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.