Welcome to 2 nd grade! Parent Orientation Night August 23, 2010 Mrs. Tiffany L. Burns

Meet Mrs. Burns Education – Mortimer Jordan High School, 2005 (Jefferson County, AL) – Athens State University, B.S. Ed., 2009 – Highly Qualified – Met requirements of No Child Left Behind – ARI certified – Makes Sense Strategies Training – Lee vs. Macon Awareness Training – AMSTI Training in Math & Science (currently undergoing)

Meet Mrs. Burns Other – Married: Jeremy – One daughter, Destiny – Live in Athens – Eastside church of Christ – Family time – Alabama football – Children’s books “Win every day. Win every play.” - Nick Saban

Parents Parents are the most influential part of a child’s life!

Schedule 7:30 – 7:50Morning Work 7:50-7:55Character Education/CNN 7:55 – 8:25Reading Extension 8:25-9:50Reading *9:55Restroom Break 10:00 – 10:30PE 10:35-10:50Math Extension *10:40Restroom Break 10:55-11:15Lunch 11:20-11:55 Language Arts *11:55Restroom Break 11:55-12:50Social Studies 12:50 – 1:30Science 1:30-1:45Break & Restroom 1:45-2:40Math 2:40-2:45Pack & Restroom 2:50Dismiss Students Wednesday – 12:00- 12:50 Music Library Friday – 12:00- 12:50 Art Computer

Ways to help: Be punctual (with morning arrival, homework, graded papers log, notes & any signed papers). Check graded papers folder every Tuesday for graded papers and weekly newsletter. Please sign the inserted log and the top page of the stapled graded papers stack and return ALL the graded papers on Wednesdays. Your child will receive a sticker to place on the outside of their folder if returned on Wednesdays. Graded papers with a grade of 70 or below must be signed and returned.

Ways to help: Check our school website often: Please send notes for absences, check-outs & changes in the way of getting home (if tardy, get a pass from the office). Send a separate note if your child may not take P.E.

Ways to help: Please send your child to school with 2 sharpened pencils each day. – We lose valuable instructional/learning time when we all have to sharpen pencils in the morning. Please do not allow toys or other distracting objects to come to school (take up-returned last day of school).

Ways to help: Send lunch money in envelope (Child’s name, Mrs. Burns, Lunch #, $ money amount) Meet your child for lunch at the lunchroom doors (10:55 am) Students are allowed to buy ice cream on Fridays Water bottles, juice boxes & a healthy snack are permitted. * Snack: please send your child with a snack

Ways to help: Volunteer (classroom, parties, room parent, supplies, etc.) Be encouraging. Be supportive. Be respectful. Be consistent. Be organized. Be disciplined.

Communication It is extremely important that we work together to ensure your child receives the best education possible. If you have any questions, or need me for any reason, please feel free to , call, send a letter, or set up a conference. Phone: (256) Creekside Elementary Sanderson Road Harvest, AL School website:

Communication If any changes or problems arise at home please let me know. I will do the same for you at school. When we are all on the same page, we can be more proactive to the success of the children.

Transportation You must send a note if there is a change in your child’s afternoon transportation. If a change occurs during the school day, please call the office by noon. In case of bad weather Watch or listen to latest weather updates and school closings Extended day will close along with school

Medicine Through first aid only Label with directions Please do not send your child to school sick, especially with a fever.

Classroom Information Graded Papers – Sent home on Tuesdays – Sign & return Wednesdays Behavior – Recorded each day on Behavior Calendar

Classroom Information Organization – M.O.O.S.E. Notebook (white 3-ring binder) Home each night, returned each day Parent Pocket, Graded Papers/Behavior Pocket, Homework Pocket, Kid Pocket

Class Work In class assignments, must be completed in class. Tests are taken in class. Practice Spelling Tests are given on Thursdays. – If student makes a 100: that grade will be recorded & they do not take test on Friday – If student makes less than a 100: they will take the Spelling Test on Friday

Home Work Return the next day No late homework will be accepted (only under special circumstances approved by Mrs. Burns)

Homework Weekly Homework – READING Monday-Thursday night: Read each night. Record what you read in your Reading Log. Parents please initial. Please read our reading story (from the Reading Textbook) three out of the four nights. *This will be checked every Friday.

Homework Weekly Homework – Spelling Monday night: Write spelling words in planner one time. Tuesday night: Write spelling words 3 times each (This may change to abc order, spelling sentences, etc.) Wednesday night: Practice spelling words orally for Practice Test on Thursday. Thursday night: ONLY IF YOUR CHILD MADE LESS THAN 100 ON THE PRACTICE TEST– write the missed spelling word(s) three times each.

Attendance 3 unexcused tardies= 1 unexcused absence If a student checks in after 11:22 it’s counted as an all day absence. Check out before 11:22 is an absence also. Excessive absences are reported. Attendance is reported. After the 10th handwritten excuse for illness you must send a doctors excuse. Students will receive a perfect attendance award if attends all year with no absences, check in’s or check out’s.

