1. WELCOME TO Miss Cindi’s classroom!!!!
2CM I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH YOUR CHILD THIS YEAR!
Welcome to second grade I am very excited to be working with your child.

2. My Background Born in San Diego, California
Bachelors of Arts in Liberal Studies From California State University Chico
This is my eleventh year teaching. It is my seventh year here at UAS.
I just got married this summer!!

3. pictures

4. Grade 2 Teaching Assistants
Ms. Ever & Ms. Leny

5. Specialist Teachers  Ms. Worling- Music Ms. Elizabeth- Art
Ms. Erika - PE
Ms. Sambola- PYP Coordinator
Ms. Leslie and Ms. Rania- Library

6. Lots of support
Ms. Jen – Counselor
Ms. Fox- ELL
Mrs. Katchetaryean LS

7. Useful information
Morning entry - All children should assemble in the playground and line up on the appropriate line when whistle blows. Then, we enter together at 7:40am.
Afternoon pick-up – Children are going to be dismissed from the classroom to be picked up at the place decided with the parent. They will be at Reception if you are late picking them up.
Our assistants take the children going home by bus to the buses.
Birthdays – please be mindful of nut, dairy and gluten allergies. This year we will celebrate birthdays when I am contacted to celebrate a birthday.

8. Sites.uasdubai.ae/cmeeks
communication
This is the best way to contact me right away. I will reply in 24 hours or sooner but if I don’t, just send me another to remind me please.
Communication via blog
I will update this every Sunday or more if needed
Sites.uasdubai.ae/cmeeks

9. UAS Expectations do their personal best everyday Students should:
arrive to school on time, prepared and ready to learn
have their homework done each week
be kind and respectful to all staff and students at UAS
do their personal best everyday

10. Classroom expectations
We will make our class rules together as a class. The students are aware of the rules and expectations.
Dojo points as reward and consequence system
Based on number of points for individual, group and whole class
Rewards are: Lunch bunch with a friend, Lunch bunch with teacher, candy, homework pass, etc

11. PYP Our six inquiry units are: Changing Lives Workplaces
Light and Sound
Health and Well Being
Animal and Plant Survival
Imagine That!
This is our guiding curriculum at UAS, designed to foster the development of the whole child.
All subject areas will focus on PYP in some way. Science and social studies skills are integrated though the PYP units. Studnents will inquire into the world around them, and during the units they are encouraged to take action.

12. Balanced Literacy Program
Reader’s Workshop
Guided reading
Buddy reading
Individual reading
Whole class shared reading
Read aloud
Stations or Centers
* Readers Workshop program throughout Grade 2, aided by literacy coach Michelle Webster
Students will be involved in a number of reading activities throughout the day. During guided reading, children will be in flexible reading groups where they will be taught specific reading strategies where instruction is based on readers’ needs. The goal of guided reading is for children to develop skills and strategies for independent reading of unfamiliar text.
Partner reading is a time where children can practice reading familiar text with a peer.
Daily individual reading is where students are selecting their choice of literature and practicing their independent reading skills.
Whole class shared reading lessons demonstrate to second graders the reading strategies and skills good readers think about using.
Read aloud is a time where we, as classroom teachers, set the example as “expert” readers.

13. Balanced Literacy Program
Writers’ Workshop
Components:
Mini lesson
Independent writing – conferences and small group strategy lessons.
After the workshop… share
The structure of the Writers’ workshop follows a similar pattern to readers workshop. Students will go through different units of study throughout the year. Some of the units we will be covering this year – is recount – small moment –personal narrative, Author’s as mentors- use authors to emulate and elevate the quality of our writing, expository writing – all about books, Procedural writing – write how to’s (steps by step directions), and genre writing – exposing student authors to fairy tales and narratives. Writing will be also integrated into PYP units where students will learn research skills.

14. Reading
Reading comprehension is a huge focus in grade 2. Students should be able to retell stories in their own words.
Students should be able to read grade level texts at an appropriate speed, with accuracy and expression.
Nightly practice may be necessary to build fluency and build vocabulary.
Encourage your child to read a variety of non-fiction books at home.
A focus for reading in grade two is for readers to become more fluent and phrased. This year we will also teach students how the create deeper meanings with text through different comprehension strategies. It is imperative for students to practice they skills they learned in class with nightly reading. Nightly reading should be for 20 Minutes. During readers’ workshop students will select just right books and keep them for a week. Every night students will bring home a book. These books may not take the whole time. Students can read other books at home, parents can read to their child, and books can be read in different languages. All of these count towards their nightly twenty minutes.

