Preschool

Hi Everyone,

What a grand time everyone seemed to have at our Mommy and Daddy’s Breakfast on Friday.  The children were so excited as we worked together in preparation for the day.  They helped make the apple-cinnamon, corn, banana (buffalo) and raspberry muffins, as well as the cinnamon pinwheels.  In the afternoon, they placed the table cloths on the tables, folded napkins and set the serving tables.  Many of them worked on drawings and pictures to help decorate the room.  All of the moms looked lovely in their necklaces and the dads looks quite dapper in their one-of-a-kind ties.  One of the highlights of the morning was Preschool’s wonderful performance with Mrs. Hilliard.  Mrs. Atwater was singing “Skidamarinkidink” all weekend long to herself.  Thank you for joining us.

On Tuesday we celebrated Henry’s Star Day and Birthday.  His mom, Jenny, dad, Jim, older sister, Aurora,  and two of his grandmothers, Manny and Grammy joined us for Morning Meeting.  We learned that when Henry was a little baby he loved to be held by his sister.  Now that he is five, he enjoys riding his bike, playing soccer and playing with his cars and trucks.  His photo board was decorated with lots of pictures of Henry as a baby, with his family and doing some exciting activities while on vacation in Florida and Jamaica.  There were two pictures of Henry with Parrots on his head!  Next we were treated to a family read.  Aurora read us “Happy Halloween,” by Melissa Lagonegro.  Jim read us a REALLY funny story “Sweet Tooth,” by Margie Palatini and Jack E. Davis.  Jenny read us a pop-up book “Mighty Machines,” by Rob Paes.  For snack after lunch, we enjoyed delicious home-made black and white cookies.  Happy Star Day Henry!

Also, on Tuesday, we walked over to Second Grade for our Peer Reading session.  It was fun for the children to see their partners’ classroom spaces.  We will have one last visit with our Peer Readers on May 29th.  The children have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know some of the older students on campus.  We also hope that they are inspired and excited as they build on their own reading readiness skills.

In speaking of insects, this week we focused on butterflies and moths.  The children learned that butterflies have a head, thorax, abdomen, six legs, antennae, wings and proboscises to sip nectar from flowers.  We talked about the fact that the wings of butterflies are symmetrical.  To demonstrate this, the children painted one side of a pre-cut butterfly shape and then folded it in half.  When opened, they observed that one side of the butterfly’s wings reflected the same pattern as the other.  Throughout the week, we pointed out things in our environment that are symmetrical.  The children also painted large cardboard butterfly wings.  They were encouraged to make their wings symmetrical.  Today the children put their wings on and we gave them each a party blower so that they could pretend that they were butterflies sipping nectar!  We fluttered all around the campus searching for live flowers.  When flying up to the pond, we discovered Mrs. Reid’s daughter, Emily’s, lilac tree.  It was planted last weekend in a her memory.  There is also a bird bath with a pan of pennies to make wishes.  The dedication plaque reads “The Earth laughs in flowers…” which is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem “Hamatreya.”  We will continue to use these beautiful wings in the classroom next week.

Our Math Corner now includes insect and arachnid counters and Measuring Earthworms.  In addition, we have new insect puzzles and insect games.  For the playground, we have insect houses, butterfly nets, bubble scissors and insect necklaces.  We established the policies of not squishing bugs, unless one is stinging us, like a mosquito or black fly.  We never try to capture bees, wasps nor spiders, as they would sting us.

We will be having a Preschool Celebration for Preschool children and their families at 11:00am on the Wednesday, June 13th, the last day of school.  The children will sing a few songs for you and we will present them with special Preschool certificates.  Please plan on joining us for this special day.  Closing Ceremonies for the entire school will follow at around 11:30am in Fitzpatrick Hall and the All School Family Picnic will commence at 12noon.

Important Reminders:

• Preschool continues to go out each day.  Please be sure children have coats as the mornings are often chilly.
• Please replenish extra clothes.  Children should have a full set of clothing, including socks, undergarments, shirts and pants.  It is also a good idea to leave a sweatshirt or sweater for days that may be chilly indoors.   
• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send appropriate flatware in your child’s lunch.
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays.  They can check a new book out, once they return the book that is already checked out.   
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

Dates to remember:

• Friday, May 25th, Spring Fling Day, pay $2.00 to dress any way you like!(No Pizza Lunch)
• Monday, May 28th, NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day
• Wednesday, May 30th, Preschool Lunch Bunch
• Wednesday, June 6th, Field and Fun Day, dress to get wet, details, TBA
• Wednesday, June 13th, Last day of classes, 11:00am, Preschool Celebration for Preschool families.   11:30am, Closing Ceremonies and Thank-You’s to Class Parents, 12noon,  All School Family Picnic, families are invited to bring a blanket and a picnic lunch for your family.  1:00pm all school dismissal
  

Have a nice weekend!

Ellie and Joni

Hi Everyone,

We would like to remind you of our Mommy and Daddy’s Breakfast, which is being held this Friday, May 11th, from 7:55am~9:00am.  The children will be helping to bake some of the food and they will help set up the classroom the day before.  We also have an exciting addition to our morning!  The children will be singing a couple of songs they have learned in Music Class with Mrs. Hilliard and this will happen at about 8:40am.  Please let us know if you will not be able to make it.  We are really looking forward to this special breakfast!

Congratulations to the France Family, who welcomed Elizabeth and Rebecca to the world last week.  Mom and the girls are all home and on the mend!  Everyone is VERY excited!  We cannot wait to meet them in person!

Earlier this week, the children planted grass seed in cups and then added their own faces to decorate the cup.  We are calling them “Grassy Harry’s.”  Mrs. Atwater’s, for instance, will be named “Grassy Atwater.”  Mrs. Olsen’s will be named “Grassy Olsen,”  and so on.  We can’t wait for their hair to begin growing!

