Welcome Letter

My name is Sheryl MacLeod and I will be teaching 2B this year. I am from Canada and have been living and teaching in Taiwan for 12 years. My family in Taiwan includes my husband, my daughter, age 7, and my son, age 5.

I believe that the classroom has to be a place where everyone is comfortable and willing to learn. I want your children to love coming to school. This year will be an opportunity for the children and I to learn and grow together. We are going to enjoy new challenges and I hope you will be an active participant.

New school policy says that attendance needs to be taken daily at 8.00am every morning. Parents will be contacted by phone to find our why their child is absent/late and any child who arrives at school after 8.20am will be marked Absent even if they arrive at school. Please make sure your child arrives at school between 7.40 - 8.00am as we will start class instruction promptly at 8:10.

To help your child become more familiar with the class and each other please have your child bring something to school on Thursday, September 1st that they can share with the class. For example, a favorite book, toy, or picture.

Here are some important notes:

Healthy Snacks
Please help to promote good eating habits by providing your child healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, crackers, etc. Students will be able to eat their snacks during the 10-minute break at 10.00am.

Healthy Drinking Habits
Please ensure that your child brings a sturdy water bottle that can be refilled at school daily.

Homework Routine
Adequate time will be given for your child to complete their work at school. However, if assigned work is not completed at school, it will be sent home as homework. As part of our routine, please support our daily homework routine by keeping track of your child's progress and signing their homework assignment book daily.
An example of a homework assignment = Independent reading (15-20 mins) + homework tasks (max. of 15 to 20 mins. e.g. Spelling, Math, Vocabulary, and unfinished work).


List of Classroom Supplies

Please help your child prepare and bring the following things to class by Friday, September 2nd. Please make sure everything is marked with your child's name.

A pencil case with the following:
• 6 or more pencils (no mechanical pencils)
• 3 erasers
• ruler
• a pen - any color but red - for corrections
• a set of crayons and or colored pencils (no pastels or markers)
• scissors
• glue
• toothbrush and toothpaste
• cup
• 1 box of tissue (to be kept in their cubby)
• 1 rag/cloth to clean their desks
• 1 set of eating utensils (chopsticks/spoon/etc)
• Children's Dictionary

Please purchase 4 notebook/exercise books (from HiLife)

• 1 blue for Journal
• 2 larger spaced lined YELLOW notebooks for Spelling and Vocabulary
• 1 smaller spaced lined YELLOW notebook for Homework/Communication book

NOTE: if your child is eating the school lunch, make sure he/she has a plate/bowl to put the food in.

Email Communication

Lastly, I would appreciate a short email letting me know that you have received this letter. In your email, please include the following information:
1. Your child's name
2. Your child's birthday
3. Are there any medical concerns that I should be aware of? (medication/allergies/etc)
4. Both parents' names
5. Both parent's occupations
6. Emergency contact person and phone number
7. What are your child's strengths? Things that need work? (academically and socially)
8. What language(s) does your child speak mostly at home?
9. What else would you like me to know about your child? Please list any accommodations and suggestions.


If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to send me an email at smacleod.ibsh@gmail.com. I look forward to meeting all parents at the PTA organized Parent-Teacher day on Saturday, September 24th. I will be organizing time on that day for individual parent meetings if you have any questions or concerns that you wish to discuss.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Sheryl MacLeod

smacleod.ibsh@gmail.com

  • September 12, 2011
  • 2B

Follow these steps to find the DRA levels for your books

1. Go to this website - http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/homePage.do
2. In the Teacher Book Wizard box, choose DRA as your reading level system (right side of the webpage) and click on set.
3. In the Quick Search text box, type in the title of your book.
4. Click on Search and you'll see your book's corresponding DRA level.
5. Write the DRA level of your book on the yellow sticker provided and adhere it to the bottom left corner of your book. Please use a black permanent marker to record the DRA level.

If there is an existing sticker (bottom left corner) on the book, please adhere the new (yellow) sticker on top of the existing sticker.

If your book has multiple levels, please record both levels on the sticker. e.g. 20-24

If you can only find your book's guided reading level, please use this chart to convert it to a DRA level.

If you cannot find the DRA level for your book through the Scholastic website, go to google and type in the title of your book + the words "DRA level" in the search box. e.g. Charlotte's Web DRA level

If you have followed the suggestions above but continue to experience problems finding the DRA level of your book, please return the book to your homeroom teacher.

Please do not hesitate to contact me via email if you have questions or problems levelling books.

Thank you for your time and help!

  • September 23, 2010
  • 2B

Things to prepare

Please help your child prepare and bring the following things to class by
Wednesday, September 1st.

NOTE: if your child is eating the school lunch, make sure he/she has a plate to put the food in.

You are welcome to bring more than the above. However, please do not allow
your child to bring anything expensive (ex. PSP, NDS, money) to school in
case it might get lost. Thanks!

Ms. Lin & Mrs. MacLeod

  • August 31, 2010
  • 2B

Welcome!

Dear Parents,

My name is Sheryl MacLeod and I will be teaching 2B this year. I am from Canada
and have been living and teaching in Taiwan for 11 years. My family in Taiwan
includes a daughter age 6, and a son age 4.

I believe that the classroom has to be a place where everyone is comfortable and
willing to learn. I want your children to love coming to school. This year will be an
opportunity for the children and I to learn and grow together. We are going to enjoy
new challenges and I hope you will be an active participant.

We will start promptly at 8:10. To help ensure that your child is ready to enjoy their
day please make sure they have completed their breakfast and are at school by
8am ready to start. Please help them to bring a healthy snack to eat during the day.

We will be assigning a daily reading assignment. Each student will be required to
read for 15 minutes, complete his or her reading journal, and get a parent's signature
in their journal signifying they have completed the work. They will also be expected
to complete any work that was not completed during class time during the day.

To help your child become more familiar with the class and each other please
have your child bring something to school on Wednesday, September 1st that
they can share with the class. For example, a favorite book, toy, or picture.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to send me an email at
smacleod.ibsh@gmail.com. I will be starting a blog to keep you up to date on
what we are learning in the classroom, the address is www.sherylmacleod.com.

I am looking forward to meeting you all at our PTA Parent-Teacher day on
September 25th.

Lastly, I would appreciate a short email letting me know that you have received this
letter. In your email, please include the following information:

  1. Your child's name
  2. Your child's birthday
  3. Both parents' names
  4. Both parents' occupations
  5. Emergency contact person and phone number

Thank you,

Mrs. MacLeod

  • August 31, 2010
  • 2B