1. Welcome to Kindergarten North Jackson Elementary 2014-2015

2. All About Mrs. Bunch I have been teaching for 11 years and have been a part of three different school systems. I taught at North Metcalfe Elementary for 2 years and then moved closer to home to Highland Elementary for 7 years. This is my second year at North Jackson. I have taught Kindergarten, First Grade and Third Grade and this year I am thrilled to be teaching Second Grade again. NJE is the place to be! I graduated from Glasgow High School in 2000 and then began seeking my degree in Science as an Elementary Teacher at Western Kentucky University. I have been married for 11 years to Joey Bunch and we have three wonderful children: Mason, 8, Jaycee, 6 and Bailee, 2. The fun never stops!!

3. All About Mrs. Strode I have been teaching for 7 years within the Barren County School District. This is my 4 th year teaching at North Jackson Elementary. I have previously taught at Eastern Elementary. I have taught first, third, and fourth grade and this will be my first year teaching second grade. I am very excited about starting a new adventure. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Western Kentucky University in 2007. I also have a Master’s Degree in Library Media which I received in 2011. I have been married to my husband, Tim, for 9 years. We have two children: Ian, 3 and Lidia, 2. I also have a step-son, Noah, who is 14.

4. All About Mrs. Clemmons This is my 11 th year teaching in Barren County. I taught first grade for six years at Hiseville before moving to North Jackson. This will be my 5 th year at NJE and third year teaching 2 nd grade. I love teaching 2 nd. It is so much fun! I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Western Kentucky University. My husband, Jon Michael, and I have 3 wonderful and precious kiddos, whom I love to the moon and back. You will learn and hear all about them this year. They are a mess, and I love to share their funny stories with my class kiddos.

5. All About Mrs. Hiser I have taught second grade for one year at Park City Elementary and was an Instructional Assistant for 10 years prior to teaching. This will be my first year teaching at North Jackson. I can not wait to start my journey as an NJE Jaguar. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Western Governor’s University in 2011. I plan to pursue my Master’s Degree in the near future. I have been married to my husband, Jeff, for 15 years. We have two energetic children: Abigail, 7 and J.W., 2. We enjoy riding horses as a family.

6. General NJE Info

7. School Hours & Attendance Drop-off at the gym doors begin at 6:30 a.m. All students who plan to eat breakfast need to arrive by 7:20 and report to the cafeteria. After breakfast, students will report to the gym for morning meeting. The tardy bell rings at 7:30. If your child misses a day of school, please send a doctor’s excuse or note. You are allowed 6 parent notes throughout the year. An absence without a note will be marked unexcused.

8. Visiting North Jackson As a safety precaution, anytime you visit NJE, you MUST check in at the front desk with a picture I.D. and wear your visitor’s badge at all times. You are welcome to come and eat lunch with your child any day! If you bring outside food items, they must be in a generic container (no McDonald’s bags, etc.). We no longer allow students to select a friend to eat with at lunch. This is a new site base policy. No exceptions!

9. Afternoon Dismissal If your child’s after school routine changes, notify us ASAP via a note in the folder/email or call to the office by 1:45p.m. We cannot take your child’s “word of mouth” that his/her routine will be changed. NJE offers after school childcare from dismissal time until 5:30 p.m. (Monday- Friday). Several clubs and activities will also be available after school through the 21 st Century Program (JAG Academy) until 5:00 p.m. (Monday –Thursday).

10. Welcome to 2 nd Grade!

11. Reading & Math We use SRA Reading Mastery and Reading Street. Students will be flexibly grouped as they were in kindergarten and first grade. These groups will be changed as needed based on student performance. In level 3 of SRA, students will read the text and answer comprehension questions. It is very important for students to review the questions and go back and find the correct answer in his/her book after they read the story. The table of contents is a great resource and helps students look back at previous stories to answer the questions. Reading Street focuses more on author’s purpose, genres, grammar, and critical thinking skills. We use Saxon Math and supplement this program with other hands-on activities.

12. Homework Homework is extremely important in 2 nd grade. Students will receive a homework grade 2-3 times each week. PLEASE check your child’s folder each night for homework and notes. Review your child’s homework before placing it in his/her folder to be returned to school. In reading, your child will need to read their assigned story and answer questions aloud. Students will have math homework Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Your child will record his/her assignments in their agenda each day.

13. Folders & Agendas Every day your child will bring home a binder and an agenda notebook. The binder will contain 3 colored folders: green for homeroom and important notes, yellow for reading homework, and red for math homework. There is also a zipper pouch for money. PLEASE check all 3 folders each night. Please discard any papers that your child does not need. Be sure to check the folders carefully the first few days of school. We will be sending home LOTS of important papers that need to be signed and returned! In 2 nd grade, students are introduced to agendas. Agendas are used to document behavior choices and homework assignments. Your child’s agenda will need to be reviewed and signed each night.

14. Behavior Management This year we will be using a clip chart. This system allows students to move their clip up for good choices or down for bad choices. This also allows students having a “bad morning” to correct their behavior before dismissal. Your child will record his/her color on a calendar, which is in the green homeroom folder. Behavioral concerns will be communicated individually on an as needed basis.

15. Student Leaders Each week, we will select a child alphabetically to be our “student leader.” He/she will assume various responsibilities within the classroom. In addition to this, each student will have a leadership role in his/her classroom. Students will “apply” for these jobs each nine weeks.

16. Reading Challenge

17. School and Class W.I.G. All NJE students will have a common WIG (Wildly Important Goal) which will state: All students will read for a total of 60 minutes outside of school each week. There will be a weekly recording sheet provided. The 60 minutes will include their assigned stories. Monthly parties and prizes will be held for students who reach their goal. Random prizes will be given throughout the month.

18. Grades We will start introducing students to recorded grades this year. We will take grades in reading, math and spelling at least 2-3 times per week. These grades will be documented and averaged each midterm and 9 weeks. This is another reason why it is so important to review reading questions and math homework each night.

19. Our students need… prizes Pencils (No mechanical pencils, please!) Tissues *Please take a peek at our Owl Tree.

20. Miscellaneous Information If your child would like to purchase snack at school, he/she may bring money. Students are responsible for keeping up with their own money. Your child may also bring a snack from home. If you would like to send food to our class for a birthday party or other classroom celebration, the food must be store bought and/or pre-packaged. The Family Resource Center is available if your child should need any extra clothing due to an accident. Please wash and return this clothing.

21. Communication Email is the easiest way to reach us. stephanie.clemmons@barren.kyschools.us stephanie.clemmons@barren.kyschools.us melissa.bunch@barren.kyschools.us bridget.strode@barren.kyschools.us sarah.hiser@barren.kyschools.us Notes can be placed in the zipper pouch of your child’s folder. You may call the front office at 629-2300 if you would like to leave your child’s teacher a message. We will also use the Remind 101 system to communicate reminders with parents through text messaging.