SASD 4K Family Newsletter
Grow. Play. Learn.
November 1st, 2023
This month we recognize our parents and staff with joy and thanks! We know the importance of early literacy, social/emotional/play, and motor development. Parents and teachers, thank you for all that you do and how hard you work for children.
A special thanks for our SASD Superintendent, Dr. Dan Keyser. He visited all of our 4K sites in October. Check out the pictures below of him visiting our classrooms!
Erin Conrad, 4K Principal
Sara Jane Lee, 4K Coordinator
Mindy Holverson, 4K Administrative Assistant
Inclement Weather
This year SASD will be implementing a new practice for snow days by utilizing a 2-hour delay when needed. If a 2-hour delays occurs there will be no AM 4K. Please check the SASD Inclement Weather site for more information.
SASD 4K Calendar
No School Thanksgiving weekend November 22nd, 23rd, 24th
Happy Thanksgiving!!
*See the 4K calendar below
SASD STAFF BIOS
We are so thankful for our community partners AND our fabulous 4K Teachers and Educational Assistants!
INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING
For parents and staff:
What to Watch: Five Moore Minutes: The Evolution of InclusionWhat to Read: Definition of Inclusion (1 page)
What to Use: Checklist of Sample Supplemental Supports, Aids, and Services
OWL Curriculum
Community helpers are very important; they keep the community safe and healthy, make life better for people in the community, and help the community function more efficiently. Other community helpers assist us in times of emergency, such as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.
Supporting Early Reading at Home
Phonological awareness: a broad skill that includes identifying and manipulating units of oral language – words, syllables, and onsets and rimes. Phonemic awareness is a subset of phonological awareness that focuses specifically on recognizing and manipulating phonemes, or sounds.
Environmental Sounds: What’s the Sound? Have your child close their eyes while you make a sound with something in the room. See if they can guess what the sound is!
The Animal Name Game: Have your child close their eyes while you make an animal noise. See if they can guess what the animal is!
Same or Different: Have your child close their eyes while you make two sounds with things in the room (Ex: knock on table, crinkle paper). Have your child say if the sounds are the same or different.
Sound Isolation: Initial Sound Isolation: Say “I’m going to say a word and just the first sound, then it’s your turn!”
Final Sound Isolation - Punch it out! Say a word and punch up the final sound. (Ex: Parent: pat /t/ Child: pat /t/)
Blending – combining parts into a whole: Say two word parts, blend them together to make a word, and have your child repeat it.
Compound words: cup-cake → cupcake
Syllables: blan-ket → blanket
Onset-Rime: h-at → hat
OWL Early Numeracy
Learning shapes not only helps children identify and organize visual information, it helps them learn skills in other curriculum areas including reading, math, and science. Learning shapes also helps children understand other signs and symbols. A fun way to help your child learn shapes is to make a shape hunt game.
Learning without Tears-Handwriting
Teaching students at a young age to write improves their reading skills by helping them recognize the connection between the letters they see and the sounds the letter make.
Everything we can do to build a strong relationship with the written word is important for a child's future development.
The Pyramid Model
The Pyramid Model Framework focuses on:
prevention of behavior that challenges by intentionally supporting nurturing and responsive relationships,
creating high-quality learning environments,
teaching and supporting the practice of key social and emotional skills, and
designing collaborative systems to support caregivers to employ highly individualized supports when children need them.
Tucker the Turtle
Tucker the Turtle Song
Stories:
Tucker the Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think
I can Be Safe and Healthy by Washing my Hands
Click on the link for more resources from The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations or see below for a couple more social/emotional strategies.
Some Starters for Giving Positive Feedback and Encouragement
For more information go to:
Some Starters for Giving Positive Feedback and Encouragement
The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
Self-Regulation Skills: Breathing Strategies
Self-Regulation is the ability to recognize and manage your emotions and behaviors in different settings and activities.
