Welcome to 2 nd Grade

1. Welcome to 2nd Grade Mrs. Graveley 2014-15

2. Introduce Myself • I’m ready for a great year! • Wendy Graveley, born and raised in Helena. Married a Townsend native. Have two boys. A Sophmore and an 8th grader. • My previous experience: • Previous classroom experience: • 1st & 2nd grade in Elko, Nevada ~2 yrs. • K,1,2 combination class ~ 3 yrs. Rural school setting • 1st grade ~ 7 yrs. Townsend Elementary • Reading Specialist ~ 4 yrs. Townsend • 2nd Grade past 8 yrs. • 25th year as an elementary educator

3. Technology~ Stay Connected • School Website • New Sharp Schools Website • http://townsend.sharpschool.com • Directory – elementary – 2nd Grade • E-mail: wgraveley@townsend.k12.mt.us • Webpage connect: 2nd Grade Page http://edu.symbaloo.com/mix/mrsflynnsstudentpage

4. A few procedures… • Please keep me posted of any changes with your after school routines. (after school program, special arrangements, etc.) • The scariest part of my job is receiving a phone call regarding a lost child. • Please have your child keep a back pack for transporting their belongings. • Hot weather ~ please feel free to send water bottles to school. • Please check daily folders / Planners for important information.

5. Take Home Folder & Planner • Daily take home folder and Planner • It needs to go home daily and return to school daily. • Contents: • Important papers • Home Fun Assignments • Student Planner Book-Please us this book to look for home fun, behavior reports, or any other important information. • You may also use the planner to write me an important note. • Any communication that needs to get safely home and/or to school.

6. Home Folder / Student Planner Sign daily so I know you saw this. Spelling Fun! Wrote in pudding. All star behavior. I got 1 foul today. Johnny wasn’t feeling well this morning I have a math home fun assignment in my folder. I will be picking Johnny up at 1:00 today. If this is blank still sign the parent signature line so I know you saw this.

7. FEED YOUR HIPPO!! • Hippo Campus – Part of the brain where new information is stored (short term memory) • Feed your brain turn the short term memory into long term memory by: *Home Fun! – Quick review of what has been taught at school. *”Bedside 5” – Take up to 5 minutes to review just before settling into bed for the night. • Long term memory converts during sleeping (REM Sleep) • It can take up to 7 days of daily review or home fun to transfer to long term memory.

8. Wow! I Didn’t Know… • Movies & Personal Experiences that bring on: • Fear • Anxiety • Stress • Threats *** Brains that experience these feelings … WIPE OUT all the new learning that has taken place prior to the emotion.

9. Homework HOME FUN! X • 20/20 Reading Calendar ~ The continuation of reading daily builds long term memory. • (20 minutes of daily reading for 20 days of the month.) • Math Sheets ~ Math Home Links will be sent home to reinforce new concepts taught that day. • This is where you can see what we are doing in math class. There daily assignments are in their workbook and you won’t see it until we finish the workbook.

10. Ways you can help… • Sign up to be a Mystery Reader in our classroom. • Pick a date on my calendar • Write 5 clues about yourself ~ turn in prior to arrival so we can check out your clues and guess who you are before we see you. • Come to our classroom and share your favorite book as a read aloud with the class. You can bring your own book or I can get any book you need from the library. • Snazzy Snack Sign ups. • Pick a date to provide the ingredients for our monthly writing assignment. • I will contact you with a shopping list when it gets close to our snazzy snack writing assignment. • Send healthy finger snacks for daily snack. Ex.) bag of pretzels, fish crackers, cheese snacks, fruit snacks, graham crackers, etc. (I just give them a small handful to help them get through the morning.)

11. TEAM RULES Be Respectful Be Responsible Always Do Your Best

12. Happy & Safe Classroom • Follow school rules! • Follow directions the first time they are given. • Raise your hand before you speak. • Keep your hands, feet and other objects to yourself. • Move between activities in an orderly manner. • In the hall use a O voice, and walk on the right side of the hallway.

13. Class DoJo • Class Dojo is a computer behavior tracker - Allows me to track behavior throughout the day • Every Friday – send you a behavior report by e-mail. (if you have access & are interested in receiving report) Would need your e-mail address for this. – Class Dojo Letter • Coupon Fridays – kids will earn special rewards for having good behavior for the week.

