2nd Grade Schluter Elementary

Open HouseSeptember 6, 2011

Created by: Ashley Magee, www.firstgradebrain.com Graphics © ThistleGirlDesigns

Schluter Pledge

• S- Schluter Spurs have

• P- Positive Attitudes

• U- Use their talents

• R- Respect themselves and each other and

• S- Strive for excellence everyday

Meet the Teacher

Jennifer Brauen Rm 507jbrauen@nisdtx.org

Kim Ensmann Rm 505kensmann@nisdtx.org

Che Murphy-Williams Rm 506cmurphy@nisdtx.org

Daily Schedule

7:25-7:45 Arrival~Morning Work7:45-8:00 Math~ Number Corner

8:00- 8:30 Social Studies8:30-9:25 Specials

9:25-11:35 Readers & Writers Workshop11:35- 12:05 Recess12:05-12:35 Lunch

12:35-1:35 Math Workshop1:35-2:35 Science

2:35- 2:45 Pack Up / Dismissal

Lunch/ Snack

Please send a healthy snack (9:30)to school with your child each day(our lunch is not until 12:05 so a lot of them are hungry a lot earlier!) Students may bring water to keep on their desk throughout the day as long as it has a sports top on it. Send only healthy snacks of nutritional value. Please do not send chips, donuts, cookies, etc.

Parents are welcome to eat with their children. Please sign in the front office and meet your child in the cafeteria at the parent tables. Waiting for us at/or in the classroom may cause a distraction.

Special Classes

8:30-9:25Students will visit five special classes each week. Our schedule varies by homeroom.

PE Teacher: Mrs. Withers (Tues/Thurs)Music Teacher: Mr. MingArt Teacher: Mrs. Staley

* On P.E. days please make sure your child wears tennis shoes and dresses appropriately. If they do not dress appropriately they may have to sit out of P.E.

Library

Each class will visit the library once a week for 30 minutes. Students may take their books home and return them to school so that they may check out new books.

Librarian: Mrs. PospisilClass Library Day:

Thursday

Counselor

Mrs. Sarah Kassuba817-698-3913

skassuba@nisdtx.org

Each class will receive 30 minute guidance lessons with the counselor once a six weeks. Students are welcome

to stop by and see her anytime.

Classroom Rules

• 1. Follow directions given the first time• 2. Raise your hand to speak- Talk at appropriate

times• 3. Keep hands, feet , and objects to yourself• 4. Take care of our classroom• 5. Take turns and share• 6. Use manners and be respectful to others• 7. No talking in the hallway• 8. Pay attention/Stay on task

Behavior Management

• Behavior Color System:• Green- Fantastic Day!

• Blue- Warning• Yellow- 5 minutes off recess• Red- 10 minutes off recess

Americas Choice School

• This upcoming school year our school will be in the Stage One implementation of the America's Choice School Design for K-8 schools. America's Choice is a subsidiary of the National Center on Education and the Economy, a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization and a leader in standards-based reform. Organized around 'The America's Choice Five Design Tasks', Schluter Elementary will join hundreds of schools around the nation focused on high quality instruction and increased student achievement.

• The Five Design Tasks are: • High Performance Leadership, Management, and Organization

• Standards and Assessments• Aligned Instructional Systems

• Professional Learning Communities• Family and Community Involvement

• Beginning tomorrow September 7, 2011, Schluter Elementary will launch our "One Million Words Campaign", with the expectation that all students will read enough books to reach the goal of one million words. In May, all students who achieve their goal will participate in a special celebration. Details will be announced soon!

America’s Choice School

• The "Principal's Book of the Month" will become a new tradition as a result of our Americas Choice affiliation. Each month every classroom will receive a copy of the featured book and school wide activities and discussions center around that book. It has been exciting to see and hear the enthusiasm and student involvement in the Book of the Month initiative from other participating campuses.

• Each classroom will implement shared practices for language arts instruction. You will find organized classroom libraries, reading and writing notebooks, browsing boxes for each child, anchor charts as instructional tools, and processes for kids to share, record and document their reading and writing.

