1. Back to School Night 2 nd Grade 2015-2016 Barb Strueby barbstrueby@smsd.org 993-2527

2. Welcome to 2nd Grade !! Home of Strueby’s Rubies Classroom Theme: Rubies and Frogs!!! Classroom Mission: To provide students with a well-rounded education with a focus on academics and social and emotional development.

3. Web Backpack Please check our Web Backpack frequently. I will send out a “Group Email” via Skyward to everyone when our classroom webpage has been updated. To conserve paper this year, all important information pertaining to our class will be kept current on Web Backpack, or, will sent via email and Skyward. * Follow our class on Twitter @bksecondsrock

4. What’s the best way to contact the teacher? Email is the fastest and easiest way for me to respond. barbstrueby@smsd.org Voicemail 913-993-2527 If you must get a message to your child at the end of the day “ always” contact the office. I am often busy in the classroom, and I am not able to check emails until the end of the day. The office will then contact me via intercom or walkie talkie. If you would like to set up a conference to discuss your child send me an email, leave a voice mail, or drop me a quick note. I will contact you and set up a time to meet.

5. Morning Routine Morning Work- A little bit of math, language editing, and geography. (All by 8:30 most days) Calendar Activities which introduce a lot of math concepts. Journal Writing Reading- Language Arts

6. Afternoon Routine D.E.A.R. Time (students silent read) Storytime (teacher reads aloud) Math (90 minutes total throughout the day) Social Studies or Science Specials

7. SPECIALS Monday: Spanish – Music-P.E. Tuesday: Music Wednesday: P.E. and Mystery Reader Thursday: Art Friday: Library Please have your child wear the appropriate shoes on the days that we have P.E.

8. School Rules and CLASSROOM RULES 1.Be Safe 2.Be Respectful 3.Be Responsible Classroom Rule 4. Be Kind. * (Think Sheets)

9. 2 nd Grade Field Trips Coterie Theater Prairie Fire Museum Science City If parent volunteers are needed we will let you know.

10. Grading All grades will be sent home via the Skyward Communication System. S- Satisfactory I-Improving N-Needs Improvement U- Unsatisfactory

11. Homework Binder Monday: Spelling- The assignment will always be spelling related. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday: The assignment will always have something to do with writing. (Short story, current event, poem, or free-choice activity.) Read for 20 minutes Wednesday: Math-The math topic may be reinforcing a previously learned concept or working on basic facts. Read for 20 minutes. Thursday: Take a spelling practice test. Practice any words that are missed. Read for 20 minutes. Friday/Saturday/Sunday: Read for 40 minutes over the weekend. Be sure to mark ALL reading minutes on the Reading Calendars each day! Keep Reading Calendars inside the Homework Notebook. I will be checking them periodically.

12. Mystery Readers Wednesday afternoons from 2:30-2:50. Select one or two storybooks, and read them to the class. The books that have previously been read to the class will be posted on our classroom website. Mrs. Jensen can assist you if you need help. Please sign-up tonight before you leave. Please do not select a chapter book. Several days before you are scheduled to read, please send me three or four “clues” about yourself to share with the class. Don’t make them too easy. ** Don’t tell your child you will be the Mystery Reader. It should be a surprise.

13. Classroom Incentives Baxter Bucks (Individual) Treasure Chest (Individual and Group) Donations for our Classroom Treasure Chest are greatly appreciated. * Class Points earned in specials. (1-5) We earn some type of whole group reward when we reach 100 points.

14. iPads in the classroom iPads are used as an “educational tool” to enrich our 2nd grade curriculum. Primarily used as enrichment or to reinforcement skills in reading and math. They are not taken home in 2 nd grade. Questions? All apps need to be approved by the teacher. Students may only work on the apps that are assigned. Please to not text or send emails to your child’s iPad.

15. In Closing The best way you can help your child at home is to make sure he/she is reading “everyday.” Academic success down the road, depends on the reading skills that are acquired “now.” Reading is the foundation for success in all other subjects. In 2 nd Grade a great deal of time and effort is spent working on reading “fluency.” We will also focus on comprehension this year. Reading “fluency” greatly impacts reading comprehension. Be sure to record all minutes on the Reading Calendars and turn them in at the end of each month.

16. Please email, call, or write me a note. We are a team; working together to do what’s best for your child. Together we can accomplish GREAT things! Thank You For Attending Back-To-School Night!! Questions?