Presented by:
Eileen Byrne-Quinn, M. Ed.
2nd grade Teacher
Kyrene de los Cerritos,
A Leadership Academy
Meet Mrs. Byrne-Quinn
 Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the
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University of Arizona
26 Years of Teaching Experience
24 years of teaching primary grades and
two years of teaching fourth grade
Taught in Tucson, AZ, Nashua, New
Hampshire, Houston, and Austin, Texas.
This is my thirteenth year of teaching in
the Kyrene.
Three children (1 son who is a UofA
graduate, 1 daughter in college at ASU. and
1 daughter at Desert Vista High School).
My husband is a math teacher at D.V.
Email
Call
Note
• [email protected]
• BEST way to get a hold of me
• (480)541-2345
• Leave message (24 hours)
• Transportation change
• Need anything/help
* Bi-weekly newsletters will be through email.
* Check, empty and sign white take-home binders daily
for papers, work, or things that need to be returned. Left:
Items to be LEFT at home. Right: Bring RIGHT back.
* Sign up for e-subscribe at www.kyrene.org.
 Please call all absences into the front office at (480)541-2201
Nurse- add to cell phone contacts 541-2220
 No student is allowed in the building before 7:40 a.m. All
students should enter through the playground gate, even if you
arrive right when the bell rings.
 Students will be marked tardy if they arrive inside of the
classroom after the tardy bell at 7:45. Students should be in the
classroom, unpacked and ready to work at 7:45.
We have specials first thing in the morning, if they are tardy
it disrupts that class.
Leadership Notebooks
 All students will have their own Leadership Notebook.
 Student’s talents are fostered, highlighted, and developed.
 Students set difficult but achievable goals.
 Students track their own progress.
 Students reflect on their learning and they take ownership
in their learning.
 Students take pride in their work.
 Not competing against each other….striving to make
themselves better.
 It will be sent home each week for you to discuss with your
child. Please sign and return the following day.
Uninterrupted Time:
Language Arts: 8:45-10:45
Math: 11:25-1:00
Lunch/recess 10:45-11:25
Snack recess 1:00
Specials:
Monday- Art (7:55-8:40)
Tuesday- Library (7:55-8:40)
Thursday- Music (7:55-8:40)
Thursday- Computer Lab (1:30-2:30)
Friday- P.E. (7:50-8:35)
*Please make sure your child wears tennis
shoes on Monday and returns their library
books on Wednesday.
• Community building takes place weekly.
• Team building activities/games
• Morning Meeting everyday
• C.A.R.E.S.Expectations (both classroom and school-wide)
• Community building will guide our respect and trust for one
another.
• Mission statement:
• Created by students…this is what is expected of them.
• We all agree to follow our class and personal mission
statements.
•Behavior: I’m a firm believer in students doing what they are
supposed to be doing. I will verbally praise students when they
are following our classroom rules. I award table points to tables
doing the right thing. The students are here to learn and others
should not disrupt their learning.
Behavior Management System
 Cubes
 Stop and Think reflection sheet
 Table Points
 Raffle Tickets
 Daily Reflection
Each student will write a daily reflection in their agenda at the end
of each day.
 They will color a circle showing how their day went. Please look
for notes from me if they are not on green.
 Please review this with your child and Sign or initial daily.
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• In your child’s white take-home binder there
will be an agenda that needs to be initialed every
night. As mentioned before, check for papers
daily.
* Builds responsibility for students
* Helps build communication between
home and school.
How the 7 Habits came to Cerritos
In 2010 a group of Cerritos teachers
read a fabulous book about
Leadership in schools.
5 teachers drove to California to
hear the principal speak about
leadership. We wanted to bring it
to Cerritos.
Our staff went through the 7
Habits of Happy People training to
use in our daily lives.
The following year we started
implementing the 7 Habits in the
classroom.
We became a Leadership Academy
Last year we became recognized as
a Lighthouse school for our
Leaderhip.
• Core Knowledge is the language arts program second grade is using this
year. It includes reading, grammar, writing, and a speaking and listening
component.
• Each lesson has vocabulary that the students will be working on in class.
• K-3 intervention program for students that need extra assistance will
start next week.
• Read alouds with discussion frequently.
New Common Core Shifts
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Balancing Literary & Informational Texts
Knowledge in the Disciplines
Staircase of Complexity
Text-based Answers- proving where they
found the answer
Writing from Sources
Academic Vocabulary
2nd grade writing genres are as follows:
•personal narratives, fairy tales, poetry, friendly letters,
expository writing, and functional writing (making lists,
posters, labels, etc.)
