Presented by:

Tara Andren, M. Ed.

2nd grade Teacher

Kyrene de los Cerritos,

A Leadership Academy

Please find your child’s desk and have a seat. Write a quick note to your student on the apple paper while you’re waiting!

***If there is a PURPLE sticky note on your child’s desk, please add your email address to the class directory on the laptop computer (circle table). Thanks!

Meet Mrs. Andren My 9th year at Cerritos.

I grew up in Princeton, New Jersey.

Graduated from Old Dominion University in 1997 with a Bachelor’s in Recreation & Park Management.

I earned my Master’s from University of Phoenix in 2005 in Elementary Education.

I have 4 beautiful dogs and 2 desert tortoises at home .

• tandren@kyrene.org

• BEST way to get a hold of me Email • (480)541-2346

• Leave message (24 hours) Call • Transportation change

• Need anything/help Note

* Weekly newsletters will be through email. * Check and clean out white take-home binders nightly for papers, work, or things that need to be returned. * Sign up for e-subscribe at www.kyrene.org

School Policies Birthdays-

Students’ names will be read during morning announcements. Please do not send birthday treats from home. Please mail all birthday invitations, this helps avoid anyone getting their feelings hurt.

Class Parties-

Fall Winter Valentine’s Day End of the Year

Lunch-

Send checks and cash in an envelope with your child’s and teacher’s name. You can also place money in your child’s lunch account online.

Please call all absences into the front office at (480)541-2201 No student is allowed in the building before 7:40 a.m. All students should enter through the playground gate, even if you arrive right when the bell rings.

Students will be marked tardy if they arrive inside of the classroom after the tardy bell at 7:45. Students should be in the classroom, unpacked and ready to work at 7:45.

If your child left something at home and it is needed at school, please drop off the items to the front desk only. Your child will get it

as soon as possible.

• Sent home frequently • Done online & paper form • Enhances our classroom literature • Please log on or send in your order form by the due date. Some students ask EVERY DAY until they get here!

Students reading their NEW books

Data Passports All students will have their own data passport.

Student’s talents are fostered, highlighted, and developed.

Students take ownership in their learning.

Students set difficult but achievable goals.

Students track their own progress.

Students will learn to take pride in their work.

Not competing against each other….striving to make themselves better.

Snack Recess: 9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. Lunch: 11:40 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Recess: 12:00 p.m.- 12:20 p.m.

Uninterrupted Time: Language Arts: 9:15-11:10

Math: 12:30-2:00

Specials: Monday- Music (7:55-8:40)

Tuesday- P.E. (7:45-8:30) Wednesday- Art (7:55-8:40)

Thursday- Computer Lab (8:00-9:00) Friday- Library (7:55-8:40)

*Please make sure your child turns in their library books by Friday and wears tennis shoes for P.E. on Tuesday.

• Community building takes place weekly. • Team building activities/games • Expectations (both classroom and school-wide)

• Community building will guide our respect and trust for one another. • Mission statement:

• Created by students…this is what is expected of them. • We all agree to follow our class and personal mission statements. •Behavior: I’m a firm believer in doing what you are supposed to do. I will verbally praise students when they are following our classroom rules. I may also meet with individual students based on their needs for plans to correct behavior.

Behavior Management System Chips

Reflection Note

Raffle Tickets

Table Points Coming Soon

Daily Reflection Each student will write a daily reflection in their agenda at the end

of each day.

Please review this with your child and initial under their reflection.

• In your child’s white take-home binder there will be an agenda that needs to be initialed every night.

•Sticker, stamp, or number

* Builds responsibility for students * Helps build communication between home and school.

Homework • The main purpose is to provide PRACTICE and develop the

RESPONSIBILITY of completing work and turning it in on time….it is

graded for COMPLETION.

•Homework will be handed out every Monday and will be due the

following Monday.

•Math homework is included in the weekly homework contract.

•Spelling sentences should be meaningful and have at least 6 words.

•Please initial the top of the Homework Contract when your child reads

every night for 15 minutes.

• Spelling City is a great tool for practicing spelling at home. • If you don’t have internet access at home, please let me know so that I can send home something different for your child.

• To access go to: • http://www.spellingcity.com/tandren • Click “Find a List” on the top tabs • Search “Andren” in the search box • Click on my class • The spelling list for the week and week’s prior will be available.

• Harcourt Trophies Literacy Program includes authentic children’s literature in the student anthology of stories. • Each story is supported with leveled books to meet individual student needs. • Trade books and Junior Great Books are used for differentiation in the classroom. • K-3 intervention program for students that need extra assistance. • Decodable books will be sent home when available (not every week). •Reading groups allow students to have enriched activities in writing, spelling, and fun-filled tasks to help increase comprehension and fluency.

