Here are a few notes that may help you to know what to expect in second grade. Please feel free to talk to me if you ever have any questions or concerns. I am looking forward to a great year!
Field Trips
We will attend three performances of the Birmingham Children's Theater. We would also like to visit the Tannehill Christmas Village this year. Parents will be asked to help chaperone these trips. Our trip to Tannehill will be in December. Please plan to go with us and bring your camera for pictures with Santa.
Attendance
School hours are from 8:00 until 3:00. Students entering the classroom after 8:00 are tardy. Students who arrive before 7:50 report to the lunchroom. At 7:50, students go directly to their classrooms, sharpen pencils, get their things ready for the day, and sit quietly in their seats. Your child will need to arrive around 7:50 each morning in order to get these things done and be ready to begin the day by 8:00. We begin class promptly at 8:00 and children who are tardy cause a disturbance. Absences are excused only if I receive a written note from you upon your child's return to school. 
Dress Code
Uniforms are worn every day and socks are required. Your child may also need a navy blue or white sweater to wear in class if he or she gets cold. Students do not wear their jackets or coats during the day. Friday is Dress-up Day. Boys wear ties and girls wear uniform skirts or jumpers. I will let you know when we have special days when uniforms are not required. Students are asked to bring mesh book bags. Please do not bring rolling book bags.
Medicine
No medicine is allowed in the classroom. If it is necessary for your child to receive medication, the medicine must be left in the office with a note.
Toys
Toys should not be brought to school. Toys that cause a disturbance will be taken to the office. Parents will have to see Miss Ward to get these toys back.
Meals
Breakfast is served each morning at 7:30. Breakfast will not be served after 7:50. Lunches can be paid for daily, weekly, or by the month. Please do not send carbonated drinks in a can, bottle, or thermos. All lunch money will be kept in your child's lunch account in the lunchroom. If you prefer to send lunch money daily, please help your child find a safe place, other than in a book bag, to keep his or her money until lunch time. We eat lunch at 11:25.
Homework
Second graders will have homework every night during the school week. Homework assignments will be written on the board each day and your child will be given time to copy these assignments into his or her Student Planner. I do not feel that most second graders are ready to be responsible for doing homework independently. Your child may need help getting started and then need an adult to check finished homework for mistakes. Positive homework habits learned now will be beneficial in years to come. Please ask to see your child's Student Planner each night so that you will know what assignments were made and then help your child complete these assignments correctly. I do check to see that homework has been completed and brought to class. Failure to turn in homework will bring down report card grades. I take off points when homework is turned in late.
Papers to Sign
Every Monday night I send home papers for your child to have signed and return to me. Please ask to see them on Monday night so that you can sign them and return them to school no later than Friday of the same week. If these papers are lost, just send me a short note stating that you are aware that papers were not returned for the week. The grades that you see on these papers are the grades that have been recorded in my grade book. I send these papers home so that you can see how your child is doing on a weekly basis and so that there will be no surprises on report card day. Remember that you can go online to see your child's averages in each subject. I update grades weekly.
The Apple Tree
We have a “Good Behavior Tree” in our classroom. Your child has a shiny red apple on the tree. Should your child forget to follow one of our classroom rules, he or she will have to place a worm on his or her apple. A second problem during the day will cause your child's apple to turn brown. Should a third problem arise, your child's apple will fall off the tree into my apple basket and I will send a note home for you to sign. Please sign these notes and return them the next day. Points are deducted from your child's conduct grade for each trip to the tree. Rewards are given each Friday to children who keep their apples red and shiny all week.
Report Cards
Second graders will bring home a report card every nine weeks. Progress reports will be sent home in the middle of each report card period. Report card dates can be found in your child's take home folder. You can also see your child's grades online at any time.
Reading
Second graders will read a collection of stories in the Scott Foresman reading series. We will read several stories together in class each week. Comprehension and skills tests are given on each story that we read together. Our book is divided into six reading themes with five stories in each theme. At the end of each reading theme your child will take a reading test on all of the skills taught in that theme. In addition to the stories we read in our reading book, your child will be asked to do some outside reading. All second graders will complete a book report during each nine week grading period and participate in the Accelerated Reader program.
Accelerated Reader
We will participate in the Accelerated Reader program this year. Your child will be asked to earn 10 Accelerated Reader points during each nine week grading period and to maintain an average of at least 85% on the tests they take. Accelerated Reading scores are part of the homework reading grade each nine weeks. Students who earn 25 or more points by the end of February will earn a free ticket to Six Flags. I will send home a reading list and more details about the program during the first two weeks of school.
Language Arts
Second graders will receive a Language Arts grade on each report card. The Language Arts grade includes Spelling, Language, Journal Writing, and Handwriting.
Spelling
Second graders will have 20 spelling words to learn each week. Please help your child learn to spell and understand the meanings of these words. Spelling words will be given out on Monday of each week. A practice test will be given on Thursday. Any child who makes a 100 on the practice test will not have to take the spelling test on Friday.
Handwriting
Handwriting grades will be given on each spelling test. Under the numerical spelling grade you will see a handwriting grade of either "E" for Excellent, "S" for Satisfactory, or "NI" for Needs Improvement. When it appears that second graders have their printing under control (usually around November or December) we will begin to learn to write in cursive. We will learn the lower-case letters first and then work on capital letters.
Language
Second graders have Grammar & Writing books this year. We will test our Grammar skills every Tuesday morning with a set of ten sentences to proofread and correct. At the end of each unit of study we will have a language test. Please help your child study by going over the review pages at the end of each unit. Your child will begin the review in class and complete the assignment for homework.
Journal Writing
We will be engaged in journal writing every day. Second graders are encouraged to use invented spelling in their rough drafts so expect to see some mistakes. Each week you will be asked to help your child edit a story that was started at school. This is the time for you to correct spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. All stories should have a title and 8 to 10 good sentences which work together to tell one story. When editing a story please do not ask your child to rewrite the entire story. We will do that in class the next day. It is OK for you to write on your child's rough draft when editing a story. Just be sure to include your child in the editing process.
Math
Second graders have many areas to explore in math this year. We will learn to carry in addition, borrow in subtraction, and even to multiply and divide numbers. We will also learn to count money and to tell time. We will study place value and measurement. All second graders will have a homework math book. This workbook is designed to enhance our study of math at school. We will keep the workbook at school and tear pages out of the workbook as they are assigned for homework. It is important to complete these assignments and turn them in on time. I deduct points for homework that is turned in late. At the end of each chapter in our math book I will send home a review sheet to complete before the test is given the next day. Please check these review sheets. These review sheets are graded and count as part of your child's homework math grade. 
Social Studies and Science
Second graders will have social studies book and science books this year. Homework assignments will be made in one of these two subjects every night. After your child reads the assigned pages in the book there will be a worksheet to complete. Studying for science and social studies tests will be a new experience for your child and you will need to help. I will send home a vocabulary study guide before each test. Please review these words with your child and sign the study guide. Knowing these vocabulary words will help your child on the science and social studies tests.
Conduct Grades
Your child will begin each nine week report card period with 100 points in conduct. Each time your child is sent to the tree 2 points are deducted from this perfect score. When a child is sent to the office for a behavior problem, 10 points will be deducted from the conduct grade. After each report card period we will start over again with 100 points in conduct. Conduct grades will be reported each week on papers to be signed.
A Personal Note
Thank you for your help and support this year. Please let me know if you ever have any questions or concerns. Feel free to send me an e-mail, call me at school or to drop by before or after school if we need to talk. Please drop in before 7:50 or after 3:15. I cannot give the class the attention they need when parents are in the room talking to me during class time.
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