September Newsletter

Grade 2 Newsletter

Rick Hansen Public School

September 2016

Ms. Brown

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back to an exciting new year of school at Rick Hansen Public School! My name is Ms. Brown and I will be your child’s Grade 2 homeroom teacher.  I am looking forward to a wonderful year with your child filled with many exciting opportunities and new learning experiences.  This newsletter contains important information about our Grade 2 classroom and routines.

Agendas and BEE Bags Each student at Rick Hansen P.S. will use an agenda. The agenda will help your child learn to keep track of homework and remember important dates.  It will be an important tool for parent-teacher communication.  Please check the agenda each day for completion of homework and sign your initials.  Please sign even if there is no homework to help keep us consistent with our daily routine. I strongly recommend getting one of our school agendas.  They are $4.00.  Please send in this money ASAP if you did not already pre-pay for one last year. BEE bags are our “Bring Everything Everyday” bags.  They will travel to and from school everyday.  For any important documents coming home, there will be a white home folder inside your child’s BEE bag.  Please use this folder to “keep documents at home” or “bring back to school.”  You are always welcome to leave a note in your child’s agenda if you have any questions or comments and I will respond in a timely manner.  Teachers in Our Classroom Mr. Carr – Media Literacy  Ms. Raczkowski - Social Studies Mr. Alexander – Music Ms. Walterhouse – Drama and Dance Mrs. Ford - Library Parent Questionnaire Please complete the questionnaire and return ASAP.  This information is for my reference and will be kept in the classroom. Class News Each month I will post updates about what we are learning about in class and upcoming events to our classroom blog. http://brownrhps.blogspot.ca/ Birthdays Given that there are many serious food allergies at Rick Hansen P.S., we kindly ask that you do not send any food to school for your child’s birthday or any other school day.  As a class, we will acknowledge and celebrate each child’s birthday so there is no need to bring anything to school.    Snacks and Lunches Please send your child to school with a nutritious snack and lunch every day. There is a 10 minute nutrition break before morning recess. We encourage students to bring recyclable containers whenever possible. At Rick Hansen P.S. we are lucky to have a green bin program! Please encourage your child to put uneaten food (e.g., banana peels, apple cores) inside the green bin in our classroom instead of inside the garbage. ***Please keep in mind that Rick Hansen P.S. is a nut-free environment, therefore all lunches and snacks should be completely peanut and nut free.*** Gym Clothing Our scheduled gym days are Day 1 (in the gym) and Day 5 (outdoors).  Students do not need to bring extra gym clothes to school; however, non-scuff running shoes are required (white soles).  Opportunities for outdoor physical activity will also be provided.  Indoor & Outdoor Shoes All students should have 2 pairs of shoes at school everyday: indoor and outdoor shoes (gym shoes may double as your child’s indoor shoes).  Students should arrive to school and leave school with their outdoor shoes on while their indoor shoes will remain at school at all times.  Please do not send lace up shoes unless your child can tie them independently.   Please do not send crocs, flip flops or dressy shoes. Backpack Please ensure that your child has a backpack to carry to and from school each day.  The backpack needs to be large enough to hold his or her lunch, agenda, Bee Bag, and library books, as well as any work that may be sent home. Outdoor and Extra Clothing Outdoor play is a part of our daily program in all seasons.  Please dress your child in appropriate clothing for weather conditions.  Please put your child’s name in all clothing that she or he might take off at school (shoes, sweaters, coats, boots, etc.). Sometimes it is a good idea to put an extra pair of clothes in your child’s backpack.  If you think your child might need an extra pair of clothes (e.g., due to a bathroom accident, falling into a puddle), you might want to consider this. Toys & Games Toys should not be brought to school and will not be allowed into the classroom.  When students bring toys from home, they can be lost, damaged or stolen.  They can also cause misunderstandings among friends.  Outdoor toys for recess are allowed (e.g., skipping rope, soccer ball).  Please put your child’s name on all items to make sure they stay in their possession.  Supplies The school will provide the majority of school supplies (e.g., pencils, erasers).  If you choose to send additional supplies with your child, please label them with their name.  Students may keep a pencil case or box in their backpacks.  If you would like to donate supplies to the class, gently used picture books, storybooks, or chapter books are always welcome! Lates & Absences Please try to be at school on time.  You should arrive to school with enough time to hear the bell and line up with the class for entry.  The entry bell rings at 9:05 am.  If you are late, you must visit the office to receive a late slip before coming to class.  If you know that your child will be away from school, please let the office know ahead of time.  Please try to avoid any unnecessary absences because attendance at school will significantly affect your child’s education.  Dismissal & Safety Please ensure that your child knows who is picking them up after school.  At this time, Grade 2 classes will exit the school using the west doors (the doors that face the park and splash pad).  I will be outside with our class each day after school to ensure students are dismissed to their parents and guardians. If you are going to be late, please inform the office.   Please fill out our parent information survey so I have an up to date list of who has your permission to pick up your child. Pride Assemblies At the end of every month RHPS has a Pride Assembly.  Each month, a different grade hosts the assembly and focuses on a special character trait (e.g. responsibility, honestly, perseverance, etc.)  During the assembly, every homeroom teacher gives out a certificate to one student who demonstrates the character trait being celebrated each month.   These assemblies also are a way for our staff, students and community to share what is happening next in our school and also to celebrate accomplishments! Families are welcome to attend Pride Assemblies.  I will give a few days notice to your family if your child will be receiving a certificate.   Please stay tuned for when our class will be hosting the Pride Assembly. Homework Reading is the most important homework you can encourage your child to do each day.  Setting aside 10 to 15 minutes of reading into your nightly routine is most beneficial to your child, as the best way to improve as a reader is to just read!  It’s also a great time to connect with your child.  This daily homework should include reading or listening to stories and practicing sight words at home.  More information will be coming home this week about our spelling and poem/song homework. How to Contact Me Parent communication is incredibly important to me.  Please contact me with any questions or concerns that you may have throughout the year.  You can reach me by calling the school, writing a note in your child’s agenda, or by email.  When returning forms and money, please ensure that it is placed securely in an envelope or Ziploc baggie with your child’s name written on it. * Agenda and BEE Bag – for notes, money, returned forms, etc. Phone  -  (905) 841-6225  (X. 215) E-mail  -  suzanne.brown@yrdsb.ca Please be aware I am not at my computer often during school hours to respond to emails.   If you wish to contact me at the beginning of the school day please call or write in your child’s agenda/note in BEE bag. Permission forms will be sent home for our classroom website next week! Thank you for your cooperation and your support!  I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year in Grade 2! Sincerely, Ms. Brown.   J

School Schedule 8:55am-9:10am Teachers on duty.  Please drop your child off in primary area.  9:05am Entry bell Students enter through west primary doors. 9:10am -10:50am Instructional Time – Literacy 10:50am - 11:20am Morning Recess 11:20am -1:00pm Instructional Time 1:00pm – 2:00pm Lunch and lunch recess 2:00pm – 3:40pm Instructional Time 3:40pm Dismissal