From the Principal’s Desk:
Supporting Very Young Writers
A child’s writing typically goes through several stages, beginning with scribbling that probably won’t include recognizable shapes or letters. From there, children tend to write using more letter-like shapes and later, your child may create a piece of writing that includes random strings of letters. Regardless of the stage, recognize that each effort of crayon to paper has value. Two ways to support your child’s effort are through writing time and dictation.
Writing time
During this special time at home, provide time and fun materials for writing. This may include smelly markers, fat pencils and paper of all shapes and sizes. Encourage your child to draw and/or write, and then use this time to talk about what’s been created. Early efforts will probably be readable only by your child, but let your child feel like the expert with that piece of writing. As your child gets older, you may find that the writing time starts to include more emphasis on letters and sounds. A child’s name and simple words like Mom, Dad and love are often penned early. Regardless of what’s been written, be proud of the work and display it for all to see.
Dictation
Writing down what your child says is a simple but effective way to model many important aspects of written language. These dictation activities can take place after a family adventure, an exciting event, or a shared book experience. It can be as simple as writing down a favorite part of a movie or book or recording what was for dessert that night. Have your child sit next to you or watch you write. Your child’s watching will help her become aware of many conventions of written language, including capitalization, spacing between words, and punctuation. Keep the dictated sentences short, and use your best handwriting! These dictated sentences may be among the very first things your young writer reads all by herself. When you’re done writing, encourage your child to re-read the sentences along with you.
Regardless of topic, it’s always fun to hear what your child thinks was the most interesting part of a book or the most exciting part of their day. Capturing it in writing will create a memory, and it will also help your child further down the path of literacy.
Research to Practice: This Growing Reader is based in part from research from Early Childhood Education Journal (2012)
Inspirational Quotes for parents
:
Volunteer Spotlight:
We would like to thank all the parents that brought in items for the holiday staff luncheon on Dec 16th . We truly appreciated the delicious food and goodies.
Very Important Reminder: We are in the process of completing the North Carolina Immunization Record Report, it is imperative that you bring in any updated immunization records.
Dear Families,
We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! As we prepare for the new year, we wanted to share some exciting news. I’m pleased to announce that our school has been selected to be one of the first Nobel Learning schools to expand our electronic parent communications. We have received a great deal of positive feedback from parents who have enjoyed receiving the photo emails of their children that our teachers have been sending, and now we will be able to share so much more with you.
Starting January 11, each classroom will be equipped with an iPad Mini. With a device in each classroom, teachers will be able to send a photo for each child each day. Parents of younger children who currently receive printed daily reports will begin receiving them via email instead. Parents of older children will start receiving a daily learning update by email. You will begin receiving these additional e-communications on January 18.
As a safety measure, the iPads are locked down, so the teachers do not have access to the Internet or any other apps. As previously, you will not be able to reply to the teachers through email so that they can remain focused on the children at all times.
In order to make sure our communications reach all parents in 2016, we need to update our system with current and accurate contact information. Please click here to fill out Applicant Information Form for each of your children. Be sure to include an email address and mobile phone number for each parent/guardian, and return as soon as possible.
This new, enhanced program will allow us to add many other future improvements in parent communication, so we will keep you informed as we add features. Feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback as we strive to continuously improve our communications with you, our valued families.
Parent Reminders
-
Please be sure to wash your child’s hands upon entering the classroom.
-
If your child has received any new immunizations, please make sure we have an updated record in your child’s file.
-
All outside food must be store bought.
-
Inform the front office if your emergency contact information changes.
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Please sign your child in and out each day.
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Label all your child’s belongings.
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Please put appropriate foot wear on your child for active play.
It is time for our FALL ANCILLARY PROGRAMS
Monday Morning: Daisy Dance is a ballet, tap and a creative movement dance program designed to teach children a life long love of movement and provide a foundation for all dance genres. Please click here for the registration form. You can add dance at the beginning of each month.
Tuesday Morning: Preschool Music Adventure is an original approach that successfully engages active preschoolers in musical activities, in order to enhance their overall development. We are very excited about this new music program. We will have a new music session starting in January 26th .
Wednesday Afternoon: T.O.T (Teams of Tomorrow) is an awesome training program that focuses on basketball handling and dribbling skills. The onsite classes are fun, educational and active. Please click here to access the registration form.
