Welcome to Back to School Night

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Welcome toBack toSchool Night

• Second Grade
• 2014-2015

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2nd Grade MissionWe are the protector of the
young and the voice of the voiceless.Tabula
RasaIt Means Blank Slate
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Daily Schedule
805-810 Homeroom 813-913 Math
916-1042 Social Studies/Science
1045-1129 Recess Lunch 1132-1217 Specials
1220-105 Core Virtues/Leader in Me/Read
Aloud 108-305 Literacy Block Spelling,
Reading, Writing 305-310 Clean up/Pack up
310-325 Recess 325-335 Homeroom
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Behavior Chart
Purple Outstanding! Blue Great Choices!Green
Ready to Learn Orange Warning 5 minutes of
recess Red Consequence all of recess, letter
home to parents, possible meeting with Ms. Norton
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Planner

• Will come home every day, please return to school
  every day
• Check your childs homework
• Sign in the designated spot to verify you have
  checked your childs assignments
• Write in the notes section if your child is
  going somewhere different after school!

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Friday Folder

• Purple Folder
• Will come home on the last day of the school week
• Includes
• completed assignments (not all will be graded)
• important information from the office, teachers,
  clubs, etc.
• most communication will be done via e-mail ?
• Please return the following school day

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Homework Folder

• Red Folder
• Will come home every night with (or without)
  assignments in it
• Complete work as assigned by teacher (check
  planner)
• Return to school every day

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Birthdays

• We will be having a Monthly Birthday Celebration!
• This will occur on the dress of choice day for
  the month during afternoon recess (310 p.m.)
• You are welcome to drop off/send in treats or
  goodie bags
• PTOs Birthday Express is a great option!
• Store bought treats
• Pencils, stickers, bracelets, etc.

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AA Manners Core Virtues

• New Manners being implemented this year
• Monthly Core Virtues
• We will be having about 45 minutes a day in
  school to focus on Manners and Core Virtues

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Curriculum
Language Arts Block Reading, Spelling,
Writing, Grammar - Open Court Reading - Shurley
English - Spalding - Step Up to Writing Math
Saxon Math Science Foss Science Social
Studies Core Knowledge
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Language Arts Block
Open Court Reading Students learn and focus on
Fluency, Vocabulary, and Text Comprehension.
Shurley English Students learn the parts of
speech through repetition and song.
Spalding Students learn about phonics and how
it ties in with spelling, decoding, and reading.
Spelling is focused on through phonogram sounds
and spelling rules.
Step Up to Writing Students learn how to create
a writing plan and turn it into a paragraph or
narrative.
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Social Studies
Core Knowledge Curriculum Geography Map
Skills Ancient India Ancient China Ancient
Greece Japan Today Signs Symbols of the
US Making the Constitution The War of
1812 Americans Move West The Civil
War Immigration and Citizenship Civil Rights
Leaders
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Science
FOSS Science Air Weather Balance
Motion Insects Science Binders Students will
use their notebooks with each module. They will
record their predictions, observations and data,
as well as reflections during each investigation.
Students will also be keeping track of vocabulary
in an organized fashion to go along with each
module and be able to reference it during every
investigation. The notebook record provides an
authentic body of student work for assessment of
written language and science content
understanding. STEM Units Atmospheric Science
Sep. 22 Oct. 6 Lego WeDO Jan. 20 Feb. 2
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Saxon Math 3
Students learn through what is called
Incremental Development. Through this, topics
are introduced in spaced steps allowing for
confidence before learning a new concept. Topics
are never dropped, they are continuously worked
on and the topics may grow in complexity. Content
is divided into five components Meeting,
Lesson, Written Practice, Facts Practice, and
Assessments. Homework Will be easy first few
weeks during review Check and assist with
corrections as needed Initial top of your
childs homework Homework will be due daily,
but graded weekly Assessments Every Friday
all review from what has been done Assessments
are worth 80 of math grade
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Purpose of Homework
Establish a routine which includes studying at
home Set aside the same time every day for
homework Develop good study habits Find a
special, quiet place for your child to work
Involve parents in their childs learning
Check in on your child, but do NOT do their
work Provides practice and reinforcement of
skills learned Want to know what we do in
class?? Look at your childs homework! ? Helps
children to take responsibility for their
work Have THEM put it back in their homework
folder, and pack their folder into their bag
Not everyone will get As Missed school/Missed
Work Students have 2 days for each EXCUSED
absence to make up their work. Ex If they were
absent on Monday, work will be due on Wednesday.
Missing Assignment notification will be sent, it
is not late!
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Grading of Homework
Grading Deductions Students are responsible for
their own work, including turning it in on time
as well as making sure their name is on it.
Points will be deducted for late or no name
work. Missing Work 1 day 10 2 days 20 3
days until test day 50 Missing
Assignment Notifications will be sent even if
your child was absent No Name Work
10 STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE AND RETURN
ASSIGNMENTS ON TIME TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT!!
G or Empty Box in Parent Portal means the
assignment has not yet been graded
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Grading of Homework

• Grading doesnt occur instantly
• Please allow us time to thoroughly grade your
  childs assignments
• Different assignments will take longer to be
  graded
• Homework and In-Class Work 3 business days
• Assessments 5 business days
• Large Projects 10 business days
• Writing Assignments 10 business days

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Parent/Teacher Communication

• ALWAYS check this power point, bi-weekly
  newsletters, and the website before e-mailing
  your childs teacher with questions.

