Weekly Updates

June 17, 2024

Hi Parents,

Welcome to the final update of the school year! 

Happy Father's Day to all the fantastic dads in 2A!  I hope that yesterday was relaxing and fun. 

Field Trip Information

As you know our Grade 2 classes are heading off to Kings Castle Provincial Park in Murray River on Tuesday, June 18th.  As of now, our long term forecast looks fantastic!  But, if rain happens to postpone our day until Wednesday, you’ll be emailed by 7:30 AM.

A few things to make the day a success:

• Students need to have a packed lunch from home.  Please pack extra drink items. 

• Prior to coming to school, have your child apply both sunscreen and bug spray.  Also, pack these items in your child’s kitbag in case it’s necessary to reapply at lunch time.

• Hats and sunglasses are encouraged.  Students will be outside for several hours. 

• Since they’ll be running and playing, students need to wear sneakers. 

• Please pack an extra pair of socks in case the grass is dewy early in the morning. 

• Students can bring money to the park but they are encouraged to only buy one treat item.  The intention is to have a fantastic day playing with friends, not to continuously stand in a long canteen line up. 

• Please put whatever money sent inside a labeled ziploc bag.  Please remind your child where it’s packed inside their kitbag.  This prevents them from panicking whenever they can’t easily locate it.  All money brought to the park is the responsibility of the child. 

• The cost of freezies/popsicles/mini bags of chips is $1.00. 

• Scooped ice cream costs $2.50. 

Reward Jar Day

Also, since students have filled our Reward Jar, they’ve voted to have Wednesday, June 19th as their celebration day.  They’ve decided that they want to….

• Wear their pajamas to school and bring in a teddy/stuffy. 

• Learn using chrome books, complete an art project, and get to chew gum during reading time.  

• Have dance movement breaks throughout the day. 

• Finish the day with 20 minutes of free play. 

Tuesday and Wednesday are definitely going to be great days!  And on top of that, students have Fun Day on Friday to look forward to. 

Overview of the Week

Although we have fun activities planned for this week, we do have academic learning to accomplish.  The class will wrap up being poets throughout the next few days.  Then students will have the chance to create stories about any form of writing.  For example, some may choose to be persuasive authors, while others create non-fiction books. 

Even though, FUNdations lessons have come to an end, students are still practicing Trick words every day in class.  These words include: how, who, said, very, were, where, here, because, before, there and their.  

Since levelled books need to be returned to the Literacy lab on Monday for yearly inventory, students will start exploring only books from our classroom collection during Independent Reading time.  Many are reading chapter books while others are still preferring to read picture books. 

The class will also write a couple of book responses about stories shared during group time. 

During Math Workshop, students will work on data management activities and review addition/subtraction with and without regrouping. 

During Science, lessons will focus on relative motion and position.  Hopefully there will be time to do a STEM project or two before the school year comes to an end.

Reminders

• All library books must be returned by Monday, June 17th. 

• Please look in your child's school bag on a regular basis for completed learning activities that have been sent home. 

• Our school-wide Fun Day is scheduled for next Friday, June 21st.  In the morning students will rotate through both indoor and outdoor game stations and in the afternoon, they'll enjoy a in-class movie.  Please ensure that your child wears a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray to school that morning. 

• Mr. Jones is teaching 2A on Friday, June 21st as I am in Montreal for a family celebration.  If you need to get in contact with him, please call the school or send in a note with your child. 

• The last day of school is Wednesday, June 26th.  Learning Reports will be issued then. 

• Information about the free Summer Food Program for students can be found at www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/childrens-summer-food-program 

Take care and thanks for an outstanding year!  It has been an honour to teach such a magnificent group of children.  I will miss your kids!

With sincere gratitude,

Mrs. Callaghan

June 10, 2024

Hi Parents,

On Friday the class had a lot of fun saying goodbye to our butterflies.  Students got a kick out of watching their first few moments of freedom. 

Learning reports are due to administration by Friday so next Monday I'll post an update on what the class has been doing academically. 

As we approach the end of the school year, I want to thank you again for the extraordinary children you send my way each day.  I appreciate the support and trust you have shown me throughout the past ten months.  It's been a fantastic year.  I just can't believe it is June already!

Reminders

• Library books are due back by today, Monday June 10th. 

• Students will have their final Trick Word quiz on Tuesday, June 11th.  They will have the assessment for Unit 14 on Friday, June 14th. 

• If you haven't already done so, please send in your child's fieldtrip payment ($6.00) as soon as possible. 

• Next week on Tuesday, June 18th all grade 2 classes are traveling to Kings Castle Provincial Park.  To help make the day a success, please ensure that your child is dressed for the weather; is wearing a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray; has a packed lunch with extra drinks; and has money for the canteen if you wish for them to purchase a treat. 

• Items for sale at Kings Castle include scooped ice cream ($2.50) and freezies/popsicles/mini bags of chips ($1.00).  Students are responsible to look after their own money. 

• Please return any books that have been borrowed from 2A. 

• As part of Fun Day on Friday, June 21st, students will be provided with a barbecued hotdog lunch.  If your child doesn't like hot dogs please make sure that they have a packed or ordered lunch. 

• Learning Reports will be issued on the last day of school, Wednesday, June 26th. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

June 3, 2024

Hi Parents,

Can you believe that it's June?  Only in Education do we seem to gear up to start, and gear up again to end, so we have lots on the go this month.  Academic learning continues to be the primary focus but as we get closer to the end of the school year, the class will do lots of fun things. 

The Grade 2 team has decided that once Unit 14 is completed, we'll wrap up Fundations for the year.  So, the final Trick word test is planned for Tuesday, June 11th.  In preparation, please have your child study the following words:  Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, bought, brought, and piece.  

After June 11th, students will practice in class any Trick words that most haven't mastered yet. 

If you'd like an optional parent-teacher interview sometime this month, please reach out to me.  So far, only two parents have indicated an interest in meeting.

Throughout this month, students will start bringing home writing projects, crafts, etc that have been made throughout the spring.  This saves everything from being squished inside school bags on the last day of school.  

Please have a look around your house for any picture books, chapter books, or levelled readers that have been borrowed from our classroom.  I would appreciate having items returned as soon as possible. 

Homework will officially come to an end on Wednesday, June 19th.  After that, no new assignments will be passed out. 

Reminders

• Library books are to be returned by Friday. 

• Field trip permission slips and payment need to be passed in ASAP. 

• Students need to have a packed lunch from home on Tuesday, June 18th.  Since we will be on our field trip, students won't have access to school-purchased lunches.  Scooped ice cream will be for sale at Kings Castle. It costs $2.50.  Freezies, popsicles and mini bags of chips cost a $1.00. 

• A school-wide Fun Day is planned for Friday, June 21st so students will be provided with a barbecued hotdog lunch.  Students still need to have packed snacks from home. 

• The last day of school is Wednesday, June 26th. 

Take care and have a lovely week.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

May 27, 2024

Hi Parents,

I hope you enjoyed another great PEI weekend.  2A is really excited about their upcoming concert on Tuesday, May 28th.  I hope that every child has at least 1 loved one in attendance.  The combined performance with 2C starts at 11:30 AM and lasts for approximately 15-20 minutes.  

On Friday representatives from the Hot Lunch program came into 2A to ask students their opinion about present food menu items and possible future ones.  As a thank you, each child was given a spknork.  A spknork is a combination fork, knife, and spoon all in one utensil.  Please look for it in your child's kitbag. 

Reminders

• Mr. Jones will be teaching 2A on Tuesday and Wednesday.  If you need to get in contact with him please call the school or send in a note with your child. 

• Library books need to be returned by Friday.

• Please sign and return your child's fieldtrip permission form as soon as possible.  The bussing cost per child is $6.00. 

• Later this week 2A will begin Unit 14 in Fundations.  The Trick words for this unit are: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, bought, brought, and piece.  Please have your child start to practice these words. 

• If you would like an optional June parent-teacher interview, please send me an email.  

• 2A will not be preparing any Father's Day crafts/presents. 

• A school-wide Fun Day is scheduled for Friday, June 21st.  Students will be provided a barbecued Hotdog lunch. 

• The last day of school is Wednesday, June 26th. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

May 20, 2024

Hi Parents,

Happy Victoria Day!  Since I've started to work on writing learning reports during the weekends, for the next couple of weeks just reminders will be posted.  If anything important comes up, a class email will be sent out.  Have a terrific week! 

Reminders

• A letter went home last Wednesday outlining the Personal Safety concepts students will be exploring throughout Health lessons this week.  If you haven't already read it, please do so.  It is located in your child's homework duotang. 

• Library books are to be returned by Wednesday. 

• Unit 13's Trick Word quiz is on Friday.  To get ready for it, students are asked to study the following words:  Monday, Tuesday, beautiful, new, cousin, tomorrow, first, and lose. 

• Please attend the 2A/2C concert on Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  

• Mr. Jones will be teaching 2A on Tuesday, May 28th and Wednesday, May 29th.  If you need to get in contact with him, please either send in a note with your child or call the school. 

• Our end of year field trip is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18th.  More information will be sent home soon. 

• Our school-wide Fun Day is scheduled for Friday, June 21st.  Students will be provided a barbecued hotdog lunch. 

• If you'd like to book an optional parent-teacher interview for June, please send me an email. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

May 13, 2024

Hi Parents,

I hope that Mother's Day was a special happy day for your family!  To all the amazing moms in 2A....thank you for all that you do.

Personal Safety Program

All second grade students participate in personal safety lessons as part of the PEI Health curriculum.  To help parents understand the content covered during lessons, an overview of the program will be sent home with this week's homework.  If you have any questions or concerns after you read through the note, please get in touch with me. 

Overview of the Week

2A will finish up procedural writing this week.  As part of a wrap up activity, the class will plant seeds and record the instructions they followed.  Although the class will move onto poetry next week, students will take some time to write their own Chester stories.  Since students are getting a kick out of the antics of Melanie Watt's character, it's a perfect chance for them to engage in imaginative writing. 

Throughout Unit 13 of Fundations students will explore syllables/words with the vowel teams, "oa", "oe" and "ow".  To help prepare for their Trick Words quiz on Friday, May 24th, students are asked to study the following words:  first, new, Monday, Tuesday, cousin, lose, tomorrow, and beautiful. 

During Math workshop, the focus continues to be double-digit addition with and without regrouping, story problems, and 2D shapes. 

The Grade 2 teaching team is awaiting the arrival of our butterfly larva from Quebec.  Hopefully, our kits will be here within the next week.  Once they arrive, students will observe and record the changes they see as the eggs transition through their life cycle stages to adult butterflies.  This science project is always a big hit! 

Overall, it is going to be another fantastic week in 2A. 

Reminders

• Library books are due back no later than Tuesday. 

• 2A and 2D will travel to Orwell Corner Historic Park on Tuesday.  Students need to have a packed lunch from home and must dress according to the weather forecast.  It is highly recommended that they wear sunscreen and a hat.  We'll depart from the school before 9 AM and return by 2:10 PM. 

• Students don't have school next Monday, May 20th.  It's Victoria Day. 

• The Deadline to order a school yearbook is Tuesday, May 21st.  Administration sent parents an email about this last week.

