Galloway

Early Release day at 1:20 for car riders and 1:30 for bus riders.

Hello parents!

As you may already know, we have an upcoming event called “For the Love of Books” that serves as a fundraiser to help afford transportation for a field trip to go the NC Zoo in Asheboro in May.

Students and their families are invited to school from 11-1:00 on Saturday, Feb 13th for this special event. They pay a small admission fee (or donate a book to the school), then we charge for lunch and raffle tickets. In addition to lunch we will have games and activities, including face painting and karaoke.

Our 2nd grade team was wondering if there is anything you or the companies you work for can do to help us out? For example, we could raffle off a company logo hat, Frisbees, t-shirts, gift cards, gift bags, tickets, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact me with questions or let me know if you can do anything to help. Feel free to send this along to any family/friends/ colleagues etc who work locally and may be able to donate something.

Thank you!!!

I hope all of you had a wonderful and joyous holiday season. I am excited for the next few months ahead in 2010. Please remember to review with your child our school and classroom procedures.

The first week back in January will be our writing test. Make sure your child is on time everyday. I will also be starting the quarterly reading assessments this week.

Field trip forms are going home on Monday. If paying by check please submit it early as it takes 2 weeks to clear. We will need a few parent volunteers so please contact me if you would like to join us at the Poe Health Center on Jan. 19, 2010.

Thank you for all your continued support. Let’s have a great 2010!

Retake Picture forms will be sent home on Monday (11/16/09). Retake Picture day is 11/18/09. This Wednesday is also an Early Release day. School will dismiss at 1:20 for K-2 students.

Congratulations to Student of the Week…Makayla!!!

Second quarter is underway. Thank you to all of you who came out for a Parent-Teacher conference during 1st quarter. I truly appreciate you taking time out of your day.

This quarter we have started a unit in Math that focuses on using Mental Math to add two-digit numbers to other two-digit numbers focusing on tens and ones. In Literacy we are focusing on different genres, comprehension skills and strategies like monitor and fix-up and using prior knowlwedge. In Social Studies we are focusing on Community Helpers and how to act responsibly. And finally, in Science we have started a unit on Sound which will end with a 2nd grade sound parade around the school with our “class-made” instruments.

We are hoping to go on our first field trip in December so look out for that information to come home soon.

Congratulation to our recent Students of the Week:
Maleik, Kyra, Kahmari, Rashid, and Tony!!!

November Birthdays!!!

Yahchanan – November 8

Upcoming Events:

11/11 – No School! Veteran’s Day Holiday

11/16 – Book Fair all Week in the Media Center!

11/18 – Early Release Day at 1:30 pm

11/19 – Literacy Night and Book Fair (Pizza and drinks will be served)

11/24 – 11/26 – No School, Happy Thanksgiving!

11/30 – Week of 2nd Grade Benchmark Testing

Extenstions for 2nd Grade:

1. Reading – Have students respond to their reading after they read for a period of time. Have them state the author’s purpose, main idea, character development.

2. Students can complete a book report on a selection of their choice to persuade others to read that particular book.

3. Students can rewrite a story, using their own characters, changing problems, solutions, and endings.

4. Students can create their own series of comics or chapter books.

5. www.renzullilearning.com provides students with myriads of activities that relate directly to their interest level as well as our curriculum.

6. The Student Links section on www.pearson.dpsnc.net provides students with curriculum integrated websites to view and complete activities.

7. Math – have students collect change, add reciepts, make inventories, etc. to increase fluecy in math.

8. Math – Students can create their own math board games to share with the class and participate in during math centers.

9. Students can write letters to their family, friends, or to their heroes, and share their correspondance with the class. Many famous people are very receptive to students writing to them.

10. Ask the student to share with your their math strategies, or teach a younger sibling or relative.

I will add more soon!

Congrats to our October Students of the Week!!!

Tersia and Meshach

We have been very busy learning and working! In reading we focused on character, setting, long vowels, and realistic fiction. In social studies and literacy we also focused on rural, suburban, and urban living. In math we talked about addition strategies, and have moved on to subtraction strategies. In science we learned about freezing, melting, evaporating, and condensation. We also learned an awesome song about matter!

This week we will be focusing on exploring space, main idea and detials, long vowels, and acting responsibly. We will also continue working with subtraction strategies in math, and changes in properties in science.

Please let me know if you have any questions about your child’s progress report that was sent home on Thursday. I would be happy to have conferences to discuss progress at this point in the year.

AIG Parent night will be this Wednesday at 5:00. Please come if you have questions or concerns about how your gifted child’s special needs are being met at school.

Please check the word wall section of my website for more information on weekly words. Thanks!

Next Early Release Day is October 14th.

Picture Day will be October 15th.

Congrats to September’s Students of the Week, Makayla, Zatayah, and Jordan!
Happy October birthdays to…

Kiamonie  – Oct. 1

N’dyia – Oct. 12

Ms. Notowitz – Oct. 13

We are off to a wonderful start in 2nd grade! We have read a variety of picture books about school, safety, and families, and are reading one of my favorite chapter books, Chocolate Fever, together. We have also been busy taking individual reading tests so we can start reading groups with Ms. Galloway as soon as possible!

In math we have been focusing on joining and separating situations and are excited to learn more! We also wrote about our summer vacations, and are learning how to use all our journals and workbooks. Next week we will be starting one of my favorite science units, Changes in Propeties, where we will learn about matter, solids, liquids, and gases.

We also spent a lot of time reviewing our Pearson Pillars and class rules, and we are doing an AWESOME job of following them!! Please discuss school rules at home as well. Please let me know if you have any questions about our rules or procedures. Reading logs went home this week, and written homework will be starting soon. Keep checking the take-home folders daily!

Electives begin on Tuesday, September 8th, and we can’t wait! Check take-home folders for class schedules.

Happy Birthday to …

Tony Scott – Aug 31st

Mr. Hall – Sept 4th

Tersia Njunguna – Sept. 28th

Always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns about anything – 919-560-3988 before 8:30 or after 3:45, or e-mail me at shani.galloway@dpsnc.net . Thanks for your support!!

* Students should come to school wearing shoes they can wear to play and run in at recess. Flip Flops are not safe and should not be worn to school.

* We go outside daily for a 25 minute recess, but the building is air conditioned and kept cool. You may want to send a sweater for your child to keep in his/her cubby in case they are cold in their spring clothes.

* Students may keep a water bottle in their cubbies during the day to drink from at lunch or after recess.

* Please adhere to the DPS Dress Code and do not wear spaghetti straps or short skirts or shorts.

Thank you and Enjoy the Weather!!

2nd Grade Supplies

3 one subject spiral notebooks
1 marble composition notebook
5 two pocket portfolio folders, preferably plastic
1 box of Crayola crayons, 24 count
1 pair child’s scissors
3 glue sticks
1 pack of multi-colored construction paper
2 boxes tissues
2 boxes baby wipes
1 box Band-Aids
1 sturdy backpack clearly labeled with child’s name (rolling backpacks not permitted)
3 packages of number 2 pencils
1 box Ziploc storage bags
sandwich or gallon size
** Please do not write student’s names on any supplies except the backpack, thank you!