February has been a wonderful month! The staff and I hope to continue that feeling into the future months. We are truly fortunate to get to share & celebrate diversity, Thanksgiving, and new beginnings at our childcare center on a daily basis. Yes, as I write this letter it has been snowing a lot in the state of New Jersey for the first time in years. (Spring will be here before you know it.)

However, being able to come together each day and share important facts & information around Black History, witness Acts of Kindness, listen to parent’s share what good things are happening in their home at morning check in and working with the partners in our surrounding communities so we can continue moving forward…. I will remember those moments’ years from now.

The “Feel Good” moments that are lasting for more than a few minutes. Happy eyes, smiles that we can envision right through the masks from us all, hearing the laughter of children and teachers in their classroom. Observing routines and activities where children interact with each other in the Block, Art or Dramatic Play Center, snack/lunch time and walking down the hall to the bathrooms, and washing hands. Where teachers enthusiasm spills over to their children during story time, Music with Ms. Jen, working on their gross motor skills in the W Center, exploring their outside environment while taking a walk, or playing on the playground.

Maybe, it is true… it takes a terrible time to make you appreciate the good times. Together we are creating those good times. We are in it together, through good times & bad.  Those “Feel Good” moments are happening a lot at The Burke Foundation Early Childhood Center at the YWCA Princeton.

If you can many of you have been sharing pics of how you and your family are making memories. Please continue to share your moments with us, so we can share with all of our children & teachers who work, play & learn together.

Finally, I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation for our families for trusting us with your most precious treasure. Our first priority is and always be the health & safety of those who work through our doors each morning.

As always, please feel free to reach me at toshea@ywcaprinceton.org or 609.497.2100 x 325.

Be safe & stay well!

Also, keep your eye out for advertisement of our 2021 Summer programs! We will open enrollment mid-March.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We would like to thank you for your continued participation on ClassDojo. We encourage your feedback as well as responses to our School and Class Stories. We will continue to use this as the primary method of notification of classroom activities, school events, closures, etc. Please see the "Highlights" section below for more information regarding what's happening in our classrooms.

Due to the extreme winter weather Random Acts of Kindness will continue through March 2021. Please share any random acts of kindness you witness with your classroom teacher. We would like to add them to our Kindness Confetti Bulletin Board. Feel free to "throw" some kindness confetti around to other parents, children, and staff. Everyone would benefit from your kind words, kind gestures, or even just a friendly wave. Our goal is to have it filled by the mid-March.

Please continue to visit our Community Resource page at www.ywcaprinceton.org for announcements regarding what resources are available to our community as well as upcoming events. Some of the most recent resources that have been shared with us are listed below:

In an effort to foster the joy of reading, NJ Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker is launching a book drive for the children enrolled in the YM/YWCA day care and early education learning centers throughout the 16th District. 

Donating is easy, just click on the below link, choose the YWCA Princeton - The Burke Foundation Early Childhood Center, and go shopping for a book or books among a specially selected inventory. Donors will receive a tax receipt from their online partner YouGiveGoods.

A friend of the YWCA reached out to provide some information regarding a discount program that the PTO of the 4 elementary schools in Princeton have partnered to introduce. The new Princeton Perks discount card gives a 10% discount to over 40 local stores in Princeton. The card costs $25 and is available for purchase only until 2/28, but the card can be used until 12/31/21. The funds raised by each school will be used for different purposes. More information can be found on their website PRINCETON PERKS.

Read the article below:

McCarter Theatre in collaboration with Princeton University’s Health Services and Lewis Center for the Arts created a free digital theatrical experience!

This free-to-access interactive website brings to life true stories submitted by resilient people from all across the world living with mental health challenges. They have things to say about struggle and pain, and also triumph and joy. 

EXPERIENCE The Manic Monologues for FREE NOW:

Visit www.paceeducation.org for more information on a free tutoring program offered by PACE Education

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best Regards,

Ms. Cassandra and Ms. Myra

For February, the Sprout class has been celebrating Black History Month and we choose an African American inventor, Garrett Augustus, for our classroom project. He invented the three-position traffic signal. The Sprout babies created their very own three-position traffic signal with hand and foot stamp prints.

Each week for Black History Month we read a book about an African American that influenced American history. We started with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, “I Have A Dream,” “The story of Ruby Nell Bridges” and “Fifty Cents and A Dream: Young Booker T. Washington.” We have had fun learning about the people that have been the backbone for change the history of America. 

The Rosebuds created a Unity wall blended with Black History Month. The children tore red, green and yellow construction paper as a fine motor skill. With verbal guidance and cues, the Rosebuds then applied paste and the different colored torn construction papers onto a black background paper. Each Rosebud including the teachers were given a picture of a famous African American Historian.

This week the Rosebuds are learning about the Chinese New Year. They did a show and tell with Ms. Maya’s Chinese Dragon, read a Chinese New Year book and threading Chinese coins with pipe cleaners.

Our Cherry Blossoms were happy to welcome a new friend, David, to their classroom. They introduced him to all of their favorite activities this month. Some of their favorites are Music with Ms. Jen and taking advantage of the colder weather by practicing their gross motor skills on a W Center obstacle course.

Our Tigerlilies are focusing on Kindness this month. The children are being reminded to share, take turns, use kind words and gentle hands as well as being taught kind things they can do for one another. These qualities are reinforced while they are in centers, enjoying Music with Ms. Jen, walking and observing the winter weather, and completing an obstacle course in the W Center.

Buttercups (PPS Preschool 3-4, Hybrid)

Daffodils (PPS Preschool 3-4 In-Person)

Butterflies (PPS Preschool 4-5 In-Person)

Dragonflies (BFECC Preschool 4-5)

The Dragonflies further developed phonemic awareness by building memory, connection between movement, rhythm and words that reflect diverse aspects of Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill: An African Mother Goose by Virginia Kroll. 

or visit www.ywcaprinceton.org/childcare