Bolek's Bulletin

May News

Wow!  I can't believe the school year is almost over.  We still have a lot to do!

Curriculum

Language Arts:  We are still working on strategies good readers use as we read to increase our sight word vocabulary and fluency.  In writing we are learning ways to write about how we connect to literature.  Students are also working on Bare Books.  This is a second grade project where students are authoring and illustrating a hard back book. 

Math:  We will spend the month of May reviewing addition and subtraction of three digit numbers with regrouping.  Students have been learning some new math games to increase their proficiency with math facts. 

Science:  We are continuing our study of life cycles.

Mark your calendars for the following dates:

May 1st----------Staff kickball game to support our Relay for Life team.  Join us on the upper playground at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $3.00 each.  Don't forget money for snacks!

May 5th-----------Mountain View celebrates its 80th year!!!  We will have many special visitors and a special ceremony to celebrate this event.  Second grade compiled a scrapbook that will be placed in the time capsule to be opened in twenty years when the school celebrates its 100th birthday!

May 7th-----------Students will hear a presentation for the summer reading program sponsored by the Cobb County library system.

May 8th----------Second grade awards day will be at 8:30 in individual classrooms. 

May 9th---------This is the last day for students to take Accelerated Reading (AR) tests.  All library books are due.

May 12th-------AR picnic

May13th------Bank Day

May 14th-----K-2 Field Day

May 16th-----3-5 Field Day

May 19th-----Bare Book Celebration.  Students will share their books with other second grade students.

May 29th-----Authors Celebration.  We hope you will join us at 8:30 am in the classroom.  Your child will have a chance to share his/her writing portfolio and Bare Book with you. 

May 21st------Second grade party.

May 22nd---- All books and student materials will be sent home. 

May 23rd-----Last day of school!

Report cards will be mailed to you.  Please take care of any outstanding money for the After School program, lunches, or lost library books.  Report cards will not be mailed until all accounts are paid. 

I have enjoyed the year with your children.  They have all grown tremendously both academically and socially.  I am proud of each of them! 

Have a safe and relaxing summer!

April News

We have a lot going on in April!  Here are some of the highlights:

Curriculum

Math: Addition and subtraction of three digit numbers, review of multiplication, and introduction to division

Writing:  Response to literature

Science: Life Cycles

Book Reports

The March time line book reports were wonderful!  Students were very creative in their presentations.  This concludes our book report assignments for this year.  Thank you for all the help you have given your children throughout the year with the reports. 

Junior Achievement

Special thanks to Mrs. Royalty (Kurtis's mom) for volunteering to teach Junior Achievement to our class.  She has taught five very engaging lessons.  Ask your child to tell you what he/she has learned!

Dates to Remember

April 2--------Field trip to Atlanta Botanical Gardens

April 7-11---Spring Break

April 15-----PTA meeting and Drop Everything And Read Night, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

April 15-----Bank Day

April 16th---Volunteer luncheon

April 23-25---CRCT

April 28-May 2---Make up days for CRCT

February News

January was a very busy month, and it looks like February will be too!  Before I mention all that is going on this month, I would like to say thanks to everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet with me for conferences.  It was nice to sit down with you to go over your child's progress.

There are many new things happening in February.  In math,  students have been studying fractions, measuring with both standard and metric units, and learning how to read a variety of thermometers.  We will revisit addition and subtraction with and without regrouping, compare four digit numbers, learn how to count out change with money, and study more about graphs and tables.

Students are excited about our new focus for writing.  They are learning how to write persuasive paragraphs as they continue to engage in all the steps of the writing process. 

This month we will be finishing our unit of study about energy.  We will be doing some great activities with puff mobiles, so be sure to ask your child about it!

This week we began a study of Japan.  Throughout the unit students will rotate to each second grade classroom to learn about the culture of Japan through many hands-on activities.

Cobb County firefighters will be visiting our classes as part of a second grade program about fire safety.  We will have four visits.  Firefighters will be teaching the children about safety precautions and procedures.  Students will have a chance to demonstrate some of what they have learned as they go through the "Fire Safety House"  during the last visit. 

CRCT Prep

Many of you have asked if I could send home the information again about the website for the CRCT practice tests.  Watch for this information to come home.  I will send the website along with your child's number.  The test will be the third week of April. Now is a good time to start practicing.

Art Show

You should have received an invitation to the "First Art" art show that will take place on February 7th along with Bingo Night.  If you can't attend the show and would like to purchase your child's artwork, you need to wait until after the 7th to make the purchase.  If you purchase the artwork earlier than this date, it will be shipped to you and will not be available for the show. 