We also began our unit of study on insects.  To kick it off, we played a game in which the children were given a necklace with a photograph of a bird, mammal or insect, reminding them that these are all animals.  It was their task to find other children with the same sort of animal as their own.  We learned that all insects have three body parts, a head, thorax and an abdomen.  They also have six legs.  Some insects have compound eyes, stingers, antennae and/or wings.  We introduced this concept with a bee costume for the children to wear.  It has a thorax, an abdomen, six legs, antennae and compound eye glasses.  Each of the children had good fun trying the costume on.  To help us remember the characteristics of insects, we learned the song, “Head, Thorax, Abdomen,” sung to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.”  We also played the Insect Pokey!

On Thursday, the Fifth Grade students from Miss Watt’s Library Class visited our Preschool Class.  Each of them had their own favorite story book from when they were in preschool.  We paired them up with each of the Preschool children and they read them their books.  Later, they talked with them about why they liked those books and they also talked about what books the Preschool children like.  We are looking forward to having the Fifth Grade students visit us again in a couple of weeks.

We will be having a Preschool Celebration for Preschool children and their families at 11:00am on the Wednesday, June 13th, the last day of school.  The children will sing a few songs for you and we will present them with special Preschool certificates.  Please plan on joining us for this special day.  Closing Ceremonies for the entire school will follow at around 11:30am in Fitzpatrick Hall and the All School Family Picnic will commence at 12noon.

Important Reminders:

• Preschool continues to go out each day.  Please be sure children have coats as the mornings are often cold.
• Please return laundered rest items and replenish extra clothes.  Children should have a full set of clothing, including socks, undergarments, shirts and pants.  It is also a good idea to leave a sweatshirt or sweater for days that may be chilly.   
• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send appropriate flatware in your child’s lunch.
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays.  They can check a new book out, once they return the book that is already checked out.   
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

Dates to remember:

• Friday, May 11th, Preschool Mommy and Daddy’s Day Breakfast, 7:55am~9:00am, Preschool
• Friday, May 25th, Spring Fling Day, pay $2.00 to dress any way you like!  Also Pizza Lunch.
• Monday, May 28th, NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day
• Wednesday, May 30th, Preschool Lunch Bunch
• Wednesday, June 6th, Field and Fun Day, dress to get wet, details, TBA
• Wednesday, June 13th, Last day of classes, 11:00am, Preschool Celebration for Preschool families   11:30am, Closing Ceremonies and Thank-You’s to Class Parents, 12noon,  All School Family Picnic, families are invited to bring a blanket and a picnic lunch for your family.     1:00pm all school dismissal
  

See You Soon!

Ellie and Joni

Hi Everyone,

It is hard to believe that we only have two more months of school!  In honor of meeting our last Letterland character, Zig-Zag Zebra, we held an Alphabet Celebration day last Friday.  We brought out all of the games we have related to the alphabet.  The children made name badges with alphabet pasta, they played the Alphabet Match Me game, a giant alphabet foam puzzle, Boggle, Jr., Alphabet Toss and some magnet letters.  They also drew their favorite Letterland character.  For a fun treat, we shared Scrabble Cheese-Itz after lunch.  This week, we started talking about the vowel “A,” for “Apron Man.”  We introduced the concept of vowels by sharing that they say their own name in words.  We will cover one vowel each week.  Next week, we will introduce “Easy Magic Man,” for “E.”

The children are very proud of their animal habitats.  This week we recorded them telling stories about their animals and their habitats.  Each child learned a good deal about the mammal that they chose to work with.

 Last week we began our unit of study on Seeds and Plants.  The children are learning that seeds need soil, light, air and water to grow.  We planted Basil, Marigolds and Sunflowers on Monday.  Each day we check our peat pots for signs of growth.  Through listening to some of the stories from our large collection of books on this subject, the children also learned that plants produce their own seeds to make new plants of the same kind.   All of these plants are germinating on the window sills in the classroom.  There are seed cards in the Science Corner for the children to explore and we made seed collages on paper plates.  It was interesting to notice all of the different shaped and colored seeds. 

We would like to thank everyone for a lovely week.  On Monday, we were pleasantly surprised to find a kitchen full of breakfast treats.  We actually went back for seconds at lunch!  What a great way to start the week.  On Tuesday our room was filled with the wonderful scent of fresh flowers.  This was perfect as we began our unit on plants.  The children were thrilled to see us acknowledge each of their contributions.  We also took the time to note the differences in the petals, stems and leaves.  We were so inspired that we used tissue paper to make our own flowers.  They have made our room all that much more bright and colorful.  Later in the day, we both enjoyed a Trager Massage from Meg Agnew.  Wow!  Very relaxing.  On Wednesday, we received yummy gourmet chocolates.  What a treat!  On Thursday, we felt all kinds of appreciated when presented with the wonderful cards and drawings from the children.  What masterpieces!  Finally, it was such a treat to take a break in the middle of the day for a delicious luncheon.  Thank you to Robin and Jenny  for watching over our class as we dined.  At the end of the day, we didn’t have to even think about going to the grocery store or making dinner, as it was prepared and boxed up for us to take home.  We cannot think of a time that we have felt more appreciated!  While everyday is a pleasure working with our children and at our school, it was great fun to receive such heartfelt treats throughout the week.   

On Friday we celebrated Katelynne’s Star Day and her birthday! Her mom, Robin, her dad, Michael, and her brothers, Jacob and Kyle joined us for Morning Meeting where Katelynne shared a photo board filled with pictures from when she was a baby.  We learned that when she was a baby her favorite thing to do was play in the bath tub!  Now that she is 5, she likes to play with her dolls.  Her mom read two stories to the class, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and ”Little Bunny Follows His Nose,” by Katherine Howard and J.P. Miller.  We all enjoyed monster chocolate cupcakes for snack.  Yum!

We will be having a Preschool Celebration for Preschool children and their families at 11:00am on the Wednesday, June 13th, the last day of school.  The children will sing a few songs for you and we will present them with special Preschool certificates.  Please plan on joining us for this special day.  Closing Ceremonies for the entire school will follow at around 11:30am in Fitzpatrick Hall and the All School Family Picnic will commence at 12noon. 

