Little Ones’ BIG News
September 2010
A Letter from the Director
I want to welcome you and your child to Little Ones Nursery School. I know that for many of you, this is your “little one’s” first experience away from home, without Mom and Dad. I realize that this is a big adjustment for you and your child, and I want to reassure you that we will do everything possible to help you and your child feel comfortable with school. We have many fun activities planned for our first month of school. We start off in August with our class visits on the Little Ones Playground. This will give the children and families an opportunity to meet before the school year begins. Next we have our Parent-Child Open Houses so that you and your child can meet the teachers. Make sure to check the calendar for your child’s first day of school. We will be spending the month of September learning about school, making new friends, learning about fall, and most of all becoming comfortable in a school setting. Please make sure to refer to the transition and separation suggestions in the parent handbook. If you should have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to talk to us so that we can make a plan that everyone is at ease with.
Backpacks will be passed out to new children at the Open House visits.
PLEASE NOTE: Please make sure to check your email and your child’s mailbox daily for important information. Also make sure you send your child with his/her backpack every day. Don’t forget to check the inside of the backpack after school each day for artwork, wet clothing, hats, gloves, etc.
All Lunch Enrichment Programs will begin the week of September 20th. Make sure to read your lunch enrichment letters and refer to the lunch menu, which is posted at the entrance to the building and on the website.
We are looking forward to a wonderful year with you and your family. Your child will have lots of learning opportunities that include learning to share; expressing his/her needs; separating from Mom and Dad; using the toilet; washing hands; swinging; climbing; developing fine motor skills needed for writing; pretending; imagining; building; cleaning up toys; and using manners at the table. All this learning, while having fun!
Make sure that you read our daily communication boards for information about your child’s daily activities, as well as check the website, www.littleonesnursery.com, for the monthly newsletters, menus and other information. It is also important that you post your monthly calendar in a spot where you can refer to it often.
I want to take this opportunity to welcome back all of our returning staff, as well as to welcome Sue Gottlieb and Sharyl Fishbein. Sue has joined our staff in the 4-year-old program, and Sharyl has joined our lunch enrichment staff.
If you should have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Love,
Sheree
Helpful Notes for Parents
Don’t forget to bring in your child’s school supplies, which include a snack item, a family picture, and a complete change of clothing (labeled please) in a large labeled ZIPLOC BAG. Remember to mark all of your child’s outerwear including shoes and boots to prevent loss.
Don’t forget to sign up with your child’s teachers for special days/birthday celebrations, to make play dough, and to volunteer. We are also looking for room parents for each class and could really use your support. Thank-you in advance for all of your help!
For safety in our gym and on the playground, we ask that your child wear gym shoes or other shoes with rubber soles and Velcro closing. Clogs, open toe/heel sandals and shoes with slippery soles are dangerous on our climbers, balance beams, slides, etc. Since we spend so much time in wet/snowy weather, velcro closure shoes make it easier for your child to learn self-help skills in getting his/her shoes on and off and into snow pants and boots to go out to play. Pull-on waterproof boots are needed for our winter fun! We also recommend pull on half-pant nylon “snow pants” rather than the heavy bib style ski snow pant. Most children cannot operate the buckles on bib pants and the half-pant is easy for your child to pull on and off. Please buy waterproof mittens rather than gloves - again they are easier for your child to put on and foster self-help skills. For safety purposes, please do not send your child to school with necklaces or neck chains, as they are dangerous and could catch on our slides. Please do not give your child gum or hard candy before school. They are not permitted in school and present a choking danger.
We have a rich program of fun and learning for your “Little One” each day, so there is no need for toys from home. Leave your home toys at home! Please no Power Ranger shirts or other violent character clothing; it seems to promote aggressive behavior in class.
A security item/transitional object (i.e. blanket) may be needed the first couple of weeks of school. This item may be kept in your child’s backpack so s/he can check on it during class to make sure it is safe.
Always use the south entrance for arrival and dismissal, and hold your child‘s hand in the parking lot at all times. Please relay all of this information to your caregivers, so we can continue to keep the children safe and focus on the fun of learning. Always park facing the school, and not in the spots parallel to the building. Please try to park behind the school, and not behind the church. Make sure that your child is always in a car seat with a seat belt when you arrive at or leave from school. Since we are licensed by the state, it is our responsibility to ensure that each child is properly buckled in the back seat while you are on school property (and we hope, beyond). Also please make sure that you are not on your cell phone when your vehicle is moving.
It is important to your child that s/he arrives on time and is picked up on time. It is very disruptive to the class and program when children arrive and/or are picked up late. Please be aware that the outside doors will be locked until 5 minutes before the start and end of the school day. If you arrive more than 5 minutes early, please wait in your car until it is time to enter. Late fees will be charged for late pick-ups. Children become very upset when everyone else is gone and their parent hasn’t come for them. Please refer to your handbook for late fee charges.
Please make sure that your pick-up information is complete. We cannot, by law, release your child to anyone who is not authorized in writing by you and who does not present a picture I.D. This law protects your child. If you need to make additions and/or changes to your pick-up information, send a dated signed authorization note informing the school that this person(s) should be added and/or deleted to your child’s pick-up.
Tuition Payment Information
Tuition payments are based on a triannual payment plan. The remaining two payments will be due October 1st and February 1st. Place your payments in the payment box located at the entrance to the building. Please do not hand it to a teacher or leave in/on your child’s backpack, as it may get misplaced. We do not “bill”, but will put a reminder note on the front door. Late fees will be assessed after the 10th of the month. Please see Sheree with any questions. Your prompt payment would be appreciated and allows us to spend more time focusing on the children rather than paperwork.
We are looking forward to a wonderful year!