Procedures for Mrs. Headley’s Classroom

Welcome to a great new school year!  I am excited to be working with you and your child this year. My goal is to provide a meaningful educational experience for all of my students. Throughout the school year I will work to develop responsibility & organizational skills, and provide a structure that allows students to become more independent learners.

Together we are going to have a very exciting and successful year. In order to insure this success, there are certain things that must be done. Please review these procedures with your child, but do not feel anxious about them. We will practice them until they become routine to everyone. These are not rules. In general, they have no penalties or rewards. They are simply the way that certain things are to be done in my classroom. The purpose of these procedures is so that everyone knows what is expected of them. This way, there will be less confusion and interruptions and more time for the important stuff, like learning. The special procedures for the 2nd graders in Mrs. Headley’s class include:

Morning Responsibilities and Routine

After the first day of school, the children are expected to walk themselves to class. Early students are to go directly to the cafeteria and will be released to the classroom at 7:45 am. The time when students enter the classroom until the official start of the school day (7:45am – 8:05 am) is considered homeroom time. When students enter the classroom, they are to follow this routine(in any order) for organizing materials and preparing for the day:

Read any posted message from the teacher.

Turn in any notes/forms/money to MY INBOX. Please include Room #12 on all correspondence for the office (i.e. bus passes, lunch money, etc.)

Turn in Take home Folder to YOUR INBOX

Hang up coat and book bag in lockers

Order Lunch. (Students will place their name “stick” on the space that indicates their lunch choice-Lunch A, Lunch B, Salad, Grilled Cheese (if offered), Milk, or Packing.

Gather materials for the day-To minimize classroom interruption, it is the students’ responsibility to make sure that he or she has enough SHARPENED pencils to last for the entire day. In addition, each student will be given a day each week to checkout “Just Right Books” for independent reading in the classroom.

Begin Morning Workout.

Morning Workout: Just as our body needs to be stretched and kept in shape, our brain does as well. Each morning the students will have an opportunity to get their brain warmed up and ready for the day by completing activities such as Daily Oral Language, Math Message, and Journaling. Students are expected to begin morning work as soon as they come to class and get organized. A major goal of this work is to provide review of essential skills. After Morning Workout & announcements, we will gather together for our Morning Meeting and go over our learning goals for the day. :

When I need Attention/Quieting the Class/Checking In

When I need to get the attention of the class, I have a certain procedure that I will follow. I will give a signal such as ringing a bell & I will count to three. This count to three gives each student the opportunity to:

  1. Freeze
  2. Turn & face me, pay attention and keep eyes on me
  3. Be ready for what I have to say (*If I have signaled that we will be doing a “Check In” as a class on the mat, they will move to their designated spot.)

Once I have reached the count of three, if a student has failed to give me his or her attention, a card will be pulled and this will serve as a warning. (See Behavior System for more information.)

When Others Need Attention/Seeking Help

When a student requires my attention, there are certain procedures to be followed as well. In order to minimize disruption, please follow the 1-2-3 system. In order to obtain the teacher’s attention, please raise:

  1. One Finger if you wish to speak
  2. Two Fingers if you need to leave your seat
  3. Three Fingers if you need my help with something

**Please note: Students should use the time at the beginning of class for situations such as getting supplies and using the rest room. If the need arises during class time, the hand signal above will be used and the request will be acknowledged. In addition, there are certain times that students will be taught NOT to interrupt the teacher (such as when I am doing an assessment with a student or students, or talking to an adult) UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY…please reinforce to your child, that it IS OKAY to ask if it IS an emergency. 

Behavior System

We work for good behavior because it is expected, and because it makes a better learning environment. We will all work to follow the classroom rules, which are:

  1. Come to class prepared and ready to learn.
  2. Respect others and their property.
  3. Talk at appropriate times.

*In addition, we follow The Red Bird Rules & RBE’s Anti-Bullying Rules & pledge to keep our school and classroom a safe place for everyone.