 Important Reminders:

• Preschool continues to go out each day.  Please be sure children have coats as the mornings are often cold.
• Please return laundered rest items and replenish extra clothes.  Children should have a full set of clothing, including socks, undergarments, shirts and pants.  It is also a good idea to leave a sweatshirt or sweater for days that may be chilly.   
• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send appropriate flatware in your child’s lunch.
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays.  They can check a new book out, once they return the book that is already checked out.   
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Monday, April 30th, Lunch Bunch, courtesy of C. McDonnell and M. Marropodi
• Tuesday, May 1st, Preschool to Kindergarten Transition Meeting with Andrea Patel for parents, 8:15am
• Friday, May 11th, Preschool Mommy and Daddy’s Day Breakfast, 7:55am~9:00am, Preschool
• Friday, May 25th, Spring Fling Day, pay $2.00 to dress any way you like!  Also Pizza Lunch.
• Monday, May 28th, NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day 
• Wednesday, May 30th, Preschool Lunch Bunch
• Wednesday, June 6th, Field and Fun Day, dress to get wet, details, TBA
• Wednesday, June 13th, Last day of classes, 11:00am, Preschool Celebration for Preschool families   11:30am, Closing Ceremonies and Thank-You’s to Class Parents, 12noon,  All School Family Picnic, families are invited to bring a blanket and a picnic lunch for your family.     1:00pm, dismissal 

Happy Planting!

Ellie and Joni

Welcome back from Spring Break!  We hope that everyone enjoyed a little change of pace, as well as the beautiful weather.  All of the children seem to have grown quite a bit in just the last few weeks.  They were very happy to be back with one another in class.  We are also noticing how well they are doing with cooperative play.  Whenever we hear someone using his or her words to express his or her thoughts, ideas or interests to another, we quietly provide that child with positive feedback.  Of course the best reward he or she recieves is when his or her efforts result in a successful interaction. 

Last week we continued talks about animals and a bit more about birds.  Our Science Corner includes various feathers and a collection of birds’ nests and samples of feathers from various birds.  We discussed what birds make their nests out of and where they might build them.  We also discovered that different kinds of birds make their nests in different shapes.  This week we talked about mammals.  We discovered that mammals are warm blooded, have hair or fur, are born alive instead of hatched from eggs, and they drink milk from their mothers.  We played a fun movement game where we followed instructions to walk like different animals.  We have also learned a little about various “habitats” around the world.  A habitat is where something or someone lives.  It is where they get shelter, have babies and find food. 

After reviewing the Hopes and Dreams that children made in the Fall, we decided to look at them with the children and determine if any of their “Hopes” had been achieved.  Sure enough, many of them have been actualized.  We also made notes of wishes that may need some support.  With that being said, we have added doctor kits and animals to the Pretend Area, a set of new construction vehicles to the train table, an airport which is complete with planes and we are scheduling some walks on Mike’s Trail when the weather is a bit warmer. 

We also talked about signs of Spring and we took a short walk about to see the daffodils and many of the perrenials poking up in the gardens.  We made pussy willows by blowing brown water color that was dripped onto paper using eye dropers and straws.  We then dipped our fingers into white paint to stamp the pussy willow flowers.  Before beginning this art project, we learned this well known poem:

Pussy Willow

I know a little pussy.

Her coat is silver grey.

She’s over in the meadow.

Not very far away. 

She’ll always be a pussy.

She’ll never be a cat.

For she’s a pussy willow.

Now what do you think of that?

Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow!

Scat!

Last week, we met Walter Walrus on our trip to Letterland.  Walter likes to get wet in the white waves.  Watching whales in the salt water is also something Walter likes.  He is friends with wolves, wasps, weasels, and the woodpecker. 

We also painted on real water color paper with water color paints.  The phrase we used to learn how to write “w” is:

When you draw the Walrus wells, with wild and waby water, whizz down and up and then…, whizz down and up again.

This week we met Fix-It-Max, whose letter is “x” and his sound is /ks/.  Max loves to fix things and he especially likes boxes. Eddie Elephant asked him to fix his exercise machine and an Exit sign.  Suprisingly, he has a fox for a pet.  We learned this phrase when learning how to write “x”:

Fix two sticks, to look like this.  That’s how to draw a little kiss. 

Just because it is Spring, we decided to plant some herbs in a window box for our window.  We planted Thyme, Mint, Rosemary and Basil.  In time, we hope to do some cooking with these yummy smelling herbs.

Today we celebrated Tom’s Star Day.  Tom turned five years old in March.  His dad, Al, mom, Michelle, sisters, Eva and Francesca, joined us for his special Morning Meeting.  We learned that when Tommy was a baby he loved to look at trucks.  His word for trucks was “Dit-du!”  Now that he is five, he loves to play sports, such as hockey and soccer.  He also enjoys playing with Lego’s.  His favorite foods are pastina and chocolate.  Tom’s Star Board was decorated with photo’s of Tom when he was just one day old; dressed as a pumpkin on his first Halloween; skiing with his sisters; playing hockey; rock climbing and riding his dit-du and police car.  Michelle read us one of Tom’s favorite books, “Moostache,” by Margie Palatini and Henry Cole.  It is a very silly story that made everyone laugh.  For snack, Tommy shared some delicious vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting!  Thank you and Happy Star Day, Tommy! 

We would like to thank Margaret for bringing in some bubbles for us to enjoy today.  As it was a windy day, everyone had great fun blowing the bubbles, as well as chasing them around the field! 

 Important Reminders:

• Preschool continues to go out each day.  Please be sure children have coats, hats and mittens, as mornings are often cold.
• Please return laundered rest items and replenish extra clothes.  Children should have a full set of clothing, including socks, undergarments, shirts and pants.  It is also a good idea to leave a sweatshirt or sweater for days that may be chilly.   
• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send appropriate flatware in your child’s lunch.
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays. 
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Friday, April 6th, NO SCHOOL, Good Friday
• Monday, April 16th, NO SCHOOL, Patriot’s Day
• Friday, April 27th, Pizza Lunch
• Monday, April 30th, Lunch Bunch, courtesy of C. McDonnell and M. Marropodi

Sometimes…a plan just comes together.

