Every Vote Counts!

We had a very exciting afternoon, with some guest speakers from the high school coming to talk with us.  Our conversations about the importance of voting have grown into a full-blown Community Service Learning Project, as we work to spread the word about the importance of voicing our opinions. So far, we have participated in a few classroom votes, we have made posters reminding families to register to vote in the upcoming election, and talked about ways to spread the word about getting out and voting.  Today, the high school students who came to visit engaged the 2nd graders in lively discussion about what they already know about voting, the presidential candidates, Republicans and Democrats, and even ran a mock election with our students asking them to consider the qualities they would want if they could vote for a new principal.  The second graders were so enthusiastic about talking with our high school visitors!

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend!  Please don't forget about Open House night on Thursday, October 11 from 7-8 p.m.  Students are invited to come with their families to show them around their classroom and school.  The students have been reminded to stay with their families at all times.  Please help us keep "crowd control" by not allowing your child to go running off on their own.  This really is their time to be the school expert for their families, and I expect them to follow the school rules at night the way they follow them during the school day.

In the next few days I will be sending home the Ocean Folders where we have been collecting some of our information during our Oceans study.  I will also be sending home a study guide, and will be giving a short test next Monday.  My expectations for science and social studies tests this year are for students to spend some time reading through their materials and study guides, and to be able to demonstrate what they have learned in class.  Studying for tests is not meant to be stressful.  Spend some time with your child reading the information with them and asking them what they have learned during our study.

Have a great week!