Welcome back to school parents! It has been so great to see all those sweet smiling faces after summer break. We couldn’t have asked for a better crew this school year. Third graders have really shown themselves to be true leaders, and second graders have adjusted beautifully to their new environment.

Math: Math is off to a great start. Routines are in place, and we have hit the ground running! Thank you for any support you provided your child over the summer. Real world, hands-on experiences outside of school provide such enriching and positive avenues for learning, and keep your child active and engaged in the process.

2nd Grade math homework has begun. You will find a calendar attached to assignments, with the weekly assignments written as a suggestion for when to complete. Math homework will alternate between games, practice pages, and contextual problems. Homework is meant as practice, and should not take longer than 20 minutes per assignment. If an activity will not be returned to school, such as with a game, please initial that your child has played the game in the appropriate space, and have your child return the calendar to school.

3rd Grade math homework:  The first homework assignment for 3rd grade will be coming home this week.  Unlike last year, when math homework is assigned for 3rd graders it will be due back the next day. If questions arise, please email Diane directly and she will clarify.

Book Bags: As a reminder, book bags are a part of your child’s weekly homework. Each week they will bring home a new bag, with a different theme. Please help your child remember to keep the books, and other materials, in the bag when not in use. To familiarize yourself further with this new homework addition, read the welcome letter in the book bag binder, if you haven’t already done so. We hope you share the reading excitement with your child!

Daily 5: A big part of our literacy block includes the Daily 5. The components of the Daily 5 include Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Someone, Writing, and Word Work. So far, our primary focus has been the reading components of the Daily 5 in order to practice selecting Good Fit Books with IPICK (I choose books to read, I figure out my purpose for reading this book, determine if I am interested, figure out if I can comprehend what the story is about, and if I know the words), and building stamina. In no time, all 5 components will be up and running seamlessly!  IPICK is a great acronym to familiarize yourself with so you know what to look for when your child is selecting books.

CAFE: Our classroom has a literacy CAFE menu posted that contains strategies good readers use when reading. CAFE is an acronym that stands for Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding vocabulary. These become our goals, and the strategies we use to be successful with our goals are posted below them. Each child has goals and strategies specific to his/her individual needs and therefore will get the direct instruction needed to move forward and become a successful reader. We will also be focusing on specific strategies as a class, and you will see Parent Pipeline letters in weekly folders informing you of the strategy we are working on in class, complete with suggestions for assisting your child at home. Please look for these letters throughout the year and support your child in his/her quest to become a better reader.

Fieldwork: Our first downtown Truckee fieldwork was a success!  All of the students were able to locate the 13 historical buildings on the scavenger hunt and demonstrated the SIERRA norms beautifully while out in public.  Well done, crew!  Thank you to our chaperones: Sonja Martin, Jenna Shropshire, Carrie Hunter, Kerri Flaherty, Shauna Ronzone, Jeff Bender, Susanna Neave, and Carolyn Gallagher. Today, the 3rd graders attended Trails and Vistas art walk at Sand Harbor.  Although we ran out of time to visit all of the stations, we participated in team building activities, saw the Sand Harbor visitor’s museum, and listened to musicians and storytellers.  Thank you to our chaperones: Brooke Landis, Anna Demm, and Jacquline Tankersley. The 2nd graders stayed at SELS with Mrs. Welch and had some 2nd grade crew bonding time including read-alouds and teambuilding games.

Paperwork: If you have not yet returned your SELS paperwork (Commitment to Excellence, Chaperone Code of Conduct, Family Handbook, fieldwork driving paperwork, etc.), please do so. These papers are kept on file, and demonstrate your commitment to our school.

Planners: Please be sure to check and sign your child’s planner nightly.  Establishing this routine in the beginning of the year will help consistency for all. Plus, each day it is signed students will get a much-desired stamp in their planner. 😉