Dear Parents,Happy New Year! We are glad to be back with everyone. The year started very well and the kids settled in very well.
CalendarMonday, Jan 16th- School closed in observation of Martin Luther King DayWednesday, Jan 18th at 9 am- Green Room Parent CoffeeTuesday, Feb. 7th at 6:30 pm- Green Room parent potluck dinner.Thursday, Feb. 23rd, 6:30 pm- Yellow Room parent potluck dinnerFamily transitionsWe are delighted to be welcoming three more families into the Green Room over the next two months.( names removed for web posting) Please introduce yourselves. Then our classroom and the school will be full. Hooray!Parent PotlucksWe will be having the Green Room first parents potluck on Tuesday night, the 7th of February and the Yellow Room’s potluck will be on February 23rd.. It is a chance for parents to gather together and enjoy an evening of community and conversation. Please arrange babysitting now so you can join us for this fun evening. There will be a sign-up sheet at the front table for food and beverages. If someone would like to help decorate the tables in the afternoon, please let me know.Tuition PaymentI want to review the tuition procedures as there were a few questions.A few days before the end of the month, you will receive an invoice for the next month tuition. It will give a summary of current charges ( tuition, after and morning care, etc) and any past due amount. These charges are due at the first of the month. Afterschool and morning charges will be computed to the 25th of the previous month and added to the bill. The remaining days of previous month’s afterschool and morning charges will appear on your next month’s bill.Late payments per the contract arrangements will incur a $20 late penalty on the 10th. If you know your payment will be delayed, please talk to Deborah to make arrangements.CurriculumWe have some exciting things going on this month. In the Yellow Room, four families will be helping us celebrated “chinese” New Year the way that their countries have adapted it.During the week of Jan. 23rd, we will have costumes and discussion about new year’s in Tibet; we will be making dumpling soup with two Korean parents; we will be making also be making paper dragons, as this will be the year of the dragon. We will decorate the room with traditional red paper cut into festive designs.We will also be making Stone Soup as we cook from the book of that name. Every child will bring a vegetable to add to the vegetable broth on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 17th and 18th. We will throw in some barley and herbs and enjoy a feast together with parents at going home time.We look forward to a wonderful month together.Warm regards,Deborah, Ty, Aracely, Maya, Marilyn, Esme, Mye, and Allison
- Weekly Happenings in the School
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Apr19
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Every morning at the preschool, children and their parents arrive at the preschool between 8:45 and 9 am. They join the others in the classroom; parents, children, and teachers say hello to one another; children then find activities they want to do, be it drawing, puzzles, dough, or books.At 9 am, we flick the lights and the children call out “Morning Meeting”, say goodbye to any remaining parents, and make their way to the rug. Morning meeting starts our morning together as a school community. We sing a name song in greeting and camaraderie.
Good morning Julia, how are you? And who is next to you?
The children call out the names of their friends as they make their way around to everyone. Then a quick check of whose missing to illness, a trip, or something else. The last child counts how many teachers are there that day and names them. If we have visitors that day, they are introduced. We have joined together for another morning or day.
This month is book sharing month; Ty asks all of the children with books to come up one by one, sit next to her , and and introduce their book. The children have been bringing books from home to share with the others in honor of the Dr. Seuss/ Read Across America reading program. The books will be available for listening to in the reading area after meeting is over. We have been having quite a few parent and grandparent volunteer readers and it has been great.
The schedule of the day is then reviewed. Children feel more comfortable when they know what to expect in the day; anything different about the day is discussed. Read More | CommentsTweet
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Feb27
No CommentsOne of our children starting bringing yogurt “parfaits” as part of his lunch. The other children were intrigued so we tried it out last week with raspberries. This week there was a request for blueberry ones.
