Welcome to Pre-K 3

I hope all the children are ready to enter into a new adventure at our preschool. Here are a few reminders that I think are important.

• Preschool begins on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.  Our full day students will be in class full day beginning on September 6th.
• There will be no Aftercare provided until Monday, September 12.If you are planning on using our Aftercare Program, please make sure you are registered for this.    

• We will have an Orientation Day for parents and students on Thursday, September 1, 2011 for students entering Pre-K 3 from 9:00 - 10:00 am and for Pre-K 4 from 11:00 - 12:00.  This is for all preschoolers no matter which days they are registered to attend.

• I would like each parent to send in an extra set of clothing, complete with underwear and socks, in a large zip lock bag. Please make sure your child's name is clearly written on the front of the bag, and bring it with you to the orientation.

• Sneakers are mandatory.  We play outside and in the gym.  It is important for the safety of your child that they wear sneakers.

• If you need to speak to me during the school day, you may reach me at 609-704-2400 ex.106.

• Children are expected to wear navy blue shorts and white tee shirts with sneakers.  They do sell gray tee shirts in the school store, and some parents have purchased them. They are also acceptable. When the weather gets cooler, we will switch to navy blue sweatshirts and sweatpants. Please make sure the waists are elastic to make it easier for your child during bathroom time.  The decision not to go through a uniform company was made to keep the costs down for you. Just remember, we will be painting, playing outside, eating snack, eating lunch, playing on the floor, etc. You are welcomed to purchase these items from any store that you choose - just remember that these are play clothes.

• Dropping Off - If you are dropping your child off before 8:00 am, you must park in one of the lots and walk your child in.  We are not allowed to block the area in front of the school where the buses drop off. However, if you arrive after 8:00 am, you may park in front of the school for the short time you are here.

       We will begin this month with social skills and the structure of our day.  Children at this age love to know what's coming next.  We will begin with a prayer each morning, followed by flag salute, calendar, dressing weather bear, and some songs and finger plays.  Children will work in centers each day.  We teach the children how to share, take turns, ask for a toy that they want to play with, clean up after their snack, etc. We will begin our Religion Book and learn about God and how he loves us.

Each month I will feature a new article with tips for parents.

Let Your Child Figure Things Out to Build Responsibility

Source:  J J Pawel, The Parent's Toolshop: The Universal Blueprint for Building a Healthy Family

As the parent of a preschooler, it's easy to get into the habit of telling your child exactly what he needs to do. But a preschooler can figure things out by himself, and once he's in school, he should be actively doing so.

• Ask questions.  Instead of saying, "Get you raincoat.  It's raining."  Ask, "What's the weather today?  What do you think you should wear?"

• Offer facts.  " I need to clean the playroom later today.  If small toys are on the floor, they might get vacuumed up."  Even if your child doesn't make the connection that he needs to pick the toys up, he will probably show some alarm at this. Then you can say, "What can you do to keep your toys safe?"

• Make suggestions.  Use phrases such as, "Sometimes, I ... " or "One idea is to ..." to suggest solutions for your child.  He can try your suggestion or he can decide to do something else and see how that works. Most problems are solved through trial and error.

• Watch for frustration.  Learning how to solve problems should be a positive experience.  Don't let things progress to the point where your child is in tears.  If he tries several times and still can't figure something out, gently step in to give the solution.

 

Letter of the week Week of Sept. 20 - Letter A   Week of Sept. 27 - Letter B

Number of the Month 1 Color of the Month Red   Shape of the Month Circle