• E-mail your childs teacher with questions before
  going to someone else.

• Please be patient with e-mails. Remember our 1
  job is to teach your child, not respond to
  e-mails. We will try to get back to you by the
  end of the day, but please allow up to 48 hours
  before contacting us again.
• Your Weekends are ours as well. We will respond
  to e-mails beginning Monday Morning!

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Parent/Teacher Communication

• PLEASE be respectful in e-mails to your childs
  teacher. We are quicker to respond if the e-mail
  comes off friendly and respectful.

• We may not always respond to e-mails if it is not
  something that needs a response. Yes we did
  receive the e-mail, we just dont have the time
  to respond Remember we are teaching and lesson
  planning! ?

• Where does Kaeleen go after school?? Make sure
  Kaeleen knows! Write it in their planner, make
  THEM responsible!

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Parent/Teacher Communication
Proactive E-mail that Received a Quick Response
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Parent/Teacher Communication
Reactive E-mail
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Parent/Teacher Communication

• Encourage your child to take responsibility and
  e-mail their teachers!
• We cant communicate with you, if you dont get
  our e-mails! That being said
• Make sure to add ALL of the 2nd grade
  teachers
• Make sure to add the Parent Portal e-mail
  (tends to go to junk folder)
• Make sure to check your junk folder for
  potential e-mails from AA

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Parent/Teacher Conferences
There are 3 scheduled conferences for this school
year
October 9 10
January 15 16
April 9 10
These are the best times we will meet with you
regarding your childs grades or work they can do
at home to help.
We will contact you if there is a concern on a
childs progress that requires a parent/teacher
conference
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Parent/Teacher Conferences
October 9 10
January 15 16
April 9 10
We will post a Sign-Up Genius link about two
weeks before each conference. Please READ
carefully, to know which of your childs teachers
to sign up with (reading, math, homeroom,
etc.). If you sign up with the wrong teacher, you
will get an email saying you were deleted from
your slot, and you will have to re-sign up.
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Volunteering

• Please continue to check the teachers webpages
  for volunteer opportunities
• When volunteering at school, please refrain from
  bringing younger siblings with you. It is a
  district policy and a distraction to the students
  in the class trying to learn.

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Student Expectations
Responsibility Children in our class are
responsible for their own actions, attitudes,
behaviors, and work habits. We (parents
teachers) will help the children become more
responsible. However, we will NOT take over
individual responsibilities. The students are
expected to return homework, Friday folders,
planners, library books, etc. ON TIME. They are
responsible for taking care of their learning
tools and supplies. Rules At all times. Be
respectful, responsible, and honest. Our class
has spirit! We work together, support one
another, and appreciate the uniqueness each
member of our class and learning community has to
offer.
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Uniform Policy

• American Academy has a uniform, not a dress code.
  Make sure tops and bottoms are from Dennis.
• If your child is unable to tie their shoes please
  help them learn how to do this.
• Sweatshirts send a sweatshirt or sweater
  everyday. Any sweatshirt can be worn outside for
  recess. American Academy sweatshirts only
  inside school.
• LABEL your childs clothing!! It all looks so
  similar!

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Uniform Policy

• Socks
• Navy, Red, White, Black ONLY
• Girls may have the Dennis Plaid Trim
• Tights Navy, Red, White ONLY
• Shoes Must be no higher than the ankle
• Closed Toe Shoes ONLY
• Casual/Dress SOLID Black, Brown, Navy
• Athletic No glitter, characters, beads
• Boots NOT ALLOWED IN SCHOOL
• View the School Uniform Policy here
• http//americanacademyk8.org/aastaffhome/BOD/polic
  ies/StudentUniformPolicy.pdf

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After School Activities

• Please remind your child daily where they are to
  go after school.
• Sometimes we do not get a chance to check our
  email to remind your child where they go at the
  end of the day.
• Write in your childs planner if they need help
  remembering where to go.

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Just a few reminders about Parent Portal Please
make sure your current email, phone, address
are on Parent Portal!! All of the information
parents need to know is available under Resources
Portal Information ( http//www.americanacademyk
8.org/parentportal.aspx ).  If you havent
already, please take a moment to look at this
link as it contains relevant information for both
new and returning families (how to request
password resets, change their e-mail address, set
messenger preferences, etc.). 
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Our goal as teachers this year is to have your
child grow in their independence. 2nd grade is
their job, so we want them to be responsible with
their job!