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St. Philip Neri Catholic School

Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

Good afternoon and happy Friday! 

This week, students created characters for their descriptive narratives. Wow, what creativity! We had such a range of ideas – animal-loving fairies, evil trolls, magical wizards, dinosaurs who dislike their tiny arms, helpful robots, and even kind, thoughtful children! I can’t wait to see what these main characters will be up to in your children’s stories. More to come! 🙂

Below is our second grade update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

  • Reading – Students will continue book club this week. We will focus on understanding the developing plot, answering questions about the text and making connections between the text, ourselves and other texts we have read. 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 letter-sound correspondences igh/ī/, aught/ôt/, and ought/ôt/ (examples: bright, caught, bought). This week’s spelling list focuses on sight words.
  • Writing – The class will continue our descriptive narrative writing assignment. Students will get an opportunity to share about their characters with their classmates. They will also develop story plans about these main characters, focused on a problem/solution plot.
  • Math – Students will continue our measurement unit, solidifying their understanding of the connection between inches, feet, and yards. The class will continue practicing different strategies for 2-digit subtraction.
  • Religion – The class will write a prayer to the Holy Spirit using the starting phrase, “Holy Spirit, please help me when…”. In Family Life, we will continue Unit 2 – God’s Gift of Self and reflect how we can use our special gifts to serve others.
  • Science – The class will review our unit on material properties together and students will complete an assessment.
  • Social Studies – The class will review how we fit into the structure of city/state/country/continent/planet. We will review key map concepts and share concept-reinforcing read-alouds of “Where Do I Live?” and “There’s a Map on My Lap!” throughout the week. 🙂

Other Updates for this Week:

  • Quick Reminder – As part of daily homework, please make sure your children are reading for at least 15 minutes at night. This daily practice really adds up and makes a difference!
  • Oratorical Fest – Students will be reciting their selections on Friday. Please make sure they are prepared. As on the sheet that came home in December, they should start/end as follows:

Good afternoon. My name is  ______________________________ and I am in the second grade. The (poem, speech, prayer, etc.) I will be reciting is __________________________, written by _________________________.

When finished say, Thank you.

  • COVID Safety – Please continue to be vigilant with the daily health screening. Thank you!
  • Dates to remember:
    • Monday, Jan. 17th: No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    • Tuesday, Jan.  25th: Free Dress for January Birthdays
    • Wednesday, Jan. 26th: Noon Dismissal, Teacher PD
    • Jan. 30th-Feb.4th: Catholic Schools Week

We look forward to seeing our students on Tuesday!

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

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