Thursday Morning: Soccer Shots is a popular non-competitive youth soccer program. This program teaches confidence, fun, character, teamwork, coordination and imagination. Our Next session will begin in March.
Friday Morning: King Tiger Tae Kwon Do is taught according to individual needs and levels of skills. Students begin to establish, and actually achieve, personal goals. Students learn that, by setting realistic goals and applying dedication and hard work, anything is possible. They develop confidence! The virtues of Respect, Concentration, Discipline, and Motivation are the characteristics of a truly confident individual. We will have a new session beginning Friday,Jan. 8th -Feb.26th. Registration forms are located at the front desk.
The Value of Visual Art Activities for Your Preschooler
Visual art experiences help children develop skills such as critical thinking, self-expression, problem-solving, communication and collaboration. Our teachers focus on process-based art education, in which the experience of creating art is valued over the end product.
In our classrooms, teachers integrate art into many aspects of our Links to Learning curriculum. After reading a book about polar bears, teachers might ask students to create their own polar bears using sponges, paint, markers and paper. They encourage students to talk about their art, providing a great opportunity to learn new vocabulary, particularly words related to colors, shapes,textures, and emotions.
Our students are also exposed to and inspired by famous artwork. In order to cultivate that fascination, we discuss famous artists and art works and ask students to create replicas of well-known paintings and sculptures. For example, after learning about Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, teachers mimic the activity in the classroom. They tape paper underneath tables, and students practice painting a masterpiece while lying down.
Below are visual art activities you and your child can do at home, as well as recommended reading.
At Home:
- Provide your child with finger paint, a large piece of paper and a smock. Let him create a masterpiece. Talk about how the paint feels and what colors and shapes he creates on the paper.
- Start a journal with your child. Have him draw a picture of something that happened during the day. Avoid giving direction. Instead of saying “Draw a picture of your teacher and classmates,” encourage him to experiment using different colored markers or crayons. If age appropriate, ask your child to write a few words to describe the picture.
- Give your child a piece of paper and a box of crayons or markers. Show him how to use the materials to make dots, lines and swirls on the paper. Let him take over and have fun. Encourage conversation about your child’s art by saying, “Tell me about what you made” or “I see you used a lot of blue in your picture. Why did you choose that color?”
- Ask your child to decorate a sign for his bedroom door using various art materials. Have him write his name on the sign.
Recommended Reading:
- The Dot by Peter Reynolds
- Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
- Art by Patrick McDonnell
- Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
- Mix It Up by Herve Tullet
It is wonderful to share the joy that children naturally take in using art materials. Giving children extra opportunities to connect art to the world around them, contributes to happiness and future success in elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
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January Newsletter
From the Principal’s Desk:
Supporting Very Young Writers
A child’s writing typically goes through several stages, beginning with scribbling that probably won’t include recognizable shapes or letters. From there, children tend to write using more letter-like shapes and later, your child may create a piece of writing that includes random strings of letters. Regardless of the stage, recognize that each effort of crayon to paper has value. Two ways to support your child’s effort are through writing time and dictation.
Writing time
During this special time at home, provide time and fun materials for writing. This may include smelly markers, fat pencils and paper of all shapes and sizes. Encourage your child to draw and/or write, and then use this time to talk about what’s been created. Early efforts will probably be readable only by your child, but let your child feel like the expert with that piece of writing. As your child gets older, you may find that the writing time starts to include more emphasis on letters and sounds. A child’s name and simple words like Mom, Dad and love are often penned early. Regardless of what’s been written, be proud of the work and display it for all to see.
Dictation
Writing down what your child says is a simple but effective way to model many important aspects of written language. These dictation activities can take place after a family adventure, an exciting event, or a shared book experience. It can be as simple as writing down a favorite part of a movie or book or recording what was for dessert that night. Have your child sit next to you or watch you write. Your child’s watching will help her become aware of many conventions of written language, including capitalization, spacing between words, and punctuation. Keep the dictated sentences short, and use your best handwriting! These dictated sentences may be among the very first things your young writer reads all by herself. When you’re done writing, encourage your child to re-read the sentences along with you.
