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April News

A Message From the Principal:

Welcome Spring!!! Children are excited to start their outdoor explorations, fill of learning and fun. They will be learning about “The Earth and Outer Space” by understanding why seasons changes, pretending to be weather watchers, learning about the solar system and going green.

We are now enrolling for summer! Registration and summer brochures are in our website. Please go to Programs and then click on Camp.

Fernanda Landa, Principal


 

Special Days

  • April 1st…………………………………………..April Fool’s Day!
  • April 3rd……………………………National Walk to Work Day!
  • April 3rd……………………………..MCPS Closed/BCDS Open!
  • April 5th………………………………………………Happy Easter!
  • April 6th…………………………………….Spring Break Begins!
  • April 7th…………………………………………World Health Day!
  • April 10th……………………………………..Spring Break Ends!
  • April 10th………………………………….National Siblings Day!
  • April 15th……………………….Spring Soccer Session Starts!
  • April 16th…………………..National Stress Awareness Day!
  • April 16th………………………………..National High Five Day!
  • April 20th……………SAT 10 Kindergarten Testing Begings!
  • April 22nd…………………..Administrative Professional Day!
  • April 23rd………………………….Kindergarten Step Up Night!
  • April 30th………………………………….National Honesty Day!

Signing In and Out
We are required to keep accurate records of when each child is present or absent.  We ask that you please take a few moments when dropping off or picking up to sign your child in or out. Thank you!

Extracurricular Activities

  • Morning Preschool
    • Basketball (Mondays at 10:00am)
    • Karate (Mondays at 11:00am)
    • Ballet (Tuesdays at 10:00am)
    • Soccer (Wednesday * 2-3 at 10:00am and 4-5 at 10:45am)
    • Music Around the World w/fundamentals (Thursdays at 9:30am)
    • Piano Lessons (Thursdays at 10:30am)
    • Art & Science (Fridays at 10:00am)
    • Amazing Athletes (Fridays at 11:00am)
  • After Care Program
    • Karate (Mondays at 4:00pm)
    • Ballet (Tuesdays at 4:00pm)
    • Soccer (Wednesday *5-12 at 4:45am)
    • Music Around the World w/fundamentals (Thursdays at 4:00pm)
    • Piano/Guitar Lessons (Thursdays at 4:00pm)
    • Art & Science (Fridays at 4:30am)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!   FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS! TO ALL OF OUR  “APRIL BIRTHDAYS!


 

For Parents

Tuition Reminders
Please remember that the tuition is due the 5th of every month . Tuition which is not received by the 5th automatically have a $50 late charge applied.

Auto Payment
Save yourself time, checks, and late fees by enrolling in our Automatic Payment system (ACH). Tuition fees can be deducted directly from your checking or savings account. Information is available at the front desk.

Schedule Requests
Four Weeks Notice  for any schedule changes.

Referral Program
How easy is it to receive a free weeks tuition? Just refer a family and after 90 days of enrollment you earn a free week!

Shoes & Clothes
We would like to make sure that your children are prepared for our Outdoor Play. We believe that fresh air is vital to a child’s development and that it is important for children to be able to get out and run and use their large motor skills on a daily basis. Weather watchers, we will go outdoors for a minimum of 30 minutes per day (our time outside will be shorter if the weather is too cold or too hot). *Please take a moment and check out your child’s extra set of clothes to ensure they are weather appropriate. You can find your child’s extra set of clothes in their cubby. Ask your child’s teacher for help if needed.

Also, remember, your children are growing, make sure their clothes and socks are the appropriate size. We have clean spare clothes at the center if needed, we request that in the event that your child needs extra clothes, to please wash them and bring them back the next day. Thank you!

*** Please note the importance of sending your child to school with closed toe shoes. We are very active during the day. Toe injuries are a top injury which can be prevented with proper footwear. Check your child’s extra clothing to ensure they are weather appropriate.

Hours/Days of Operation
Regular hours of operation are 7:00am-6:00pm weekdays. There is a late pick-up fee of $1 per minute after the regularly scheduled pick up time. No excuses.

We are closed the following legal holidays: Labor Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day (limited service the day after Thanksgiving) Christmas Day New Years Day Martin Luther King Jr.President’s Day Memorial Day and Independence Day. If the holiday falls on a weekend, we will be closed the Friday before or the Monday after Holiday.


From the Education Department

Appreciating the Wonders of Mother Nature

Spring is here and Earth Day is right around the corner, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect children with nature and reinforce the importance of preserving and protecting the world around us.

Our Links to Learning curriculum uses hands-on activities to cultivate a deeper connection to the earth and foster academic, physical and social skill development.

Below are activities we implement in our classrooms to get children excited about nature, as well as activities and books to read with your child at home.

INFANTS/TODDLERS:

  • In the classroom: Our teachers provide natural objects, such as leaves, pinecones and flowers for the children to see and touch. We help children associate words with the concrete objects they represent.
  • At-home activity: Allow your child to experience different textured fruits, such as an orange, watermelon and cantaloupe. Talk about what he sees, smells, tastes and feels.
  • Recommended reading: Colors from Nature from PlayBac Publishing and The Earth Book by Todd Parr

BEGINNERS (Ages 2-3):

  • In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to understand interdependencies in nature. For instance, they learn that ladybugs feed on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs. On Earth Day, many of our students have the opportunity to release ladybugs to help local gardens.
  • At-home activity: Take a walk outdoors with your child and play a game of “I Spy.” Ask him point out objects found in the springtime, for example a red flower, a blue bird or a colorful butterfly.
  • Recommended reading: Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli & David T. Wenzel and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

INTERMEDIATES (Ages 3-4):

  • In the classroom: As our Intermediates gain a greater understanding and appreciation for how living things grow, the class may adopt a pet such as a fish or bunny. Students develop math, science and language skills by measuring the pet’s food, observing the pet’s behavior and habitat, and learning new vocabulary. Research shows that when children have the opportunity to care for animals, they practice nurturing behaviors that help them interact in gentle ways with people also.
  • At-home activity: Create a small garden and allow your child to help you plant and water seeds, either outdoors or indoors. Ask him to predict what the plant will look like by drawing pictures in his journal. Check the plant regularly so he can observe and measure changes in growth. Discuss the importance of watering and caring for the plant.
  • Recommended reading: Our Earth by Anne Rockwell and the poem “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out!” by Shel Silverstein

PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (Ages 4-5):

  • In the classroom: Teachers encourage our older preschoolers to reuse recyclable materials in fun and unconventional ways. For instance, our students use cardboard boxes to create a castle, milk jug lids to sort and match, and plastic bottles to create beautiful, unique artwork.
  • At-home activity: Set up a recycling station using cardboard boxes, and label each box with the words “metal”, “plastic” and “paper”. Throughout the month, ask your child to help sort your family’s recyclables by placing the items into the correct box. Explain that recycling is just one way that we can be kind to the earth. Ask him to name a few other ways, such as conserving electricity, picking up litter and planting a garden.
  • Recommended reading: A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

We create a path for lifelong learning by providing numerous opportunities for children to study and explore nature. These hands-on experiences lead to growth in all areas of development as students transition into elementary school and beyond.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education

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