Contests

There are two contests going on this month.  The first is "Honoring Our Heroes", an essay contest sponsored by the PTA. Entries are due February 15th.  The second is a contest to design a flag for Mountain View.  This contest is being done as part of the 80th birthday celebration for Mountain View. Entries are due on February 28th. 

Technology Night

Mark your calendars for Tech Night on February 26th.  Each grade level will meet with parents to demonstrate how technology is used in that particular grade.  The time is from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.  We have many new and exciting things to show you.  I hope to see everyone there!

Read, Read, Read!

I really appreciate how much everyone has been doing to encourage your children to read.  The agendas have been a wonderful way for me to keep track of how much students read each day.

We still have two more months to go in the Pizza Hut Book-It reading contest.  Overlapping this contest is the Six Flags Six Hour reading contest.  Recording sheets for this contest are due on February 22nd.  Students are welcome to turn in their reading logs before that date. 

February Book Report

This month's book report will be a Character Walk.  Students will come to school dressed as the main character from a book they have read on their reading level.  They will need to make a nametag to wear that names their character as well as write a brief summary about the book.  Information will be sent home, including the date of the walk.

Picture Day

Picture Day is February 7th.  Only students who return picture envelopes with payments will have individual pictures taken.  Everyone will be included in a class picture. 

Dates to Remember

Feb. 7th-----Picture Day, "First Art" art show, Bingo Night

Feb. 12th---Bank Day

Feb. 15th---"Honoring Our Heroes" entries due

Feb. 18th---Student holiday

Feb. 19th---Student holiday/Teacher workday

Feb. 22----Six Flags Reading contest logs due

Feb. 26th--Tech Night, Bank Day

Feb. 28th--Mountain View flag contest entries due

January News

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a relaxing winter break and you are ready to start another year!

I would like to thank all the parents who helped with our winter party.  I appreciate all those who volunteered their time either here in the classroom or by sending items in.  The children had a great time!  I could never do it without you! 

We already have a lot planned for January.  Take a look!

Curriculum

This month students will be starting several new units.  In math we will be working on fractions, money (including making change), measurement, temperature, four digit numbers, and using data from graphs and tables. 

In language arts, students will be learning to write persuasive paragraphs.  They will continue to work on strategies for good reading, comprehension, and fluency.  Students will resume monthly book reports this month.  The January book report is called Reader's Choice.  Information about how to complete this book report will be sent home.  Book reports are due on January 30th.

Our new science unit is all about energy and pushes and pulls.  To find out more Download energy_newsletter.doc and Download pushes_and_pulls.doc.   

Visiting Artist

We are lucky to have a visiting artist at Mountain View.  Zelda Grant will be visiting us from North Carolina.  She will be working with every student at Mountain View.  Ms. Grant's visit was set up through our wonderful PTA! 

New Computer Lab Teacher

We are excited to have Deborah Newhouse join Mountain View as our new computer lab teacher.  She will be working with kindergarten through second grade students during the next nine weeks of school.  Ms. Newhouse will be teaching second grade students structured lessons on keyboarding and word processing skills that are integrated to the units we are teaching in the classroom.  We are so happy to have her!  The Mountain View Foundation was responsible for establishing a computer lab teacher for us. 

In order for all students to visit the computer lab as often as possible, there will be a new specials schedule for primary classes.  The new schedule will be a six day rotating schedule.  My class will be squaded with three other second grade classes.  Your child has already been given a schedule,  scheduling key, and his squad number (1, 2, or 3).  We will follow this schedule for the third semester of school.  During the last semester we will revert back to our original five day schedule. 

Conferences

Conferences are coming up soon!  Conference dates are Tuesday, January 22-Monday, January 28th.  Report cards for the last nine weeks of school will be given out at this time. 

Scholastic Book Orders

A Scholastic book order will be sent home this month.  They are due on Monday, January 14th.  Remember that ordering is optional.  Please do not send cash.  Thanks!

Reminder

There is no school on Monday, January 21st, in observance of the MLK Jr. holiday. 

December News

December will be a very busy month!  The class has been working hard!  Here are some highlights of what we will be doing this month:

Math:  Students will be learning how to tell time on digital and analog clocks.  They will read and write times to the hour, half-hour, fifteen minute, and five minute increments.  Students will count sums of money that include fifty cent pieces, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.  We will also work with making change from a dollar.  We will continue to review addition and subtraction with regrouping while we move on to a study of geometry where students will be learning about both plane and solid shapes. 

