newsletter

It seems so long since I have written you a news letter. (Even though it has just been a month.) We had a great time with our Kid’s Voting. It was a lot of hard work for us, but it was well worth it. You would have been so proud of your students. We even made the front page of the newspaper!

We are finishing our unit on fractions this week. They students have done well with it. After we complete the unit and cumulative tests, we will be working on adding 2 digit numbers in Math. Please continue to work on the basic math facts each night.

Please remember to also read the student’s story each night. It is very obvious who reads each night and who doesn’t. Please help your child become the best reader possible. Make sure to encourage the student to sound out the words instead of just telling them the words. Thanks so much.

We have had 2 reward popcorn and movie parties so far because we filled our fuzzy ball jar twice. Each time other teachers brag on our class for good behavior, we get a fuzzy ball. It is amazing that we earned it twice this soon!

Would you help by checking your child’s folder each night to see how their behavior was for that day? Remember, if I have drawn an * or written “Isolation” on the planner that day, behavior was a problem. It would be great if you could reinforce at home how important it is to follow directions and show respect to others. If you see lots of *, or “isolation” please take away some privileges at home.

I am having a few problems with it but be patient with me. I know just enough to be dangerous with it. Sometimes the more I work on it-- the worse it looks!

We are so busy! Our days are jam-packed. We started Accelerated Reader this week. The students need to bring home an AR book nightly to help them reach their goals. I will send home their goal with a plan for them very soon.

We are once again holding the Kid’s Voting election in our room to complete the unit on the process of elections on Oct. 29th. We will be talking about the two candidates who are running for the election. We spend a lot more time about the process than about the candidates. Our students will be greeters, commissioners, inspectors, judges, and counters. Everyone will get to participate. We will switch jobs for different classes so the students will get the most of the experience. It will look very professional with our class having official badges and voting booths!!!

Don’t forget our web-page. You can have access to all our newsletters and other events. I am not gifted in technology, so it took a while---but I am proud of it. Please check it out whenever you can. Go to: hcboe.net Then click on “school system,” drag down to “Schools” then slide over to “Elementary” then slide to “Hillcrest”. When the picture of Hillcrest comes up, click on 2nd grade on the left side. Next, click on the line under my picture. When our home page comes up, you can click on any of the links under the pictures to find out what is going on. I will try to update it weekly.

If your child would like to receive extra credit, they can decorate a small pumpkin as a book character. The class will try to guess who the pumpkin is decorated like. This is something the parents and children can work together on. Remember, your child will not be penalized if he or she doesn’t participate. Bring them in the week of the 21st of October. The students can take them home on the 24th. That way you can have them at home to use as a decoration.

Remember, every night the students should read their story and study their math facts. They need to also read their AR book so they can test on it the next day at school. We strive to make 100% on each test, so make sure the student remembers what they have read.

What a privilege to get to work with your children each day. I am amazed how smoothly things have gone. We are working hard and learning to be responsible students. I hope the students are sharing with you all we are learning. They especially like writing information in their learning logs.

We have also started our “Minute Math”. This is a program that helps students learn math facts in a sequential order and at their own pace. It stresses that the facts should be “automatic”. They have made flash cards that they can study.

We have a long way to go and lots to learn to get everyone ready for third grade next year. I need your help to get us where we should be right now. I need you to listen and help your child read their story every night---Mon. thru Thurs. nights. I will be sending home reading notes on Monday for you to document if you have listened to or read with your child read each night. They will get 2 points for each night they read on that weeks test.ß. Please don’t sign it if they haven’t read----then you would be hurting more than helping. They would think it is okay to be dishonest and they would miss the opportunity to read that night.

Our Open House for 2nd grade will be Sept. 2, at 6:30-800. We will meet in the gym first and then Mr. Clawson will dismiss everyone to their grade levels.

I have started working on our web page up for the new year. You will be able to go to it for copies of our newsletters and upcoming events. I will also have pictures of the students that I have permission to show on the web page. I have sent home a permission slip for it today.

I will be sending home packets Tues. of the student’s work. Please look over them and sign the outside of the envelope and return it with the papers inside. I will let the students take the pages home to stay then.

I want to thank you for being responsible parents!! You have worked hard to have your child at school each day and on time. That makes a big difference in our learning. Please try to schedule any doctor’s visits after 1:45. Thanks again for your help.

Remember to work on reading, math flash cards, and spelling words each night. Research indicates that parental involvement is key to students’ success in learning to read. A 1992 study shows that it is the number one predictor!!

