ECE Connection
May 6, 2022
What's Inside
- Supervisor's Message
- Site News
- ECE Team Shares
- Health and Wellness
Dear Preschool Parents and Guardians,
In last week's ECE Connection I shared COVID numbers by site for the month of April. Just a gentle reminder that the HPS Early Childhood Program is a provider operated program and as such our providers must follow the regulations and guidance set forth by the Office of Licensing and the New Jersey Department of Education’s Early Childhood Education Office, which at times differ from what is permissible in the K-12 space.
An example of one of the differences is our inability to practice Test to Stay. The New Jersey Department of Health released interim guidance on January 1, 2022 regarding the Test to Stay (TTS) Program for the implementation in grades K- 12. At this time, the NJDOH has not given permission for TTS to be utilized in child care facilities. The TTS program cannot be implemented in preschool without proper approval from the NJDOH or the Governor's Office through an Executive Order. While there are still many COVID related questions our dedicated ECE Nurse Karoline O'Keeffe is happy to answer them for you. Her contact information can be found in the Health and Wellness section towards the bottom of this newsletter.
This past week we honored our teachers as we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week and today kicks off a week of celebrating nurses! Both teachers and nurses are vital aspects of the Early Childhood program and we thank them for their commitment to our students and their families and their dedication to the program.
I'd also like to take a moment to wish all the moms, step-moms, bonus moms, grandmothers, aunts, biological or otherwise to have a restful and enjoyable Mother's Day on Sunday.
Sincerely,
Lauren Eakin
Supervisor of Early Childhood Education
Site News
Calabro- MSELC
Rue- MSELC
770 Jackson- MSELC
Wallace- PSD
ECE Team News
A Message from the PIRT
Discipline: Timeouts Versus Logical Consequences
Most adults believe that children need consequences or punishment for inappropriate behavior. What we do know about child development is that punishments implemented in anger seldom work well in the long term. Children might comply in the moment, but there are often lingering effects on their self esteem and it can lead to resentment towards caregivers or even authority figures in general. Today we are going to compare two popular forms of discipline, specifically timeouts and logical consequences.
Timeouts are a method of discipline in which a child is removed to “think” about the situation that occurred and return after a predetermined amount of time. Children should generally receive one minute of timeout per year of life. For instance, a three your old child should receive a 3 minute timeout. The space used for timeouts should also be in a neutral area of the home and not their bedroom. Bedrooms usually have a lot of rewarding items such as toys or a TV. Another reason to avoid using a child’s bedroom as a timeout space is so that the child doesn’t create a negative association with their room; which in turn may cause them to suddenly begin to have challenges with sleeping and not wanting to be alone in their bedroom. Adults often like timeouts because it is a peaceful approach that gives the child time away to calm down. It also helps with stopping inappropriate behavior for the moment. The drawback to using timeouts is that it doesn’t teach the child what they did wrong or how to behave next time. Children are isolated for engaging in inappropriate behavior and many children will engage in the same behaviors in the future, perhaps in a sneakier way so as to not get caught. Timeouts can also be difficult because there is no choice involved. The child might not go willingly, which could end up causing a power struggle.
Logical consequences are imposed by an adult and intended to create a helpful learning experience that might encourage the child to choose responsible cooperation and learn from their mistakes. Logical consequences must follow the three R’s and H rules. They should be related to the behavior, respectful of the child’s feelings while still being kindly and firmly enforced, and considered reasonable from the child and adult’s points of view. Lastly, logical consequences should be helpful in encouraging behavior change.
Don't Forget about the PIRT and MTs Webinar Recordings
The Preschool Intervention and Referral Team (PIRT) and Master Teachers (MT) are instructional coaches for our PK teaching staff. In their roles, they coach, model, and provide strategies for our classroom teachers. Additionally, they provide Parent Workshops.
Last year, due to COVID restrictions we were unable to host in-person Parent Workshops last year so the teams got creative and used webinars. These webinars range in topics from Mindfulness and Self Care, an overview of the Tools of the Mind Classroom, Supporting Pretend Play, and more! View all the webinars by clicking the button below.
Nurse's Corner
Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 8th to May 13th)
It is equally as important to let your school nurse be aware, so the proper precautions can be taken during school hours!
IMPORTANT: In order for your child to have an order for an Epi Pen and/or antihistamine during school hours, a food allergy action plan MUST be initiated and signed by the physician AND guardian or parent. This needs to be renewed every school year and the guardian/parent is responsible for bringing in the doses of Epi Pens and antihistamine for nurse review at the BEGINNING of each year. Any questions or concerns can be forwarded to me at any time.
To download the form for the action plan, please visit this website and scroll to the bottom https://www.foodallergy.org/living-food-allergies/food-allergy-essentials/food-allergy-anaphylaxis-emergency-care-plan
For detailed seminars on food allergies and more advice on how to manage severe reactions, please see this link: https://www.foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/food-allergy-awareness-week?utm_source=FAREReport04272022&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=faaw
Test to Stay
Communication
Want even more resources?!
Wee Passport
We are proud to announce the return of Wee Passport. This program is intended to be a fun, free, and welcoming experience for families with toddlers from ages 1 to 3. The goal is to acquaint your family with our district and staff. Wee Passport Programs will be held at the High School Football Stadium. All Wee Passport events were designed to be interactive mom/dad/caregiver and tot sessions. We hope that you and your child find the information and experience fun and exciting.
If you live in town and know of any family that may be interested, please find all of the pertinent information below:
- Ages: 1 - 3 years old
- Location: 1000 Jefferson St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 *Weather Permitting*
- Course Capacity: - 15 Seats per event date, first come first serve basis
- Location: 1000 Jefferson St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 *Weather Permitting*
- Time: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
We look forward to resuming our sessions in April. We are hopeful to conduct the remaining sessions outdoors at the Hoboken High School Field (weather permitting). Diana Milne will confirm the remaining events with all registered participants prior to the event day.
Remaining Sessions:
May
5/11 - Music Makers
5/25- Sign & Sing
June
6/8 - Yoga Mindfulness & Me
Hoboken Public Schools Early Childhood Department
Email: leakin@hoboken.k12.nj.us
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/hpspreschool/home
Location: 158 4th Street, Hoboken, NJ, USA
Phone: 201-356-3695
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HPS-Early-Childhood-Education-Program-102677758979606
Twitter: @Hoboken_ECE