Have a nice long weekend!

To those of you who celebrate, Happy Passover and Happy Easter!

Ellie and Joni

Hi Everyone,

We would like to thank you for taking the time to come for Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Having the opportunity to sit down and discuss your child’s development and experiences while in school is such an important aspect of helping to support his or her growth. 

 We began our new unit on the study of animals.  We learned that an animal is a living organism that consumes food, moves independently and spontaneously.  We talked about the fact that birds, mammals (people), reptiles, insects, arachnids, arthropods, bony fish, sharks and rays and amphibians, to name a few, are all animals.  Dinosaurs were also animals.  In the coming months, we will discuss the traits and characteristics of many of these animals.  Birds have been our current topic of exploration.  Earlier this week the children learned that all birds have beaks, claws, wings and feathers.  They all lay eggs.  Different kinds of birds have different shaped beaks.  To see how it might feel to eat with a beak, the children used chop sticks to pick up gold fish.  They had so much fun that they wanted to use them to eat their lunches!  So they did.  Today’s weather was perfect for a bird walk.  The children wore the binoculars they made earlier in the week as we ventured about the campus in search of birds.  On our walk we observed a Crow, a nest, many Chickadees, a female Cardinal, a Tufted Titmouse, a Wood Pecker and a Chipmunk.  We heard a bird sing “Woo-hoo!”  We also saw buds on many of the trees and a lot of mud!  If you will be visiting another climate over our Spring Break, point out any birds that you may see that are not native to the North East.  Feel free to share any photographs you may take of these birds when we return to school.

When we return from Spring Break, we will learn about mammals.   

Alaska Day was fun as our afternoon crew ventured out last Wednesday, February 29th.  The second storm of the season was just setting in as we went to Fitzpatrick Hall to make Totem Poles and Alaskan Flag Pins.  We also watched some of the older students pan for gold.  We hiked up to the pond where Mr. B. had a small bonfire burning.  Mrs. Patel and Ms. Gratz roasted the marshmallows for our s’mores.  They were very sticky, but yummy!

 Over the past two weeks we met Uppy Umbrella and Vicky Violet.  Uppy likes to float up in the sky and even go upside down!  She also likes to follow Quarrelsome Queen in many words.  Vicky lives in the Valley Village and keeps violets in a valuable vase.  She also has a friend, Vernon the Vulture who makes Valentine cards for her!   

We hope that everyone has a nice two week break.  We are sending all rest items and extra clothes home for laundering and review.  We shared with the children that we are sure they will be much bigger when they return to school in the Spring!  Don’t forget to restock extra clothes and rest things when you return on Tuesday, the 27th of March.   

Important Reminders:

•  Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send appropriate flatware in your child’s lunch.
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays. 
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Please be sure to replenish extra clothes.  (This includes underwear, shirts, pants and socks.  Shorts do not count this time of year!)   Please leave an extra warm layer in case your child is chilly.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Friday, March 9th,  Ski-Friday;  Spring Break begins at the end of the day
• Monday, March 26th, NO SCHOOL, Teacher Professional Development Day
• Tuesday, March 27th, Classes resume
• Friday, April 6th, NO SCHOOL, Good Friday
• Monday, April 16th, NO SCHOOL, Patriot’s Day

Have a Happy Break! 

Ellie and Joni

Hi Everyone,

We have been very busy these last few weeks in Preschool.  Two weeks ago, the children had a grand time decorating Valentines for one another and their families.  After teaching them the song, “I’m Gonna Wrap Myself in Paper,” they were very surprised when their teachers really wrapped them in paper and put a giant stamp on their heads.  When their Valentines were dry, they put them in envelopes and we ventured up to the Mail Room where Mrs. Kruse helped the children put their Valentines in the postage machine and into the mail bin.  We hope you were all lovingly surprised to receive your special deliveries. 

The children also made Valentine water globes and they learned how to make a heart shape by tracing half of a heart on to folded paper and cutting it out.  They used their hearts to help decorate Valentine bags. 

Thank you for sending in such yummy treats for our Valentine Party.  While the treats were wonderful, the best part of the morning was opening our Valentines.  Each child had his or her own special spot in the room to cozy down and open their treats.  The looks on their faces as they discovered who sent them Valentines were priceless!

Earlier last week, the children also continued their exploration of dinosaurs.  Using flour, water, glue and newspaper they papier-mached balloons to make dinosaur eggs.  It was very gooey!  They learned the technique of soaking newspaper strips in the papier-mache and then “scootching” the extra goo off the paper by using their fingers as scissors and running the closed “scissors” down the paper strip.  We were very proud of everyone’s hard work with this task.  Last week, the children had the opportunity to paint their hardened eggs with glitter paint.  We discussed the fact that the Paleontologists do not know what color or design the eggs were, as there were no cameras to photograph what they looked like.  They were free to use their imaginations and create their own designs.  The eggs are now all nestled snug in their nest, incubating in the Berkshire Room.  The children have been invited to tend the nest using very delicate touches.  The children also used the “crayon-resist” paint technique to create the skins of dinosaurs.  After a demonstration, the children were encouraged to use cray-pas to put stripes, swirls, circles and other designs on their chosen cut-out dinosaurs.  Once this step was complete, they painted a “wash” of water color over the entire dinosaur, so that the colors of the cray-pas “popped.”  These creations will be displayed in the BCD Art Show scheduled for the week of February 27th ~ March 2nd, located in Fitzpatrick Hall.  Work from every student at BCD will be on exhibit.  Please try to set some time aside to visit the show.  Yesterday, the children made dinosaur sock puppets by gluing colorful geometric shapes and google eyes onto the socks.  We hope they will have lots of fun with them. 

