November 6, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Be a Hero! Work it Out! and Pepita and the Bully.  Be a Hero! Work it Out! is an infographic.  Infographics give information quickly and in a visual way using pictures, symbols, and words or phrases that stand out.  Pepita and the Bully is a realistic fiction selection.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with consonant digraphs /ph,/ /ch,/ /tch,/ /th,/ /sh,/ and /wh,/ identifying compound subjects and predicates in sentences, identifying coordinating conjunctions (words such as "and" & "or") to form compound subjects, decoding words with the prefixes "re" and "un" as in reread and unfold, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  This week students added using place-value strategies and mental math, added three and four two-digit numbers, and used drawings, equations, and models to solve one and two-step problems.

RELIGION:  Since November 1 was All Saints Day, we have been learning about the lives of various saints.  We discussed how saints showed their love for God and others.  They are an example of Christian service, which God calls all people to do.

BOOK FAIR:  A big THANK YOU to all who donated books to our second grade classroom from the book fair.  We will enjoy having these books in our classroom library! Your generosity is very much appreciated!

DRESS CODE:  The dress code states that beginning November 1, shorts should not be worn to school.

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, November 7 is a Spirit Day at St. Malachy.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweat pants or a hat to school.  The money raised will help those in need in our local community.

October 23, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Working With Others and Gingerbread for Liberty.  Working With Others is an informational text while Gingerbread for Liberty is a biography about a baker who lived during the Revolutionary War.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with double final consonants, identifying action verbs in the present and past tense, decoding words with inflected endings "ed" and "ing," and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  This week students added using place value and partial sums.  They also recorded two-digit addition using the standard algorithm.

DRESS CODE:  The dress code states that beginning November 1, shorts should not be worn to school.

HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES:  Next Wednesday, October 29, the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will be providing Halloween activities for students in the afternoon.  Students may bring a Halloween costume to change into before the Halloween parade.  The Halloween parade will take place in the school gym at 2:15.  We hope to see you there if you are able to come!

NO SCHOOL:  School will not be in session next Thursday, October 30 (parent/teacher conferences) and Friday, October 31.

SPELLING:  We will not be taking a spelling pre/post test next week due to the short school week.

TAKE HOME FOLDERS/BLOG:  I will not be sending take home folders home next week due to the short school week.  I will also not be posting a blog next Thursday, October 30 since I will be visiting with you at conferences.

CONFERENCES:  Parent/teacher conferences will take place on Monday, October 27, Tuesday, October 28, Wednesday, October 29, and Thursday, October 30.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

 

October 16, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Meet Me Halfway and Big Red Lollipop.  Meet Me Halfway is an informational text while Big Red Lollipop is a realistic fiction selection.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with final consonant blends, decoding words with the prefixes "un" and "re" as in unable and rewrite, using context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar words, capitalizing names for special people, animals, places, and things, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter test over adding within 100 using strategies and started a new chapter over fluently adding within 100.  So far students have used models to add two-digit numbers.

SCIENCE:  We started a new unit over matter.  We discussed properties of matter such as color, shape, hardness, texture, and flexibility.  We also explored the three states of matter--solids, liquids, and gases.

SECOND GRADE MASS:  The second grade class is in charge of the school Mass next Wednesday, October 22.  Please look for a note in today's take home folder to see what special part your child will have in our Mass.  Mass begins at 9:15 in the school gym.  We hope to see you there if you are able to come!

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, October 17 will be a Spirit Day at St. Malachy.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweatpants or a hat to school if they wish.  The money raised helps those in need in our local community.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES:   Parent/teacher conferences are quickly approaching.  Conferences will take place on Monday, October 27, Tuesday, October 28, Wednesday, October 29, and Thursday, October 30.  An email was sent out from the school to schedule a conference time.  If you did not receive the email or have questions about signing up, please contact the school office.  I look forward to visiting with you about your child's progress! 

