Dear Parents,
Lots of excitement this week and the week to come.....
Our VPK kids visited the Science Lab and extended their studies of plants and living things. Students used a plastic container to make a terrarium and were excited to take it home. We have had these terrariums live for more than 5 years, so if you have one at home, keep it inside in a sunny place. DO NOT OPEN, it will generate it's own water for the plants to survive.
This week many of our students wore green for St. Patrick's Day and enjoyed lots of special activities. I am sure you will enjoy seeing some of the wonderful projects that will be coming home today and next week.
We also had 4 kids celebrate their birthday on the Jungle Gym. We have been expanding our ways that families can celebrate birthdays at school. Click here to learn more.
SPRING EGG HUNT-TUESDAY APRIL 12th: Please send in 12 plastic eggs filled with anything BUT CANDY. Be creative, fill eggs with fruit snacks, goldfish, stickers, little toys, etc. PLEASE TAPE ALL EGGS CLOSED.
TRANSITION TO A NEW NORMAL:
Two years after the start of the COVID pandemic, we are reevaluating what we can do to support families.
---As you know, masks are strongly suggested, but it is the parent's choice to send their child in a mask or not. Our staff will continue wearing masks.
---With regard to our shoeless environment, two years ago we were not certain that COVID could come into our school on shoes. Now that we know that is not the case, today, we will be sending home all playground shoes for our main wing children. Starting Monday, your child will no longer need to remove their shoes and will not need to maintain a separate pair for the playground. The shoes they enter with will be the ones they wear all day long.
--We will continue daily temperature checks. Even though some schools have stopped doing this, we will continue. Children who are in school and develop a fever will be sent home and must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.
---We will continue handwashing/sanitizing upon entry into the classroom as well as after playground, toileting, and before meals.
---We will continue to restrict parent entry into the building. This is not 100% because of COVID but to ensure the best classroom supervision. In comparing our operations from before COVID, when parents were permitted in the classroom, there were more classroom accidents. The reason being, at peak drop off and pick up times, in the past we could have 4 or more parents entering the room at the same time. The inclination is to stop and chat with the teacher. If one or more parents linger in the room talking to the teacher and the teacher is alone, they cannot properly supervise the classroom. This is when kids are likely to hit or bite each other in our younger rooms. It also makes it harder for kids in the morning to transition in as when parents linger, the longer they stay in the room the harder it is for the child to detach and lots of extra crying takes place that we are not seeing now when parents drop at the door.
In order to facilitate better communication among families, we will be taking the following steps:
---Monday a new phone system is being installed. Rather than having 2 lines that ring through the office and get transferred, there will be 20 lines. Once the system is installed, we will give you the direct extension. The teacher will let you know the best time to call (during the nap) so that she will have time to speak to you about your child and their progress. If the class is out of the room, the phone will ring 4 times then transfer to the office.
---Parents of VPK children who drop off or pick up outside, have the opportunity to speak to teachers daily, face to face, without entering the rooms. The same is true for the set up of our K-2 classes. In these rooms since the kids are older one teacher can supervise more than one group at a time which is not possible with our younger children.
---Parents in the main wing; Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, and Rainbow can speak to the teacher by phone, send messages through Brightwheel, or set up a time to meet with the teacher.
---If you wish to meet with your child's teacher, the best time to do that is after 9:00 am or at pick up. Both of those times we are doing our best to have extra staff on hand so that if you need to meet with the teacher face to face, we will have staff ready to step in and supervise while you meet with the teacher. We have done many of these types of meeting throughout the pandemic.
---If you wish a face to face meeting, I am happy to arrange those Monday - Thursday. So that we can make sure we have proper supervision in all rooms, we ask that ARRANGE ALL MEETINGS IN ADVANCE. Simply send me a message in Brightwheel or email me at [email protected].
Let me know the time and day that is best for you and I will let you know if those time windows can be accommodated.
It is our goal to provide you with the best early learning experience for your child. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
March 21-25: Non-Instructional Days VPK, K-2 attendance is optional
April 11: $80 Registration installment #2 for fall enrollment
April 12: SPRING EGG HUNT! PLEASE SEND 12 NON CANDY FILLED EGGS WITH YOUR CHILD
April 13: The Jungle Gym Exercise and Activity Bus $6 K-2, Rainbow Classes
April 15: CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY
May 9: $80 Registration installment #3 for fall enrollment
May 11: Pizza Lakeside Picnic NO CHARGE, VPK, K-2 permission form needed
May 11: VPK Cap and Gown Photos, wear blue school shirt, cap/gown provided
May 30: CLOSED FOR MEMORIAL DAY
June 8: VPK GRADUATION, times to be announced. NO SCHOOL FOR VPK
June 9: K-2 Year End Assemblies, times to be announced. NO SCHOOL K-2
June 10: SCHOOL CLOSED to prepare for Summer Camp
June 13: FIRST DAY OF SUMMER CAMP
Wishing you a great weekend,
Beth Rosenthal Davis, Ed.S., NBCT
