Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

It’s hard to believe we have finished our 7th week of school!

Last week, we were blessed to have Ms. Gwire lead the class in a reading of “Each Kindess”, a lovely but sad story about a little girl who is new to a school, and the treatment she receives from others – not welcoming or kind. We talked about the “ripple effect” of our actions. Students got an opportunity to reflect on moments when they have been kind to others as well as when they might have done a better job. It was a powerful and important activity as we continue learning how to support and care for each other in the model of Christ.

To end our week, Mrs. Devlin (Jos’s mom) led students in our first art docent project! The children explored concepts of symmetry and created gorgeous butterflies using paint and chalk pastels. We now have a beautiful display in the hallway, which has already drawn much attention! It was a wonderful project to complement the cycle of life we are witnessing with our now caterpillars! Thank you also to Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Holmes, and Mr. Devlin for supporting our artists in the classroom! 🙂

Food Drive: Our food drive officially ends Monday. We did an amazing job, and rallied our SPN community to make this a very successful demonstration of support for our local community! If you have any remaining items after Monday, I will always accept donations and take them to the food bank. Thank you ALL for your generous donations!!

Conferences: You should have received a letter that went home with your child on Thursday, confirming your conference day/time. Please let me know if you did not receive it, or if there are any issues. I did my best to accommodate your top preferences. Please also remember that your child is to attend the conference with you. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Below are other important updates and dates to remember:

What We Are Learning
- English Language Arts
  - Word Work – identifying adjectives; reviewing nouns and verbs as parts of a sentence
  - Reading – continuing book clubs with small groups
  - Writing – using graphic organizers to draft personal narratives
- Math – exploring place value; comparing 3-digit numbers to 1,000; developing strategies to solve story problems
- Social Studies – exploring how our communities have changed over time; conducting interviews of older family members
- Science – demonstrating knowledge on erosion and its impact; continuing observations of our class “guests”, now caterpillars
- Religion – deepening our knowledge of God the Father

Important Dates/Events This Week
- Friday, Oct. 4th – Feast of St. Francis, Blessing of the Animals
- Tuesday, Oct. 8th – Friday, Oct. 11th – Family/Teacher Conferences (noon dismissal)
- Monday, Oct. 14th – Holiday (no school)
- Monday, Oct. 21st – Free dress for October birthdays

Weekly Reflections:
- Quote of the Week – “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” – Vince Lombardi
- Music Piece of the Week – “Blackbird” – The Beatles

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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