Welcome to the 2015-2016 School Year! Mrs. Severance’s 2nd Grade Welcome to the 2015-2016 School Year! West Clayton

About the Teacher This will be my fourth year teaching 2nd grade at West Clayton. I was born in North Carolina and have lived in Clayton for most of my life. I attended West Clayton when I was in 3rd grade. This town is very close to my heart and I love being a part of this community. I attended East Carolina University where I received my bachelors degree in Elementary Education and concentration in Child Development. I have been married for 4 years in November. I have a handsome baby boy named Connor who turned 1 this past June. I also have 4 fur babies (2 cats and 2 dogs).

Classroom Behavior In our classroom we use a clip chart. Each day your child will be given different colors on their behavior chart that will let you know how they did for the day. If your child reaches blue then they will get to go to the treasure box at the end of the day. We also have a “Roll the dice” reward chart. Students may earn their name on this chart by being caught making good choices and setting an example for others. Once the chart is full we will roll and pick 3 students to visit the treasure box. Names can be put on this chart multiple times. Blue= Outstanding (Students must go above and beyond) Green = Good Day White=“Parking lot”-Start of the day Yellow = Slow down Orange = Think about it- Child will receive a form to fill out on their behavior to take home and get signed. Possibly a phone call. Red = Parent/Office Contact

All Second Grade students follow the same list of rules. R = Respect yourself and others U = Understand others’ differences L = Listen to Learn E = Engage and stay on task S = Show responsibility

School-Wide Rules P = Practice responsibility A = Always be safe Our school uses the PAWS system. Each time we receive 50 red paws our class earns a letter from the word PAWS and they are rewarded as a class. P = Practice responsibility A = Always be safe W = Willing to learn S = Show Respect

Homework Folders Your child will have a red homework folder that will come home. This will have their homework, behavior log, reading log, and sometimes important papers that need signed and brought back. I look through folders each day for notes, but collect folders every Friday to check homework and students will get their folders back on Monday. *Parents-Make sure to check homework folders daily for important information. There will also be a blue communication folder sent home every Friday with school work to keep at home and papers to be signed and brought back to school on Monday.

Homework Homework will be given each night in Math and reading. There will be no spelling homework, as the kids as working and practicing words in class. I will have the spelling words on the website if you would like to have your child practice/study. Math and BCR leveled reading is due on Friday. Because we are now using investigations for our math unit, worksheets that correlate with the unit will be sent home for homework as we get to them in class. That being said, students may not have a math assignment every night. On nights that students do not have a math worksheet they have the option to work on math facts using xtramath.org if there is a computer available at home.

Homework cont. Reading Calendars are turned in at the end of each month and filled out daily. Reading awards will be given at the end of each quarter for the students who are reading 20 minutes every night. Students must have these logs filled out in order to receive reading award.

Lunch and Snack Lunch money can be turned in daily. Please put in a baggy or envelope labeled as “lunch money”. Students will transport money into their lunch envelopes once they get to school. Lunch is $2.10. Ice cream is 60 cents. Snacks must be sent from home. If you can, please donate extra snack for our class. This is for students who forget to bring it.

Parent Conferences I will conference with each parent during the second quarter. If you would like to conference before or after this, please contact me in advance and we will set up a time. Contact information on next slide.

Contact Information The best way to contact me is through e-mail courtneyseverance@johnston.k12.nc.us If you need to contact me by phone, I am available at these times: 7:45 am – 8:20 am 4:15 pm – 4:30 pm Phone Number: 919-553-7113 With our new phone lines calls will go directly to voicemail. If there is an emergency or change in transportation please let the office know. Otherwise, I will respond as promptly as possible.

Spelling tests will be every Friday. Students will be tested on math facts weekly. (Students will be given timed tests for their addition and subtraction facts in math). Check the classroom webpage to see upcoming tests or projects.

Classroom Website PLEASE, please, please check out our classroom webpage! My webpage is updated each week and is filled with helpful information. You will find upcoming events, dates, homework, useful links, etc. Please check this frequently for updates. You will also find a link to order books from scholastics. Students will have until around the 15th of each month to place orders on books they would like to purchase either online or through the paper order form. (Exact dates posted on catalogs and website). A code for scholastics online ordering access for our class is placed on your child’s communication folder and on our classroom webpage.

How to Access Our Class Page Google Search West Clayton Elementary Click on staff directory Click on staff websites Click on Courtney Severance

Math Math will be very hands on through math centers, games and partner/group activities. We will be starting the “Investigation” units this year for math. Whole group lessons will be taught to introduce new skills. Tests and Quizzes will be given on different skills.

Reading Block Reading will be fiction and non-fiction stories from textbooks and other sources. Small groups and centers will be implemented using the Daily 5 Program. Read to Self *Tests will be given on comprehension Read to Someone Listen to Reading Word Work Work on Writing Meet with Teacher

Conventions/structure Writing We will be using the 6 Traits writing program. Slowly introducing each skill until all are learned. Idea Organization Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Conventions/structure

Spelling Words can be found on my classroom webpage! We will continue doing spelling using Fundations. The Second Grade team wanted to focus on students learning a particular skill each week and then forming words based on those skills. We do not want students to just memorize the words. For example, the skill of short i and short a (pig, dig, cat, rat..) First, we will learn the skill and then as a class come up with a list of words. As a class, we will choose 5 of those words that they MUST learn and know how to spell on Friday's test. Students will then individually pick 5 more words to add to their list so that they can practice for homework. On Fridays test, they will spell the 5 words they had to learn and then I will randomly call out 5 more words that use the skill that was taught. This way, I will be able to tell if they learned the skill and that they didn't just memorize the words. Words can be found on my classroom webpage!

Science/Social Studies Science and Social Studies will be alternated in our daily schedule. The following topics will be learned in Science: Matter Weather Life Cycles Sound Genetics Social Studies: Government environment rainforests economics culture We will be using our textbook as well as other hands on approaches and activities.

Volunteer in our Classroom! Volunteers We will need parent volunteers to help with classroom parties. We will also need parents to volunteer in working with students and getting materials ready. Make sure to fill out volunteer form first! Go to jcsvolunteers.com Volunteer in our Classroom!

Transportation Please remember to sign the sign-in sheet in the Hallway by our classroom. I will need to know how your child will be getting home from school the first day and how each day after that. (Student information card) Car Rider Numbers are located in the Media Center. Bus Rider information is located in the Cafeteria.

After School From Office Staff: -Buses may be early or late the first week. Buses will be running routes until 5:00. -Transportation changes must be handwritten and turned into the office first thing in the morning. -Transportation changes will only be accepted by phone only in emergency situations. -If your child is a car rider, and they are not picked up by 4:30, they will be sent to After School Care until picked up (this will cost $10.00)

Online student information form Please visit my website and complete the student information survey for classroom files. You can find this on the 4th link from the bottom of my webpage. Please complete this ASAP. Thanks!!! 

Wish List If you would like to donate something extra to our classroom, please take a sticky note on the back kidney table. There will also be a complete wish list written out included in the forms on your child’s desk. Thank you for all of your help and support! 

for taking the time to attend Orientation! Thank You... for taking the time to attend Orientation! I look forward to working with you and your child this year. It is going to be a wonderful year filled with exciting learning activities!

About remembering all this information at once! Don’t worry About remembering all this information at once! You can find a copy of this power point on the front page of my classroom webpage and in your student information packet! 