Week of October 8 - 12

2nd Grade Parent Update

Week of October 8 - 12

Announcements for this Week:

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 this week 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.

Safe Moves Assembly

Students will be attending an assembly about traffic safety on Wednesday morning. The program will educate students about pedestrian, vehicle, and bicycle safety in an interactive way by navigating them through a “Safe Moves City”. Don’t forget to reinforce safety regulations with your child  in your home and on the road!

Food Truck Night

Our next St. Jerome Food Truck Night will be on Wednesday, October 10 from 6 - 9 PM!

Looking Ahead:

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. Wear your dress uniform (not P.E. clothes) and a smile!

October Book Order

The Scholastic Book Order for the month of October will be DUE on Monday, October 15. Orders may be placed online at http://clubs.scholastic.com or sent in homework folders.

The Great California ShakeOut

St. Jerome will participate in this large-scale earthquake drill on Thursday, October 18. Remind your children about the drill procedure, “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”, and the importance of staying calm and following directions during any emergency.

Gateway to Art

The second graders will be enjoying their first Gateway to Art session of the year on Thursday, October 18 at 1:00 PM. If you are interested in volunteering, this can be a great way to get involved. Contact our docent, Mrs. Lugo, at rebecca-lugo@sbcglobal.net.

Breast Cancer Pink Out!

St. Jerome’s tribute to breast cancer awareness will take place on Friday, October 19. Students are encouraged to wear pink and support our bake sale! More info is coming!

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! Please feel free to make copies of the flyer and share it with friends, family, and neighbors.

Curriculum Update:

Phonics: Review of Unit 1 Phonics Patterns

Reading: Reading Comprehension Skills Test

Math: Place Value of Ones and Tens, Number Words

Religion: The Ten Commandments, Loving and Honoring God

Social Studies: Markets, Unit 1 Review, Test Postponed Until Next Week

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

Homework for this Week:

Monday 

No School

Tuesday 

Vowel Sounds Review

Practice Book p. 75

Math p. 20

Wednesday - Food Truck Night

Sentence Review Sheet

Practice Book p. 81

Math p. 21

Thursday

Math p.22

Science Worksheet

Friday - Mass at 8:00 AM

Spelling Words

No Spelling Words 

This Week 

Due To 

Reading Unit 1 Test

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

Grade 2 Class Policies

St. Jerome School 

Grade 2 Class Policies

Mrs. Kimberly Haupt, Teacher

Mrs. Jacquelyn Childs, Teacher’s Aide

Dear 2nd Grade Families,

Welcome to a new school year! I hope you all enjoyed a safe and happy summer. I am so excited to be your child’s teacher this year! 2nd Grade is a very important developmental time for students, and I am looking forward to partnering with you and the St. Jerome School community to guide your child to academic success!

I believe that parent-teacher communication is essential to providing the best educational experience possible to your child. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. I can be contacted via email at hauptsjs@gmail.com or by phone at (310) 670-1678 x212. I am also available by appointment before and after school. Our class has a blog accessible from the St. Jerome website which will be updated with classroom news, homework assignments, spelling words, project due dates, reminders, and special events. Please bookmark this link and check it often: www.grade2sjs.blogspot.com

In addition to the school-wide rules and guidelines described in the 

St. Jerome School Policy Manual, there are a few policy items specific to our 

2nd Grade class of which you should be aware:

Homework Policy

Homework will be assigned Monday – Thursday and will be due the following day. Students will be responsible for copying their assignments legibly into their Homework Notebooks on a daily basis (although the assignments will also be posted on the blog). A Parent Signature is required in the Homework Notebook for each entry. Any comments, questions, or requests for conferences may also be communicated in the Homework Notebook. Students will have a two-pocket Homework Folder dedicated to transporting their homework assignments and other important documents between school and home. Each Friday, students will bring home a packet of work that has been completed and graded from the previous week. Please review your child’s work carefully, sign and return any tests or formal assessments, and consider saving a few assignments as study material for later review and test preparation.

Reading Logs

Students are expected to read independently or with a family member at home for 20 minutes daily. A Reading Log will be provided weekly to help your child keep track of the books read. The Reading Logs should be kept in the student’s Homework Folder and will be collected every Monday.

Daily Supplies

Students will be expected to come to school with the appropriate supplies and materials each day, including a nutritious snack for recess. A copy of the class supply list can be found on the class blog. Textbooks will be distributed to the students next week. Textbooks should be kept covered and transported in a book bag or backpack. 

Absences

When a student is absent, classwork and homework will be collected and prepared for the student to complete upon his or her return to school. Students will be given up to a week to make up any missing work. In the case of a missed test or quiz, students will need to complete the assessment within a week of returning to school. If an absence is planned, arrangements can be made to complete assessments ahead of time.

Student of the Week

Each week a student will have a turn to be our Star Student of the Week. The student will be given a poster to decorate, fill out, and share with the class on Friday. This is a great way to learn more about our classmates, build community, and develop oral language skills!

Weekly Mass

The St. Jerome School community celebrates Mass together on Fridays at 8:00am. Please make sure that your child arrives at school at 7:45 AM on Fridays to avoid disrupting the Mass with late arrivals. Students will be considered TARDY if they do not arrive on time for Mass.

Uniform

The St. Jerome School Uniform Policy is outlined in the Policy Manual. Students will have P.E. on Monday and appropriate uniforms, including athletic shoes, should be worn on these days. Please make sure that all jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts worn or brought to school are labeled with your child’s name. 

Standards for Classroom Behavior

At St. Jerome School, we strive to nurture Christian leadership in our students. I expect for 2nd Graders to behave respectfully in all of their school interactions. During the first few weeks of school, we will spend time discussing the expectations for conduct at school:

 Students agree to show respect for:

Teachers and Other Adults by...

-listening with eyes, ears, and whole body

-following directions given by a staff member  

-raising their hands to participate in class
Their Classmates by,,,

-using polite words

-keeping their hands to themselves

-taking turns and sharing

Their School by...

-walking quietly in the classroom and hallways

-waiting until they are sitting down outside to eat or drink

Themselves by...

-paying attention and participating in class

-asking questions 

-completing assignments

2012 - 2013 Supply List

2012 - 2013

Supply List

Backpack or book bag (labeled with name in permanent marker)

2 reams of white copy paper 

1 package of wide-ruled loose-leaf paper

4 wide-ruled composition books (labeled with name in permanent marker)

1 pack of index cards

1 pair of small children’s scissors (labeled with name in permanent marker)

1 pack (6 count) glue sticks

1 pack (2 count) rubber erasers (labeled with name in permanent marker)

1 package (18 count) Crayola Twistable colored pencils 

(these do not have to be sharpened and last longer)

1 package (24 count) regular crayons

1 package (8 count) regular Crayola markers

1 pack (12 count) #2 pencils (no mechanical pencils) 

(preferred brands: Papermate, Dixon Ticonderoga)

2 zipper bags (labeled with name in permanent marker)

(made of sturdy fabric, no plastic pouches, no boxes)

3 containers of wipes 

3 boxes of Kleenex

2 plastic two-pocket folders (labeled with name in permanent markers)

4 book covers (stretchy cloth style)