• 2A and 2C will be performing Awesome Animals on Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  Please attend! 

• Our end of the year field trip to Kings Castle Provincial Park is scheduled for June 18th. 

• West Royalty's Fun Day is scheduled for Friday, June 21st.  A BBQ lunch will be provided for students.

• If you'd like an optional parent-teacher interview before the end of June, please let me know. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

May 6, 2024

Hi Parents, 

Welcome to a 5-day school week.  As the Minister to Education said in her presentation to teachers on Friday, there are just eight more Mondays left in the school year.  As the end of June will be here before we know it, third term testing is starting in 2A.  This week individual reading assessments will get underway, and soon students will be given their second 103 No Excuses Word quiz.  After that, the focus will be on assessing math outcomes and whether or not your child is leaving Grade 2 with a 3-second recall of basic addition/subtraction facts. 

Once assessments are completed, I will be reaching out to some parents to have a final chat about your child's academic progress.  If I don't contact you, but you would like to have an optional parent-teacher interview in early June, please let me know.  I will gladly set up a time to meet with you. 

 I can't believe I'm less than two months away from saying goodbye to your amazing children.  Although I adore every class I teach, I am especially attached to this year's group.  They are such magnificent little humans!  Truly kind, polite, and appreciative of the special uniqueness that each personality brings to our room.  They are inclusive and accepting of one another.  I absolutely love every day with them. 

Mother's Day/Father's Day

2A will not be preparing any cards, crafts, or presents for these holidays.  Since celebrating these holidays is not part of the curriculum, I decide from year to year whether or not students will complete any in-class projects for their parents.  In order to do so, it must be a healthy choice for all children to participate.  Thank you for your support and understanding.

Overview of the Week

Students continue to be successful procedural authors.  The class will spend another two weeks on this text form before moving onto poetry.  Although students will be given prompted topics to write step-by-step instructions for, they will also self-generate a list of things they're experts on.  Using the items from their lists, students will create their own procedural stories.  

Lessons in Fundations will focus on two more vowel teams (oi and oy) and how these vowel combinatiuons make the /oi/ sound.  For example, "oi" as in "coin" and "oy" as in "boy."

Unit 12's Trick Word test is scheduled for Thursday.  In preparation, please have your child study the following words:  own, work, word, write, their, favorite, early, and ocean. 

Many thanks for the time and effort put into helping your child practice these words.  It's certainly paying off because test scores are always impressively high!   I know that as the days get longer, and as summer break approaches, it becomes increasingly harder for children to concentrate on homework.  So, thank you for ensuring that your child continues to complete quality work at home.  

Guided reading groups will temporarily pause while Reading Records are completed.  The hope is to complete 1-2 a day. 

Math mini-lessons continue to focus on 2-digit addition with and without regrouping.  This week students will also complete story problems involving 2-digit addition with regrouping and be introduced to 2D shapes. 

During Social Studies the class will return to comparing how life in the past is different from life in 2024 because of changes in technology.  

Overall, it's going to be another great week in 2A. 

Reminders 

• Library books were due back today, Monday, May 6th. 

• 2A and 2D will be travelling to Orwell Corner Historic Park on Tuesday, May 14th.  It is essential that students dress accordingly for the weather.  Since the majority of the day will be spent outdoors, students should wear a hat and sunscreen.  

• There is no school on Monday, May 20th.  Victoria Day. 

• For their performance of Awesome Animals on Tuesday, May 28th, students are asked to wear black tops and black bottoms.

•  Our end of the year fieldtrip to Kings Castle Provincial Park is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18th. 

• The final day for the 2023-2024 school year is Wednesday, June 26th. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Ms. Callaghan

April 29, 2024

Hi Parents, 

Welcome to a 4-day school week.  It's hard to believe but there are now less than 50 days left in the school year.   

Access to Spring Photos

Everest Solutions has provided parents with a QR access code for their website in order to view their child's spring photos.  The slip of paper containing the QR code was sent home with last week's homework. 

A Message From Mrs. Zinck

As you know, our upcoming 2A/2C concert is on Tuesday, May 28th.  If possible, students are asked to dress in black tops and black bottoms.  They will be provided with an animal hat to wear. 

Overview of the Week

Last week we didn't launch procedural writing as originally planned.  Instead, I felt that students needed an extra couple of days wrapping up persuasive book reviews.  So, on Monday we'll delve into this new text form.  Since students need to become familiar with how to clearly communicate precise instructions, we'll do activities such as recording the steps of how to brush your teeth, how to make a Cheese Whiz sandwich, and how to pack a healthy lunch.  

2A's Trick Word quiz is on Wednesday, May 1st.  In preparation, please have your child practice the following words:  little, been, want, Mr., Mrs., whose, won, son, breakfast, head and ready.  

Also, their end of unit assessment for Unit 11 will take place on Thursday. 

Once the class finishes reading and completing activities about books by Phoebe Gilman, the next Canadian author we'll explore is Melanie Watt.  Melanie is the author of books about Scaredy Squirrel and Chester the Cat. 

Although the primary focus during Math Workshop continues to be double-digit computation (addition with regrouping), throughout the next month, students will describe, compare, and construct 2D and 3D objects. They also need to spend time completing surveys, collecting data, making graphs, and interpreting their meaning. 

So far, 2A as only be exposed to double-digit addition with regrouping using manipulatives (Base Ten blocks) to represent trading, but, later this week they'll learn the paper-pencil steps of the algorithm.  Learning the steps involved in regrouping is the most complicated math skill(s) second graders do.  Therefore, it takes lots of hands-on practice, continuous exposure, time, and patience to grasp how to do it.  Traditionally children become frustrated when they don't catch onto this quickly, so it's important to go reassuringly slow.  

During Art, students will draw and design pigs inspired by The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs. 

During Health, the class will create representations of Canada's Food Guide. 

Reminders

• Library books are due back by next Monday. 

• Coupon booklets are being sent home on Thursday, May 2nd. 

• Students do not have school on Friday, May 3rd. 

• 2A will be going to Orwell Corner on Tuesday, May 14th.  Please remember to pack your child a lunch from home that day. 

• There is no school on Monday, May 20th.  Victoria Day. 

• I look forward to seeing you at 2A's performance of Awesome Animals on Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  The concert is approximately 15-20 minutes in length. 

• Our end of year field trip to Kings Castle Provincial Park is scheduled for June 18th. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

April 22, 2024

Hi Parents,

Happy Earth Day!  The class has been busy learning about the importance of this day and talking about how caring for the planet is everyone's responsibility. 

Breakfast Program

The school's breakfast program is having an issue with students arriving late for school and wanting to access it.  This is a significant problem because the program is operated by volunteer community members and staff who need to either get to work or to their classrooms.  Therefore, the program must end daily at 8:20 AM.  If your child tries to access it after that, it will be closed.  Thank you for your understanding as students are expected to be at school no later than 8:15 AM. 

Overview of the Week

Towards the end of this week, students will start to explore procedural writing.  This text form focuses on how to adequately tell in sequenced steps, how to do something.  Mini lessons will highlight the importance of using clear instructions, precise language, and connecting words (first, next, then, etc.) to convey what to do.  Traditionally, students have a lot of fun with this type of writing. 

Students will have their next Trick Word test on Wednesday, May 1st.  They will be quizzed on the following words:  little, been, want, Mr., Mrs., whose, won, son, breakfast, head, and ready. 

At the end of each school day, the class gathers on the mat for read aloud time.  It's a fantastic way to relax and come together for a few minutes before dismissal.  Once we wraps up our present book, Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying, we plan to read the first book from the Magic Tree House series, Dinosaurs Before Dark. 

Throughout this week, student will begin to use Base Ten blocks to show how to regroup when adding double-digit numbers.  It is essential that they have a good grasp of how this before learning the steps within the standard algorithm. 

The class is enjoying learning about Canada's Food Guide and why its been created.  They especially like completing experiments about how much sugar is in certain drink products.  For example, a can of Coke has 10 teaspoons and a bottle of apple juice has 9.  These experiments really help emphasize why the guide indicates that water should be the drink of choice for Canadians. 

I look forward to having another great week in 2A.

Reminders

• Spring photos are scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday.

• Library books are due back by Wednesday.

• Coupon booklet orders are due on Thursday.

• Please sign and return your child's Orwell Corner permission slip ASAP.

• Students don't have school next Friday, May 3rd.

• See you at 2A's performance of Awesome Animals on Tuesday, May 28th. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

April 15, 2024

Hi Parents,

It is a 4-day school week.  Although it's a shorter week, lots of great things are happening in 2A.  On Monday we welcome a new student to our class and on Thursday afternoon students have the Pie in the Face event to look forward to.  I am sure you will hear tons of stories about it! 

Overview of the Week

2A will soon wrap up persuasive writing.  Throughout this week, students will continue to draft convincing arguments about various topics, craft opinion pieces about the book Jillian Jiggs, and create thank you letters for 2B for the persuasive book review letters they wrote us about their "must read" stories. 

On Tuesday, students will have their Unit 10 Fundations assessment.  The focus of the next unit is making a "long e" sound using 'ee", "ea", and "ey." Students will learn that 'ey" is only used at the end of a word and that "ee" and "ea" are generally found in the middle. 

The Trick words for Unit 11 are:  little, been, want, Mr., Mrs., whose, won, son, breakfast, head, and ready. 

The class is enjoying our third chapter book about the character Junie B. Jones.  Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying is a hilarious story about what she does when she sees her teacher at the grocery store. 

During Math Workshop, students will be introduced to addition story problems with double-digit numbers. 

Now that the solar eclipse has come and gone, it is time to focus on the importance of Earth Day.  In the lead up to April 22nd, the class will be reading books, watching videos, completing writing activities, and art projects about ways to help the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling. 

Reminders

• Library books are due back by Tuesday. 

• Ballots of our Pie in the Face fundraiser event will be on sale until Thursday.  $1.00 each. 

• Students don't have school this Friday.  PD Day. 

• Spring photos are scheduled for Tuesday, April 23rd. 

• Coupon booklet orders are due back by Wednesday, April 24th. 

• Students don't have school on Friday, May 3rd. 

• 2A's fieldtrip to Orwell Corner is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th. 

• 2A's performance of Awesome Animals is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  Please attend!

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

April 8, 2024

Hi Parents,

I hope that you're able to watch the amazement of the solar eclipse.  Last week 2A spent a lot of time learning about how/why an eclipse occurs, reviewing safety rules around viewing it, and completing an eclipse art project using chalk pastels and paint. 

Easter Seals Fundraiser

Our final fundraiser is an exciting one!  On Thursday, April 18th, everyone will gather in the gym for a Pie in the Face event!  In the lead up to the big day, students will have the opportunity to purchase ballots for a chance to pie a staff member of their choice.  Each ballot costs $1.00 and will go on sale this week.  

Many thanks for how well our school community has supported this charity.  The Easter Seals Ambassador Tour visits West Royalty Elementary on April 24th. 

Overview of the Week

As part of our persuasive writing unit, 2A is learning about creating effective book reviews and writing opinion letters about stories that interest them.  The purpose of these letters is to persuade others to explore their recommended books.  Students will use evidence from their chosen text to support their thinking and to convince others that a particular book is a "must" read.  Letter components involve things such as indicating a favorite part, describing a character, discussing information explained only through the illustrations, and retelling important story events.