In second grade, the teachers utilize a “card system”. At the end of each school day, students mark their behavior calendar (inside their Take Home Folder) with the color of the card they ended the day with. I will write a brief note on the date if there was a behavior concern. It is NOT likely that children’s behavior is “perfect” at this stage in development, but behaviors requiring repeated reminders need to be communicated.Please check this calendar frequently & sign it at the end of each week. Incentives are given when their calendars are signed each month.

When a student needs to pull a card, the colors/consequences are as follows:

Blue “Star” card: Outstanding

Green card: Ready to Learn

Yellow: Think About It (warning)

Red: Lose a Privilege (recess)

White: Behavior Sheet

Blank: Discipline Slip **Please note that it is school policy for an after school detention to be assigned when a student accumulates 5 discipline slips in a semester. Behavior that threatens the safety of others will result in an immediate after-school detention.

Students begin each day on green “ready to learn” & we focus on positive behaviors and reinforcement. Students are able to earn back cards for making appropriate choices throughout the dayand can even “card up” to a blue “star” card for showing exceptional behaviors.

In Boxes

Students have a designated area or “In Box” for turning in papers/assignments/Take Home Folders in the front of the room. If a student has not turned in their assignment with the class it is their responsibility to make sure the paper makes it to their “IN BOX”. In addition, I have “MY IN BOX” for any notes, bus passes, lunch money, and other communications on the corner of my desk. Again, please make sure that room #12 is written on all communication sent to the office…thanks! 

Take Home Folder

Your child will have a “Take Home Folder” that is to be taken home and brought back to school every day. This provides a wonderful opportunity for home and school communication. Inside the folder each side is labeled, one side with “Home” and one side with “School”. The “home” side of the folder is for assignments and any other communications that need to go home. You will also find a homework log that is used to communicate to me that you re aware of any homework that your child had to complete. After your child has finished any assignment(s), please sign the homework log & have them place these materials in the “school” side of the folder. Any notes or communications that you would like sent to the school should also be placed on the “school” side of the folder. The “home” side of the folder should be empty at the beginning of each school day. I suggest having a designated spot (such as a fridge-clip magnet, folder, desk drawer, or plastic bin) for organizing all of the papers/assignments that need to be kept at home. Please check your child’s Take Home Folder every night & sign (and return) homework logs daily. I will periodically “clean out” & throw away any materials that were intended to be kept at home.

Sign and Return Papers

Often, I send home a packet of the work your child has completed in my classroom. The purpose is to enable you to keep informed of your child’s progress at school & to encourage home-school communication. These “S&R” papers contain work that has been graded and recorded & will be entered on Infinite Campus at interims & end of the quarter/semester to determine the grades on your child’s report card. Please take time to go over this work with your child, and read any explanations, corrections, or suggestions. Questions and comments about the papers can be made on the cover page of the packet. Once the papers have been reviewed, please sign & return the cover page to me as soon as possible. Students will receive a “ticket” if they return their “S&R papers” to me signed the next day. You only need to return the graded papers if there is a question that I need to answer. I will keep the cover pages on file each quarter to record that you have been informed of your child’s progress.

Homework/Homework Logs

A little homework each night helps to reinforce what has been taught at school and to practice developing skills. In my classroom, homework is not graded; however, I check it every day to make sure that it is complete & to monitor understanding.

Second grade homework consists of daily practice in reading and math as well as weekly spelling & writing practice. Throughout the year, I will be adding Poetry Language Practice and there may be a seasonal grade-level project to complete. Homework, however, should not be overwhelming. A good rule of thumb is to spend no more than 10-15 minutes per subject per day. If your child is spending much more time than this, you may want to examine why. Are they working in a quiet place without distractions? Do they need a little break first to let off some steam after a hard day’s work at school? Each family’s situation in different, but building homework into your child’s daily routine will help build reading & math skills.

