School for Young Children
Inquiring Minds May 2018
From the Director: Sue O'Donnell
Our annual fundraising event last Saturday night was a huge success and lots of fun. Many families participated in planning for the event by soliciting donations, selling raffle tickets, decorating the school and cleaning up afterwards. We are fortunate to have a caring community of families who work to support our program in so many ways. Emily Safino and Melissa Bowman, the co-chairs for the PAC committee this year, worked tirelessly to make the evening a success.
We are currently looking for families to contribute their time and talents to next year's PAC committee. If you are interested in becoming one of the Co-chairs for the upcoming school year, please connect with me before the end of this school year. The PAC committee is a great way for families to organize new events, connect with other adults and support SYC.
On Wednesday May 15th at 7pm, we are hosting a workshop for parents. Justine Stagon from Mary's Place , a center for grieving children and families in Windsor, will address the group on how to initiate difficult conversations related to death and dying with young children. Discussions related to this topic and the emotional reactions people may have are difficult for adults to initiate. Families will encounter situations that cause them to deal with the death of a family member, friend, or pet. This workshop will address strategies to use that provide comfort and support during difficult moments and situations.
Thank you to the families who completed our annual survey. Each year we dedicate time during our professional development days to reflect upon the data and look for ways to improve our program. We value your thoughts and ideas and always strive to provide an early childhood educational program that meets children's needs and provides excellent service.
May Events
Staff Appreciation Week
Monday, May 14, 2018, 07:45 AM
SYC Conference Room
Memorial Day/SYC Preschool and Backpack CLOSED
Monday, May 28, 2018, 07:45 AM
School For Young Children, Steele Road, West Hartford, CT, USA
Family Conference Day No Preschool or Backpack
Teachers will be meeting with families to hold end of the year conferences. There will be no Preschool or Backpack held.
Look for conference time sign ups in your child's classroom.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018, 07:45 AM
School For Young Children, Steele Road, West Hartford, CT, USA
Where Can We Explore Nature? Eveywhere!
When we imagine nature, we often think about our own part of the country. Nature is everywhere. Here are some ideas for wherever you might live, whatever the season.
At the beach: Dig down into the sand to find the water level. Look for small creatures while you dig. look for changes in the color and texture of the sand, and observe the size of the sand granules. Notice the colors in the shells. Look for bird and crab tracks.
In the desert: Look for animal tracks, flowers after spring rains, and water sources. If possible, compare the dry desert to the desert after the rain.
In the woods: Climb a tree. (Although children rarely climb above where they are comfortable on their own, you will sense when to draw the line, if necessary.) Swing on a vine or play seesaw with a strong branch balanced on a log. Build a fort with fallen branches.
In the snow: Dress appropriately in layers and then make snow people and snow horses. Pretend to ride the snow horses. Make a snow fort.
In your backyard: Plant a garden and observe the flowers and vegetables as they grow. Watch for visitors, such as birds, insects, toads, lizards, squirrels, rabbits, or deer.
In a vacant lot: Look for weeds, seeds, and evidence of animal life like:
- Scat ( the technical name used by naturalists for animal droppings)
- Animal tracks
- Wood that an animal has gnawed (such as a tree that has marks from a beaver's teeth)
- Holes in the ground ( from a dog, a squirrel, a mole or an armadillo)
- Holes in the trees (from a woodpecker or insects)
Near a pond's edge: Watch for birds and dragonflies taking off and landing or for frogs jumping in the pond. Bring a little net to dip in the water, and ask your child to share his/her discoveries with you. Even if you don't know what creatures are, you can discuss what you see (legs or not legs, scales or no scales, antennae or other body parts, wing colors) and what you hear (fish splashing, insects buzzing, frogs calling).
by Donna Satterlee, EdD, Grace Cormons, Matt Cormons www.naeyc.org
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SUNSCREEN TIME!!
Please apply sunscreen to your child before arriving to school each day.
In order for SYC staff to apply sunscreen to afternoon Backpackers, parents must fill out the Sunscreen Authorization Form.
Forms can be found in the Main Office.
Please label all sunscreen bottle clearly with your child's first and last name.
PAC NEWS
This year's Fiesta themed spring fundraiser was a huge success! It was a great night for all. The school was transformed and there was great food, drinks, and auction bidding to make for an amazing night. A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and efforts to put together such a fun night as well as everyone who donated and bid on items. The auction couldn't have been so successful without the amazing parent community we have here at SYC. There is still so much to look forward to in the last months before summer vacation.
Our SYC family day at the Yardgoats will be Sunday May 6th. We have sold over 120 tickets and are so excited for a fun day to watch baseball and the kids even get to run the bases at the end of the game!
Family Conference Day is Tuesday May 29th and Preschool and Backpack will be closed. School will also be closed on Monday May 28th for Memorial day.
Staff Appreciation Week is May 14th-18th. It's a chance to show our teachers and staff how valued they are and how much we appreciated all that they do for our children. More details to come.
Also in June: The family picnic will be June 1st on Taylor's Field. Come celebrate the end of the school year with your SYC friends.( There will be an ice cream truck handing out treats for all!)
Summer Camp Registration
We still have spots left in our Summer Camp!
Find a brochure and registration form in the Main Office.
Please contact Jackie with any questions, jsanderson@usj.edu 860.231.5569
2018-2019 Registration Forms
The registration forms for 2018-2019 will be mailed home at the end of May. Please fill them out competely and return to the Main Office by July 9th. If your child will be having a physical exam later than July 9th, please send in all forms and hand in the physical exam form after your child's appointment.
Please note, children will not be able to start school on Aug 30th if all paperwork has not been handed in.
Looking Ahead...
- June 1: Family Picnic 5:30-7pm (rain date June 8th)
- June 12: Last day of Preschool and Backpack
- June18-29: Camp Session1
School for Young Children at the University of Saint Joseph
Website: www.schoolforyoungchildren.org
Location: 238 Steele Road, West Hartford, CT, USA
Phone: 860.231.5560
Facebook: facebook.com/schoolforyoungchildren