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December News

happy-holidays

Message from the Principal:

Our December highlighted events include Elf on the Shelf day, pajama day, Grinch day, spirit of Who-ville day and much more! Calendars are available each month at the front desk and on our website. In addition, each classroom creates their own newsletter with special class activities and messages for families.

– Dena Houser, Principal


Reminders:

  • Art Files – Please remember to check them at least once a week to pick up any correspondence between the office and/or teachers, along with your child’s amazing art work.
  • Clothing and Nap Items – Please remember to update your child’s extra clothing as the seasons change and your child grows! Please label all of their items so we can return anything that may be forgotten at the end of the day. Any soiled items will be placed in plastic bags and put into your child’s cubby. Each child needs a light-weight blanket for rest time. Blankets must be taken home on Fridays (or you child’s last day of attendance during the week), laundered and returned on the first day of attendance.
  • LTL Files – Links to Learning files are available on the last day of each month. These files provide you with information about the skills your child will learning in the upcoming month, as well as a snapshot of what has been accomplished in the current month through the work you will find in the folder.
  • Signing In and Out – Please make sure to sign your child in and out each day. In case of emergency, we use the sign in and out sheets to confirm who is in our care. In addition, “Community Care Licensing” requires a parents FULL signature.
  • Child Pick-up – Anyone who you send to pick up your child from preschool must be at least 18 years of age and needs to be authorized on the yellow emergency pick-up card. We require a photo identification; please advise authorized friends and family to bring in their driver’s license when picking up your child.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

Life outside of school can be hectic, and we’re here to accommodate parents’ busy schedules. Below is a list of the activities we offer.

Tuesday: Busy Bee Cheerleading
Busy Bee teachers provide a cheerful and positive atmosphere, while your child will introduce your child to beginning cheer skills, jumps, rhythm/movement, dance choreography and tumbling skills. We provide age-appropriate music and an action packed class! Children will benefit by building their memory, concentration, coordination, creativity and self-confidence, all in a positive atmosphere. This introductory class will prepare your child for a competitive cheer program while providing a fun way to exercise.

Wednesday: Musical Kids
“All children love to sing and dance. Here’s your opportunity to inspire creative confidence through music, dance, and theater.” Our goal is to give kids another creative outlook in an environment they already feel comfortable in. Our experienced instructor will come to your school four times a month. Classes are 45 minutes long for 3-5 year olds and 30 minutes for 2 year olds.

Thursday: Tumble Tyme
Gymnastic Classes for Preschoolers. Fun for Boys & Girls!
Tumble Tyme is an outreach gymnastics program for children in preschool. The weekly classes are led by Tumble Tyme’s highly qualified and dedicated teachers, and incorporate music, games, tumbling, and gymnastics to create a fun and exciting learning experience for your child. The Tumble Tyme program strives to promote strength, flexibility, and most important self confidence. Parents are always welcome to observe classes and enjoy the fun with us! Our goals for your child: Health & fitness, Coordination, Self-confidence, Social skills, Flexibility & Rhythm.

Friday: Busy Bee Yoga
Children’s yoga helps foster self-confidence, coordination, self-motivation, strength, and flexibility all while having fun. Age appropriate music and props are used in a calm, peaceful environment promoting fun positive energy and fitness for children.


News from the Education Department:

Branching Out with STEM

“Too often we give children answers to remember instead of problems to solve.” -Roger Lewin

There is a wide recognition that American students need broader and deeper science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education; however, many schools do not introduce this interdisciplinary approach until middle school. At Nobel Learning Communities, we believe that starting STEM education in preschool is important to help students build problem-solving, reasoning and critical thinking skills, as well as self-confidence and self-direction.

This fall, all of our principals and teachers have participated in professional development sessions to create innovative lesson plans featuring STEM activities. Both students and teachers are having fun exploring real-world problems together.

Below are a few ways that we integrate STEM in our classrooms and some ideas to try at home.

Science: In our classrooms, students participate in various science projects to practice close observation and experimentation. They make volcanoes using baking soda, food dye and vinegar, observe the result of soda bottle geysers, and create rain clouds using shaving cream and food dye. Perform a science experiment at home by making a lava lamp using a plastic bottle, water, oil, and food dye. Ask your child to make predictions on what would happen to the ingredients in the bottle. Will the oil and water mix?

Technology: We integrate technology into our academic curriculum by providing opportunities for students to explore changes in technology over time, use technology to express themselves creatively, and learn terminology relevant in this digital age. For instance, they explore sun dials, analog clocks and digital clocks and discuss how each item is used to tell time. At home, have your child look for different forms of technology such as computers, tablets, telephones and cell phones. Ask him to share the differences and similarities he sees.

Engineering: Our students work collaboratively to design and create inventions, while building communication, creativity and cooperation skills. They build boats and cars using cardboard boxes, make containers to grow plants, and build cities out of blocks. Continue the learning at home by asking your child to build a fort using pillows, assemble a tower from magazines, or create a necklace using macaroni and string.

Mathematics: We give children hands-on experience with math concepts such as pattern, size, shape and quantity. For example, student sort and count different types of cereal and graph their favorites. Take a nature walk with your child and have him collect leaves or small rocks in a basket. When you get home, ask him to count the objects and describe the colors, shapes and textures.

In summary, we provide numerous fun and challenging STEM projects to encourage collaboration, problem solving, decision making, creativity and innovation. Through these activities, our students build the foundation they need for a lifetime of learning.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education

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