Mrs. Barnes’s 2 nd Grade Class

Arrival and Dismissal Your child may arrive at school beginning at 7:20. The tardy bell rings at 7:50. It is vital that your child arrives to my classroom before the 7:50 bell. Keep in mind the far walk to the trailer. In the afternoon, dismissal begins at 2:15.

Transportation One of our top priorities is getting your child home safely. In order to do that, we need your help. If there is ANY change in how your child will be going home, a note must be sent. Please include the following on all transportation notes:  Your child’s name  Teacher’s name  Date Place the note in your child’s communication folder. If a last minute change must be made during the day, please call (with the same information) the front office at no later than 1:45.

Specials Specials time is from 9:50-10:35. We are on a 6 day rotation, and the students must wear tennis shoes on PE days. Please see the calendar that will be sent home each month. The calendar will be kept in the back pocket of the communication folder.

Lunch Our lunch time is 11:54-12:24. Please feel free to join us by meeting us in the front hall by the cafeteria. Food from outside restaurants may not be brought in to the cafeteria. Please make sure to label all lunch money with your child’s name, grade, and teacher’s name. Envelopes are available.  Breakfast$1.25 (Guests $1.75)  Lunch $2.15 ($3.25 or guests, even siblings)  Extra Milk60¢ Juice - 40¢

Lunch Our class is a nut-free zone.

Birthdays If your child would like to share a birthday treat with the class, individual treats are preferred to share at snack or lunch time in the cafeteria. Please send a note or me when you would like to celebrate this special time !

Contacting Me Contact me if you questions or concerns  You can drop a note in your child’s communication folder  me  Cell: Due to our schedule, I may not receive your message until after the students have left. is usually the fastest way to reach me. Please note that transportation changes can NOT be left on voice mail or .

Money Please make sure any money you send in is marked properly and in the correct envelope. ASP money must be in a brown ASP envelope that has been completely filled in. PTA money can be in a plain envelope, but needs to be marked “PTA” and must show your child’s name, grade, and teacher’s name. All money for field trips, performing arts, etc. that comes home with the white Eastvalley envelope must be returned in that envelope.  It must be completely filled in with your child’s name, classroom teacher’s name and grade and the necessary information at the bottom. Please DO NOT place any permission slips or order forms in the envelope; attach any forms to the outside of the sealed envelope.

Snack Please send in a healthy snack for your child each day. Please send in a water bottle.

Homework Homework will begin the week of August 18 th (sent home on Friday the 15 th ). Homework is sent home on Fridays. It will be in the “return to school” side of your child’s communication folder. Completed homework is due on Fridays. Please help your child take responsibility for completing and returning homework. Homework is an extension of study at school and allows your child extra practice.

Homework Words their Way word sort Weekly spelling choices Math Sheet Grammar sheet 20 minutes of reading nightly I will collect homework only as a packet on Fridays.

Newsletters All Newsletters and updates will be posted on my Blog The newsletter will contain important information about class activities, what we are learning, how to help at home, and special school events.

Communication………….. The blue communication folder goes home with your child everyday. Please check it for completed work and other information. You may place notes to me in their folder. Each teacher has a blog with information about their classroom. Your child will record their behavior number for the day in their agenda. Please sign it each night.

Medication If your child needs to take medication at school or keep an inhaler for emergencies, please send in a detailed note. A medication form from the clinic must be completed before any medicine can be administered.

Label Belongings Please label all personal items (jacket, book bag, lunch box, etc.). Your child’s name should be clearly visible. Many children have the same exact bag or coat. If an item gets misplaced, let me know and I can remind your child to check the lost and found.

Behavior Management Behavior management is vital to creating a classroom where learning is the focus. I want to develop a climate of respect and responsibility. I use a system that enables me to provide positive reinforcement and encourage appropriate behavior by celebrating those students who do the right thing. (see behavior chart on next slide) We are a Leader in Me school and will use those 7 habits to encourage positive behavior. Students earn “Behavior Bucks” throughout the day when they are caught on task. We have a “Door Store” every Friday in which they can cash in their money for prizes!

Behavior Chart This is an example of my behavior chart. Superhero -5 (earn two dollars at the end of the day) Gaining Power-4 (earn one dollar at the end of the day) H.E.R.O. (Have Everything Ready and Organized) - 3 Losing Power– 2 (lose one dollar at the end of the day) Becoming Weak– 1 (lose $2 at the end of the day. Complete “Stop and Think Sheet”) Powerless- 0 (lose $3 at the end of the day. Parent Contact).

Dialogue Journal Step 1: On Thursdays (except for special occasions or holidays), students will be writing a journal entry reflecting on their school week. They will bring their journals home to share with you. Step 2: Please ask your child to read the journal with/to you. Remember, this is a time for sharing, not for correcting spelling and other errors. Step 3: Write a response to your child over the weekend. This would be a great time to encourage them and to give them positive feedback. Step 4: On Monday morning, please make sure you have placed the journal in your child’s backpack. You will be surprised to see how anxious your child will be to get to school and read what you have written to them. Thank you for participating and encouraging your child to become a strong writer through the Dialogue Journal.

100’s Club The 100’s club is based the Second Grade Math Standard: can add and subtract fluently within ’s club criteria: 90% accuracy of 50 addition in five minutes or less AND 50 subtraction problems in 5 minutes or less. 100’s+ Club criteria: 90% accuarcy of 50 addition problems in 3 minutes or less AND 50 subtraction problems in 3 minutes or less. 100’s club tests will be given once per month

Donors choose How does it work? DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. Public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on our site, and you can give any amount to the project that most inspires you. Last year my class had two projects funded through Donors Choose. We received two iPad minis for our classroom. We use them daily during Math and Guided Reading. My goal for our class this school year is to fund two more iPad minis for the students. Please stay tuned– I am waiting to hear back from Donors Choose to see if I have enough “points” to start a new project. During the first week that the project is live, donations will be matched 100% by Donors Choose. For example, if someone chooses to give $50 towards the project, Donors Choose will match that $50 and your donation would then become $100.

Thank You!! Thank you for coming! Please let me know if you have any questions. I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year!

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