Absences/Make-up Work Absences: – Please send a note (parent, doctor) to school with your child the day they return to school. Make-up work: – Daily work and other notes are placed in the “We Missed You” folder. – Work goes home with student the day he/she returns to school after being absent – Return make-up work (in folder) to teacher – Tests are made up at school. *Tests and assignments are made up with an EXCUSED ABSENCE.

Turning in Work Students will turn in work to black basket after completion Papers will be graded and sent home on Tuesdays (returned on Wednesdays). If there is a paper missing and your child was not absent from school please be aware that this was not turned into me.

Grades S,N,U science/social studies/handwriting Math: 3rd grade teachers want them to KNOW basic facts *Fact sheet (in M.O.O.S.E. Notebook) Progress reports go home the 5th week of each 9 week period Class work- No Name (5 points deducted)

Reading Students will read 5 stories and take 5 weekly corresponding reading and spelling tests for 5 consecutive weeks. The 6th week, students will have Unit Tests and practice DIBELS fluency passages, Fry phrases and High Frequency word spelling lists to help increase DIBELS scores. (See M.O.O.S.E. Notebook)

Explanation of DIBELS Reading Assessment DIBELS Tested 3 times a year. (Fall, Winter, Spring) 45 words for August 69 words for December 91 words for April

Reading Fluency, Comprehension, Vocabulary AR – Tests- take as book is finished, as time is available in the Library or Computer Lab – Goals- meet every 9 weeks – End of Year Reward

Reading Stations (Small Groups) Integrated with writing and spelling Leveled readers Grade – Station work is due on Fridays

Reading Weekly Assigned Stories *I will try to post the title of the story each week on my Creekside Teacher’s Page. Monday –Thursday Check Comprehension with the following questions: -Where does the story take place? -Who are the main characters? -What is the main idea? -What are problems or conflicts? -What were the solutions? -How does the story end? Thursday- Weekly Vocabulary and Comprehension Tests

Other Subjects

Spelling Integrated in all areas Practice Spelling Tests are given on Thursdays. – If student makes a 100: that grade will be recorded & they do not take test on Friday – If student makes less than a 100: they will take the Spelling Test on Friday

Reading Integrated in all areas New selection each week Reading Comprehension/Vocabulary Test on Thursdays Stories read many times throughout each week Homework: read story every night at home (Monday-Thursday)

Math Study math addition/subtraction facts daily with your child. These are essential skills to master in 2nd grade. Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday Workbook pages may be assigned for homework, as needed during the week to reinforce skills be taught. This may not be listed on the back of the Weekly Newsletter as HW. As Chapter is Completed Weekly Unit Test

Math Visual aids (Unifix cubes, counters, shapes, blocks, rulers, SMART Board, etc.) Tests given at the end of each chapter

Science/Social Studies Integrated with reading Unit studies Science Textbook Supplemental texts/activities

Discipline Rules: 1.Follow directions the first time given. 2.Listen carefully. 3.Respect yourself and others. 4.Do your best!

Discipline Consequences– Pulling Cards – Behavior Pocket Chart: Green – Great day! Blue – Warning – no consequence Purple – 1 st Offence – silent lunch Yellow – 2 nd Offence – student fills out behavior note to parents and sits at isolation table (call parents, if necessary) Red – 3 rd Offense – Principal’s Office We start each day on Green having a GREAT DAY! **Severe Clause: Fighting, threatening, verbal abuse, destruction of school property, or any other unacceptable behavior will result in the student being sent immediately to the office.

Conduct/Behavior For every card pulled(excluding a blue warning card) the student will lose 1 point off their conduct grade for that grading period. Students begin each nine weeks with 100 points. Each grading period we “START OVER” with 100 points Conduct grades are given as follows: A B C D F- Below 65

Rewards Verbal praise Conduct Coupons (individual reward) – Coupons are given for good behavior – Student’s name is written on back of coupon – Drawn weekly for various rewards (pencil, sticker, lunch date from another class, etc.) Marbles in a Jar (group reward) – One marble is added to the jar each time the class collectively displays good behavior/accomplishments. – Two marbles are added for special days (field trips, holidays, parties, special guests, etc.) – Once the jar is full the class gets a reward, such as a Pillow Party where they may bring their pillows to school to read their books on.

Great Websites Sites to use at home for added practice or to help in any areas of struggle SpellingCity is an online spelling program that makes practicing for spelling tests fun. You can plug in our weekly spelling words for games, practice tests, and introducing the words. Interactive games for all subjects Variety of reading and math links unlimited resources for each Scott Foresman reading story… links to math games, spelling games, language powerpoints, just about anything we are studying. I will be using many resources from this site. We are in Unit one- week two this week. – Variety of reading, phonics- activities

Thank You! I appreciate you coming! I am so happy your child is in my class. We are already off to a great school year! Please contact me anytime with any questions or comments. Questions??? ~ Mrs. Burns