October 9, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed a drama called The Puddle Puzzle.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with l, r, and s consonant blends as in play, drum, and swim, using story vocabulary in context, forming and using plural nouns with "es" as in "glasses," identifying and writing irregular plural nouns (as in "child" to "children,") identifying and using collective nouns (as in herd, flock, or team,) and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  Students wrapped up chapter three by choosing various strategies to add two-digit numbers, and by using drawings and equations to solve one and two-step problems.  We will take the chapter test next week.

CLASS T-SHIRT ORDER:  It's still not too late to order a class t-shirt! If you are interested in ordering, please return the order form to school tomorrow, October 10.

NOISY CHANGE COLLECTION:  There will be a noisy change collection at Mass on Wednesday, October 15 for some our faculty and staff that are experiencing health challenges either personally or within their immediate family.  The money collected will help with travel, food, and medical expenses.  

FIRE SAFETY:  Students have been learning about fire safety in social studies.  We would like to thank the Creston firefighters for coming to St. Malachy School on Tuesday to visit with the students about the importance of fire safety.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:  

Friday, October 17:  Spirit Day

Wednesday, October 22:  Second Grade Mass

Monday, October 27-Thursday, October 30:  Parent/teacher conferences

Wednesday, October 29:  Picture retake day

Thursday, October 30:  No school

Friday, October 31:  No school

October 2, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed The Great Fuzz Frenzy and Water Rolls, Water Rises.  The Great Fuzz Frenzy is a fantasy, while Water Rolls, Water Rises is a poem.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with "e" at the end making the vowel long as in "pine," making singular nouns plural by adding "s" or "es" as in cat/cats or bench/benches, decoding words with the suffixes "er" and "est" as in "stronger" and "strongest," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter 2 test and started a new chapter over adding within 100 using strategies.  So far students added within 100 using place value strategies and a hundred chart, used an open number line to add tens and ones within 100, and broke apart numbers into tens and ones to find their sum.

RELIGION:  Students explored the ability to make choices.  We discussed that God lets us choose what to do (free will) and that our conscience helps us decide right from wrong.  Students learned that God always forgives us when we are sorry for our sins and want to be forgiven.

 SCIENCE:  We are wrapping up our unit over the engineering design process and will soon begin a new unit over matter.

FIELD TRIP:  Students in grades PK-2 will be taking a field trip to Thompson's Fall Festival next Thursday, October 9.  Your child will need to bring a sack lunch and a drink.  We will leave school at 11:15 and will return around 2:45.  Please return the green permission slip along with $15.00 so your child may attend if you have not already done so.

CLASS T-SHIRT ORDER:  It's still not too late to order a class t-shirt! If you are interested in ordering, please return the order form to school on or before Friday, October 10.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  School will not be in session on Monday, October 6 due to teacher professional development.

September 25, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed What's the Matter and Many Kinds of Matter.  Both are informational texts.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with long o, u, and e, using story vocabulary in context, identifying nouns, decoding words with the suffixes -er and -est, identifying synonyms (words that mean about the same, such as "big" and "large,") and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  Students made arrays with equal rows or equal columns to solve addition problems, and modeled problems using equations, drawings, and arrays.  Next week we will be taking the chapter 2 test.

ROSARY:  October is the month of the Rosary.  The Rosary is a summary of Christian faith in language and prayers inspired by the Bible.  The Rosary calls to mind the most important events in the lives of Jesus and Mary.  These events are called mysteries and are divided into four groups:  The Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, the Glorious Mysteries, and the Luminous Mysteries.  St. Malachy students will be praying the Rosary during the month of October in religion class.  Second graders will pray one decade of the Rosary each day.  If your child has a Rosary from home that he/she would like to bring to school for this, he/she may do so.

HOMECOMING: Tomorrow, September 26 is Creston's homecoming.  It is also a Spirit Day.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweatpants or a hat to school if they wish.  They can also show their support for the Creston Panthers by wearing red and/or black.  School will dismiss at 12:10.  Lunch will be provided.  The homecoming parade will begin at 1:30.

FIELD TRIP:  Students in grades K-2 will be taking a field trip to Thompson's Fall Festival on Thursday, October 9.  Please look for a note in today's take home folder for more information.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  School will not be in session on Monday, October 6 due to teacher professional development.

