Newsletter - May/June

7/27/2019 Newsletter - May/June

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MAY/JUNE 2013

PRESCHOOL NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MAY2-28 MWF & Pre-K Parent/Teacher conferences3 Friday Parent Participation in Music Class MWF & Pre-K6 Monday Parent Observation in Movement Ed. Class Red and Green7 Tuesday Parent Participation in Music Class T/Th

Staff meeting, 12:30 p.m. NO LUNCH BUNCH

7 & 8 Tues./Wed. Free Child ID & Fingerprinting with New York Life8 Wednesday Parent Board meeting, 9:15 a.m., LSH13 Monday Parent Observation in Movement Ed. Class Blue and Yellow20 Monday Lead Teacher meeting, 12:30 p.m., Library27 Monday Memorial Day Parade, NO SCHOOL31 Friday Concert with Courtney Campbell for Pre-K & MWF-Dragon Faire Dollars

A FEW LASTS FOR THE YEAR.

MAY29&30 Wed./Thur. Last Chapel, 11:40 a.m.31 Friday Last day to cancel extended day spaces for June and not be

charged for them.31 Friday Last day to checkout Library Books

JUNEENROLLMENT FORMS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.STGEORGESPRESCHOOL.COM

4 Tuesday Staff Meeting & Teacher Appreciation Luncheon put on by theParent Board, NO LUNCH BUNCH

5 Wednesday Parent Board meeting with Old and New Boards, 9:15 a.m., LSH10 Monday Lead Teacher meeting, 12:30 p.m., Library11/12 Tues./Wed. Cabrillo Marine program Dragon Faire Dollars

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, NO LUNCH BUNCH EITHER DAYLAST DAY OF SCHOOL, NO LUNCH BUNCH EITHER DAYLAST DAY OF SCHOOL, NO LUNCH BUNCH EITHER DAYLAST DAY OF SCHOOL, NO LUNCH BUNCH EITHER DAYALL LIBRARY ITEMS DUE BACK OR PAID FOR REPLACEMENT

ParentParentParentParent Summer SendSummer SendSummer SendSummer Send----OffOffOffOff CoffeeCoffeeCoffeeCoffee ON THE PATIO!ON THE PATIO!ON THE PATIO!ON THE PATIO!

JULY

1 MONDAY ALL FORMS FOR FALL DUE!!

Prepaid June 2014 Tuition Due this June 1st.

Pre-Kindergarten Program $500.00

MWF Program $360.00

T-TH Program $260.00


2/8

Spring Has Sprung!

By: Cherie McSweeney

(I wrote this last year and as I went to edit it for this year I decided not tobecause the developmental cycle is still the same. Your children are on track

with these very same things occurring.)

Flowers are blooming, chicks are hatching and Preschool children are changing!!

Our Tuesday-Thursday children are becoming very independent and confident. They have really startedto enjoy socializing with their peers. Much of the morning involves dramatic play from playing house,grocery store, being animals, super-heroes, train engineers and more. Along with the more advancedsocialization skills, verbal skills have been growing and developing as well. Sharing of objects has

become easier while sharing and deciding on play scenarios can be more challenging. The moreopportunities to practice these skills the easier the skills become. This is a good time to not only play

with school friends in the classroom but to have one on one play dates away from school.

The MWF and Pre-K children are bursting out all over! Their bodies are changing, their interests are

changing and the ways in which they relate are changing. They become interested in their bodies andeach others bodies. They start to ask questions about life and death and also dream about it. Oneminute they are on top of the world and the next melting in tears. Older four and five year olds want tohave full control yet become easily frustrated when they have it. More choices but with limits is a goodcall during this time. Boys show their friendship for one another by slapping each other on the backand body bumps, girls show their friendship with hugs and giggles. When you put the boys and thegirls together, chase games occur. The girls tease the boys and run and the boys follow up by chasing.

THEN, the girls complain about the boys chasing them! A whole other world of socialization has begun.If you havent figured it out, this age is a preview of adolescence!! Remember to listen, give them morechoices but remain the boss.

CHAPEL

In Chapel, Larry and Sally have been talking about their fun adventures on theplayground. Larry even owned up to throwing a block at one of his friends because he

wouldnt listen to him. All at once you could hear the children in Chapel say, Oh NO!With my prompting the children in Chapel explained to Larry how he should have had ateacher help him if his friend wouldnt listen to him instead of throwing the block.Sally chimed in and did tell the children how Larry did go get an ice pack for his friendto help him feel better. Larry told the children he felt bad about hurting his friend andhe was glad they helped him figure out what to do if that happens again.

