The Ocean Courant~ January 2020
Carelot Children's Center, Inc.
A message from Holly Bevilacqua
Happy New Year to all! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I know I speak for our Administrative Team when I say that we look forward to a wonderful 2020 working together. Our staff are the heart of Carelot and we couldn't do it without you. Thank you for your committment to Early Childhood Education! 2020 will take us into a new decade- We are excited to have started it with ipads and tablets for your classrooms allowing better communication for families.
I am starting a new campaign for our staff Facebook page with posts for each day of the week.
Motivational Mondays
Trivia Tuesdays
Coffee Talk Wednesdays
Artsy Thursdays
Fun Fridays
If you have ideas- I would love to hear from you. I am always reachable via email holly@carelot.net or at Ext. 109.
I am looking forward to another great year here at Carelot!!!
Inservice Day 1/20/2020
Teachers will also conduct their Family-Teacher Conferences in the afternoon.
Working together!!!!
Creativity thrives when people work together on a team. Brainstorming ideas as a group prevents stale viewpoints that often come out of working solo. Combining unique perspectives from each team member creates more effective selling solutions.
What you have learned from your individual experiences is entirely different from your coworkers. Thus, teamwork also maximizes shared knowledge in the workplace and helps you learn new skills you can use for the rest of your career.
This Week's Topic- Parent Conferences
Conferences- Last 2 weeks of January 2020
We will be holding family conferences the end of January with the bulk of them being held On Martin Luther King Day. Be sure to get forms from your Supervisor (found in the conference folder in our Curriculum Originals) These forms and information you will need to hold successful conferences.. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. Take the time to develop these relationships now with your families and they will save you lots of frustration in the future. Listen to the family’s expectations and comments with an open mind and enjoy the opportunity to share ideas and information about each of your special little people.
The key is being prepared. Utilize your planning time over the next week to ready yourselves. Ask questions and use the resources available to you in the resource room, office and in your supervisor’s brains.
** Assessments and Portfolios: You have all received the CT ELDS over the last year and also they have started DOTS an assessment tool to utililze. What is great is our Portfolios mathc up nicely with these making for a streamlined assessment process. See your Site Manager or Executive director if you have any questions.
** Focused Portfolios™ sheets should be gone over when getting ready for your conference and child portfolios will be part of your parent conference.
**Family Conference summary form is to be used AT the conference to document any plans or ideas that come up with you and the child’s family regarding: Classroom ideas, family participation, ideas for future development, etc…
Family Conference Procedure
NAEYC -4.A.02-03, 4.B.01, 7.A.02,03,06
1. Put out “It’s Conference Time” notice to all of your parents. Be sure to give them at least a week to complete and return the forms. Be sure that the return date gives you at least a week to plan a conference schedule.
NOTE: These conferences are MANDATORY for all parents/guardians in our program. Be sure to follow up with all families to ensure compliance.
2. Conference schedules must be proposed to the Site Manager prior to confirming scheduled times with the families. This is to allow for available space for a private conference setting for all teachers. Once approval is given, send home the "Confirmation of Conference" forms.
3. Complete Focused Portfolios Reflection and Planning Form on each of your children. Give yourself time to think about the children’s development and be honest and developmentally appropriate with expectations.
4. Submit Reflection Forms to the Site manager for review and comment.
6. Send out the confirmation time for the parents once it has been approved by your site manager- Utilize Kid reports for Reminders and communication.
7. Hold Conference: In a quiet space away from the children or interruptions allowing for confidentiality.
a) THANK THE FAMILY FOR INVESTING THIS TIME IN THEIR CHILD & OUR PROGRAM
b) Give a brief overview of the following: (5 MINUTES)
-Classroom curriculum and learning through play concept.
-Classroom goals and objectives (transition requirements)
- Typical day consists of
- Theme of the week
- Learning Centers (Preschool Only)
- Daily/Weekly Communication format
- Journals and Portfolios (show to date information explain always available)
c) Review Family Conference Forms - both teacher and parent completed (5-6 MINUTES)
d) Set mutual goals and objective for each individual child (4 MINUTES)
e) Be sure to have available information on any problems or concerns reviewed.
f) Hand out Family Involvement Form
NOTE: Be sure you get a feeling of partnership from the family members involved.
8. Set up follow up conference if necessary or follow up on any questions or concerns discussed.
9. File the conference forms in the front of the child's portfolio.
· Note: This is a time to go over the developmental growth of the individual child. If there are behavior issues etc that may need more time to discuss, you will need to schedule another conference. These conferences should only be an overview and limited to 15-20 minutes!
Corporate Office
This Month at Carelot!
"What do you feel is the most important aspect of an early childhood program?
Submit your answer by clicking the link below!
Winner for December was Amanda Shaw! Thank you for sharing!!!
January Incentives:
Site Managers/Executive Directors have challenged you all to the Cleanest Classroom Contest! They will be getting the winner breakfast! Judging will take place throughout the month and winner will be announced January 30th!
Start planning for our community helpers month coming in February - Let's see how creative you transform your classroom! Contest will be the most creative and transformed Dramatic Play area - Post your pictures by February 28th on the staff facebook page.
Corporate incentive-Best Classroom organization. Get creative and organize away. Send your pictures of your classroom organization and labeling to our staff facebook page by January 31st. Winner will receive $100 to spend in their classroom! Winner Announce Feb. 3rd! The more entries you send the more chances you have to win. Type #Januaryincentive in your post.
Happy Anniversary to:
Lorraine from our Clubhouse programs- 13 years!
Matt from our Corporate office- 12 years!
Danielle from our Waterford Center- 1 year
Sharaya from our North Centers- 1 year
Happy Birthday!
MacKenzie- Brooklyn- 1/5
Michaela- Killingly- 1/6
Patty- Corporate- 1/7
Shantea- Killingly- 1/13
Emma- Clubhouse- 1/14
Jacques- Killingly- 1/21
Kaitlyn- Chaplin- 1/24
A little humor!
Carelot Children's Center, Inc
Email: hr@carelot.net
Website: www.carelot.net
Location: 315 Flanders Road, East Lyme, CT, United States
Phone: (860) 739-1993
Facebook: www.facebook.com/carelotctr