•Summer workshop: Handwriting needs to automatic so
students can focus on what they are trying to tell in their
stories.
• Handwriting is important in and out of the classroom
(D’Nealian form). This should already be in place, but we
will practice in class as well. Letter formation is critical in
order to move on to cursive next year. Students are
expected to turn in work that is neat and complete.
The Investigations program offers supplemental activities that build on
student’s prior knowledge. It provides opportunities for exploration into
math topics such as problem solving and inventive thinking.
Major 2nd grade topics include:
•number sense, addition and subtraction of larger numbers, time, money,
measurement, geometry, graphing, problem solving, probability, discrete
math, and fractions. Real life application is important part of common
core.
• CGI Cognitively Guided Instruction (word problems)
*Math centers/games are used to practice past and current skills within
the classroom.
Physical Science: Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Earth Science: Weather and Clouds
Life Science: Insects, Mammals, and Human
Body
Thematic units include hands-on
experiments, integration with other
subject areas, and exploring the nature
of science.
• Communities
• Civics
• Holidays and Traditions
• Patriotism
• Junior Achievement
• Computer Lab weekly
• Programs used include Pixie, Typing Agent, DreamBox,
Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft
Publisher. In addition I recently attended summer classes
on Pixie and Share.
• Internet also used for research in science and social
studies.
•Laptops in classroom are used for language arts, math
practice, and research activities.
Homework
• The main purpose is to provide PRACTICE and develop the RESPONSIBILITY
of completing work and turning it in on time….it is graded for COMPLETION.
• So far, the only work sent home have been reading passages. Please have your
child read these passage aloud to you when they bring them home.
•Spelling will not be every week, but we are focusing on vocabulary more this
year.
•Math homework may be sent home later.
EVERY child is unique
and has a different
learning style.
I believe in meeting each child’s learning needs by
guiding them toward individual growth.
I will put percentage scores on all tests. Most tests will be returned
Monday after we graph our scores in our leadership notebooks.
There will be 4 grading periods throughout the year…one for each
quarter.
(P) Proficient- Consistently uses skill, shows mastery of content
(D) Developing- Use of skill is emerging, on the way to mastery
(A) Area of Concern- Experiencing significant difficulty in area
Important note: Grades are based on skills up to that
specific time. 1st quarter tends to be easier skills than later
on in the year. Material gets more difficult to reach
mastery as the year progresses and concepts increase in
difficulty.
• Healthy snacks should be brought daily….we have morning
snack every day, including Wednesdays.
• Water bottles are allowed in the classroom. Contents must
be water ONLY.
• Sweater/Sweatshirt….I know that it is hot outside, but the
classroom can get very chilly at times and they MAY end up
needing a jacket. They can leave it in their cubby all year if
they need to.
Food Allergies
Food allergies in our grade level include:
•Peanut
•Tree Nuts
•Eggs
• Please do not send invitations into school….use the
classroom directory, even if you are sending invitations to ALL
students.
• Food is not allowed to be brought in for any reason other
than our allotted 4 class parties. We cannot have special
snacks for birthdays and/or other occasions.
•Classroom party dates and times will be communicated closer
to the date. Class party coordinator will collect $20 per family
for the 4 parties.
• No open backs or spaghetti
straps
• Appropriate sayings and
images
• Shorts, dresses, and skirts must
be finger-tip length.
•If needed, students will be sent to the nurse to
get different clothes.
• Thank you for signing on to help!!
•Yearbook representative to take photos of events
and create the class page in the yearbook.
•Volunteers will start later in the fall.
•We still need a PTO Class Representative.
• Party volunteers are still needed
• Please check in at the office to obtain a visitor’s badge
and to sign in. You will need to leave your driver’s
license at the front desk.
• Visitors also need to dress according to Cerritos dress
code.
Changes in Transportation
 PLEASE notify the office if a last minute change in
transportation should occur.
 I don’t check my email until after school and I want to
ensure that every student gets home safely.
 THANK YOU in advance!
PTO is looking for several volunteers to help during
the school year. Please sign paper if you are interested
in being on the PTO volunteer emails.
You can contact our volunteer coordinator for more
information.
[email protected]
VIDEO: Be A Beacon
I look forward to a
successful year with a
shared goal: Helping
your child reach his or
her maximum potential!
*Don’t forget to sign the
Classroom Directory on the
laptop computer if you want
to be included.
*Please leave a note for
your child on the apple
paper provided.