The Wintonbury Peeper

When Your Child is Reluctant to Go to School

Parent Teacher Organization

Vision Screening this Month

Hispanic Heritage Celebrations Continued

Dramatic Play

Fire Fighters visit Wintonbury

Apples at Auerfarm

Healthy Families

Nov 8 No School

Election Day

Nov 9 PTO Meeting at Wintonbury

(with a presentation of the School Plan of Excellence by Principal Straker)

Nov 10 Second Cup of Coffee 8:45 - 9:15

Join Mrs. Straker, Mrs. Smith-Horn and Ms. Whyte in the front lobby for a cup of coffee and breakfast treat.

Nov 11 No School

Veterans Day

Nov 14 Picture Retake Day

Nov 17 - Dec 16 District Food Drive ~ More information to come!

November 21, 22 Vision Screening

Nov 23-25 No School Thanksgiving Recess

Dec 7, 8, 9 Early Dismissal Parent Teacher Conferences

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Did you know that this newsletter can be translated into over 90 languages? You can give it try by clicking on the translate button at the top of the page.

Also, please join Ms. Smith-Horn and I at the Second Cup of Coffee - it's coming up soon! We look forward to chatting with you and getting to know you more. This event is the day after the PTO meeting, so I look forward to seeing you at one or the other!

Finally, please remember to....

REPORT all ABSENCES, call the school when your child is out (860-769-5510 or email wecmsattendance@blmfld.org).

All preschool children MUST have a Flu Shot by December 31st. Send documentation to Nurse Ashley.

Thank you!

Samantha Straker

During the school year, there will be mornings when your child is reluctant to go to school. Perhaps they did not get enough rest the night before, there was a change in the morning routine, or they are returning to school after being out for an extended period of time. Despite what the reason may be, this is not an immediate cause for concern. However, if you notice that your child often refuses to attend school, grows extremely anxious, complains of pain or illness (that resolves after they stay home), and has difficulty attending school regularly as a result, these are signs of school avoidance, which is defined as refusal to attend or remain at school and is often accompanied by strong feelings of anxiety.

It is important to address school avoidance early, as inconsistent attendance can have a significant impact on a child’s social-emotional development and academic performance. When children feel safe and in control at school, they are ready to learn. To support your child at home:

Talk to Your Child

When your child is regulated, ask your child about what makes going to school challenging. For example, “I noticed that you had difficulty getting ready for school in the morning. What’s going on?” or “I noticed that you had difficulty getting on the school bus in the morning. Can you tell me about that?” Children may have difficulty pinpointing a reason at first, so you may have to take some guesses and have them respond if you are right or wrong..

Problem-Solve Together

Once you identify the barrier, work with your child to brainstorm solutions that you are both comfortable with. For example, While doing so, role play and model what your child can say and do when this barrier arises, to build their confidence.

Be positive

Describe school as a fun experience to look forward to. Remind your child that they will be playing with their friends and learning new skills throughout the day. Read communications from your child’s classroom teacher so you can tell them exactly what the school day entails, and what fun activities their class will be completing next.

Set firm boundaries

Describe times when staying home is acceptable (e.g., illness or a home day) and explain to your child that they are expected to attend school so they can learn and have fun.

Collaborate with school personnel

School avoidance can be difficult to navigate alone, and affect both children and their families. Please contact me at (860) 760-5510 or nwhyte@blmfld.org to discuss how Wintonbury can support you and your child.

For more information on what to say when your child does not want to go to school, please follow link: How to Respond When Your Child Does Not Want to Go to School

The Lyman Orchards Pie fundraiser raised $5,794 for our school! This significantly surpassed our goal of $3,500. Huge thank you to Elizabeth Duteau for organizing and running this fundraiser and thank you to Jill Pinkey for assisting with entering orders. Reminder that Pie pick up is Wednesday November 16th from 1 to 6 at Wintonbury.

The Fall Festival at Auer Farm was a huge hit! So many families came out to enjoy the animals, fall crafts, hay rides and food. Thank you to our volunteers Lashonda Charles and Tiana Reid for helping serve the pizza and a special thank you to Miriam Varnai who came up with the crafts ideas, got everything set up and helped run the event!

The FREE winter clothing drive/ swap took place this past Wednesday but if you are still in need of winter gear for your child please email the PTO at WintonburyPTO@gmail.com with type of item, size, and color preference and we will check to see if we can get you the item.

Mark your calendars, the scholastic book fair is going to be taking place December 5-9 at Wintonbury! It is a great opportunity for families to purchase books for their children while also helping raise funds for the school. More info to come soon.

Please join us at our next PTO meeting, taking place on Wednesday November 9 at 9 AM in the conference room at Wintonbury (use main entrance). We will also be on zoom for those who can’t make it in person.

Join The Wintonbury PTO Zoom Meeting

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/85419438700?pwd=TWxUc0UxY2xNRU84Wklnemg1dmEzQT09

Meeting ID: 854 1943 8700

Passcode: PTO

• For any questions, comments, and volunteer opportunities please email us @ mailto:wintonburypto@gmail.com
  

• Thank you so much for your continued support of the PTO!

November is vision screening month at Wintonbury!

The Lions Club of Bloomfield will be visiting Wintonbury on November 21 and 22, to screen children for possible vision problems or conditions that may lead to vision impairment. Consent forms will be sent home in backpacks next week. Please fill out and return to school. Only children with signed consent forms will be screened. The screening is as simple as taking a picture!

