Welcome Parents!

1. Welcome Parents! Before we begin, please take time to : • Read the letter written by your child and write a response. • Fill out the November conference form • Preview the power point presentation packet for tonight • Look around our classroom!

2. WELCOMETOMrs. Slinka’sSECOND GRADEBACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT

3. Who is Mrs. Slinka?

4. Our Classroom Community • Our Mission Statement • Encourage a safe and positive learning environment • Character Traits Respect Responsibility Collaboration Citizenship • Be a Bucket Filler! • See Behavior Policy in homework folder for expectations • Behavior Chart- Students will mark where their clothespin was on the chart at the end of the day in their homework folder.

5. Mornings 8:15-9:00 Arrival/Morning Work/ Morning Meeting 9:00-9:50 Writing 9:50-10:20 Reading 10:20-11:00 Specials 11:00-11:15 Snack 11:15-12:15 Reading Groups/ Centers Afternoons 1:15-1:30 Read Aloud/ Class Meeting 1:30-2:30 Math 2:30-3:10 Content 3:15 Dismissal Daily Schedule

6. Specials Schedule • Monday- Computer • Tuesday-Art • Wednesday- Library • Thursday- Music • Friday – P.E.

7. Everyday Math • Spiral Curriculum • Math Journal, Homelink books with parent letters, Math Reference Book- Everything is ONLINE at www.everydaymathonline.com • Tool kit (coins, clock, number grid, flash cards, etc.) • Fact Fluency– Students will participate in Xtra Math to help with fact fluency. We will practice on the computer and with paper and pencil. Our goal is 50 facts in 3 minutes by June. See Fact Fluency on classroom website for practice sheets. • Helpful websites for additional practice…www.everydaymathonline.com (Click on “at home student login”. Enter teacher name, student name, and password) • www.xtramath.org www.aplusmath.com www.coolmath4kids.com www.allentownsd.org/EETT Practice, Practice, Practice!

8. Reading Skills Fluency Accuracy Before/ During/ After Reading Comprehension Strategies Finding “Just Right Books” (appropriate reading level) Retelling/ Summarizing Writing about reading When reading at home…talk about books! Curriculum • Good Habits, Great Readers program • whole and small group instruction • “Daily Five” Centers: 1. Read to Self (2nd grade benchmark = 20 minutes of independent sustained reading) 2. Read to Someone 3. Writing 4. Word Work (Words Their Way) 5. Listen to Reading

9. How Do I PICK a “Good Fit” Book? • I Choose a book • Purpose …Why do I want to read this book? • Interest… Do I like this book? • Comprehend…Do I understand what I’m reading? • Know…DoI know most of the words? (use 5 finger rule)

10. How Do I Check if the Words are too Difficult? The Five Finger Rule • Open to any page and try to read it. • Count the words you miss. 0-1 finger = Too Easy 2-3 fingers = Just Right 4-5 fingers = Too Hard

11. Types of Writing Narratives – “Small Moments” Poetry Non-fiction (research, “how-to”, letters) Opinion writing Summarizing Journals Creative writing Skills Complete sentences Capitalization and Punctuation Paragraphs (main idea and supporting detail) Handwriting/ Spacing Revising and editing Generating and developing ideas How Will Writing be Assessed? Pennsylvania Domain Scoring Guide/ Central Bucks Rubric Focus Content Organization Style Conventions Writing

12. Friday Journal • Students will write about what they did in school during the week. • They will bring the journal home on Friday. • Parents will read and respond in the journal over the weekend. • Students will return the journal on Monday for a sticker. GOAL: To improve communication between students and parents about what happens in school.

13. Spelling • Words Their Way Program • Materials: Spelling/ Phonics workbook, Spelling Homework Book • Number of words per week varies/ Study the words in the homework book • Word lists are available on classroom website. • Each week focuses on a different word pattern.

14. Science Habitats Rocks Sound www.learningscience.org Social Studies Civics Kids Voting Economics Geography Science and Social Studies

15. General Information • School Hours:   8:15 a.m.  – 3:15 p.m. • A child arriving after 8:35 a.m. will be considered tardy and will need to stop at the office to sign in. • A note is REQUIRED if your child is late or absent!

16. Lunch: 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Check the menu for daily choices. Please send a check in an envelope labelled with your child’s name. DO NOT SEND CASH! Please send a healthy snack with your child each day too. Recess:   12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  We go outside whenever possible. Children should dress appropriately for the weather. On very cold days, the time will be abbreviated. Recess equipment is provided by the school; items from home are NOT permitted. Lunch and Recess

17. Dismissal: 3:15 p.m. • Children may ONLY ride their own bus unless an emergency arises or unless child care reasons permit otherwise. • Please send a note if your child’s regular dismissal changes or if he/she is leaving early for an appointment. If there is a change after 1:30 pm, PLEASE call the main office at 267-893-3700. Do NOT assume that I have received an email or voicemail after 1:30 pm. • If your child is being picked up before 3:15 p.m., please stop at the office and your child will be called. • Please make sure your child knows how he/she will be getting home!

18. Absences Please send in an excuse note the day your child returns to school. Parents may request work be sent home with a sibling or neighbor. Please make requests by 9:30 a.m. School work missed due to absence needs to be made up as soon as possible. Vacations If a child will be absent due to a vacation, please notify me prior to the anticipated absence. ALL vacations need to be pre-approved by Dr. Garvin. Forms are available in the office. Absences

19. Homework Policy • Homework Folder • Parents should sign their child’s homework folder each night. • Approximately 20 minutes of homework each night. • Independent Reading – Your child should read every night. • Parents are a resource!! • If your child is experiencing difficulty or spending a great amount of time completing assignments, please send me a note.  • When a student does not complete an assignment and does not have a note from a parent, a Homework Reminder will be sent home to be signed. If not completed for the following day, the student will complete the assignment during his/her recess. • See HOMEWORK POLICY on website and in Homework Folder

20. Birthdays • Alternative ways to celebrate birthdays include being a mystery reader, donating a book to the library in your child’s honor, sending in bookmarks, stickers, pencils, etc. You are encouraged tocelebrate in one of these ways rather than sending ina food item. • Students will each take the Birthday Bag home for one night. Please keep the contents of the brown bag at home and return the Birthday Bag and book. • It is asked that home birthday party invitations to a small group of children not be distributed in school due to the sensitivity of other children’s feelings.

21. OPTION 1 Parents order online www.scholastic.com/parentordering Set up account Pay by credit card Books delivered to school OPTION 2 Return form to school Pay by check made payable to Scholastic Books Books delivered to school Scholastic Book Orders

22. Class Websitewww.moourl.com/slinka How to Access the Website • Go to www.cbsd.org • Click on the Elementary School Tab, then Bridge Valley Tab • Click on Teacher Websites • Click on Mrs. Slinka What Does Our Website Include? • Class Announcements and Resources • Helpful links • Classroom Calendar • Curriculum information

23. Classroom Coordinators Special thanks to our classroom coordinator Mrs. Eron fruity@comcast.net Announcements….

24. Glue sticks Items for classroom store/ prize jar (no candy) Clorox wipes Ziploc bags (snack, sandwich, quart, and gallon sized) Paper towels Books in good condition for classroom library Colored copy paper Index cards Napkins stickers Classroom Donations

25. BTSN Reminders… Don’t forget to… • Fill out Conference Form • Write a reply to your child’s letter • Leave everything at your child’s desk!

26. Questions or Comments • Please contact me anytime throughout the year. • mslinka@cbsd.org • Voicemail: 267-893-3710 • Main Office: 267-893-3700 THANK YOU!