Dear Parents,
Here we go into another year of learning and growing! I am excited to get started. Second Grade is packed with opportunities to grow academically, socially, and spiritually. We have a wonderful group of children to share in the adventure this year! Thank you for allowing your child to be with us for the journey. Following is some general information that I hope will be helpful.
Our core subjects include Language Arts (reading, writing, grammar), Math, Spelling, Science, Social Studies, and Religion. Letter grades will be given on the report card in these areas. We will also delve into Art, Music, PE, Library, and Spanish. A participation grade (O, S, U) will be given for these subjects.
In Language Arts we will work on reading with fluency and comprehension, striving to become more independent, confident, and happy readers. Your child will be encouraged to always have a book to read in his/her desk to make good use of the times when other tasks are completed. Our writing goal this year is to be able to develop good, complete sentences, and paragraphs that are creative and fun to write and read. We will be incorporating techniques that will help them critique their own work for areas that sparkle, and areas that can use improvement.
Good handwriting skills will be crucial as we begin learning to write in cursive this year. This is always an exciting time for them! By year’s end all tasks will be completed in cursive. Please encourage your child to work neatly, holding the pencil and positioning the paper properly. Be proud of all improvements and accomplishments … celebrate them!
Please check and initial your child’s Homework Journal each night, and help him/her develop good study habits. Homework must remain the responsibility of the child, with guidance and supervision from adults. When you initial the Journal, you are telling me your child completed his/her assigned work. Weekly Spelling lists will be found in the Journals for nightly study, as well as on our class homepage. The students are responsible for copying daily assignments from the chalkboard to the Journal, taking the Journal home each night, and returning it the next day. Not all homework is recorded for grades, but some are chosen each week. Late homework will have 5 points per day deducted from the earned grade. Papers without a name on them also have 5 points deducted.
Children may bring toys from home for recess times. Please help your child understand the wisdom of leaving at home all toys that are special to him/her and would result in tears if damaged or lost. It is school policy that no electronic games be brought to school. We also have a “no trading” policy, requiring each child to take home what is his/hers. Any loaning, trading, or giving away must be done outside of school hours. Please put a name on everything!
When sending money to school for lunch, etc., please put it in an envelope with your child’s name, my name/room number (204) and a notation of what the money is for. No loose money should be brought to school by a child.
Please familiarize yourself with the dress code. Every child will be expected to follow this code. Indiana weather is unpredictable, so send a sweatshirt or jacket on those uncertain days. Please label all loose articles with your child’s name. Listen to the radio, or for a School Reach announcement each morning for possible delays or cancellations due to snow, ice, fog, etc.
Second grade uses a “Three Strikes” discipline policy. After the third strike, the child’s name is recorded on a Detention Slip. I also use a positive reward system which allows children to place their names into a weekly drawing for the many good choices they make throughout the day.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can call school (882-5460), my home (886-9722), or email me at bdeal@evdio.org. I strongly encourage you to regularly check our homepage at http://mrsdealssecondgrade.blogspot.com . I have found email an excellent means of communication. If you will share your email address with me, you will receive a weekly letter highlighting the events and areas of study for that week. Working together we are certain to provide a successful year, allowing for each child to grow in God’s love, becoming the best he/she can be.
May God Bless You and Yours,
Mrs. Barb Deal