Throughout Unit 10 of Fundations the class is learning about how to read and spell words with "ai" and "ay" vowel teams.  Students have their Trick Word quiz this upcoming Friday.  In preparation, they're asked to study the following words:  great, country, away, Canada, school, thought, another, none, nothing, people, and month. 

During Reading Workshop, the class will be introduced to picture books by Phoebe Gilman.  Her character Jillian Jiggs is always a hit with second graders.  

Although the primary focus during Math continues to be exploring the various ways to add double-digit numbers (Base Ten blocks, front-end addition, the standard algorithm, and verifying using the 100s chart), students will also complete activities involving non-standard measurement. 

Throughout the rest of the month, Health lessons will expose students to the importance of eating nutritious food, the positive effects of physical activity, and the parts of Canada's Food Guide.  

Overall, 2A has a lot to accomplish!  I am absolutely delighted with how well everyone has settled back into a routine since returning from March Break.  You have extraordinary children!

Reminders

• School will be dismissing at 12:30 PM on Monday, April 8th. 

• Library books are due back by Tuesday, April 9th. 

• Students do not have school on Friday, April 19th.  PD Day. 

• Spring photos for second grade students will be taken on Tuesday, April 23rd. 

• Coupon booklet orders are due back by Wednesday, April 24th.  

• Students do not have school on Friday, May 3rd.  PD Day. 

• Our Orwell Corner fieldtrip is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th.  Students must take a packed lunch from home. 

• 2A's performance of Awesome Animals is Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM. 

Take care and enjoy the wonder of Monday's solar eclipse!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

April 1, 2024

Hi Parents,

I hope that everyone enjoyed March Break and the Easter long weekend.  I look forward to seeing students on Tuesday morning! 

Reminders

• Library books are due back on Friday, April 5th. 

• Due to the solar eclipse, schools will be dismissing two hours early on Monday, April 8th.  At 12:30 PM. 

• Students are asked to study the following Trick words for their quiz on Friday, April 12th:  great, country, away, Canada, school, thought, another, none, nothing, people, and month. 

• Students don't have school on Friday, April 19th.  PD Day. 

• Due to the photographer being sick, our spring photos that were scheduled for this week have been postponed.  Second grade students will now have pictures taken on Tuesday, April 23rd. 

• 2A will be going to Orwell Corner on Tuesday, May 14th.  Please do not order a school-based lunch/milk for this date.  Students will be required to bring a packed lunch from home. 

• 2A's performance of their musical Awesome Animals is Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  Parents are encouraged to attend. 

• It is essential that students have water-proof footwear and splash pants to wear during recess time.  Our playground can be quite wet and muddy during April. 

Until next week, take care, and all the best. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

Hi Parents,

Welcome to a 4-day school week.  Luckily there isn't a St. Patrick's Day storm in the forecast!  Our school playground can be extremely wet and muddy this time of year.  As students transition away from wearing winter clothing, it is essential that they have splash pants and water-proof footwear (rubber boots) to wear during recess. 

Since 2A is only one star away from filling their Reward Jar, please look for an email later this week outlining how they've decided to celebrate this achievement.  They've been working extremely hard during Fundations.  We will continue this week to review skills from Units 1-9. 

Students won't be assigned a new homework assignment on Wednesday.  It will be issued next on April 3rd. 

Thank you to those who donated to last Friday's Easter Seals Neon Day/Dance Party.  A total of $859.00 was raised!  

Solar Eclipse

Solar eclipse glasses have been purchased for all PEI students and will be sent home soon.  To learn more about safe viewing protocols please visit the CPHO website at solareclipse.princeedwardisland.ca/Safely-Watch.

Reminders

• Any overdue library books need to be returned by Tuesday. 

• Thursday is a school-wide PJ, Popcorn and Movie Day as another fundraiser for Easter Seals.  Students are asked to donate $2.00.

• Students don't have school this Friday.  It's the first day of March Break. 

• School resumes on Tuesday, April 2nd.

• Spring photos are scheduled for Friday, April 5th.

• 2A's field trip to Orwell Corner is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th. 

• Please attend 2A's performance of Awesome Animals on Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM. 

The next Weekly Update will be posted whenever school resumes in April.  Take care and have a wonderful March Break!  

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

March 11, 2024

Hi Parents, 

Happy Monday!  Islanders finally got to spring our clocks ahead on the weekend.  If like me, you're looking forward to longer brighter evenings.  

If last week's stormy weather impacted your parent-teacher interview, please remember to come see me on Thursday evening. 

Easter Seals PEI Fundraising Activities

The Easter Seals organization is an important charity as it's committed to enhancing the lives of those living with disabilities, especially children.  So, every year PEI schools raise money for it.  Before March Break, there are two special activities planned at West Royalty Elementary.  For each event, students are asked to donate $2.00.

To kick off our school's efforts, this Friday is Neon Day.  All students are encouraged to wear bright colors and will attend a dance at the end of the day.  The gathering for Grades K-2 will take place in the small gym.  

Thursday, March 21st is PJ, Popcorn, and a Movie Day.  Students will get to watch a Disney movie in their classrooms. 

Book Fair

2A will be attending the book fair on Tuesday, March 12th.  If you'd like your child to purchase a book(s), please have them take some money with them to school.  The average cost of a book is $10.00 or less.

Since purchasing will take place during Book Exchange, students won't be signing out any new books for this week. 

Overview of the Week

On Monday morning 2A will get the chance to watch 3C perform their musical.  

This week students will be digging deeper into persuasive writing.  Throughout the next two weeks students will read persuasive mentor texts, in particular, Mo Willems' Pigeon books to examine how authors use a character's actions/thoughts/physical demeanor to convince a reader to think/act in a certain way.  Second grade writers need to be able to pick a point of view and then use three detailed reasons to back up/validate this opinion.  This also involves being able to explain the pro/con sides of an argument in order to legitimatize one idea over another. 

On Tuesday, students will have their Fundations' assessment for Unit 9.  The class spent extra time on this unit because students needed more practice spelling and marking up words that have more than one syllable type.  Unit 10 lessons won't begin until after March Break.  Instead, daily lessons will review concepts taught throughout the past few units.  

During that time, the class will review words that many spelled incorrectly on their 103 No Excuses Word quiz.  These words include: would, could, should, their, there, I’m, don’t, where, were, who, and before.  

Our chapter book read aloud this week is Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus.  

During Math Workshop, 2A will explore a non-standard measurement activity, daily calendar work, and practice computational facts.  Students will start to use Base Ten blocks to show double-digit addition without regrouping. 

Our Social Studies lesson will focus on how technology has changed/enhanced our lives.  Students will compare and contrast advancements in technology from "then" to "now."

During Art, 2A will draw and paint leprechaun pictures. 

Overall, it's going to be another busy week!

Reminders

• Library books are due back by Tuesday, March 12th. 

• March Break starts on Friday, March 22nd.  Classes resume on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.

• Thank you to everyone who has already sent in donations for 2A's Food Drive.  Children can continue to take in non-perishable items until March Break.  

• Spring Photos are scheduled for 2A for April 5th. 

• 2A and 2C’s performance of their musical Awesome Animals will be Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  Parents are asked to attend. 

For those observing Ramadan, may the next month be a time of faith, love, and blessings for your family. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

March 4, 2024

Hi Parents,

Welcome to March!  Students only have 14 school days left until March Break! 

I'm looking forward to seeing you this week at your child's interview.  Please remember to double-check your appointment time.  As you know, conferences are scheduled in 15-minute blocks so if after that time we need to continue our chat, I'll gladly call you or arrange another time to meet.  Since numerous parents need to see multiple teachers, conversations must run on time. 

Food Donations

Since food insecurity is a reality for many people, every month a different grade level takes on the kindness initiative of collecting non-perishable food donations for those in need.  Since March is Grade 2's turn, if possible, please have your child bring in one canned or packaged item this week.  Ms. Burt, our school counsellor, will then distribute what's donated to community members.

Reminders

• Students have their Unit 9 Trick Word's test on Tuesday. 

• Library books are due back by Thursday. 

• Tuesday, March 5th - Learning Reports are being sent home. 

• Tuesday, March 5th - Blaze Pizza's Fundraiser in support of West Royalty Elementary.

• Due to a lack of snow, 2A's fieldtrip to Orwell Corner has been postponed until Tuesday, May 14th. 

• Friday, March 8th - No school.

• March 11th-March 15th - Book Fair.

• March 22nd-April 1st - No school. 

• Tuesday, April 2nd - Classes resume. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

February 26, 2024

Hi Parents,

Welcome to the final week of February! 

There's lots happening in 2A this week!  On Tuesday we're celebrating our 100th day together, Wednesday is Pink Shirt Day, and Thursday is Leap Year Day!

Reminders

• Library books need to be back by Wednesday. 

• Please have your child study the following Trick words:  out, our, friend, another, picture, learn, earth, father, brother, and mother. 

• Please sign up as soon for your child's parent-teacher interview.  wrelementary.schoolappointments.com/  

• Pink Shirt Day is this Wednesday, February 28th.  

• Please sign and return your child's fieldtrip permission form.  Parents are encouraged to pay the bussing fee online.  https://publicschoolsbranch.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/1777/369/False/True 

• 2A is scheduled to go to Orwell Corner on Wednesday, March 6th.  Storm date will be sometime in May.

• Learning reports will be sent home on Tuesday, March 5th. 

• 2A and 2C will be performing Awesome Animals on Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  Parents are asked to attend. 

• Students have March 22nd-April 1st off from school.  Classes resume on Tuesday, April 2nd. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

February 19, 2024

Hi Parents,

Happy Islander Day!  Thank you so much for the time and effort put into helping 2A celebrate Valentine's Day!  Your kindness is greatly appreciated.  It was a happy fun day!

Save the Date

Mrs. Zinck has announced that 2A and 2C will be preforming Awesome Animals on Tuesday, May 28th at 11:30 AM.  Parents are encouraged to attend. 

Reminders

• Library books need to be returned by Tuesday, February 20th. 

• Students will start Unit 9 in Fundations on Thursday.  Throughout this two week unit, students will learn about reading and spelling words with the r-controlled sound combinations "er", "ir", and "er".  Please have your child study the following Trick words:  out, our, friend, another, picture, learn, earth, father, brother, and mother. 

• The online booking site for parent-teacher interviews goes live on Wednesday, February 21st and will be active until Monday, March 4th.  Please sign up as soon as it's available.  wrelementary.schoolappointments.com/ 

• Since Monday, February 26th is the 100th day of school, 2A will do a few in-class activities to celebrate it.  

• Pink Shirt Day is Wednesday, February 28th. 

• Please sign and return your child's fieldtrip permission form.  Parents are encouraged to pay the bussing fee online.  https://publicschoolsbranch.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/1777/369/False/True 

• 2A is scheduled to go to Orwell Corner on Wednesday, March 6th. 

• Learning reports will be sent home on Tuesday, March 5th. 

I hope your family enjoyed the long weekend. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

Hi Parents,

Welcome to February!  It's great news for the Maritimes that Shubenacadie Sam, Nova Scotia's famous groundhog, didn't see her shadow on Friday.  So, despite the snow the Island is receiving, spring must be on its way!  Last week 2A predicted that this would happen. 

