School Closures and Delays

I wanted to give you the link to the Y-C school district website that contains calendar information and other useful links and info. Our first day of preschool after the holidays will be Tuesday, January 6th.

http://www.ycsd.k12.or.us/

The school district is part of an emergency alert system called flashalert. This will notify you of any school closures due to inclimate weather. It is a free service you can sign up for. Flashalert will send you an email or text message if your school district is closed or delayed. You will get this information immediately sent to your phone or computer as the superintendent reports it.

Here is a link to the system flashalert.net

Preschool Canned Food Drive

In observance of our November theme "Thankfulness" we are conducting a food drive to benefit Joseph's Storehouse, a food bank located right here in Carlton. We will be explaining to the children that it is important to be thankful for the things they have, and that it is good to help others in our community who may not have the things they need. Please have your child bring in non-perishable food items beginning Thurs Nov 6. We will bring donations to circle time and talk about how the items may help a family in need (we might even get in a little chat about nutrition!). The kids will then drop their donations in the bin, which we will deliver to the food bank before Thanksgiving. Please consider having your child bring in items throughout the drive so that they can "donate" each day we get together and watch the pile grow! Our goal is to have 100 items for the food bank!

Heiser Family Pumpkin Patch

On October 14th, we traveled to Heiser Family Farms with Mrs. Johnson and her Kindergarten Class. The weather was perfect and the kids had a great time picking out pumpkins, petting animals, tractor riding and much more. This was the first time most of the kids rode on a big yellow school bus. They loved it!

Community Helpers

This month we have been learning all about our community helpers, including…librarian, police office, mailman, crossing guard, fireman, etc.

We set up a post office in the preschool for the kids. They have had fun taking turns dressing up like the mailman and delivering the mail. Throughout the day the kids can draw pictures, write letters to other members of the class. They can even purchase (with play money) a one cent stamp. This has been fun.

Next week, the real mailman is coming to preschool to get letters the kids will mail home. On the 21st the firemen will be coming to teach the kids about fire safety and allow them to sit up in the fire truck. The kids also spent sometime this month practicing street safety. We took them up to the crosswalk and the crossing guard showed them how to safely cross a street. The police officer is coming today to teach the kids some basic safety too. He is going to finger print the kids. It should be fun!

October Newsletter Items

We had a great first month of school. Each day gets better and better for our kids! Most kids need a few weeks to transition to a new schedule and preschool is a big change in their lives. As this is our first year, we are still working out some “kinks”. Thanks for your patience as we are all learning. I wanted to make you aware of some details for October.

Drop-off time:
Our teachers need every minute they get to set up class for the day. Please do not bring your child to preschool before the scheduled time. Morning class begins at 8:15 am and afternoon class begins at 12:15 pm. Carlton Elementary begins at 8:10 am. You may need to wait just a few minutes if you are dropping off older kids. If you need to make special arrangements with the teacher please talk with Lynn for the am class and Amber for the pm class. We can make exceptions for those that absolutely need it. Please be respectful of the teacher’s prep time.

Field Trip:
Our first field trip!! We are scheduled to go to Heiser Family Pumpkin Patch on October 14th. Both preschool classes and the kindergarten classes will be traveling together by bus. It will be a fun filled day! We will need lots of adult helpers. Siblings are welcome to come as long as we know ahead of time and plan for the additional people. The cost is $3.50 per child. Adults are free of charge and siblings will also cost the $3.50. The price includes a hayride, a pumpkin to take home, petting zoo, hay maze, and much more. You can check out their website for more information www.heiserfarms.com. All preschoolers will meet in the gym that day at 9:00 am. Make sure to dress for the weather and mud. See attached permission slip for more info.

Color Day Celebrations:
Each month we will designate a special color day. Please dress your child according to the color of the day. During circle time, your child will participate in a color fashion show with Miss Debby. In September we celebrated the color red. The kids painted with red, made red pasta necklaces and red apple art projects, read books about the color red. They also ate red Jell-O, apples and drank red juice. Look at the October calendar for black and orange day. It is a great way for the kids to have fun with colors!

Separation Anxiety:
In September, our preschool kids have been adjusting to a new school and being away from home for a few hours each week. If your child has a special blanket, stuffed animal, etc., they are welcome to bring it with them to school. We would ask that it stay in their backpack and used only as needed. It is sometimes helpful to have a little comfort from home. A few children have been bringing their “item” out during circle time, which is a quiet time to learn about the calendar, sing songs, and listen to a read aloud. If you think this may help your child, feel free to pack something for them. It has been very helpful for the children already doing this.

