Friday Updates 4/25/25

Hello, again! It's been a minute since we've chatted and I'm glad to be back (though I am looking forward to baby cuddles afterschool!).

Homework packets will continue next week. The study guide document is up to date with states of matter which we will start next week; paper copy of study guide and flash cards will be in the homework packet on Monday.

Reminders for Friday, April 25th

• Remember your Chromebook and charger every day!
• Practice your student ID number!
• Homework packet due Friday, 5/2
• Packet will go home on Monday, 4/28
• Money review quiz on Friday, 5/2 (math)
• Mixed coins up to a total of $2 (quarters, nickels, dimes, pennies)
• States of Matter test on Thursday, 5/8 (science)

Notes

• PEP (Parents as Educational Partners)
• There are monthly events for grown-ups and caregivers of English Language (EL students). They are hosted by Mrs. Gustilo, one of our EL teachers at PNB, and Ms. Stiffler; while our kids happen to have both these teachers, these meetings are for ALL families at Pinebrook. All meetings are held at Pinebrook.
• PEP is over for the school year! Please be sure to reach out to your EL teacher next school year for information about PEP in the fall.

• Weekly Reminders
• Return library books by Mondays!
• We will get new books EVERY Monday.
• If you do not return your books, you will not be allowed to pick out new books.
• Wear sneakers on Tuesday and Thursday for P.E.
• If you do not wear sneakers/tennis shoes/trainers or closed-toed shoes (NO boots), you will not be allowed to participate in P.E. This is a rule from the P.E. teachers.
• Ice Cream is available at lunch on Wednesdays for $1.
• LCPS allows students to purchase ice cream any day of the week.
• As a team, second grade is encouarged to get ice cream on Wednesday to help prevent any chaos (like buying 4 ice creams).
• Parents can join at lunchtime on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
• Please be sure to bring your ID card to get in the front door.
• Please make sure to stay at our table with your child.
• Our lunch is 12:20 - 12:50pm.
• House Spirit Days are on Fridays.
• Wear your house color on Fridays to show house spirit. 

• Pinebrook Family Resources Page
• Information on how to study, testing, online programs, etc.

PTA Events

• School Store is open on Fridays from 7:40 - 8:00am.

Week Overview

SEL/Morning Meeting & Grade 2 SEL Home Link document - NEW, Unit 4

Phonics - We learned about r-controlled vowels.

Handwriting  -  We practiced our cursive.

Reading
Writing - We will continue to expand on our main characters next week.

Math - We compared 3-digit numbers. We will do some graphing review and money review next week.

Social Studies- We finished learning about body systems. We will start learning about the states of matter - solid, liquid, gas - and how materials can change between the states.

Have a wonderful weekend,

 

World Bazaar Message from Music

Hello, Puma Families!

We are writing to remind you about your child's featured public performance at the World Bazaar event this year! 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade will each sing a few songs from various regions around the world. We just introduced the first song in music this week, so we wanted to make sure we reached out to have you save the date.

The World Bazaar is a free event that will take place on Friday, Apr. 25, 2025, at Pinebrook. The report/performance/pickup times are as follows:

Chorus — report to the stage at the start of the event for a performance right at 6:00 pm; more info in your chorus email.

1st Grade — report to the back of the Library at 6:20 pm; perform on stage at 6:40 pm; reunite with parents at 6:55 pm in the front of the Library.

2nd Grade — report to the back of the Library at 6:50 pm; perform on stage at 7:10 pm; reunite with parents at 7:25 pm in the front of the Library.

3rd Grade — report to the back of the Library at 7:20 pm; perform on stage at 7:40 pm; reunite with parents at 7:55 pm in the front of the Library.

You do not need to buy anything special for your child to wear! Here are some options:

1.              If you have a special outfit representing your culture (this could be as elaborate as an entire outfit or as simple as an item or a shirt from a location that is special to you), please feel free to wear it!

2.              Pinebrook attire or colors (Maroon and Navy) are always encouraged!

3.              If nothing else, please wear everyday clothes and come as you are! There will be a wide variety of attire and we just want you there!

We sincerely hope you'll be able to make it. If you have any questions, please email dana.varona@lcps.org — not your child's teacher (we don't want to make more work for them!)

The World Bazaar event is wonderful, and we can't wait for your children to shine on stage!