The children also used a variety of geometric shapes to create their own “Shape-O-Sauruses” and they dictated stories about their dinosaurs, which we recorded and posted on their creations.  You may also see these works of art at the Art Show.

 Last week, Bruce Blair, who is an old friend of Mrs. Atwater’s, visited the Preschool and Kindergarten gang for some dancing and a sing-a-long.  Bruce has worked in the field of Early Childhood (and music) for nearly as long as Mrs. Atwater.  He is currently the Director of a program in Connecticut.  He also happens to be the son of Marge Blair, who works in the main office a few mornings each week.  Bruce’s rendition of Abiyoyo was quite exciting!  As a thank you, we decided to make him an Abiyoyo giant, which we will complete on Friday. 

We would like to send a BIG “THANK YOU!!!” to Margaret’s Mimi (Carolyn) who lives all the way down in New Orleans, for she sent us an authentic King’s Cake as a special treat for Mardi Gras!  It was cinnamon flavored and decorated with green, yellow and purple sugar.  Margaret was the lucky recipient of the baby.  Carolyn also sent us Mardi Gras masks of butterflies and jesters to color and take home. 

 We traveled to Letterland and met Sammy Snake who likes to sit in the sun!  He is careful to not burn by slathering on sun cream and wearing a sunhat and sunglasses!  Sammy also likes to swim, eat sandwiches and snooze in the shade.  The phrase that we learned to help us remember how to write “s” is:

Start at Sam’s head where he can see.  Stroke down to his tail, oh so care-ful-ly.   

We also met talking Tess who takes care of the telephones and televisions in her town.  She travels in a taxi or on a train; she likes turtles and tulips among other things.  The phrase we use to help us remember how to write “t” is:

Tall as a tower make Talking Tess stand.  Go from head to toe, and then from hand to hand.

Next week we will meet Uppy Umbrella.  We will also begin our unit of study on birds.  Paleontologists believe that there is a direct correlation between dinosaurs and birds.  We will learn more about this theory next week. 

Finally, please be sure to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences, which are scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 1st and Friday, March 2nd.  Paul France will be sending you the link to the sign up forms online.  Please let us know if you are unable to meet with us on one of these dates and we will be happy to schedule our meeting with you at another time. 

Important Reminders:

•  Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send appropriate flatware in your child’s lunch.
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays. 
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Please be sure to replenish extra clothes and please leave an extra warm layer in case your child is chilly.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Friday, February 24th, Lunch Bunch, courtesy of the Sash/Hautzig and McDonnell families; NO SKI-FRIDAY, regular dismissal
• Wednesday, February 29th, Alaska Day, dress for outdoor fun!
• Thursday, March 1st, Parent/Teacher Conferences, beginning at 3:15pm
• Friday, March 2nd, NO SCHOOL, Parent/Teacher Conferences, 8:00am-noon, Ski Friday, 1:00pm
• Friday, March 9th,  Ski-Friday;  Spring Break begins at the end of the day
• Monday, March 26th, NO SCHOOL, Teacher Professional Development Day
• Tuesday, March 27th, Classes resume

Have a Nice Weekend,

Ellie and Joni

Hi Everyone,

If you haven’t ventured into the classroom, lately, you would be surprised to see that it has turned into Dinosaur World!  There are dinosaurs and fossil-related activities and resources in every corner of the Berkshire Room.  Mrs. Atwater’s cousin, “Dr. Atwater,” came for a visit on Wednesday, while Mrs. Atwater was attending a meeting!  She was very sad to find that she just missed him.  Dr. Atwater is a “famous” paleontologist, who works at a local university, researching dinosaur bones and fossils.  After asking the children what they already know about dinosaurs, he brought them into the Berkshire Room, where he introduced the children to the new toys and activities.  He also modeled how to use the new equipment and where the materials will be stored.  There are dinosaur puzzles, domino games, lotto games and card games.  We have small colorful dinosaurs for counting and sorting in the Math Corner and small, medium and large dinosaur figures in the Block Corner.  Two of the newest areas in the classroom are the “Dig Site” and the Paleontology Lab, located in the Pretend Area.  Here, the children use chisels, hammers, sifters, buckets and brushes to excavate dinosaur bones.  Once the bones are uncovered, they are transferred to the Paleontology Lab, where the team of Paleontologists will measure, weigh, photograph, trace and study them.  Also in the lab are white lab coats, goggles, magnifying glasses, microscopes, maps, clipboards and reference books.  The children have had a wonderful time exploring each of the areas.  We also talked about how paleontologists discover fossils, which are the bones and teeth of dinosaurs that have been buried in the ground and mud for millions of years and turned to stone.  Paleontologists also find fossils with the impressions of insects, sea shells, foot prints, dinosaur skin, and plants.  The children made their own fossils using real clay, pine branches, sea shells and our own plastic bones and dinosaurs.  Once they have hardened, we will carefully wrap them and send them home. 

Our trip to the Norman Rockwell Museum yesterday was great fun.  We learned all about how   Margret and Hans A. Rey came up with the character and stories of Curious George.  Did you know that Curious George was first named Fifi?  They visited lots of zoo’s when deciding what kind of animal they wanted to feature in their stories.  They decided that they liked the monkeys the best.  Our docent, Melinda, also pointed out the colors that the Reys always used when creating the illustrations with water colors.  We also visited an exhibit of pop-up books.  We happen to have some of them in our own classroom collection.  At the end of our visit, Melinda led the children in creating their own pop-up cards.  The children traced and cut out their hands and then inserted them into folded cardstock.  This was an inspiring activity which we will try again.  You may learn more about the Curious George exhibit by visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum’s web site. 

On our weekly venture to Letterland, we visited Red Robot with his roller skates and red remote controlled race car!  Red Robot is a robber, as he takes things that belong to others and carries them away in his red sack.  He likes to growl his “rrr” sound as he rolls around with a radio and a rose.  There are Robins, rainbows, rubies and rubbish in his world!  Red Robot tries to trick us when he is in his capital form, but we all recognized that rascal!  The phrase we learned to help us remember how to write “r” is:

Run down Red Robot’s body.  Go up to his hand.  Then watch out for this robot roaming round Letterland. 

