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St. Philip Neri Catholic School

Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

Good afternoon, and I hope you are doing well! It was a pleasure being with your children again after our long break! 

Below is our second grade update. Please read to the end! (Due to our shortened week, you will notice some of what I had planned for this week will flow over into next week.)

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

  • Reading – Students will start a new book club this week. We will focus on understanding characters and setting. Fluent reading (reading at an appropriate pace with accuracy and expression) is always a focus for all students. 
  • Grammar/Spelling – In Superkids, students will decode and encode words with kn/n/ and wr/r/ and practice using “while” to connect events in sentences. 
  • Writing – The class will continue our descriptive narrative writing assignment. Students will finish developing their main characters. We will discuss how plots develop in stories that have problems and eventual solutions. Students will practice developing problem/solution story plots.
  • Math – Students will continue our measurement unit, estimating and measuring actual lengths. They will create their own 12 inch rulers and understand that it is 1 foot. Students will also work with yards and understand that 3 feet equal 1 yard. The class will continue practicing 2-digit subtraction.
  • Religion – The class will learn about the Holy Spirit, our helper and supporter. In Family Life, we will continue Unit 2 – God’s Gift of Self and reflect on our own special gifts from God.
  • Science – Students consider the insulating and conducting properties of different materials. In the activity, Feel the Heat, students test different materials and determine which would make the best oven mitts.
  • Social Studies – Students will complete a Me on the Map project to connect their ideas about where they live and how that fits into the grander scheme of city/state/country/continent/planet. 🙂

Other Updates for this Week:

  • Oratorical Fest – Reminder: if your child did not turn in a paper copy of their selection to me on Friday, please make sure they turn it in on Monday. Reminder, the selection should be 8-12 lines. Thank you!
  • 2022 Goals! – Next week, the class will be identifying goals for 2022. Each student will need to come up with one personal goal for themselves. It would be very helpful if you had a conversation with your child this weekend to help them identify a goal ahead of time – it can be anything related to health, well-being, academics, home life, etc. Your child should be able to state the goal clearly and share why it is important to them.
  • Dates to remember:
    • Friday, Jan. 14th: No School, Staff Development Day
    • Monday, Jan. 17th: No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    • Jan. 30th-Feb.4th: Catholic Schools Week

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday! 

All the best,
Catherine

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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