The latest RocknRoll Report is out. (The December edition). You can download it on this site if you go to the topic RocknRoll Report. Also check out the Podcast of creative writings we are slowly accumulating. We are a creative class. And we read with expression! The second grade has a newspaper. It is called "The Rock and Roll Report." We also have icons or symbols for this newspaper. You can see the symbols on the newspaper page. We will begin publishing this paper shortly. It will most probably go out once a month. All the parents who are on the e-list will get a copy. All the teachers in the school will also get a copy. If a second grader wants a certain article to get published, he/she should just turn the article in to Mr. Cole. This came up in math, but it really is a good rule of thumb for language arts (journal writing etc.) as well. I call it the Parental Prerogative Rule. The Rule which is officially law in Mr. Cole's homeroom, is that if an assignment is too much for a given child and he/she cannot complete it in a reasonable amount of time, the parent may alter the assignment to something more reasonable. Sometimes mistakes happen. So please, use good judgment when helping a child with homework. If it is too much, write a note on the homework and modify it. We all learn from experience (including teachers). Math books were given out on Wednesday, September 9. They can be kept home and used for homework. The kids should cover them and not write in them. We will do a lot of our weekly homework from the book. With the second week of school, I am beginning to put homework assignments online. The writing topics for the nightly writing journal are found under Language Art Assignments. The assignments for Mr. Cole's math class will be found under Mr. Cole's Math Class. I'm beginning to put events on the calendar. Student pictures will be on Friday, September 25. I also have the date for Back to School Night on the calendar. I'd really like to meet with parent volunteers some time before the volunteers begin just to brainstorm additional ways to use parents in the classroom. It will probably be one day after school, shortly after Back to School Night. If you have a preference, email me. I am creating an e-list for parents. If you did not hear from me today (August 31) via email, that means you aren't on my e-list. Drop me a line at jackbean3@yahoo.com. I'll then add you. The e-list is a wonderful and easy way to dispense information. I'll be using it a lot this year. Just a reminder to anyone who has stumbled upon this site: There is a sneak peek at the school from 2:30 until 3:30 on Friday, August 28. Please come by and meet your new teacher. Feel free to say hi to your old teacher too. It is a wonderful opportunity to get aquainted and reaquainted. The 2009-10 school year is about to begin. If you have found this website, then you are probably either a former student (or parent), or you have a friend who was and guided you to it. This is the webpage we use in Mr. Cole's class to dispense much information. If you are in my class for either math or homeroom, please bookmark it, and use it on a regular basis. It makes communication so much easier. My email is tcole@hcpss.org or jackbean3@yahoo.com. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I check my email on a very regular basis. Tom Cole Second Grade Teacher West Friendship Elementary