SASD 4K Family Newsletter
Grow. Play. Learn.
September 7th, 2021
Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them. Did you know that it is important as adults to play as well? You'll learn a new task better when it's fun and you're in a relaxed and playful mood.
Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and solve problems. It can improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others.
Have fun and find something playful to do this week!
Erin Conrad, 4K Principal
Sara Jane Lee, 4K Inclusion Support Teacher
Mindy Holverson, 4K Educational Assistant
Meet the SASD 4K Staff
SASD District Administration
Erin Conrad, District 4K Principal
Sara Jane Lee, 4K Inclusion Support Teacher
Mindy Holverson, Administrative Assistant
Our 4K mission as a collaborative community is to ensure quality early learning experiences that will positively impact the Stoughton area four-year-old children now and in the future.
Meet the Martin Luther 4K Staff
Stephanie Boness, School Director
Anita Symons, 4K Teacher
Casey Reed, 4K Teacher
Courtney Erickson and Cathy Young, 4K Assistants
Meet the Weebleworld 4K Staff
Maggie Gasner, School Director
Wendy, Vandermause, 4K Teacher
Sue Halverson-Natvig and Heather Johnson, 4K Assistants
Meet the Pumpkin Patch 4K Staff
Natalie Richter, School Director
Kristyn Stiver, 4K Teacher
Brittany Rusch, 4K Teacher
Gabby Eith and Chloe Anderson, 4K Assistants
Pumpkin Patch uses a traditional preschool approach and emphasizes child development through independent, structured, and group play activities. Our primary focus is the holistic development of each individual child as we help them play, learn and grow in preparation for kindergarten and beyond.
Meet the LaPetite 4K Staff
Kaycee Steele, School Director and 4K Teacher
Char Kalagain, 4K Assistants
Throughout our school community, we share a commitment to fostering a culture where differences are valued, and interactions are free of bias. We nurture the next generation of future leaders. To do so, we place value on their unique identities, abilities, backgrounds, and points of view.
Meet the St Ann 4K Staff
Meet the Reach Dane-Head Start 4K Staff
Erin Finger, Education Programming Manager
Karen Ottelien, Site Director
Amanda Johnson, 4K Teacher
Matt Janisch 4K Assistant and and Aaron Sampson, Family Outreach and 4K Assistant
Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and families. We are so happy to partner with Head Start.
Pictured below: Ms. Ottelien, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Sampson and Mr. Janisch
Meet the SASD Early Childhood Special Education Staff
Laurel Gretebeck, SASD Nurse
Lisa Buechner, Speech and Language
Jane Dean, Speech and Language
Janet Molldrem, Learning Strategist
Gemini Rewey, Learning Strategist
Andrea Hanson, Education Assistant
Amie Rivest, Occupational Therapist
Kim Kicera, Physical Therapist
Welcome to our New Special Education EA
A message from Andrea: I am excited to be the EC/4K EA and instill a love for learning in these precious young children’s lives. I believe that we are all lifelong learners and every day is an opportunity for positive growth.
Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA)
To kick off the year, we wanted to share information about the most magical thing we've ever used with our own children and for supporting students in the classroom- The Nurtured Heart Approach. Although it was developed to support children with extreme behavioral challenges, it works for all children! All it takes is a little practice.
NHA is more than just a parenting or behavior-management strategy; it is a philosophy for creating healthy relationships. It is about capturing everyday moments truthfully and reflecting them back to children in ways that celebrate great decisions, judgment and wisdom. It is about gently but steadfastly refusing to give energy to negative behaviors while never failing to enforce rules in a simple, powerfully effective way. (Glasser, Transforming the Intense Child Workbook (2016) pg 13)
The creator of the NHA explains the basic HERE in a mere 5:04 minutes.
If you are interested in taking the free course that Howard Glasser, creator of the NHA, talks about in the video, click HERE.
If you aren't interested in the course, no worries, we will be sharing information, stories, videos and other tidbits related to NHA with you each week during this forced family time.
To your GREATNESS, HUMANITY AND SIGNIFICANCE!!!
Amy Ruck, Karla Cornell-Wevley, & Sara Jane Lee
The Pyramid Model Framework
Emotional Literacy: Using Feeling Faces
The Feeling Faces assist children with understanding their feelings and the feelings of others. It is important to teach children words to use to express feelings in replace of the use of challenging behavior. The feeling cards that follow can be used in a variety of ways to help children learn social emotional skills around use of emotional literacy and vocabulary. Use the pictures to talk about, identify, and describe different emotions when you or children feel this way.
- The feeling faces can be used as part of an “emotion check in.” Children can use the feeling faces to let you know how they are feeling throughout the day.
- Teach new feeling vocabulary words. Start with a few emotions then move to the more complex emotions. Teach a balance of “positive, comfortable” and “negative/ uncomfortable” feelings.
- Discuss how people can tell how you are feeling by looking at the expression on your face.
- Talk about how to tell the different feelings apart by looking at the eyes, the mouth or body position of a person.
- Use the feeling faces to help you point out and explain the different facial expressions.
Check out some of the feeling faces below and click on the link for more pictures and ideas on how to support your child's social/emotional development.
EQUITY CORNER
Our Compassionate School community will operate within a proactive system of support to promote a positive, inclusive culture with equity, respect, and dignity so we can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.
Contact us!
Kate Ahlgren, Director of Curriculum and Instruction kate.ahlgren@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Sara Jane Lee, 4K Inclusion SupportTeacher sarajane.lee@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Mindy Holverson, 4K Educational Assistant mindy.holverson@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.stoughton.k12.wi.us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stoughtonschools/