Monday Morning
Pears, string cheese and oats and honey bars
Monday Afternoon
Pink Lady apples, yogurt, and veggie sticks
Tuesday Morning
Clementines and tortellini
Tuesday Afternoon
Sugar Snaps peas and cottage cheese with veggie sticks Read More | CommentsTweet
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Nov20
No CommentsThanksgiving at CCP
Posted in: Family events, Food and Cooking, Upcoming Events, Weekly Happenings in the School
Thanksgiving at CCP is about celebrating with family, feasting, and giving thanks. We will use the family picture pages of every child that are on walls of the preschool to come to know about the grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles with whom they will be celebrating the holidays. Over the next few days, parents and other family will join us in preparation of stuffing, carrots, yams, and pumpkin ice cream.On Wednesday, we will gather together to share the feast at long decorated tables. We will also read a wonderful book, Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes, illustrated by Doris Barrette. It gently goes through a Thanksgiving day with a family, noticing all of the simple but important things to be thankful for. As a group, we will recall some of the things that matter most to us. This is one of my favorite times of year. Tweet
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Oct27
No Comments13 Favorite Bear Books for Preschoolers
Posted in: Fun with Preschoolers, literacy, Monthly Classroom Themes, Weekly Happenings in the School
There are so many wonderful stories about Teddy Bears. We read many of the during our Teddy Bear Theme. Here are some of our favorites; many can be found on Amazon.com. Best enjoyed with your favorite stuffed bear by your side.
Corduroy by Don Freeman is a great children’s book with several sequels.
Beady Bear by Don Freeman, a bear who learns about friendship and reciprocity
Godilocks and the Three Bears illustrated by Jan Brett. Beautifully illustrated.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. Loved by all preschool ages. Also good early readers.
Leo the Late Bloomer and Milton the Early Riser by Robert Kraus. Leo and his father learn that everyone blooms in their own good time. Milton is awake before everyone, helps put everything right after a windstorm and is asleep again as the everyone wakes up.
Good Night, Pippin by Joan Elizabeth Goodman, unusual but very popular story that is good for bedtimes as well.
Paddington Bear and Paddington’s Garden by Michael Bond and Fred Banbery. The classic about a bear who comes to live with an English family.
Bear’s Birthday and Bread and Honey by Frank Asch. These are part of collection of Bear Stories that are lovely.
Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik. The caring relationship between a mother bear and her little one.
ENJOY!Tweet
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Aug22
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We have a wonderful bounty of limes to squeeze this week and turn into individual lime pies. Cooking is an integral part of the program and the children have gotten quite good at mixing, measuring, and stirring. The pies will add a new skill, the egg beater. It has been part of the water play but now it is time to transfer the skill to cooking. Egg beaters present a good challenge to the brain, asking it to do something different with the right and left sides of the body. We know from brain research that activities such as these help the left and right hemispheres of the brain work more effectively together. In a play base manner, we weave many of these kinds of activities into our program.Snack Menu
Monday morning
Sweet 100’s, Nan with hummus, apple juice
Monday afternoon
Bananas, Oats and Honey bars, blueberry yogurt, cran-grape juice
Tuesday Morning
Carrots, Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins and cream cheese, grape juice.
Tuesday Afternoon
Nectarines, jack cheese cubes, Terra Chips, apple juice
Wednesday Morning
Peaches, cheddar cheese sandwiches, orange juice
Wednesday Afternoon
Oranges, Vanilla yogurt with honey, Mulitgrain Cheerios, apple juice
Thursday Morning
Blueberries, bean and cheese burritos, grape juice
Thursday Afternoon
Granny Smith apples, Whole Wheat Crackers, Cheddar Cheese, Apple Juice
Friday Morning
Breakfast Buffet for new and returning families who begin in SeptemberTweet
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Jul11
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Summer session has begun. We were excited to welcome several new families into the school. Moms, Dads, and children came in saying hi to familiar faces they knew from before and meeting new ones. The block area took on new life as a group settled in with the trucks and blocks. The skeleton puzzle was a group effort and many tried it on for size. Rice pouring and water with food color were very popular.
The teachers could be heard introducing children to each other over and over again, with words, with name songs, with adding names to pictures and drawings. This simple act is so important. We have found that when children don’t know the other person’s name, they treat them differently. I am reminded of my early days of teaching when a group of new kids and I was at the playdough table. One child kept grabbing tools from another without even looking over; the other kid was unhappy. I said,”This boy’s name is Jamie.” The grabbing kid looked at the other boy and and said, ” I didn’t know that; here are your toys.”
