Welcome to our class website!
Welcome to Second Grade!
I am excited to begin the 2019-2020 school year at Castle Heights Elementary. I look forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting new ones.
Teaching your child is a tremendous responsibility and I will do my best to ensure that each student has a safe and motivating learning experience in this upcoming year. However I cannot do this without the help of you, the parents. We are partners in the learning process.
I believe that parent-teacher relationships are necessary for maximum school success. Throughout the year I will communicate through my website, notes, telephone call, emails, report cards and parent teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions for concerns at any time. You can call me at the school, send me a written note or contact me via email.
If you need to drop off or pick up your child during the school day, you must sign him/her in or out in the office. Students must maintain regular and prompt attendance to ensure success. If students arrive late, they miss out on learning activities that begin immediately at 8:15 am.
Recess/Lunch
Students are permitted to have water bottles in the classroom.
The children will be going out for recess everyday unless it is raining. For the most part, if your child is well enough to be at school, he/she is well enough to participate in outdoor recess, if properly dressed. Remember to label clothing, snacks and lunch boxes with your child’s name and room number.
Backpacks/Homework
Your child should bring a labeled backpack to school each day. This is to travel back and forth with your child each day, even if it is empty. It will contain things like homework, books, notices and forms. It is also an easy way for you to send items such as notes, lunch orders and messages to me when necessary.
Homework will begin soon. Homework will be sent home on Monday and returned Friday. Thursday folders will include important information about your child’s school activities.
Classroom Expectations and Policies
Establishing good classroom discipline is essential to each child’s success, confidence and well-being. Every child should feel that the classroom environment is safe and secure; free from all threats of physical or emotional harm. In addition, it is important that each child learn to develop self-discipline and good work habits, to resolve conflicts peacefully, and to think independently. For these reasons, the discipline plan I have chosen has several components.
First, the children will learn the purpose of classroom expectations and develop the idea that our classroom is a community with the common purpose of learning, growing and becoming friends.
I expect the students to:
Be Respectful Be Responsible Be Safe
The second facet of the discipline plan includes the logical consequences that may occur when class rules are broken. Examples of logical consequences include time-out away from a classroom activity for class disruptions or bothering other children, spending recess time completing work, cleaning or repairing damaged property, or written and/or verbal apologies for aggressive behavior, name calling or ridicule towards other children. This list is not inclusive since it is impossible to predict all incidents of misbehavior that may occur during the year. The idea is for the consequence to be related to the misbehavior and act as a solution or restitution for the problem. If classroom rules are severely or persistently broken, parents will be contacted by phone or email. A visit to the principal’s office is used as a last resort option, although at times it is the only option.
Finally, discipline includes praise. Our second grade classroom will focus on positive behaviors with lots of positive reinforcement. Praising students when they have contributed positively to the classroom environment is also a disciplinary 'tactic'. Students need recognition not only for positive reinforcement but for building self-esteem and self-worth. All students will receive praise when it is appropriate; good behavior is always worth encouraging and taking notice.
I believe it is very important to communicate between home and school and will do my best to keep you informed. Should you have any questions, comments or concerns at anytime throughout the year, please contact me at the school at (310) 839-4528 or via email at [email protected].
Warm Regards,
Ms. Skalak, NBCT
Thank you for coming to school prepared and ready to learn. Please visit the class calendar page to see important upcoming dates. You will also find information about upcoming projects under the project page tab.
Link to download Quicktime for Mac or PC (may be used for viewing videos on this site).
Student Videos have been moved to the Student Created Videos Tab!
Link to download Quicktime for Mac or PC (may be used for viewing videos on this site).
Student Videos have been moved to the Student Created Videos Tab!