A new puppet named Patch joined the Tuesday/Thursday children in Chapel after Easter. He sharedwith the children how I found him in a field of grass crying while on my vacation. He had been crying

because other rabbits were calling him names and wouldnt play with him because he had patches onhis ears and feet. The children loved hearing Patch tell them how he came home with me on anairplane so he could meet all of them, because I told him what good friends the children at St. GeorgesPreschool know how to be. The children beamed and told Patch they would be his friends. Each week,Patch is spending time in each of the three-year-old classrooms and the children are being very goodfriends to him!

Our last Chapel for the year will be at the end of May. Hopefully you will be able to join us as we sing allour songs and enjoy one last time together in Chapel.

SUMMER SCHOOLThe World of Art

This summer we are going to focus on The World of Art once again. Last year the children heard aboutPollock, Picasso, da Vinci, Seurat and Renoir. The children painted on real canvas with real artist

brushes, modeled with real clay and used the different techniques of all of these artists. This year theywill learn about a variety of other artists and their styles.

We will also have a fantastically fun exercise portion of the morning with obstacle course, bouncy bin,sack races, water balloon tosses, parachute play, dance, movement and more. The

children will bring their lunch from home each day.Each Friday the children will come in their swim suits for water play in thesprinklers and wading pools. Body painting and shaving cream painting willalso be a part of these mornings.

If you would like to be on the waiting list, see us in the office.


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NEW BOOKS ABOUT PARENTINGBy: Joyce Davison

You will find these new books about parenting on the book cart.

THE SECRETS OF HAPPY FAMILIES: improve your mornings, rethink family dinner, fight smarter, goout and play, and much more by Bruce Feiler.

This book really is full of great ideas. Each chapter is stand-alone, so you can focus on one area

that concerns your family right now. Bruce Feiler has drawn up a blueprint for modern families, a new

approach to family dynamics, inspired by cutting-edge techniques gathered from experts in the

disciplines of science, business, sports, and the military. The result is a funny and thought-provoking

playbook for contemporary families, with more than 200 useful strategies, including: the right way to

have family dinner, what your mother never told you about sex (but should have), and why you should

always have two women present in difficult conversations.SMART PARENTING FOR SMART KIDS by Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD and Mark S. Lowenthal, PsyD

This is a perfect book for raising any child. It is easy to read, informative and to the point. The

authors take real life situations and apply practical and easy to understand solutions. The chapters are

structured so a parent can isolate a particular problem and apply that chapter to their individual

childs needs. You only have one chance to raise your children.

EINSTEIN NEVER USED FLASH CARDS: how our children really learn-and why they need to play moreand memorize less by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Ph.D with Diane Eyer,Ph.D

In this book two highly credentialed child psychologists offer a compelling indictment of the

growing trend toward accelerated learning. It's a message that stressed-out parents are craving to hear:

Letting tots learn through play is not only okay-it's better than drilling academics! Drawing on

overwhelming scientific evidence from their own studies and the collective research results of childdevelopment experts, and addressing the key areas of development-math, reading, verbal

communication, science, self-awareness, and social skills-the authors explain the process of learning

from a child's point of view. They then offer parents 40 age-appropriate games for creative play. These

simple, fun--yet powerful exercises work as well or better than expensive high-tech gadgets to teach a

child what his ever-active, playful mind is craving to learn.

MIND IN THE MAKING: the seven essential life skills every child needs by Ellen Galinsky

Galinsky has spent her career observing and analyzing how children learn. Collaborating with top

researchers in the science of childhood brain development for the past decade, she identifies seven life

skills that help children reach their full potential and unleash their passion to learn. The skills are

presented in a readable and accessible volume enlivened by parents' narratives about what works andwhat doesn't, hints and tips, and over a hundred suggestions like games and family activities for

involving kids in the pursuit of learning. Each of seven chapters focuses on one skill, most of them

involved with the executive or management function of the brain, such as focus and self-control,

communicating, and critical thinking. She urges parents to instill in their children a grasp of different

kinds of knowledge to best tap inborn sense and foster self-motivation. The big message is simple:

teaching children to think may be the most important thing a parent can do. Her everyday, playful,

parent-child learning interactions offer a place to start.

SIBLINGS WITHOUT RIVALRY: how to help your children live together so you can love too by AdeleFaber and Elaine Mazlish.

