Disclosure

Mrs. Leonard’s 2nd grade

2017 - 2018

Welcome to 2nd grade! This school year is going to be fun and exciting. I am looking forward to helping your child learn and grow as we explore new ideas this year. Your support at home will be just as important for your child as my support in the classroom. I hope you are ready to become actively engaged in your child’s learning! I have included a few items that will help you and your child know how our classroom will work this year.

Principled learners take responsibility for their actions.

Class Schedule: School begins at 8:25 and the tardy bell rings at 8:30. If a student is not inside the classroom at 8:30 they will be marked late. School is dismissed at 3:15 Monday-Thursday and at 1:15 on Friday.

Uniforms: Please see the Hawthorn Academy policy on uniforms located on the website www.hawthornacademy.org. Tops should be in 4 colors only with a solid shirt in Navy blue, Light Blue, Red or White with a collar. Bottoms can be black, tan, or navy. Socks should be a solid color that reaches the ankle in navy, red, white or black. Shoes must cover the toes and the heels. Sweaters can be worn inside the classroom without a hood in red, navy, light blue or white with matching or clear buttons. If a student comes to school in the wrong clothing they will be asked to call home for a change of clothes. Please check the website for pictures if you are unsure about the dress code.

Items from home: Toys and electronics are not allowed inside the classroom. Students should leave toys at home, they distract students and usually end up lost or broken. Electronic devices are to remain inside backpacks and turned off during the school day. According to our handbook electronic devices are beepers, pagers, and cell phones with or without video or picture taking capability, MP3 players, iPods, and other electronic media, transmitters, receivers or players (this includes watches such as the Apple watch and/or handheld devices that can make phone calls).

Balanced learners can be responsible for school and home.

Classroom Procedures

Attendance: Second grade is full of hands on learning experiences and interactive lessons, which often cannot be replicated through a sent home worksheet, thus attendance is critical. It is very important that your child be at school and ON TIME. In our class there are assignments done every day in the classroom, which cannot be made up. Missing school on a regular basis will make it difficult for your child to keep up with their class work. Please notify myself and the office if your child will not be at school. If your child is ill, I will send home makeup work for them to do if possible, although as mentioned some of our hands on experiences cannot be replicated at home. Makeup work will only be given to those with excused absences, through the office.

Homework assignments that were due on the day your student is absent will be due the day your student returns to school. Homework assigned on the day of your child’s absence will be due one week after your child returns to school. Only absences that are excused will be allowed to have make up work. If the absence is unexcused all missing work will be entered as a zero. If you are going on vacation, please let me know at least ONE WEEK in advance. I will need time to plan and gather all your students work.

Report Cards/Checking Grades: Grades are updated on a weekly basis. Please make sure to check Aspire weekly for missing work. https://hawthorn.usoe-dcs.org/Login.aspx

To earn a Soaring Eagle Award (elementary equivalent of high honor roll, for academic excellence), your child will need to have an A in all areas of their report card and be reading at grade level or above. These awards are given each quarter.

Grading: We will be using the SIS/Aspire program to keep track of grades. Our grading scale will be as follows:

Grades

using SIS/Aspire

Percentages

earned

(Independent and accurate work)

90-100

(practicing towards independence and accuracy)

80-89

(needs prompts and guidance)

70-79

(difficulty grasping the concept and requires extra time and support to progress)

60-69

(difficulty grasping the concept and requires extra time and support to progress)

0-59

Special Programs:

Box Tops for Education: By turning in 10 box tops each month, your child will earn a dress down day for the month. You may also purchase dress down days from HOPE at the beginning of the school year.

Reflective learners understand their own behavior.

Rewards: In our class we have individual and class rewards. The students earn Class Dojo points, which you can see from home by logging into Class Dojo. They will earn Brag tags which they can take home at the end of the year. The class reward could be extra recess, an art activity in class, a read-a-thon or another activity decided upon by the class but approved by the teacher.

Discipline: In our class, I believe in encouraging appropriate behavior. The children will be expected to treat peers, school property, and adults with respect and consideration. Students who do not abide by this will receive a warning and will practice appropriate behavior on their own recess time. I will call or send notes home to the parents of students who repeatedly practice inappropriate behavior.

Volunteering: There will be many opportunities to volunteer both inside and outside of the classroom. Volunteers will be organized by myself and the room parent and will be used for small group instruction, one on one instruction, classroom celebrations, grading papers, etc. Please allow our classroom to learn procedures before asking to Volunteer. I will start setting up Volunteers in September.

Homework: (Sent home Monday and due Friday)

Homework Packets: Students will receive a homework packet on Monday. It is due the following Friday or the last day of the week. For example, if there isn’t school on a Friday the packet will be due on Thursday.

