Classroom Agreement
The school rule is to bee yourself, bee smart, and bee kind. Our classroom agreement was formed with students on the first day of school. The students have agreed to try their best to follow all classroom and school rules.
I will...
- Share
- Raise my hand
- Work together
- Do my best
- Be kind
- Listen to everyone
- Keep my hands to myself
- Take care of materials
- Follow directions quickly
Behavior Management
I will use our class app SeeSaw to update you about your child’s progress and behavior in the classroom. Your child will have his or her own learning journal, and you can get notified when your child adds new items. It's completely private -- only you can see your child's journal outside of class.
Click on https://app.seesaw.me/s/071-748-835 to sign up -- it takes just 30 seconds.
Once you sign up, you can download the Seesaw Parent app for iPhone or Android, or access your child's journal on the web.If you have more than one child using Seesaw, or want to add a new class/school year for your child, follow the link in this email, then click 'Sign in' tab at the top. You do not need to create a new account.
Birthday Celebrations
From Mr. Walstrom:
"We all know that birthdays and other fun celebrations are important to many people and that kids like to celebrate with their classmates. We at Gildersleeve School encourage treats other than food. We have found that students have just as much fun doing something special.
Celebration Ideas:
1. Party favors (bouncy balls, matchbox cars, erasers,magnifying glasses, balloons, bubbles, etc.)
2. Special Guest Reader
3. Send in supplies and directions for a craft for the students to do instead of eating a snack. It is a bonus if the parent comes in to help with the craft.
4. Arrange for the kids to play a game. If you don’t have any ideas, talk to your child’s teacher.
5. Ask the teacher for extra recess in honor of your child’s birthday.
6. Bring in something that all the children can sign for the birthday child (shirt/sweatshirt, tote bag, autograph stuffed animal, pillow case, autograph book etc.). The birthday child will take the signed object home at the end of the day.
These are just a few fun ideas for birthday celebrations in the classroom as alternatives to food."
Below are some other alternative birthday celebration ideas students have selected instead. Please let me know when and how your child would like to celebrate. The celebration is meant to be 10 minutes or less.
- Bring a book in for read aloud (they can read or teacher can)
- Pick your own Go Noodle
- Have a guest reader come in (mom/dad/grandma/grandpa...etc)
- Have a class birthday book made
- Free drawing time
- Technology time
Snack
We have snack every morning. Please send your child with one, quick healthy snack everyday. Lunch is not until 11:30 p.m. and many of them are hungry much sooner.
*We are a peanut free classroom as there is a student with a food allergy. Please be sure that treats sent in do not contain peanuts and have not been processed in a factory that may contain nuts.*
Lunch Money/Lunch Tickets
Parents and guardians have the option of pre-paying for lunch for your child. School lunches cost $2.70 this year. You can send in a check with your child to add money to your child's account. It is preferred that checks are sent in at the beginning of the week in an envelope labeled with your child's name and teacher. When a child goes to buy lunch, they simply enter their code and the money is subtracted from your account. This way, your child does not have to worry about losing his/her lunch money. If you do send your child with money, please put in a ziplock bag with their name on it.
Change of Dismissal
The school must be notified in writing if your child is going on a different bus, getting picked up, or any other change of usual dismissal procedure.
Student of the Week
I would like to do the same for my students. At the front of the classroom is a bulletin board that will be our "student of the week" board. Every 6-7 days I will have a new student decorate the board however they would please. They can bring in pictures, magazine clippings, or anything else that can be attached to the board with staples. Students can make the board all about them or all about something they have a great interest in (dinosaurs, cheerleading, soccer, drawings etc.). This will help the class and I get to know that person better and maybe even learn more about topics featured.
I will let you know ahead of time when it is your child's turn to be featured so you have time to gather your decorations. The board is square and 29 inches on each side.
Homework
READ, READ, READ! The student’s homework each night is simply to read! They will be utilizing books from our classroom library at home. They are to fill in their reading log so I can see what they read the following day. Books and logs are to be returned daily.
Throughout the year, the second grade teachers will assign projects and activities for your child to complete at home. These assignments will be given approximately one or two weeks for completion.
Modifications and Enrichment
During the first weeks of school, the second grade teachers access the students in the areas of math, reading, writing, and spelling. These initial assessments provide us with important information about your child. In addition to this, students will be informally assessed as they complete independent assignments, participate in class discussions, take part in small or large group activities, and as they interact with their peers. I will utilize all of these formal and informal assessments to make modifications that best suit your child’s needs.
Your child will also benefit from the many different ways in which I group students throughout the day to complete classroom assignments.
Contacting Me
Please feel free to contact me any time with questions or concerns. You can reach me at school by calling 342-0411. If I am unavailable, please leave a message with one of the secretaries. Also, my email address is [email protected]. I check my email at least once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible! I feel that open communication between home and school plays an important role in your child’s success!