We've hit the mid-way point of the school year!  As I've said before, time is flying by.  Although parent-teacher interviews are coming up next month, if you have any questions or concerns about how your child is doing in school, please contact me.  I'll gladly talk at any time.  If chatting in the evenings works best for you, just let me know.  

Pink Shirt Day

Students and staff are encouraged to wear a pink shirt on Wednesday, February 28th to show that bullying is never okay. 

Overview of the Week

Students are loving being nonfiction authors!  I'm impressed by their enthusiasm and their keenness to share their stories.  This week mini-lessons will focus on adding extra description to clear up any confusion a reader might have, and editing skills.  Students will be given a check list (publishing criteria) that they have to independently reference whenever a book is completed.  Editing accountability includes items such as making sure that every sentence begins with a capital letter, every chapter is identified using a heading (title) at the top of the page, and that three facts are included in each section. 

Individual reading assessments are almost completed so Guiding Reading groups will start up again towards the end of this week. 

The class begins Unit 8 in Fundations next Monday.  Throughout this unit, students will be taught about r-controlled syllables.  In particular, "ar", and "or".  The learning focus highlights that the vowel before a "r" is dominated by its sound, thus making it neither long or short.  Therefore, the two letters combine in order to make one sound.  Students will read, spell, and mark up single and multisyllable words with these sounds.  

Please have your child practice the following new Trick words:  any, many, how, now, down, world, answer, and different.  The first five words are review words from Grade 1.  Their quiz will be on Thursday, February 15th. 

Since it's February, the theme within our classroom is kindness, appreciation, and love.  In the lead up to Valentine's Day, 2A will complete some literacy and art activities about ways to show gratitude and affection to others. 

During Math Workshop, students will be assessed in their timed recall of addition facts to 18 and will complete subtraction, estimation, and place value activities.  In preparation for double digit addition, students will start to add multiples of ten to a number.   For example, 43 + 10 and 55 + 30. 

In Science, the class will look at snowflakes using magnifying glasses and talk about how animals survive cold temperatures. 

Overall, it's going to be another terrific week in 2A. 

Reminders

• Library books are due back by Friday. 

• Students are asked to participate in a Valentine's Day card exchange on February 14th.  Please refer to last week's homework note for a list of who is in the class. 

• There is no school on Monday, February 19th.  Islander Day. 

• Pink Shirt Day is Wednesday, February 28th. 

• Learning Reports will be sent home on Tuesday, March 5th. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

January 29, 2024

Hi Parents,

Wow, can you believe that this is the final update of January?  With Valentine's Day a little over two weeks away, a class list will be sent home on Wednesday to help students prepare their cards.  Every year classes traditionally do a card exchange.  To prevent hurt feelings, if your child takes in cards on February 14th, the expectation is that everyone receives one.  There are 22 students in 2A. 

For those of you who may be new to this tradition, these cards are not regular-sized ones like sympathy, birthday or wedding cards.  They're little cards that come in packages of approximately 30 and are specifically made for children.  They are about the size of a debit card and can be purchased at places like Walmart, Dollarama, and drug stores.  Each package contains a different theme such as Barbie, Pokemon, Disney characters, jokes, Angry Birds, Star Wars, etc.  Please see the pictures below for examples.  

Overview of the Week

Students will explore nonfiction writing and reading for another two weeks.  This week mini-lessons will focus on techniques that keep readers interested in a story (crafty leads, description, asking questions, pop out words, and comparisons), ways to help them picture information, and the importance of editing final drafts.  Partners will give each other feedback about what's great about their work, and what needs further enhancement or needs to be fixed.  

During Fundations 2A will learn about adding the suffixes -y, -ly, and -ty to a base word.  So far students know that "y" can be either a consonant or a vowel, but now, they'll learn that when used as a suffix, it always makes a long "e" sound.  

Students will have their Trick Word quiz on Thursday and their unit test on Friday.  

Trick Words: say, says, see, between, each, eight, large, change, city, every, family, night, carry, and something. 

Reading assessments are half-way completed with hopefully another five being finished throughout this week.  I'm absolutely delighted with everyone's individual growth as a reader.  

During Read Aloud, the class is enjoying Ready Freddy: The King of Show and Tell.  

During Math Workshop, students will play two new games, complete a daily estimation activity, and learn about the subtraction strategy called All or Nothing.  This involves knowing the difference when subtracting a number from itself (9 - 9 = 0) and when subtracting zero from a number (9 - 0 = 9).   

Since Friday is Groundhog Day, 2A will spend time learning factual information about these animals, predicting/writing about whether Shubenacadie Sam will see his shadow, and completing a cute craft.  Personally, my fingers are crossed for an early spring!

Reminders

• Library books are due back tomorrow, Tuesday, January 30th. 

• Students do not have school on Monday, February 19th. 

• Learning Reports will be issued on Tuesday, March 5th.

• Parent-Teacher interviews are scheduled for Thursday, March 7th (evening) and Friday, March 8th (day).

• Please ensure that your child has an extra pair of socks and mittens packed in their kitbag.  

• Please continue to send in empty Pringles cans.  

 Have a lovely week and take care. 

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Callaghan

January 22, 2024

Hi Parents,

Welcome to another great school week!  Hopefully it will bring some warmer temperatures and a few more centimeters of snow.  After last week's thaw then deep freeze, our playground is icy.  Students always have more fun when they get to build and play in lots of snow. 

Friday's Reward Jar celebration was a huge hit with students!  It was a terrific day from start to finish.  They enjoyed wearing their pajamas to school and in the afternoon we watched Finding Nemo.  

Many thanks and appreciation to Paisley's parents who surprised us with a pizza delivery at lunch time!  Everyone was thrilled by their generosity.  

We're Going on a Field Trip

In early March, 2A will spend a day at Orwell Corner Historic Village.  Taking a step back in time fits in perfectly with our Social Studies curriculum.  Children will spend time taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride, tobogganing, learning how to make bread and butter from scratch, milking goats, pressing apples into cider and making snow candy.  

In mid-February parents will receive further information about the exact date we're attending.  Since our school has 4 Grade Two classes of 22, the park needs to divide us over two days.   Two classes will go on March 5th while the rest attends on March 6th. 

Overview of the Week

This week students will continue to develop their non-fiction writing and reading skills.  They'll learn that planning out a table of contents is essential as it helps to organize what they want to teach their audience.  Just like when crafting fictional stories, second graders need to add details that help a reader picture information.  Therefore, informational books have to be interesting.  Young authors do this by orally rehearsing what's written and by adding lots of description about their factual content.  One way to do this is through comparison. 

Guiding Reading will temporally pause so individual assessments can take place during Independent Reading.  I will continue to read daily with 2-3 students during Skill Work time.  These are fast check-ins in which the child reads 4-5 pages of a book to me. 

Students have their Fundations Trick Word quiz on Thursday, February 1st.  In preparations, please practice reading and spelling the following words at home:  say, says, see, between, each, eight, large, change, city, every, family, night, carry, and something. 

During Math, 2A will practice subtraction facts to 12 and dive into estimation.  For example, if cup #1 contains 10 blocks, can you estimate how many blocks are in cup #2?  Grade 2 students need to be able to estimate qualities to 100 using referents.  

Overall, it will be a terrific week!

Reminders

• Library books are due back by tomorrow. 

• Please send in any empty regular-sized Pringles chip cans that you have.  Each child needs one for a project they're completing on February 29th.  A special little project to celebrate the leap year.  

• Students do not have school on Monday, February 19th.  It's a statuary holiday.  

• Learning Reports will be sent home on March 5th. 

•  Parent-Teacher interviews will take place March 7th (evening) and March 6th (day). 

• It's essential for students to dress for winter weather.  Unless it's colder than -20 degrees Celsius they'll play outside during recess. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

January 15, 2024

Hi Parents,

Can you believe that January is officially half over?  Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate with us so students can have five days in school this week.  It's certainly been a windy month!

Since we're in mid-January, it's time to start second term testing.  The first priority will be to assess individual reading levels, then mathematical skills, and then writing abilities.  Learning reports are due to school administration by February 27th and that will be here before we know it! 

Overview of the Week

2A will continue to focus on non-fiction during reading and writing time.  Last week students eagerly began their first informational books.  This week they'll dig deeper into the characteristics of factual stories (text features) and "squeeze their brains" to write additional details about their topics.  As experts, they'll need to enhance their ideas from "bare bones" facts to planning out a story that teaches a reader everything about the topic.  Mini-lessons will talk about/model rereading drafts to add more. 

During Independent Reading and Guided Reading sessions, students will explore factual texts.  The purpose is for them to notice what non-fiction authors do, and think, "I could try that!"

Unit 7 in Fundations will take three weeks to complete.  The key concepts introduce students to open syllables and that "y" can work as a vowel (saying 'i' as in "cry") or as a suffix (saying 'e' as in "chilly").   An open syllable only has one vowel, and it's always a long vowel.  For example, the words "flu" or "we."

Students will be quizzed on the following Trick words on Thursday, February 1st:  say, says, see, between, each, eight, large, change, city, every, family, night, carry, something.

I am extremely impressed with how well students are doing on their spelling tests.  Thank you for the efforts being put into supporting your child at home.  

During Math, the primary focus is learning about what to do when subtracting 0, 1, 2, or 3 from a given number.  The most efficient strategy when subtracting 1-3 is to count back.  They'll learn a new math game to reinforce this strategy and will also complete problem solving assignments and a place value activity. 

During Science, students will explore solids, liquids and gases and start to discuss the properties of snow.  

Our Health lesson will reinforce how we show appreciation for others and how we prioritize whether a mistake is a big issue or a minor concern.  Last week I noticed and addressed some impatience and snide remarks that aren't typical for 2A.  It's essential to revisit how comments made to classmates must always be polite, and that as a child it's not your job to point out (police) when someone else makes a mistake.  As I say to the kids, "stay in your own lane!"  There is a difference between tattling and reporting.  

Reminders

• Library books are due back on Monday, January 15th. 

• The school's fundraising event at Blaze Pizza is Tuesday, January 16th.  Please refer to the email sent out by administration for more information.  

• If you haven't already done so, please fill out and return your child's yellow dental form.

• Valentine's Day is Wednesday, February 14th.  Since students will exchange cards, a class list will be sent home at the end of January. 

• Students don't have school on Monday, February 19th.  Islander Day. 

• Students are asked to bring in an empty Pringles can for a future class project. 

• Many thanks for the kindness shown to me and 2A during the Holiday season.  It's greatly appreciated. 

Please get in touch at any time if you have questions or concerns about how your child is doing in school. 

Take care and have a lovely week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

January 8, 2024

Hi Parents,

Welcome back!  I hope that everyone had a terrific break away from school and that students had time to relax and enjoy family.  If like me though, I'm sure you're looking forward to life returning to normal this week.  Although I had an amazing vacation, I'm excited to be back with 2A.  I can't wait to see everyone and to hear their stories.  It feels like it's been a long time since we've been together!  Because of this, the first few days will focus on re-establishing routines, work ethic, and expectations.  

