SM Early Childhood Education Center
January 2020
Administrative Team
Carla Heintz, Coordinator of Early Learning
What's Happening
January
20- No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
22-SMSD 50th Anniversary Celebration Open House at CAA 5-8pm
24- Early Childhood Screening (AM Only)
February
6- Parent Teacher Conference Night 5-8 pm
In the News
From the Principal's Desk
Welcome back and Happy New Year! We are excited to get back to our exciting routines of learning and discovering new things. The wonder and curiosity our students show is magnificent, and we appreciate the efforts our families put forth to connect home and school by checking in on SeeSaw, sharing communication and information with our educators, and supporting the activities here at the early childhood center. While we have been fortunate of late to experience some mild winter temperatures, we appreciate your continued efforts to ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather as we will go outside for recess to the extent possible in accordance with the district guidelines.
Looking ahead we have parent/teacher conferences coming up February 6 from 5-8.
Please mark this date on your calendar and look for more information to come from your child's teacher in the upcoming weeks. We look forward to seeing you and and sharing with you your child's progress.
We welcome parents to our building to see what is happening, and we want you here as important partners in your child's progress and education. However, we do ask all parents contact their child's teacher, sign in the office and get a visitor badge before proceeding to the classroom and checking out through the office before you leave.
Coordinator's News
Happy New Year!! I hope you all have been able to take advantage of the warm weather these last few weeks and spend time outside with your children. We have been fortunate so far to have such great weather to play in. As it gets colder this winter and it's more difficult to get out, children may have a harder time managing their behaviors as they spend more and more time inside. Most children use challenging behavior to send a message. It's our job as teacher and parents to try to figure out what that message is and how to meet their needs and teach them new ways to get their needs met that everyone feels good about. Typically children use behavior to get something such as attention, a toy, or a nap, or to avoid something such as going to bed or eating dinner. You can work to figure out what your child is trying to communicate by observing them, taking notes of when they behavior occurs and if there are trends, as well as making of list of things you think your child might be wanting or avoiding. Once you have figured out what it is, you can help them practice alternative ways of getting their needs met before the meltdown occurs. For more information, check out the online handout here.
Notes from the School Nurse:
Achoo….Not the Flu!!!
Let’s face it catching the flu (aka influenza) is miserable. So here are a few facts about influenza and what you and your family can do to help prevent it. First of all, influenza and the stomach flu are often thought to be the same thing. However they are not, influenza is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses. The influenza virus usually enters the body through mucus membranes in the mouth, nose, or eyes.
Flu symptoms: Sudden onset of fever, chills, body aches, tiredness, coughing, sneezing, and sore throat. Ways to prevent the flu: wash hands often with soap and water, avoid touching face, cover all sneezes and coughs with your elbow, and get plenty of rest and exercise. If you or your children get the flu, please stay home and take care of yourselves. Per earlier recommendations, please keep your child home for 5 days at onset of symptoms and until fever free for 24 hours. Please report your child’s absence to our attendance line, that number is 913-993-2688. Thank you for helping keep your family and our school healthy!
Please contact your child’s teacher for information about food allergies in the class prior to sending treats. Parents are welcome to come and share the snack time with their child. Please check with your child’s teacher to arrange the best time for you to arrive and check in and out of the office.
Early Childhood Screenings
Do you have concerns about your preschooler’s development?
SMSD offers an early childhood developmental screening which includes the areas of vision, hearing, problem-solving, personal-social development, gross/fine motor skills, and speech/language skills. The purpose of the screening is to identify children who may have substantial developmental delays and who may be eligible for special education services. SMSD’s Early Childhood Screening (ECS) is appropriate for children ages 2 years 9 months to 5 years old who reside within the Shawnee Mission School District boundaries.
How often are screenings offered?
Screenings for 2019-2020 occur monthly on a Friday morning and are by appointment only. Parent or other legal guardian must complete a request for screening and submit the required documents before an appointment is offered.
How do I request a screening for my child?
More information about the ECS program can be found on the district’s Early Childhood Special Education home page under Early Childhood Screening.
Connect with us via Social Media
We have new social media sites this year! Please feel free to follow us and like us!!
Twitter: @theSMECEC
@la_neal
Instagram: SMECECSMSD
Facebook: SMECEC.SMSD
Pinterest: SMECEC SMSD
Or search for #EarlyEDSMSD to see what's happening district wide in PreK!
Shawnee Mission Early Childhood Education Center
Email: leighanneneal@smsd.org
Website: earlychildcenter.smsd.org
Location: 6701 West 83 Street, Overland Park, KS, 6USA
Phone: (913)993-2600
Facebook: facebook.com/SMECEC.SMSD
Twitter: @theSMECEC