First Church Preschool Newsletter
NOVEMBER 2009
Parent Night has come and gone with a wonderful turnout! We appreciated your enthusiasm and enjoyed getting
a chance to talk about our program, and the opportunity to show, using our power point presentation, the many
activities going on in each room. Children were delighted with their parents’ visits and the drawings left for them.
We have also enjoyed having many parents join us for lunch. Children seemed thrilled to have the chance to
introduce their new friends and at seeing their mom or dad here at school.
Thank you to all who participated in our annual fundraiser. The pie order has been placed and the delivery is
scheduled for November 12th , approximately 11:30. Since this is our first year selling pies, we have not
experienced the delivery and distribution process. Please let me know if you are available between 11:15 and 4:
00, we could use some extra help. I want to once again thank our fundraising committee- Anne Eisbach, Tracy
Houle, Katie Mitchell and Natalie Gilmore for spending their valued time and energy putting this together and
helping it to flow smoothly. It is a lot I know. The pies can be picked up starting about 12:15 noon until 5:30 PM
on the 12th. Remember, they arrive frozen.
Many thanks to the parents who have signed up to help us with sewing, fixing, shopping, making phone calls,
serving on the Board of Directors, maintaining our web site, etc. The Fall Work day in October was just not meant
to be - rain, and more rain, as well as unpredictability. I appreciated all who set aside their weekends with
intentions of helping. It is clear that without the help and support of our parents, this school would not be what it
is. Thank you Steve. Renee, Amber and Chase Casner, the Houle and Rivera families, Zvonka and Alana Abkas
and Ms. Caryl & Ms. Renee and our afternoon 5’s. We were able to spread the mulch, wash the toys and clean-
up the playground on the Friday before the storm. It is amazing how much work gets done when we work
together. We will have another Work Day on a Saturday morning in the spring.
I also want to thank parents for their donations of tissues, wipes, soap, paper, juice, markers, the fall bulbs, and
other needed items. Children will be planting the bulbs in our front door area and on the playground. It is such a
treat as we anticipate the colors of spring after the dreary winter.
Reminders:
· *Review the symptoms of the flu, and the precautions that should be taken to protect you and your family -
keep up with good hand washing/hygiene practices, follow our sick child policies by keeping your children
home for at least a full 24 hours if they have had a fever or vomited or are showing any other signs related
to a communicable disease. We have been lucky so far, but I am sure we will see an increase of cases and
absences over the next few weeks.
· *Yale Psychology Department will conduct their child studies the morning of November 10th. If you would like
your child to participate, a signed consent form must be submitted to me by that morning.
·
*No school on Wednesday November 11th (Veteran’s Day).
·
*We will also be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 26th & 27th. We will celebrate this special
time with “sharing trays”. Each child will be asked to bring in some fruit, fresh vegetables, or bread to share.
All of our classes will feast together for lunch on Wednesday, November 25th. You will receive more details
as we get closer to Thanksgiving.
The cooler weather will soon be upon us. We do continue to go outside every day. Please be sure to send your
child with a labeled hat and labeled mittens. (We prefer mittens rather than gloves since it is easier for children to
do themselves and they are warmer!) Of course, they should also have an appropriate warm coat and footwear
for use outside. Remember, their winter gear should be things that you don’t mind getting dirty. They should also
be safe and should not limit active inside or outside play. Also, please restock change of clothes bags with
warmer clothes, and extra socks, as we approach winter.
Finally, we will be sending home a completed Preschool Assessment Framework at the end of November/early
December with the information we have gathered about your child over the last 10 weeks. Its purpose is to help
us focus curriculum, to assess each child’s skills, chart growth, and develop goals with you for your child. We will
have a chance to talk with you about what we see here at parent conferences set up over a few weeks in
December, with afternoon and evening times scheduled. Conference sign up sheets will be up by the curriculum
boards for you later in the month. Teachers look forward to getting a chance to meet together with each family for
a more extended, uninterrupted time of sharing. The 3’s room will also be observing and documenting the
activities that your children choose and participate in while here each day. Miss Maura will review the summary of
your child’s assessments with you at the time of your conference.
New brochures and applications for next year will also be going out later this month with registration beginning
December 1st for within school applications on a first come basis. Registrations from new families will be
accepted beginning January 1, 2010.
Thank you once again for your help with the pie sale and for your support in general.
Stay healthy,
Dawn