This book gives parents the practical tools they need to cope with conflict, encouragecooperation, reduce competition, and make it possible for children to experience the joys of their special

relationship. With humor and understanding the authors explain how and when to intervene in fights,

provide suggestions on how to help children channel their hostility into creative outlets, and

demonstrate how to treat children equally and still be fair.


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FAREWELL FROM THE PARENT BOARDChrista Evans, President

DRAGON FAIRE...Thank you so much to all of you for making this year's Dragon Faire a huge success! Thank you forworking your shift, selling your raffle tickets, baking your Dragon Snacks and bringing your familiesout to the faire on such a beautiful day! I especially want to thank this year's committee, who workedtirelessly all year to make the day so fun for our families. This year's team was so organized; the mood

was calm but festive and everything looked beautiful! As a former Dragon Faire co-chair (and someonewho is usually festive but rarely calm), I was quite impressed! Thank you to this year's co-chairs,Rebecca Murchie, Laurie Pebworth and Annalisa Chang-Miller, who did an amazing job!

PARENT FIESTA...We are hoping that you will join us for a fabulous time this Thursday, May 9th at Los Gringos Locos.Youve been working hard all year, giving endlessly to your families and community and you deserve anight amongst other people taller than four feet! Please join us for a night of fun and friends,

margaritas and very minimal whining. If you say you wont go - I might start dragging my feet, pullingon your skirt, begging and foot stamping. You dont want to see that. Our hostesses Gia Firestone,

Julie Womack, Helena Danni and Libby Renshaw promise a good time will be had by all!

BE A PART OF THE 2013 - 14 PARENT BOARDNow that the Dragon Faire is behind us, we will begin slating positions for next years Parent Board.Flyers with information on all the positions will be in your cubbies. The Parent Board is a great way tosupport the Preschool, make new friends and stay informed on what is happening at the school eachmonth. Parent Board generally meets the second Wednesday of each month, at 9:15am in LSH, fromSeptember through June. Childcare is provided. I love meeting other parents from the different classesand feeling a greater connection to the school. Its always a great group of parents. Come join the fun!

A LOOK AHEAD

Dont forget to mark your calendar for the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 27 th. Come be a partof the action and march with your fellow classmates down Foothill Boulevard! If youve never been tothe La Caada Memorial Day parade, it is small town at its best! Its always one of my favorite days of

being a Caadan. (And, yes, Im pretty sure I did just make up that word.) Order your red T-Shirts byMay 9th. Sign-ups and other details to come.

Nutrition

By: Katie Valdes MS RD CSSD

If your child gets an upset stomach, diarrhea, or nausea after eating soy, they are not alone. Allergyand intolerance to soybeans is one of the more common food allergies, especially among babies and

young children. Symptoms can range from mild, with complaints of tummy aches, to severe, such astrouble breathing or anaphylaxis, a whole-body allergic reaction that can restrict breathing, or in severecases, cause death.

The only way to prevent these uncomfortable or dangerous symptoms is to avoid eating soyaltogether. Unfortunately, this is not as simple as staying away from soymilk. When most people thinkof soy, Asian food products may come to mind, such as: Soy sauce, Tofu, Miso soup, made withfermented soybean paste, Edamame and Tamari, a naturally aged and fermented soy sauce, that isused in many veggie slaws and other salads.

However, since becoming a major crop in the United States, soy is no longer restricted to theAsian food aisle, and has instead found its way into the majority of processed and natural foods thatmay be in your pantry!

Soybeans, in the form of textured vegetable protein (TVP), are used to make imitation meatproducts, such as: Imitation crab, Veggie burgers, and Veggie sausages.

TVP is also used as a filler and texturizer in natural products, which helps food manufacturers lowercosts, reduce fat content and add juiciness.

It might surprise you to learn that soy can also be hiding in:Canned tuna, Ground meats used for hamburgers, meatballs, and tacos and even the high-end turkey

breast (lunch meat) at your deli counter.Other uses of soy, in the form of soybean oil, soy protein isolates, and soy lecithin are used in a

wide variety of common, processed foods, including some brands of: Chocolate Peanut butter boxedcereals, crackers, chewing gum, ice cream, pizza toppings, hamburger buns, hot dogs, tacos, spaghetti

or pasta, canned soups and breads.Soy is also used in a variety of popular processed diet foods, such as:

Low-calorie salad dressings, low fat baked goods and crackers. Soy has even made its way into spicesincluding garlic and seasoning salts, as well as condiments like some brands of ketchup and steaksauce.


