SEPTEMBER MCMONTHLY NEWS

Greetings, Moms and Dads!  We had a great first week of school!  The children really seemed to settle into 2^nd grade quite quickly.  Thank you for all the supplies, emails, and notes. 

The 2^nd grade team does some corresponding with all 2^nd grade families, as we did on our First Day letter.  I will be sending home a monthly newsletter specific to our classroom.  Today’s newsletter will include important dates and info about how our class handles birthdays and some other special events.  Open House is not until the end of the month, so I wanted to be sure to spread the word about a few items ahead of time.

This year, our class Room Moms are Elizabeth Svedlund (ersvedlund@gmail.com) and Jane Glassmeyer (janiewatson@yahoo.com).  I thank them in advance for this huge undertaking!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Thurs., Sept 5^th:                  No school, Rosh Hashanah

Sun., Sept. 8^th:                  Family Picnic, 4:30-6:30

Mon., Sept. 9^th:                  Scholastic Orders due

 (*you can place your orders online, or send the hard copies back to me by 9/9/13)

Mon., Sept. 9^th:                  First 2^nd grade official homework home (due Fri.)

Tues., Sept 10^th:                  Photo Day (class and individual)

Tues., Sept 10^th:                  2^nd Grade Coffee for Parents, 9:30 a.m.

Fri., Sept. 13^th:                  Favorite books and family photos due

Mon., Sept. 23^rd:                  Word Study begins

Thurs., Sept. 26^th:                  Open House for Parents, time to be announced

AUG/SEPT. BIRTHDAYS

Thurs., Aug. 29^th:                  William Bonner

Wed., Sept. 4^th:                  Kate Brown

Sat., Sept. 21^st:                  Matthew Aronsohn

Mon., Sept. 23^rd:                  Lila Debano

SPECIAL NOTES

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•    The students are doing a great job learning our 2^nd grade routines.  Occasionally, some mail ends up back in our mail slot that has not been seen at home, or it falls out of a mailbox.  If you are missing the following papers, please let me know:
•               pink first day letter from whole 2^nd grade team, with 2-Mc August/September “specials” schedule on the back
•       Birthdays:  I will send a birthday note home a few weeks prior to your child’s birthday, asking if you would like to come to the classroom to help us celebrate.  You are welcome to read a book or play a game (such as 7-up).  You are also welcome to bring clear popsicles, stickers, or other small goodies if you wish, but please don’t feel like you have to.  It’s up to you and your child how you’d like to celebrate!  July and August birthdays will be celebrated in January (just in time for a ½ year birthday celebration).
•     Mystery Guest:  Mystery Guest is a separate visit from birthdays.  When you choose a time for the year, I would recommend choosing a time a few months away from your child’s birthday, to spread out the classroom visits.  Typically, a Mystery Guest will read a few favorite family books, or, if they’d like to show us something they love (such as props from a hobby or job), that’s fine too!  The children will guess who the Mystery Guest is every Tuesday, so please stop at the office before coming to the classroom so the secretary can announce that you have arrived.  Both Birthday/Mystery Guest celebrations are approximately 25-30 minutes. 
•     Superstar Sharing will occur throughout the year.  It’s a chance for a student to be “superstar” for 3 days of the week where they bring in a special treasure and have a short, 5-minute share time.  The rest of us will make a book for the superstar later in the week.  A note will go home when it’s your child’s Superstar week (picked at random on Thursdays or Fridays for the next week.)
•     Regular sharing will be on Fridays on a sign-up basis, so that everyone gets a chance to share a treasure throughout the month if they wish.  In order to share, the sharers should write up a short description of their treasure (2 to 3 sentences).
•     Ox Ridge Snack:  The children have the opportunity to order an afternoon snack from our cafeteria.  I have encouraged the children to talk to their families about how often, and if, they can buy this extra snack.  The snack money will be deducted from the students’ lunch accounts.  (This snack choice is different than extra snacks in the cafeteria that students are allowed to buy at the end of their lunch shift.)
•     If you still have your child’s summer reading journal, please send it in to class this coming week, so we can send along the good reading news to the Library!
•     Photo Day is this coming Tuesday, September 10^th.  Please take a peek at the photo packet that comes home this week.
•     Please check our blog periodically for class updates and photos.  (I never put names with the photos, but if you don’t wish me to post your child’s photos, please let me know.)
•     Please feel free to call me at school with any questions or concerns (655-2579, ext. 1142).   You can also email me at cmcgettigan@darienps.org; I will respond as quickly as possible, but sometimes, due to our class schedule, duties, or meetings, I might not be able to respond until the end of the day.
•     I hope to see you all at the Open House evening when I will explain in more detail about our schedule, curriculum, homework, and class routines.  Please bring your calendars, as I will have our Conference sign-up sheet available that evening.
•     I have included a list of our amazing students (that you'll see with Tuesday's newsletter that goes home)! I hope you have a chance to attend the Class Coffee next week.  If you cannot attend, please let our Room Moms know so they can let you know about our volunteer schedule for the year. 

Thank you so much!  I look forward to working with your children during this exciting, second grade year!    - Cathy McGettigan

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL LETTER

August 26, 2013

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the second grade community at Ox Ridge!  We hope you all enjoyed the summer and are excited about a new school year.  We have been collaborating over the summer to get ready for the start of school and will continue to plan together throughout the coming months to make this a terrific year.  We are providing some initial information for you today and will continue to keep you apprised of our grade level news going forward.

Enclosed is a specials schedule.  Please make note of scheduled PE days so your child will have appropriate footwear.  Library books should be returned on the day we have library.  Also, please send in a smock labeled with your child’s name, which will be kept in the classroom for art.  (An old shirt would be great.)

We will be having snack on a daily basis (parent provided, or students may sign up to buy snack from the cafeteria).  Please be sure to send in a snack every day or let your child know if he/she has permission to buy snack.  Remember, healthy snacks will give our students the energy to be the best that they can be.  Due to specific food allergies of students in our classroom, please speak with your child about not sharing snacks at school because of health concerns.

If there is a change in your child’s transportation home, please be sure to send in a note that morning.  We also require a note if your child will be picked up, attending after school activities, etc.   Please send in a note as soon as possible confirming your child’s bus number that he/she will take home from school.

To cover the cost of special activities and projects throughout the year we are requesting that each student contribute $15.  This money will be allocated for Time for Kids Magazine, special craft supplies, etc.  If you have questions or concerns regarding this contribution please let us know.  Cash is preferred.  If you need to send a check please make it payable to CASH or your child’s teacher.  Please place the contribution in an envelope marked with your child’s name.

In the near future, we’ll send an explanation about homework.  Homework will begin the week of September 9^th and we will add in the word study component starting the week of September 23^rd.

We are so excited that our year has begun.  We look forward to helping your children grown in academic strength, as they take on greater responsibility.  At our Open House on Thursday, September 26^th we’ll be discussing curriculum and daily routines.  We are looking forward to a great year together!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Frawley, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. McGettigan