Sunday, December 2, 2007

Community Spotlight

Thank you to everyone who helped participate during our Jar Wars event, we raised over forty dollars for Toys for Tots. The children also helped put together a throw blanket for those at Summer’s Landing assisted living which Summer’s Landing has already placed out for residential enjoyment. A very hearty thank you for helping brighten this season for others!

Save the Date

Please do not forget to sign up for a Family Conference before Christmas Break. Christmas Break begins December 21 and goes until January 2. If you are in need of childcare during this time, please let Ms. Wanda or Ms. Shirley know as soon as possible.

Donations

I know we have many things in our classroom to use and play with, but we could always use a few extra items here and there. If anyone could assist and donate any of the following materials it would be greatly appreciated; empty cereal boxes, shoe boxes, mittens, and gloves.

Reminders

When dropping your child off in the morning, please make sure that you drop your child off with instructors. Leaving your child at the hallway door is unsafe as the classroom is in the back portion of the building and we cannot see you drop your child off at the hallway door. For safety measures, please drop your child off with instructors so that all children are accounted for.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Jar Wars

At the beginning of the upcoming month, we will begin something called “Jar Wars.” Pre-K A and B classrooms will be competing to gather the most pennies together from November 1st until November 14th. The classroom with the most pennies will have a surprise party. The pennies gathered by the classrooms will be used to purchase a gift for the classrooms to donate to Toys for Tots. Remember, Jar Wars is pennies only.

Save the Date

We will be having a Thanksgiving dinner in the classroom, keep your eyes open for further notice on when we will be hosting this. November 19-20 is a student holiday and November 21-23 is Thanksgiving holidays, there will not be class on any of those days. If you need childcare for any of these days, go ahead and let Ms. Wanda and Ms. Shirley know immediately.

Donations

I know we have many things in our classroom to use and play with, but we could always use a few extra items here and there. If anyone could assist and donate any of the following materials it would be greatly appreciated; dry beans, potato sacks, and empty Pringles cans .

Reminders

With the change in weather coming in the fall months, please dress your child appropriately for school. We do go outside at 9:05 am so you do need to pack a jacket for your child to participate in the instructional activities during outside play. Please check your child’s cubby weekly, there are many things they place in their cubbies that they wish to share with you.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Save the Date

October 5th is our Teddy Bear Picnic at 10:00 am. If you’ve signed up to bring something, please be sure to have it dropped off at school on October 4th. We look forward to our picnic and hope you all can join us! Also, don’t forget the week of October 8th is Fall Break and October 15th is a Teacher In Service Day, school will resume as to its normal schedule on October 16th. If you should need childcare for those days, remember to talk to Ms. Wanda or Ms. Shirley immediately. October 30 will be the annual Children’s Friend Fall Festival. The Fall Festival will be held after the instructional day and we will send home a separate notice regarding more information about the Fall Festival at a later time. If you’re child wishes to wear their Halloween costume on October 31st they may, but please make sure that they can easily get in and out of the costume on their own for restroom purposes.

Donations

I know we have many things in our classroom to use and play with, but we could always use a few extra items here and there. If anyone could assist and donate any of the following materials it would be greatly appreciated; bottle tops, keys, shoestrings, dishcloths, place mats, plastic tongs.

Reminders

With the change in weather coming in the fall months, please dress your child appropriately for school. We do go outside at 9:05 am so we would like to suggest that you pack a light jacket for your child to wear. I know that many of you have a lot to say to us as instructors and other parents in the morning, but please do not block the class entry way. Come all the way in or out of the classroom but it is very important not to block the class entrance as other parents and students do need to get in and out of the classroom in the morning as well.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Save the Date

September 9 is Grandparents Day, if there are any grandparents in the area that would like to volunteer in the classroom that Monday, please let Ms. Joe Ann or Ms. Megan know as soon as possible. Also, the week of October 8th will be Fall Break! Class will resume it's normal schedule on October 16th the following week. If you are in need of child care during that week, please let Ms. Wanda or Ms. Shirley know immediately as daycare slots fill quickly for school breaks.

Reminders

We understand that many of us wish that our children reflect positively in the way that we dress them, but please understand that it is important in the prevention of bathroom emergencies that your child be dressed in clothing that he/she can easily get in and out of for restroom purposes. We implore that you keep this in mind when dressing your child for school.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Save the Date

September 3 is Labor Day, there will not be class on that day. Also, mark the day on your calendars, August 22 is Picture Day! We plan clean activities for the day to keep your child looking great for their pictures, so please bring your child to school wearing what you want him to for the picture.

Fundraiser

The cookie dough fundraiser is due back on August 27th. Please turn in all forms to Ms. Wanda or Ms. Shirley in the front office.

Reminders

It is policy that outside food and toys remain outside of the classoom. We provide plenty of food and toys in the class. It is very important that we follow these guidelines. Also remember that class starts at 8:00 in the morning and ends at 2:30 in the afternoon. 8:01 and after is considered tardy and being picked up before 2:30 is an early dismissal. Please bring your child on time for school for an effective instructional day.

