Weekly Newsletter

December 14, 2025

We hope you enjoyed your weekend. Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! Thank you to Shane’s mother, Lauren, for coming to teach us about Hanukkah last week. Students learned how to play the Dreidel game and can play it this week if they finish their math work early. 

It’s hard to believe that it’s our last week in 2025! We are truly grateful for your enthusiasm, support, and partnership.

First and foremost, thank you for coming to our Celebration of Learning last week! The children were so excited to share their projects and writing with you. And it was nice to catch up with families in person. 

Special thanks to parents who joined us on our trip with Ms.Carmen to the Liberty Science Center. Thank you also for sending donations for Jamaica, and toys, books, and coats for our winter drive. 

Our librarian Ms.Robb has already started collecting used books for our Used Book Fair in January! Please drop off books for babies, kids and adults, as well as used bags, in the library or by the security desks.

Please review both Pick Up Patrol and the Lunch Menu with your child. Also, there are many new photos on our Photos Page, including completed bridges and the field trip. 

Ride a 1930s era train on Sundays with the NY Transit Museum! Our upcoming social studies unit is learning how the New York City subway was built. On Sundays in December the NY Transit Museum runs nostalgia train rides. It’s so much fun to ride in a 1930s era train and will give your child a preview of our next unit.

Have a wonderful, restful winter break. Happy holidays!

DECEMBER

15: POLY PM: MakeUp Week for Fall Enrichment Courses (12/15 - 12/18)

15: United Voices December Meeting, 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM

19: Winter Lost & Found Recovery Day

19: Parranda Community Time, 8:45 AM

19: 12 PM Dismissal. No after-school

JANUARY

05: Classes resume

What’s going on in our classroom:

Reading

Reading groups continue to meet every day to work on fluency and comprehension. 

Remember to keep reading over Winter Break. If you’re looking for an additional reading source, we have an Epic subscription that’s available weekdays 7am - 3pm. Your child can log in with our classroom code: xjs4136. 

Math

This week we will start working with U.S. customary measurement (inches and feet). We will start by reading How Big is a Foot? by Rolf Myller. The story will spark discussion about the importance of a standard unit of measurement. Ask your child about it! We will also review the addition algorithm, and practice solving word problems. If you’re looking for math practice over Winter Break, check out IXL. Login information is on our 2B Classroom Resources page.

Writing

Last week students brainstormed topics of interest for “Genius time” and started exploring Epic on their Chromebooks. This week, they will finalize their topic and begin reading, researching, and taking notes. Genius Time will culminate in students sharing their learning through written work and/or drawings.

Fundations

Students are practicing adding suffixes to base words: -er, -est, -ed, -ing, -s, and -es. Click for our December Trick Words for spelling. 

Social Studies

Students viewed a slideshow of famous artists depicting the Brooklyn Bridge. Your children made so many thoughtful observations and shared such interesting opinions. Be sure to view the slideshow with your child to hear their take on the paintings. They selected one of these images—or other drawings of the Brooklyn Bridge—as inspiration for their own painting. Students began by sketching in pencil. They will be tracing their linework in sharpie, and will complete their pieces using watercolor.

Read Alouds / DEIB

We are continuing chapter book Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, the first book in a seven book series. It’s about an appealing, relatable girl who sometimes gets herself in a little trouble, similar to Ramona Quimby and Junie B. Jones. Last week we also read Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant, I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dreidel by Caryn Yacowitz, The Nutcracker Ballet, and Herschel and the Holiday Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel