| FROM THE DIRECTOR |
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Happy Spring to our Parents,
A huge thank-you to the parent volunteers who give us the gift of a fun evening finding Easter Eggs.
M
ark your calendars for the Family Picnic on May 14. These times when our entire school family eats and plays together are very special. Look through the entire newsletter to find opportunities to be involved in your child's school.
We were honored that so many of you came and played with your children at Parents Day. See photos below.
Jane
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| SUMMER PLANS |
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| Preschool Summer Camp-Registration Still Open
Children who registered will receive confirmation letters next week. There are still spaces. Send your registration forms in now.
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| Join Our List |
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| LUNCH BUNCH |
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| There are openings-Please join us!
Check in the office this week about Monday or Tuesday Lunch Bunch.
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| FAMILY SURVEY |
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Thanks in advance for participating!
The Preschool will be sending out the Family Survey April 9 & 10. Please return it by Tuesday, April 17. The surveys are reviewed and tabulated by Preschool Advisory Committee. The newsletter sent out in early June will include a summary of results. By June 1, there will be a copy of the full results in the Preschool office which you may review.
Your responses are helpful in a continual process of improving the Preschool and helping us meet your family's needs.
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| BUTTERFLIES |
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| Observing God's Creation The children will soon be watching the caterpillars in each classroom eat, get fatter and make their chrysalises. We will continue to watch over the next couple weeks to see the butterflies emerge. |
| UNITED CHRISTIAN PARISH PRESCHOOL |
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Contact Information
703-437-1127
Administrative Staff
Jane Plum, Director
Tracie Lambakis & Stephanie Sturgell,
Administrative Assistants
The Preschool is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The Preschool is licensed as a Child Day Center by the VA Department of Social Services and participates in VA Quality.
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| APRIL SNACKS |
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4/2 No school
4/3 Cheese & Wheat Thins
4/4 Hot Cross Buns or Bananas
4/5 Applesauce & Ritz
4/6 Repeats
4/9 Bagels & cream cheese
4/10 Clementines, gr. Cracker
4/11 Pineapple, gr. Crackers
4/12 Ritz & soy butter
4/13 Repeats
4/16 No school
4/17 Black bean tacos
4/18 Tacos or Cheerios/raisins
4/19 Carrot chips & hummus
4/20 Repeats
4/23 Granola bars & milk
4/24 Potato wedges
4/25 Apple slices & Ritz
4/26 Wheat Thins & soy butter
4/27 Repeats
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| PAC MEMBER NEEDED |
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| Consider how you could serve
We are very grateful for Kate Kahn (mom of Bobby in Duck class) who has been serving on Preschool Advisory Committee. She has been an effective and reliable member of the committee. Since the Kahn family is moving to Maryland, we will need a new parent member to begin in the summer.
The Preschool Advisory Committee oversees operation of our school and operates with oversight by the United Christian Parish Board. It is made up for four members of the church and three parent representatives. The committee deals with budget, finances, staffing, and general school operations. The main responsibility is a monthly meeting and reading relevant documents before the meeting. There are occasionally other duties outside of meeting time. Parents and church members contribute their expertise in the fields of health, law, business, education, accounting, marketing, development, management and technology to the operation of the school. If you are interested in serving in this way, please reply by email.
To complement the group who are currently serving, we are especially looking for a Dad with business, managment or finance experience.
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| FASHION NOTES - The Weather will be warm soon, We promise. |
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No FLIP FLOPS, No Sandals, Please
Please send the children wearing socks and sneakers. The playground and other outdoors activities work best with sneakers.
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| FAMILY PICNIC |
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| Monday, May 14, 5:30-7 pm
Don't miss the great food and fun at the potluck picnic. The rain date is Tuesday, May 15 or Thursday, May 17. The children and siblings (especially alumni siblings) have a wonderful time playing together while parents visit. The preschool provides beverages and paper goods. Each family should bring
- a main dish w/ serving spoon
- a side dish w/ serving spoon
- blankets and/or lawn chairs.
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Holy Week & Easter
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 Prayer Stations
Today through Friday, March 30, 9 AM-9 PM, Sanctuary
Break from your busy schedule and take time for reflection and meditation. Come as you are.
 Easter Services
Sunday, April 1, 8:30 & 11 AM
All ages are invited for an inspiring message and a special celebration of the gift of new life we have in Christ.
There will be an egg hunt for kids at 10 AM.