Next week we will meet Sammy Snake, who makes a special sound, ‘sss…’  He is a friendly snake who is always smiling! 

We also painted large pieces of paper with red paint using red rollers.  We will be using this paper for some red decorations in our room next week.     

On Tuesday, February 14th, we will have our Preschool Valentine Party.   If your child would like to bring Valentines, please be sure to include everyone.  Our Class Parent, Priscilla, has posted a sign-up sheet for simple red, white and pink treats for the morning.  We will have the children make Valentine Envelopes to hold their Valentines next week.   

  Important Reminders:

• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send neccessary flatware with your child’s lunch. 
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays. 
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Please be sure to replenish extra clothes and please leave an extra warm layer in case your child is chilly.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Friday, February 3rd, Ski-Friday, dismissal at 12:45pm, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Friday, February 10th, Ski-Friday, 12:45pm dismissal, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Tuesday, February 14th, Preschool Valentine’s Day Party
• Friday, February 17th, Pizza Lunch and Ski-Friday, 12:45pm dismissal, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Monday, February 20th, No School, President’s Day
• Tuesday, February 21st, No School, Mid-Winter Break
• Friday, February 24th, Lunch Bunch, courtesy of the Sash/Hautzig and McDonnell families; NO SKI-FRIDAY, regular dismissal
• Thursday, March 1st, Parent/Teacher Conferences, beginning at 3:30pm
• Friday, March 2nd, NO SCHOOL, Parent/Teacher Conferences, 8:00am-noon, Ski Friday, 1:00pm
• Friday, March 9th, Make-Up Ski-Friday, if necessary.  Spring Break begins at the end of the day
• Monday, March 26th, Teacher Professional Development Day, No School
• Tuesday, March 27th, Classes resume

Have a Nice Weekend,

Ellie and Joni

Gung Hi Fot Choy!

We hope that you all have a happy, rich and prosperous New Year.  On Monday, we began learning about the Chinese New Year.  We are now in the Year of the Dragon.  Apparently, there are many different kinds of dragons.  This year, it is the very rare “Water Dragon.”  The children made paper red Chinese Lanterns to light the way for the New Year to come in.  They also made Chinese Dragon puppets from paper bags, sequins, crepe paper and tissue paper.  As a final touch, everyone added google eyes to “wake-up” their dragons.  Legend has it that the colorful dragons scare the bad luck away for the New Year.  We have also talked about pairs and how some things come in pairs, such as a pair of socks, a pair of earrings or a pair of shoes.  The number 2 is considered lucky on New Years Day and things in pairs are also considered good luck. 

We are so very happy to have Mrs. Olsen back with us.  Last week she had to take some time to recover from having her wisdom teeth removed.  The children traced and cut out their hands to make flowers.  We added their own well wishes to the backs of the flowers and we made a big pink bouquet for her.  Mrs. Atwater delivered it to her along with a handmade pink card.  It made her feel much better!  We would like to thank Mrs. Caputo for joining us while Mrs. Olsen was out.  We had lots of extra time singing with her.

In addition, we also celebrated Sam’s Star Day last week.  His mom, Terri, dad, David and older sister, Jeri joined us for his special Morning Meeting.  We learned that when Sam was a baby, one of his favorite things to do was the “Sammy Mad Dance.”  Now that he is five, he likes to play with his sister.  His favorite food is rice and he shared that he loves his family so much, because they give him healthy snacks.  David showed the children a slideshow of photos of Sam when he was a baby and as he was growing up with his family.  He also took a silly class photo which made everyone squiggly.  Terri read one of Sam’s favorite stories, “Those Darn Squirrels!” by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri.  For snack, Sam and his mom made some yummy zucchini muffins.  Happy Star Day, Sam!     

We have been learning a lot about the solar system.  The children have been building puzzles, playing games, listening to stories and factual books about the sun and all of our planets.  We also traced planets and created our own planets for our Preschool Solar System bulletin board.  We made purple playdough, with which the children decided to make planets, as well.  A number of years ago, Mrs. Caputo wrote a poem to help children remember the names of the planets in our solar system.  We were very fortunate that she shared it with us:

The Planets

by Vivian Caputo

I bought a MERCURY to go to visit VENUS.

But how on EARTH can I afford to go to MARS?

Jumping JUPITER, SATURN’s sale is Saturday.

URANUS said that NEPTUNE’s selling (Pluto’s mini cars.)

The children each donned a black crown that displayed one of the planets.  We also had a giant sun crown.  The person wearing the sun crown stood in the middle and the rest of the planets practiced orbitting around it while they recited the poem.  It was great fun!  Now, we know the names of all the planets.  The children are also learning various facts about the planets, such as what they are made of and how hot or cold it is on a planet.

In line with star gazing, Pajama Day was simply dreamy.  The children were very excited to wear their pajamas to school.  They were also surprised to see Mrs. Atwater and Mrs. Olsen in their robes and slippers, as well.  Kindergarten joined us for a “Night Meeting.”  We kept the lights out and sang “Are You Sleeping,” “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “Moon Shadow,” which was a special request.  Mrs. Patel led us in a night game of “Just Like Me” and she read “What! Said Granny, an Almost Bedtime Story,” by Kate Lum and Adrian Johnson.  Next, we split up into groups and traveled to different stations where the children participated in different night activities.  Mrs. Olsen led a game of Glow in the Dark Star Toss; Mrs. Atwater talked about the Moon and the children made Moon Books; and they made night pictures with Mrs. Patel.  After having French and Music in our pajamas, we snuggled down for some black and white Disney “Silly Symphonies” cartoons which were made in 1930.  The skits were titled “Autumn,” “Frolicking Fish,” “Monkey Melodies,” “Night” and “Summer.”  We projected them onto a big screen in Kindergarten.  As an extra treat, Priscilla made brownies for us and we also had popcorn and hot chocolate. 

