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Introduction

My name is Sylwia Bania-Moore and I am currently teaching second grade at Garvy Elementary School.  This will be my 10th year as a teacher in CPS.  I have a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University Chicago with a concentration in International Studies and Spanish.  I also have a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with a concentration in Elementary Education from National Louis University.  I also hold a Polish Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement. 
 
On a personal note, I really enjoy spending time with my family and I am very interested in music. I am always seeking ways to improve myself professionally as an educator to better serve and support my students and their families. 
 
I am extremely honored and excited to be part of the Garvy family and I am looking forward to another amazing year in second grade!
 

Garvy School 2nd Grade Parent Contract

Welcome to 2nd grade at Garvy School. To ensure that all expectations, routines, and rules are communicated and followed properly throughout the school year, please read, sign, and return this form to your child’s teacher.  We look forward to a great school year!

Attendance: School starts at 8:30.  Please make sure your child arrives on time each day.  Arriving to school late can significantly alter a child’s day right from the beginning.  Missing a day of school also has a large impact on a child’s growth academically and socially.  We love seeing your child everyday and the class is not the same without them!

Grading: Students are expected to complete work at their highest level every time.  Even in second grade we expect work to be done neatly, completely, and with effort and care.  If a student’s work does not exhibit those qualities, it is subject to grading accordingly. Setting grade level expectations creates a student that takes pride in his/her work and develops a habit of high quality work each time.  

Pyramids: As a school policy, a pyramid is to be filled out if a child violates any of the rules in the code of conduct handbook (Student Code of Conduct which can be found on the school’s website). If your child does receive a pyramid, a copy will be sent home to the parent either directly or through email. Depending on the infraction and the frequency of the incidents, a check mark may be given on the report card at the teacher’s discretion. Pyramids restart at the beginning of each quarter.

Dress code: All students are expected to follow the Garvy School dress code.  You can find the dress code on the school website.


Fun Friday: Each Friday the classrooms take part in Fun Friday.  This is a reward for all students who have followed expectations all week.  If your child receives a pyramid he/she may not be allowed to attend Fun Friday that week, depending on the severity of the infraction.  However, each week is a new week and a new chance to earn Fun Friday for the week.


Contacting the teacher: The best way to reach all teachers is through email.  Please allow us 24 hours to return an email, as well as understand that if your email is sent during the weekend, you can expect a reply on Monday.  If you would like to speak with us in person, please set up a time to meet either before or after school. We will not be able to meet before school unless there is a scheduled meeting.  Also, after school our primary focus is to make sure that all students get home safely. We are unable to discuss student concerns at that time because it draws us away from monitoring the dismissal of all children. Thank you for your understanding.  

I, _______________________________, parent of, ________________________, acknowledge and understand the expectations and policies of all 2nd graders at Garvy School.  

 

Posts

Back to School 2020-21

Dear Second Grade Families,

We know this is not how you imagined your child’s second grade school year would begin.  We understand that this may be a very stressful time for your family, and we assure you that we are your partners and are committed to creating a great learning experience for your child. 

 

First Day of School: Tuesday, September 8th

We highly recommend making sure one parent or guardian is available to be with your child the first week of school to get them off to a great start.  Your child should log into Google Classroom at 8:30 am and be ready with his/her planner and pencil in hand.  We will begin the morning message with the class at 8:45 am. Your child will need support learning how to use Google Classroom, Google Meets, and SeeSaw during the first few meetings. 

The school day will be a full day for your child, from 8:30-3:30.  You will get a copy of our schedule to know when your child will be attending live lessons with the teacher and asynchronous (independent) work time. The first few weeks the second grade teachers will be assessing students to determine their current reading levels.  The assessments are one-on-one and they are district mandated tests. Please refrain from helping your child during tests and classwork unless asked to do so. You will be receiving an email from your child’s teacher notifying you of the date and time for when your child will be tested. 

 

Virtual Instruction: Google Meets and Google Classroom

Many of your child’s learning activities will be conducted live via Google Meets  with the teacher and other students. Please be mindful if you are next to your child and on the phone or talking in the background. We recommend that your child is in an area with minimum distractions where they can focus their best during live whole group and small group instruction. Check out this presentation on how to use Google Meets.

Let's Learn How to Use Google Meet

Morning Routine

Before beginning our Google Meets, it is important to have a routine to “get ready for school.”  This will help ensure that your child is awake and mentally and physically ready to engage meaningfully in learning.

We recommend you start easing into a morning routine now to ease your child’s transition to the first day of school.  It will be very helpful for your child to know in advance what they will be expected to do to get ready in the morning.  Here are some suggestions:

 

*Wake up with enough time to have a relaxed morning

*Eat breakfast

*Shower or wash face

*Brush teeth and hair

*Use the restroom

*Change clothes

*Sit in a designated learning area with school supplies

 

Communication with the School

To ensure that you receive important information from the school, be sure that your contact information is up-to-date. Register for emails from the school through the Garvy website. All teacher communication will be posted on the “stream” page in Google Classroom. 

 

Let’s Do This!

We know this is not how you imagined your child’s second grade year would begin, and we know this is not easy on your family.  It will take some adjustment, and there may be some bumps in the road, but we will figure it out.  We are committed to your child having a wonderful second grade year, whatever the setting, and we want to partner with you to make this the best experience it can be for your family.  Together we will help your child grow and learn socially, physically, emotionally, and academically.

Sincerely,

The Second Grade Team     

Mrs. Bania-Moore (Room 212)

Mrs. Hanley (Room 112)

Mrs. Ganci (Room 107)

Mrs. Fernandez (Room 110)

Mrs. Hankins (Special Ed./Room 110)

The Week of 4/27/2020

Dear Parents,

I uploaded the choice board for the week of 4/27/2020 onto Seesaw along with the choice board reflection, all the choice board activities, and an optional tutorial video that goes over how to complete assignments on Seesaw without ever having to print them out. 

The choice board activities and reflection are due by Sunday, May 3rd. I am attaching the choice board to this email for your reference. You can also find a copy of the choice board on my teacher page on the Garvy website at  https://www.garvyschool.org/ . 

Have a great week and please email me with any questions or concerns you might have. Thank you.

Mrs. Bania-Moore