August 11, 2008

 

 

 

Dear Parents,

 

            I would like to welcome you and your child to second grade.  We are looking forward to a full year of learning and fun.  I will do my very best to provide your child with the best education possible. Let’s work together to have a successful year for your child.  I feel team work is important.  Every child is unique and deserves the best education possible.  I have a great plan for teaching your child to the best of his/her ability and creating an orderly classroom that will provide an atmosphere for learning and fun  The purpose of this letter is to introduce myself and to inform you of some very important things you need to know.   First, let me introduce myself.  This is my third year at Johnson and my fifth year as a teacher.  I have taught kindergarten and the second grade.  I am married to a great man and have two wonderful daughters.  They are 15 and 19.  Every child is very special to me.  I know by working together, we can teach your child good things.   

 

                                                                                                          DISCIPLINE

 

            In my classroom, I use the “Fry Your Best” discipline plan.  Each child has a McDonald’s fry box with ten sticks in their box.  If a child breaks a classroom rule a stick is removed from their fry box.  Each stick missing from the box counts as ten points and they have to go to timeout for 10 minutes.  At the end of the week, the sticks are counted and your child will come home with their conduct grade.  The grade will be written on a piece of paper called “conduct.”  On this paper it will show you how many sticks are lost each day and why.  Each child begins earning their conduct grade starting on Monday for each week.  For example: if a student loses two sticks on Monday, the child has time out for 20 minutes.  The student has eight sticks remaining in their box and their conduct grade is an 80%.  If they still have 8 sticks on Friday, they receive a conduct grade of 80% for that week.  If a child loses three sticks they will complete an Action Plan.  If they lose four sticks they will complete an Action Plan and have it signed.  The conduct grade goes home each Friday and I ask a parent or guardian to sign the paper and have your child return it on Monday. The conduct paper will be in the homework folder.  If your child has eight, nine or ten sticks in their box, they get a reward for following the classroom rules.

 

                                                                                                            RULES

 

R – Raise your hand when you want to speak

E – Encourage others and have fun

W – Work quietly and do not disturb other students

A – Always respect the schools property, others and your own

R – Responsible – be responsible for your actions and do all your work

D – Do your best

 

                                                                                               

                                                                                                            HOMEWORK

 

Your child will bring home a homework folder each day.  The homework folder must be returned to school the next day.  This folder will contain a homework sheet on Monday.  It will list the homework for the week.  The only homework your child has is what is listed on the homework sheet; anything else is probably unfinished class work.  All graded papers will go home on Thursday in the homework folder.  Please review and discuss your child’s work with him/her and return the folder on Friday.  These folders will be signed and initialed by the parent after the graded work has been reviewed with your child.  I will keep the graded papers. 

 

TESTS

 

            Your child will have a spelling and reading test each Friday.  The reading test will be over the story our class read for that week.  Each child will have the opportunity to read each story in the reading book three times to prepare them for the test.  I will send home a note of any other tests that will be given.  If a student does not complete his/her homework, they lose their recess time and their homework must be completed during recess.    

 

      READING

 

            Accelerated Reading is an important part of our classroom reading program.  Each child is required to read 10 minutes every night for homework (Monday – Thursday).  I require my students to read 30 minutes each night on the weekend for homework (Saturday and Sunday).  There will be a reading log in your child’s homework folder.  Please write the name of the book, minutes read and initial for each day they read (Monday – Thursday, Saturday and Sunday).  I require each child to read as much as they can each day.  I ask each student to take two AR tests a week on his/her reading level.  They will be tested on the books when they feel they are ready to pass a test.  We will be visiting the library soon to check out books.    

 

            Again, I look forward to a great year with your child and you.  If you have any questions please call me at school, 706-748-2795.  Please read this letter and discuss it with your child, sign and return on Tuesday, August 12.  Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

 

Mrs. Self