Welcome to Grade 2 CM My Background

Welcome to Grade 2 CM!

My Background • Born in San Diego, California • BA and Graduate work in Education done at California State University Chico • This is my sixth year teaching at UAS.

Grade 2 Team Ms. Ever & Ms. Leny – Teaching assistants

Useful information • Morning entry - all children should assemble in the playground and enter together at 7. 35 am and • Afternoon pick-up – children going home by car can be collected from their classroom at 3. 10 pm children will be taken to the elementary office if parents are delayed to pick up. Please email me if there’s a change in who is picking up your child. • Our assistants take the children going home by bus to the buses.

More information… • Birthdays – please be mindful of nut, dairy and gluten allergies. This year we will celebrate birthdays monthly and I will email parents involved to inform them, then parents can coordinate treats if they so wish. • Schedule and transition times • Class Rewards – Class Dojo points with goal setting for rewards

• Communication via blog: sites. uasdubai. ae/cmeeks/ • Please check the blog at least once a week, it will be updated on Thursday or Sunday for the week ahead. I will also post pictures on Instagram. Follow 2 ldphotos for approval. • Parent Portal Usernames and Passwords: If you need help accessing the portal please contact the UAS Help Desk at helpdesk@uasdubai. ae You will need portal access to register for ASA.

PYP Our six inquiry units are: § Childrens Lives Change Over Time § Living Things § Workplaces § Whats the Matter? § Health and Well-Being § Imagine That!

Developing literacy is the school wide goal for 2016 -2017 Clear expectations for growth in language, reading, and writing

Reading • Reading comprehension is a huge focus in grade 2. Students should be able to retell stories in their own words. • Students should be able to read grade level texts at an appropriate speed, with accuracy and expression. • Nightly practice is necessary to build fluency and build vocabulary. • Readers Workshop model is used in class 3 days a week.

Balanced Literacy Program Writers’ Workshop Components: 1. Mini lesson 2. Independent writing – conferences and small group strategy lessons. 3. After the workshop… share

Students spend 1 1/2 hours a day on literacy Independent Reading Word Study (spelling, grammar, vocabulary) Reading Workshop Balanced Literacy: The How of our Instruction

Everyday Mathematics • The program is based on research that shows children learn best when information can be connected to what they already know. • As the name implies, it seeks to relate math to everyday life. • Everyday Math teaches children that there are many ways to get to the same answer

Teaching the Grade Level Standards Student Friendly “I CAN” Learning Targets Parent Friendly Examples of Learning Targets Shared with parents at the beginning of each unit of study

Pretesting of Students to Inform Teaching (The pretest is marked in class by the students). At the end of the unit there is a final assessment test.

Post Assessment Progress Towards Mastery of Mathematical Standards This will be sent home at the end of each unit for each child to show standards not yet mastered

Post Assessment Progress Towards Mastery of Mathematical Standards The scoring aligns with the semester school report card

Homework • Home Learning Menu – Homework in Grade 2 is given in the form of a Home Learning Menu. This gives your child options and ownership of their homework. They have 1 week to complete the menu and hand it back to their homeroom teacher. This will foster a sense of independence in each child and allow them to organize and plan their own work. • There are 12 boxes on the Home Learning menu. Your child MUST complete 6, they may do more if they wish. They have a reading log and a small journal in their folder also. They choose their work, color the box, include the work in the folder and return it to class the following Sunday. • Some work not completed in class may be sent home to be completed.

Folders • Folders: Homeroom – goes home every Sunday and comes back the next Sunday. • Arabic / AFL/ Islamic – depends on the teacher. Please email Mahmoud Ali with any Arabic or Islamic questions/concerns. mali@uasdubai. ae • A helpful suggestion for you: keep your own folder at home with important information, previous spelling lists, newsletters, etc. for easy access and review throughout the year.

Cafeteria • Please stop by the cafeteria to see what lunch options are available for your child. • From October 1 st students will need a lunch card to buy lunch. Please contact Ms. Hana in the elementary office about getting a lunch card. • If you are going to send your child with lunch, please try to make it healthy. • Your child will go to lunch at 12: 55 pm, and needs to stay inside the cafeteria sitting down and eating until 1: 15 pm. If they are too hot outside at recess they are welcome to go sit in the cafeteria. There are planned indoor recess locations when the ‘real feel’ temperature gets over 45 degrees.

Notes to School • Please write an email or send a note if your child: – is absent (attendance@uasdubai. ae) – has an appointment – is leaving early – has a transportation change • It is the student’s responsibility to give the note to me. • When picking up your child from school early you must sign them out from the attendance office at reception.

How to Support Your Child at Home • Read to your child everyday, even after they have learned to read. • Talk as you read. Ask questions like, “What do you think will happen next? , Why do you think the character did that? , What would you do? ” • Story tell with your child. Ask them what they will write about and help your child discover stories from their own lives.

Responsibility and Independence It is our goal for your child to become an independent and responsible learner. Here is how you can help: Teach and encourage your child to tie his/her own shoes, zip coat, snap and button clothing. Learn and practice address, phone number, parents cell number, and birth date. Help your child by holding them responsible for their own homework and behavior. Let them pack their own backpacks the night before school and carry their own backpacks while at school.

Contact Information • The key to a successful school year is communication between home and school. Please email me at cmeeks@uasdubai. ae with any questions or concerns. • If your child is sick please call the office at 04 -2325222 Second Grade Teachers Debbie O’Sullivan – room 210 Beenish Russell– room 209 Cindi Meeks – room 205 Lorraine Dalton – room 207 Please make sure to read the weekly newsletter on the class blog. Problems with the Portal, please contact: portalsupport@uasdubai. ae

Where to find other teachers? • If you wish to meet your child’s specialist teachers (Art, Music, PE, Arabic and/or Islamic) they can be found in the Elementary Library and the Arabic classrooms. • ELL teachers and LS teachers are in the Elementary Library also.

PARENTS Thank you for coming tonight. I am looking forward to a wonderful year of learning with your children. Any questions?