S.T.A.R. Binder Overview

Students Taking Academic Responsibility

Front Binder Pocket:

School and PTA Papers

In the front pocket of the binder you will find important school and PTA papers.  Papers will be sent home in this pocket each Monday.  Please remove and read all of these papers promptly; they will keep you in touch with important news and events that are happening at Bells Crossing Elementary.

First Clear Sleeve:

Newsletter & Daily Schedule

In the first clear sleeve you will find a copy of our weekly newsletter. This newsletter will include an overview of lessons for the week, as well as other important classroom information.  On the backside of this sleeve is our classroom daily schedule.  Please note the time of our lunch and plan to come eat with your child occasionally if possible!

Second Clear Sleeve:

Writing Calendar & Class Roster

In the second clear sleeve you will find a monthly writing calendar. This calendar will provide journal topics for nightly writing.  Nightly writing will only be required occasionally, but it is always encouraged. :-)  Behind the journal calendar you will find a class roster. This can be used for sending out birthday invitations, Valentine cards, etc.

Third Clear Sleeve:

O.S.C.A.R.S. Club & Speller’s Choice

In the third clear sleeve you will find a list of O.S.C.A.R.S. Club activities.  The O.S.C.A.R.S. Club is completely optional.  It is a club for students who love learning and are motivated to take the initiative to challenge themselves!  On the backside of this sleeve is a list of Speller’s Choice activities.  Students may choose among these activities for weekly spelling homework assignments.

Fourth Clear Sleeve:

Word Wall Words & Language of the Standards

In the fourth clear sleeve you will find a list of the second grade word wall words.  As we learn these words, students will highlight them.  This will help you keep track of words that will be on our random sampling portion of the spelling test each week so you can review these on a regular basis with your child.  On the backside of this sleeve is a list of the “Language of the Standards” for second grade.  We will have a non-graded quiz on 5 of these each week.  By the end of the year students should have mastered all of these!

Fifth Clear Sleeve:

Study Guides

In the fifth clear sleeve you will find a language study guide.  This guide provides you with an outline of the language skills we will learn in 2^nd grade.  As these skills are learned, students will highlight them.  Once a skill is highlighted it may appear on future language quizzes repeatedly.  On the backside of this sleeve you will find current unit study guides for science and/or social studies. 

Pocket Folder:

Paper Work

In the LEFT pocket you will find class work that your child has completed and is ready to be “left” at home. This pocket should be cleaned out each evening. After you have "oooed and aahhed" over your child's work, I'm sure you will want to hang it on the refrigerator to ENJOY!  On Mondays, this pocket will also hold any “school” papers (such as PTA/School communications and graded work) that should be “left” at home.

In the RIGHT pocket you will find our weekly homework packet or papers that need to be returned to school. These papers need to be completed and returned “right” back to school. Please review homework with your child for careless mistakes and initial the top of each page so that I know it was reviewed by you. Thank you!

Spiral Notebook

Communication Log

The spiral notebook will serve as our family/teacher communication log.  This will be for notes between you and me.  Please stress to your children that this is ONLY for the teacher and parents to write in.  Check this section daily and I will try to do the same.  Please ask your child to let me know when there is a note from you in the log. I will not have time to check each communication log for notes each day.  There will be a special basket in the classroom for your child to place his/her S.T.A.R. Binder in if it has a note for the teacher. I ask that you leave any notes that we may write in the notebook so that we can look back and remember any communications we may have had. I will initial all notes I read from you and ask that you do the same. That way, we know our notes have been read, even when no response is necessary.