Elementary School Handbook
2016-2017
Trinity Lutheran School
Billings, Montana
Dear Parents,
Hello my name is Ms. Hertz and welcome to second grade! I am very excited to have the privilege of teaching your son or daughter this year, and am looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure every child can reach their highest potential. As your child’s classroom teacher, I believe that parent communication is very important. I will be communicating with you often about school events, your child’s progress and other activities. Let’s have a great year working together as a team!
Hello future students! I will be your new teacher and we are going to spend a lot of time together! It is important you know some things about me before the school year starts!
I have a big family which includes my parents, 3 siblings, and 2 sisters – in – law, 2 nephews, 1 niece and my dog Sparky!
I went to Concordia University in Seward Nebraska which was 14 hours away from home…that’s a long ways away!
I love to do activities outside and play sports
- Hiking, camping, swimming, tennis, volleyball
I have a passion for making scrap books…it is fun to look through pictures and put decorations on each page
I have a weird hidden talent…I can touch my tongue to my nose…
I love country music and will sing anytime I get the chance!
I love working with children, just like you! We are going to have an awesome year!
Philosophy of Education
I Believe…
… every student is a child of God who have been given unique talents and abilities and can use those talents and abilities to achieve anything they put their mind to.
…the classroom should be a safe and healthy environment where each child can learn and grow.
…young children are naturally curious and interested in learning, exploring, and mastering challenges. Students will be instructedhow to thinkrather thanwhat to thinkand will focus on theprocessof learning rather than theproduct.
…cooperative learning can provide many benefits to students and should be implemented into daily instruction. Some of these include higher level thinking and communication skills are developedby allowing students to discuss and debate.
…technology is a beneficial tool that can enhance classroom instruction by helping the content be more interactive and interesting. It should always be used to improve instruction rather than “fill time.”
…the learning environment should be active and involved by using hands – on materials that encourage exploration – children learn by doing!
…it is okay to make mistakes because they can be critical learning experiences. I will encourage students to keep a positive attitude and be motivated to keep improving.
…it is crucial that I lead by example by modeling the values I want them to learn such as kindness, honesty and respect.
…I should differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students by using a variety of techniques and learning strategies to help them reach their highest potential.
…communicating with my student’s parents should be a regular activity because learning should go beyond the classroom. Parents and I should be on the same page regarding their child’s education so we can extend and improve their learning!
..rewards should be implemented more often than punishments – positive learning environment.
…that I should always be furthering my faith life and show God’s love to all my students. Each child will be encouraged to have a strong relationship with Jesus Christ and live as His disciples.
Discipline Policy
Classroom rules are crucial for keeping our environment running smoothly. All students at Trinity Lutheran School are expected to follow the rules that are in place. With that being said, there are consequences for those who cannot follow the rules and discipline must be used to ensure that each child reaches their highest potential academically, spiritually and personally.
This is the chart that will be implemented into my second grade classroom. The discipline strategy being used in this classroom is one to promote positive behavior. Each child will be given a chart, just like the one above, and a clothespin with their name on it. The chart will be taped on their desk and each day they will start that clothespin at the “Ready for Team Work” section on the chart. As each day continues, your child’s clothespin will either move up or down, depending on the behavior choices they make. I will help them with this of course and let them know where their clothespin should be.
Each section of the chart has different points with the top of the chart being 10 points and the bottom being 1 point (the three sections under “Ready for Team Work” only count as 1 point).
At the end of each day I will see and then document each child’s points in a folder of their own. This is only written down at the end of the day so they do have a chance to improve behavior if needed. With that being said, if your child’s clothespin lands on “Think about it”, “Lose a privilege” or “Punishment” at any point during the day, they will fill out a form and write down which rule they broke. They will then think of one way they can correct the inappropriate behavior. The form will be sent home in their folder and will be signed by myself and then either a parent/guardian and turned in the next day.
If you have any questions on the discipline policy I have implemented, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Expectations of Students
Homework
My expectations for academics are very high as it is my goal to see each child achieve their highest potential. Homework allows students to practice the content, helps them become more responsible, and build study skills. These are all great benefits so students will be given homework each week throughout the school year. Homework is expected to be turned in on time and late work is not acceptable as I am teaching them time management skills and responsibility.