15. Library time with Grade 2! Librarian: Leslie Baker Assistant: Rania
Grade 2 students visit the library WEEKLY for library checkout. Every other week they will stay for a 25-minute lesson with Ms. Leslie
Grade 2 students can check out two books at a time
Encourage your second grader to bring his or her books back on library day!
Follow our library mascot, the rabbit puppet “Conejo,” on Instagram @conejolibraryrabbit
Parents are welcome any time and already have a library account! You can check out up to 5 books at a time
Our hours are Sunday through Thursday until 4:15 (we close at 3:20 on the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month). Please stop by after school for special reading time with your second grader!

16. Literacy at UAS

17. We use grade-level benchmarks to plan instruction and assess students
This is a standard
These are benchmarks
Common Core Standards set the expectations for what we want students to know, do, and understand
We use grade-level benchmarks to plan instruction and assess students

18. Balanced Literacy: The How of our Instruction
Students spend 1 1/2 hours a day on literacy
Independent Reading
Word Study (spelling, grammar, vocabulary)
Reading Workshop

19. Every student will have a Math Journal to work in
Everyday Mathematics
The program is based on research that shows children learn best when information can be connected to what they already know.
As the name implies, it seeks to relate math to everyday life.
Everyday Math teaches children that there are many ways to get to the same answer
Every student will have a Math Journal to work in

20. Math
Students need to know their basic addition and subtraction facts to 20.
Practicing math facts at home is IMPORTANT!!!!
Resources to use at home:
Some of them require payments

21. Assessing and Reporting the Learning of Mathematics

22. Teaching the Grade Level Standards
Student Friendly “I CAN” Learning Targets Parent Friendly Examples of Learning Targets
Shared with parents at the beginning of each unit of study

23. Pretesting of Students to Inform Teaching
This pretest will also be sent home before the end of unit assessment

24. Post Assessment Progress Towards Mastery of Mathematical Standards
This will be sent home at the end of each unit for each child along with resources for standards not yet mastered

25. Post Assessment Progress Towards Mastery of Mathematical Standards
The scoring aligns with the semester school report card

26. Supporting at Home Find out more at www.corestandards.org
Encourage reading at home
Ask your child about what they are reading

27. Important!
Read, read, read! Students are expected to read for 20 minutes a night and fill out their reading log. Parents should sign to say this was done. This is part of the Home Learning Menu but we strongly encourage parents to push their child with this.
All homework is to be returned to school in their homework folder the following Sunday.
Some work not completed in class will be sent home to be
completed.

28. Homework
Home Learning Menu – Homework in Grade 2 is given in the form of a Home Learning Menu. This gives your child options and ownership of their homework. They have 1 week to complete the menu and hand it back to their homeroom teacher. This will foster a sense of independence in each child and allow them to organize and plan their own work.
There are 12 boxes on the Home Learning menu. Your child MUST complete 6, they may do more if they wish. They have a reading log and a small journal in their folder also. They choose their work, color the box, include the work in the folder and return it to class the following Sunday.

29. Cafeteria
Please stop by the cafeteria to see what lunch options are available for your child.
If you are going to send your child with lunch, please try to make it healthy.
Your child will go to lunch at 11:30am, and needs to stay inside the cafeteria sitting down and eating until 11:50am. If they are too hot outside at recess they are welcome to go sit in the cafeteria. There are planned indoor recess locations when the ‘real feel’ temperature gets over 45 degrees.

30. Notes to School Please write an email or send a note if your child:
is absent
has an appointment
is leaving early
has a transportation change
It is the student’s responsibility to give the note to me.
When picking up your child from school early you must sign them out from the office.

31. Responsibility and Independence
It is our goal for your child to become an independent and responsible learner.
Here is how you can help:
 Teach and encourage your child to tie his/her own shoes, zip coat, snap and button clothing.
 Learn and practice address, phone number, parents cell number, and birth date.
 Help your child by holding them responsible for their own homework and behavior.
 Let them pack their own backpacks the night before school
and carry their own backpacks while at school.

32. WEBSITES www.abcteach.com www.starfall.com
Literacy:
Math:
General
username: uasdubai
password: uasd12345
You will get information about Raz Kids and IXL as soon as we get the usernames and passwords.

33. Contact Information
The key to a successful school year is communication between home and school. Please me at with any questions or concerns.
If your child is sick please call the office at
Second Grade Teachers
Debbie O’Sullivan – room 210 Cindi Meeks – room 205
Beenish Russell– room 209 Lorraine Dalton – room 207
Please make sure to read the weekly newsletter on the class blog.
Problems with the Portal, please contact:

34. Where to find other teachers?
If you wish to meet your child’s specialist teachers (Art, Music, PE, Arabic and/or Islamic) they can be found in the Elementary Library and the Arabic classrooms.
ELL teachers and LS teachers are in the Elementary Library also.

35. Any questions? Our Wonderful parents
Thank you for coming tonight. I am looking forward to a wonderful year of learning with your children.
Any questions?