Take care,

Dr. Varona and Mr. Foote

ABC Countdown to the Last Day 2025

starting 5/8/2025

Friday Updates 12/20/24

Just a quick reminder that I turn off my email and ClassDojo notifications during breaks. I might check it occasionally, but it it is unlikely that you will be able to get ahold of me until January 6th. 

If you have an school-related emergency, I would recommend contacting the PNB admin, Mr. Thiessen, paul.thiessen@lcps.org, Mrs. McAllister, turner.mcallister@lcps.org, or Mrs. Davenport, latoya.davenport@lcps.org. 

The Front Office will be closed during winter break this year.

Reminders for Friday, December 20th

• Remember your Chromebook and charger every day!
• Practice your student ID number!
• Winter Break 12/21/24 - 1/5/25
• Last school day before winter break is 12/20/24
• Return to school on Monday, 1/6/25
• Homework packet due Friday, 1/10
• Packet will go home on Monday, 1/6
• Measuring to the nearest inch using a ruler Quiz on Thursday, 1/8 (math)
• Economics Fair Project due by 1/14/25
• MAP Testing on 1/14 & 1/16
• Charged chromebook
• Good night's sleep
• Good breakfast
• Measuring to the nearest pound using a scale Quiz on Wednesday, 1/15 (math)
• Economics test on Thursday, 1/16 (social studies)
• Measuring Volume (liquids) Quiz on Tuesday, 1/21 (math)
• Measurement Reasoning Quiz on Thursday, 1/23 (math)
• Your child is expected to know when to use a ruler, a scale, or a liquid measuring cup to measure a given object.

Notes

• PEP (Parents as Educational Partners)
• There are monthly events for grown-ups and caregivers of English Language (EL students). They are hosted by Mrs. Gustilo, one of our EL teachers at PNB, and Ms. Stiffler; while our kids happen to have both these teachers, these meetings are for ALL families at Pinebrook. All meetings are held at Pinebrook.
• Next event is Wednesday, 1/22/25 from 5:30 - 7:30pm.
• Topic: School Health Procedures, Mental Health, and MTSS
• Dinner and childcare will be provided.
• Please let Mrs. Gustilo (roxanne.gustilo@lcps.org) or Ms. Stiffler know if you plan to attend and if you would like an translator for your langauge (Arabic, Urdu, etc.) Thank you!

• Weekly Reminders
• Return library books by Mondays!
• We will get new books EVERY Monday.
• If you do not return your books, you will not be allowed to pick out new books.
• Wear sneakers on Tuesday and Thursday for P.E.
• If you do not wear sneakers/tennis shoes/trainers or closed-toed shoes (NO boots), you will not be allowed to participate in P.E. This is a rule from the P.E. teachers.
• Ice Cream is available at lunch on Wednesdays for $1.
• LCPS allows students to purchase ice cream any day of the week.
• As a team, second grade is encouarged to get ice cream on Wednesday to help prevent any chaos (like buying 4 ice creams).
• Parents can join at lunchtime on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
• Please be sure to bring your ID card to get in the front door.
• Please make sure to stay at our table with your child.
• Our lunch is 12:20 - 12:50pm.
• House Spirit Days are on Fridays.
• Wear your house color on Fridays to show house spirit. 

• Pinebrook Family Resources Page
• Information on how to study, testing, online programs, etc.

PTA Events

• School Store is open on Fridays from 7:40 - 8:00am.

Week Overview

SEL/Morning Meeting & Grade 2 SEL Home Link document

Phonics - We learned about -le as an ending and when to double the consonant. If the word has a short vowel, then you need to double (apple). If the word has a long vowel, then you do not double (maple).

Handwriting  -  We practiced the lowercase and uppercase letters Cc, Aa, Oo.

Reading - We reviewed story structure.
Writing - We finished our fiction/creative stories. We started talking about adjectives in detail (we have been discussing them all year).

Math - We practiced telling time to the nearest 5 minutes. We will start using ruler to measure to the nearest inch when we return, starting our measurement unit.

Social Studies- We learned about the ways of life of the Lakota native group. When we return, we will start leraning about economics.

Have a restful winter break!

