Classroom ABCs

A is for "Arrival"

It is very important for your child to arrive at school on time each day. Students arriving to school before 7:55 are to report to the cafeteria. Once the morning bell rings, students are permitted to go to their classrooms. Students arriving after the 8:30 bell are considered tardy. Please remember to be on time each day!

A is for "Appointments"


If you need to take your child out of school for an appointment, please be sure to send in a note. I will send these to the office so they are aware of your child's dismissal. Thank you! Please note: If your child leaves school before 11:30 and does not return, they will be marked absent for the day and I will need an excuse upon their return to school.

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B is for "Backpacks"

Backpacks are something your child will need in second grade. A backpack makes transporting things to and from school much easier!

B is for "Birthdays"

Celebrating Birthdays in our classroom can be very fun, and we always enjoy celebrating a child's Birthday - after all, it is their special day! However, it is essential that we plan ahead to set time aside for this during the school day. If your child plans on bringing a treat into school to share on their Birthday, please let me know in advance by sending a quick e-mail, calling me before school, or simply sending in a note with your child a few days beforehand.

For those children with Birthdays that fall during a time when school is not in session, feel free to pick an alternative date to celebrate! Again, just be sure to let me know ahead of time. Students who have summer Birthdays can choose to celebrate their half birthday in school - just an idea to keep in mind! For example, if a student's Birthday is July 20th, they can celebrate their half birthday on January 20th. 

B is for "Book Orders"

Each month I will be sending home Scholastic flyers. I also have online ordering set up if you prefer to order via the computer. If you choose to order the traditional way, please send in checks only; cash cannot be accepted. Thank you for your cooperation!

B is for "Blog"

Our classroom blog will be the primary source of online information this year! Be sure to add the address for our blog to your bookmarks! (http://mrsrush.blogspot.com)

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C is for "Cell Phone"

Your child is permitted to have a cell phone in school if it remains in his or her backpack throughout the entire school day. Cell phones are not to be seen during the school day; this means no cell phones at recess or dismissal. If for any reason I see a cell phone, it will be taken away and a parent will be called to pick it up in the elementary office.

C is for "Communication"

Communication is most definitely the key to success! Parents, if you need to reach me at any time, please feel free to do so! The quickest way to reach me is through my school e-mail address (brush@brockway.k12.pa.us) as I check my e-mail multiple times daily. However, you may also call the elementary office and they will be able to transfer you to my classroom or my voicemail. The best times to reach me by phone are before and after school hours.

C is for "Conferences"

If at any point in time throughout the school year you would like to schedule a conference for your child, please just let me know! I will do everything I possibly can to work with your busy schedule and set up a time that works for all of us. Remember, your child's success is my number one priority!

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D is for "DIBELS"

DIBELS is becoming a popular word here at Brockway Elementary. DIBELS is an acronym that stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. Basically, DIBELS are "...a set of procedures and measure for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills" (http://www.dibels.org). Second graders will have a time period set aside during the day to practice DIBELS. Your child may or may not be with me during this time as students with similar needs are grouped together.

D is for "Dismissal"

Students begin dismissal from school at 2:45 in the afternoon. If your child's dismissal routine needs to be changed for any reason, please send a note in with your child so that I may notify the office. Thank you!

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E is for "E-mail"

E-mail is an excellent way to keep in touch with me throughout the school year. If I get a chance to check my e-mail at home, I do that as well...and fairly often. Although e-mail is the quickest way to reach me (brush@brockway.k12.pa.us) it certainly isn't the only way. See "communication" for more ways to reach me! Be in touch - it is the only way to ensure your child's success!

E is for "Emergencies"

Please make sure we have the correct emergency information on file for your child. If phone numbers, names, or addresses change as the school year progresses, just send in a note and I can update your child's file accordingly.

E is for "Expectations"

Expectations will be clearly explained on the first day of school. In room 207 we will really be focusing on the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. I expect my students to always work hard and never give up!

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F is for "Facts"

Addition and subtraction will be a big part of our second grade math curriculum. Parents, please practice the basic addition and subtraction facts at home with your child. These really should be memorized. Your child is less likely to struggle if he or she has these facts memorized instead of having to rely on finger counting.

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G is for "Golden Rule"

We will be focusing a lot on the Golden Rule in room 207. We will learn about being kind to others and ourselves every day. Brockway Elementary and Mrs. Rush have a zero tolerance policy for bullying.

G is for "Grades"

Graded work will be sent home as it is corrected. Occasionally you may be asked to sign and return a graded assignment that needs special attention. I use an online gradebook called Engrade (http://www.engrade.com) and as the school year progresses you will recieve a username and log-in so that you may check your child's grades at any time. More information will be coming home with your child about Engrade after the first week of school.

G is for "Grading Scale"

The grading scale for the Brockway Area School District is as follows:

     A     93% to 100%
     B     86% to 92%
     C     77% to 85%
     D     70% to 76%
     F     Below 70%

Please keep in mind that grades are earned by the student, not given by the teacher.

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H is for "Homework"

Students may be assigned homework Monday through Thursday during the school week. School work is very important, but I also feel that it is important for children to spend time with their families and enjoy themselves over the weekend which is why I will not be assigning homework on Fridays. (An exception to this may arise when and if students are working on an ongoing project.) Generally, homework should take approximately 15 - 30 minutes to complete depending upon the assignment. Homework will most often be a review of a skill taught that day in school. If you notice your child struggling to complete a homework assignment, please contact me and we will work together to help your child succeed!

If an extenuating circumstance should arise resulting in an incomplete homework assignment (ex., family emergency) please just send me a note!

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M is for "Money"

When sending money into school with your child, if at all possible, please send it in a clearly marked envelope or baggie. Also, be sure to mark what the money is for (lunch money, book order, school pictures, etc.) so I can take care of it properly.

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O is for "Open Door"

Please know that you are always welcome in room 207! You are always welcome to come in and read, volunteer, help with a special project, or share a special treat! Letting me know ahead of time will help both of us prepare and make the best of our time.

O is for "Open House"

Open House will be held in September from 4:00 until 6:00. Please plan to attend this event to learn more about our daily classroom activities and to see our classroom! This time is not to be used for conferences, although a sign-up sheet will be available that night if you would like to schedule a conference for a later date.

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Q is for "Questions"

Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time with any questions that may arise about anything throughout the school year.

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S is for "Snazzy Snacks"

Once a month we will practice our best handwriting and math skills by making delicious Snazzy Snacks! Parents, you can sign up at Open House to provide ingredients for one snack!

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T is for "Tardies"

Your child should arrive to school no later than 8:30 each morning. Arriving after this time causes students to lose valuable instruction time.

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V is for "Video Games"

Video games will not be permitted in room 207. This means no video games are to be used in the morning, at recess, or even at dismissal. If your child brings a video game to play on the bus on the way home, I do not want to see it during the school day. Video games cause conflict and take away from the learning experiences in my classroom. Even if the were to be used at recess, they are still taking away from the social benefits your child should be experiencing.

V is for "Volunteers"

We love volunteers! Moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles...everyone and anyone! You can volunteer in class or work on things for our classroom at home. Please let me know if you'd like to help and we can find a classroom job for you.

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W is for "Water Bottles"

I encourage students to bring their own water bottles to school. Pop-up tops or tops similar to this are preferred as they help to prevent spills and distractions.

W is for "Website"

Visiting our classroom website will re-direct you to this blog. Some information will be available on my school website, but my intentions are to make this blog the primary source for online information.

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X, Y, and Z are for the following: I am eXcited to work with You and Your child this year! Make sure he or she gets plenty of Zzzz's each night as we have exciting days planned for this year!