WELCOME2nd GradePARENTS!

Ms. Rupard’s Class2017-2018

Please begin filling out paperwork while we wait for everyone

ALL ABOUT ME!• My name is Devon Rupard.

• I graduated from Old Dominion University with a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.

• I am a Sterling native and a Loudoun County Graduate.

• This is my fourth year teaching at Potowmack Elementary. I am very thrilled to be working at such a beautiful school and to be a member of such a wonderful teaching team!

• I am a lifelong learner and truly enjoy learning new things, exploring different concepts and sharing knowledge with others.

MY GOALS FOR THIS YEAR

To give your student the academic and social skills they need to progress to third grade.

To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment.

To help your student make new friends and discover new interests.

To create a love for learning in all students in order to foster life long habits for success.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS• School starts promptly at 7:50AM; students should be

here by 7:45AM to unpack and get settled– Students who eat breakfast at school should arrive earlier as

breakfast ends at 7:50AM.

• Students need to come to school EVERYDAY with their purple folder, planner, and completed homework.

• Any dismissal information that varies from normal procedures, MUST be communicated in writing or by phone to the office by 12 noon. – An e-mail to me is helpful for my planning, but you

MUST notify the office.

MATH CURRICULUM• Addition & Subtraction• Measurement • Number Concepts • Graphing & Probability • Problem Solving • Money • Geometry

SCIENCE CURRICULUM• Living Systems • Life Processes • Matter • Force, Motion, and Energy • Weather • Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Changes • Natural Resources

SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM• Maps and Globes • Famous Americans • American Indians • Economics • China • Egypt • Mexico • Canada

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM

Balanced Literacy Program:o Independent Readingo Read-Aloudso Guided Readingo Word Studyo Writer’s Workshop

WORD STUDY• Students are placed in flexible groups based on skills

needed.• Students will receive words on Monday and will be

assessed 2 weeks later on Friday.• Students will be required to complete nightly word study

activities at home.• Examples of each homework activity will be posted on our

class website.

HOMEWORKHomework is important, as it is an extension of the learning process that takes place at school.• Your child’s homework will be written in their planner

each day, by your child. • You can expect your child to have approximately 30

minutes of homework every night, Monday-Thursday.o Generally, this homework will consist of READING, MATH

and WORD STUDY assignments.

• Homework will be checked every morning and should be turned in through your students PURPLE folders EVERYDAY.

HOW DO I ASSESS YOUR CHILD?

MANY WAYS!• observations• conferences• conversations• worksheets• written work• group work• quizzes• tests• growth over time• exit tickets• probes

During the learning process (formative)Usually individual or small group, often done by observing, asking questions, or listening to students talk about their work

After the learning is over (summative)Tests, quizzes, projects, performance tasks. This is where I ask - did I miss something in my instruction to the whole class or is there something I need to review with 1-3 students during power up or in a small group

GRADING / PHOENIX

Your child’s grades and assignment status can be accessed through the PHOENIX portal which is the LCPS online grading system. You can find the parent access link for this site on our schools webpage.

IMPORTANT: Please make sure that your contact information in Phoenix is up to date, as I will be using Phoenix as a regular tool to communicate important information with you.

• The Login information for Phoenix is the same as from last year.

• If you are new to LCPS, you should have a letter with an activation code on your child’s desk.

• If you don’t remember your login information, please see the front office.

COMMUNICATIONAs your child’s teacher, it is my goal to have an open line of communication with you. This will be done through a variety of outlets such as:

o Purple Take Home Folderso All important notes, documents and homework will be sent through this folder. It

is important that your child brings this folder with them to school EVERY DAY and that you look through it with them EVERY NIGHT.

o Student Agendaso Monthly Clip Chart Calendar

o Students will record their daily behavior on this calendar and it will be check by me each afternoon and will require a parent signature every night.

o PMK Class website (http://www.lcps.org/Domain/8595) o Monthly Class Newsletters/Phoenix Blastso Remind App/Textso Class Twitter Pageo Emailso Phoneo Notes/Flyers sent home

http://www.lcps.org/Domain/8595

TEXT WITH THE TEACHER

You can also find directions for how to download the Remind App & join the class on a YELLOW paper on

your child’s desk.

