May and June Newsletter 2015 PRESCHOOL GRADUATION CXE is very sad to see our babies leave for kindergarten. We have seen them grow up for so many years and watching them change has been such a joy to all of our staff. Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to grow with your children. We will be celebrating their graduation on Thursday, May 14th at 4:30 pm. A formal invitation will be given to each child in the coming weeks. There will be a ceremony and refreshments afterwards. SUMMER WATER PLAY… Starting the first week of June, we will begin water play in all the classrooms. Please remember to bring a bathing suit, towel and water shoes (PLEASE NO FLIP FLOPS) for your child. The water shoes are extremely important so that the children do not slip while they are playing in the sprinklers, and to keep their feet from burning on the concrete. Check with your child’s teacher for their classroom water time. CLOSING... Just a reminder that Creative Expressions will be closed on the following day: Monday, May 25th, 2015 for Memorial Day. If you have any questions, please see Shannon or Stephanie at the front desk. Thanks! SPRING IS HERE… With the change of season and the warmer weather approaching, CXE will provide 30 or 50 SPF sun block to the children. Parents must sign a permission form in your child’s classroom for the sun block to be applied. If you would prefer to have a different SPF factor or brand preference, please bring it in labeled with your child’s name. SWITCHING DAYS Parents if your child is scheduled part time we would like to remind you that if you would like to switch days, you must request it in advance. At the front desk there are Change of Day Request forms. Management would be more than happy to help with any changes you might have. PARENTS NIGHT OUT... Parents, we will have a late night on Saturday, May 9th. Parents Night Out will be from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm. The cost is $25 for the 1st child and $20 for any additional children in your family. This includes dinner, a snack and fun activities. We also welcome siblings that are not enrolled at the center, up to age 12. This is a great time for parents to get some time to themselves or simply have a quiet evening while your children are cared for in a safe and caring environment. Please sign up at the front desk. If you have questions, please see Shannon, Stephanie or Ms. Elizabeth. SUMMER CAMP Creative Expressions is getting geared up for summer! Our Summer Camp schedule has been set and we are looking forward to the fun and exciting adventures we have planned for your children! We are currently accepting enrollments for Summer Camp. These spaces fill up very quickly, so reserve your spot as soon as possible. We are always looking for parent volunteers for our field trips, so please feel free to sign up to join us. SUMMER SCHEDULE With summer coming in fast gear, we are preparing for it by recently sending home a change of schedule form with your child. Please fill out this form and indicate if your child’s schedule will change. CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS NEWS.. Over the next few weeks we will be planting in our Garden on our PreSchool playground. We will be planting many new vegetables that the children will be eating here at the center. If you would like to help us get this started, we would appreciate any help we can get. TUITION REMINDER.. Tuition is due every week, the FIRST DAY your child attends. If you pay by the month or every two weeks, payment MUST be made in advance to avoid late charges. If you have any questions please see Shannon. The center is open from 6:30 am–6:00 pm. Parents picking up after 6:00 pm will be charged $1.00 per minute. Please allow yourself time for the unexpected traffic that sometimes occurs. If you have any questions regarding this policy please refer to your parent handbook or see Shannon or Stephanie. A NOTE FROM OUR SPANISH TEACHER… Hola! We have been having so much fun learning Spanish! Last month we focused on learning our los colores (colors) and different saludos (greetings)! In May, we will focus on learning about mi cuerpo (my body) and will beginning introducing formas (shapes). In June, we will focus on learning about comida (food). Every week we also practice numerous (numbers). We learn through hands on activities, games, books, and singing. PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE FORMS.. Parent teacher conference forms will be sent home on every child the week of May 19th. Please be sure to sign these and return them. EARLY CHILDHOOD FUNDAMENTALS READINESS FOR SCHOOL—WHAT DOES IT MEAN? There’s been an explosion of knowledge over the last few years about how children’s earliest experiences set the stage for success in learning to read and write. In fact, more experts agree that children who reach kindergarten with certain characteristics, such as interest in books, a fondness for conversation, a curiosity about the world, are more likely to thrive in school and have productive and happy lives. Today, we use the term “school readiness” to refer to the bundle of knowledge, skills, and motivational behaviors that we associate with children’s successful entry into school. These skills include oral language and vocabulary development, phonological and phonemic development, knowledge of the alphabet, and an understanding that print goes from left to right and from up to down on a page. Creative Expressions provides many opportunities in the classrooms to strengthen these skills. Teachers continue to engage in activities and observe the children daily to make sure they are meeting certain milestones developmentally based on their age. When observing children, teachers are looking for criteria is 6 different areas which are cognitive, language, social/emotional, self-help (once they are three) fine motor, and gross motor. We look at the whole child. With parent teacher conferences scheduled in May, it provides a fantastic opportunity to discuss something both parents and teachers care greatly about: kids! This time allows us to collaborate with parents on their child’s needs and learning and even to set goals moving forward. Our teachers are currently hard at work completing their student’s portfolios and we encourage parents to sign up for a time to meet with their child’s teachers. Also, make the most of your assigned time, and prepare for it by formulating questions and thinking about what you hope to learn from the meeting. It’s worth every minute of time spent! Page 2 MAY ACTIVITIES… May 4th thru 8th—Teacher Appreciation Week. If you would like to donate gift cards we will be distributing these out all next week. May 6th—P.J. Day May 9th—Parent’s Night Out 5-9. Dinner and snack will be served. $25 per child. $20 additional May 14th—Pre-K Graduation 4:30 May 21st—P.J. Day May 25th—Center Closed JUNE ACTIVITIES… June 2nd—Water Play Begins June 3rd— P.J. Day June 18th— P.J. Day STRANGER DRILLS Every quarter we practice a stranger drill throughout the center. A special announcement is made and all children are brought to a safe location. Please ask your child about what we do and don’t forget to talk to them about Stranger Danger. LEARNING CENTER May & June 2015 WALK AND TALK ACTIVITY Communication about your child’s early learning environment with teachers and staff is important, but learning about your child’s experiences through his or her eyes is also valuable. You can do this by going for a walk with your child and discussing his or her day. Try to balance your conversation with questions about specific things plus open-ended questions to encourage your child to respond with more than a one word answer. Here are some conversation starters: 1. Tell me about the best part of your day. 2. What was the hardest thing you had to do today? 3. Did any of your friends do anything funny? 4. Tell me about a book you read. 5. Who did you play with today? What did you play? 6. What rules are different there than our rules at home? 7. Was there anything you wish you had at school that you didn’t have today? 8. What was the most interesting thing your teacher said today? SICK POLICY... When your child is ill and sent home for the day, he/she may not return unless they have been fever free for 24 hours without medication. We also have a note that will need to be signed when child is picked up. This is to cut back on all of the germs that are circulating in the center. We are continuously cleaning and disinfecting the center to also help with this matter. Also: Please call the center by 9:00 a.m. if your child will be out . This helps Ms. Took plan meals for the day.