9 weeks.
Grading
The majority of grades will come from class work and quizzes/tests. If you ever have concerns about your child’s grade or progress, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. There are no letter grades given during the primary grades.
3 Consistently successful=(85-100% successful on work assignments)
2 Progressing=(84-70% successful on work assignments)
1 Area of Concern= (69% and below successful on work assignments)
Homework
· Math homework is assigned Monday through Thursday.
· Reading for at least 20 minutes will be required for students who are reading at or above the second grade level. If your child is below that level, then it would be necessary to read 40 minutes a night. He or she may read to you for 20 minutes, then may listen to you read or listen to a book on tape for 20 minutes. Your child will write in their agenda of how many minutes they have read every night.
· Monthly projects will be done by the end of the month. There will always be three choices followed by a fourth choice with the student’s choice. You can keep it simple or have your child go way out.
· Two book reports will be completed every month. I will have the book report(s) form on my website and have copies at school.
Please also initial your child’s agenda each night to see how their work and behavior habits were for that day. The agenda should be returned to school daily. Your child should ideally be spending no more than 20 minutes on math homework each night. If your child is unable to complete homework due to illness, please send me a note or e-mail. Note: Nightly math homework will begin at the end of Unit 1 starting with Lesson 1.11.
Differentiation
I offer lessons that are differentiated. In the areas of language arts (Daily 5 and the CAFE), I meet with your child four days a week in groups so that we are working on skills that need to be addressed. The other day, we have reader’s workshop to learn a new reading strategy. Daily, I meet in small groups in math daily five. I also meet with your child in their writing during writer’s workshop. I will continue to pull groups that need the extra help, while not forgetting or ignoring the ones that are ahead of the others, or have grasped the concept. My teaching style is not a one size fits all strategy, but more of a “custom fit” that your child needs. If you have any questions, please ask.J
Media
Your child will able to go and check out 2 library books at a time. I will let your child do this as fast as he/she reads the books. Hopefully, we will be reading machines!
Behavior Plan and Our Promise
When we care about each other and our classroom, we share what we have, listen carefully, help each other learn, work hard, and have fun together. We understand that everyone makes mistakes that we stand up for others, and ourselves, and when someone asks us to stop, we stop. This is who we are, even when no one is watching.
So in a nutshell- if we had rules-they would be:
Respecting ourselves and others
Try our best everyday
Our class uses the green, yellow, and red card system. Your child will start the day with a green card. If he /she is exhibiting a negative behavior, I will use redirection, and make sure that he/she understands what behavior is expected. If the student stops that undesirable behavior, he/she will continue to be green. If your child does not stop, then his/her card will be turned to yellow. I will continue to use redirection and positive reinforcement throughout the day. I also use tickets for any exceptionally good behavior. On your child’s agenda, you will see either a 3, 2, 1, 0 daily. Look at your child’s agenda daily and sign by the parent initial. Thanks!
Green=3
Yellow=2
Red=1
A student will receive a 0, if he/she is on red, and continues to have a “rough day.” If that kind of behavior is on an almost daily basis, we will meet to form an individual behavior plan that everyone will be happy. I want every child to succeed in school. It takes parent, teacher, and student to make this happen. Thank you for your support.
End of the Month Reward
On the last Friday of the month, we will do a fun activity for those whose behavior is good. The points are taken from your child’s behavior that is written in their agenda. In order to earn the reward, your child must have an average of a 2 or better. Another way to figure it is: if there are 20 days in a month, then your child must have 40 points to earn the reward. The children will also be able to cash in their tickets for a fruit snack, popcorn, or other semi-healthy goodie.
Monthly Newsletters
A monthly newsletter will be emailed the 1st Thursday of each month. It will contain information about things the class will be studying, important dates, classroom needs and/or special thanks.
Money-Lunch, Book Orders
Please send cash money or checks to school with your child sealed in the yellow envelope. If you do not have a yellow envelope, please send it sealed in an envelope or a zip loc bag with your child’s name and Ms. Sheehan’s room 507 on the front. Lost or mixed up money can ruin a child and parent’s day. If you are writing a check for lunch, please make the check out to Jenks Child Nutrition. If you are writing a check for book orders, please make the check out to Jenks Public Schools.
Lunch Prices
Regular prices: Breakfast=$1.25 Lunch=$1.85 milk=$0.50
Snacks
You child will need a small, healthy snack each day. This is SEPARATE from lunch. Please be sure it is NOT CANDY or a SUGARY JUICE DRINK. An appropriate mid-morning snack might be cheese crackers, celery, carrots, apples, oranges, grapes, yogurt, dried cereal, pretzels, cheese sticks, popcorn, half a sandwich, etc. This snack is meant to provide a healthy boost of energy between breakfast and lunch. Please save the candy and juice drinks for lunchtime or at home. Thanks for your cooperation.
Pictures/Video of Classroom Activities
During the school year I like to take pictures and or video of students participating in classroom/school related activities. These pictures/videos will be used for classroom arts and crafts, as well as presentations to the students and/or parents of this classroom. Certain group pictures may also be given to the yearbook committee. PLEASE be sure that you have signed my “Parental permission for classroom picture/video participation”.
Birthdays
We would love to celebrate your child’s birthday. Please contact me in advance so that I may plan accordingly to get the students ready for this is a special time with your child. Please make sure any snack or treat is store bought not homemade.
Class Parties
There will be 2 class parties during the school year. There is a winter party in December and a Valentine’s Party in February. The homeroom parent(s) and I will work together to plan the event. However, feel free to volunteer if you have a special craft or activity idea that you think would be great during this time.
Final Note!
Please remember that I am here for you. I hope this information will be helpful in making this year a successful one for all of us. If you have questions about anything please let me know. Have a great school year!
Fondly,
Ms. Cathy Sheehan
People You Should Know…
Dr. Lehman Superintendent
Mrs. Oare EE Site Principal and Pre-K
Mrs. McKnight K and 1st Grade Principal
Mrs. Paul 2nd Grade Principal
Mrs.Bradshaw 3rd and 4th Grade Principal
Mrs. Haus Building F Secretary
Mrs. Fager Special Services Coordinator/Speech
Mrs.Carle Special Instruction
Mrs. Feist Special Instruction
Mrs. Smith Reading Specialist
Mrs. Travers Reading Specialist
Ms. Hight Reading Specialist
Ms. Neimann Building F Counselor
Second Grade Curriculum
A. Reading
1. Phonetic Skills
2. Sight word vocabulary
3. Fluency
4. Comprehension skills
5. Independent reading
6. Pleasure
B. Language Arts
1. Punctuation
2. Capitalization
3. Parts of Speech
4. Sentence structure
5. Research skills
6. Verbal Expression
7. Spelling
C. Writing
1. Review Letter Formation
2. Process Writing
a. Creative Expression
b. Reports
c. Writer’s Workshop
d. Poetry
D. Math
1. Problem Solving
2. Numeration
3. Whole Number Operations and Computation
4. Geometry
5. Measurement
6. Time
7. Money
8. Fractions
9. Graphing
E. Social Studies
1. Citizenship
2. Family Life
3. Neighborhoods
4. Geography/Map Skills
5. Wants/Needs and Goods/Services
F. Science
1. Soils
2. Solids and Liquids
3. Butterflies
4. Mini Units
G. Special Classes
1. Art Mrs. James
2. Music Mrs. Higgins
3. PE Mr. Sanditen
4. Media Mrs. Hughes
5. Computer/Spanish Ms. Sheehan