Sunday, September 18, 2011

Week of Sept. 19, 2011

Last week we completed our first five day week!  We made it!  Our second graders were DIBELS tested, and we met with our Math Intervention Groups on Friday.  We took our first spelling test as second graders, and your child should be bringing home that graded test on Monday, Sept. 19th.  Speaking of spelling, the focus last week was on short vowel words, and this week's focus is long vowel words with a silent "e".  They are as follows:  page, nose, space, size, fine, mice, late, huge, blaze, race, rice, and vote.  The first book order was sent on Thursday, Sept. 15th, in your child's blue homework folder.  I then sent another piece of information on Friday in your child's blue homework folder.  I apologize for not sending it with the actual book order, but I was having difficulty getting our class activation code for online book orders, due to the fact that there is another "Judy Varney" who teaches in New Mexico!  I finally contacted Scholastic by phone, and they helped me with our class activation code.  Additional catalogs are online, so you do have more options other than the paper order form I sent.  If you do order online, our class will receive a $3.00 coupon for a free book!  It's perfectly fine for you to order using the form I sent, so no worries.  It's your choice if you decide to take advantage of purchasing books from Scholastic.  It's just something that is made available to you and is certainly not mandatory.  We have a Market Day Fundraiser kickoff on Monday afternoon in the gym.  This is the main fundraiser for PTA this year.  I hope all is going well with your second grader.  They are a great group of children!

Signing off until next week,
Judy Varney

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Week of September 12th, 2011

Monday, September 12th, will be the first official day for homework in my class.  Your child's blue homework folder will come home on Monday with the homework assignment inside of it.  It will be to write this week's spelling words three times each.  The test will be given on Friday.  The spelling words for this week are:  chop, desk, drum, dust, job, list, mess, rib, rock, sack, sad, and tag.  On Tuesday evening, your child will write the first four words in a sentence.  On Wednesday evening, your child will write the next four words in a sentence, and on Thursday evening, your child will write the last four words in a sentence.  Your child should return his/her homework from the previous night on the next school day.  Good luck to everyone on the first test this Friday!  This week we will only have spelling homework.  Next week I will add Poetry Night (Tuesday) to their homework agenda.  Each child will bring home a purple poetry folder with a poem and a poetry reading sheet inside.  Your child may read the poem to as many people he/she can and can use this time of reading as his/her nightly reading time.  The poetry folder should be returned on Wednesday, and I will send it again the following Tuesday with a new poem.

I also wanted to mention that Wednesday envelopes will be coming home this Wednesday with lots of pertinent information included.  Please sign the front sheet (taped on the envelope) and return the envelope on Thursday with your child.  (Don't forget to empty it and return any sheets that needed to be completed.)  Thanks to all who sent back the required information for the beginning of school.  If you have not returned yours, please complete it and return it as soon as possible.

This year your child will not be receiving menus for the month in the Wednesday envelopes.  They are available online for you to print at home.  I will be announcing the menu for the next day at school too.  Amy Uecker, our cafeteria manager, also informed me that these choices will be available each day in addition to the entree listed on the menu:  Chef Salad, Cheese Sandwich, and Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich.  Your child will make his/her lunch choice every morning.

We are starting Reading Street this week in our classrooms.  On Friday your child received the hardback book to keep in his/her desk.  Last week we worked on a lot of beginning of school activities and created class books to share with our classmates.  We learned a lot of information about each other and had lots of "connections".  We are looking forward to a great week at Amelia Elementary!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Open House Thank You

Parents and students,

It was fabulous meeting a lot of you last night at Open House!  If you were unable to come, I look forward meeting you in the near future.  I'm looking forward to the first day of school, and I hope your child is excited and anxious to begin.  If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me @ varney_j@westcler.org or call me on my phone in my classroom (943-3816).  If I am unable to answer the phone when you call, please leave a message, and I will return your call as soon as possible.

Judy Varney