New Common Core “Shifts”

Balancing Literary & Informational Texts (students

read a true balance of informational & literacy texts)

Staircase of Complexity (students re-read texts, read material at

own level to enjoy reading, & spend more time on complex texts)

Text-based Answers (students find evidence to support their

argument & form their own judgments of the text)

Writing from Sources (students write informational texts, make

arguments using evidence, & compare multiple sources)

Academic Vocabulary (students use high octane words across

content areas & build a “language of power” database)

• Each Harcourt Story includes: - Phonics and Spelling Skills - Vocabulary Words - Grammar Focus • Spelling pretest every Monday and spelling test every Friday. • Comprehension tests will be given on Fridays to check understanding of selected texts.

2nd grade writing genres are as follows: •personal narratives, poetry, friendly letters, expository writing, and functional writing (making lists, posters, labels, etc.) Handwriting is important in and out of the classroom (D’Nealian form). This should already be in place, but we will practice in class as well. Students are expected to turn in work that is neat and complete.

The Investigations program offers supplemental activities that build on student’s prior knowledge. It provides opportunities for exploration into math topics such as problem solving and inventive thinking. Major 2nd grade topics include: •number sense, addition and subtraction of larger numbers, time, money, measurement, geometry, graphing, problem solving, probability, discrete math, and fractions. *Math centers will be used to practice past and current skills within the classroom.

Physical Science: Solids, Liquids, and Gases Earth Science: Weather and Clouds Life Science: Insects, Mammals, and Human Body

Thematic units include hands-on experiments, integration with other subject areas, and exploring the nature of science.

• Communities • Civics • Holidays and Traditions • Patriotism • Junior Achievement

• Computer Lab weekly • Programs used include Pixie, Typing Agent, DreamBox, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Publisher. • Internet also used for research in science and social studies. •Laptops in classroom are used for language arts, math practice, and research activities.

EVERY child is unique and has a different learning style.

I believe in meeting each child’s learning needs by guiding them toward individual growth.

There will be 4 grading periods throughout the year…one for each quarter. (P) Proficient- Consistently uses skill, shows mastery of content (D) Developing- Use of skill is emerging, on the way to mastery (A) Area of Concern- Experiencing significant difficulty in area

Important note: Grades are based on skills up to that

specific time. 1st quarter tends to be a review of 1st grade skills and it gets more difficult to reach mastery as the year progresses and concepts increase in difficulty.

Weekly Work Folder Every Wednesday, your

child will bring a folder home that contains all of their work from the previous week.

Please sign the cover page on the folder and return it EMPTY to school the next day.

• Healthy snacks should be brought daily….we have morning snack every day, including Wednesdays. • Water bottles are allowed in the classroom. Contents must be water ONLY. • Sweater/Sweatshirt….I know that it is hot outside, but the classroom can get very chilly at times and they MAY end up needing a jacket. They can leave it in their cubby all year if they need to.

Food Allergies

Food allergies in our grade level include: •Peanut

•Students with peanut allergies cannot ingest peanuts or anything made with them (tree nuts).

•Dairy •Students with dairy allergies cannot ingest milk or anything made with milk.

• Please do not send invitations into school….use the classroom directory, even if you are sending invitations to ALL students. • Food is not allowed to be brought in for any reason other than our allotted 4 class parties. We cannot have special snacks for birthdays and/or other occasions. •Classroom party dates and times will be indicated on the weekly email and our classroom website.

• No open backs or spaghetti straps

• Appropriate sayings and

images

• Shorts, dresses, and skirts must be finger-tip length.

• Thank you for signing on to help!! •We still need a PTO Class Rep volunteer and an Art Masterpiece volunteer!! • Volunteers will start sometime in September!! • Please sign the volunteer privacy form…even if don’t plan on coming into the classroom.

• Parents are allowed to come into Cerritos at ANY time as long as the teacher is aware of their presence. • Please check in at the office to obtain a visitor’s badge- you must give your ID to the secretary, sign in, & sign out before leaving the building. •This policy is for any special event (Lunch on the Lawn) and/or party going on at Cerritos! • Visitors also need to dress according to Cerritos dress code.

Changes in Transportation PLEASE notify the office if a last minute change in

transportation should occur.

There are times throughout the day when I cannot access my email, and I want to ensure that every student gets home safely.

THANK YOU in advance!

PTO is looking for several volunteers to help out during the school year. Please take a moment to sign up and volunteer for one of the many events our school

holds.

Let’s look forward to a successful year in our

shared goal: helping your child reach his or her maximum potential!

*Please leave a note for your child on the apple paper provided.

*Don’t forget to sign the Classroom Directory on the laptop computer if you want to be included.