Happy New Year!

We hope that everyone had a safe and wonderful Holiday! We look forward to starting a brand new year with your children!

January will bring snowy and icy weather. Please note the Inclement Weather Protocols. If the School District has a two hour delay, GEARS Kids Center will also have a two hour delay. The elementary GEARS sites and the Community Center will then open at 8:30 am versus 6:30 am. If the School District closes for weather, GEARS may or may not follow closing as well. Notifications will be sent through Bright Wheels early in the morning to alert parents of the status. If the District closes and GEARS is open, please prepare your school aged children to bring their Chrome Books, Passwords and charging cords; as the District will be teaching virtually on any snow closing days. You can also tune into WGAL News or on the WGAL App to see information concerning delays or closings for GEARS Kids Center.

January 5th starts our Annual Little Caesar's Pizza Sale. We have scheduled the sale and delivery so products will be delivered in time for Super Bowl Sunday Parties! Order forms will need to be returned with monies on January 19th, 2023.

Please note there are Non-School Days on January 13th and 16th. See the sign up sheet in this newsletter to reserve you spaces for those dates. January 13th, a Spaghetti & Meatball lunch will be served. A packed lunch will be needed for the 16th of January. Last day to sign up is January 4th for these Non-school days.

Link to January Non-School Days Sign-ups: https://forms.gle/6SHNncTEh6oPQnjW7

Looking ahead to February, a reminder that GEARS Kids Center second Professional Development Day will be held on President's Day, Monday, February 20th. Please plan accordingly as there is no care on this day for families.

Reminder to all families that we still take children outside as long as the temperature is 25 degrees and above to breath in fresh air everyday. Please be sure to provide warm coats, gloves, hats and boots for outside play; especially if we have snow on the ground.

Cold, Flu and other illnesses have already crept into GEARS in the fall, we expect that wintertime will not be different. If your child has a temperature over 100 degrees they will be sent home and cannot return for 24 hours without fever reducing medication. Coughing, lethargy, vomiting and loose bowels are other symptoms that children will be sent home as well. Children may return if those symptoms have subsided for 24 hours. Doctor's notes are required to return to GEARS.

New staff at GEARS Kids Center, we would like to introduce Daija Graybill. Daija works with our Preschoolers with Ms. Rebecca. Welcome Daija!

Thank you to our wonderful families who showered our staff with gifts for the holidays!

Warmly,

Wendy Musser, Kids Center Director

Thank you to all the folks who donated hats and gloves to our GEARS Senior Center! We collected a full laundry basket full of items.

Thank you from all of us at Kids Center!

Each month we will be providing "Parent Resources" for our families! The topics will be related to many areas, health, safety, parenting advice and much more! See the link below for our first article:

https://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/parenting/what-is-positive-parenting

Wendy and Kelly

Caitlin started with GEARS Kids Center in September 2022 as our Kindergarten Teacher. Caitlin holds an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education and lives in Mount Joy. Caitlin has 30 children between her AM and PM Classes. She has been very creative with various academic skills and projects in the classroom. The Adopt a Cow projects are loved by the children. Please help to extend Congratulations to Ms. Caitlin!