• Standards Based Bulletin Boards are an integral piece of the Americas Choice Design. The standards consist of our TEKS (Texas Essential knowledge and Skills) and the NCEE standards (The National Center on Education and the Economy) Both sets of standards line out at each grade level what it is that a student should know and be able to do in order to be academically successful and ready for the next grade. Every six weeks the teachers display work in the hallway that reflects the standards that were taught and the work produced by the students. The standards are also presented on genre boards in the classroom and the content of the standards are written and displayed as guiding questions for learning on the teachers white boards

Million Word Challenge

• The goal is for each second grade student to read 100 books to equal about one million words. This equals to about one to two picture books or chapter book each day. When your child reads a book at home, please help them record it on their reading log. The 100 books will come from a combination of books read at school and home. The teacher will help each student keep track of the books they read at school as parents help students keep track of books read at home.

• 2 short picture books= 1 book• 1 chapter book= 2 books• Million Word Challenger Kick-off Wed. Sept. 7th

Readers Workshop

Students will be taught strategies that effective readers use to decode words and make sense of text. Students will have multiple opportunities each day to explore different genres and to reflect on what they are reading. Reading is taught using a workshop model: Opening- Work Period- Closing-•Guided Reading: small group instruction using books on each student’s instructional level. •Reading comprehension skills: summarizing, making connections, asking questions, using prior knowledge, genre studies, etc.•Assessments: running records, DRA, comprehension checks•End of Year Goals: reading and comprehension on DRA M with 90 wpm fluency

Writers Workshop

Students will write daily. Students will write in various forms, such as letters, reflections, narrative, procedural, and research (informational). Students will learn how to take their writing through the Writing Process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, & publishing). Writing is also taught using the workshop model:Opening:Work Period:Closing:

Skills Block/ Spelling

• Students will receive spelling list to study on Friday and tested the following Friday.

• Students will also practice their spelling skills during skills block. This is part of the Writer’s Workshop.

Math

Students will explore mathematics through hands-on learning experiences. Students will learn the importance of place value & how to solve various operations.

Areas of Study: addition & subtraction of one & two digit numbers; counting money; telling time; measurement; patterns; geometry; fractions; & problem solving strategies.

Science

This year in science we will learn:

•Physical Science: Matter, magnetism, force, and motion, sound, and temperature.•Earth Science: space, weather•Life Science: Organism, cycles, habitats

Social Studies

This year in social studies we will learn:•Leadership qualities•Communities•Citizenship•Historical Figures•Economics•Geography

Grades

We will follow the District’s grading policy. Students will receive numerical grades on assignments & test rather than checkmarks. Students who fail an assignment will get another opportunity to redo the assignment after re-teaching has taken place. Then the two grades will be averaged together.

No Paper Report Cards!Please be sure to get username and password

for online grading system.

Homework

• Homework is sent home on Friday and due back the following Friday.

Parent Communication

• Please be sure that your child's teacher has a working email address so you may receive important notices or last minute changes.

• Daily Communication-Student Planners: Please make sure to check planners nightly for notes, behavior, and any changes.

• Thursday Folder : This folder goes home only on Thursday to be returned on Friday. It will contain school information, 2nd grade newsletter, and all graded work.

Drop Off

• The school doors open at 7:25 am. Teachers are not on duty until that time. Students will go directly to their teacher’s classroom unless they are eating breakfast.

• The tardy bell rings at 7:45 am. Instruction begins promptly. Please try to avoid being tardy because your child may miss out on valuable information.

Dismissal- Pick Up

• The final bell rings at 2:45 pm. • Please email or send a note with your child

if their mode of transportation changes. If you forget to send a note, please call the front office 817-698-3300.

Friday Assembly

• Every Friday morning all students go directly to the gym. Assembly usually last from 7:45-8:10. This is a time for the Principal to have an opportunity to come face to face with every student. Parents are welcome to attend.

Toys & Birthdays

Students are not allowed to bring toys to school.

•Birthday Celebrations- If you would like to send a birthday treat to the class, please send cupcakes or individually wrapped items. We will hold birthday celebrations at the end of the day. Please give us 24 hours notice.

Stay Connected

EnsmannNewsletters will be sent home weekly. Check your

child’s folder.Class website: Kim Ensmann on Schluter staff page

My Email: kensmann@nisdtx.orgMy Phone: 817-698-3945

Best time to call me at school during the day: 8:45-9:15, before or after school

Welcome to a great yearin 2nd Grade!