TSD Early Childhood Program
January Newsletter
A Note From Our Administrator...
Happy January and 2021! I hope that you had a wonderful and relaxing break with your family during our Winter Break.
We’re looking forward to having our students back in classrooms AND having students continue in our on-line learning! For those of you who are returning to in-person learning, here are some reminders to help keep us healthy and in the classroom:
Please keep your child at home if they are showing symptoms so continue to do the symptom check each day
Notify your child’s teacher if your child is ill
Make sure that your child wears a mask (provide an extra if possible)
Continue to emphasize the importance of hand washing with your child
Thank you for your support in making sure that everyone stays safe and healthy!
Open Enrollment for Kindergarten. If your child is going to kindergarten next year, remember that the Open Enrollment window closes this Friday, January 8. If you are attending a preschool that is not your neighborhood school, you will need to fill out an Open Enrollment form for that school if you wish to continue at that site. To learn more and to apply, please visit www.thompsonschools.org/openenrollment
Here’s to a great start in 2021!
Lamb Caro
Early Childhood Administrator
We Read!
We Write!
"Let the child be the scriptwriter, the director and the actor in his own play." ~ Magda Gerber
We Learn through Play!
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning." - Diane Ackerman
Stansberry Early Childhood
Education Corner
We have some WONDERFUL NEWS! We have received a Thompson Education Foundation Grant for a new program called Tuck In Tuesdays! Each Tuesday beginning in January you will have the opportunity to have an Early Childhood staff member read a favorite bedtime story to your child via a special Youtube Channel. We are very excited to share this gift with you! Stay tuned for more information!
January often brings cold snowy weather that means lots of inside time for our little ones. In order to make the most of these long winter hours, here are some ideas for learning…
· Preschoolers love to help! Have your child help sort and fold the socks. Talk about same and different. You can then sort them by family member or color and count how many each family member has.
· Have your child help set the dinner table. Work on counting how many forks, knives and spoons you will need for the meal. Encourage him/her to decide what else you might need for the meal…salad dressing, ketchup, salt and pepper, etc.
· Encourage your preschooler to count the stairs in your home each time they climb up/down. Have them stop on stair number 3, 6 etc.
· When you ask your child to clean his/her room, divide up the task to make it more manageable. Start by picking up all the cars, now the stuffed animals, now the books etc.
· Snuggle up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa with your little one. Ask them to “read” to you by looking at the pictures and retelling the story.
Each of these activities builds categorization skills, counting skills and self-esteem. By allowing your child to help, you are building their independence and sense of accomplishment. Encourage their efforts and praise their persistence. Most of all…have fun!
Amy Gerhard
Education Coordinator
970-613-5078
Social Emotional Learning
Returning to school after the extended break may have your child feeling excited or worried or a mix of lots of feelings. Transitions can be challenging. You can help your child prepare for each day by talking about the schedule and letting them know what will be happening. You can say, “I’m going to drop you off at school, and you will have breakfast and play with your friends, and learn some new things and then eat lunch and then I will pick you up and we will come home and take a nap.” You can also use pictures to show your child what the day will look like. Knowing what to expect can lower any anxiety about the day that your child may have and set them up for success.
Also, take time to spend some focused time with your child when they are home with you. Playing with your child, even for just 15 to 30 minutes, and letting them decide what you will play is very empowering and calming for them and helps them feel connected to you during this busy time.
These two simple things can make a huge difference for your child as they are transitioning back to school. We are looking forward to seeing all of their beautiful faces! Happy New Year everyone!
Susan Bartlett, Mary Bowman, Kirsten Coldiron, and Karyn O’Connell
Early Childhood Behavior Support Team
Health & Safety
Fire Safety
It is important to talk to your children and teach them about fire safety and what they should do in case of fire. This includes teaching them about the sounds of the smoke detector and knowing what to do if they smell smoke or hear the alarm. Planning and practicing a fire escape route with your family and talking to your children about what to expect in a fire are simple steps anyone can take. A prepared child is more likely to escape unharmed.
Safety Smart Reminders for Parents
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside each sleeping area.
• Test smoke alarms (press the test button) once a month to make sure they work.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
• Make a home fire escape plan with your family.
• Find two ways out of every room and an outside meeting place a safe distance from your home.
• Practice your escape plan twice a year (one during the day and one at night).
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get out and stay out! If you have to escape through smoke, get low and stay low.
• Know the emergency number for your fire department or teach children about 911. Call 911 in a real fire emergency after you are a safe distance away from your home
Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week Web site, www.firepreventionweek.org & Safe Kids Worldwide.
Christiana Shorten
Health Coordinator
Family Engagement
We are very excited to announce that the new Family Center at Stansberry is open! The Family Center features the following resources for our school district and families:
Technology Center with computer and internet access
Family lending library
Connections to community resources
Parent education opportunities
Food and basic needs pantry
The Family Center is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 am - 4 pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 8 am - 7 pm. All visits to the Family Center will be by appointment only. Use this link to schedule an appointment: https://www.thompsonschools.org/familycenter
You may also call (970) 613-6808 or email family-center@thompsonschools.org to schedule an in person or virtual appointment or to receive additional information.
Julie Lindsay - Family & Community Partnership Coordinator
English Language Development
Happy New Year!!
Now is a great opportunity to increase your bilingual child’s early reading skills. Try out some of the tips below to increase your child’s social, emotional and language development.
Read together everyday- make this a fun activity that just the two of you can share. Read in the language that your child hears in the home.
Give everything a name in your home language- This will build your child’s vocabulary. Talk about interesting words and objects. For example, “Look, there’s an airplane! Those are the wings. Why do you think they are called wings?”
Read with your silly voice- Kids loving hearing the humor and expression in stories. Anything goes!
Read it again and again- Repetition is key for early language learners. When they hear words and phrases over and over it becomes second nature and helps them learn new concepts by making connections to what they have already heard and experienced.
Have fun! Enjoy your time together. Before you know it, they’ll be off to kindergarten!
Have a wonderful Spring semester! Please call or email if you have any questions for me.
-Julie Sullivan, ELD teacher
julie.sullivan@thompsonschools.org
(970) 613-6885