1. Welcome to Meet the Curriculum Night!
Eileen Byrne-Quinn, M. Ed.
2nd grade Teacher
Kyrene de los Cerritos,
A Leadership Academy

2. Meet Mrs. Byrne-Quinn
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Arizona
28 Years of Teaching Experience
26 years of teaching primary grades and two years of teaching fourth grade
Taught in Tucson, AZ, Nashua, New Hampshire, Houston, and Austin, Texas. This is my sixteenth year of teaching in the Kyrene.
Three children (1 son who is a UofA graduate, 1 daughter in college at ASU. and 1 daughter NAU).
My husband is a math teacher at Desert Vista High School.

3. Communication Email Call Note
BEST way to get a hold of me
(480)
Leave message (24 hours)
Call
Transportation change
Need anything/help
Note
* Bi-weekly newsletters will be through .
* Check, empty and sign white take-home binders daily for papers, work, or things that need to be returned. Left: Items to be LEFT at home. Right: Bring RIGHT back.
* Sign up for e-subscribe at

4. Attendance
Please call all absences into the front office at (480)
Please do not take trips on school days. We have one week off during fall and spring as well as 2 weeks at winter break. Every time your child misses school, they are missing instructional time.
Nurse- add to cell phone contacts
Students will be marked tardy if they arrive inside of the classroom after the tardy bell at 7:45. Students should be in the classroom, unpacked and ready to work at 7:45.
We start instruction first thing in the morning, if they are tardy it disrupts class.

5. Leadership Notebooks
All students will have their own Leadership Notebook.
Student’s talents are fostered, highlighted, and developed.
Students set difficult but achievable goals.
Students track their own progress.
Students reflect on their learning and they take ownership in their learning.
Students take pride in their work.
Not competing against each other….striving to make themselves better.
It will be sent home each week for you to discuss with your child. Please sign and return the following day. It will be a class goal to have each notebook signed and returned on time.

6. Daily Schedule Language Arts: 8:00-10:45
Science and Social Studies 10:45-11:20
Lunch/recess 11:20-12:00
Math and Math IFG 12:00-1:30
Specials:
Monday- Art (1:40-2:25)
Tuesday- Library (1:40-2:25)
Tuesday- Computer Lab
Thursday- Music (1:40-2:25)
Thursday- Makerspace
Friday- P.E. (1:40-2:25)
*Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes on Tuesdays and returns their library books on Friday.

7. Classroom Management Community building takes place weekly.
Team building activities/games
Morning Meeting everyday
C.A.R.E.S. Expectations (both classroom and school-wide)
Community building will guide our respect and trust for one another.
Mission statement:
Created by students…this is what is expected of them.
We all agree to follow our class and personal mission statements.
Behavior: I’m a firm believer in students doing what they are supposed to be doing. I will verbally praise students when they are following our classroom rules. I award table points to tables doing the right thing. The students are here to learn and others should not disrupt their learning.

8. Behavior Management System
Table Points
Raffle Tickets
Daily Reflection
Each student will write a daily reflection in their agenda at the end of each day.
They will circle if they had a great day or not so great. Please look for notes from me if they are not on green.
Please review this with your child and initial daily.
Cubes
Stop and Think reflection sheet

9. Agenda
In your child’s white take-home binder there will be an agenda that needs to be initialed every night. As mentioned before, check for papers daily.
* Builds responsibility for students
* Helps build communication between home and school.

10. Weekly Work Folder
Every Tuesday, your child will bring a folder home that contains all of their work from the previous week.
Please sign the cover page on the folder and return it EMPTY to school the next day.

11. How the 7 Habits came to Cerritos
In 2010 a group of Cerritos teachers read a fabulous book about Leadership in schools.
5 teachers drove to California to hear the principal speak about leadership. We wanted to bring it to Cerritos.
Our staff went through the 7 Habits of Happy People training to use in our daily lives.
The following year we started implementing the 7 Habits in the classroom.
We became a Leadership Academy
Last year we became recognized as a Lighthouse school for our Leadership.

15. Goals
Creativity Students will exercise their imagination through purposeful play.
Critical Thinking Students will use knowledge gained through our curriculum to explore and expand their knowledge with hands on learning.
Communication Students will develop their listening and speaking skills as they work in teams and present ideas.
Courage Students will learn that failure gets you one step closer to a solution. Failure sparks innovation!
Collaboration Students will work together to brainstorm, problem solve, and “make stuff” in partnerships, teams, and small groups.

16. Language Arts
Core Knowledge is the language arts program second grade is using this year. It includes reading, phonics, grammar, writing, and a speaking and listening component. If your child misses school, they are missing instruction.
Each lesson has vocabulary that the students will be working on in class.
K-3 intervention program for students that need extra assistance will start next week.
Read alouds with discussion frequently.

