ECE Connection
March 17, 2023
What's Inside?
Inside this edition you will find:
- Director's Message
- Mile Square & HOPES Spring Into PreK Event (Happening this weekend!)
- Preschool Registration starts Monday
- Upcoming Pre-K Carnival 4/22/23
- World Down Syndrome Day
- Upcoming SEPAG Meeting
- Directories for HOPES, Mile Square, and Wallace Preschool Wildcats
- Weekly Site Updates
- PIRT Corner
- Nurse's Nook
- Ms. Mara's Book of the Week
Dear Early Childhood Families,
It was another fun filled week for our PreK students. Students are learning about different influential women during Women's History Month and having fun acting out their themes in their make believe centers. Our Pre-K providers have a fun event this Sunday in town and they hope to see everyone there. The preschool programs will have a table at Sunday's Main Street Pops event. Come find the table under the viaduct for the opportunity to take some pictures, decorate some treats, and learn more about the fantastic preschool program and providers.
Our HOPES and MSELC school day starts at 8:30 and dismissal is at 2:30. This drop off and pickup times do not apply for students in WRAP programs. If you are going to be late dropping off in the morning or picking up in the afternoon, please make sure to call or email your family advocate. Their information can be found in the directories below.
As a friendly reminder, please remember to call your family advocate and let them know the reason for your child being absent no later than 9:15 am. If you can not call your family advocate, please email dbrookes@hoboken.k12.nj.us. In your email, please state:
- your child's name
- provider
- site
- teacher
- reason for absence
- when we can expect them back in school
Important Upcoming Dates to add to your calendars:
Thursday, April 6th, 2023 we will be having a 1:00 PM dismissal. There are no Wrap services on this day.
Friday, April 7th, 2023 to Friday, April 14th, 2023 there will be No School. The Hoboken Public School District will be closed for Spring Break.
Week of the Young Child is April 17th-21st. More information will be coming on this.
Saturday, April 22nd is our Pre-K Carnival. See below for more information and the registration link!
Please continue reading below to see information for our Upcoming Virtual PreK Information Session, Spring Into PreK Event, Pre-K Carnival, World Down Syndrome Day. Upcoming SEPAG Meeting, Directories for HOPES, Mile Square and our Wallace Preschool Wildcats, Weekly Updates from each site, PIRT Corner, Nurse's Nook, and My Book of the Week. Have a wonderful weekend.
Kind regards,
Kimberly Mara
Director of Early Childhood Education
Mile Square & HOPES Spring Into PreK Event This Weekend!!
Preschool Registration Starts MONDAY!
Upcoming Pre-K Carnival
World Down Syndrome Day
What is World Down Syndrome Day?
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) , 21 March, is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.
The date for WDSD being the 21st day of the 3rd month, was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.
#WorldDownSyndromeDay
Upcoming SEPAG Meeting
“Supporting the mental well-being of my child: A conversation for parents and caregivers”
As part of this workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn about your child’s brain anddevelopment, identify signs of mental health concerns, and obtain resources to support your child’s well-being. You will converse with other parents and caregivers about how your mental health impacts your child’s experiences and receive strategies for self-regulation and stress relief. Lastly, attendants will be able to understand mental health levels of care in New Jersey and how to best support your child’s needs when concerns about their mental health arise.
Guest Speaker
Dr. Melany Rivera Maldonado
https://roundroompsych.com/about/
All district parents and guardians are welcome to attend
HOPES Directory
Mile Square Directory
Wallace Preschool Wildcats Directory
What's Happening in Early Childhood?
Wallace Preschool Wildcats
770
Room 118 has been busy getting ready for St Patrick’s Day chasing all the rainbows they can! The students have been working on sequencing the colors of the rainbow as well as trying to be scientists and made a climbing rainbow. They talked about the scientific process and made their own hypothesis about what they thought was going to happen throughout the experiment and had to be patient to wait for the colors to blend. The students hope they get lucky like the
leprechaun and find all the gold coins at the end of the rainbow!
Brandt
In classroom 106 Ms. Sophia, Ms. Magda, and Ms. Nancy’s students have been working very hard on their new classroom theme of Hospital. They are learning to be nurses, doctors and patients. March has brought lots of opportunities to create some fun art projects. The students are also loving practicing their math skills by playing the “Making Collections” activity.