Social Studies:  We will continue our study of colonial life.  We are reading and writing about colonial times as we compare our lives to the lives of people who lived during that time period. 

Science:  As part of our year long theme of changes, students will finish and share beautiful paragraphs they have written about how trees change throughout the year.  The class has really demonstrated an understanding of the writing process as they planned and began writing their paragraphs!

Language Arts:  Students will be practicing their writing skills as they write on topics for science and social studies.  They will be incorporating different ways to respond to literature.  Midyear reading assessments will also be given this month. 

In place of a December book report students will be writing about a family tradition.  Instructions for the project have been sent home.  Projects are due on December 17th.

Congratulations to Ilana!  Ilana was one of the Reflections contest winners for second grade! 

Happy birthday to Britheny!  Britheny will be turning eight on December 29th.

Please note the following dates:

DEC. 3 ------AR celebration

DEC. 11------Bank Day

DEC. 17 ----Traditions reports are due.

DEC. 18 ---Math post test for second nine weeks

DEC. 20---Winter Party (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm)

DEC. 24 - JAN. 7---Winter holidays

Looking ahead...

Conferences will be held January 22- January 28.  Report cards for the second nine weeks of school will be distributed  at that time.

November News

Curriculum

This month students are busier than ever!  We are completing a social studies unit about Native Americans and beginning a study of Jamestown and colonial life.  In math students will continue to work on subtraction with regrouping.  We will also work on telling time and counting money. Keep working on math facts at home!  We are writing informative paragraphs, friendly letters, and responses to literature.  Students are reading both fiction and non-fiction pieces to practice reading strategies at their individual reading levels.  Our class has been scoring lots of points with AR!  The first AR party will be in December.  Second graders must have at least 12 points to have their names posted on the AR wall and go to the party. 

Special Thanks!

     Special thanks to all the parents who helped out with our Harvest Centers at the end of October.  The children had a wonderful time! 

Recognition

Aditya, James, Ben, Kurtis, Ilana, and Brooke were invited to an ice cream party held at school for participating in the Reflections or Sally Foster programs. 

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Ben who turned eight on November 2nd.

Bank Days

The bank days for November are the 13th and the 27th.

Scholastic Books

Scholastic book orders are due on Tuesday, November 13th.

Book Reports

The class enjoyed hearing the Story Map book reports for October.  Information has been sent home about the November book report which is a "Book Talk".  These reports are due on Wednesday, November 28th.

Thanksgiving Lunch

I hope many of you will be able to join our class for a Thanksgiving lunch on November 15th.  Our lunch time is 12:21pm -12:51 pm.  Please meet us at the cafeteria door.  I hope to see you there!

Reminder

Thanksgiving holidays are November 21st, 22nd, and 23rd.  There will be no school on these days.

Colonial Dress Up Day

Watch for information to come home about a colonial dress up day near the end of the month.

October News

There is a lot going on in October!  Mark your calendar with these dates.

October...

5th---Reflections due

9th---Bruster's Night for K-2

10th--Bruster's Night for 3-5

15th--End of first nine weeks

16th--Bank Day

17th--Early Release.  School will dismiss at 12:25pm.

18th---Picture Day.  All students will have a picture made for the yearbook.  Please return picture envelopes with payment if you wish to purchase a picture package.

20th---Fall Festival, noon until 3:00 pm.  Book Fair is open.

22nd---Report cards go home

23rd--Bank Day

22nd-26th---Red Ribbon Week and Book Fair Week

26th---Funk Heritage Museum field trip

29th---Performing Arts field trip

29th---October Story Map book reports are due.

31st---Harvest Celebration.  This will be held in our classroom from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm.

September News

Thank you for attending Curriculum Night.  It was nice to have the chance to meet with each family and to discuss the second grade programs in detail.  Below you will find some information about what we are doing this month.

Curriculum

Language Arts:  Students will be working on strategies for good readers.   Writers Workshop has been introduced.  Our writing focus for the first nine weeks of school is narrative writing.  Students will be working through the five stages of writing: Organization of Ideas, Rough Draft, Editing, Revising, Publishing.  Students will be keeping many of their writing pieces in their Writing Portfolios, so be sure to ask your child what he has been writing about at school.

Spelling:  Watch for your child's list of "Words to Learn."  These lists will often come home on Mondays.  The "More Words for Super Spellers" section is a list of bonus words that will be included in the next spelling unit.  Students can receive extra points for spelling these words correctly on unit assessments. 