Mandated Flu Shots:

Please schedule your child’s flu shot as soon as possible this fall. By state law, all preschool students who are enrolled in schools are mandated by the state to have the flu shot annually by December 31st. All preschoolers must get a seasonal flu shot between 8/1/22 and 12/31/22. Documentation must be received by the school nurse verifying that your child received their flu vaccine. If the nurse’s office does not receive your documentation by December 31st, your child will not be allowed back at school until it is received.

For those students who have never got a flu shot before, they must get 2 doses of flu separated by at least 28 days.

The Taíno were an Arawak people who were the indigenous people of the Caribbean and Florida. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti), and Puerto Rico.Feb 12, 2021

The students in Room 204 created their own Taino rock carving necklaces. They viewed samples of clay necklace carvings on the Smart Board. Using their hands, they smooshed a sphere of clay into a flat circle. Then, they dipped a toothpick in water and etched a design into the clay. The clay took two days to dry. Each student was proud to show off their own necklace that they created.

Traditional Mexican folk art, painted on an organic medium called “amate.” Amate (pronounced “ah-MAH-tay”) is a type of paper produced from the fibers of the bark of fig trees. Students painted on brown paper to give the impression of amate.

Students looked at Frieda Kahlo's paintings of sunflowers. Using oil pastels, students created representations of sunflower still lifes.

Students in Room 304 also learned about Frieda Kahlo and created sunflower representations with a variety of art mediums.

The Mexican Mirror, also known as Hojalata, is a type of ornate tin art that is celebrated for its color and craftsmanship. These tin folk art mirrors are made by crafts people in Mexico, with designs varying by region. This type of artwork dates back as far as the 1500’s.

Developmental theorist, Lev Vygotsky, tells us that young children “stand a head taller” when engaged in pretend play. Creating and following rules for specific roles in dramatic play promotes self-regulation and executive function. These skills help students to attend to tasks, remember to follow rules and be “ready to learn”.

In the Dramatic Play Area children take on different roles and recreate real-life experiences. They use props and make -believe to deepen their understanding about the world they live in.

The ability to pretend is very important to your child’s development. Children who know how to make believe develop a good vocabulary, which is important for reading. They learn to cooperate with others and solve problems, and are able to think abstractly—all important skills for success in school. When children pretend, they have to recall experiences and re-create them. To do this, they need to picture their experiences in their minds. For example, to play the role of a doctor, children have to remember what tools a doctor uses, how a doctor examines a patient, and what a doctor says. Being able to visualize an experience or characters from a story is a critical skill for reading comprehension in later years.

At home you can encourage the same kind of pretend play by simply playing with your child and providing some simple props. A sheet and a large empty box creates a house, a hide out, a pirate ship, a doghouse, a castle or a train. The best part about dramatic play is that it only requires your imagination! From the Creative Curriculum©

We were very excited to welcome Bloomfield firefighters Marcus and Ben to Wintonbury. Each class had an opportunity to learn about the equipment firefighters wear and use to put out fires and explore the fire truck! Room 202's experience is captured below.

The first visit to Auerfarm included a hay ride, apple picking, a cider press and of course eating apples! The pictures below highlights Room 305's trip to the farm. If you didn't go on the trip, you can access a video, activities and more information through this link:

Apples Virtual Field Trip

Children need to move their bodies and eat healthy foods. Families can promote healthy habits by encouraging children to eat nutritious foods and get some exercise every day. Here are some suggestions.

• Follow the nutrition guidelines for children under 6. Information on nutritious foods, portion sizes, and sample menus for planning snacks and meals are available free through the CDC.
• Eat meals together. You’ll know what your child is eating, you can model appropriate choices and portion sizes, and you'll have fun talking and spending time as a family.

• Steer your child toward healthier choices at fast food restaurants. Look for salads, sliced apples, baby carrots, and low-fat milk in colorful containers.

• Offer fun, healthy snacks. Ants on a log (celery sticks with peanut butter or cream cheese topped with raisins), sliced fresh fruit on a skewer, or raw vegetables and low-fat yogurt dip are favorites of many young children.

• Teach your child to listen to his or her stomach. When children do this, they’ll learn to know when they have had enough to eat. It takes 15 to 20 minutes after eating to know if you’re really hungry for seconds.

• Plan a taste-testing event. Family members can taste and vote on new, healthy foods—veggie burgers, baby spinach, turkey hot dogs, whole wheat pasta, kiwis, and the like. Then make the favorites part of your regular menu.

• Give hugs and kisses—not food—for comfort and encouragement. This simple action helps children associate eating healthy foods with taking care of themselves. They are likely to grow up to be adults who avoid using food as a reward or a way to cope with stress.

• Limit your children’s screen time. Instead of watching television or playing on the computer, spend time together—go for a run, kick a ball around, ride bikes (or trikes), or take a nature hike.

• Walk instead of driving to nearby places. Leave the stroller at home. Park a few blocks from the store and walk the rest of the way. Get off the bus a stop or two away from your destination and walk the remainder.

Source: Adapted from the Message in a Backpack for L. Colker, 2008, "Trends in Children's Well-Being," News from the Field, Teaching Young Children 1 (4): 20–21.

Other resources are linked below:

What to put in a Lunchbox

Phrases that Help and Hinder Healthy Eating Habits