Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

This week, we have a special guest, Ms. Andie Cultrera. She will visit from the Alameda Public Library to share a read aloud and activity to support our social studies focus – government and change makers. We are grateful to have her! 🙂

Consistent reading at night is very important to students’ skill development in the areas of decoding, fluency, and comprehension. As a fellow parent, I understand that evenings can feel very short and rushed (sports practice, art and theater, music lessons, chess, dinner, homework, etc., etc., etc.). It may seem either impossible to fit in or too little to really matter, BUT added up over time, this 15 minutes equals 2,700 minutes over the course of a 180 day school year (not even including weekends!). That’s 45 hours of amazing reading practice for your child! I sincerely ask that 15 minutes of reading be a consistent part of their nightly routine. Thank you if you already do this. 🙂

Below are other important updates and dates to remember:

What We Are Learning
- English Language Arts
  - Word Work – reading and encoding pattern words with -old, -ost, -ind, -ild; creating and reading compound words
  - Reading – continuing SUPER magazine; developing skills to support reading informational text (identifying words that are important to the text, recognizing text features and structure)
  - Writing – sharing fictional narratives
- Math – selecting and using the appropriate tool for measuring the length of an object; practicing strategies for addition/subtraction within 100
- Social Studies – strengthening key vocabulary to support unit on government and change makers (citizen, law, vote, President, Congress, tax, leader, etc.); special guest!
- Science – categorizing properties and materials; using knowledge to participate in a scavenger hunt
- Religion – learning about the Church as a community

Important Dates/Events This Week
- Monday, Jan. 13th – Free dress for January birthdays
- Friday, Jan. 17th – Staff training day – NO SCHOOL
- Monday, Jan. 20th – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – NO SCHOOL
- Jan. 21st/22nd – Oratorical Fest in-class presentations (all pieces need to be memorized and ready to be presented)
- Sunday, Jan. 26th – Open House
- Jan. 27th-31st – Catholic Schools Week
- Friday, Jan. 31st – Noon dismissal

Weekly Reflections:
- Quote of the Week – “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers
- Music Piece of the Week – “A Million Dreams” – performed by: Ziv Zaifman, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams (from “The Greatest Showman”)

With gratitude,
Mrs. Suer

What Our Families are Saying

"The supportive teachers at SPN played a big role in preparing me for high school and helping me understand what to expect. They encouraged me to ask questions and seek help when needed, which made me more confident in my learning. Thanks to them, I entered freshman year already familiar with many concepts and effective study habits that have helped me stay on top of my work. SPN also taught me valuable life skills that I still use today, helping me succeed academically, build strong friendships, and maintain my overall well-being."

— Tibby Horvath, SPN Class of 2022

"We are very satisfied with the SPN community, something that is important to our family. My children feel safe and comfortable with SPN. Our family feels connected with the SPN community from parents and families to the staff and faculty. My children and we as parents have made healthy and positive relationships with other families from school. We share time outside of school with other families which brings a level of connectedness I don't know if we would have elsewhere"

— SPN Parent

"My children are experiencing community in other ways than just friends and playdates. Faith Families is an example of community, interacting with students from all grade levels, and learning and creating for others outside of SPN. Field trips to Kids Against Hunger or the Alameda Food Bank where they work and see firsthand how their efforts help others less fortunate, for those who are in need of support. Community is not just our SPN ‘bubble,’ and that is what SPN demonstrates and provides– opportunity to explore a bigger community."

— SPN Parent since 2016

St. Philip Neri Catholic School

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