Halloween Party:
On October 30th we will have a classroom Halloween Party. The kids are welcome to bring a costume to change into. After snack time, we will help the children change into their costumes and participate in a costume parade upstairs in the school. It will be easiest if the costumes could be put on over the clothes they are wearing that day. You are welcome to come help your child change into their costume. The am group will change at 10:15 am and the afternoon group at 2:15 pm.

Fundamental Cards:
We sent home with each child a manila envelope filled with some flashcards. At the end of each month a new set of cards will come home to add to your collection. The cards will coordinate to the fundamentals that we learn about each month. This is a great way to reinforce learning at home.

Crosswalk Safety:
The first week of October we will be talking about street safety. The children will learn all about the crossing guard and will be make their own stop sign. We will take each class up to the crosswalk right in front of the school. The crossing guard will be there to teach the kids how to safely cross the street. We will then practice crossing the street safely with our crossing guard.

Preschool Beliefs

We Believe…In a World of Possibilities
There is nothing more important than to give a child the chance to develop a deep love of learning. We want to help children develop positive attitudes toward themselves and everything associated with learning.


We Believe…In the Joy of Knowledge
Self-directed learning requires that students do the work, while teachers help students learn to manage their own learning and capitalize on teachable moments. All of our students will get hands-on exposure to literature, mathematics, the sciences, computers, sensory development, dramatic play, arts and crafts, music, and a diverse collection of fine motor manipulative.


We Believe…In the Security of a Community
We all need support and we all need to offer support. And when we work together we are capable of accomplishing great things. We build stronger communities.

We Believe... In Great Toys
Play is not idle behavior. It is imperative to discover how things work. It is essential to discover our place in our world.

Open House

On Thursday, September 4th we will be having our preschool open house. Please sign up for a time slot that you can come with your child, tour the preschool, and meet the teacher. You can bring your school supplies in at this time or on the first day of school.

We will have a little scavenger hunt for you and your preschooler to participate in. It will lead you to find the cubbies, coat rack, discovery centers, bathroom, playground, etc. You will lead your child around in preparation for the first day of school.

We will also gather around our calendar corner for orientation and a brief story time. Let me know what time works for you.

Our Preschool Curriculum

The Learning for Life Preschool has adopted two curriculums and four educational beliefs. Our preschool day will be divided up into two educational styles with snacks, recess, calendar corner, and bathroom breaks in between.

The first portion of our preschool day will be devoted to the Creative Curriculum learning approach. Our classroom will be organized into “Discovery Centers”, which are areas with a collection of activities and materials. These materials are related by subject, purpose, or projected skills. These activities and materials are used independently by the children, or with teacher direction, to reinforce and/or enrich one or more skills or concepts. Discovery centers are an excellent way to individualize the curriculum to meet the varying needs of young children.


Learning for Life Preschool Discovery Centers
• Literacy Center
• Sensory Center
• Dramatic Play Center
• Manipulative Center
• Creativity and Art Center

The second curriculum we would like to adopt is The Learning Box Curriculum. It is a professionally designed educational preschool curriculum filled with fun hands-on activities, arts and crafts, and early literacy experiences for children ages 3-5.

The Learning Box Curriculum was developed to ensure that children would be introduced to necessary skills and concepts in pre-writing, pre-reading, math, science, social studies, music, creative arts, health, etc in a fun and enjoyable way. This curriculum will be introduced by the teacher using a guided practice approach.

School Supply List

Learning for Life School Supply List

Backpack (your child will need to bring a backpack everyday to and from school)
4 glue sticks
1 pair of small scissors (blunt edge)
1 box of fine line markers
1 box of crayons (24 count)
1 box of Kleenex
1 bottle of hand soap with pump
1 container of Clorox wipes
1 box of Ziploc bags (gallon or quart size)
1 full set of extra clothing (please put this in a labeled Ziploc baggie)
1 extra snack to share (box of crackers, etc)

Each child will take turns bringing a snack to share. I will have a sign-up calendar for snacks days at our open house. The extra snack on the supply list will go in our cupboards as a back-up.

Please label only the backpack and extra clothing from the supply list. It is important to remember to write your child's name on coats, hats, gloves, etc.

Parent Participation Preschool

The Learning for Life Preschool will be a parent participation school. Some of the many benefits of the parent participation are:
• Lower preschool costs, making it more affordable.
• Higher adult/child ratio.
• Provides parents with a quality educational experience for their preschooler.
• Provides parents with the opportunity to increase their parenting skills and share information and experiences about child rearing with other like-minded parents.
• Parents are directly involved with their child's preschool experience and can make great school to home connections.



