Welcome to Second Grade

Welcome to Second Grade You will be a team player on Mrs. Hardcastle’s Leadership Development team! TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More

My Job • To create a safe, positive learning environment. • Love your child!!!! • Teach them how to SOAR and become leaders for today and the future! • Prepare children for third grade and life while having fun. • Be there for each child and create lessons to meet their diverse needs.

High Expectations for Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders!! • This will be the best class at Alvaton, because it has the best kids! • School rules will be expected to be followed because we are Proactive. • Class work and Homework are expected to be completed on time for we know how to put first things first! • You are responsible for your actions, your work, and your attitude.

Some of our units of study will be: • Our Local Government and Laws • Animals: Groups, Adaptations, Food Chains, Endangered & Extinct • Christmas Traditions and Customs Around the World • Merry Month of May activities • Light, Heat, & Sound • Branches of Government, Constitution, & Elections • Colonial America • Geography-Map Skills • Changes to the Earth; Rocks; Natural Resources & Fossils • Black History, Famous People, & Author Studies • Physical Science-Matter

Changing Classes You will be in my homeroom, but you may go to Mrs. Jolly, Mrs. Reagan, Ms. Nash, Mrs. Halcomb, Ms. Stewart, Mrs. Rupsch, or Mrs. Poe for some of your instruction time. We will be changing for supplemental reading and supplemental math.

Take Home Folders • Each student will have a folder to take home nightly. The light blue Alvaton folder you received tonight. Please return daily. • The folder will have a daily progress report. It will have a stamp/sticker for a good day. It will also be marked if your child had to move a stick or get their card punched. Please initial it nightly. • The folder will be our way of communicating-notes from home and/or school. Please feel free to use the two-way communication form. Papers to be taken home daily or papers to be returned to school should be placed in the pockets of the folder.

Data Notebooks-Put First Things First • We will be compiling data notebooks in our 3 ring binders. • It is where student’s will take ownership of their scores and will be able to share them with you and track their progress. • They will know by their progress if they are putting first things first throughout the year!

Things to Know • If a student is riding home with another child, both parties will need to send in a note. • Please see me for car rider cards and procedures if you are a car rider. • If there is a change in the student’s transportation home, please call the school by 2:45. • As information changes in your home, please update the emergency card in the office. • We can no longer accept homemade goodies for birthdays or parties because of allergies.

Discipline • We will be going over the expectations in class the first week of school. • We will start using a name stick to be moved if a rule has been broken. Everyone will start the day at their home pocket. • The student will receive a warning. • They will move their stick once if they continue to break rules after their warning. • They will move the stick a second time if it continues. • If they move their stick a third time, they will be sent to the Office to talk about following the rules. ABC time can then be earned. • You will be notified each day if a stick was moved on the sheet in their folder. • Students are responsible for their own actions. Sticks can be moved if work isn’t completed, breaking school rules, and if a teacher feels they have earned a behavior mark. • Recess will be taken away in 5 minute increments based on their behavior marks. They will walk for exercise.

Rewards for a More Positive Approach! • Students that do not receive any behavior marks for the week will earn lunch in the room or at a very special table and other special treats. • Students caught being good or doing the right thing will receive SOAR tickets to be cashed in at the SOAR store. First shopping dates are the Thursday/Friday before Fall Break. • We will work for compliments as a team to earn class compliment parties!

Communication • We are all a part of the team-students, parents, and teachers. To be good team players we all need to know the game plan. • Please share questions and concerns with me by calling the school, writing a note, or emailing me. • Daily progress will go home in the take home folder. • I will be using conferences in person, by phone, or email to discuss concerns with your child’s progress or behavior. • Students can talk with me as well. • I want to involve YOU in the classroom sharing occupations, reading to the children, etc., please let me know how you can help. Some require volunteer training. You will need the volunteer training to go on field trips. • I have an open door policy so that we all know what is best for the student! Let me hear from you! • Please share concerns on the two-way communication form in the Alvaton folder.

Mrs. Hardcastle’s Classroom Schedule

Our Year! • I expect we will have a great year! • We will all work hard and do our best! • You will be prepared for third grade because you have worked hard and completed your second grade expectations. • Our team will win because we worked together for everyone’s success! • You have SOARed: Showed your Positive Attitude, Owned your Actions, Always did your best, & Respected Others and Yourself!

Thank you! • Please fill out your child’s information by the door. • Please fill out the emergency card and turn in tonight before you leave. • Make sure you mark the chart on the board for their transportation home. • Please send back the homework you received tonight as soon as possible. Tuesday would be great! • Thank you for sending your great child to class, your support, and being part of the team!

Welcome to Second Grade