September 18, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed a realistic fiction selection called Picture Day Perfection.  We worked on skills such as identifying words with long vowels "a" and "i," using story vocabulary in context, identifying statements, questions, commands, and exclamations, identifying sounds for /c/  and /g/ as in "cent,"  "car," "goat," and "giant," decoding word with "ed" and "ing" endings, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  Students decided if a group of objects was even or odd, used different ways to tell if a group of objects showed an even or odd number, and found the total number of objects in  a set of rows and columns.

RELIGION:  This week we focused on ways we can praise and thanks to God.  We explored celebrations in which we give thanks and recognized prayers of praise and thanks.

SCIENCE:  Students learned what a mechanical engineer does.  They used books, paper, and pencils to build a "bridge" design.  They also worked in groups to create the tallest possible freestanding tower using index cards and tape. They analyzed and compared multiple design solutions.  Students realized that engineers plan and build many possible solutions, test each one to see how well it works, and find ways to improve it.  

BOOK ORDERS:  Book orders are due tomorrow, September 19 if you are interested in ordering.  To order online,  our class code is LJWD4.

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, September 19 is a Spirit Day.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear a hat or sweatpants to school if they wish.  The money raised helps those in  need in our local community.

Field Trip

September 11, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Being a Good Citizen and The Great Puppy Invasion.  Being a Good Citizen is an informational text while The Great Puppy Invasion is a fantasy.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with short "o," "u," and "e," identifying adjectives in sentences, using story vocabulary in context, identifying complete sentences, putting words in sentences in the correct order (subject first--predicate last), identifying the consonant-vowel-consonant pattern in words, identifying run-on sentences, and learning ten new high-frequency words. 

MATH:  Students have been using addition and subtraction to solve word problems, and adding and subtracting using mental math strategies.  We took the chapter 1 test today and will begin chapter 2 over working with equal groups tomorrow.

RELIGION:  We have been discussing the sacrament of Baptism and the symbols used in Baptism (holy water, holy oil, Baptismal candle, and white clothing). 

BOOK ORDERS:  I am enclosing book orders in today's take home folder.  Book orders are due next Friday, September 19 if you are interested in ordering.  If you don't see a book you're looking for in the flyer, there are many books for students at all reading levels online at clubs.scholastic.com.   You are not limited to ordering only the books in the flyer being sent home.  To order online, our class code is LJWD4.  

CHROMEBOOKS:  The second graders will be using their Chromebooks with two math programs called "Xtra Math" and "EnVision Math."  Both programs will be used to help increase overall understanding of grade level math concepts and cover essential concepts including number sense, operations, place value, and problem solving. Students will also be using their Chromebooks with Code.  Code is a program that provides opportunities for students to learn computer science.  Students will also have the opportunity to practice keyboarding skills with a program we are using called "Typetastic," and will practice various language arts, science, and social studies skills with "Seesaw."  Throughout the school year students will be using their Chromebooks for many other different learning opportunities as well.

FIELD TRIP:  The K-4 field trip to Green Valley State Park on Monday, September 15 is quickly approaching.  Just a reminder to have your child bring a sack lunch and a drink that day.  Let's hope for great weather!

PTO MEETNG:  There will be a PTO meeting next Wednesday, September 17 at 6:00 P.M. 

September 4, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed We Are Super Citizens and Clark the Shark.  We Are Super Citizens is a personal narrative while Clark the Shark is a fantasy.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with short "a" and "i," using story vocabulary in context, identifying the subject and predicate in a sentence, blending and decoding words with a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, identifying action verbs in a sentence, identifying the setting of a story, recognizing antonyms (words that have opposite meanings,) and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:   Our first chapter is over fluently adding and subtracting within 20.  This week students used number patterns on an addition table to complete addition equations, counted on and back on a number line to subtract, and used addition to help with subtraction facts.

SPELLING:  Your child brought home a list of words for week 1 on Tuesday.  We have been working on our spelling words at school, but any help from home with studying the words would be greatly appreciated! We will take the spelling post test over our week 1 words tomorrow, September 5.  The post test will be sent home each Friday so you can see how your child scored.

