ABC's of Second Grade

The      ‘s of
Second Grade
Mrs. Headley’s Class
 
    Attendance – Regular attendance is very important. Many of the learning activities in our classroom are hands-on, group work, or technology based. This makes it very difficult to “make up” work that is missed.  If your child oversleeps or has a doctor’s appointment, it is better for you to bring him/her late or check out early rather than miss a whole day. Of course, if your child is sick, please keep him/her home. If your child will be absent, please call the office at  428-5121.


 
 Backpacks – Your child will need to bring their backpack to and from school every day. Please make sure that you check inside their backpack every night to remove any corrected work that is sent home.   

Birthdays- Birthdays are important for young children and we like to celebrate! If you would like to provide a treat for your child’s birthday (or ½ birthday), please let me know in advance & provide plates, napkins, etc.  Because of food allergies/health concerns, I encourage you to send in a non-food treat. Kids love pencils, stickers, and other small items-or, you could consider donating a book, learning-based DVD or a game to the classroom in your child’s honor.
 
BoxTops- Our school collects Box Tops as a fundraiser. Please collect these and turn them into our classroom. There will be school-wide competitions throughout the year.


 Communication – To ensure a successful school year, it is important for parents and teachers to communicate frequently. I send home a weekly newsletter & use homework logs as a daily communication tool.  Please do not hesitate to contact me when you have questions or concerns. The easiest way to reach me is by e-mail. tanya.headley@madisonschools.net
 
  Conferences – We will hold conferences twice a year. November conferences are important for everyone to attend so that we can go through benchmarking data & work to set goals for your child. February conferences are set “as needed” to discuss any concerns.




Dismissal – School ends at 2:00. Please send in a note if your child will be dismissed at a different time or is to go home a different way than his/her regular schedule. Please remember to include “Room 236”. Forms are provided from the office for bus passes.
 
 
 
Emergencies – Please make sure that we have the correct emergency contact information on file for your child at all times.
 
E-mail – It is often helpful to contact you through email. I collect e-mail addresses on a parent survey at the beginning of the year. If your e-mail changes, please let me know. Again, I can be reached at: tanya.headley@madisonschools.net.



 
Folders – Your child has a Take Home Folder that is an important communication tool. Please make sure he/she brings it to school every day & check it every evening for important handouts & assignments. Remove all handouts each day.


 
 Grading Scale –the grading scale that MLSD follows is:
       90% - 100% = A
       80% - 90%   = B
 70% - 80%   = C
       60% - 70%   = D, below 60% is failing
 
In the second grade, only Reading, Spelling & Math are given letter grades for the first semester (1sttwo quarters).   English becomes a letter grade in the second semester.
 
Many times throughout the year, however, your child will be given a “progress check”,
which is for points-rather than a letter grade. This allows me to communicate how the
students are doing on developing skills without assigning 100 points to the task. For this:
+ = 4 pts. (exceeds expectations)
    = 3 pts. (meets expectations)
-  = 2 pts. (needs practice)


 
Homework – Your child will have homework in Reading, Math, & Fundations each evening.  Please help by checking that your child completes their work and signing the homework log each night. At this point in their learning, most children will need some assistance from their parents on certain assignments.  This is expected & encouraged-especially if they are having difficulty.  It helps to have a special time and place to do home learning activities. Establishing good habits now will help your child as he/she grows older.
  
  • Students should spend at least 15 minutes each evening reading...please remember that the reading you do with or to your child "counts" & is still very important!  Poetry practice for Living Poetry is also included in this daily reading.
 
  • For Math, often their is a worksheet (Home Links) assignment.  These come home at the beginning of the unit in a Home Links Packet.  It is important that you do these pages on the day they were assigned/covered in class.  DO NOT work ahead as this can be very confusing for your child.  The Family Letter that contains the answer key is also sent home separately.  On evenings when there is "No Home Links", refer to the parent letter for suggested activities or choose another math-related activity or game.  Students love hands-on practice like counting change or helping to measure items for a recipe.  See the Math links on this website for more suggestions & resources for additional worksheets.
 
  • A Fundations packet is sent home at the beginning of each new unit, approximately every two weeks.  This packet outlines activities for you to complete with your child and contains "flashcards" for the weekly Trick Words.  Although I do not require students to log this on their daily sheets, I expect Fundations to be part of their regular homework routine.  Additional links/resources for Fundations can be found on my website.