🌟 Greetings 2A Families! 🌟

A Note of Gratitude

Thank you to everyone who made time to meet with me for parent-teacher conferences! We had 100% attendance. It was wonderful to see all of you, celebrate student successes, and set goals for the months ahead. Thank you for being such an important part of your child’s learning journey.

A Thought to Share- This week had its challenges, but in the midst of it all, these words came to my heart. I hope they bring encouragement and inspiration to you, as they did for me.

With the Lord’s Gentle Hand
They are still so small, still learning the way,
Finding their steps in the light of each day.
The Lord placed them here, so tender, so new,
And calls us to guide them with love that is true.

When tempers grow short and patience feels thin,
Lord, turn our hearts back to where grace begins.
Not in harsh words or in moments unkind,
But in leading with mercy, shaping the mind.

Mistakes will be many, poor judgment will show,
Yet Lord, You remind us: it’s how children grow.
Through stumbles and trials, may we gently steer,
Reflecting Your love as we hold them near.

For children are gifts, entrusted with care,
Lord, teach us to shepherd with wisdom and prayer.
With Your gentle hand to guide us above,
May we mold them in patience, in kindness, in love.

✨ Classroom Highlights ✨

• Surprise Parade!
  We ended the week with a special tradition—Mrs. Cisar led her class in a College Football Rivalry Parade! Each year, her team (Penn State) faces off against Ms. Turner’s team (Oregon Ducks). The parade is always a blast and brings so much fun energy to McCarthy Hall. It was the perfect way to close out our week!

• Writing: Students wrote persuasive letters to help with ticket sales. Our classroom goal is 210 tickets, and we’re currently at 76 tickets sold.

• SEL: We continued our unit on Self-Control, practicing ways to stay calm and make good choices. Students learned strategies such as taking a deep breath, counting to ten, and using positive self-talk when they start to feel frustrated. The class is beginning to notice that showing self-control not only helps them feel more confident but also makes our classroom a kinder, calmer place to learn together.

• Math: Students are exploring data collection and graphing with hands-on activities. This week, they practiced gathering information, organizing it into tally charts, and then turning their data into bar graphs and pictographs. We talked about how graphs help us see patterns and make comparisons more easily.

Next week, we’ll keep the fun going with activities that let students become “classroom researchers”! Some highlights include:

• Favorite Snack Survey: Students will poll their classmates and create a bar graph to show the results.

• Caramel Apple Toppings Graph: After our caramel apple activity, students will graph which toppings were the most popular.

• Weather Watchers: Students will record the daily weather and track changes on a line graph.

• Roll & Record: Using dice, students will collect data on number rolls and display the outcomes in a graph.

These hands-on projects give students the chance to connect math to real-life experiences while building excitement for learning.

• Religion: Students are learning about the Holy Trinity, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and beginning the Circle of Grace unit. Watch for resources coming home to help your child understand safe boundaries with peers and adults.

🎉 Celebrations 🎉

• 2A filled our 3rd Phrase Jar and celebrated with 🍦 ice cream sandwiches!

• We worked hard toward 🥤 root beer floats—such great improvements this week!

• We are now working on filling our 4th Phrase Jar—💪 keep it up, 2A!

🎟️ Ticket Sales 🎟️

🎉 Big News: 2nd grade has jumped from 6th place to 3rd place! 🎉
We have sold $2,140—more than halfway to our goal. A huge thank you to all of our AMAZING families for supporting our school and students. Keep selling this weekend for a chance to win some really fun prizes!

Each student’s goal is to sell 10 tickets to help us earn a “YES Day.”

🎃 2A Halloween Breakfast 🎃

Date & Time: October 30th at 9:00 AM
This is a beloved 2A tradition! Each year, we gather for a Halloween Breakfast to celebrate and strengthen our classroom community.

I couldn’t make this special event happen without your help! Sign up to bring something or volunteer: Halloween Breakfast Signup If you have had an opportunity to volunteer for other events or activities in our classroom, I kindly ask that you give other parents a chance to sign up. Thank you!

🧠 SEL Focus: Time and Place for Comments

Understanding when and where it's appropriate to speak is a crucial aspect of self-control. It helps children navigate social situations with respect and awareness. Here's how you can support this learning at home:

📚 Recommended Books

• "Clark the Shark" by Bruce Hale
  A fun story about a shark who learns to manage his excitement in school.

• "What If Everybody Did That?" by Ellen Javernick
  Encourages children to think about the consequences of their actions in a community setting.

• "Hands Off, Harry!" by Rosemary Wells
  Teaches the importance of respecting personal space and keeping hands to oneself.
  
  

🎥 Engaging Videos

• Self-Control for Kids – Impulse Control Skills
  An educational video explaining the concept of self-control in a kid-friendly manner.

• The Self-Control Shark – A Story About Self-Control
  A charming tale of a shark learning to control impulses.

• Having Good Self-Control – Social Story for Kids
  A social story that illustrates the importance of self-control in everyday situations.

🎲 Fun Activities to Practice Self-Control

• Red Light, Green Light: A classic game that helps children practice stopping and starting on command, enhancing impulse control.

• Simon Says: Encourages listening skills and following directions, promoting self-regulation.

• Breathing Buddy: Lie down with a stuffed animal on your belly and take deep breaths, watching the animal rise and fall. This activity calms the body and mind.

• Waiting Challenge: Before eating a snack, wait for one minute. Discuss how it feels to wait and strategies to manage impatience.
  
  

🗣️ Conversation Starters for Parents

• "Can you think of a time today when you showed self-control?"

• "Why is it sometimes hard to wait your turn or not interrupt?"

• "How can taking a deep breath help when you're upset?"

• "What could you say to yourself when you feel like blurting something out?"

• "How does using self-control show kindness and respect to others?"

Thank you again for all you do to support 2A. I hope you have a wonderful and restful long weekend!

Warmly,
Ms. Wiley