Welcome Parents!

To Ms. Medina’s 2nd Grade Class!

Meet the Teacher

• Graduate of Barry University.• Bachelor in Elementary Education

with ESOL endorsement.• Masters in Reading at Barry

University• 7th year at Mater Gardens Academy

My Biggest Accomplishment

My 3 Year old son, Joshua+

Baby #2 on the way in March!

Parental InvolvementAs sugar and flour come together to makeA wonderful cookie creation that you bake,

Parents and teachers join as oneTo create an educated daughter or son.

It takes lots of love, caring and understandingBut an individual will emerge who is special notwithstanding.

We will work together to help each child bloomSo they can grow and prosper as they learn in this room.

So I share this little confection with you as I sayI am committed to helping your child grow each and every

day. Yes, the road is long, but the journey's begun

As we strive to educate your daughter or your son.

PTO and Parent Committees

• We encourage parents to stop by the cafeteria and sign up for our school PTO and Parent committees. This is a great opportunity to be involved in our school and community!

Box Tops and Shoparoo

• Earn money for our school while purchasing everyday items!

• Our class will be collecting box tops. The class with the most box tops earns a prize!

• Please see flyer for details on the Shoparoo program.

Student Portfolios• This year we are starting student

portfolios to document your child’s growth and progress throughout their time at Mater Gardens Academy.

• We are asking each parent to bring in a 4 inch binder and divider tabs (10).

• We will hold on to the portfolios each year until your child graduates from 8th grade.

• What a wonderful memory!

Classroom Rules Classroom

• Be on time. We start learning as soon as we get to class.• Have completed home learning and supplies every day• Listen when teachers and peers speak• Follow directions• Wait to be recognized by teacher before talking• Keep hands and feet to self• Keep area neat and organized• Take care of school property

• • BE KIND. Bullying will not be tolerated.

Halls

• Keep hallways clean and litter free• Show courtesy to your peers, staff and visitors• Respect school displays/property• Follow staff directions• Walk (on the right side of the hallway)

• Walk facing forward and without talking• Keep hands and feet to self

Cafeteria

• Use your indoor voice to talk to friends around you• Walk at all times• Be respectful to cafeteria staff• Move through line quickly and quietly• Have ID number or money ready for purchase• Leave area clean• Sit and keep hands and feet to self• Leave food and drinks in the cafeteria• Wait until you have been dismissed by an adult before getting up and throwing your garbage away and lining up

Classroom Management: Class Dojo

Student Behavior will be tracked through the web-based program Class Dojo. This program will track your child’s behavior (positive and negative).

- Students can earn points for positive behavior such as being on task, following directions, helping others.

- Tickets are awarded for each positive point which in turn can be used to purchase special reward coupons (extra computer time, use the teacher’s chair, etc.) These coupons are priced differently to encourage your child to earn as many positive points as possible.

- Students can also lose points for negative behaviors such as calling out, being off task, etc.)

- Students who earn 3 negative marks will receive a yellow card, 5 negative marks will result in a red card. Students who earn 2 yellow or red marks in a week will receive a detention. After 3 detentions a referral will be issued.

Classroom Management Class Dojo (Continued)

• If you haven’t already done so, please register for Class Dojo. It can be accessed on your desktop or even on your smartphone (ClassDojo app).

• Once you have joined you will be able to check your child’s progress anytime. In addition, the program will automatically email you a report every Friday.

• Don’t forget to praise your child at home for positive behavior!

Student Responsibilities…

* Students should come to school each day prepared with 3 sharpened pencils. Broken pencils may be replaced throughout the day by exchanging unsharpened pencils with a sharpened one. If all their pencils are lost or forgotten at home they must give me a coupon to borrow a pencil from the teacher’s supply.

• Students are to take out their cupcake binder (which includes their supplies, agenda, and folders) each morning and place these items in their desk before hanging their book bag on the hooks. At the end of the day they are responsible for placing these items back in their book bag.

• Students are responsible for copying their homework in their agenda each morning.

• Classroom supplies (such as crayons, scissors, and glue are kept in storage bins) to minimize students losing or forgetting their necessary supplies.

What we will learn in Math…I. Numbers Concepts, Place Value and Counting

II. Number Sense in Place Value and Number Patterns with 3-Digit

III. Addition and Subtraction; Facts and Relationships

IV.Two-Digit Addition With and Without Regrouping

V. Two Digit Subtraction

VI.Three-Digit Addition and Subtraction with and without Regrouping

VII.Counting Money and Telling Time

VIII.Measuring Lengths in Customary Units and in Metric Units

IX.Collect, Graph, and Analyze Data

X. Geometry and Fractions Concepts

What we will learn in Language Arts…

• Students will introduce a topic and use facts,

definitions and details to develop points.

• Students will provide a concluding statement or

section.

What we will learn in Reading…

• Students will retell stories and determine their central

message, lesson or moral.

• Students will acknowledge differences in the points of view

of character.

• Informational text features and characteristics.

• Students ask and answer questions such as who, what,

where, when, why and how to demonstrate key details in

text.

• Students will explain how images or illustrations in text are

useful.

What we will learn in Social Studies…

• Society/Classroom/School Rules

• US History, Geography and Civics with a focus on

America at grade level.

