A
Arrival
School begins at 9:00 am. Please try to make sure that your child arrives at
Bower Hill on time to begin the school day.
Attendance
Remember, good attendance is linked to school success! If your child is
absent, please send in an excuse explaining the absence. Please include the
date of the absence, reason for absence, name of your child and your
signature. Additional information detailing absences is included in your
Elementary Student Handbook.
Absences
If your child is absent from school, I will send home all make-up work when
he/she returns. A student has the number of days that he/she was absent to
complete the work (example: 3 days absent = 3 days to complete all make-up
work). If you would like me to send make-up work home with another student at
Bower Hill when your child is absent, please email me that morning and I will
send it with that student. All make-up work will be sent home in a make-up
work folder. Please return the work in the same folder.
Art
Students will have art class one time per week (Fridays 2:05-2:55) with Mrs.
Bergmark.
Accelerated Reader
Students will use the accelerated reader computer program weekly in the
lab. This will take place during an additional scheduled lab time so as to
not interfere with our biweekly lab session. Students will be responsible for
reading their AR book throughout the week here at school.
B
Backpacks
Your child will need to bring a backpack to school everyday. Please write
your child's name inside the backpack. Backpacks help to protect
books/assignments that will need to come home nightly with your child.
Birthdays
I am looking forward to celebrating a birthday with each member of our class.
All birthday treats must be non-edible as per school policy. Some fun ideas
to send in for your child’s birthday include a book for our classroom library,
an inside-recess game or pencils for the class.
C
Communication Folders
Good communication between parents and teachers is essential. I will send
home a weekly newsletter (on Fridays) that will detail our upcoming week. All
other important information will be placed in this folder nightly including
school letters, completed class work, homework, ect… Please do not hesitate
to leave a note for me in your child’s folder. I will check each folder at
the beginning of each day. Please encourage your child to be responsible with
his/her folder throughout the year. It is important that your child brings
his/her communication folder to school each day.
Conferences
Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on November 8, 2012 from 12:00-7:30
pm. I will briefly meet with each family to review his/her child’s progress
in second grade. If you would like to meet to discuss any concerns throughout
the year, please feel free to call me at school to make an appointment. I may
also request to meet with you if I feel your child is having difficulty with a
particular concept or classroom behavior.
Core Body of Knowledge/Curriculum
The Peter’s Township School District provides a comprehensive curriculum in
all subject areas. A reference copy can be found on the District’s web page
at http://www.ptsd.k12.pa.us
Computer Lab
Students will work in the computer lab at least once every week. We also have
two computers in our classroom which will be used by the students on a daily
basis.
D
Discipline
Good classroom discipline is essential to each child’s success, confidence and
well being. Each child should feel that the classroom environment is safe and
secure. It is important that each child develop self-discipline and good work
habits, resolve conflicts peacefully, and think independently.
In order for all children in our class to learn, they need rules and
guidelines to follow. Without this structure, the behavior of some children
may distract others, prohibiting them from learning. With your support of our
classroom discipline system, I will be better able to teach and help your
child reach his/her full potential.
E
Expectations
I expect students to work hard to follow our classroom rules. They are:
1. Be respectful 3. Be a good listener
2. Be responsible 4. Be kind
If a child breaks a rule, he/she will receive multiple warnings to fix the
inappropriate behavior. For the first offense, the student will receive a
verbal warning to think about how to make a better choice with his/her
behavior. If he/she continues to break the rules throughout the day, the
student will fill out a “Stop and Think” sheet. This sheet asks the student to
identify the rule(s) he/she is breaking and determine a plan to fix the
behavior. Lastly if a child continues to break rules, the Stop and Think
sheet will come home and the parents will be notified either via phone or
email about the rule infractions.
Email
You can also contact me through email at: bodnarl@pt-sd.org
I check my email throughout the day and will respond back as soon as possible.
There is a link to my email on our classroom webpage or you can locate it on
the district webpage as well.
F
Finishing Work
If your child has not finished his/her work in class during the day, it will
come home with him/her as extra homework. Please ensure he/she completes the
unfinished assignments and returns them to school the following day.
G
Gym
Our class has gym class two times per week (Tuesday and Thursdays 1:45-2:15)
with Dr. Conkle. It is important that all children wear sneakers to class for
safety reasons.
Grading Scale
Students will receive grades based on the following scale:
M= mastery(90-100%) P= progressing(70-89%) N= not yet(69% and below)
H
Homework
Homework will be assigned nightly (Monday-Thursday). There will usually be
2-3 assignments per evening. In addition to nightly homework, students are
expected to practice spelling words, vocabulary words, and math facts
throughout the week. All homework, unless noted, is due the following day. A
homework list is included on the weekly newsletter.
Home/School Journals
Each Friday, your child will write a letter to you in his/her Home/School
Journal. This letter will detail what we learned in class this week. Please
note that it will be an unedited piece of writing. We are asking you to write
back to your child in his/her journal so that he/she can read it on Monday. I
feel this will help you gain insight into what we do in our classroom each
week and for your child to take ownership of his/her learning each week.
Inclement Weather
In case of inclement weather, please watch/listen for announcements on local
television stations such as KDKA, WTAE, and cable Channel 19.