SCIENCE:  Our first unit is called "engineering design process."  So far students discussed how things we use and see in our everyday lives, such as ramps, phones, and even a stapler can be used to solve a problem.  They explored how an engineer defines a problem and solves it by using steps in a design process.  The steps are:  Define a problem, plan and build, test and improve, redesign, and communicate.

SOCIAL CONTRACT:   In last week's newsletter I mentioned that the second grade would be creating a social contract, an agreement of behavior for the class to follow.  Below is the social contract the second graders created:

• help others
• be respectful/polite
• include others
• be kind
• share/take turns
• listen to others
• be responsible
• follow the Golden Rule (treat others the way you want to be treated)

The second graders signed the above social contract to state that they would honor it.  They understand that there are consequences for not following the social contract they helped to create.

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, September 5 is a Spirit Day.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear a hat or  sweatpants to school if they wish.  The money raised helps those in  need in our local community.  Students can also wear their Cyclone or Hawkeye shirt to support their favorite Iowa team for the upcoming Cy-Hawk game!!

First Day of School

 

Super Second Graders

 

August 28, 2025

WELCOME TO SECOND GRADE:  Another great school year is beginning and I am thrilled to be a part of it.  We are going to have an excellent year, and I'll do my best to keep you informed about events, student progress, and school subjects throughout the year.

WEEKLY TAKE HOME FOLDERS:  Your child’s school work as well as other notes or letters from the office will be sent home EACH THURSDAY in a folder so you can see what your child has been working on.   Inside will be a sheet for you to sign and write any comments you’d like.  PLEASE return the folder to school EACH FRIDAY. 

STAR READER OF THE WEEK:  Each Friday students will take turns being the "Star Reader of the Week."  The "Star Reader" will read a favorite story from home to the class.  I will let you know in advance when your child will be the "Star Reader."

SHOW AND SHARE:  Each second grade student will have an assigned "Show and Share" day of the week.  When it is your child's show and share day, please have him/her bring ONE item from home that he/she would like to share with the class.  Please look in next week's take home folder for when his/her show and share day will be each week.

Please do not bring live pets/animals for sharing.  Some students have allergies, and pets can get excited in a different setting.  If your child would like to share about his/her pet, pictures may be brought in to share with the class.

SCHEDULING INFORMATION:  Mondays and Thursdays are P.E. days.  Tuesdays and Fridays are music days.  Wednesdays are school Mass/dress up days.  We will also have library on Thursdays.

BIRTHDAYS:  We will celebrate your child's birthday in our classroom.  Summer birthdays may be celebrated on your child's half birthday or at the end of the school year...whichever you prefer.

As stated in the family handbook, birthday treats are to be:

• STORE BOUGHT
• INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED
• ONE SERVING
• NO CUPCAKES FROM A BAKERY/STORE ( These are not individually wrapped and are very difficult to hand out.)

Please note that refrigeration is not provided, so plan accordingly if you are wanting to bring a treat that needs to be kept cold/frozen.

Please do not send birthday invitations to school to be passed out.  It is difficult to know whether each child will get the invitation home.  Please mail or email birthday invitations to ensure their guaranteed arrival.

GETTING HOME AFTER SCHOOL:  As part of our morning routine, students will let me know how they are getting home after school.  If you have a change in transportation plans for your child that is different from the usual plans, please send a note with your child or call the school office so that I will know for sure how your child is planning on going home.  A note or phone call will better assure that your child will be where he/she needs to be after school.

LIBRARY TIME: The second graders will have library check out on Thursdays.

SOCIAL CONTRACT:  The second graders will soon be creating an agreement of behavior called a "social contract."  While building our social contract students will think about how they want to be treated by each other, the teacher, and how we treat each other when there is a conflict.  The goal in creating a social contract is to have a self-managing group where students think about how they should treat others.  More information about our second grade social contract will come in future newsletters.

KEEP IN TOUCH:  Please feel free to stop in and visit anytime.  I am looking forward to working with your child this year!