17. Language Arts Balancing Literary & Informational Texts
Staircase of Complexity
Text-based Answers- proving where they found the answer unless it is an inference question.
Writing from Sources
Academic Vocabulary

18. Writing 2nd grade writing genres are as follows:
personal narratives, fairy tales, poetry, friendly letters, expository writing, and functional writing (making lists, posters, labels, etc.)
Summer workshop: Handwriting needs to automatic so students can focus on what they are trying to tell in their stories.
Handwriting is important in and out of the classroom
(D’Nealian form). This should already be in place, but we will practice in class as well. Letter formation is critical in order to move on to cursive next year. Students are expected to turn in work that is neat and complete.

19. Math
The resources we use in 2nd grade to teach our math standards are Investigations and Engage New York. Both programs include activities that build on student’s prior knowledge. They provide opportunities for exploration into math topics such as problem solving and inventive thinking.
CGI Cognitively Guided Instruction
Major 2nd grade topics include
Number Sense and Problem Solving
Addition/Subtraction of larger numbers
Time, Money, Measurement
Geometry
Graphing
Basic Fractions
Real life application of math concepts is the most important part of College and Career Readiness Standards.

20. Science Physical Science: Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Earth Science: Weather and Clouds
Life Science: Insects, Mammals, and Human Body
Thematic units include hands-on experiments, integration with other subject areas, and exploring the nature of science.

21. Social Studies Early Asian Civilization Ancient Greek Civilization
Westward Expansion
U.S. History
Important People in History
Maps in most units

22. Technology Computer Lab weekly
Programs used include Pixie, Typing Agent, DreamBox, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word.
Internet also used for research in science and social studies.
Laptops in classroom are used for language arts, math practice, and research activities.

23. Homework
The main purpose is to provide PRACTICE and develop the RESPONSIBILITY of completing work and turning it in on time….it is graded for COMPLETION.
Spelling will not be every week, and we are focusing on vocabulary more this year.
Math homework will be sent home later. Students must be fluent in + and – facts 0 – 20 without counting on their fingers by the end of 2nd grade.
Online homework passages will be available starting on Monday and be due on Friday . They will continue each week.
Kyrene website

24. Differentiation
EVERY child is unique and has a different learning style.
I believe in meeting each child’s learning needs by guiding them toward individual growth.

25. Grading
Percentage scores will be put on all tests.
There will be 4 grading periods throughout the year…one for each quarter.
(P) Proficient- Consistently uses skill, shows mastery of content
(D) Developing- Use of skill is emerging, on the way to mastery
Area of Concern- Experiencing significant difficulty in area
Important note: Grades are based on skills assessed up to that specific time. The concepts increase in difficulty as the year progresses.

26. Healthy Kids
Healthy snacks should be brought daily….we have morning snack every day, including Wednesdays.
Water bottles are allowed in the classroom. Contents must be water ONLY.
Sweater/Sweatshirt….I know that it is hot outside, but the classroom can get very chilly at times and they MAY end up needing a jacket. They can leave it in their cubby all year if they need to. Please LABEL sweatshirts, sweaters, and lunchboxes.

27. Parties
Please do not send invitations into school….use the classroom directory, even if you are sending invitations to ALL students.
Food is not allowed to be brought in for any reason other than our allotted 3 class parties. We cannot have special snacks for birthdays and/or other occasions.
Classroom party dates and times will be communicated closer to the date. Class party coordinators will collect $15 per family for the 3 parties. If you would like to pay tonight, let me
know.

28. Dress Code No open backs or spaghetti straps
Appropriate sayings and images
Shorts, dresses, and skirts must be finger-tip length.
If needed, students will be sent to the nurse to get different clothes.

29. Volunteers
Yearbook representative to take photos of events and create the class page in the yearbook.
We still need a PTO Class Representative.
Party volunteers are still needed

30. School Visitors
Please check in at the office to obtain a visitor’s badge and to sign in. You will need to leave your driver’s license at the front desk.

31. Changes in Transportation
PLEASE notify the office if a last minute change in transportation should occur.
I don’t check my until after school and I want to ensure that every student gets home safely.
THANK YOU in advance!

32. PTO
PTO is looking for several volunteers to help during the school year. Please sign paper if you are interested in being on the PTO volunteer s.
Go Speedy Go drive is going on now until
mid-September. Thank for all the donations to help our school!

33. Thank you for coming!
I look forward to a successful year with a shared goal: Helping your child reach his or her maximum potential!
*Don’t forget to highlight information on the Classroom Directory that you would like included.
*Please leave a note for your child on the pink paper provided.