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St. Philip Neri Catholic School

Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

Thank you all for a wonderful week of Parent/Student/Teacher conferences. It was lovely getting the opportunity to spend time with you and your children to discuss how 2nd grade is progressing!

Most of our caterpillars are now in the chrysalis stage. The students are intrigued, making observations sometimes twice a day on the changes they are noticing! Thank you again to Mr. and Mrs. Devlin who continue to support this exciting experience for our class!

Other highlights of the week were “cornmeal canyons” in science (students explored the impact water can have on landforms over time) and our music piece of the week, “10,000 Reasons”, a suggestion from a student. It was a joy to see how the children connected with this song from Mass! If your children are interested in pulling the song up at home, you can find the versions I played on Spotify or YouTube (Matt Redman or Cornerstone Next Generation).

Below are other important updates and dates to remember:

  • What We Are Learning
    • English Language Arts
      • Word Work – learning common spelling patterns used with the past tense of verbs
      • Reading – determining important ideas and finding answers in informational texts
      • Writing – sharing personal narratives; beginning opinion writing with supporting reasons
    • Math – reading/writing numbers to 1000 using base ten numerals, number names, and expanded form; beginning measurement
    • Social Studies – celebrating Hispanic Heritage month with some read-alouds by a special visitor from the Alameda Free Library
    • Science – exploring why leaves change color in the fall and connecting ideas to how the structure of a leaf is related to a plant’s function; continuing observations of our class “guests” – we have about eight chrysalises that seem viable!
    • Religion – deepening our knowledge of God the Son; reflecting on our food drive and the needs of our community
  • Important Dates/Events This Week 
    • Monday, Oct. 14th – Holiday (no school)
    • Monday, Oct. 21st – Free dress for October birthdays
    • Tuesday, Oct 22nd – Field Trip!
    • Thursday, Oct. 31st – Halloween Parade (noon dismissal)
  • Weekly Reflections:
    • Quote of the Week – “A positive attitude can really make dreams come true.” – David Bailey
    • Music Piece of the Week – “Ultraman Taiga Theme Song” (in Japanese first with translation to follow)

With gratitude,
Mrs. Suer

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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

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