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There are a few important steps you can take to make sure that your soy-allergic child is safelyavoiding soy while still enjoying food:

1. Read ingredient labels carefully! Soy can be found in so many foods under the names soybeanoil, soy protein isolate, textured vegetable protein and soy lecithin

2. If a food doesnt have a label, play it safe, and avoid it.3. When eating out, plan ahead. Call the restaurant before going, and speak to a manager about

the ingredients used in the menu (such as soybean oil, which, in some cases, can be used toprepare 100% of the foods on the menu) or try to download ingredients list or allergens list fromthe restaurants website (where applicable). If soy is used in the majority of the foods at the

restaurant, you may want to stay away to avoid the possibility of cross contamination.4. Once you find brands of foods that are soy-free, stock up! You want to make sure your kitchen

is full of healthy and safe options for your child, so that she will always have lots of food optionsand never feel deprived or bored.

5. Always keep a positive attitude around your child when it comes to food. Focus on the foodsyour child CAN have and not the ones that are restricted. Have the whole family enjoy eating thesame foods your child can so that she does not feel singled out.

Adapted from SuperKids Nutrition

CLASSROOM NEWS

Green Door

It is hard to believe it is almost the end of the school year. Springtime is a particularly busy

time at school and the days sure fly by. We all returned from spring break with renewed

energy and increased motivation. We jumped head first into our Space Unit. The children

enjoyed a lot of dramatic play wearing space suits, using walkie-talkies, and flying a

cardboard spaceship. Both classes loved learning songs and facts about the planets. They

felt especially smart when they could tell people that Pluto was no longer a planet even

though it is still featured in many of our books.

The MWF class made space mobiles. This was a challenging project that involved many steps. The

children had to choose shapes, trace them on paper, cut them out and string them from their plate

base. We then hung these beautiful art pieces from the ceiling. TheT/Th class also added to our space

themed classroom by stringing star dancers to hang alongside the mobiles. Our decorated ceiling looked

out of this world! Each class also made different rockets, asteroid painted and cooked UFO pizzas.

We are now learning about Butterflies and Spring in the Green Door. The Metcalf family has so

graciously lent us two baby chicks to cuddle for a couple weeks. The children are delighted to

touch and hold these darling fluffy babies. We cannot believe how much they have already

grown! We also have some caterpillars and ants in addition to our guinea pigs and fish! Our

classroom is a regular farm these days.

The children are adding their own creatures to this menagerie. The T/Th children created pom-pom

caterpillars. Some of these display color patterns and others are like the Very Hungry Caterpillar with a

red head and green body. They also made giant blot painted butterflies. These look beautiful flying up

the wall of our classroom. The MWFclass created their own caterpillars by cutting out colorful circles

and putting them together by using staplers, brads, hole-punchers and tape. These caterpillars also

show an understanding of pattern and or/and attention to detail as many are equipped with colorful

antennae, legs and eyes. These children also made tissue paper butterflies

to hang from the ceiling. We have been discussing the life cycle of the

butterfly. The children sequenced the life cycle steps in a little book they

cut out. Ask them to tell you about the caterpillar and his journey to

become a butterfly. They even know some songs about it. It is fun to see them

observe this cycle first hand as our live caterpillars are creating their chrysalises right now.

In the next few weeks, we will continue to talk about spring, new beginnings, baby animals and

planting. Mothers Day is also around the corner which always brings about interesting discussions

about mommies and family and gratitude. Following this, we will talk about community helpers and

more specifically fire fighters. We even hope to have a police and fire truck visit before the year is

through. Lastly, we will explore some ocean themes just in time for summer and endless trips to the

beach!

Nita, Danielle and I have really enjoyed teaching to your children. We have learned as much from them

as they have from us. Danielle and I already miss the MWFkids. I feel attached to them since I havewatched them grow from three year olds into such big and capable kids. I am also excited to see the

T/Th class return in the Fall. It is always a surprise to see the amazing transformation that takes place

over the summer.


