IMPORTANT CLASSROOM/SCHOOL INFORMATION
Mrs. Johnsons’ 2nd Grade (864)355-8341
Email: jenjohnson@greenville.k12.sc.us
Website Link: Mrs. Johnson's Class Website
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:15-2:45
This year we are Under the Sea
My class will be known as the Mrs. Johnson’s Under Water Explorers!
COMMUNICATION: Parent/Teacher communication is so important! At the top I’ve listed my office hours, phone number, email address and link to my website. ClassDojo is the primary source for communicating with my class parents as a whole so please make sure that I have your correct email address and phone number! On my class website you will find my weekly newsletter that includes important dates, announcements, academics, Leader in Me, etc. I update it often.
TRANSPORTATION: Please call the school or send a note with your child if he or she is to go home a different way than they normally do. This is a precaution for your child’s safety and it’s important that I know how your child is to get home each day. Please display your blue card with your car number in the car line.
GRADING SCALE
90 – 100 A
89 – 80 B
79 – 70 C
69 – 60 D
59 - 50 F
LANGUAGE ARTS: The language arts grade includes assessments from language & word study and writing workshop. District policy states that teachers will calculate the ELA report card grade as follows:
Writing and Language/Grammar Major Assessments at 30%
Minor Assessments at 60%
Word Study/Phonics at 10%
READING: The reading grade includes assessments from the reading workshop. District policy states that teachers will calculate the reading report card grade as follows:
Responses to literature, skills/comprehension quizzes, and graded classwork (Minor) = 60%
Story assessments, skills/comprehension tests, reader’s notebooks/portfolios (Major) = 40%
MATHEMATICS: Lessons include opportunities for daily practice and review, and hands-on activities. At the end of each unit, teachers administer a written assessment. Teachers will administer quizzes at various points throughout the unit. The mathematics report card grade comes from two components:
Unit Test Grades (Major) = 40%
Quizzes/Classwork (Minor) = 60%
SCIENCE/HEALTH:
Unit Test Grades (Major) = 40%
Quizzes/Classwork (Minor) = 60%
SOCIAL STUDIES:
Unit Test Grades (Major) = 40%
Quizzes/Classwork (Minor) = 60%
GRADED PAPERS:
Graded work will go home in your child’s purple folder OR it could be graded and posted via Google Classroom/email (Some assignments are done on Google Forms, Quizizz, Mastery Connect, etc.)
You may also check your child’s grades on Backpack. By all means, if you have questions or concerns regarding a paper, please let me know and we can discuss it.
ABSENCE MAKE-UP WORK: (Includes absences from tardiness & early dismissals.)
To be counted present for the day, a student must be at school for at least 2 hours.
All work missed during any absence must be completed and returned to the teacher within five (5) days of the student’s return to school.
Students are responsible to get makeup work from their teacher(s).
Provisions to make up school work missed during extended absences can be worked out with the teacher(s)/team concerned.
After the original 5 days make up allowance for absence, the Late Work Procedures will apply.
HOMEWORK: Homework assignments vary throughout the year.
Reading (Begin with at least 10 minutes and build from there) & I also encourage you to listen to your child read, discuss it and read to him/her as well.
Reader’s Response (Reader’s Notebook) will begin later in the year.
Practicing math fast facts (beginning with addition facts) SES website, flash cards, etc.
Studying for tests using Study Guides (Science, Social Studies, Health, Math)
Complete assignments from the day if necessary.
CONFERENCES: We will do Student-Led Conferences towards the end of the first nine weeks. I will create a Sign-Up Genius when we get closer. However, conferences may be scheduled at any time during the school year per teacher and/or parent request.
CHROMEBOOK COMMITMENT: You will receive a “Chromebook Commitment” form to discuss with your child. We will use our Chromebooks daily so it’s very important that your child learns to take care of it and knows the do’s and don’ts of this responsibility. Please have your child charge their Chromebook each night before school.
ATTENDANCE AND TARDY POLICIES: Attendance link. Remember, we start promptly at 7:45. If/when your child is absent, please complete this form: Absences Form
To be counted present for the day, a student must be physically at school for at least 2 hours.
EARLY DISMISSALS: Please send a note in the morning if you plan to pick up your child early. Check in at the office and they will call for your child to meet you there.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Students are expected to follow Greenville County Schools’ discipline plan as outlined in the SES handbook. In addition, students at Simpsonville Elementary School will abide by the following:
School-wide Behavioral Expectations:
1. Listen to and follow directions.
2. Excellence is everything.
3. Always show respect.
4. Do the right thing.
The first week of school, we will be discussing positive behaviors and what it means to be a Leader. We will develop our class mission statement and our class expectations. School-wide and classroom expectations will be posted in our classroom.
I will use phone calls, newsletters, ClassDojo text messages, and my website as my communication this year. For behavior management, I like to reward students for making the right choices while at school. I will use ClassDojo and give points to students during the day for following class and school wide expectations. I will give points to students who are working hard and showing kindness and being a leader. At the end of each week, if a student has earned 15 points or more, they will receive a reward. The reward may be a sweet treat like Skittles, it may be being the teacher’s assistant for a day, or it could be a small toy or a special pencil.
It is also important to know that I will contact you as needed if your child’s behavior warrants more attention. Severe disruptive behaviors and chronic misbehaviors may result in referrals and an administrator will be contacted.
LUNCH: Our lunch time is 11:25-11:50 Table 3 GCS Meals & More (Click on link for menus and information.) Our lunch time goes by very quickly. If you would like to bring the class a special treat, please remember to contact me and the front office in advance.
CLASS T-SHIRTS: We will wear our class shirts on field trips, class picture day, field day, and on spirit days! Information and order forms will be sent home within the first couple of weeks of school. Please return the form and payment in a sealed envelope with your child’s name on it.
SIGN-UP GENIUS: From time to time, I will send parents an email stating that I created a “sign-up genius” for a special day/event. This is a great way for you to “volunteer” and contribute to our class and send in items – which is a BIG help!
FIELD TRIPS: My hope is that we will be able to go on field trips this year. We usually always go to Roper Mt. Science Center. Sometimes we go to Paris Mt. Plus, we have a few “field trips” at our school such as virtual field trips, Porkchop Productions, etc. Once a field trip is planned, I will add it to my weekly newsletter and you will receive an information letter as well as permission form. Sometimes parents are allowed to chaperone. However, you must be approved as a “Volunteer 2” in order to do so. You may contact the front office for more information or go to the Parent page on the GCS website and look for “School Visitor and Volunteer Guidelines”.
If I didn’t provide information about something you’d like to know or if you ever have any questions about our classroom or the school, please call me, email me or send me a note and I’ll be happy to answer your questions. If I don’t know, I’ll do what I can to find out as soon as possible.
Thank you for your support and I look forward to an AWESOME year!