We are a National Blue Ribbon School!

WOW! What an amazing day at TMSE. This afternoon, it was announced that we have achieved recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School!! Last spring, we were one of 5 Alabama schools nominated by state superintendent Tommy Bice. We worked on the application last spring, hoping to do justice to all of the incredible things that make TMSE a unique place to learn and grow. Today, Mrs. B announced to the school that we were recognized! This year, just over 300 hundred schools in 47 states were recognized. 

It is so difficult to put into words how TMSE has challenged and changed me over the last six years. I am so honored and so proud to be part of this school. I have learned that I am truly a mermaid, and TMSE is the place for me. I'm so glad it's the place for your family, too. 

Congratulations will certainly be heard for the school, but I want to say congratulations to YOU. Six years ago, lots of families took a chance on a brand new idea in Tuscaloosa. Six years later you are here, and are absolutely essential to why this beautiful school family works. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach your child in this place. 

We will all celebrate soon, so be on the lookout for more news in the coming weeks. Tell your friends, tell your family...WE ARE A BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL! I really just want to shout it from the rooftops. 

Northern Redbook

Here are a few pictures of the city planning project! I hope your student had lots of great things to say during this project. We learned about what a city really needs and what can wait. Students voted on a city name and learned that sometimes the Mayor has the power to say no. :) Students designed a grid map and found the coordinates of their buildings. It was an amazing experience to say the least! If you have a chance tomorrow, come see it for yourself!

It's Field Trip Week!

I can hardly believe that it is almost October! It's a big one in my family as we celebrate two birthdays this month, and it starts off with a BANG in the classroom, too. We have our first TWO field trips of the school year on Thursday and Friday!! If you asked to attend our Community field trip, there is a note in your student's folder today. 

Ms. Thomas finished her placement on Friday, so it's just me in the classroom. It was awesome to have another person in the classroom to start the school year; it's going to to take me a while to get used to not having her here! If you asked what you can do to help me in the classroom at the start of the year...get ready! I'm going to need you soon. :) 

Conferences begin this week. I will do my best to get reminder notes home. I'm excited to meet with everyone! This class has had such an awesome start to the school year, and it's a thrill as a teacher to have amazing things to talk about with parents. 

Remember! If you want to see Northern Redbook, make plans to stop in before 2:30 tomorrow. We will have our city "De-Construction" before we head home for the day. 

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

9/29/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Continue Child Find with a lesson on Wednesday. 

• See “School House Rock” at the Bama on Thursday.  

• Work in Investigations Unit 2. We will focus on building and describing rectangles as arrays.  

• Wrap up our community systems unit. Our field trip is Friday! Watch for a reminder note. 

• Continue Narrative Writing. We will look at the editing checklist for Narrative Writing. Make plans to be at school on October 7 for Writing Night! 

• Have guided reading and word study as best we can with TWO FIELD TRIPS! 

We’re ready for a 

great week!

It's Fall!

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

9/22/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Have our first Child Find lesson to start 2nd grade gifted screenings. 

• Start our weekly chess lessons on Thursday.   

• Work in Investigations Unit 2. We will focus on elapsed time, arrays, and geoblocks.  

• Wrap up our city planning unit. 

• Continue Narrative Writing. We will focus on writing powerful endings and editing like a detective.  

• Have guided reading and word study as usual. 

• PICTURE DAY IS FRIDAY! :) 

We’re ready for a 

great week!

Wow! I am SO EXCITED that it is finally Fall! I really wish that it would feel like it, though. Soup Season is an official thing at my house, and I just can't do it when it's still 90 degress outside. 

Just a few quick reminders: 

- Please be sure to practice word study at home. 

- Always read together at night! In the car works, too. :) 

- Return field trip permission slips if you haven't, unless your student is not attending. 

- I am working on a final conference schedule and need everyone's forms as soon as possible so that I  

 can make changes and such. 

Chess Blitz Week!

Wow! I can't believe the time has come for Chess Blitz. This is such an exciting week for second graders! The Honors College at the University partners with us to teach every second grader how to play chess. They will be here every morning this week, so please make every effort to have your student to school on time. After this week, we will have one lesson a week until the end of November. It is fun, and it makes our week look very, very different. Be sure to ask your student about chess! I am sure they will have a lot to say. 

Ms. Thomas will finish her ten days of teaching this week. She has done a phenomenal job! I am thrilled for her to continue the city planning project with the class. Today, she's working on a grid map and street names for the city, and we discovered that chess is a connection to that lesson since it's played on a grid. I love finding ways that all of our learning connects! 

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

9/15/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Have chess blitz with the University all week long! 

• Start Partnerships on Tuesday afternoon. 

• Start Extra Explorations after school this week for students who have chosen to participate.  

• Review and assess Unit 1 in Investigations. We will introduce Unit 2. Expect the family letters later this week.  

• Complete our Unit 1 Reading assessment as required by the TCS reading department.  

• Build our city! 

• Have guided reading and word study as usual. 

We’re ready for a 

great week!

Monday, Monday!

Good morning! I hope that everyone had a fantastic weekend! I am so excited this morning that I was able to copy and paste our September newsletter! Look in your student's folder today for the hardcopy. This week, Ms. Thomas begins her 10 days of teaching, so I will take a back seat in the classroom and spend that time writing our daily guides for our second writing unit, working on the community picture project...anything I can think of that will help us in the long run!

This week is pretty much an "as planned" week. Students will wrap up unit 1 in Investigations, continue word study, and have reader's workshop in the morning. For our unit of inquiry, Ms. Thomas has planned an INCREDIBLE city planning project, and I can't wait to observe it in action!  I'll be sure to take pictures, and hopefully post some here.

Don't forget, tomorrow night at 6 p.m. is Open House. This is a great chance to see our classroom now that your students have "lived" here for a month, to check out their learning, and hear a little more in depth about second grade at TMSE. I hope to see everyone there!

Birdhouse Bits

Bits from the Birdhouse...

                                                                                                        D

9/3/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Continue Unit 1 in Investigations. This week, we will begin to practice strategies for problem solving. Watch for homework! 

• Continue to practice addition combinations. 

• Don’t forget to practice word study at home! 

• Guided reading is off to a great start! Always ask your student if they have book work.  

• Continue Unit 1 in writing. We are working to add detail to our narratives and tell a complete story. 

• Discover responsibilities of a mayor, governor, and president. 

• We will have Classworks reading this Wednesday.

• We will complete our reading baseline test for the standards-based grade reports.  

• Look for information about choices for Partnership classes. We begin September 16! 

• Read, read, read.

THANK YOU to everyone who ordered from Scholastic. I earned 5,000 points for our classroom, which works out to around FIFTY BOOKS that I can choose for the classroom library. Amazing! I am humbled by your support. 

Also, if you have not returned your student's coupon book or envelope with payment, please do that as soon as you can. 

Registration and payment for Extra Explorations is due by September 10 if you choose for your student to participate. 

We’re ready for a 

great week!

                                                       Mrs. Bechtel