Overview of the Week

Although new content will be introduced this week, it's essential to review concepts covered prior to Christmas break.  The class will also take time to celebrate being back together, talk about New Year's resolutions, and to complete a fun craft. 

Later this week, students will start to learn about non-fiction.  Reading and Writing Workshop mini-lessons will focus on this genre.  This will involve immersing students into non-fiction reading to see how informational books differ from imaginative stories.  How can readers tell if a book is made up, or if its purpose is to teach facts about a topic?

 Students will explore mentor texts to see how writers use text features (special parts) to organize factual information.  Text features (table of contents, headings, glossary, maps, captions, diagrams, etc.) help an author organize true ideas in a way that makes it easier for a reader to access topic information. 

After 2A has noticed what non-fiction writers do, they'll give it a go.  Each child will pick a topic that they're an expert on (dogs, cats, camping, Walmart, baseball, fishing, lego, etc.) to create their first book.  Their chosen idea has to be a topic that they know a lot about, and that doesn't require research.  

Informational writing is always popular with second graders so I look forward to seeing what they produce.  I'm always amazed at how much they know!

This Friday students will have their Unit 6 assessment in Fundations.  

The new Trick words for Unit 7 are:  eight, large, change, city, every, family, night, carry, something, say, says, see, between, and each.  Unit 7 will take three weeks to complete.  

During read aloud, the class will be introduced to Ready Freddy, Tooth Trouble by Abby Klein.  Freddy is a Grade One boy who has a huge problem!  Everyone in his class has lost a tooth except for him!  Therefore, he hatches a plan to get rid of it! 

During math, the class will start to learn about subtraction.  The first strategy covered will be Doubles Subtraction.  This strategy relies heavily on students having a fast recall of Doubles addition facts.  For example, if 6 + 6 = 12, then 12 - 6 = 6. 

Throughout this month, science outcomes will focus on properties of matter (solids, liquids, and gases).  2A will complete some experiments about water, snow, and ice. 

Overall, it will be another productive week in 2A.  There's a lot to be accomplished!

Reminders

• Since it's the time of year when stormy weather can cause a mid-day closure or cancellation, please review with your child their Early Closure dismissal location if school happens to close unexpectedly.  If this location is now different from what you recorded on the form sent home in September, please get in touch ASAP.  If not, your child will be sent to where you originally indicated. 

• Library books are due back by Thursday. 

• Due to possibly getting wet during first recess, students should have an extra pair of socks and mittens/gloves packed in their kitbags.  

• Please label all of your child's outdoor clothing including boots. 

• Students don't have school on Monday, February 19th.  Statutory holiday. 

Until next week, take care, and all the best.  

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

Hi Parents,

Welcome to the final update for 2023!  It's been a fabulous four months in 2A and I'm delighted with the progress students are making.  Thank you again for the amazing children you send my way each day.  I'm truly blessed to be their teacher.  I wish your family a lovely break away from school and lots of happiness as we head into 2024. 

Another reminder that I'll be away this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday so Mr. Jones will be filling in for me.  If you need to get in contact with Jamie, please either call the school (902-368-6790) or send in a note.  He won't have access to my email.  

Overview of the Week

Besides creating a book response, 2A will wrap up fictional writing this week.  When students return in the new year, they'll become non-fiction authors.  This is always a popular genre with second graders.  

Since Unit 6 of Fundations is heavy with new content, the Grade 2 teaching team has decided that our classes need further practice with concepts before completing the unit test.  Therefore, during January 8th-11th, skills will be reviewed and then students will be assessed.  

Although Island teachers are asked to follow a pacing guide for consistency across the province, it's essential for our students to have a strong grasp of vowel-consonant-silent "e" syllable words before moving on.  Students are expected to achieve 80%. 

Although the unit assessment is postponed, students will still have their Trick Word quiz this Thursday.  In preparation, please have your child study the following words:  only, house, move, right, place, together, some, come, would, could, and should.  

During reading time, students will continue to explore seasonal books but they'll also be introduced to chapter books about the Princess in Black.  This book series, written by Shannon and Dean Hale, takes the main character Princess Magnolia on fast-paced adventures.  That's because she has a secret!  Her alter ego is the superhero, the Princess in Black!  These books are excellent mentor texts for introducing the comprehension strategy of visualization. 

Math learning continues to focus on addition facts to 20, story problems, place value/representing a number in difference ways, and increasing patterns.  Students will also spend time working on the concept of equal to/not equal to.  Children need to understand if the amount (element) on one side of an equal symbol is balanced or equal to the other.  For example, 72 = 72; 17 ≠ 25; 9+3 =12, and 7+8 ≠ 6+7. 

During Technology, 2A will solve increasing patterns and place value activities using Boomlearning.com.  Throughout Christmas vacation please feel free to have your child access this site at home.  Log-in information for it and all other websites used in class can be found in your child's homework duotang.

A perfect way to practice reading throughout the holiday is to access the PMe Collection website.  Students can record themselves reading a book(s) that's at their level. 

Shh, don't tell, but as a surprise 2A is going to watch a movie on Friday!  At 11:00 AM second graders will gather in the multipurpose room to watch The Polar Express.  It's a magical experience getting together to watch it on a big screen.  

Overall, it's going to be another busy school week to end off 2023!

Reminders

• Library books are due back by Thursday.

•  A school-wide Pajama Day is planned for Friday, December 22nd. 

• The final day of school before Holiday Break is Friday, December 22nd. 

• Students return to school on Monday, January 8th. 

• The next homework note will be sent home on Wednesday, January 10th. 

• Many thanks to those who supported the 2B/2D Bake Sale.  Over $500.00 was donated for toys at the QEH. 

Take care and have a wonderful week.  Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

December 11, 2023

Hi Parents,

It's hard to believe that students only have 10 more school days left before they're on Christmas vacation.   Thank you to everyone who was able to attend our Holiday Concert.  I know how challenging it can be to get away from work in the middle of the day.  

Students certainly felt like superstars whenever they exited the stage and noticed parents and loved ones lined down our hallway.  By the time they walked into the classroom they were giggling with excitement and accomplishment.  Thank you!  It was a perfect way for them to end their outstanding performance.  

It doesn't matter how long I've been teaching, every year watching the children perform, makes me teary.  I'm very grateful for our talented Music teacher, Mrs. Zinck, and how much students adore learning with her. 

Label Clothing

Another reminder to please label your child's clothing.  Many parents are requesting help finding lost items but this is extremely time consuming when clothing hasn't been labelled.  As you can appreciate, numerous students wear the same size and style of outerwear. 

Bake Sale

Since it's a perfect time of year to participate in charitable acts, 2A has been asked to support the 2B/2D Bake Sale that's happening this Wednesday, December 13th.  These two classes are selling cookies (50 cents each) in order to purchase toys for the QEH's pediatric unit.  So, during snack time, 2A will have the chance to buy a delicious treat.  Your child's support is appreciated.  

School-Wide Pajama Day

To celebrate the final day of classes for 2023, students are encouraged to wear their pajamas to school on Friday, December 22nd. 

Overview of the Week

Students are enjoying Fictional writing!  They've learned about the importance of planning out their ideas using graphic organizers and all of them have their first story underway.  Most will start their second story on Monday.  When I look around the room during writing time, everyone is confidently engaged in learning.  I'm impressed with their keenness and imaginative ideas. 

On Monday the class will start Unit 6 in Fundations.  Throughout the next two weeks, the main concept covered involves learning about vowel-consonant-e syllable words.  How an "e" at the end of a word usually influences the other vowel to be long.

Students are asked to practice the following new Trick words:  only, house, move, right, place, together, some, come, would, could, and should.  The last five words are review words from last year.   2A's next quiz will be Thursday, December 21st. 

Throughout this week, the class will complete seasonal crafts that will integrate math, science, and health outcomes.  

Also, during Math Workshop they'll learn a new addition math game, complete Place Value activities, and decipher story problems.  

Reminders

• Library books need to be returned by Tuesday, December 12th. 

• The 2B/2D Bake Sale is Wednesday, December 13th.  

• Ms. O'Brien's last day with 2A is Thursday, December 14th. 

• Mr. Jones is teaching 2A from Wednesday, December 20th to Friday, December 22nd.  Please call the school if you need to get in contact with him.  He won't have access to my email. 

• A school-wide PJ Day is planned for Friday, December 22nd. 

• The first day of school for 2024 is Monday, January 8th. 

Happy Holidays and have a fantastic week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

December 4, 2023

Hi Parents,

I'm looking forward to seeing you at 2A's Holiday Concert.  The class has been diligently practicing and I must say, they are cute!  Another reminder from Mrs. Zinck that students do not have to dress in any particular color or theme for their performance.  

Unfortunately, it's the time of year when many children are getting sick.  Please know that a terrible cold virus, Covid-19, and Pink Eye are on the go within the school, especially in the K-2 wing.  To help support what I'm talking about in class, please have a chat at home about proper coughing etiquette, correct hand-washing techniques, and following the school's hands-off policy.  It's essential to reduce the spread of germs. 

Overview of the Week

It's hard to believe that there are only fifteen school days left until Holiday Break!  Although December is a festive month, there's lots of academic learning left before vacation.  

On Monday morning, 2A has our dress rehearsal and then, in the afternoon, we'll attend 2B's and 2D's concert.  It's always fun for children to see their peers perform. 

Ms. O'Brien has her final practicum evaluation on Tuesday.  Demetria is definitely on her way to becoming an extraordinary teacher.  

This week, attention shifts from personal narrative writing to imaginative stories.  During Writing Workshop students will become fictional authors.  Mini-lessons will focus on brainstorming ideas, developing characters, describing setting(s), and structuring events throughout the beginning, middle, and end of a plot.  Students will use graphic organizers to plan out text components. 

During Reading Workshop, students will read books about reindeers, elves, Santa, etc.  A new chapter book series won't be introduced until January.  Instead, the class will end each day enjoying a seasonal read aloud. 

On Thursday, students have their Trick Word quiz.  To prepare, please continue to have your child practice the following words:  against, knew, know, always, often, once, put, two, too, very, and also.  

The new Fundations concepts covered throughout Unit 5 include how to spell multisyllable words and what to do when adding vowel and consonant suffixes (-able, -en, -ish, -ful, -less, -ment, and -ness) to base words.  For example, changing "fresh" to "freshen" or "child" to "childish."  

The class will write the unit assessment on Friday. 

During Math Workshop, the class will learn about adding 10 to a single digit number (1-9), play new addition games, decipher and solve story problems, and complete a place value math craft. 

Overall, it's going to be another happy productive week in 2A!

Reminders

• Please label your child's outdoor clothing.  

• Library books are due back by Tuesday, December 5th.

• Ms. O'Brien's final day of her practicum is Thursday, December 14th.

• Mr. Jones will be teaching 2A from Wednesday, December 20th to Friday, December 22nd.  Doug and I are heading to Mexico for two weeks. 

• The last day of classes before Holiday Break is Friday, December 22nd.  Students return to school on Monday, January 8th. 

• Thanks for supporting the school's recent Poinsettia fundraiser and the Christmas families campaign.  

Take care and have a wonderful week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

Hi Parents,

It's hard to believe that it's the final week of November and that in less than a month students are on Holiday Break! 