• Holidays

What we will learn in Science…

I. The Practice of Science

II. Properties and changes of Matter

III. Forms of Energy

IV.Forces and Changes in motion

V. Organization and Development of Living Organisms

VI.Heredity and Reproduction in plants and animals

VII.Earth Structures, Systems and Patterns

Grading Scale

• 90-100% A Outstanding Progress• 80-89% B Above Average Progress• 70-79% C Average Progress• 60-69% D Low Progress• 0-59% F Insufficient Progress• **Please see flyer for Parent Portal Log-in

information. Please check the portal weekly to check your child’s academic progress.

SAT test• 2nd Grade students will take the SAT test in

April. • Students will be tested in reading and math.• Students must be able to read passages

independently and answer comprehension questions.

• The math portion of the test is administered orally. Students must be able to listen to directions, compute or work out the problems, and answer the questions independently.

Homework Procedures• STUDENTS JOB• 1. Copy all of your home learning assignments on time in

your home learning agenda book.• 2. Complete and return home learning assignments on time. • 3. Make sure you have the necessary materials to complete

your homework: home learning journal and folder, textbook, worksheet, paper, pencil, workbook, etc.

• 4. Read for at least 20 minutes each night. • 5. Give your parent/guardian any notes that have been sent

home. • 6. Make sure you have the necessary materials needed for

the next school day in your book bag: agenda, home learning log, folder and/or journal, paper, pencils, textbook, etc.

Homework Procedures(Continued)

• Homework reinforces what is being taught in class.

• Parents should allow students to complete their homework independently and then review it with them.

• Students should follow the daily homework schedule.

• Reading is an important part of home learning! Please make sure your child reads at least 20 minutes per day.

Attendance Policy

• Students are to be counted in attendance only if they are actually present for at least two (2) hours of the day.

• Excused Absences• There is a maximum of 10 handwritten notes that will

• be accepted per school year. After 10 handwritten notes, all received excuse notes must be issued by a physician.

Attendance Policy• Please note what is considered EXCUSED:

• • Student illness• • Medical appointment

• • Court appearance of the student, subpoena by law enforcement agency, or mandatory court

• appearance. • • Attendance at a center under Department of Children and

Families supervision. • • Death in immediate family

• • Observance of a religious holiday or service when it is mandated for all members of a faith that

• such a holiday or service be observed• • School sponsored event or activity previously approved

• • Outdoor suspension

Attendance Policy

• For every three unexcused absences, the student will receive a referral.

• Unexcused absences include absences due to:

• • Vacations, personal services, local non-school event, program or sporting activity.

• • Older students providing day care services for siblings.

• • Illness of others. • • Non-compliance with immunization requirements

(unless lawfully exempted).

Attendance Policy• After ten (10) unexcused tardies, the student will be issued a

referral form that will be placed in the student’s permanent • record. Please be advised: Receiving any three referrals in a school

year may result in violation of the parent • contract.

• Tardies• Arrival time for students is thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of

school. Students must be in their seats 5 minutes prior to the commencement of homeroom in the morning. Any student arriving after the commencement of homeroom will receive a tardy pass.

• All tardies will be considered unexcused. Please note that parents will NOT be allowed to walk their children to class or speak to the teachers after school starts. If your child arrives after the commencement of homeroom, please do not send them to class. Please send them to the front office to receive a tardy pass.

Volunteer Hours• If you are interested in helping out in school or attend a field trip as a

chaperone, you must register as a Miami-Dade County school volunteer. Applications MUST be resubmitted every year. Once your application is processed you will be given a volunteer number. Your volunteer number must be active if you would like to volunteer in school or attend field trips. We always make an effort to allow all parents an opportunity to volunteer when necessary. Parents without an active volunteer number will not be allowed to participate in any school activity or assist with field trips – even if meeting us at the designated location.  

• Purchasing items on our wish list is a great way to meet your volunteer hour requirements. 1 hour will be granted for every $5.00 spent. Receipts must be included. We always need classroom supplies for projects, labs, and activities.

• Parents are required to complete 30 hours for a single child and 15 hours per additional child. For example, you have 2 children attending MGA your total required hours is 30+15= 45 hours.

• At least half of the volunteer hours (15) must be completed by the end of the second quarter.

Uniform Policy• Elementary: Kindergarten – 5th Grade

• 1. Pants or skorts: solid khaki or navy blue (no cargo pants or super skinny)

• 2. Shirts: Polo short-sleeved shirts in white, turquoise, and/or navy blue with school

emblem.

• 3. Shoes: a. Black closed toe sneakers, Mary Jane with one strap or Converse (solid

black) The sole of the shoes MUST be black.

• o Ballerina shoes, boots, and TOMS are not permitted.

• o Socks are solid white and worn at all times.

• o Mater Gardens' shoes laces are optional and available at Mater Gardens.

• 4. Cold weather: Solid navy blue jacket (without brand logos). The undershirt must

be school colors

• (white, turquoise, or navy blue).

• 5. Belt: Solid black or brown

Staying Informed

•Weekly newsletter

•Parent Portal- www.dadeschools.net

• parent pin will be sent home

• MGA website- www.matergardens.com

•Teacher Webpage-

www.schoolrack.com/Medina0623

• register for alerts when updated

Questions?