WELCOME TO MRS. WINTERS' CLASS! I have lots of great plans and am very excited to begin. We are in for a great year!
Drop off/Pick up Procedures: Your child should be dropped off outside the primary entrance at 7:50 a.m. This gives your child a chance to unpack their bookbag and get into class before the 8:00 bell. Please do not bring your child before 7:50. Teachers are not on duty before 7:50 and I don't want to take any chance of your child being unsupervised in our building, for their own safety. School does begin promptly at 8 a.m. Prayers and announcements begin at 8:00. If your child comes in after they have begun, they will be marked tardy. It makes for a much smoother start to the day if your child is on time. 
Dismissal: Latch Key children are picked up by the latch key teachers in our hallway after school. Our procedures have changed this year. Bus riders will be sent up to meet for the bus at 2:20. Walkers will be dismissed from their classrooms at 2:25. All walkers must exit through the front doors (not the rear of the building). We will then walk car riders out at 2:30. Everyone must exit and leave the grounds immediately. Mrs. Willmes will be outside for the first few days helping direct traffic due to new dismissal procedures for the cars. Please be sure that YOU as a parent are following all of the rules for the safety of all of our children.
Second Grade Fees: Fees for this year are $20.00. This fee includes your child's assignment book, Scholastic News, communication folder,a word book dictionary and writing paper. Please send this fee ASAP.
Snack: We eat a morning snack each day during our morning recess. Children need to bring one snack for this purpose. Please do not send drinks for this snack. Sliced apples, grapes and pretzels are good snack examples. It is best not to send snacks which need to be eaten with a spoon. The children tend to forget the spoon or they have to figure out what to do with it during the remainder of their recess time.
Lunch: 
We eat lunch in the cafeteria at 11:50 a.m. Children need to bring a lunch each day. We do offer chips, white and chocolate milk and orange drink in the cafeteria for purchase. (I think they are a quarter or perhaps 30 cents each) It is important that your child have a good, healthy lunch each day. If your child forgets his/her lunch, Mrs. Veder allows them a milk and a snack. Please remember to send money the next day to repay her. This holds them over but offers limited nutrition so please try to remind them to grab their lunchbox each morning! If you realize your child has forgotten their lunch, you may drop it off in the school office and they will let me know. I will have your child pick it up at a convenient time. 
Important Note: Please do not bring restaurant food to your child for lunch. I know it is nice to treat your child but it is very hard on all of the other children who are eating their sack lunches to see your child with McDonald's burger and a coke! The PTG provides scheduled days where your child will be able to order lunch from various area restaurants. Thank you.
Recess Helpers: We have a morning recess and an afternoon recess. Morning recess is from 10:30 until approximately 10:50. Afternoon recess is from 12:10 until approximately 12:40. (Note: Parking spots are hard to find for afternoon recess due to mass parking. Plan to arrive a bit early) We do ask for parent volunteers to help with this endeavor. A sign up sheet will go home early in the year for September through December. Please respond as soon as possible if you are interested. If you sign up, please make every effort to be here at your assigned time. If something comes up, contact another parent. If you cannot find a replacement, call the office so that we are aware of the situation. In case of emergency, we really need another adult to be on duty. Another sign up sheet will go home in December to sign up for January through May.
Absence: Please be sure to call the office and report your child's absence in the morning. A note should then be sent with your child when they return to school. If your child will be out more than one day, call the office and ask for their homework to be prepared. Be sure to and ask for homework and it will be ready after 2:15. Your child MUST bring in a note the day that they return to school. You can find a generic fill in note on this site under Papers Sent Home... Thank you.
Specials:
Monday: Computers
Tuesday: Church music 
Art 
Wednesday: Mass, P.E.
Thursday: Library 
Friday: Music 
P.E. : Your child will need to bring their gym clothes on Wednesdays. Please remember to put their name on all pieces of clothing (all of their gym clothing as well as all of their uniform pieces)!
Birthdays: 
We enjoy celebrating birthdays in our class. You are welcome to send in a snack for us to share in celebration. I would ask that you please not send in anything that requires cutting before being served. These treats are passed out before lunch. We have 18 children in our class (and one sweet loving teacher!) Summer birthdays may be celebrated on their 1/2 birthday . Birthday party invitations should not be passed out at school unless all of the children are going to be invited.
Estimate Jar: 
We have an estimate jar in our classroom all year. I fill this container with candy at the beginning of the year. The children estimate how many pieces are in the container, write their estimate down with their name and put it in a cup. The child who has the closest estimate on Friday wins the jar. They take it home, enjoy the treats inside and then... you get to fill it back up for us! (lucky you!) Please write the number of pieces on a slip of paper, fold the paper and then tape it securely to the lid of the container.
Spelling Tests: Trial tests are given on Wednesday and final tests on Friday. At some point, probably after first quarter, I will allow those who receive 100% on Wednesday to be exempt from taking the final test on Friday. Around the beginning of third quarter, I will add a sentence to the Spelling test. Every word in the sentence will need to be spelled correctly and all punctuation must be correct and in place.
Friday Folders: 
I keep all graded work to be sent home in one folder on Friday. I find that this system works well so that you know when to look for graded work. This helps lessen the chances of important papers crumpled in the desk, the bottom of the bookbag or in the garbage can..
There will also be a Friday envelope going home with the youngest child in each family containing all of the mail from the office, PTG, scouts... The goal is to have papers coming home on Fridays only.
Book Orders: 
As you will quickly be able to figure out, I absolutely love reading and I love books and I hope to encourage your children in the same love. I encourage you to try to purchase a book for your child whenever the budget allows ( I understand tight budgets!). The children take great pride in ownership and the excitement on book order delivery day is awesome. The children question me daily as to when the books will arrive. Please do not send cash for your orders. Checks should be made payable to Scholastic book clubs. You can also order online now. Go to Scholastic.com/parentordering. Our class user name is MrsWintersClass2. Our password is room2B.
Discipline Policy: I use a step ladder discipline system. First they receive a warning. If they must move their clothespin to red, it is 5 minutes missed recess, blue is 10 minutes missed recess and purple is no recess. There is always the option of sending the student directly to the office for serious behavior problems, severe or constant disruptions or endangering themselves or others.
Dress Code Policy: Students are expected to be in correct uniform attire each day as described in the student handbook. This includes tucked in shirts and belts with any pants that have belt loops. Please check your handbook with regard to things like jewelry also.
