Week of October 1 - 5

2nd Grade Parent Update

Week of October 1 - 5

Announcements for this Week:

Cold and Flu Season

The season of sniffles is fast approaching, and I want to remind everyone about the importance of practicing good hygiene at school. Please encourage your children to wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer frequently, use tissues when sneezing, coughing, or blowing their noses, and keep their hands to themselves. 

If your children are showing symptoms of a cold or flu including: runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, congestion, headache, or fatigue PLEASE KEEP THEM AT HOME!

Students are often irritable and distracted when not feeling well, so they will not be able to participate fully and are at risk of infecting other students (and teachers!).

October Book Order

Our Scholastic Book Club order form for the month of October will be sent home today. This can be a fun and convenient way to pick up high-interest books for your child and encourage an excitement for reading. Parent online ordering is highly encouraged and may be completed at http://clubs.scholastic.com/ or by following the link on our blog. Our class code is GVG4H. Paper orders may also be submitted. The deadline for ALL orders will be Monday, October 15.

Mass on Fridays

Please continue to make every effort to ensure that students arrive on time for Mass on Fridays. Unless otherwise noted in the Parent Update, Mass will always be at 8:00 AM. Students should arrive at 7:45 AM to drop off their backpacks in the classroom and walk to Mass safely with their class buddies. 

Also, due to the hot weather and a desire for uniformity and formality at Mass, sweatshirts and other hooded jackets should not be worn into the church on Fridays. This update to our dress code was sent home in the parent bulletin a few weeks ago, but we are still working on implementation. Red St. Jerome cardigans are considered part of the “dress uniform” and are acceptable for church on Fridays.

Looking Ahead:

Columbus Day - No School

There will be no school on Monday, October 8 in honor of Columbus Day.

Progress Reports

We are nearly halfway through the first trimester, and it may be time to begin thinking about providing students with a little extra academic support before report cards are distributed in November. Progress reports will be sent home on Tuesday, October 9 to any students who may need a little extra help in a particular content area. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s academic progress.

Make-Up Picture Day

Any students who were absent on Picture Day will be able to take their photos on Monday, October 15. Wear your dress uniform (not P.E. clothes) and a smile! 

Church Picnic

You are invited to attend the St. Jerome Parish Picnic on Sunday, October 14 at the Playa Del Rey Lagoon. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, and the picnic will continue until 4:00 PM. There will be games, bouncers, and plenty of food and fun! The In-and-Out truck will be serving burgers, but parishioners MUST pre-register for tickets by signing up at http://tinyurl.com/stjeromepicnic2012

Yogurtland Fundraiser

The 2nd grade class will be hosting an all-day frozen yogurt fundraiser at Yogurtland in the Ladera Center on Saturday, October 20. Proceeds from the event will be dedicated to our classroom fund for field trips, supplies, and special events!

Curriculum Update:

Phonics: Long E Sounds Spelled “e” and “y”, “-ed” Endings

Reading: Theme: Helping Others, Skill: Drawing Conclusions

Math: Problem Solving with Addition and Subtraction, Test on Wednesday

Religion: Review of Baptism, God’s Family, and Saints, Test on Tuesday

Social Studies: Theme: Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas, Test Next Week

Science: Plant Adaptations and Ecosystems (woodland, prairie, desert, marsh)

Homework for this Week:

Monday 

ABC Spelling Words

Practice Book pp. 67 - 68

Math p. 18

Social Studies p. 5

Tuesday - Religion Test

Spelling Sentences

Practice Book p. 74

Math Review Sheet

Social Studies p. 7

Wednesday - Math Test

Spelling Scramble

Practice Book p. 80

Math p. 61 - 62

English p. 67

Thursday

Rainbow Spelling Words

Math p. 19

English p. 68

Friday - Mass at 8:00 AM

Spelling Test

Vocabulary and Comprehension Quiz

Spelling Words

jumped

pulled

pushed

crossed

wished

picked

house

took

never

these

off

candy

shiny

Week of September 24 - 28

2nd Grade Parent Update

Week of September 24 - 28

Announcements for this Week:

ITBS Testing

We will continue to administer the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills through Wednesday of this week. These standardized tests allow us to learn more about students’ relative areas of academic strength and weakness and help teachers plan and guide instruction. Results should be available by early November, and we will be able to discuss them at Parent-Teacher Conferences during the week of November 5 - 8.

Remember that testing takes place in the mornings, so PLEASE arrive at school on time. Students who arrive late or miss a testing period will be held in the office until after the testing period and will have to make up the test section at a later date. Remember that testing is rigorous and requires students to focus for significant lengths of time, so students are expected to arrive at school WELL-RESTED. Remind them that most of the test is read aloud by the teacher and GOOD LISTENING is essential.