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| NAEYC ACCREDITATION RENEWED |
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 United Christian Parish Preschool Earns National NAEYC Accreditation - Program recognized among the top in the nation by earning accreditation
"The teachers and I are proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said Jane Plum, Director. "The teachers here are committed to building our School Family. Their professional expertise goes hand-in-hand with showing Christian values to so many children from our community. "
To earn NAEYC Accreditation, the Preschool went through an extensive self-study and quality-improvement process, followed by an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to verify and ensure that the program met each of the ten program standards, and hundreds of corresponding individual criteria. NAEYC-accredited programs are always prepared for unannounced quality-assurance visits during their accreditation term, which lasts for five years.
In the 30 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC-less than 10 percent of all child care centers, preschools, and kindergartens nationally achieve this recognition.
"NAEYC-Accredited programs bring our definitions of excellence for early childhood education to life each day," said Kristen Johnson, senior director of Early Learning Program Accreditation at NAEYC. "Earning NAEYC Accreditation makes UCP an exemplar of good practice for families and the entire community."
For more information about NAEYC Accreditation, visit
the NAEYC website
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| PARENTS GROUP |
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Family Dining Out at Mod Pizza Scheduled for Wednesday April 18
Come have pizza with friends and donate to the school in the process.
National Teacher Appreciation Week
NTAW is May 7-11. More information will be coming out later in the month.
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| TWO MORE CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE PROGRAMS THIS YEAR |
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 "Building Cooperation and Preventing Power Struggles"
Thursday Evening, Apr 5, 7:30-9:00 pm
We have in mind that we want to praise our children when they are being "good," but it often doesn't have the desired effect. Learn about and practice the skill of Encouragement
to use instead of meaningless praise to increase cooperation. Power struggles between parents and children always end with someone getting hurt and parents feeling guilty--review our Conscious Discipline skills to lessen the chance of it happening.
"Consequences-How to make them work?"
Tuesday Morning, April 24, 9:15-10:45 am
Tuesday Evening, April 26, 7:30-9:00 pm
This is the one you have been waiting for--how to use consequences effectively.
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TEACHERS ATTEND STATE CONFERENCE
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Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children
Thirteen of our staff members attended the annual conference of the Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children. The teachers attended 6 hours of workshops each day and explored new teaching aides and resources in the exhibit hall.
The Starfish class contributed artwork for a exhibit of preschool children's art that is a traditional part of the conference. (The trees on teal backgrounds were from the Starfish, shown here and several other places in the exhibit.) |
| CALENDAR |
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Apr 2 Easter vacation continues
Apr 4 Easter Chapel for classes that missed 3/22
Apr 4 Preschool Advisory Committee, 7:30-3/21 make-up
Apr 5 Conscious Discipline 7:30 pm-3/22 make-up
Apr 3 & 12 Chapel
Apr 9/10 Watch for Family Survey
Apr 16-20 Week of the Young Child (see emails all week)
Apr 17&19 Chapel
Apr 19 Preschool Advisory Committee, 7:30 pm
Apr 23&27 School pictures for 2's
Apr 24 Conscious Discipline 9:15am
Apr 26 Conscious Discipline 7:30 pm
Apr 26&27 Gathering, including July birthdays
May 1 First tuition payment for 2018/2019 due
(late fee if paid after May 7)
May 7-11 Teacher Appreciation Week
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| CHILDREN GOING TO KINDERGARTEN |
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| Have you registered at your elementary school?
Did you answer the Preschool survey? Only 5 families sent a reply!
If you did not do this last month, please reply to this e-mail today and tell us which school your child will attend next year. We will make sure you know the other families going to the same school.
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| WELCOME NEW FAMILIES FOR 2018/2019 |
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It's good to have you with us!
Welcome, if this is your first issue of the Preschool newsletter. Please take time to read about happenings at school and how you can be involved. Be sure to tell us whenever your e-mail address changes so that you may stay connected.
Pick up Packets!
Packets with the Parent Handbook and important forms are ready in the school office. You need to bring in proof of identity (original, official birth certificate or passport) between now and May 1.
Don't miss the May tuition payment
Please don't waste your money paying $25 late fees to Preschool. Send your check on time.
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| EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS |
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| Tornado Drill
At 9:45 am on Tuesday March 20 we participated in the VA Statewide Tornado Drill. Children practiced going to a place without windows or skylights. We also hold monthly fire drills and annual earthquake drills. Be aware that teachers regularly practice many other types of emergency preparedness. If you want to see the comprehensive Emergency Plan, ask in the office.
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| Vacation Bible School |
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 Sign-up today!
July 9-July 13
For children age 4 - rising 4 graders. For rising 5th -6th graders there is a special program Vacation Bible Adventure which includes all the components of the morning program with additional mission and service opportunities. Learn more & register.
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