Helping children feel comfortable in a new setting is a multi-step process. We have parents stay the first morning and then determine how the separation plan will proceed the following days after we see how the child is faring. For many, it is a gradual phasing out of the parent over a few days, with parents increasingly removing themselves from the setting.But everyone is different, so every plan is too. We look for 5 key factors in determining when a child is ready to say good bye.
- Has the child developed a bond with one of the teachers?
- Is the child able to ask for help from the teachers?
- Can the child tell us when s/he needs to use the potty and be able to use it with limited help?
- Is the child comfortable playing in the proximity to other children or with them?
- Does the child know where his or her cubby is?
When it is time for the goodbye, we encourage parents and children to develop a goodbye routine. Some children already have one from being in daycare or with a sitter. It can be as simple as a hug and a kiss and the parent is gone. Or something a bit more elaborate. Some children like to start in the same place every day. The important thing is the child acknowledges the departure of the parent and knowingly lets go . We are right there by the child’s side.
Over the next few months, we will be welcoming new children to the school. Already our new children have brought fresh ideas and friendships. The school feels a bit new again to our returning students and to us when seen through new eyes. It is an exciting time. We look forward to our months ahead!Tweet
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Jun19
No CommentsDramatic Play- Life in Action
Posted in: Child Development, Curriculum, Weekly Happenings in the School
Our school has a large area set aside for a house area, dramatic play, and dress up. It is in use every day in many different ways. Dramatic play is central to children’s healthy development and learning during the preschool years. In the house and dramatic play rea, children are able to set aside reality for a time and pretend to be someone or something different from themselves. They make up situations and actions that go along with the various roles they choose.When our children engage in dramatic play, they deepen their understanding of the world and develop skills that will serve them throughout their lives. They recreate life experiences and try to cope with their life circumstances, fears, desires, and interests by acting out roles and situations. As they play though their feeling, ideas, and worries, they begin to develop a feeling of empowerment rather than a feeling of being at the mercy of the world around them.
This was the case one day recently. One of our children arrived at the preschool and went right over to the suitcase. (We had learned earlier that her family was beginning to pack up for a move across town.)
As she started to pick out the clothes she would put in the suitcase for a move, two of her friends joined her. Over the next half hour, there was lots of discussion-What would need to go and what would need to stay. Would they need to take food? What should the babies travel in? Step by step, the food, dishes, and baby things were packed up and added to the luggage.The car was packed, the trip across town began, and all of the belongings were carried to the new home ( the reading and drawing area ).
Once they arrived, the unpacking began. One friend put the food and dishes on shelves and while another prepared a meal . The babies were fed and cared for.As the child played through this move, she began to feel a sense of control over her new situation and began to talk about how she was looking forward to having a room of her own. In the next few days, the girls played moving several times, each time adding something new to the play and making more peace with the experience.
Dramatic play has been helpful to our children this year in coping with illness of family members and doctor’s check ups, with the deaths of relatives and pets, and with the disruption of divorce. We will continue to add the props necessary to keep it relevant to our children’s lives so that they may problem solve aspects of their daily life through play.Tweet
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May22
No CommentsThe school began in September with two animal gifts. One was a fabulous big penguin, a gift from Melissa’s mother-in-law; the other was a wonderful bouquet of balloons with a white bear attached. They both enchanted the children and have taken their place in the school’s collection of stuffed animals. They have provided endless hours of fun.
But the penguin has led a more adventurous life.
He was first sighted in the classroom, reading a book about penguins, or, as one of the kids said, “reading about what his own kind is doing”. 
The next sighting was at the drawing table.
Then it was in the housekeeping area eating none other than sushi. The kids decided to see how he liked pizza.
He started receiving visitors; the children brought penguins from home to join him and them at rest time. Now he was in big demand.
Next thing we knew, he was stepping out of the classroom and was spotted trying out the slide, the swing, and checking out the radishes in the garden.
Now the penguin is going on the road. Each weekend, one child will take home the penguin with a camera and a notepad tucked inside. Along with their families, they will photograph and chronicle his adventures and bring them back to the school to share with the children.
Stay tuned for the continuing adventures of the Children’s Center Preschool Penguin.Tweet