The children have also met the Letterland characters Peter Puppy and Quarrelsome Queen.  Peter Puppy lives in the Letterland Park.  He loves to swim in the pool with his puppy pals and penguin pals.  There are lovely poppy and primrose flowers growing in the park.  It is a great place for a picnic or a party.  The saying we learned to help us remember how to write “p” is:

Pat Peter Puppy properly.  First stroke down his ear, then up and round his face so he won’t shed a tear. 

Quarrelsome Queen likes to spend quiet time doing her quiz (crossword puzzle) with her quill pen.  If anyone disturbs her, the Queen will quarrel with them.  In fact the reason why her name is “Quarrelsome Queen,” is because she has so many quarrels.  She also has a special umberella she brings with her everywhere.  The saying we used when learning to write “q” is:

Quickly go round the Queen’s cross face.  Then comb her beautiful hair into place. 

Next week we will meet Red Robot, who love to roller skate. 

Important Reminders:

• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send neccessary flatware with your child’s lunch. 
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays. 
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Please be sure to replenish extra clothes and please leave an extra warm layer in case your child is chilly.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Friday, January 27th, NO SKI-FRIDAY!  REGULAR DISMISSAL!
• Thursday, February 2nd, Field Trip to the Norman Rockwell Museum with Kindergarten
• Friday, February 3rd, Ski-Friday, dismissal at 12:45pm, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Friday, February 10th, Ski-Friday, 12:45pm dismissal, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Tuesday, February 14th, Preschool Valentine’s Day Party
• Friday, February 17th, Pizza Lunch and Ski-Friday, 12:45pm dismissal, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Monday, February 20th, No School, President’s Day
• Tuesday, February 21st, No School, Mid-Winter Break
• Friday, February 24th, Lunch Bunch, courtesy of the Sash/Hautzig and McDonnell families; NO SKI-FRIDAY, regular dismissal
• Thursday, March 1st, Parent/Teacher Conferences, beginning at 3:30pm
• Friday, March 2nd, NO SCHOOL, Parent/Teacher Conferences, 8:00am-noon, Ski Friday, 1:00pm
• Friday, March 9th, Make-Up Ski-Friday, if necessary.  Spring Break begins at the end of the day
• Monday, March 26th, Teacher Professional Development Day, No School
• Tuesday, March 27th, Classes resume

 Enjoy the weekend!

Ellie and Joni

Happy New Year Everyone!

We were all very happy to rejoin as a class last week.  The children greeted one another with smiles and hugs.  Perhaps the highlight of our return to school is welcoming our new friend, Ayush, to Preschool.  Ayush and his parents, Venka and Rekha, have recently moved to the area from India.  With the help of his classmates, Ayush is quickly learning all about Preschool.  Welcome! 

Although it has hardly seemed as though it is Winter, we have started talking about this new season and learning some new songs and poems about it.  Last week, we took a Winter walk to Barrett Pond to see if it had iced over.  We talked about how ice forms on ponds and lakes when the temperature is below freezing for a number of days.  The children observed that there was some ice that had formed on our pond.  We strongly pointed out that the ice on our pond was not safe to walk on.  We knew this, because Mr. Bingham tests the ice and then flies a flag in front of the pond to indicate if the ice is safe or not safe.  If the ice is DANGEROUS and people should NOT walk or skate on it, the flag will be RED.  If the ice is SAFE to walk on or skate on, the flag will be GREEN.  We also talked about the fact that it is never okay for children to walk on ice unless they are with an adult.  The flag is currently red. 

In addition, last week, the children traced small, medium and large circles to create snow people.  They glued on cottonballs and added details with markers.  In the Science Corner, the children have been exploring magnets.  We have sets of magnets to build sculptures and a bin that holds a collection of items made from a variety of materials with which to experiment.  We also have a magnetic letter fish game and a number of board games.  Upon popular demand, we have returned the dress-ups  to the Pretend Area.  There are pirate, princess, fairy, fire fighter, cowpoke and a number of assorted costumes.  They often like to mix and match! 

The children have also made their January Self-Portraits.  They are posted in the Berkshire Room.  Recently, while playing games in preparation for completing Student Profiles, we shared the self-portraits the children have done since September with them.  Many were surprised to see how much their drawings have changed.   

Last week, we met Noisy Nick, from Letterland.  Nick loves to make noise and hammer nails.  His neighbors think he is nice, but a little too noisy.  He is celebrating his ninth birthday.  His parents gave him a set of drums for his birthday.  Now he will make even more noise! 

The saying we learned to write ”n” is:

‘Now bang my nail,’ Noisy Nick said.  ‘Go up and over around my head.’

This week, we met Oscar Orange.  He lives at the docks near the ocean.  Ostriches and otters also like to spend time with Oscar as they help unload crates of oranges and olives from the ships.  Old Mr. O sometimes visits, as well.  He lives far across the ocean.  In honor of Oscar Orange’s sound, we painted with orange glitter paint and we used glue and tissue paper to create collages on orange paper. 

The saying we learned to help us write “o” is:

On Oscar Orange start at the top.  Go all the way round him, and…then stop!

Next week, we will meet Peter Puppy. 

Thursday, January 26^th, we will have Pajama Day!  The children (and teachers) are invited to wear their pajamas to school for the day.  Kindergarten will join Preschool for some cozy night time activities and we will provide a special snack.  Children may also bring a special blanket, a cuddle toy and a flashlight.  Feel free to send in a set of regular clothes for your child to change into later in the day, should they choose to do so.

On Thursday, February 2nd, we will join Kindergarten on a field trip to the Norman Rockwell Museum to see the Curious George exhibit.  Mr. Bingham will drive us in the BCD bus. 

During the coming weeks, we will begin exploring our Solar System.  We hope to learn the names and qualities of the planets, as well as some other facts about outer space.  Children are invited to bring in books, music or other activities about space to share with the class. 