Children who learn to regulate their emotions:
►Have an easier time making friends
►Handle disappointment better
►Relate more successfully with peers and adults
►Are less impulsive
For more information go to: Self-Regulation Skills: Breathing Strategies
The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
The Nurtured Heart Approach
In November, our 4K friends will focus on the words:
Unique "I show my greatness by knowing there is only one me and celebrating that by being the best that I can be."
Helpful "I show my greatness by doing jobs to keep our classroom in order."
Joyful "I show my greatness by sharing the smile on my face and the happiness in my heart with everyone."
Healthy and safe!
"I show my greatness by eating healthy foods and washing my hands so I do not spread germs."
Nurtured Heart Message
You may have noticed that kids are just not the same as they were pre pandemic. COVID has shown us how important it is to teach specific socio-emotional learning skills. In particular, self-regulation. The good news is that like connecting 3 seconds at a time, regulation can be taught in 3 minutes (over and over and over again). By taking 3 minutes throughout the course of the day, you can teach your children to regulate, they will be able to access their thinking (front) brain and make better choices. They will also benefit from more regulation throughout the course of the day and week.
***Doing the activities with your children gives you the opportunity to model that this is important, and you gain the same benefits.
Some ideas:
4 x 4 breathing- 4 count inhale- 4 count hold- 4 count exhale (repeat)
Square breathing is similar to 4X4. Use a Smartboard or bulletin board to move your eyes as you inhale and exhale around the shape.
Guided meditation is available on Youtube.
GoNoodle has videos that can help. They are geared towards younger audiences, but an older class with a sense of fun could also benefit.
No matter the age, we need to give children the language of regulation and teach them how to do it until they can do it for themselves.
To your Greatness, Humanity, & Significance
Sara Jane
Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education
Antiracism Resources
A Look into our Equity Work:
Community Events, Partnerships, & Professional Development
Equality is the measure of sameness; being treated in the same way.
Equity is a measure of fair treatment, opportunities and outcomes across race, gender, class and other dynamics.
Justice means we've addressed the cause(s) of the inequity and the systemic barrier has been removed.
The distinction is important. We are told that to be fair we must treat everyone the same (equal). However, when we recognize the legacy of institutionalized and structural racism we understand that differing people and communities need different resources (justice, equity). In order to be equitable we provide specific, unique resources that will support people and communities getting their basic needs met and reaching their full potential. Sameness is not always fairness if the oppressed group remains disadvantaged. (Source)
Stoughton Food Pantry
520 S. 4th Street, Stoughton
*Call for an appointment: 608-873-8103
Family Resources
Happy Thanksgiving
Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes
Get your young chefs excited for dinner by involving them in the kitchen with these kid-friendly Thanksgiving recipes! Additionally, assisting with recipes helps children develop their reading and math (measuring) skills.
Thanksgiving Songs for Children Video
This collection of popular Thanksgiving and fall (autumn) songs for children includes Thanksgiving dances for children, popular Thanksgiving and fall children’s action songs, rhymes and more! Your children will enjoy this playlist collection filled with seasonal favorites— ideal for preschool, kindergarten and elementary age children. They also make great brain breaks during virtual learning.
MORE Thanksgiving FUN
• Encourage your children to help in the preparation of the food for this holiday. Have them assist with holiday cooking and baking. They can help fill, stir, and pour. Through these activities, children learn, quite naturally, to count, measure, add, and estimate. This website has some fun Thanksgiving recipes to make with kids.
• With 55 craft activities for Thanksgiving one is bound to find several of interest.
November 26th- Charles Schulz's Birthday
Charles Schulz was the creator of the long-running “Peanuts” comic strip. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the other “Peanuts” characters made Schulz famous all over the world. Here are a few of his read alouds:
How to Receive Text from SASD
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Contact us!
Kate Ahlgren, Director of Curriculum and Instruction kate.ahlgren@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Sara Jane Lee, 4K Coordinator sarajane.lee@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Mindy Holverson, 4K Administrative Assistant mindy.holverson@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.stoughton.k12.wi.us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stoughtonschools/