In the Homework packet will be Spelling homework, Math homework and instructions for recording Reading Minutes on Road to Success (https://www.rtsutah.com/). Your student will be required to read a minimum of 20 minutes a day at least 5 times a week for a total of 100 minutes. Reading minutes will be part of your student’s grades.

Missing and Late Work: Late work with an excused absence will be accepted up to one week after the excused absence occurs. Make up work will only be given to students who have an excused absence through the office. If a student needs to make up a test please make arrangements at least three days before. Missing work in the class that a student didn’t complete will be made up at the teacher’s discretion. If a student refuses to complete the assignment in the time given they will not be given an opportunity to make it up and it will be entered as a zero in our gradebook.

Absences: Homework assignments that were due on the day your student is absent will be due the day your student returns to school. Homework assigned on the day of your child’s absence will be due one week after your child returns to school. Only absences that are excused will be allowed to have make up work. If the absence is unexcused all missing work will be entered as a zero.

Knowledgeable learners explore and learn through both work in class and at home.

Curriculum:

Math: We will use the My Math program, which is an excellent, inquiry based math program. Students will be taught that there are many “right” ways to solve a problem, and they are welcome to use what works best for them. If you have questions about various ways to solve a problem, come meet with me to discuss it.

Literacy: Our school uses the Spalding Method for literacy instruction. Through a detailed study of phonograms, word patterns, conventions, and being introduced to aspects of quality literature, your child will learn the necessary skills to become a successful and confident reader, writer, and speaker.

Guided Reading: Guided Reading is part of the literacy program we use at our school. Each reading level is identified by a letter. Students should come into Second grade on a level “J” and leave at an “M” level with the ability to read 89 wpm the first time they read a story (cold read). By becoming fluent readers we are able to understand what we are reading and become knowledgeable about the world around us.

Thinkers can use both critical and creative thinking skills.

Unit: As part of the I.B. program, our science and social studies curriculum will be integrated into six, 6-7 week units. Each unit will have a culminating activity or project for the students to share and display what they have learned. Please be aware that there will be many projects that the students will be asked to complete both inside and outside of school time. These projects will be posted on my website and e-mailed home in advance. Please take an active role in your child’s education by helping them be successful with their project assignments. Two big projects that happen this year are an Ancestor Shadowbox and an Animal Diorama.

Communicators express themselves in many ways.

Email: Please leave an email address for weekly updates on the return slip.

Website: I try to my website weekly. Please check it frequently for updates on what we are learning in class. http://mrsdarcys2ndgrade.weebly.com

Caring means we show empathy, compassion and respect for others.

Birthdays: I am excited to celebrate your child on their special day. This will be done during the school day. Please note that Hawthorn Academy does not allow treats or gift bags to be given out for birthdays or holidays.

Open-minded means we value ourselves and others for their differences and similarities. We are open to different points of view.

Ongoing Parent/Teacher Communication: Please feel free to contact me before or after school by calling: 801-282-9066 ext. 1112. You may also email me any time at:

kleonard@hawthornacademy.org

I’ll make every effort to respond to emails and phone calls within 24 hours.

Or visit my website: https://kleonard23.wixsite.com/mrsleonardsclassroom

Classroom and School Expectations:

Raise your hand to speak
Follow directions quickly
Listen when someone is speaking
Be a caring friend
Have Fun

< >Disclosure Statement SignatureI have read, understand and agree with the information provided in Mrs. Leonard’s Disclosure Statement. Student’s Name:_________________________________________________Parent’s Name:__________________________________________________Parent’s Signature:_______________________________________________

Date:________________________________________________________

< >Room Parent Contact Info:I give permission for my email address to be shared with the Room Parent in case they need to contact me for help organizing a party or other class activity. My Email:_____________________________________________________

Parent Signature:________________________________________ Date:______________________________

< >Hawthorn AcademyStudent Photograph and Video Release Hawthorn Academy follows strict rules regarding the school’s website and teacher blogs in order to protect the privacy and safety of students. For safety reasons, the school does not use student names on the school’s website or teacher blogs. Additionally, as we participate in our community, we sometimes have opportunities to provide photos or video of our students in newsworthy events. Photos and video may be used in the newspapers, school promotions, and in school brochures and fliers. Safety is always paramount, and staff checks all content before it is published. Students’ photos and video featured in a school publication are only referred to by their first names if we feel it is necessary to use names. For safety reasons, the school prefers to keep student photos anonymous in its publications. The only exception to this rule will be events that empower a specific student by recognizing a great achievement, such as a citizen’s award, scholarship or exceptional deed or action. In such an event, the school will notify the parent and student to ask for specific permission to use his/her last name in a printed publication such as a local newspaper. ____ Yes, you have my permission to use my student’s photo and video on the school website, teacher blogs, and regarding public relations materials.____ No, do not use my student’s photo or video. Student’s Name: ________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ________________