Back to School Night

Second Grade Notes...

 

Communication Home: The main way I will be communicating with you this year is through our Second Grade Blog.  With the help of the technology department, I am getting my blog ready for a new year of Second Grade news and information. This blog is in place of a traditional newsletter and will contain information regarding what is happening in the classroom, reminders and upcoming events. Please remember that the blog is a picture of what is happening in my classroom only and other mail will still be sent home in our daily folders.  I hope to have the blog up and running by mid September.  Once it is up and running, I will send a note home in student folders with more specific information.  You can look for the blog to be updated every 1-2 weeks.

 

Conferences/Report Cards: There are two regularly scheduled conferences this school year.  Lower school conferences will be held in September and February.  Please contact me if you feel there is a need for any additional conferences.  I will contact you if I feel there is a need to meet as well.  Report cards are sent home three times a year.

 

Take Home Folders:  Each child has a folder labeled "HOME".  He or she needs to bring the folder home each night and return it the next day.  The folder will contain mail that needs to be sent home or back to school.  Please have your child check it nightly and empty it of completed papers on a regular basis.

 

Getting to Know You:  I would like to give you the opportunity to share more information with me about your child.  Therefore, I will be sending home a questionnaire during the first week of school.  Please take a week or so to complete the form and return it to me.

 

Birthdays:
We will be celebrating birthdays (or half-birthdays, if your student's birthday falls in the summer months) by reading a special book of your student's choosing. Your student is welcome to bring a book from home, or pick out a favorite from our class. On your student's special day, they are welcome to have a non-uniform day and wear their favorite outfit if they choose. In addition to our classroom festivities, the entire MPA Lower School Community celebrates birthdays once a month with a unique lunchtime celebration

 

Reading Log: I will be sending home a reading log with your child each night.  I am asking that each child read for twenty minutes each night.  The reading log needs to be brought back to school each day.  It will be checked and stamped.  It will be returned home again every night.  I will be sharing reading incentives with the students to help encourage nightly reading. I will send the first sheet home starting the second week of school.

 

Star of the Week:  In October, we will start 'Star of the Week'.  We will take a week to celebrate each student and their talents/interests.  More information will come to you when it is your child's week.

 

Class Mascot: Our class will be having a class mascot.  Each student will have a week to take home our stuffed animal mascot.  They will have a journal to write about any adventures of the week and share their journal writings with the class when the week is through.  The mascot will be sent home on a Monday and needs to be returned on the following Monday.  More information will be included in the traveling mascot's journal.

 

Book Clubs: Book orders will be sent home each month.  Ordering is optional.  If your child is interested in ordering, please fill out the order and write a check payable to Scholastic, please do not send cash.  Only one check is necessary as all clubs are Scholastic owned clubs.  Enclose everything in an envelope and return the envelope to school.   The book orders will be sent out on Mondays, and are due back by Friday of the week they are sent home. 

 

Supplies: Your child needs to bring any supplies still needed if he or she has not already done so.   Please have any personal supplies labeled.  This helps us to stay organized!

 

Personal Belongings:  Please write your child's name on his or her school fleece, gloves, boots, snow pants, lunchbox, etc.  This will help to distinguish between various students' items and help us locate them if they get misplaced.

 

Lockers:  Please help students keep locker decorations to a minimum.  A few favorite pictures are fine but notepads and wipe boards are discouraged as they can cause distractions and issues.  Also, toys and electronics should stay at home throughout the year.

 

 

 

Volunteers: During the school year, I will need occasional parent volunteers.  I will send information about that as the need arises.  I also use volunteer guest speakers/demonstrators to help enrich the topics we are studying in the classroom.  If you have information, pictures, videos, or a great way of demonstrating something we are learning about, please let me know.  I will keep you updated on our current topics through my blog or notes home.

 

Mystery Reader:  I will be inviting parents who are interested to come in to read to the class as a 'Mystery Reader'.  Our Mystery Reader's identity will be a surprise for students. Guests can bring a book or two in to share with the class for about twenty minutes.  I will have a sign-up available at our first conference time.

 

Physical Education: This year, along with an increased amount of physical education time, the class will be a mixed-age grouping of second and third graders. We are excited for this collaboration and welcome the opportunities and benefits it will present to our students. If you have questions I am happy to direct you to your student's P.E. teacher.

 

Reminders:   If your child is going home from school a different way or if your student needs to leave school early, please send me a note to specify for safety reasons.  If you need to notify your student to go home a different way during the day, please call the Lower School Office as they will deliver a note to me.  I am not always able to check my email or phone messages during the day.  This will ensure your child and I are aware of the change. 

 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you have as we go through the year.  The best way to reach me is to send a note in the morning, leave a voicemail, or an email.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.  My email is ascalia@moundsparkacademy.org

 

Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm. We have an exciting year ahead of us!

 

 

                                    Sincerely,

                                             Mrs. Anne Scalia