New School Year

Welcome and hello! It's a new school year with many new and friendly faces joining us in our classroom. This website is to assist in parent involvement in the classroom and make this school year an absolutely wonderful one!

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Reminders

Spring Break is the first week of April. If you will need Children's Friend to care for your child that week, please let the center director, Ms. Wanda, know immediately. Also, if you have any spare film containers it would be greatly appreciated if they were donated to the classroom.

Lending Library

With the start of the Book-It program, each child will get to choose a book from our Lending Library to take home and return on Tuesdays. Please remember our Lending Library rules; return books by the following Tuesday, treat the books with respect, and always read with a parent. Our Lending Library has been available through-out the school year, we are stressing use of our Lending Library again to aid in books for the Book-It! program. Please take care of our books so that they may be enjoyed by all of the children.

Book It!

Starting March 5, we are beginning our Book It! program. BOOK IT! Beginners is a read-aloud program that builds reading-readiness skills and establishes an at-home reading routine by providing interactive classroom materials to teachers. These materials add an exciting, hands-on activity to read-aloud time. We have sent home the parent letter as well as cut-outs for this program. Please return the cut-outs with the name of the book to school for us to place on our Book it! poster. At the end of each month, we will send home the Book-It! pizza hut certificates for your child's free one-topping personal pan pizza. Also remember that the classroom with the most familys that have read will recieve an ice cream party for children and parents to attend. Help make this years Book-It a success!

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Attendance

Georgia Bright from the Start Pre-K guidelines state "Chronic tardiness is defined as late arrival or early departure more than two days per month without medical or other reasonal explanation. Chronic tardiness or absenteeism may also be defined by an established regular attendance pattern; e.g. if a child is late every Monday or absent every Tuesday or leaves early every Friday." Children who are chronically tardy or absent after intervention must be disenrolled. Arriving after 8:01 am is tardy and leaving before 2:30 pm is an early departure. If you have extending circumstances or concerns on this matter, please contact our resource coordinator, Ms. Kim. (pager #: 464-6638 e-mail: kimcoxon@childrensfriend.com)

Valetine's Party

We will be having a Valentine's Party on Thursday February 15, 2007 starting at 11:30. We will have a sign up sheet out at the beginning of next week for items if you would like to volunteer to bring anything. Just a reminder that it is school policy that all items are store-bought and store-made. We have twenty students on so please remember that for the Valentine's Party.

Kindergarten

We are getting ready for our Kindergarten field trip, if you have not already filled out our directory form stating which kindergarten your child is going to, please do. We need this information to plan our field trip. We will also place a sign up sheet in the entrance of the classroom for parents to fill out if you haven't the time to fill out our directory form.

Mid-Winter Break

Also remember that there is a Mid-Winter break February 19 until the 23 for students. If you need to make arrangements with Children's Friend for childcare during that time, please speak with Ms. Wanda as soon as possible.

Picture Day

Just a reminder that Picture Day is February 16, we will send home another reminder the day before.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

A Day With Dad

Monday is our Day with Dad, permission slips have been sent home. Please fill these out and return them at the earliest convenience so that we are aware of who will be attending. If dad is unavailable to attend. The invitation is also open to grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and mothers. Come and have a special day with your child in the classroom!

Monday, January 8, 2007

IMPORTANT!!

I have some important things that need attention:
  • It's still chilly outside and our outdoor play time is at 9:00 so please remember to pack a coat or jacket for your child to wear outside.
  • I know sometimes you're busy when you come to pick your child up or drop them off, but we have papers piling up in some cubbies. Remember to check your child's cubby because starting in two weeks, we will empty out items that have been in a cubby for more than two weeks. Please check your child's cubby, they put things in there to share with YOU!

Career Week

From January 16-26, we extend an open invitation to all of our parents to join us in the classroom and tell us about your job. Your children are very proud of you and love telling us about what you do, so don't feel shy about coming to talk to the class. If you'd like to participate in this even, there will be a sign-up sheet at the class entrance for reserving your time and day to come in and join us. Please fill this out before you come to speak to the class so that we can plan for you to join us.

Literacy Bags

Our literacy bags are courtesy of Ms. Kim, our resource coordinator. Each family spends three days with a literacy bag, returning it on the last day. Please make sure that everything that went home in the literacy bag, returns to school.. And remember to fill out the questionarre in the bags to return as well!

Lending Library

Our lending library is in full-swing. We wanted to remind parents of the lending library rules:
  1. Return books on Tuesday
  2. Treat books kindly
  3. Always read with an adult
Our lending library is full of books of interest for your children and each child does have a check-out card. To check a book out, a child does require a parent present to sign their check-out card.

Year Start

It's a brand new year and I thought it would be nice to start things out with a easily accessible web site for all of my parents to come see what is going on in school! I will try and keep this as posted as our classroom is. Please check frequently for updates regarding school events.