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Red Door

MWFAs we wrap up the school year, there are many fun things to look forward

to! Conferences begin soon which is a great time to talk about the children's

progress through the school year. Mud Day is also a highlight of the end

of the school year. This will take place one day in June so that we maydo yard sharing at the same time. The lower yard will be a wet, muddy,

messy, bubbly play yard and the upper yard will have the regular items available. The children from

the Red Door and the Blue Door will be out there at the same time and can go in between the two yards

as much as they want! More details will be in your cubby soon. In May we will also be talking about

community helpers, making Mother's Day crafts, decorating our Memorial Day shoeboxes and much

more including another music class and a few more chapels! June will bring our Ocean unit and a visit

from the Cabrillo Marine program. They will bring a touch tank and do a really cute puppet show. The

children love this. During these last couple of months it is important to remember that we will be

discussing our plans for the following school year. There will be a lot of talk about Kindergarten and

Yellow Door. This may cause some anxiety for the children as they anticipate the change so please keep

the conversation going at home. I recommend play dates during the summer to keep in touch with old

friends as well as making some time with the children they will be attending school with next year.

Thank you all for such a wonderful school year!

T-THThe school year has flown by! In class we will be continuing to explore our materials and the children

are starting to master some of these skills. It is amazing to see the difference from the beginning of the

year till now. I can tell that they are ready for more and we have begun to pull out more

puzzles and manipulatives to engage them. We have also been working on writing our

names and some of the children are very interested in this. May and June bring some

exciting things such as more music classes and a visit from the Cabrillo Marine

Program. This is such an exciting time and we will be talking about our summer break

soon. It is important to prepare the children for the break from school and we will beassuring them that we will all be back together in the fall. I highly recommend the summer school

program since this class is especially fond of the water play! Play dates are also highly encouraged.

Thank you so much for the great year and we will see you in the fall!

Blue Door

Its hard to believe that another school year is about to end. The children have had such positive

growth and it has been a pleasure being a part of it. Be assured that your children are moving on with

improved verbal and social skills and a willingness to try new things.

The T-Th. class continues to be a social group. Its always a pleasure seeing the transition from

hesitant young children to confident preschoolers, eager to spend another morning with their friends.

They are so happy to see each other and spend this time together. They continue to display moments of

self-sufficiency with attempts at trying new things by themselves, such as cutting with scissors, and

making trips to the bathroom without the teachers assistance.

This class really enjoys easel painting, playing with the trains, making cookies out of playdough, and

especially the manipulative and sensory tables. We have had some wonderful cooperative play at

making towers as well as very complex train tracks. They have all shown an interest in the

table activity, whether it was finger painting, Q-Tip painting, drip painting, gluing collages,

or stringing necklaces, just to name a few. By now, we have introduced scissors to thechildren and are very proud of everyones eagerness to give cutting a try. You have probably

noticed an increase in small snippets of paper stuffed in envelopes finding their way home

with you.

It was a pleasure being a part of your childs preschool experience this year. Miss Kristi, Miss Bonnie

and I have enjoyed getting to know your children. I look forward to our next year together. Be prepared

for some amazing growth and development and a more self-sufficient preschooler!

The M-W-Fchildren have grown so much this year, physically, of course, but socially and emotionally

as well. Old friendships have continued to flourish even while the children branched out and formed

new ones. This class has gone from dressing up and playing in the playhouse last year to more

elaborate imaginary situations. The game of make-believe has become very popular with this class. Wehave seen families develop on any given school day with moms, dads, babies and lots of animals, and

Im not just referring to your more common house pets! The floor play has gone from simple car games

to imaginative train tracks that take time to create. Their imaginations are a delight to witness.


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The work involved in building these great projects takes teamwork. When working on a common

project the children need to share ideas, make suggestions and try to fit their ideas together. Not always

getting what you want is a difficult issue for preschoolers to grasp and this group play is a great

learning tool; there needs to be some give and take. Your children are learning this a little bit every

day.

Their small, fine motor skills are really developing and most projects are multi-step processes now that

the children eagerly complete. Their self-confidence when they come to the activity table

really shines through. I get a rousing response when I ask who would like to start first ontheir projects. I am proud of their improvement in their tracing, cutting and

name-writing skills. We have talked about the calendar all year long and I

hope their exposure to the days of the weeks, the months of the years, and the

numbers 1-30 have helped prepare them for the next step in their education.

The remainder of the year will be just as busy as ever. We will be making special gifts for our mothers

and fathers, and finish the year with the ocean and a visit from the Cabrillo Marine Program. For the

first time, all of the classrooms will be making a fire truck box for the Memorial Day Parade. More

information will be sent home about this soon.

In early June, the M-W-Fkids will have Amazing Water Day. I will send a note home that gives more

instructions and information about this fun day when we get closer to the date.