Important Reminders:

• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send neccessary flatware with your child’s lunch. 
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays. 
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Please be sure to replenish extra clothes and please leave an extra warm layer in case your child is chilly.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Friday, January 13th, Pizza Lunch, Ski-Friday, dismissal at 12:45pm, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Monday, January 16th, No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Wednesday, January 18th, Preschool Parent Chat with Head of School, 8:15am, BCD Library
• Thursday, January 19th, Lunch Bunch, courtesy of Robin Williams and Priscilla France
• Friday, January 20th, Ski-Friday, dismissal at 12:45pm, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Monday, January 23rd, Chinese New Year, wear red for good luck!
• Thursday, January 26th, Pajama Day
• Friday, January 27th, Ski-Friday, dismissal at 12:45pm, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Thursday, February 2nd, Field Trip to the Norman Rockwell Museum with Kindergarten
• Friday, February 3rd, Ski-Friday, dismissal at 12:45pm, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Wednesday, February 8th, Alaska Day, dress for outdoor play all morning!
• Friday, February 10th, Ski-Friday, 12:45pm dismissal, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Tuesday, February 14th, Preschool Valentine’s Day Party
• Friday, February 17th, Pizza Lunch and Ski-Friday, 12:45pm dismissal, regular buses at 1:30pm
• Monday, February 20th, No School, President’s Day
• Tuesday, February 21st, No School, Mid-Winter Break
• Friday, February 24th, Lunch Bunch, courtesy of the Sash/Hautzig and McDonnell families; NO SKI-FRIDAY, regular dismissal
• Thursday, March 1st, Parent/Teacher Conferences, beginning at 3:30pm
• Friday, March 2nd, NO SCHOOL, Parent/Teacher Conferences, 8:00am-noon, Ski Friday, 1:00pm
• Friday, March 9th, Make-Up Ski-Friday, if necessary.  Spring Break begins at the end of the day
• Monday, March 26th, Teacher Professional Development Day, No School
• Tuesday, March 27th, Classes resume

 Enjoy the weekend!

Ellie and Joni

Hi Everyone,

We had great fun going to see “Knuffle Bunny” at The Colonial Theater on Monday.  The children were excited to ride on the bus with Kindergarten.  There were lots and lots of children from all over Berkshire County in the audience.  The story of “Knuffle Bunny,” by Mo Willems, was turned into a musical.  If you are not familiar with the story, it is about a little girl named Trixie, who goes to the laundromat with her father.  Sadly, Trixie loses her treasured stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny.  She can’t tell her dad, because she is very little and cannot talk!  It was a wonderful time!     

Last week in Preschool, we met “Kicking King,” who lives in a castle in Letterland.  He loves to kick balls and play football, which is known as soccer in the United States.  He is also fond of many animals, such as the koala, kangaroo and kittens.  On windy days Kicking King and his friend Noisy Nick enjoy flying kites.  The saying we use when remembering the proper way to write “k” is:

Kicking King’s body is a straight stick.  Add his arm, then his leg, so he can kick!

The children also tasted kiwi and made beautiful kites.  As we introduced our next unit of study, “Peace,” we talked about using kind voices and committing random acts of kindness. 

This week in Letterland, we met Lucy Lamplight.  She lives in the Letterland Lighthouse.  Her hat is a lamp and when she smiles, she lights up all that is around her.  Animals, such as the lion, leopard, lamb, llama, lizard and lobster love Lucy very much.  She also grows lemons and lillies on her land.  The phrase we will use as we learn to write “l” is:

Lucy looks like one long line.  Go straight from head to foot and she’s ready to shine! 

Another activity we have recently completed was decorating our aprons with fabric crayons.  Please be sure to place your child’s apron in the dryer on the hottest setting for 30 minutes, in order to heat set the ink.  Nothing else should be in the dryer when doing so. Please send these back to school as we will be using them for our art and cooking projects   We also discussed symbols of peace.  Yesterday the children colored and cut out round symbols of peace.  Once glued onto small squares, they were assembled to make Peace Books.  As the children are observed being extra kind to one another, we will record their acts on a white dove and post it on our Peace bulletin board.

Next week we will continue to discuss Peace and holidays related to light that take place around the world during this time of year.  If you would like to share any special traditions from your family, please let us know.  You may also wish to send in a special trinket or token that is special to your child or family.  We will invite children to share during Morning Meetings. 

This week and next, we will be making gifts to present to our Peer Readers, as well as some special gifts for our families. We have also created a Gift and Card Center in our Art Corner.  As this is a season for giving, many children have an interest in making cards and gifts for one another.  The center is filled with glitter, beads, pipe cleaners, special paper and sparkly gems. 

Our Winter Solstice Party will take place on the last day of school before Winter Break, Friday, December 16th.  We will celebrate the fact that from December 21st, forward, the days will become longer.  We will also celebrate the gifts of the Earth and make special gifts for the birds.  In addition to some special snacks earlier in the morning, we will have a pizza lunch.  A sign up sheet is posted in the Coat Room.

Scholastic book orders have been placed.  Books should arrive early next week.  Thank you so much for ordering, as we were able to earn points and purchase a number of books for our classroom collection.  We would also like to thank families for purchasing books from the Library Book Fair for themselves and our classroom last week.  Proceeds from the sale will directly benefit our own BCD Library. 

We also thank families for participating in the Holiday Gift Giving Program.  The 9th Grade students collected the gifts on Tuesday.  They will be delivered to families later this week.

Important Reminders:

• Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
• Please be sure to send neccessary flatware with your child’s lunch. 
• A variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
• Please be sure to return Library books on Wednesdays. 
• If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
• Please be sure to replenish extra clothes and please leave an extra warm layer in case your child is chilly.
• Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

 Dates to remember:

• Friday, December 9th, Pizza Lunch
• Friday, December 16th, Preschool Winter Solstice Party,  Winter Break begins at 3:00pm
• Tuesday, January 3rd, School resumes
• Friday, January 7th: First Ski Friday, dismissal for all Preschoolers at 12:45pm
• Monday, January 16th, No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Enjoy the weekend!

Joni and Ellie