Reading Logs

Please remember that Reading Logs should be used every day to keep track of students’ reading outside of school. I recommend at least 20 minutes of reading for pleasure each night. Remember to vary methods and participate actively in your students’ reading. You can read to them, listen to them read, take turns reading, or discuss their reading. You are models of fluent reading for them and can help them build comprehension skills by talking with them and asking them questions about what they are reading.

Students should fill out the Reading Log form regularly by noting the title and author (and chapters, if applicable) of the book(s) they are reading, the time they have spent reading, AND a sentence or two of thoughts or feelings about what they read. Sharing a thought or feeling is required, and I do expect students to complete their own Logs. They will be collected each Monday (along with the Behavior Logs on the other side).

Food Truck Nights

St. Jerome is now hosting fabulous food truck nights every other Wednesday! Our next event will be Wednesday, September 26 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. See you there! Yum!

September Awards Assembly

Our Awards Assembly for the month of September will take place on Thursday, September 27 at 8:00 AM in the Backyard. We will honor the recipients of the Virtue Awards for this month. The Virtue for September has been Respect. Students have been striving to show respect in their interactions with others at school and in the world.

Looking Ahead:

Yogurtland Fundraiser

Please be on the lookout for an upcoming fundraising opportunity just for our class! The 2nd grade class will be hosting a frozen yogurt social at Yogurtland in the Ladera Center. Proceeds from the event will benefit our classroom fund for field trips, supplies, and special events! The date is TBA, so keep watching for updates!

Columbus Day - No School

There will be no school on Monday, October 8 in honor of Columbus Day.

Church Picnic

You are invited to attend the St. Jerome Parish Picnic on Sunday, October 14 at the Playa Del Rey Lagoon. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, and the picnic will continue until 4:00 PM. There will be games, bouncers, and plenty of food and fun! The In-and-Out truck will be serving burgers, but parishioners MUST pre-register for tickets by signing up at http://tinyurl.com/stjeromepicnic2012

Make-Up Picture Day

Any students who were absent on Picture Day will be able to take their photos on Monday, October 15. Remember to wear dress uniform (not P.E. clothes) and a smile! 

Curriculum Update:

Phonics: Long E Sounds Spelled “ea” and “ee”, Ending Digraphs

Reading: Theme: Exploring Together, Skill: Setting

Math: Fact Families, Fact Patterns, Problem Solving, Test Next Week

Religion: God Speaks to Us in the Bible, Saints, Test Next Week

Social Studies: Theme: Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas

Science: Plant Groups, Plant Adaptations (woodland, prairie, desert, marsh)

Homework for this Week:

Homework will be reduced this week due to our testing schedule.

We will have a spelling test as ITBS testing should be completed by Wednesday.

It will assess the words and patterns we have studied for the last two weeks.

Monday 

Read for Reading Log

Math p. 14

Tuesday 

Read for Reading Log

Math p. 15

Wednesday - Food Trucks at 6:00 PM

Read for Reading Log

Math p. 16

Thursday - Assembly at 8:00 AM

Spelling Words 3Xs

Math p. 17

Practice Book p. 55

Friday - Mass at 8:00 AM

Spelling Test

Vocabulary and Comprehension Quiz

Spelling Words

deep

free

seen

leaf

meal

team

should

their

through

very

would

each

lunch

Week of September 10 - 14

2nd Grade Parent Update

Week of September 10 - 14

Announcements for this Week:

Food Truck Night at St. Jerome

Please join the St. Jerome community for food and fun at our food truck night on Wednesday, September 12 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. See you there! Yum!

St. Jerome Spirit Day

Student Council will be sponsoring a Spirit Day on Thursday, September 13. Students may wear non-uniform dress in St. Jerome colors (red, white, or black) for a small donation. The cost is Tops for $1, Bottoms for $1, Accessories for $1, or Tops, Bottoms, AND Accessories for $2 - the best deal! Our class will earn Spirit Points for participation, so be creative and have fun showing school spirit! Remember to follow the St. Jerome Non-Uniform Dress Guidelines outlined in the Policy Manual. Check them out on our school website!

Opening of School Mass

There will be a special school Mass on Friday, September 14. In lieu of our usual 8:00 AM Mass, students will attend a student-sponsored Mass at 11:00 AM. This special Mass in honor of St. Jerome will be offered by the 7th Grade class. Parents and families are welcome to join us as always!

Catechetical Mass

Sunday, September 16 will be celebrated by Catholics throughout America as Catechetical Sunday. At this special Mass, teachers and catechists will be called forth to be commissioned in their roles as those who share the faith with others. Please join us at the 9:00 AM Mass to share in this special day. The 7th Grade class will be serving coffee and doughnuts after Mass.