To document homework, I use both Reading and Math Logs. These logs are designed to give students some choice & independence in their homework. For example, though I encourage students to bring home a “Just Right” book to read, sometimes they might choose to read a magazine, the Sunday comics, their weekly poem, or a letter-or-email from a relative instead. Likewise, in Math, on nights when there is “No Home links” (worksheet(s) the students have a choice of how they would like to practice their math skills. Such activities as flashcards, using a learning game, or web-site, or engaging in hands-on activities such as counting money, telling time, etc are acceptable & credit will be given as long as it is documented/signed. It is important to remember that “No HomeLinks” does not mean “no homework” in math.

In addition to daily practice of reading & math, students are expected to reinforce their writing & spelling skills throughout the week. Each student will be bringing home an “OWLways Writing Journal” for them to use to practice their writing skills on a regular basis. At times, I may give the class a journal prompt to think about, but what they decide to write about is up to them…the “How much do I have to write?” is pretty much up to them as well, but I do expect at least three sentences to be written in their journals per week…the “OWLways Writing Journals” are to be turned in on Mondays. Fundations (spelling) packets are sent home with each unit & parents are encouraged to coach their child on the unit skills and to help them study their weekly trick words, however-these packets are not collected & do not need to be documented on homework logs.

Make Up Work

Upon request for homework, an assignment sheet will be completed and sent to the office. Please call the school with this request before lunchtime (11:00 am) so that I will have enough time to gather the necessary materials without interrupting class time. If a sibling will be picking up assignments, please have them let me know when they arrive at school (a note given to their teacher is a good way to do this) and they can pick up work in my classroom at the end of the day. If an absent student did not have their missed work sent home, they need to find out what work needs to be made up. Usually, I will have this work on their desk –BUT- I have an “Extra Papers” Box where students can always go for copies of any assignment/worksheet used in class. (This is a great place for them to go for extra math practice & lost spelling words as well! ) Please remind your child that it is their responsibility to make sure that this work is turned in. One day for each day missed is given to complete the missed assignment(s). A form from the office for homework requests/excused absences is necessary for vacations/extended time away from school. NOTE: Much of what we do in second grade is hands-on, cooperative & often involves technology-many of these activities can not be made up.

About Me Week

Throughout the school year, each student will have a “Special Week” to share about themselves. A bulletin board display right outside of the classroom will help to showcase them & their interests. During the week, they will also be asked to bring in a favorite book to share to the class. They may also choose to bring in a special treat…this is, of course, optional-but it is a nice opportunity for those students with summer birthday’s.  An information letter/materials will be sent home a week or so before your child’s special week.

Birthday Treats

Birthday treats may be dropped off any time before 1:00 pm. We will enjoy them after recess. Please let me know in advance, so that I can plan accordingly. In addition to any celebrations that may be held here at school, I have a “Birthday Bag” for your child to bring home on their special day. This bag contains birthday themed books and a small treat for your child. Please choose a book to share with your child in honor of their birthday and return the books along with the bag the next day.

Second Grade Scoop/Class Webpage/email

Be on the lookout for our class newsletter, Second Grade Scoop, which will come home on Mondays throughout the school year. Here, I will list weekly assignments, important dates & events at RBE, any materials needed, and ideas for help at home.

In addition, please check out our class website (accessible from the MLSD/RBE website) & my bookmarks (iKeepBookmarks.com-account name: Mrs. Headley-no password needed) for more information about our classroom routines & for fun ways to reinforce your child’s learning.

As always, you can contact me with any questions, concerns, or comments. My email is: & is checked daily. 

Thanks for your involvement and support!

Please sign and detach the attached slip after reviewing the policies and procedures for the classroom & return it to school ASAP. Keep the remainder of the packet for reference throughout the year. Thank You & Welcome to Second Grade at RBE!

I HAVE READ THE PROCEDURES FOR MRS. HEADLEY’S CLASSROOM & WILL WORK TO SUPPORT LEARNING THROUGHTOUT THE YEAR.

Parent Signature______

Student Signature______