January 5, 2021
Happy New Year!
Important Dates…
January 4- School Reopens
January 18- Picture Retake Day ( 8-10am in the school gym)
January 31- Catholic Schools Week Begins (activities to be announced)
A Look Ahead…
February 5- 12 pm Dismissal for all students (No lunch today)
February 11- PreK 3 Valentine’s Day Party
February 12- PreK 4 Valentine’s Day Party
February 15- No School- Presidents Day
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Awesome Animals
Our theme this month is “Awesome Animals”. Leaning about animals and caring for them are ways that children get information about the natural world and about themselves. When studying animals, children gain knowledge of the environment and better understand their place in it.
The study of animals is the ideal vehicle for children to learn about life- cycles. So one of the big ideas for this theme is “Animals grow and change just like me!”
Monthly Focus:
Letters: Jj, Kk, Ll,
Math: Biggest, Tallest, Longest, Counting objects to 10, Explore problem solving, Explore Time words (yesterday, today, tomorrow)
Science/SS: Explore Living and Nonliving things, Safety Habits
Religion: We Love Others, Jesus Belonged to a family, A Families Love
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We are asking for donations of tissues, baby wipes, wet ones, and clorox wipes for our classroom. I know that these are not always available. We certainly appreciate whatever you can send in!
Thank you
Thank you for all of the wipes and tissues that have been sent in!!
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Scrip Certificate Orders –
Send-in Sales M-W-F, Walk-in Sales M & F 8:30-10:00 am in the Ministry Center
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PreK 4 Morning Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
I am small in size but very precious in your eyes.
Help me in my day to see, all the gifts you give to me.
As I go through my busy day, I offer you my work and play.
Please bless all I say and do and these will be my gifts to you.
Amen.
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My Big World: Home Access
In our classroom we use the My Big World with Clifford magazine to help build knowledge and vocabulary. Now you can visit the My Big World website at home. You and your child can review and participate in the lessons we do in school.
To access My Big World:
Login to http://www.scholastic.com/mybigworld
Our classroom password is : smspreschool
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Room Parents
More information to come…
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Contact Information
You can reach me by telephone at school, during school hours. Any other time, I am available by email. I am typically prompt with email responses, however, I will guarantee a response within 24 hours, with weekends and school holidays being the exception. If there is an urgent message please call the school, or send me a text using Remind (see below). As always, you can also send a note in your child’s folder as well.
email: pwiest@stmargarets-rs.org
school phone: (856)845-5200
text: see next section to sign up for Remind
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Sign Up for Text Alerts via Remind
I would like to use this app for updates throughout the school year. I only send out information that is urgent, or time sensitive. You are also able to reply to me using the app, or send a quick message. (For example, if you are running late for drop-off or pick-up.)
Click the link below to sign up for Remind for your class.
Preschool 4-http://remind.com/join/@akeg9e
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General Policies
What to bring?
- Your child only needs to bring a backpack, their folder (we will provide) and a change of clothes each day. I do not suggest they bring toys from home in case they get lost, but if they insist, it must be able to fit in the backpack.
- Please pack a snack and a drink. Please have it in a separate bag from their lunch
- Full day students should bring a lunch, and they may bring a blanket and stuffed animal or lovey to snuggle with at rest time(also must fit in the backpack).
What to wear?
- Comfortable clothes that your child can operate on their own in the bathroom. No belts, please! We like play outside each day, weather permitting.
Drop-Off and Pick Up
- Drop-Off begins at 8:15am. A teacher or aide from one of the classrooms will meet you at the door. If no one is there, please ring the doorbell. SMRS students are NEVER PERMITTED to open any doors for anyone, including faculty. This is for their safety, and the safety of all students in the school.
- Our day ends at 3:00. Your children will be brought to the doors and dismissed individually to their adult.
- You must park and walk up to the doors for drop-off and pick up. There is no car line.
- If you have children in older grades, they may be dismissed by the preschool doors. Please send a note to their teacher, and myself so we know to expect them.
Birthdays
- We love to celebrate birthdays at school! For birthday celebrations, you may send in a special snack for your child to share with the class. PLEASE SEE THE ALLERGY SECTION OF THIS PAGE.
- A child’s birthday is the most special day of the year! This year we ask that the birthday treats be prepackaged from a store. Please make sure it adheres to the allergy policy. Examples are oreos, goldfish, rice crispy treat etc.
Allergies – PEANUT/TREE NUT FREE CLASSROOM
To keep all of our students safe and healthy, I need your help as well.
- Our classroom is self-contained, which means we eat, work, and play in the same room. For this reason, we must maintain a 100% peanut and tree nut free policy.
- All lunches, snacks, birthday treats, and any other food items, must be free of peanuts or tree nuts. I am including a link to the safe snack guide for your reference.
- Please read the labels of purchased snacks, and please send in the label for teacher’s to verify ingredients. In some cases, cross-contamination is still dangerous.
If your child has an allergy…
- Please make me aware immediately of any allergies your child may have, including environmental and insects.
- If it is a food allergy, you may send in a few “safe” snacks to keep on hand in the classroom. Snacks must be packaged and able to be stored at room temperature.
- Epi-pens and inhalers are kept in the classroom, but must be registered with the school nurse. Please send them in a ziploc bag with your child’s name and the prescription label.
Mouseketeer of the Week (aka Star Student)
Beginning in October, we will start having a “Mouseketeer of the Week”. Each child will have a turn to share with the class. They will decorate a poster all about them, and they will bring in a favorite book and a special item. When it is your child’s turn, they will receive a letter with directions, and the poster in their folder. We generally go in ABC order, so don’t panic if you don’t see your letter right away!
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Attention Volunteers
Until further notice we can not have any events or gatherings with parent volunteers. I will be in touch if this should change.
Very often, we welcome all of our preschool parents to visit the classroom on special days.
We will have some special days where we can only have a few parents help us. In those cases, volunteers must be fingerprinted and have attended Virtus Child Safety training. Please keep in mind that the trainings are only offered on select dates each month and may fill up. If you have any questions about child safety training, please let me know.
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Preschool Awards
Our whole school participates in a program known as “Fruits of the Spirit.” A different Christian attribute is chosen each month and children from each grade level are nominated by their teachers for exemplifying those qualities. In preschool we call this recognition, a “Pat on the Back.” Each month we choose 1 preschooler from our class to receive a Pat on the Back! Ms. Sole, our school counselor, will come into our classroom, explain each virtue with the help of the children, and then present our awards to our recipients. The children soon know the reason for Ms. Sole’s visits, love to be recognized, and learn a little bit about those virtues and what it means to emulate them.
These Christian attributes are: Goodness, Peace, Kindness, Joy, Patience, Love, Gentleness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control.
September – Goodness Award
October- Peaceful Award
November- Kindness
December- Joy
January- Patience