14. Coupon Fridays –100% – behavior report • In order to earn coupons - must participate 100% accuracy on Class DoJo behavior reports. • Swip /Swap – change seats with someone • Line Jumping – move anywhere in the line • Ball chairs • Redeem for free pencil/eraser • Wear a hat to school • Read to class • show and tell • Sit at teacher’s desk • Dibs a computer • Stinky Feet – take shoes off while in classroom • Free homework card • Chew gum in class for the day. • Create and share a class cheer or handshake • NEW CHOICES to come

15. All-Star Behavior • The Slam Dunk Basketball Hoop will also be used to monitor behavior. • Just as in basketball, students will earn fouls for not following classroom rules. • At the end of each month, all students earning 2 or less fouls will earn a special reward. • See the attached sheet in packet for details.

16. Do you Facebook? • We have a 2nd grade “private group” on facebook • Which means only members of the group can see and post in it. It will not show up on facebook searches. • This group will only be open to family members of students in 2nd grade. • We will not tag photos and ask that you not tag any photos to prevent them from circulating on profiles. This will keep photos contained to our group. • Please remember this is an informational group and will only be used to communicate 2nd grade news, information, and success. • Please do not use this page to send negative or confidential information. • We have experimented with this the last couple of years and it works well for the frequent Facebooker. It is not necessary to become a facebooker, since we do send all communication pieces home with the kids. • If you would like to be a part of the 2nd grade allstars private group, watch for the information and survey.

17. **Important Information** • 3:00 Dismissal – M-th • Fridays 2:30 • There is no supervision in front of the school. • All kids will be sent to the playground until 3:30. Unless there is a ride waiting for them. • Walkers need to walk directly after school or go to the playground. • School policy ~ No “Soda Pop” in lunches. • Attendance Hot Line 441-3452

18. **Important Information** • Picking up and dropping off students • Front doors become too congested in the morning. • Please use the playground gate entrance to the school. All students will be asked to go directly to the playground each morning. • Note: You can park up against the sidewalk and wait in the drive through.

19. Reading Groups • All students in second grade will be assigned to a reading teacher. (May be different than their classroom teacher.) • Groups are designed for many purposes: • Small group instruction • 90 min. of daily reading instruction • Placed in groups to better meet individual student needs • Maintain adequate student achievement • Focus • Comprehension, fluency, phonics, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and a love for reading. • Teachers ~ Miss Fischer, Mrs. Graveley, Ms. Kimpton, Mrs. Olinger

20. Ways to help your child bloom • Stay involved in your child’s education. • Engage your child in conversation about his/her day. I see your learning about…what did you find out? • Check the take home folder/planner daily. • Set evening routines ~ including home fun time. ***Feed your hippo!!!

21. How Important is Reading EACH DAY? • Reading for 20 minutes each day will build your reading fluency tremendously! • READ 1 minute each day and you will gain 8,000 new words per year. • READ 4.6 minutes each day and you will gain 282,000 words per year • READ 20 minutes each day and you will gain 1.8 million words per year. • THE MORE YOU READ THE SMARTER YOU GET!

22. Schedule of Specials • Monday ~ P.E. • Tuesday ~ Library • Wednesday ~ Music • Thursday ~ P.E • Friday ~ Music • Please wear appropriate clothing and shoes on PE days. • Library books should be returned weekly. If they want to keep a book longer than 2 weeks they can check it out again.

23. School Calendar • September • 1st - Labor Day ~ No School • 26th - Mid quarter • October • 16th & 17th Teacher’s Convention ~ No school • 31st – End of 1st Quarter • November • 4th & 6th - k-3 Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-7pm • 26th - Early release 1:30 • 27th & 28th - Happy Thanksgiving ~ No School • December • 5th - Mid quarter • 23rd - Early release ~ 1:30 • 24rd - Jan. 2nd-Christmas Vacation ~ No School

24. Open Line of Communication • Parent/Teacher Conferences ~ • November, April • Report Cards ~ • November, January, March, and May • The door is always open. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to stop by or call. (After school is always good) • Please feel free to jot me a note in the daily planner. Our daily routine will make sure we see the planner daily. • I will contact you by daily planner, e-mail, note or telephone if there is something we need to discuss. • You may also e-mail me at wgraveley@townsend.k12.mt.us • Join our private facebook group in second grade??? Only if interest • Watch for Class Dojo behavior reports each Friday.

25. Goals~ As a teacher… • To have happy students and parents. • Concerns ~ please be in touch with me immediately. I need to be aware of the situation so I can provide a comfortable solution. • To provide your child with the best 2nd grade experience I can offer. • Provide a learning environment conducive to your child’s needs. • To see a tremendous amount of growth throughout the school year. • All kids look forward to coming to school each day.

26. THANK YOU! • Thanks for being here today. • Thanks for caring about your child’s education. • Thank you for trusting me in teaching your child!