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St. Philip Neri Catholic School

Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

Good afternoon and happy Friday! 

This week, we celebrated Ash Wednesday together at Mass and students reflected about how they wanted to prepare for Easter. We discussed the idea of “sacrifice” and how we are also called to almsgiving during this time (taking care of those less fortunate than ourselves). Students wrote their commitments and created sweet images of themselves to go along with them. Please consider donating to Rice Bowl during the Lenten Season (sent home earlier this week).

FIELD TRIP – 4/8I also have some exciting news – our first off site field trip in two years has been approved! In support of our unit on plant adaptations, we will take a bus to the U.C. Botanical Gardens on Friday, April 8th. We will leave around 9am and return by 2pm. The bus will be so fun for the kids and will eliminate the need for parent drivers. We will still need chaperones though, so please let me know if you are available to join us. I will take the first 6 responders.

Also, while I try to do a lot of free enrichment activities, there will be a cost for the bus and the garden entry (I believe it was a total of about $35 per student last time I took a class). I will let you know the total as soon as I have it, and Mr. Carter will include it on your monthly tuition statement. Once I share the final cost, if there is any issue, please let me know.

Below is our second grade update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

  • Reading – We will continue book clubs. Students will review setting, genre, and understanding characters. We will also reinforce cause and effect. 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 long e words with ie and ei and distinguish between long a and long e words. Students will also practice adding -ed and -ing endings.
  • Writing – The class will continue How-To writing. The goal is for the student to teach someone else how to do something they know how to do very well. Students will draft their How-To writing with at least five clear steps. 
  • Math – Students will continue working with numbers within 1,000. We will focus on adding and subtracting within 1,000 and comparing 3-digit numbers using place value strategies.
  • Religion – Our next few chapters will focus on the Mass – why we come to worship as a community as well as the different parts of the Mass. Sunday (or Saturday!) Mass is always a wonderful opportunity to reinforce what we are learning and strengthen our relationship with God and become more familiar with the flow of Mass and specific prayers.
  • Science – Students will continue our investigation about the needs of plants – specifically sunlight. Students will make observations about the two different groups of plants – those that were placed in the sun, and those that were in the dark cabinet!
  • Social Studies – The class will enjoy a visit from Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft on Monday morning! We will also discuss our core democratic values and the concepts of rights and responsibilities. We will continue to celebrate women’s history month.

Other Updates for this Week:

  • COVID Safety– With the school policy and county guidancePlease continue to be vigilant with the daily health screening. We appreciate your continued diligence – it keeps us all safe!
  • Dates to remember:
    • Monday, Mar. 7th – Mayor visits 2nd Grade!
    • Thursday, Mar. 10th – Noon dismissal, NO SHARE & CARE
    • Friday, Mar. 11th – No School – Professional Development
    • Tuesday, Mar. 15th – Free Dress March Birthdays
    • Thursday, Mar. 17th – St. Patrick’s Day, green and white free dress
    • Friday, Mar. 18th – Report Card Day
    • Tuesday, Apr. 12th – Rice Bowls due back

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday!

All the best,

Catherine

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"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
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— SPN Parent
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— SPN Parent since 2016

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