Apollo Early Childhood Center
October, 2020 Updates
Principal's Corner
Dear Apollo Families,
On behalf of our entire Early Childhood family, I would like to thank you for an incredible start to our 2020-2021 school year.
As in past years, we have so much to be proud of here! This year, we offer the following programs for our children and for their families: Early Intervention, Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), Head Start, the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), SXI, and infant, toddler, and preschool tuition program options. We are also thrilled to partner with our District's Special Education Department to offer speech and language, social work, and occupational and physical therapy opportunities to our eligible youngsters. We have so many wonderful resources underneath our Apollo umbrella!
Finally, I want to thank everyone for their flexibility and patience as we continue to settle into our safety processes and protocols. While we continue to adjust and work out kinks, as always, we are appreciative of your continued support. I thoroughly look forward to another year with all of you, and I am excited for the opportunities that await us. Until next month...
Warm Regards,
Jen Kidd
This month's Apollo Friday Forum highlights...
Curriculum Spot Light: Small Group Time
What is small group?
Small group is the time during our daily schedule where an activity is teacher- initiated based off of childrens' skill sets, interests and needs. Small group usually consists of 4 to 8 children and lasts anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes depending on the children’s engagement in the activity. Small group is taught twice a day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. During small group, adults introduce children to new materials and activities, which the children can then continue to explore at work time. This is often when the teacher will pick an academic component like patterning and will focus on a child’s interest like a dinosaur. In this situation, for example, the teacher will work with children on patterning with dinosaur figurines.
Our classrooms usually consist of two or three small groups depending on the age group. The children work together to form a relationship and to gain comfortability being in a group. An extension of a small group activity is described as scaffolding. Scaffolding occurs when additional materials to support children's learning in a specific area are introduced, or when children use the materials already introduced in a different way in order to challenge their thinking.
Children acquire knowledge by actively experiencing the world around them; choosing, exploring, manipulating, practicing, transforming, and experimenting. Over time, you will see change in your child’s use of materials, in their communication, and with their adult/child interactions. Small group is an imperative part of the daily routine and support of child development in these areas.
At Apollo, small group is an important part of our daily routine.
One of our favorites!
Getting your Child to School on Time: Why it's Important
Mornings can be challenging! Coming in late to school can be, too. Young children are easily distracted; a classmate who comes into the room after an activity has started often causes disruption. Disruptions can take time away from valuable activities. Children want and need time to visit with friends and to settle into the classroom routine. Being late doesn’t make that transition easy for them and they may feel anxious or rushed. Some children are embarrassed when everyone’s attention is drawn to them. Being on time means that they are not an unexpected center of attention. Some tips that may help with morning routine and arriving to school on time include:
Be conscious of time: Set all your clocks and watches to the same time. If you’re someone who may typically run late, set them up a little so that you’ve got some “wiggle room”. Things usually take longer than you think, so make sure you’ve allowed sufficient time to get out of the house and on your way.
Wake up when you’re supposed to: Don’t hit the snooze button for just a few more minutes. Set a time to get up and do it! This is much easier if you go to sleep on time.
Re-examine how long your daily tasks take: Make sure that you’re not underestimating the time it takes to get ready and out of the house in the morning.
Plan your daily commute: Check out the shortest route, where traffic jams might occur and alternate routes. Do this before you actually have to arrive at school. Check the weather reports for road conditions during inclement weather.
Organize yourself: Pick out clothing the night before. Plan lunches and put together what you can the night before. If you need to take something with you to school, put it next to your keys or purse.
For children: Have their clothes ready (including coats and mittens). Make sure they get baths the night before. Inspect backpacks and diaper bags and make sure all the books, materials and other items they will need the next day are there—put it by the door for easy pick-up on the way out.
If getting to school on time is something that your family would like additional resources or ideas for, please feel free to reach out to any of us here at Apollo. We're happy to help!
Prepared by:
Southern Early Childhood Association
http://www.southernearlychildhood.org
WE HAVE GSRP & FEE-BASED PRESCHOOL OPENINGS STILL AVAILABLE
A Few Reminders...
- Additional fall picture day information will be coming home this week.
- November 3rd: Professional Development Day for teachers; non-attendance day for ECSE, GSRP and fee-based preschool students. Child care will be in session.
- Please make sure that your child comes with an appropriate fall jacket and shoes or rain boots every day. As long as weather permits, we go outside daily.
About Us
Email: jennifer.kidd@hvs.org
Website: https://www.hvs.org/schools/earlychildhood/apollo-center/
Location: 2029 North Milford Road, Highland, MI, USA
Phone: 248-684-8040