With the recent dip in temperature, I can't emphasize enough the importance of children dressing appropriately for cold weather.  It's much better for them to over dress than under dress because layers can always be taken off.  Last week many students complained about feeling cold during recess but, unless it's raining or colder than -20 degrees Celsius, they play outside twice a day. 

Also because many children wear black outerwear, please ensure that all clothing items are labelled.  Throughout the winter months, parents often ask teachers to help locate lost pairs of black snow pants, mittens, or boots but when we look, there are hundreds to choose from.  With over 600 students attending West Royalty Elementary, and with the cost of clothing being so expensive, please take some time to place your child's name on whatever is worn to school.  Thank you.

Another reminder that 2A's concert is on Tuesday, December 5th at 1:15 PM.  Although it can be quite difficult to get away from work, it would be fantastic if every child could have at least one parent in attendance.  Every year as soon as the stage curtains open, the first thing students do is search the audience for someone they love. 

Overview of the Week

It's finally a 5-day school week!  Throughout the next few days, children will once again be immersed into personal narrative writing.  This week students will provide feedback to peers.  Using a criteria checklist and techniques they use as authors, they'll give compliments and suggestions to one another about ways to enhance, edit, and/or revise a piece of writing. 

During Reading Workshop, inferring will continue to be the comprehension strategy explored.  Using their background knowledge (what they already know) plus clues from the story, students will make inferences about the characters and plot.  During Independent Reading, Ms. O'Brien will continue to be responsible for Guided Reading sessions while I read with individual students. 

In Fundations, the class will have the next Trick word quiz on Thursday, December 7th.  Until then please have your child study the following words:  against, knew, know, always, often, once, put, two, too, very, and also. 

On Tuesday, 2A will begin the final chapter book by Andrew Joyner entitled Boris Sees the Light.  After it's finished, the class will investigate books from The Princess in Black series.  As previously mentioned, the intention throughout the next few weeks is to introduce students to chapter books that most can read on their own. 

During Math Workshop activities will focus on the addition strategies Ways to Make Ten and 2-Aparts/Almost Neighbors, place value representation, and increasing patterns.  

Later in the week students will start a small Science unit about Owls.  The class is already quite fascinated with owls because the two mascot puppets for Fundations are Mama Owl and Baby Owl.  Therefore, it's a perfect opportunity to learn non-fiction information about them. 

Reminders

• Library book are due back by Monday, November 27th.

• Please send in your child's baby picture by Tuesday, November 28th. 

• The Dental Preventative Clinic starts on Wednesday, November 29th.

• Mr. Jones will be teaching 2A from December 20th-22nd. 

• The last day of classes before Holiday Break is Friday, December 22nd.  Students return to school on Monday, January 8th. 

Many thanks for the lovely conversations we had during interviews.  Your partnership and trust is greatly appreciated.  

Take care and have a wonderful week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

Unity

I dreamt I stood in a studio,

And watched two sculptors there.

The clay they used was a young child’s mind,

And they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher—the tools she used,

Were books, music, and art.

The other, a parent—working with a guiding hand,

And a gentle loving heart.

Day after day, the teacher toiled

With a touch that was deft and sure.

While the parent labored by her side,

And polished and smoothed it o’er.

And when at last, their task was done,

They were proud of what they had wrought.

For the things they had molded into the child,

Could neither be sold nor bought.

And each agreed they would have failed

If each had worked alone,

For behind the teacher stood the school,

And behind the parent, the home.

- Author Unknown

November 20, 2023

Hi Parents,

I hope that students enjoyed their extra long weekend!  Saturday evening was certainly wet and windy!

With parent-teacher conferences happening on Friday, it's a 4-day school week.  In preparation for interviews, please double check your appointment time.  Since conferences are scheduled in 15-minute blocks, if more time is needed at the end of our chat, I'll gladly follow up with a phone call or will arrange another time for us to meet.  It's essential that appointments run on time because if not, it impacts other parents and teachers.  Many parents have more than one conference to attend.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 

Overview of the Week

It's an important week for Ms. O'Brien as she has her second evaluation on Tuesday.  Since she received a glowing critique on her first one, I'm sure Dr. Thorne will be equally impressed with Demetria's upcoming writing lesson.  2A has certainly fallen in love with Ms. O'Brien and will miss her when her practicum comes to an end.  

As part of her training, Demetria needs to attend some parent-teacher interviews.  If you'd prefer for her not to take part in yours, that's absolutely fine.  Please just let me know prior to your appointment.

At the end of November personal narrative writing comes to an end.  Until then, students will continue to write about ideas from their own lives.  Mini lessons will focus on writing with purpose, incorporating author/craft moves, and using a check list to revise/edit with intent. 

A reminder that on Tuesday students will be tested on the following Trick words: again, please, animal, sure, use, used, when, there, where, here, and why.  

Thank you for taking the time to help your child prepare.  Unit 4's Fundations assessment will be given on Wednesday morning.  

The focus of Unit 5 shifts from sounds to syllables.  Throughout lessons, students will review how to read and spell multisyllabic words.  This involves reviewing how to segment and divide words into syllables.  Also, the class will be introduced to four new consonant suffixes (-ness, -less, -ment, -ful), three new vowel suffixes (-able, -ish, -en), and the vowel team sounds of 'au.'

Trick words for Unit 5 include: against, knew, know, always, often, once, put, two, too, very, and also.  The last five words are review words from Grade 1. 

During read aloud time the class recently started our second chapter book by Andrew Jayner.  His character Boris is an enthusiastic mischievous warthog who loves adventures.  The goal throughout the next few weeks is to introduce students to simple chapter books that most can now read independently. 

Reading Workshop mini lessons will focus on the components of an effective retell.  Students will also explore the comprehension strategy of making an inference.  Talented readers infer all the time.  They combine what they already know (background knowledge) with clues from the story (pictures/words) in order to make a smart guess about what a character(s) is doing or why they're doing it.  

During Math Workshop, students will explore story problems, increasing patterns, and learn about how to find a missing addend.  For example, 4 + ? = 10.  

Throughout the next couple of weeks students will be exposed to the addition strategies of adding 0 to a number, adding 1, 2, or 3 to a number, and 2-Aparts/Near Neighbors.  2-Aparts/Near Neighbors involves doubling the missing number between 2 given numbers.  For example, 6 + 8 = 14 because 7 + 7 = 14. 

This week Social Studies activities will concentrate on how a person's needs and wants change or don't change over time.  How are the needs/wants of a seven year old different from those of an infant? 

Students are asked to take in a baby picture of themselves to share with the class.  It would be appreciated if everyone could bring in a photo by next Tuesday. 

On Thursday, Ms. O'Brien will make a seasonal art project with the class.  

It's hard to believe that there's only 24 school days left in 2023!  Holiday Break will be here before we know it! 

Reminders

• If you ordered school photos of your child, they'll be sent home on Monday, November 20th.  Please look for them in your child's schoolbag. 

• Library books need to be returned by next Monday.

• Learning Reports will be sent home on Tuesday, November 21st. 

• A Poinsettia Fundraiser information letter was sent home last week.  To see the letter or to access the order form, please access this link: Copy of Poinsettia Fundraiser 2023.pdf 

• The date of our holiday concert is getting close!  It's Tuesday, December 5th at 1:15 PM with the storm date being the following day.  The concert will be held in the multipurpose room.  Mrs. Zinck mentioned that students don't have to dress in any particular way or in any particular color(s).  Just that they need to look cute!  With the cuties in 2A, that won't be a problem!  

• Students don't have school this Friday.

• The last day of classes before Holiday Break is Friday, December 22nd.  Students return to school on Monday, January 8th. 

Take care and have a lovely week.  I look forward to seeing you at interviews!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

November 13, 2023

Hi Parents,

I hope students are enjoying their extra day away from school.  It's an extremely short school week for them!  Just 2 days!

Regardless of what your weekend entailed, I hope it included taking a moment to appreciate what others have done, and continue to do, to enable us to live in a safe free country.  What a privilege it is to be Canadian.  Honoring Remembrance Day seemed especially important to me this year considering the on-going wars happening across the world.  The human cost of war has to end.  Lest we forget. 

Reminders

• Library books need to be returned by tomorrow, Tuesday, November 14th. 

• Students are asked to study the following Trick words for their Tuesday, November 21st quiz:  again, please, animal, sure, use, used, when, there, where, here, why.  (The last 5 words are review words.)

• Students don't have school this Thursday and Friday.  Annual PEITF Convention.

• Learning Reports will be sent home with students on Tuesday, November 21st.

• Due to parent-teacher conferences, students don't have school on Friday, November 24th.

• If you haven't done so, please access the online booking site to book your child's parent-teacher interview.  wrelementary.schoolappointments.com/admin/ 

• The Holiday Concert for 2A and 2C is Tuesday, December 5th at 1:15 PM.  See you there!

Take care and have a lovely week.  Happy Diwali to those celebrating.  May it be a time of family fun, happiness and blessings. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

November 6, 2023

Hi Parents,

I hope you enjoyed the first weekend of November and the extra hour of sleep we gained when clocks rolled back!  Please take a few moments to read through the reminders for this upcoming week.  Thanks so much. 

Reminders

• Library books are due back by Friday.

• Students are asked to study the following Trick words for their quiz on Tuesday, November 21st:  again, please, animal, sure, use, used, when, there, where, here, why.  The last 5 words are review words. 

• Mandy Dixon is teaching 2A with Ms. O'Brien this Thursday, November 9th.  If you need to get in touch with Ms. Dixon please call the school (902-368-6790) or send in a note with your child. 

• On Friday, November 10th, Grades K-2 will attend a Remembrance Day assembly at 9:30 AM.

• No school - Monday, November 13th.  Statutory Holiday.

• No school - Thursday, November 16th and Friday, November 17th.  Annual PEITF Convention. 

• Please sign up for your child's interview before Wednesday, November 15th.  Online Booking for Parent-Teacher Conferences 

• Learning Reports will be sent home with students on Tuesday, November 21st.  

Take care and have a wonderful week.  

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

October 29, 2023

Hi Parents,

To prioritize writing learning reports during the weekends, only reminders will be posted for the next three weeks.  In the meantime, if something important comes up, you'll be sent a class email.  Thanks so much for your understanding. 

Reminders

• Students and staff are asked to dress in orange and black on Tuesday, October 31st.  Costumes aren't allowed.

• Please limited Halloween treats packed in lunches to one item.  Preferably chips.   Please remember that all food items brought into school must be peanut and tree nut free. 

• Library books are due back on Thursday.

• Unit 3's Trick Word test is on Thursday.  Words include: done, goes, pretty, are, who, what, where. 

• The Battery Blitz comes to an end on Friday. 

• No school - Monday, November 13th.  Statutory Holiday.

• No school - Thursday, November 16th and Friday, November 17th.  

• Learning Reports are to be submitted to school administration by Tuesday, November 14th and will be sent home with students on Tuesday, November 21st.  

Take care and have a wonderful week.  Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns about your child's life in school. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

October 23, 2023

Hi Parents,

Can you believe that there are only 6 school days before November 1st?  As you know, it's another short week due to staff having a PD Day on Friday.  