I will see the kids back at school on January 6th (unless it snows or baby comes super early!),

 

Friday Updates 12/13/24

Reminders for Friday, December 13th

• Remember your Chromebook and charger every day!
• Practice your student ID number!
• Homework packet due Friday, 12/20
• Packet will go home on Monday, 12/16
• Pinebrook Movie Night: Inside Out on Friday, 12/13
• Make sure to RSVP by 12/11!
• Questions, please email Mrs. Higgins at denise.higgins@lcps.org.
• Time to the Nearest 5 Minutes quiz on 12/18 (math)
• Lakota quiz on 12/19 (social studies)
• Winter Break 12/21/24 - 1/5/25
• Last school day before winter break is 12/20/24
• Return to school on Monday, 1/6/25
• Economics Fair Project due by 1/14/25
• MAP Testing on 1/14 & 1/16
• Charged chromebook
• Good night's sleep
• Good breakfast

Notes

• PEP (Parents as Educational Partners)
• There are monthly events for grown-ups and caregivers of English Language (EL students). They are hosted by Mrs. Gustilo, one of our EL teachers at PNB, and Ms. Stiffler; while our kids happen to have both these teachers, these meetings are for ALL families at Pinebrook. All meetings are held at Pinebrook.
• Next event is Tuesday, 12/17/24 from 5:30 - 7:30pm.
• Topic: School Personnel, the School Day, and School Procedures
• Dinner and childcare will be provided.
• Please let Mrs. Gustilo (roxanne.gustilo@lcps.org) or Ms. Stiffler know if you plan to attend and if you would like an translator for your langauge (Arabic, Urdu, etc.) Thank you!

• Weekly Reminders
• Return library books by Mondays!
• We will get new books EVERY Monday.
• If you do not return your books, you will not be allowed to pick out new books.
• Wear sneakers on Tuesday and Thursday for P.E.
• If you do not wear sneakers/tennis shoes/trainers or closed-toed shoes (NO boots), you will not be allowed to participate in P.E. This is a rule from the P.E. teachers.
• Ice Cream is available at lunch on Wednesdays for $1.
• LCPS allows students to purchase ice cream any day of the week.
• As a team, second grade is encouarged to get ice cream on Wednesday to help prevent any chaos (like buying 4 ice creams).
• Parents can join at lunchtime on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
• Please be sure to bring your ID card to get in the front door.
• Please make sure to stay at our table with your child.
• Our lunch is 12:20 - 12:50pm.
• House Spirit Days are on Fridays.
• Wear your house color on Fridays to show house spirit. 

• Pinebrook Family Resources Page
• Information on how to study, testing, online programs, etc.

PTA Events

• School Store is open on Fridays from 7:40 - 8:00am.

Week Overview

SEL/Morning Meeting & Grade 2 SEL Home Link document

Phonics - We learned about dropping "e" from VCe words when adding suffixes -ing (race/racing) and -ed (bake/baked). We also learned about changing "y" to "i" when adding suffixes -es, -ed, -ly, -ness (happy/happily, baby/babies).

Handwriting  -  We practiced the lowercase and uppercase letters Hh, Bb, Pp.

Reading - We read folktales and noticed the story structure.
Writing - We reviewed conjunctions - words the combine two ideas (and, so, but, because) - and continued working on our fiction/creative stories.

Math - We did a lesson about rounding to the nearest 10 and then started our time unit. We are practicing telling time to the nearest 5 minutes. We will continue this next week.

Social Studies- We learned about the ways of life of the Pueblo native group. Next week, we will learn about the Lakota.

Have a wonderful weekend,

 

Economics Project 2024

Economics Project

“Product Fair”

Due January 14th

As a part of our Social Studies Economics unit, the second grade students at Pinebrook will be having a Product Fair on January 15th. 

Each student needs to create/produce an item for the Product Fair. Students need to make 5 of the same products. Some examples of products the students could make and bring in are: 

• small handcrafted items such as paper bag puppets, coin banks, braided jewelry, games, toys, or artwork. Pinterest is a great resource to think of ideas!
• Absolutely NO food items or GLASS ITEMS!!!
• Products should be made from everyday items, recycled objects, or cheap craft materials. 

The students will use fake money to buy and sell products.  Students will price their items to be either $1, $2, or $3.

Students also need to fill out the attached Product Sheet. 

Products are due in school on January 14.

Click here for ideas.

Click to see this flyer and the attached product sheet (that must be turned in):

• Arabic
• English
• Urdu