Calabro
Connors
Ms. Sophia’s class at Connors 006 is involved in the “Restaurant Theme”. The students thoroughly enjoy writing their Play Plans and enjoy engaging in sociodramatic play in their new theme! The centers were transformed into the following: Blocks: Drive Thru; Dramatic Play: Ice cream Shop; Table Toys: Floral Department; Art: Sit Down Restaurant; Science: School Cafeteria; and Literacy: Pizza Restaurant.
Students also enjoyed coloring the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for St. Patrick’s Day! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Jubilee
Rue HOPES
The students in classroom #2 have been learning about St. Patrick’s Day. They pasted green tissue paper using their fine motor skills to decorate a green clover that will be used to make a headband for Friday the 17th to wear.
Rue Mile Square
St. Francis
In room 402, the students are celebrating Women History Month! This week they learned about Helen Keller. The class read the book "Young Helen Keller: Woman of Courage " by Anne Benjamin. This book taught the students about her and the amazing things she did even though two of her senses didn’t work. After reading the book, the class learned about braille. Each student used the braille key sheet to write their Braille initials using Velcro. First, they wrote the original letter of their name in the blank boxes. Then, they searched for the corresponding letter in braille and Velcroed it. The students were then able to close their eyes putting their fingers on the Velcro so they could feel their Braille initial letters.
To extend our activity we blindfolded the students and had them paint a picture. The students realized how difficult things can be when someone is blind. “what color is the paint?” “Where did I already draw?” “Oops, I’m drawing on the table.”
These activities provided the students with some insight into the life of Helen Keller and helped them understand the importance of sensory consciousness and empathy.
Wallace
PIRT Corner
Family Rituals
Cultures all over the world pass down special rituals from generation to generation. Usually those rituals are important because they reaffirm the identity of individuals as part of the larger group who practice it; thus fostering closeness and security between those people. Society relies on rituals because they structure and build the foundation of communities. Rituals can help people learn, grow, and connect by creating meaningful habits that empower humans individually and collectively.
Similarly, family rituals can be utilized to instill security, values, and closeness in children and their caregivers. These habits can be mundane yet still hold special significance because they increase family bonds and create lifelong memories. These meaningful habits can underlie what children grow to value and build a sense of identity and belonging. It can be difficult to balance the busy demands of everyday life while still maintaining connection with family. Family rituals and routines can offer stability for children that further secure attachments. While beneficial to all children, it can be especially useful with anxious kids because the predictability will give them a sense of connection, consistency, and give them a reminder that they are always loved.
Bedtime routines are a great way to incorporate family rituals into a busy schedule. There are no right or wrong routines as long as it works for your family and is as consistent as possible. Here are some options that can be mixed into your child’s bedtime routine:
Pick out pajamas (limit options if that works better)
Bedtime yoga
Bedtime meditation
Pick out and read books
Talk quietly (pick a topic or let them talk about whatever is on their mind)
Deep pressure exercises
Lullaby
Prayer
Say a special goodnight
Snuggle
Hug and kiss goodnight
The predictability of what is to come can help cue children into expectations for the next activity and help them transition into it more smoothly. This will lead to less stress for the caregiver and child.
American Psychological Association. (2002, December 8). Family routines and rituals may improve family relationships and health [Press release]. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2002/12/rituals
Nurse's Nook
Fevers and Anti-Fever Medicines
As you may have heard, there has been an ongoing nationwide shortage of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) as a result of an influx of viral respiratory illnesses this year. Below is a link to a HealthyChildren.org article about fevers, fever-reducing medications, and what to do if your local pharmacy does not have any fever-reducing medicine.
Physicals and Immunizations
Preschool students need a new physical every year. Physicals will expire one year from the date on the Universal Health Record (Ex. If your child’s Universal Health Record is dated 10/15/2021, it will expire on 10/15/2022). Please be prompt in scheduling yearly physicals and give all updated physical/immunization forms to family advocates.
Ms. Mara's Book of the Week
Shark Lady by Jess Keating is a book that I have always loved to read to my students year after year. I always found the story of Eugenie Clark to be so interesting. This past summer, I was able to go to Florida to visit my best friend and her family in North Port. She suggested we go visit the Mote Aquarium in Sarasota. Walking through the doors, much to my surprise I walked into the very aquarium that Eugenie Clark founded. I learned even more about one of my favorite people and my son and I were able to learn so much more about the sea life that they rescue and rehabilitate and their research. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do!