It was so nice to see so many of you in person at our conferences yesterday! I want to thank you and all of the PK teachers for your dedication to our Eaglets and strong partnership. Next week we have evening and afternoon family conferences on November 7th and 9th. If you have not had the chance to schedule, please reach out to your teacher or give a call to the main office 860-253-4741! Looking forward to seeing you!

*CHECK OUT THE FALL/WINTER COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE NEWSLETTER!!! THIS GUIDE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR HEAD START FAMILY SUPPORT OFFICE. IT IS UPDATED SEASONALLY, AND WILL REMAIN IN THIS NEWSLETTER FOR QUICK REFERENCE!

A FEW REMINDERS for NOVEMBER:

• NO SCHOOL NOVEMBER 8TH

• Early release November 9TH

Head Start full day: dismissal at 12:30

Head Start part day: dismissal at 11:30

Integrated Pre-K: AM classes only, no PM classes

PK STEAM Academy: dismissal at 12:30

• NO SCHOOL NOVEMBER 11th

• Early release NOVEMBER 23TH

• NO SCHOOL NOVEMBER 24TH AND 25TH

• As mentioned in the last couple of newsletters, ECDC has shifted their hours which makes 8:00 quite busy in our parking lots. If you are parking in the front lot to drop your child off, please remain aware that if a bus has a stop sign out and staff are unloading kids, YOU MAY NOT PASS THEM. Additionally, parking in the middle of the drive way to drop off poses a traffic jam. Parking in a space ensures we don't get backed up onto Post Office Road.

• Thank you for your continued dedication to keeping SELC healthy by monitoring your child for illness and communicating with Nurse Jen!

Description:

Children practice making a plan and following through with their plan.

How we do it…

First children read and review the plan from the previous day. Then children choose a center (identified by a color) and a role badge; for example the center they choose could be the beach and the role they choose could be activities director or life guard. Children state their plan and take the color marker that matches their center color. Children then draw or scribble a picture of them, the role they will be in, and props they will use. Children make lines on the bottom of their page that correspond with the amount of words in their sentence. “I am going to the beach” has 6 words so they would make 6 lines. Children will then attempt to write their message using a letter chart provided. After completing their message children will write their names at the top of their play plan as a last step. After showing a teacher the children take their plan with them to the center they chose, children can use these plans throughout play to help remember what their role is.

What are children learning?

• Drawing for meaning

• Math skills

• Writing skills/ fine motor development

• Letter and sound knowledge

• Self regulation

This activity focuses on the following Executive Function skills:

• Inhibitory control of actions and attention by completing the steps of play planning before going to play

• Working Memory by remembering what their plan is, drawing it and then following through with doing it

• Cognitive Flexibility by being okay with their picture not looking exactly like the thing they will be doing

Joining a new school community can sometimes feel like learning a new language as you acclimate to the procedures, environment, people, and lingo. See below to begin learning about all things Stowe:

• SELC=Stowe Early Learning Center
• SELC=our mascot (the eaglet featured above)
• FEO=Family Educator Organization
• ECDC=Enfield Child Development Center
• EPS=Enfield Public Schools
• FRC=Family Resource Center
• IPS=Integrated Pre-K
• HS=Head Start
• KITE=Key Initiatives to Early Education
• PKS=PK STEAM Academy
• Eaglets=all children taking part in any program at SELC

IMPORTANT NUMBERS:

• Main Office=860-253-4741
• Head Start Family Support=860-253-4717
• Nurse=860-763-8858
• FRC=860-253-6580
• KITE=860-253-6502

Our building is quite unique in that we house 4 PK programs, a Family Resource Center, and KITE.