Regardless of topic, it’s always fun to hear what your child thinks was the most interesting part of a book or the most exciting part of their day. Capturing it in writing will create a memory, and it will also help your child further down the path of literacy.
Research to Practice: This Growing Reader is based in part from research from Early Childhood Education Journal (2012)
Inspirational Quotes for parents
:
Volunteer Spotlight:
We would like to thank all the parents that brought in items for the holiday staff luncheon on Dec 16th . We truly appreciated the delicious food and goodies.
Very Important Reminder: We are in the process of completing the North Carolina Immunization Record Report, it is imperative that you bring in any updated immunization records.
Dear Families,
We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! As we prepare for the new year, we wanted to share some exciting news. I’m pleased to announce that our school has been selected to be one of the first Nobel Learning schools to expand our electronic parent communications. We have received a great deal of positive feedback from parents who have enjoyed receiving the photo emails of their children that our teachers have been sending, and now we will be able to share so much more with you.
Starting January 11, each classroom will be equipped with an iPad Mini. With a device in each classroom, teachers will be able to send a photo for each child each day. Parents of younger children who currently receive printed daily reports will begin receiving them via email instead. Parents of older children will start receiving a daily learning update by email. You will begin receiving these additional e-communications on January 18.
As a safety measure, the iPads are locked down, so the teachers do not have access to the Internet or any other apps. As previously, you will not be able to reply to the teachers through email so that they can remain focused on the children at all times.
In order to make sure our communications reach all parents in 2016, we need to update our system with current and accurate contact information. Please click here to fill out Applicant Information Form for each of your children. Be sure to include an email address and mobile phone number for each parent/guardian, and return as soon as possible.
This new, enhanced program will allow us to add many other future improvements in parent communication, so we will keep you informed as we add features. Feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback as we strive to continuously improve our communications with you, our valued families.
Parent Reminders
It is time for our FALL ANCILLARY PROGRAMS
Monday Morning: Daisy Dance is a ballet, tap and a creative movement dance program designed to teach children a life long love of movement and provide a foundation for all dance genres. Please click here for the registration form. You can add dance at the beginning of each month.
Tuesday Morning: Preschool Music Adventure is an original approach that successfully engages active preschoolers in musical activities, in order to enhance their overall development. We are very excited about this new music program. We will have a new music session starting in January 26th .
Wednesday Afternoon: T.O.T (Teams of Tomorrow) is an awesome training program that focuses on basketball handling and dribbling skills. The onsite classes are fun, educational and active. Please click here to access the registration form.
Thursday Morning: Soccer Shots is a popular non-competitive youth soccer program. This program teaches confidence, fun, character, teamwork, coordination and imagination. Our Next session will begin in March.
Friday Morning: King Tiger Tae Kwon Do is taught according to individual needs and levels of skills. Students begin to establish, and actually achieve, personal goals. Students learn that, by setting realistic goals and applying dedication and hard work, anything is possible. They develop confidence! The virtues of Respect, Concentration, Discipline, and Motivation are the characteristics of a truly confident individual. We will have a new session beginning Friday,Jan. 8th -Feb.26th. Registration forms are located at the front desk.
The Value of Visual Art Activities for Your Preschooler
Visual art experiences help children develop skills such as critical thinking, self-expression, problem-solving, communication and collaboration. Our teachers focus on process-based art education, in which the experience of creating art is valued over the end product.
In our classrooms, teachers integrate art into many aspects of our Links to Learning curriculum. After reading a book about polar bears, teachers might ask students to create their own polar bears using sponges, paint, markers and paper. They encourage students to talk about their art, providing a great opportunity to learn new vocabulary, particularly words related to colors, shapes,textures, and emotions.
Our students are also exposed to and inspired by famous artwork. In order to cultivate that fascination, we discuss famous artists and art works and ask students to create replicas of well-known paintings and sculptures. For example, after learning about Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, teachers mimic the activity in the classroom. They tape paper underneath tables, and students practice painting a masterpiece while lying down.
Below are visual art activities you and your child can do at home, as well as recommended reading.
At Home:
Recommended Reading:
It is wonderful to share the joy that children naturally take in using art materials. Giving children extra opportunities to connect art to the world around them, contributes to happiness and future success in elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education