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