Looking Ahead:

ITBS Testing

The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills will be administered to students in grades 2 - 8 beginning on Monday, September 17. These standardized tests allow us to learn more about students’ relative areas of academic strength and weakness and help teachers to guide instruction based on that information. Testing will take place in the mornings, so PLEASE arrive at school on time and avoid scheduling appointments during the two weeks of testing. Testing will be rigorous, and students are expected to arrive at school WELL-RESTED and ready to FOCUS.

Back to School Night

Please join us for a mandatory General Parent Meeting and a classroom visit at Back to School Night on Tuesday, September 18 at 6:30 PM.

Curriculum Update:

Phonics: Long Vowels with Silent E, Consonant Digraphs (ch, sh, th, and wh)

Reading: Theme: Jobs that Help Others, Skill: Author’s Purpose

Math: Multiple Addends, Subtraction Concepts

Religion: Jesus Calls Us to Be Disciples

Social Studies: Theme: Neighborhoods, Skill: Interpreting Maps

Science: Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds

Homework for this Week:

Monday 

ABC Spelling Words

Practice Book p. 35 - 36

Math p. 22

Social Studies p. 3

Tuesday

Spelling Sentences

Practice Book p. 43

Math p. 24

English p. 4

Wednesday - Food Truck Night!

Spelling Scramble

Practice Book p. 48

Math p. 8

Religion Worksheet

Thursday - Spirit Day!

Spelling 3Xs

Math p. 9

Science p. 5A

Friday - Mass at 11:00 AM

Spelling Test

Vocabulary and Comprehension Quiz

Spelling Words

child

chin

chip

shape

ship

shut

clean

many

use

work

world

grade

write

Week of September 3 - 7

2nd Grade Parent Update

Week of September 3 - 7

I hope you all enjoyed a restful Labor Day weekend!

Announcements for this Week:

Picture Day!

School pictures will be taken on Thursday, September 6. Students should wear their SCHOOL UNIFORMS for their pictures.  Order forms for school pictures were sent home last week by the time pictures are taken on Thursday. Please let me know if you would like an additional copy of the order form.

Looking Ahead:

St. Jerome Spirit Day

Student Council will be sponsoring a Spirit Day on Thursday, September 13. Students may wear non-uniform dress in St. Jerome colors (red, white, or black) for a small donation. The cost is Tops for $1, Bottoms for $1, Accessories for $1, or Tops, Bottoms, AND Accessories for $2 - the best deal! Our class will earn Spirit Points for participation, so be creative and have fun showing school spirit! Remember to follow the St. Jerome Non-Uniform Dress Guidelines outlined in the Policy Manual. Check them out on our school website!

Opening of School Mass

There will be a special school Mass on Friday, September 14. In lieu of our usual 8:00 AM Mass, students will attend a student-sponsored Mass at 11:00 AM. This special Mass in honor of St. Jerome will be offered by the 7th Grade class. Parents and families are welcome to join us as always!

Catechetical Mass

Sunday, September 16 will be celebrated by Catholics throughout America as Catechetical Sunday. At this special Mass, teachers and catechists will be called forth to be commissioned in their role as those who share the faith with others. Please join us at the 9:00 AM Mass to share in this special day. The 7th Grade class will be serving coffee and doughnuts after Mass.

ITBS Testing

The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills will be administered to students in grades 2 - 8 beginning on Monday, September 17. These standardized tests allow us to learn more about students’ relative areas of academic strength and weakness and help teachers to guide instruction based on that information. Testing will take place in the mornings, so PLEASE arrive at school on time and avoid scheduling appointments during the two weeks of testing. 

Back to School Night

Please join us for a Parent Meeting and classroom visit at Back to School Night on Tuesday, September 18 at 6:30 PM.

Curriculum Update:

Phonics: Short Vowels e and o, and Ending Consonant Blends

Reading: Theme: Helping Others, Skill: Character

Math: Addition Strategies, Using Doubles Facts and Ways to Make Ten

Religion: Jesus is God’s Best Gift

Social Studies: Skill: Globes and Maps, Symbols and Directions

Science: Plant Needs and Plant Parts

Homework for this Week:

Monday - Labor Day!

No School 

Tuesday

Spelling Clues

Practice Book p. 26

Math p. 6

Social Studies p. 2

Wednesday 

Spelling Scramble

Practice Book p. 32

Math p. 7
Practice Book p. 27 (Language)

Thursday - Picture Day!

Spelling Rainbow Words

Practice Book p. 19 - 20

Math Worksheet

Science Worksheet

Friday - Mass at 8:00 AM

Spelling Test

Vocabulary and Comprehension Quiz

Spelling Words

sand

land

send

desk

lost

last

live

made

people

taste

your

pencil

stop