Math:  Students are working on place value,  ways to write numbers to 100, and problem solving.

Social Studies:  We will continue our study of communities, maps, and globes.

Science:  This month we will begin a unit about matter.  Students will have the chance to visit each second grade classroom for lessons and experiments about matter. 

Letters to Home

Students wrote their fist letter for their "Letters to Home" folders.  They were very excited about this activity!  Don't forget to respond to your child's letter.   Folders should be returned to school on Mondays.

Accelerated Reader

The AR program is underway.  Second grade students must get twelve points to have their name posted on the AR wall.  Students have many opportunities to take AR tests throughout the day (during morning work, DEAR time, when work is finished early, during library visits, and at the end of the day).   

Math Flashcards

Math flashcards will be sent home each Friday beginning September 14th.  Watch for a letter that explains the flashcard activity. 

Book Report

The September book report is a character puppet book report.  Students have been asked to create a paper bag puppet of the main character from a book they have read (on their reading level).  Instructions have been sent home.  Encourage creativity in this project! Book reports are due Wednesday, September 26th. 

Mrs. Huff's Book of the Month

Our September Book of the Month is Roller Coaster.  Students will be focusing on this book for several writing activities.  Ask your child to retell the story to you and to share what we are doing with roller coasters in class.

Agendas

Don't forget that reading at least twenty minutes a night is part of second grade homework.  Record the time read in the student agenda and initial or sign.  Thanks!

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school! I enjoyed meeting the families who were able to attend Sneak-a-Peek, and I look forward to getting to know every family better as the year progresses.  Students have spent the first week getting adjusted to a new grade, a new classroom, new routines, and a new teacher.  They have done a wonderful job so far!  In order to build a successful classroom community, we have spent time getting to know each other.  The "Share Bags" were a huge success and really helped us recognize our similarities and differences.  Students helped to create our class rules and have even begun working in cooperative groups!  Below you will find some information that will be helpful as the year begins.

Curriculum Night

Curriculum Night for K-2 will be Tuesday, August 28th from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm.  I will discuss the second grade curriculum, academic and behavioral expectations, our schedule, and volunteering.  I hope to see everyone there!

Specials Schedule

Our class has been squaded for specials.  The groups and their schedules are listed below.

Group A: (Miss Henry)  Aditya, Collin, Tristan, Iyana, Ben, Trey, Daniella, Tatiana, Jalen, Austin

Monday: Art    

Tuesday: PE

Wednesday:  Computer Lab or Guidance

Thursday:  Music

Friday:  PE

Group B:  (Ms. Lang)  Daniel, Britheny, James, Max, Carsten, Kurtis, Ilana, Brooke, Ananyaa

Monday: Computer Lab or Guidance

Tuesday: PE

Wednesday:  Art

Thursday:  PE

Friday:  Music

A paper copy of this schedule will be sent home. 

Snack and Water Bottles

We will have a snack time each day around 9:30 am.  Students should bring a healthy snack that is easy to eat while working.  Candy, chips, and cookies are not acceptable snacks.  We have someone with a severe peanut allergy in our classroom.  No peanut or peanut products will be allowed, and children will not be allowed to share snacks.  Thank you for helping us keep our classroom environment safe for everyone. 

Students may bring a water bottle to school each day.  Please make sure the bottle has a "sport" top to prevent spills.  If the bottle is not disposable, please label it with your schild's name. 

Lunch

Our lunch time is from 12:21 pm to 12:51 pm each day.  You are welcome to meet your child for lunch.  Just sign in at the front office and meet us in the cafeteria.

Agendas

This year students will receive agendas to record daily homework assignments.  Agendas will come home each day.  Please help your child make a habit of checking homework assignments.  In addition, each student should read a minimum of twenty minutes a night.  Parents, please record the amount of time read and initial in that section each day.

Take Home Folders

Students will be receiving a red "Take Home Folder" to help organize papers that need to go home and papers that need to be returned to school.  They are on the way to Mountain View!  Thanks for your patience in dealing with the papers being sent home as we start the school year.  It will get easier! 

SURF

There is still time to turn in your child's SURF reading log!  We would like to honor students who completed this summer reading. 

Dismissal

Please send a written note if there is a change in how your child will be getting home.

How to Contact Me

Please sent a note or email if you have a need to contact me.  My school email is:  Elaine.Bolek@cobbk12.org.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful year!