Meet the Teacher Notes 2023
Hello 2C Families,
Thank you for coming out to our Meet the Teacher night. It is alway great to be able to connect with families early in the year. September can be a busy time, so it is understandable that some people may not have been able to make it in. I would like to share some notes from our session: about our class, expectations and routines.
First, I am excited to be teaching grade two and to get to know your child this year. (It’s year 14 in grade 2 for me!) I think that families and teachers working together is one of the best ways to help students have a positive and successful year. Please reach out with any questions, concerns or information that you think would be helpful for me to know.
My Contact Information:
The best way to contact me is by email: epkilfoil@edu.pe.ca. I try to check my email throughout the day. I can also be reached by phone between 2:45 and 4:00 pm most days. The school number is 902-569-0550. For time sensitive matters during the day, please call the school and leave a message in the office.
*Notes from home: I recommend putting bus notes (or any paper notes for me) in your child’s lunch bag as they will be sure to find them at snack time. I will likely not see notes put in their homework bags or written in homework logs as these are not necessarily checked daily.
Expectations:
During these first weeks, my students will be learning expectations in our classroom and school. Be kind and respectful. Do your best. This means thinking of others, putting in our best effort - not necessarily getting a correct answer - and showing responsibility. We also talk about the benefits of listening the first time we are asked. These tend to cover most situations. :)
Homework:
Nightly Reading: Each week, students will bring home their homework bag with four books. They are only expected to read one book per night. Please have them record the name of the book they read in their homework log and the adult who listened to them can initial and leave a small comment. Homework book bags and logs should be packed in their school bags each evening and brought to school each day.
It is very early in the school year and I haven’t had the chance to get to know your children as readers yet. Therefore, I am taking their grade one information and accommodating for a slight summer slide. Their homework books may be too easy or too hard, but we will get them figured out with help from your comments and as I get a chance to read with them more.
*Please remember: the homework books are intended to be read quite independently and fluently. We want them to sound like talking and not have too many words to solve. These homework books are different from the books your child will be reading in school for instruction.
Math: I will share the concept or strategy we are working on in class on my site each week. Please spend some time reviewing these at home. Practising math facts and strategies at home will help support your child mastering them. This is intended to be fun and can be done on paper, whiteboard (My own kids loved using whiteboard markers on our patio doors.), with sidewalk chalk, chanting, singing, matching games and with quick questions in the car, while you pass in the hall or in response to a question – “Could you please pass the potatoes?” … “Sure. What is 6+6?” 🙂
*A note on Homework: Homework should only take about 20 minutes. If it takes longer or becomes challenging, please let me know and we can work together to find a way to make things smoother.
Please send with your child each day:
A full water bottle. (Clearly labeled with your child’s name.)
Indoor sneakers that stay at school. (Labeled with your child’s name.)
***If your child’s shoes (indoor or outdoor) have laces, please ensure they can tie them independently. Students change their shoes six times during the day and we want them to feel confident doing so. There are different types of laces available that don’t require tying, including coily laces and expand type laces. Shoes with velcro or similar closures are also very common in grade 2.
A change of clothes to remain in their school bag - just in case (ex. a spill or a fall on wet days)
Utensils - When packing your child’s lunch, please include any necessary eating utensils. Disposable utensils are not provided by the lunch program vendors and they are not available in the office. Please send some extra “emergency utensils” to be kept in their school bag in case they do not have utensils in their lunch bag that day.
Food containers/items they can open independently.
Examples of some items that can be tricky for students (and their teachers!) are Kool Aid jammers with paper straws. The straws bend making it difficult to poke a hole and the pouches spill easily. Also, the plastic fruit cups with the plastic pull off seal are very challenging to open without a spill. In past years, some parents bought larger cans of fruit and put it in their own smaller sealed reusable containers to send in lunches.
Appropriate outdoor clothing. The weather can change quickly and sometimes students don’t think of sweaters, jackets and boots on warmer sunny mornings.
**Please do not send items that are delicate or very special to your child. It can be difficult if these items are misplaced or broken. Toys are generally not permitted in the classroom as they can be distracting during work times. They can be used at recess or in the classroom on indoor days.
Lunches:
Note: Our class does not have access to a microwave. Please send hot items in a thermos. Preheating the thermos with hot water helps keep food hot longer.
Food programs: Ordering is available through PEI School Food (peischoolfood.org)
Or through the school vendor: https://glenstewartprimary.hotlunches.net
Allergies: We are a nut free and seafood free school. This includes any nut butter substitutes to avoid confusion or anxiety for children with life threatening allergies.
For students who are dropped off in the mornings:
Please ensure drop offs happen before 8:20, so students have time to get into the building, get ready for the day and be prepared to begin learning at 8:30. We all feel our best when we start our days off feeling prepared and less rushed.
Changes in after school plans during the day:
Please contact the office (902) 569-0550 before 2:00 pm if your child’s after school plan changes during the day. I may not get the message in time if it is sent by email.
Early School Closures:
Occasionally, schools must close early during the day due to stormy weather or other emergencies. Closures are announced on radio stations and social media.
Please note: During an early closure, we are unable to make phone calls to inform parents or check arrangements. Also, phoning the school is not a viable option, because we may have to evacuate or you may not be able to get through due to the lines being busy. If there are any changes to your child’s early closure plan, please inform your child’s teacher as soon as possible.
Sickness:
Please keep your child at home if they are sick.
Fundations:
Fundations® is a multisensory and systematic phonics, spelling, and handwriting program. It is implemented in K-3. Because it is such an important part of our instructruction, students are not pulled out of class for resource or other school supports during Fundations time.
Social Emotional Learning:
SEL is a focus across the PSB this year. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. These lessons are integrated into all subject areas.
I hope this information is helpful as we start the school year. Please check my google site for regular updates about news, units and concepts we are covering in class. I will send along links to new posts in group emails to 2C families using the email addresses provided at the beginning of the year.
Thank you in advance for your support at home. I am looking forward to a great school year!