Second grade teachers from across the Island are coming together at West Royalty to learn more about Fundations.  I'm looking forward to increasing my knowledge about this resource.  Teachers must be efficient and prepared as lessons are a significant time commitment.  They take between 30-45 minutes to complete.  All lessons must be taught in entirety.  Nothing can be left out or skipped over because skills build upon one another. 

As I tell the kids all the time, they're the experts not me!  With the exception of 6 children, everyone else has received daily instruction since Kindergarten.  Therefore, I love when students catch me making a mistake!  It shows that the structure, repetitiveness, and skills of the program are being remembered.  

If you haven't yet purchased Halloween Dance tickets, they're only on sale until Tuesday, October 24th.  I won't be at the dance because Doug and I have plans with friends to go to the Watermark Theatre in North Rustico.  If you get a chance, please email me pictures from the event.  I'd really like to share them with 2A.

In fact, please send me any cute photos of your child's life outside of school....going to the park, vacations, siblings, family pets, sporting events, dance practice, piano recitals, etc.  Discussing these pictures during snack time is an excellent way for classmates to get to know their peers.  So far we've met Grayson's little sister Coralee, Freya's new puppy Pickles, and Paisley's doggy Marley.  My email address is cmcallaghan@edu.pe.ca.

Overview of the Week

This week students will continue to write stories about their own lives.  The focus will be on ways to enhance details.  To help strengthen both the description and length of ideas, 2A will chat about how using our 5 senses to think about/write about what happened, automatically builds success.  It zooms in on the topic, so that a clearer interesting image is created for the reader.  

We'll also review editing techniques.  At the end of each writing period, students will complete a 2-minute edit.  This technique allows for them to specifically look for errors that need to be fixed and/or add missing information.  Developmentally, most second graders won't engage in effective proofreading unless prompted repeatedly to do so.  It's a skill that needs to be explicitly taught.

So far, five Reading Records have been completed.  The goal is to now complete two each day.  The Grade 2 reading benchmark expectation for November's reporting period is Level J/17-18.  If a child decodes and comprehends stories at this level, they're meeting standards. 

During Reading Workshop, the class will spend time retelling mentor texts.  After a picture book is read aloud and modelling has occurred, students will pair up to explain to each other what took place in the story.  

"Tell me all the important things that happened in the story," is a key question students are asked during a reading assessment.  Although most easily grasp the literal details of a text, they lack the ability to explain in sequence what happened during the beginning, middle, and end of the story.  

They give generalized answers instead of specific information.  For example, rather than stating the main character's name, they'll say "he" or "she".  When you hear this, please ask for the character's name to be used.  Children need the opportunity to orally express a story's plot.  Thinking about and remembering book details is a learned skill.  It needs to be practiced.  Thank you for making this part of reading at home. 

On Thursday, students will complete their Fundations Trick Word quiz and Unit 2's assessment.  Originally the assessment was supposed to be on Tuesday but, students need more time reading, tapping out, spelling, and marking words with glued sounds and bonus letters.  The schedule allows for two flex days.  Therefore, teachers have decided to postpone the test. 

Although many did great on Friday's Doubles/Doubles Plus 1 test, it's evident that the class still needs daily practice with these facts.  Most students had perfect accuracy but not speed.  So, we'll continue to review them.  Towards the end of this week, Ways to Make Ten will be introduced.  Several students are ready for a new strategy.  Throughout the next four days, class will continue to work on number sense activities.  Greater/less than/equal to is the next concept to be explored. 

During Technology class, students are increasing their independence when logging in and navigating learning sites.  Please feel free to have your child use any of the websites listed inside their homework duotangs.  The more they practice, the better! 

Please remember that students must take their homework bags to school every day. 

We're going to take some time to loop back to Health ideas discussed in early September.  Effective hand washing and coughing etiquette.  Last week it had to be addressed a couple of times that students were rushing when cleaning their hands.  As we head into flu season, care needs to be taken to correctly wash hands.  Also, during the past few weeks, nose picking has been rampant!  To support what is being discussed in class, please have a little hygiene chat with your child. 

Overall, it's going to be a short but productive week!

Reminders

• Ms. O'Brien starts her preservice teaching practicum in 2A on Monday, October 23rd.  She will be with us for 8 weeks.

• Library books are due back by Tuesday, October 24th.

• Picture Retake Day is Wednesday, October 25th.  If you want your child's photo taken, please email me before the end of day on Tuesday.

• The Halloween Dance is this Thursday from 6 PM to 7:30 PM.  Many thanks to Madame Deighan, our French teacher, who spends countless hours prepping the school for the dance.  She also volunteers daily to oversee the success of the Breakfast Program.  She orders, picks ups, and prepares the food.  This is approximately a 2-hour commitment every day.  Although the school has a few dedicated community members who help out, there wouldn't be a Breakfast Program without Vanda's involvement and leadership. 

• October 31st (Halloween) is Orange and Black Day.  Students are asked to dress in these colors.  Costumes are not allowed at school.

• Since not every child celebrates Halloween and due to keeping the nutritional value high in lunches, please pack only 1 treat per day in your child’s lunch.  Chips are preferred.  Please ensure the item packed is peanut-free. 

• Students don't have school on Monday, November 13th.  In lieu of Remembrance Day. 

• The PEITF Convention is November 16th and 17th.  Students do not have school on these days. 

• The Grade 2 Holiday Concert for 2A and 2C is Tuesday, December 5th at 1:15 PM.  See you there!

Take care and have a lovely week.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

October 16, 2023

Happy Monday!  It's great that we finally have a full week of school.  Administration have asked teachers to clarify Halloween Dance ticket sales.  Each person who attends must have a ticket, not just students.  Parental chaperones must also purchase one.  Thanks so much for your understanding. 

Next Monday, Demetria O'Brien is joining our class as an UPEI preservice teacher.  I'm excited to be sharing 2A with her from October 23rd until the middle of December.  I can't think of a better group of students for her to start her career with.  Truly expectational children!  

Overview of the Week

It's Reward Jar Day in 2A!  The class is super excited about this accomplishment!  To acknowledge their excellent cooperation, work ethic, and behavior, they voted to have a PJ Day on Monday.  They can also bring in their favorite stuffy/teddy or toy.  Please make a point of saying congratulations to your child.  I'm extremely impressed with everyone's positive attitude and willingness to try their best during learning time. 

Wednesday afternoon is going to be lots of fun!  Gordon McNeilly, our local MLA and owner of a fitness company, will lead the school through a UFit session.  A terrific way to build school spirit while getting some excellent exercise. 

As far as the curriculum goes, reading assessments start this week.  These individualized tests takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.  Rather than temporarily stopping Guided Reading lessons, the hope is that they can be completed during skill work time.  While students independently complete a task, one child will be pulled to work with me.  First term assessments must get underway because learning reports are due to school administration by November 14th.  I'm shocked by how quickly the school year is going by. 

During Writing Workshop, the focus continues to be narrative writing.  This means crafting stories about your own life.  This unit of study will continue for at least another month.  Students learn that story ideas happen all around us and that whenever a topic pops into your head, to write it down.  Each child has a section inside their folder where ideas can be placed.  Mini lessons will also guide students in how these "small moment" stories need both an interesting beginning and a satisfying end.  

Thank you for the home effort put into practicing how to spell Trick words.  The class' next quiz is on Tuesday, October 24th.  In FUNdations this week, r-controlled vowel sounds, and glued sounds (all, am, an, ang, ing, ong, ung, ank ,ink, onk, and unk) will be introduced/reviewed. 

During Morning Meeting, the class will continue to explore books by Peter H. Reynolds (Say Something, Going Places, Happy Dreamer) and read seasonal books about Fall characters.  The Golden Acorn by Katy Hudson is an excellent read aloud to model the importance of teamwork, the value of friendships, and an opportunity to do a fun STEM project.  The purpose in sharing these read alouds is to explore Health and Social Studies topics. 

During Reading Workshop, mini lessons will review ways readers connect with books/characters and story elements.  In order to effectively retell the who, what, when, where and why of a story, students have to be explicitly taught text components.  

The character Mercy Watson continues to be a class favorite.  Soon, we'll start the 5th book in the series. 

On Friday, 2A will have a Doubles/Doubles Plus 1 addition test.  It's essential that students have a 3-second recall of these facts.  Please continue to practice them at home.  

Also, during Math Workshop, counting skills, even/odd numbers, tally marks, ways to represent a number, and addition strategies will be worked on.  The newest concepts introduced will be fact families, part-part-whole, and number bonds.  These concepts work in combination.  Fact families refers to how 3 numbers work in cooperation to build both 2 addition and 2 subtraction equations.  For example, 3, 8, and 11.  3 (part) + 8 (part) = 11 (whole) or 11 (whole) - 3 (part) = 8 (part).  

Overall,  I'm sure the week will fly by.  There's a lot to be accomplished.  Thanks again for your on-going support and communication with me.  It is greatly appreciated. 

Reminders

•  Library books need to be returned by tomorrow.  Tuesday. 

• Please send in any batteries you want disposed of. 

• Wednesday, October 25th - Picture Retake Day. 

• Thursday, October 26th - Halloween Dance.  6 PM - 7:30 PM.

• Friday, October 27th - No school.  PD Day. 

• Tuesday, October 31st - dress in Orange and Black Day.  No costumes allowed. 

• For parents to be able to plan ahead, Mrs. Zinck has announced that 2A's & 2C's December Holiday Concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 5th at 1:15 PM.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

Have a wonderful week.  Take care. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

October 8, 2023

Hi Parents,

Happy Thanksgiving!  Regardless of what your traditions are, I hope this past weekend involved fun family time, laughter, and delicious food.  We definitely have lots to be grateful for.  

I'm posting this update before Phillipe's stormy arrival, so hopefully, he didn't interfere with anyone's plans.  

Overview of the Week

On Tuesday morning, the class will attend a Truth and Reconciliation school-wide assembly with Julie Pellissier-Lush.  Besides being a parent/grandparent within our school community and PEI's accomplished Poet Laureate, Julie teaches others about the M'kmaq culture, traditions, and history through performances and presentations.  We're very fortunate that she's coming to West Royalty to share her wisdom and talents with us. 

During Writing Workshop students will review how to take ordinary things that happen in everyday life (small moments) and turn them into meaningful narrative stories.  Stories just don't "poof" appear out of nowhere.  There's a process to formulating them.  Small moments need to convey big feelings.  To model this, the class will read mentor texts to look at how their authors put information down across the pages.  How the writers show how the characters were feeling. 

This week, Guiding Reading lessons start during Independent Reading time.  The purpose of this small group instruction is to specifically target what 2-5 readers need.  Students participate based upon the level they read, decoding abilities, fluency concerns and/or the comprehension skills being taught.  While a couple of children meet with me, the rest of the class explores texts from their book bins and from our classroom collection. 

During Morning Meetings, 2A will investigate picture books by Peter H. Reynolds.  Not only do his stories allow for excellent conversations about an author's intended message but, since his characters are so relatable, children easily connect to them.  His books The Table and Be You! are both superb lead-ins to Social Studies discussions about family traditions and about how each person's individual interests must to be respected and appreciated. 

Thanks so much for helping your child prepare for their first Trick Word test.  Everyone got 100%!  I was absolutely thrilled!  

For October 24th quiz, students are to practice these words:  shall, full, pull, both, talk, walk, from, do, does, here. 