So please read to your child, with your child, and listen to your child read. If you can commit to reading with your child 15 minutes each night, we will all see tremendous growth. Studies show that the most gains are seen in children who struggle the most in their reading, but all students gain in their reading ability and in spending time with their parents.

I am deeply humbled by your support this year so far. Your encouraging words and notes are priceless to me. It motivates me to try harder and harder. Thank you so much.

I would like to introduce myself to you. I am Jill Overholt Fishburn and I have been teaching for 19 years. I have taught kindergarten, fourth, and second grades. I have always wanted to teach children for as long as I can remember. I count it a privilege to be able to guide your children as we learn together.

I am married to Terry Fishburn and we have 2 daughters. Courtney is 24 and just got married and lives in Chattanooga. Brittany will soon be 21 and is a student at UT.

I grew up in Morristown and actually attended Hillcrest Elementary and Hillcrest Baptist Church!! I am thrilled to be able to love the students here like I was loved.

I believe that students should have fun learning and should feel love and encouragement from their teacher. We will all be more successful as a result.

Our lunch is at 11:35. You will also want to know that our P.E. is Wed. and Thurs. at 10:35. Students are asked to wear tennis shoes for P.E. We also have recess at 1:40-2:00.

I ask that your child be at school and on time each day. We start with reading instruction each day. If a doctor’s appointment has to be scheduled during the day, please make it after 1:30. It is very difficult to make up work due to absences because much of our work is not paper and pencil. We do activities to teach skills.

A copy of our schedule is on the back. Please know that it may change when I find out when speech, resource, and ESL classes will be. We have to be flexible.

I believe every child can learn, and should enjoy learning. I believe every child is more capable of learning when she/he feels good about him or herself, and finds the learning to be a joyous experience. Therefore my goals for this year are that every child under my guidance will develop a more positive self-concept, will learn, and will enjoy learning.

Communication is an important factor in a child’s education. It enables the parent to know what is happening in his child’s school life. I will be using the following methods of communication this school year.

1. Your child’s work will be sent home weekly. Please review these papers with your child and sign the cover sheet on the front of the envelope. Please make sure you return the papers.

2. Each night you need to look at your child’s assignment book to see if they have homework and how their behavior has been. If there is a star on the date, your child has had excellent behavior for the day. If there is an * on the date, your child’s behavior could have been better for the day. If “isolation” is written in the planner, your child had to be removed from the team for the day. I will also write notes to you as needed in the planners. It is very important that you initial the day in the planner each night. Your child will earn a red slip if you do!!

3. I will write at least one newsletter a month to inform you of coming activities or events. I will try to send it at the first of the month. You can check our web site to read any past newsletters. Go to hcboe.net then click on School System, then schools, then elementary, then Hillcrest, second grade, Mrs. Fishburn’s class. I will be working on it all year.

4. You may e-mail me at jfishburn@hcboe.net or call the school and leave a message. I will return your call during my planning time or after school. Please be sure to leave both home and work phone numbers with your message. You may call me at home if you feel it is an emergency.

Please send me notes letting me know if any event occurs that may affect your child’s learning or behavior at school. If your child isn’t feeling well, Please send me a note in a sealed envelope, rather that telling them to tell me to call you. Sometimes this interferes with learning.

When money is sent to school, please put it in an envelope and write your child’s name, my name, and what the money is for on the outside of the envelope.

Your child will not have much homework this year unless they don’t get it finished at school. (They will have plenty of time to finish each assignment at school.) The student should read their reading story each night, study math facts, and look over their spelling words. This should take no longer than 20 minutes. There will be some written homework, but not very often!!! I believe in working in school so the children can play at home. I will not assign homework on Wednesdays or over the weekend. Please feel free to look over their stories or facts any time.

Each child’s birthday will be recognized in the classroom. If you would like to send treats, please let me know ahead of time. Please do not send a cake or cupcakes. (They are too messy for our carpet!) Cookies are the best to send.

Be sure your child knows whether or not he will be a walker, car rider, bus rider, or girls’ club at dismissal. When transportation arrangements change, please send me a note stating the change. Please listen to the radio or check the web page if we should get inclement weather to learn if school is to be dismissed early.

Thank you for your support and kind words. You are the key to your child’s attitude about school. Please review and discuss your child’s work on a daily basis. This demonstrates to the child that you are interested in what he or she does in school. It also lets you know what she or he is learning, how well he is understanding the concepts, and reinforces what is presented in the classroom. Please allow your child to be responsible for putting his or her things in her backpack for school. We work very hard in our class to become responsible for our things and for the choices we make. We also learn by consequences or rewards that follow those choices. You will be amazed by the end of the year at the progress we make.