David Goes to School

After reading the book, David Goes to School, we made our very own David's. We had a lot of fun making our own David's and they turned out so adorable!

Stop, Walk, Talk

Gombert and all schools in District 204 are implementing a Bully Prevention Program called Stop-Walk-Talk. The goal of Stop-Walk-Talk is to “give students the tools to reduce bullying behavior through the blending of school-wide positive behavior support, explicit instruction, and a redefinition of the bullying construct.”

This week in Second Grade, your child will be learning some valuable steps in confronting bullies they may encounter at school. When students observe another student not following one of the 4 Be’s of Gombert – Be Respectful, Be Resposible, Be Ready, and Be Safe – they will initiate the Stop-Walk-Talk method.

The method is simple and easy to execute. Students first let their bully know that they would like them to stop their behavior by giving a firm “Stop Sign” with their hand raised up in the air, palm out. If the bullying continues, the student is encouraged to walk away or remove themselves from the situation. The final step, Talk, is used only when the behavior continues beyond the stop and walk. If the student finds that Stop and Walk have not helped them to remove themselves from a bullying situation, they are encouraged to find the nearest adult, teacher, or supervisor to inform them of the situation.

It is our hope that students will begin to use Stop-Walk-Talk to prevent bullying to themselves or their peers. We will continue to revisit these procedures throughout the year so that students may gain independence in their use.

Brain Breaks

Combined with the heat, a rigorous pace through Daily 5 and math lessons, and "the wiggles", 2B has been taking time each day for Brain Breaks. Brain Breaks are short, 1-2 minute activities that sometimes challenge the brain and sometimes just get a little energy out. Some days we sing, some we run in place, others we play counting games, or just do "The Wave."

Transportation Form

Today your child should have brought home a green transportation form.  Please fill out this sheet and send it back to school at your earliest convenience.  It is very helpful to have the transportation information on file in the office in case of an emergency. 

Mystery Readers

This year in 2B we are going to be having mystery readers! I would like to invite any parents, older siblings, grandparents, relatives, or other special people to surprise your child by being a “Mystery Reader” this year in our classroom. Students LOVE having their family and friends visit our classroom to share in our learning by reading a favorite story aloud to our class. Mystery Readers will visit the classroom on Thursdays throughout the school year. Try not to tell your child that you are coming into the classroom. Be sure to look for a calendar signup sheet in your child’s folder the first week of school. We look forward to listening to our Mystery Readers!

Gator Folder

Everyone received a Gator Folder today. The students are to bring this home every night and bring it back to school EVERYDAY! This folder will hold any important notes, school work, and homework. It is important to keep it in a safe spot at home, so the kids can have it for school. Make sure you look through the folder tonight. There are a lot of important papers in them!

Paperwork

During the first week of school many papers were sent home that needed to be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to school. I am extremely happy to report that many students have been returning these important papers in a timely manner. However, there are students who still need to return papers. Below is a list of forms that were sent home. Please take the time to ensure that you have signed and given them to your child to return to school.

-Snack Permission

-Volunteer Information (optional)

-Blog Permission Letter

Also, next week a letter will come home explaining my behavior management policy. Please carefully review this at home and return the signed portion. Your student has learned a lot about our classroom rules this week!

Ice Cream Social

It was wonderful to meet most of you at the Ice Cream Social. I know that we will have a fun year ahead of us! I look forward to seeing all your faces on Thursday for the first day of school!!!