This week, we begin Unit 2 in the Fundations program.  A focus for Unit 2 is bonus consonant letters ( f, l, s) that are doubled in a one-syllable word after a short vowel.  For example, miss, off, or chill.  A review concept will be "glued" sounds.  Such as, all, am, ang, ink, ong. 

During Math Workshop, the focus continues to be on representing numbers in a various ways, Doubles Plus 1 facts, odd/even numbers,  understanding patterns within the 100s chart (1 less, 1 more, 10 less, 10 more), skip counting by 2s to 50, and the introduction of story problems.  

When homework is passed out on Wednesday, a computer password/log-in sheet will be placed inside your child's yellow duotang.  Please keep it there as it contains all the necessary information for students to access second grade learning sites at home.  Thank you. 

If time allows, the class will wrap up Friday by making a Halloween craft. 

If you have any questions or concerns about how your child is getting along in school, please get in touch. 

Reminders

• Library books need to be returned by next Monday. 

• Wednesday, October 18th - school-wide UFit exercise class at 1:15 PM. 

• Thursday, October 26th - School Halloween Dance (6 PM - 7:30 PM) 

• Friday, October 27th - no school.  PD Day. 

• Please send into school any used batteries that you want disposed of.  They must be packaged inside plastic/ziploc bags. 

Until next week, take care, and all the best. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

October 2, 2023

Hi Parents,

Wow, it's hard to believe that September is over.  If every month goes by as quickly, before we know it, it will be June!  That having been said, I hope your enjoyed the first weekend of October.  It was certainly gorgeous!  Sunday afternoon was a great opportunity to take in Farm Day in the City. 

Although I love the beauty of autumn, I must admit I don't enjoy colder weather.  With cooler temperatures approaching, it's essential that students have a jacket/hoodie to wear during recess.  Although a forecast may call for a warm sunny day, our playground is quite cold first thing in the morning and during first recess.  Dressing in layers is always the best option.

Overview of the Week

On Wednesday afternoon, Grades 2-6 will practice bus evacuations.  Once a year students participate in this safety drill in which a bus driver leads them through what to do if an emergency situation requires them to exit the vehicle. 

Since last week's Earth Rangers assembly had to be postponed, students will attend it this Thursday morning. 

As writers, students are growing increasingly confident planning out their stories.  Often there is a tendency for a child to come up with an idea, quickly pick up a pencil, and immediately start writing without doing the important step of planning out the topic across the page(s).  Touch and Telling is an essential skill.  This step involves orally rehearsing what's to be written, as your finger physically touches and slides across the page.  The purpose is to increase the details and length of stories.  

Besides focusing on what happens before writing, 2A will also use writing time to review what happens when a story is finished.  Rereading, going back over it looking for things that need to change, fixing punctuations/capitalizations errors, and adding more details to words/pictures are expected skills of a narrative author. 

During Reading Workshop, students will dive deeper into making connections.  The class will discuss:

• Text to self connection:  How a story makes you think of something that has happened to you? 

• Text to world connection:  How a story makes you think of something that has happened to someone else you know?

• Text to text connection:  Does the story make you think of another book or character?

A reminder that 2A plans to have a FUNdations Trick Word quiz on Thursday.  You, your, they, was, one, said.  Thank you for helping your child prepare.  The class will also complete the Unit 1 assessment on Friday. 

During math, although the class will continue to review Doubles, Doubles Plus 1 facts will be introduced.  Students need an immediate recall of Doubles to effectively use this strategy.  It involves doubling the smaller number and adding 1 more.  For example, for 5+6, think 5+5 is 10, so 1 more is 11. 

Doubles Plus 1 Facts: 1+2=3, 2+3=5, 3+4=7, 4+5=9, 5+6=11, 6+7=13, 7+8=15, 8+9=17, 9+10=19

Besides learning about this strategy, students will complete activities/games involving odd/even numbers, 10 more/10 less, and various ways to represent numbers.  Another goal for this week is skip counting by 2s to 50 and backward counting by 1s from random numbers. 

In the lead up to Thanksgiving weekend, 2A will read a few seasonal picture books, create a turkey art project, make gratitude bracelets and discuss who/what they're thankful for. 

Reminders

• Homework is due on Wednesday.  Thank you for the time and effort put into homework.  

• Library books need to be returned by Friday. 

• Please send in any batteries you want disposed of, inside of plastic/ziploc bags. 

• Monday, October 9th - no school.  Thanksgiving Monday. 

• Thursday, October 26th - Halloween Dance!  6:00 PM-7:30 PM. 

• Friday, October 27th - no school.   PD Day. 

• School administration remind parents that there is no outside supervision until 8:05 PM each day.  School doors are locked until this time. 

• If your child orders from the Hot Lunch program, starting this week, these food containers will be sent home each day to be reused or recycled.  Please look for them in your child's kitbag. 

Take care and have a terrific week.  

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

September 25, 2023

Hi Parents,

I hope you enjoyed the first weekend of Fall!  September is definitely flying past and it's hard to believe that we are already in its final week.  I continue to be tremendously impressed with how well students have adapted to my expectations and how well everyone gets along.  2A is a happy productive class family.  Thank you for the polite kind children you send off to me every school day.  

 Overview of the Week

Although it's a short 4-day week, there's a lot to accomplish.  There's lots happening at school!  On Tuesday, Grades 2-6 are participating in an Earth Rangers assembly to learn about our upcoming Battery Blitz contest.  Which ever school collects the most batteries wins $1500.00!  Starting on October 3rd, students can bring in batteries that families want to dispose of.  If sending some in, please make sure that these items are placed inside plastic/ziploc bags before putting them inside of kitbags. 

Wednesday afternoon classes will take part in our annual Terry Fox Run.  Since Terry's inspirational Marathon of Hope, almost a billion dollars has been raised for cancer research.  In the lead up to Wednesday, students will read, write and watch a video about him. 

To honour the importance of National Truth and Reconciliation Day, throughout Thursday, 2A will discuss and complete activities about why "every child matters."  Staff and students are encouraged to wear an orange t-shirt to school.  

This week students start "revving up their writing muscles" during Writing Workshop.  The class will explore mentor texts/mini lessons that motivate them to create personal narrative stories about their lives.  Students will review what a classroom should look like and sound like when authors are at work, where writing supplies are located, how writers come up with ideas/make a plan, the importance of quickly sketching out pictures that add details to stories and how writers continue to write one story after another.  Writers write long and strong right away!

During Reading Workshop, students will investigate "just right" books from their reading bins as well as self-selected books from our classroom library, focus on increasing reading stamina and learn about text-to-self connections.  Readers with stamina never quit reading, read their books over and over again, keep their minds on the story and make observations as they read.  A reasonable goal this week is for students to sustain reading stamina for 10-14 minutes. 

To help develop Fundations skills please have your child continue to read and spell these Trick words:  you, your, they, was, one, said. 

Mercy Watson continues to inspire 2A's imagination and attention.  Students are completely engrossed by her hilarious antics!  Every day at 2:05 PM the class gathers on the mat to read about her.  I have to admit that this end of the day activity is the cutest part of the day.  The class can't get enough of her!  Whenever I go to put the book away, I always hear, "Please, just one more chapter!"  Soon we'll start book #3. 

It's essential for second graders to engage in hands-on learning.  During math workshop, students will take part in number sense activities.  This includes counting concrete objects, the concepts of 10 more/10 less, representing numbers in several ways, tally marks, ordinal positioning and sequencing numbers.  The class will also play some addition games about Doubles.  Games are always a hit!  A fantastic opportunity to learn while having fun. 

It's going to be another fabulous week in 2A!

Reminders

• Library books are to be returned by this Tuesday. 

• Every child requires headphones to use during technology time. 

• Students are encouraged to wear orange on Thursday for Orange Shirt Day. 

• Homework math sheets are to be passed in on Wednesday and new homework will be assigned.

• Battery Blitz contest campaign starts next Tuesday.  Used batteries must be brought to school in plastic/ziploc bags. 

• Students and staff will be participating in our Terry Fox Run on Wednesday afternoon at 2 PM.  Donations of a toonie would be appreciated. 

• Friday, September 29th - PD Day (no school)

• Monday, October 2nd - National Truth and Reconciliation Day (no school)

• Monday, October 9th - Thanksgiving Monday (no school)

Until next Monday, take care and have a wonderful week.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan

September 18, 2023

Hi Parents,

Well, it certainly was a wet and windy weekend!  Thankfully Hurricane Lee was just a minor inconvenience for Islanders and unlike Fiona who walloped us last September. 

Welcome to the first update for the 2023-2024 school year! 

This week is going to be a busy one in 2A.  Since our first 7 days together helped establish predictable routines and create a happy calm classroom culture, it's time to dive into the curriculum.  I'm thrilled with how well students have adjusted to being in my class.  I'm amazed at their kindness and work ethic!  Overall, it's been an outstanding start to the year.

On Monday students will be reintroduced to Fundations.  The purpose of this program, which has been taught since Kindergarten, is to systematically instruct students in phonemic awareness, word study, vocabulary development and reading fluency.  The objective is to increase spelling abilities/word solving automaticity and to improve reading comprehension.  Every day from 8:35 AM until 9:05 AM students will engage in lessons that explicitly help them develop these stronger literacy skills .  

Throughout Monday and Tuesday, to transition back into the program, students will review the format/activity lessons, letter names/sounds/ keyword associations, lower case letter formation, pencil grasp and how to sit correctly while writing.  During the rest of the week they'll continue to build on this knowledge by reviewing diagraph sounds (sh, th, ch, ck, and wh), closed-syllable types and blends.  

During writing time, students will continue to create responses to the picture books shared during Morning Meeting time.  Next week the class will launch back into Writing Workshop.  

As readers, it's all about building stamina.  Being able to maintain reading focus a little bit longer every day without losing interest or becoming distracted.  The class is absolutely loving the chapter book Mercy Watson to the Rescue.  Mercy is a precocious pig who often unintentionally causes trouble for other characters. 

Math activities will review Doubles facts, number recognition, 1 more, 1 less, counting forward and backward by 1s, 5s, 10s to 100 and  forward by 2s to 30, and ordinal positioning to 10.  Please take time to regularly review Doubles facts and counting sequences with your child.  This significantly helps build confidence and independence during learning time.

Heath discussions will explore building positive relationships with peers and during Art the class will complete a painting project. 

Thank you to those who attended one of our Meet the Teacher sessions.  If you weren't able to be there, and you have any questions or concerns about your child's life in school, please get in touch.  

Reminders

• Homework begins on Wednesday.  Please look for your child's duotang in their kitbag. 

• Second grade students are scheduled for school pictures on Wednesday. 

• Library books are due back by next Monday. 

• Students need to bring a water bottle to school everyday.  If your child orders from the food program, their need to have packed a fork/spoon from home. 

• The school's Terry Fox Run takes place on Wednesday, September 27th at 2 PM.  Students are asked to donate a toonie.  Parents can also choose to donate online at https://schools.terryfox.ca/WestRoyaltySchool.

• Students do not have school on Friday, September 29th.  It's a PD Day, 

• There's no school on Monday, October 2nd in observance of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. 

Until next week, take care and have a wonderful week. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Callaghan