I look forward to our conferences later this month. We will have the opportunity to share our thoughts

about how much your children have flourished since our last talk back in October. We will also look

ahead to the future and what you can do to help better prepare your preschooler for the

transition to kindergarten.

I want to thank you all for a special year. I have had a wonderful year spending this

precious time with your children. For those of you going off to new adventures, we

wish you nothing but success. For those of you returning in the fall, have a

wonderful, relaxing summer.

I would like to take this opportunity to reach out to all of you and extend my heartfelt gratitude for yourinvolvement in your childs preschool experience. Without your participation and commitment to St.

Georges, we wouldnt be the success we are. Thank you!

Yellow Door

Throughout the two weeks of Work Games, the Yellow Door was bustling with activity the

children enjoyed the challenge of completing 20 games and everyone worked hard to earn their Work

Badges and Super Stars. The children wore their badges proudly. Ive seen a few children wear their

Badges or Stars to school since then and Im glad they enjoyed the unit so much.

In addition to completing Work Games this last month, the Yellow Door students studiedinsects, outer space and had Pet Week. During the insect unit we focused on interesting

facts about bees, ladybugs and ants. While discussing outer space, we learned about the

order of the planets and their different characteristics. We even made a brief visit to outer

space in a rocket ship! (Compliments of Greg and Steves On the Move! imaginary song).

Pet week has just finished and the boys and girls enjoyed the menagerie of pets that

visited. We had dogs, a guinea pig, a rabbit and even some praying mantises! We also

had several students bring in pictures and/or stuffed animals to share. Thank you so

much to the parents who made the visitations possible.

I am looking forward to meeting with the parents individually during the conference days coming up in

May. As I prepare my conference notes, I realize how much the children have progressed since

September. They have changed in so many ways.

During two weeks in May, the Yellow Door will take an imaginary trip to France. As a

class, we will talk about castles, churches, French language, French painters and sample

French food. Vita, Anne and I are working hard to put together the details to make our

vacation a fun one! We will be making our passports (we will work on addresses and

phone numbers for this), airline tickets, luggage tags and carry-on tote bags. The

children will have different jobs at the airport and during our pretend flight in our

appliance box airplane. We will round out the year with a unit on the ocean. Then the last few days we

will clean the room together (a Yellow Door ritual), and do some closure activities.

The school year is rapidly coming to an end. Mud Day will be on Friday, June 7th. On the last day of

school, Wednesday, June12th, we will have a picnic with the parents in the Memorial Garden at

11:30am. Its been a wonderful year. We have enjoyed your children so much. I hope you have a fun,

relaxing summer. Please come back and visit us next year!


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KID QUOTES

"Can you put me next to my friend so we can have a conversation? (A child being asked to sit forsnack.)

"You know what I love about Dragon Faire? You can play all these games and it doesn't cost anydollars!"

"I'm going to throw this away just in case I'm done."

A boy holding two fistfuls of Easter grass: "Yeah! I'm a cheerleader!"

"Madison is my best friend because we have the same shoes!"

"Do you know my dad sneaks presents? He takes little peeks at them."

Teacher: "I like your "Jake the Never Land Pirate" shirt. I have a boy named Jake."Child: "Where is he?"

Teacher: "At my home."Child: "I thought you lived here!"

Devils are the opposite of God.

Child# 1: I went to the Eiffel Tower.Child #2: What did you do in the Awful Tower?Child#1: Oh you just go up and look at cities and stuff.

New Beginnings

It is not easy to be a child in a new classroom. Imagine experiencing it for the first time. You come intoa strange building full of other children and adults who are strangers, full of enticing activitiesThereare many things to learn about but in order to learn you have to wade in and try new things.

Learning is hard work, and it involves taking risksof being laughed at, of being wrong, of beingignored or rejected. Yet this desire for mastery is what leads to social and intellectual competence. It isalmost impossible for children to have the courage to start on this new journey without a foundation of

emotional security.

This past year your child has had many opportunities to take risks, experience failure and success bothsocially and emotionally. Their social/emotional muscles have been stretched and strengthened. Theyhave all risen to the occasion and are ready for the next new challenge.

However, remember when they enter that next new classroom for the first time those same wigglyfeelings will stir around in their bellies. They will put their toe into the new pond and risk wading in.Each new adventure may be a bit risky but worth taking.

They are ready!!!

Documents

Newsletter - May/June