• Straight to your phone information!• Class announcements• Quick questions• Translates from English to Spanish• Test Reminders• Spirit Day Reminders

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENTIn our class, we will be using a variety of behavior management strategies that combine to create a system that affords every student the opportunity to manage his/her own behavior. These strategies include:

• Clip-Chart (Individual)o A monthly Clip-Chart Calendar will be sent home &

it should be signed EVERY NIGHT

• Ticket System (Individual)• Star Student (Individual)• Mr. Potato Head (Whole Class)• PBIS (Whole School)

MONTHLY BEHAVIOR LOG

Potowmack will be embracing a whole school transformation process this year with Franklin Covey’s The Leader in Me. It teaches

21st century leadership and life skills to students and creates a culture of student empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader. The Leader in Me process draws on the 7

Habits of Happy kids.

OUR SCHEDULE

SPECIALS DAYP.E Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays

MUSIC Mondays & WednesdaysART Thursdays

LIBRARY TuesdaysCOMPUTER LAB Wednesdays

Students should wear sneakers for PE days and bring books to return or renew on Library day

*Our full schedule can be found on our class website*

Lunch is 11:00am- 11:30am

SNACK & WATER

• Students will have a designated time for snack everyday.

• Please send in a healthy snack with you child if you would like them to have one. NO NUT PRODUCTS PLEASE!

• Students should also have a water bottle to keep at their desk. There will no longer be water fountains in our classrooms so this will limit interruptions.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES• Be sure to fill out the “Transportation?” & Early Dismissal

for BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY• Please send in a written note that explains any changes in

dismissal from school. Please DO NOT email these changes.

• Changes to dismissal procedures can be assured if received before 12 noon.

• Changes received by phone after 12 noon will not be accommodated unless it is an emergency.

• Students will not be dismissed during the last 30 minutes of the day unless arrangements have been made before 12 noon.

• All students must be signed out and dismissed through the main office. Students can not leave with parents/guardians directly from the classroom.

GET INVOLVED!• Parents (and grandparents) are encouraged to volunteer

in their child’s classroom.• Please be sure to sign up for volunteer opportunities

using the PINK form on your desk.• Also, please feel free to take an apple from our

WISHING TREE if you are able to donate to any items to our classroom.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE… Fill out & turn in important papers

ALL PAPERS ON COLORED PAPER NEED TO BE FILLED OUT Put them in the matching colored bins on MACARONI TABLE BY THE WINDOW

Sign up for Fall Conferences on the MACARONI TABLE BY THE DOOR

Sign up for REMIND with your phone

Leave a note for your child on their first day!

Follow us on Twitter @Ms_Rupard

Check out our Wishing Tree

WELCOME TO OPEN HOUSEPUT IN YOUR DESK

(IN YOUR PENCIL POUCH/BOX)

• 1 Box of Crayons• Markers• One Highlighter• Notebooks

SORT IN THE BINS:• Glue Sticks• Scissors• Pencils• Dry Erase Markers• Sharpies• Extra Red Pens• Extra Highlighters• Erasers• Post-it Notes• Extra Crayons• Tissues• Plastic Baggies• Baby Wipes

WELCOME TO OPEN HOUSEPUT IN YOUR DESK

(IN YOUR PENCIL POUCH/BOX)

• 1 Box of Crayons• Markers• One Highlighter• Notebooks

.

SORT IN THE BINS:• Glue Sticks• Scissors• Pencils• Dry Erase Markers• Sharpies• Extra Red Pens• Extra Highlighters• Erasers• Post-it Notes• Extra Crayons• Tissues• Plastic Baggies• Baby Wipes

WELCOME�2nd Grade�PARENTS!ALL ABOUT ME!MY GOALS FOR THIS YEARCLASSROOM EXPECTATIONSMATH CURRICULUMSCIENCE CURRICULUMSOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUMLANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUMWORD STUDYHOMEWORKHOW DO I ASSESS YOUR CHILD?GRADING / PHOENIXCOMMUNICATIONTEXT WITH THE TEACHERBEHAVIOR MANAGEMENTMONTHLY BEHAVIOR LOGSlide Number 17OUR SCHEDULESNACK & WATERDISMISSAL PROCEDURESGET INVOLVED!QUESTIONS???????BEFORE YOU LEAVE…WELCOME TO OPEN HOUSEWELCOME TO OPEN HOUSE