Family Choice

Your family has the choice to be a “parent/participant family” or a “non-participant family” based upon your child and your families needs. The responsibilities for a “parent/participant family” are as follows:

• A parent/guardian is required to participate in two to three duty days per month (2 days for the am session, 3 days for the pm session) for 3 hours each duty day assisting the teacher in the classroom. Duties in the classroom include helping the teacher set up activities for the day, facilitating the children's play, and cleaning up in preparation for the next day.
• To complete an Oregon Criminal History Background Check request. The results of the background check will be confidential, and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
• To attend the Parent Participant Orientation Session at the beginning and middle of the school year. Any person who will parent help during the school year must attend the orientation session. Specific duty instructions will be given at this meeting.

Registration Information

Thank you for your interest in the Learning for Life Preschool Program. We are very excited to have a successful preschool in the small town of Carlton, Oregon. We are located inside Carlton Elementary School. The Learning for Life Preschool opened Fall 2008. We look forward to many great years to come!


Follow these steps to register your child:

• Complete a registration form for each child.
• Enclose a $50.00 non-refundable deposit
• Return the registration form and deposit to the below address

Carlton Together Cares
PO Box 821
Carlton, Oregon 97111

Schedule/Cost:

3 year old class:
Tues/Thurs 8:15am -11:00 am
Non-participant tuition: $75 per month
Parent-Participant tuition: $55 per month

4 year old class:
Tues/Wed/Thurs 12:15 pm-3:00 pm
Non-participant tuition: $100 per month
Parent-Participant tuition: $75 per month



If you would like to request a registration packet, please contact Amber Horne: learningforlifepreschool@gmail.com or by phone 503-852-7161

Learning for Life Preschool

The Learning for Life Preschool is underway! It has been a busy summer getting everything organized and set up. We are so excited to open our doors on September 9th for our first day of school.

For years there was a preschool in place at Carlton Elementary. In 2001 it was lost due to budget restrictions. Parents, teachers and district administrators have all expressed interest in this endeavor.

May 16th, 2008- A survey was sent home with each student at Carlton Elementary School to evaluate the need for a preschool in Carlton. We immediately heard back from over 30 families in support of a preschool. At this time we knew Carlton needed a preschool.

June 16th- The Y-C school board unanimously accepted our preschool proposal. The school district is in full support of our preschool. They will be providing us with classroom space at Carlton Elementary School. In addition they are willing to provide us with costs associated with electricity, water, and custodial services.

The Carlton Preschool is a go!! We are excited for this positive contribution to the community of Carlton. The Learning For Life Preschool will open Fall of 2008.

We are in the beginning stages of organization; there is a lot to accomplish. The first steps are getting the word out, registration, and applying for grant dollars to cover start up costs.

June 16th- Y-C school board unanimously accepted our proposal in support of our preschool. The school district has donated a classroom at Carlton Elementary. They will also absorb soft costs associated with the preschool (electricity, water, janitorial services). We are so grateful for their support.

June 18th- Carlton Together Cares accepted our proposal to be our acting fiscal agent. This will enable our preschool to:

• Be a non-profit organization, which allows us to apply for grant money
• Allows contributions to be a tax write-off for contributors
• Connects us to the greater community
• Covers us under the CTC insurance policy
• Acts as a support in helping us get started

General Preschool Information

General Preschool Information

The Learning for Life Preschool will be offering two preschool classes for 2008-2009. There will be a Tues/Thurs morning session held from 8:15 am –11:00 am for 3 year olds and a Tues/Wed/Thurs afternoon session held from 12:15 pm –3:00 pm for 4 yr olds. The preschool will follow the Y-C school district calendar. We have left Mondays and Fridays off of our preschool schedule. As a result, throughout our preschool year we will have very few days with no school!

Our preschool day will be 2.75 hours. For your convenience, we have taken into consideration the start and release schedule of Carlton Elementary School. We realize that many of our preschool children will have older siblings attending the school.

You will be happy to know that Carlton Elementary is willing to make special accommodations for your family this preschool year. In working with the school, we will do our best to coordinate your child’s schedule with a sibling’s schedule. For example, if you have a 3 year old preschooler, the school is flexible in the possibility of placing your kindergartner in the am class. Let us know what will work for your family. We would like to keep all 3 year olds in the am class and 4 year olds in the pm class.

*Please note: In future years this flexibility may not be possible