Parents will be responsible for signing each homework assignment once complete so we can keep track of their progress.
Respect
Students are expected to treat all of their classmates with kindness and respect. This includes keeping our hands and feet to ourselves. Not only do I expect all students to respect their classmates but they are to respect myself, other teachers and all other adults they interact with. This means being polite when attending field trips or talking with adults, and listening while the teacher is talking.
Classroom Space
Students are expected to leave the classroom in a better shape than they found it. We will be going over the procedures of cleaning up and where to put supplies and homework. Students are expected to learn and know these procedures and always pick up trash, put their assignments in the correct bin, put all the supplies away where they go and push in their chairs before leaving the room.
Attendance
All students are expected to have regular, timely attendance throughout the school year. Students need to be in their classroom on time and ready to learn. If a student misses 10 or more days in a semester, excused or unexcused, he/she will be considered to have excessive absences and a meeting with the principal, teacher and parents will follow.
Behavior in the halls and classroom
Students are expected to always walk in the hallway whether they are going to lunch, recess, the restroom, computer lab, library, etc. They are also expected to have quiet voices so we do not disrupt other classes.
Students are expected to listen to their teacher and then raise their hand if they want to respond. They are expected to take turns while speaking and always ask for permission before going anywhere. The classroom and school are a safe haven so students must always walk when indoors so all students remain safe.
Dress Code
Students are expected to come wearing school clothing which is both neat and clean. Clothing should also be appropriate for the activities happening at school and to the weather. If students dress inappropriately by not following the expectations below, they will be asked to leave the classroom or other activities until they change their clothes to reflect the school dress code standards. Below are some standards of the dress code that will be enforced:
- Clothes or hairstyles that create a distraction for other students are not permitted
- Students may not wear strapless, off-the-shoulder, crop-tops, or cut-off shorts
- Hats will not be worn indoors
- No clothing may be worn that promote or advertise alcohol, tobacco products, illegal substances, profane comments, violence or inappropriate language
Expectations of Parents
Parents also have responsibilities to support the school and teacher in its efforts to provide the best education and experience for the students.
- Parents are expected to help send students to school in a positive frame of mind
- Parents are expected that their child has the proper diet (not too much junk food) and rest
- Parents are to assist students to insure that all books, assignments, projects, and lunch money are brought to school each day
- Parents are to provide a quiet time and place for homework or reading. They are to make sure homework is done and encourage students to read each night
- Parents are required to communicate with the teacher for progress reports and be ready to attend parent-teacher conferences so they are aware of any concerns and can ask questions
- Parents are required to attend all conference appointments or notify the teacher/school if they cannot attend
- Parents are to work with the school because every student’s education is a shared responsibility among the parents, teacher and school
Expectations of the teacher
Parents should expect me to treat every student as a child of God who has unique talents and abilities, and can use those to achieve anything they put their mind to
Parents should expect me to keep a constant flow of communication for teacher-parent cooperation – email, phone calls, bulletin boards, texts, newsletters, interactive portfolios, informal notes, blogs, etc.
This includes keeping them informed on upcoming important events, opportunities to volunteer, progress reports of how their child is doing and any concerns I might have
Parents should expect me to be creative, modern in the assignments I give and way of teaching, and open to innovation
Parents should expect me to be patient, sincere and honest with every student
Parents should expect me to demand respect from students but to give that same respect back
Parents should expect me to keep the classroom well managed and provide discipline (look back at the discipline chart I explained earlier)
Parents should expect me to always be furthering my faith life and showing God’s love to all students. They should also expect me to encourage students to have a strong relationship with Jesus Christ and live as His disciples
Class Schedule
8:05-8:10 Arrival
8:10-8:30 Morning Meeting/Attendance
8:30-9:40 Math
9:40-9:50 Clean - up/Restroom Break
9:50-11:05 Literature
11:05-12:00 Specials
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-12:50 Recess/Restrooms
12:50-1:40 Social Studies/Science
1:40-2:40 Guided Reading/Literature Rotations
2:40 Closure to the day/Dismissal
Special Schedule
(Specials occur every day from 11:05-12:00)
Monday Computer Lab
Tuesday P.E.
