Classroom

Handbook

  

 

 Absences

 

Please notify the office, via the Raven Stream Attendance Line, prior to 9:00 a.m. on or before the day your child will be absent for any reason. The voice mail attendance hotline is open 24 hours per day. Failure to call may result in an unexcused absence. If time allows, an email or voicemail letting me know that your child will be absent is greatly appreciated.

When your child is ill I want them to focus on getting healthy. I do not send much make up work after a student has been absent. Essential schoolwork your child misses due to illness will be completed at school or sent home upon their return.

If your child will be absent due to vacation, please send a note prior to your vacation. I will send home a vacation journal for your child to complete. I look forward to hearing about your child's adventure as well as seeing any pictures they may have to share.

Assignment Notebook (Passport)

Students have a passport (assignment) notebook to serve as a communication tool between school and home.  Each day they will write down and homework or important messages.  Parents should read and sign assignment notebooks daily.

If your child will be picked up from school, please send a note on a separate piece of paper. These notes are sent to the office.

Birthday Celebrations  

Special efforts are made to let your child shine on his/her birthday! Birthday celebrations will be marked on the monthly calendar. Birthdays are not on the calendar linked to this page due to data privacy. We will celebrate half-birthdays for students with summer birthdays. As part of our district wellness program families are encouraged to consider healthy options or non-food treats to celebrate student birthdays. All birthday treats must be store bought and individually wrapped. Alternative ways to honor your child on their birthday are to donate a book to our classroom library or bring other non-food items (stickers, pencils, etc.). 

As always, homemade treats are prohibited and cannot be distributed at school.  

Birthday Invitations

Whenever possible, try to distribute birthday invitations outside of school. Teachers are not allowed to give out student phone numbers or addresses.  When necessary, students can bring birthday invitations directly to Mrs. Clark and I will place them in student folders.

Book Orders

Did you know that many of the books in our classroom classroom library were purchased using bonus points from student book orders? You can support our class by purchasing books from Scholastic Reading Clubs (scholastic.com/readingclub) using our class activation code HWT97.  Scholastic Reading Clubs offer great books at affordable prices.  Each time you order we earn bonus points to purchase books. Parent support with this fundraiser is how we are able to add new and favorite titles to our classroom library.

Conferences

We will have an opportunity to sit down together in October and February to discuss your child’s progress in school.  I look forward to working with you to look at your child’s strengths and achievement in 2nd grade. If you have questions before/after please do not hesitate to reach out by phone or email.

Discipline

Our classroom will utilize the Responsive Classroom approach to discipline.

Responsive Classroom is aimed at creating a school climate that enables optimal academic and social growth in students. We teach and model classroom expectations, procedures, and rules to build a safe and respectful classroom community.  

Consequences including take a break, behavior tickets, and loss of privilege are used when appropriate. Extreme behaviors including violence, defiance, bringing weapons to school, or vandalism of school property may be referred directly to the school Principal.

Our school has a school-wide motto of RESPECT- respect yourself, respect others, respect Raven Stream. We will use these terms frequently and encourage students and staff to demonstrate respect in all settings of the school.  

E-mail

Classroom telephones rollover to voicemail during school hours. You are welcome to leave a message and I will respond when I am able. Non-urgent messages are also welcome by email. I check my email daily, and I will do my best to respond within 24 hours on school days. I do not check email or voicemail on weekends or during breaks. For urgent messages please contact the office so they can relay the message to me.   

Field Trips

Information will come home in advance of any field trips.  I will let you know when we are looking for volunteers to accompany us.

(Take Home) Folder

Your child has black take home folder that should be returned to school each day. This is an important avenue for home/school communication. Please read and sign your child's passport (assignment) notebook daily. Please check and empty the folder daily.  

Homework

As a general rule homework will be kept to a minimum to respect family time and allow for participation in activities outside of the school day. 

Reading

 

Students are encouraged to read a minimum of 15 minutes each night, as the year goes on they are encouraged to increase their reading stamina (to 20 min.). We won't keep a traditional reading log, but we will talk frequently about how reading at home helps to "grow our reading beanstalks".  You can help foster your child's love of reading by; establishing a family reading time each night, letting your child see you read, and making time to read and talk about books together!

 

Math

Math homework will come home in the form of home links. Home links provide an opportunity for students to practice skills that have been introduced at school. Home links will be sent home in a packet at the start of each math unit. Students should refer to their assignment notebooks for pages assigned. Students should NOT work ahead in their home link packet. Occasionally, games will be sent home to practice important math skills. Any additional opportunities you have to practice math skills in a real-world setting is extremely valuable to your child's learning.

Phonics/Spelling

In 2nd grade we practice phonics/spelling using a curriculum called Fundations. Each unit (approximately every two weeks) students will bring home a list of words with a new pattern. This is not a traditional "spelling list" and these words will not necessarily be on the end of the unit assessment, but it does reflect the skill/word pattern for the unit. A weekly phonics practice sheet will be part of your child's homework routine.

Lunch

Raven Stream participates in Minnesota’s Free School Meals Program. All students can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school. Although no application is required to receive this free meal benefit, filling out the Application for Educational Benefits is still important! Your child(ren) may qualify for other benefits like reduced fees at school such as decreased fees for sports and activities. Your application may also help the school qualify for education funds, discounts, and other meal programs.

Medical/Academic Concerns

Please let me know if your child has any medical or academic needs that I should be aware of.

Monthly Calendar

I will send home a calendar at the beginning of each month. It will be placed in the back pocket of your child's take home folder. The calendar will include daily specialists, birthdays, important events, and reminders. 

Newsletter

A weekly classroom newsletter will be sent to parents/guardians via email. Please make sure to indicate your preferred email address on the beginning of the year student information sheet. If you do not have access to email ir the internet please let me know so other arrangements can be made.

Pledge of Allegiance

Each day during our morning meeting students will recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  If you have any concerns about your child participating please contact me ASAP. 

Parties

We will have three holiday celebrations this year (Fall Harvest, Winter Holiday, and Valentine’s Day).  Information will be sent home prior to each celebration.  I will let you know if/when we are looking for supply donations or volunteers.

Questions

With all of the happenings in 2nd grade questions frequently pop up.  Feel free to write me a note, email, or call.  The best times to reach me are between 8:00-9:00 A.M. and 3:45-4:00 P.M. However, please know that some days I am in meetings during these times. I will do my best to respond within 24 hours on school days.

Snack

We will have a daily snack time.  The purpose is to enjoy a snack that satisfies hunger, nourishes the brain for optimal learning, and reinforces good eating habits.  Healthy snack choices may include; cheese & crackers, fresh fruit or vegetables, yogurt, applesauce, healthy snack crackers, dry (not sugared) cereal, raisins, bagel & cream cheese, or meat slices.  We ask that you try to avoid sending snacks such as pop tarts, candy, cookies, chips, etc. 

Toys/Fidgets

Please do not send toys/fidgets (spinners, fidget cubes, poppers, etc.) to school without teacher permission.  For many students they become a distraction to learning.  We have many wonderful things to explore in our classroom. There may be times that students are invited to bring special objects (including toys) to school for sharing or classroom celebrations. I will let you know when this is the case. If you feel your child has an academic need for a fidget please contact me. We can discuss a plan that will work for everyone.    

Visitors and Volunteers

Throughout the year there will be opportunities for you to visit or volunteer in the classroom.  I appreciate advance notice if you are planning to visit. Visitors/volunteers must check in at the office prior to coming to our classroom.  You will receive a visitor sticker which helps staff and students identify you as a safe person in our building.