SECOND GRADE
Second Grade offers a fully integrated curriculum covering all the required Virginia SOLs -- and then some! The Second Grade teachers plan and implement the curriculum together -- often bringing all classes together as a little family of learners. We work together, garden together, create together, travel together, and make learning fun together!
Beginning in 2014, PHSSA Second Graders were offered free swim classes as part of a larger program that has now been in place in RPS for several years now. This program occurs in August before the rest of the schools are back in session. While in the late summer months, we also harvest our Native American "Three Sisters" garden planted by the previous year's second grade class. Everyone gets a taste of squash and beans -- then we finish off with an old-fashioned corn boil. We follow that up by planting a winter crops of kale, cabbage, and broccoli. Make sure you have traveling shoes for Second Grade! We make frequent trips to our outdoor classrooms, both on the "campus" of the school and at Forest Hill Park. We look forward to our Environmental Education program as well as to art, music, and PE. Speaking of arts, Second Grade loves to paint, draw, dance, and sing our way through all subjects! We also love to investigate and get our hands dirty. We are scientists, artists, writers, mathematicians, meteorologists, and performers! And that is just a glimpse! Who knows what new things will be on the horizon? Second Grade has been integrating more technology into our curriculum as PHSSA recently added an additional Computer Lab in our Media Center. We also utilize PCs and iPads in the classroom as part of our learning station rotations. We heartily welcome all to our Second Grade family -- be ready for anything! |
Volunteer Opportunities:
Info to come Field Trips: Stay tuned |
SECOND GRADE TEACHERS

Caroline Conolly (cconolly@rvaschools.net) -- Ms. Conolly received her Masters of Teaching from Virginia Commonwealth University with a minor in Environmental Studies. Prior to PHSSA, she taught at William Fox Elementary and worked in horticulture on a local flower farm. Ms. Conolly is excited to connect students to the natural world around them! In her spare time, Ms. Conolly enjoys gardening, foraging, hiking, riding her bike, and spending time at the river.

Elizabeth Marunde (emartin2@rvaschools.net) -- Mrs. Marunde holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in World Literature, and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Elementary Education for Diverse Young Learners from George Mason University. Mrs. Marunde is eager to instill a sense of value in each of her students and to perpetuate her career as a life-long co-learner and explorer.

Theresa Morris (tmorris@rvaschools.net) -- Mrs. Morris received her B.A. from Randolph-Macon College with a major in Sociology. She completed University of Richmond’s Teacher Licensure Program. She started teaching at PHSSA in 2013. She was named Teacher of the Year for the 2016-2017 school year. In her spare time, Mrs. Morris enjoys gardening, reading a good book, and traveling with her family.

Hannah Yazdgerdi (hyazdger@rvaschools.net) -- Ms. Yazdgerdi is so excited to spend her first year teaching at PHSSA. She graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2019 with a B.A. in psychology and went on to get her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from CNU in 2020. In her spare time, Ms. Yaz loves to run, hike, go to the beach, travel, and spend time with her family.