Wednesday Music
Thursday Art
Friday Outside Activity
Opportunities for Involvement
School Volunteers
Parents can help with field trips, fundraisers, working concessions/contribute items and help with events, help in the office, work in the art room, library, lunch room and more
Classroom Volunteers
Parents can help copy materials, read with children, and assist with activities
Parent – Teacher Association (PTA)
This is a local organization that supports schools, like Trinity, and through them, parents and teachers cooperate in school improvement ventures. PTA’s focus on fund-raising events and work to improve conditions for children, as well as funds and plans cultural arts activities, sponsors events at the school and after-school events, keeps parents informed of school-related issues, and more.
Parent – Teacher Conferences
This is a great way to be involved with your child’s education and a way to find out, in detail, about your child’s strengths, progress and areas that need improvement. This is also a time for parents to get to know their child’s teacher.
School Visits
Parents can come in to the school once a month and spend a few hours working with their child. Parents are required to come to the office, sign in, and have a pass with them the entire time they are at the school.
Parents could help with homework, read to the students, meet with the teacher, see what the students are working on, etc.
Supervision of Homework
This is a great opportunity for parents who do not have time to come into school to be involved. It is important that parents show they are interested and care about their child’s education. Parents will be required to check their child’s homework whenever it is given to make sure it is done, sign it, and then turn it back in the next day.
Help produce school newsletters
This is a great option for parents who aren’t available during school hours and can still contribute their time and effort to the school. This work can be done from home and is easy even for parents who have minimum writing or publishing skills.
Home Visits
I will be conducting home visits twice a year. The first one will be before school starts and the second will be the week that school ends. Home visits are a great way for parents to be involved in their child’s education because they can ask as many questions as they want and can truly see in detail where their child is academically, and what they should expect throughout the year.
Organize your neighborhood
This is a good option for those of you who live in a neighborhood with many school-aged children. One option is getting neighbors together for a barbecue and discussing issues affecting your kids and school, and then brainstorm ideas you can bring to your school administrators. You are showing that you care about your child’s education and school, and want the best for them.
Attend open houses at the school
This is a great way to be introduced to your child’s environment for the entire school year. Parents can learn about the curriculum and expectations for their child, and can get progress reports about how their child is doing.
Engage children in educational activities
For parents who are not able to be involved at the school, this is a great opportunity to help your child learn with you at home. Educational activities done at home can be very easy and not time consuming.
Some examples of activities includes going on a walk and having your child name everything they see, help with dinner preparation by cutting vegetables, be given a topic like flowers and then paint what comes to their mind first or have conversations at dinner about events happening around the world.
Parents can also ask their child many questions throughout the day or give them choices that will affect their day so they learn how to make decisions.
Curriculum
My expectations for academics will be very high for each student as it is my goal to have them reach their highest potential academically, emotionally and spiritually. I believe that each child has unique talents and abilities so my instruction will be differentiated to meet each child’s needs. Every child learns differently like some learn best by seeing information written on the board but others learn best when they hear the information being spoken. Because of these differences, I will teach the content in all different ways. For example, when teaching science, I want them to see experiments happening and then be able to come up and touch the tools and other items. This allows students to explore and ask questions regarding the information. When it is time for math, I will be writing the problems and then working them out on the white board so that each student can see every step I’m doing. Another example when it comes to literature is reading a chapter from a book every day so they can hear what the story is about. This differentiation allows each student to learn in the way they are most comfortable in, and keeps the content interesting because it is constantly changing.
When it comes to teacher instruction, I believe that I should be a guide rather than a dictator. This means that as students are learning new content or working on an assignment, I will guide them in the right direction but will not tell them exactly what to do. I believe this way of instruction is effective because students are in charge of their learning and they can ultimately decide what and how much they learn. With this being said, learning in this classroom will be very hands on with interactive activities because children learn by doing. There will be different stations the students can go to throughout the day like using blocks to learn math facts, watering plants and asking questions about each type of flower, using paint to create an art piece and much more. This type of learning and the setup of my classroom will allow students to be naturally curious and interested in learning and exploring the world around them. Students will be instructed how to think rather than what to think and will focus on the process of learning rather than the product. I also believe cooperative learning can provide many benefits for student’s learning like being able to work as a team to solve problems, develops higher level thinking skills, develops oral communication skills, stimulates critical thinking and allows students to discuss and debate. Because of those reasons, students in my classroomwill have many opportunities throughout the day to work together as a team.