Incentives
Based upon classroom behavior and effort, students can “earn” their way up our
behavior chart. There are incentives for each level he/she achieves. This is
done to promote positive reinforcement for all students.
J
Jobs
Jobs around the classroom will be assigned on a weekly basis. These jobs help
to promote responsibility and ownership of the classroom. The student who
held the job the previous week is responsible for training the new “employee”
on Monday.
K
King Bee/Queen Bee
Each week, a student in our class will be chosen to be our “King Bee or Queen
Bee”. A special backpack will go home with the child on Friday and should be
returned the following Monday. The King Bee/Queen Bee will be interviewed by
the class and he/she will have the opportunity to share some family
photographs with everyone. More detailed information is provided in the
backpack. Be sure to keep an eye out for this fun project. Every child in
our classroom will have the opportunity to be the “King Bee/Queen Bee”.
L
Lunch Prices
The price for a student lunch is $2.00. If you would like, you can set up a
Nutrikids meal account for your child. All information about the Nutrikids
meal account program is available on the district website. Lunch calendars
are available to be downloaded from the district website. These calendars
list both the regular lunch menu as well as an alternate lunch choice. If you
do decide to send cash to school with your child as lunch money, please place
the money in a sealed container (envelope, baggie, wallet, ect.) so that
he/she does not have to spend time looking for loose change. We will eat
lunch each day from 11:50-12:25 (including recess).
Library
We will visit the school library once every week (Mondays 2:00-2:40).
Students will have the opportunity to check out several books. Please take
the time throughout the week to enjoy your child’s library books with him/her.
Shared reading time is a great way to develop a child’s love of reading.
M
Music
The students have music class with Mr. Tupper two times per week (Monday
10:45-11:15 and Wednesday 1:45-2:15).
Mailboxes
Each student has a mailbox in our classroom. These mailboxes store corrected
class work, tests, homework assignments, and other school-related papers.
Students are responsible for emptying their mailboxes each afternoon before
dismissal.
N
Newsletter
Each Friday our classroom newsletter, "News from the Hive" will be sent home
to inform you of upcoming curriculum, special events, needs for the following
week, our weekly homework schedule, and our current spelling list. A copy of
the newsletter can also be downloaded from our classroom webpage in case the
original is lost.
Notes
Please send all notes to school in your child’s Communication Folder. If I
need to send a note home to you, I will also place the note in your child’s
folder. Please be sure to check your child’s folder each evening.
O
Open House
This is a time for you to view our classroom and see some of your child’s best
work. You may also take some time to briefly talk to me about your child.
More details will come home as Open House nears.
P
PowerSchool
Your child's progress can be monitored at any time through our PowerSchool
website. Please log on frequently to check your child's grades. A reminder
will be sent home when it is time to check quarterly grades. No paper report
cards or progress reports will be sent home.
Q
Quiet Reading Time
Each day, the students will have quiet reading time in the classroom. The
students will be given 10 - 15 minutes to quietly read books of their choice.
Students are also encouraged to read quietly when they finish an assignment
before others.
R
Reading Bookmarks
Each Wednesday, your child will bring home his/her reading book with a special
bookmark. Please listen to your child read the weekly story and sign below
the title on the bookmark. Encourage your child to read the story to other
family members at home too. Remember repeated readings help to build fluency.
S
Snack
We have snack time in our classroom every afternoon. Please remember to send a
healthy snack with your child each day. Students are also permitted to keep a
water bottle on their desk throughout the day as well.
Spanish
The students will have Spanish twice a week (Tuesdays 10:45-11:15 and
Thursdays 10:45-11:15) with Sr. Dibiase.
T
Timed Math Facts
This year we will use a program called Rocket Math to practice our timed math
facts. This program is individualized for each child so that he/she can
practice the facts at his/her own pace. Your child will bring home a practice
sheet each night to complete. Please have your child bring his/her practice
sheet back each day in the blue communication folder.
U
Units of Study
Here is a list of a few of our units of study for the year; Japan, Habitats,
Dinosaurs/Fossils, Energy, and the Human Body. We will often visit other
second grade teachers when working on these units.
V
Volunteers
We love our Volunteers! Please let me know if you are interested in helping
in the classroom.
W
Web Page
Use our classroom webpage to find newsletters, homework schedules, spelling
words, announcements and fun learning links. You can find it at:
http://www.teacherweb.com/pa/ptsd/bodnar/
Workout Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, our classroom will participate in Workout Wednesdays. We
will walk a mile throughout our day. Please make sure your child wears comfy
clothes and sneakers on Wednesdays. We will work our way to 26.2 miles by the
end of the year…that’s an entire marathon!
X
“Xtra” Special Attention
If there is something taking place in your child's life that is not in the
ordinary routine, such as a illness in the family, a pet running away, a
parent gone on a business trip, etc..., please let me know. I do not need to
know
specific details, but it is very helpful to know if a child needs a little
extra attention and an "understanding" ear.
Y
Your Child
Your child will be nurtured and encouraged to be the best student he/she can
be in room 218. Please join me in creating a strong partnership between
students, parents and teachers.
Z
ZZZ’s
Please make sure your child gets plenty of rest each night. It will help them
be alert and ready to learn each day.
