I hope you and your families had a lovely Easter and spring break. Miss Michele, the teachers, and I were thrilled to see your kiddos return and once again fill the preschool with joyful learning. It is hard to believe that the end of the school year is fast approaching. To celebrate the children and their growing faith, our wonderful preschool teachers have planned meaningful and fun learning activities during our remaining weeks together.

In a "normal year," these lovely events would be opportunities for the preschool community to gather together in celebration. However, due to the continued COVID-19 restrictions and health department requirements, these special events will be recorded and shared with you so that your family can enjoy watching them over and over again!

Look What's Ahead:

• May Crowning of our Blessed Mother during music with Miss Karen
• Mother's Day - look for something special to come home with your child
• Field Day (in place of Water Day)
• Spring Music Program with Miss Karen
• New Tradition - St. Michael Medals blessed by Fr. Michael for each of our Rabbit and Clifford students - a graduation keepsake to remember their special time with us.
• End-of-Year Moving Up Celebrations

For more details, please see the important dates section of this newsletter and look for communication from your child’s teachers. As always, we thank you for entrusting your children to our loving care and for all your continued support and prayers.

God bless,

Lisa Ciesla, Director

lciesla@stmcary.org

Parent Appreciation - April 29 & 30 - Dismissal at 1:00 pm - Please send your child with a peanut/nut-free lunch.

Teacher Appreciation - Week of May 3

May Crowning of our Blessed Mother - May 4 & 5

Mother's Day - May 9

Field Day - May 11 & 12

Last Week of Lunch Program - May 10

Last Week of School - Week of May 17 - video of music programs and end-of-year celebrations emailed home

Fr. Michael Visit to Bless St. Michael Medals for Rabbit & Clifford Class - May 20

On April 29 & 30, we will extend our preschool day to 1:00 pm, as a thank you for your wonderful support of our preschool and your child’s early childhood education. On your assigned date, your child will stay until 1:00 pm so you can enjoy the gift of a little extra time. Thank you for sending your child to school with a peanut/nut-free lunch.

Assigned Class Dates:

Thursday, April 29 - Roo, Pooh, Rabbit, Clifford dismissal at 1:00 pm

Friday, April 30 - Kanga dismissal at 1:00 pm

In addition, please be sure to check your email and our social media throughout the week as our staff has planned some “virtual” ways to show how much we appreciate you and all your thoughtful and generous support this school year.

A very special and sweet tradition is our May Crowning to honor our Blessed Mother. It is a beautiful moment when the children present flowers to Mary and sing, "O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May." This year, to maintain our "bubbles," each class will visit Mary in our courtyard during their music time with Miss Karen.

Please plan to send your child to school with a flower from your garden on their assigned day below. Thank you!

Assigned Class Dates:

Tuesday, May 4 - Roo & Pooh

Wednesday, May 5 - Kanga, Rabbit, Clifford

This year, Teacher Appreciation Week will be May 3 – 7. This yearly tradition at our parish schools is an opportunity to recognize our amazing teachers for the important work they do; especially the extra effort and care they have put into providing a happy, healthy, and rewarding environment to learn and grow this year!

Please consider having your child bring in small tokens of appreciation for their teachers… hand-made cards, a flower, small treats, etc. I know that this gesture will mean so much to our teachers.

I thank you in advance for helping me show just how much we love and appreciate our dedicated and loving teachers and how much we count them as a blessing in our preschoolers' lives.

Please dress your child in comfortable play clothes with sneakers and apply sunscreen at home. Also, please send in a water bottle labeled with your child's name that we will refill as needed.

Assigned Class Dates:

Tuesday, May 11 - Roo & Pooh

Wednesday, May 12 - Kanga, Rabbit, Clifford

"Thank you for shining your light in my life." Matthew 5:14

We are so very thankful to the Swanson Family and friends who made generous donations to St. Michael Preschool in loving memory of their mother and dear friend, Margaret Mary (Sallie) Swanson, who passed away on March 10, 2021, at the age of 93. Their thoughtful generosity will go towards our scholarship program to help provide the gift of Catholic early childhood education to children in need.

Sallie and Walter, her husband of 47 years, were longtime St. Michael Church parishioners and active participants in our ministries. Their daughter, Katie, shared that St. Michael Preschool was close to her mom and dad's hearts as Mr. Swanson especially loved visiting to read stories to the children. Our parish community was blessed with their joyful acts of service and their deep faith, love, and charity over the years.

Please join me in praying for the Swanson Family as we extend our heartfelt sympathy for their mother's passing. May they find comfort that their parents are once again reunited in heaven surrounded by God's eternal light.

If your child has asthma and/or chronic allergies, which typically include a frequent cough or runny nose, you will need to work with your pediatrician to find a way to best manage the symptoms. If symptoms continue, the preschool will require a written note from the doctor.

Reminder: a child must be able to independently manage their runny nose. If they are unable to do so, we will need to send the child home. We thank you for your continued support in adhering to our health protocols to keep our community safe.

April 1, 2021, Updated NCDHHS Childcare Strong Toolkit

The health and safety of all our preschool families are very important to us. We ask for your continued partnership as we work together to keep our community safe. Please continue to keep us apprised of any health issues or concerns in your home that may be COVID-related. Closely monitor your family for any COVID-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new cough, or new loss of taste or smell.

If anyone in your family develops symptoms or feels unwell, please err on the side of caution by keeping your preschooler home, and notify your pediatrician and the preschool as soon as possible.

Please remember, that if any family member is experiencing COVID-like symptoms, getting COVID tested, or awaiting COVID results, your child should not attend school until the family member has been cleared by a healthcare provider.

If a child develops ANY of the COVID-19 exclusionary symptoms families have three options:

1. stay home for 10 days from when symptoms first began, or
2. get a negative COVID test, or
3. get a note of alternate diagnosis from the pediatrician

If a child is sick with any NON-COVID symptoms, like a fever under 100.4, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, our normal illness policy applies (24 hours free of diarrhea, vomiting, and fever without fever-reducing medication before returning to school). Your child must feel well before returning to school.

It is the responsibility of the parent/caregiver to understand and follow all health and safety protocols.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: ALL ADULTS AND CHILDREN 5 YEARS AND OLDER on St. Michael Campus must wear a face mask at arrival and dismissal.

Hello families!

Music class is all abuzz at this time of the year! We are beginning to practice our end-of-year programs (which will be recorded and sent out in May). The children are really excited about singing for all of you! You just might hear about some of the songs, but we are doing our best to keep them a surprise!

We are also singing about spring, flowers, frogs, farms, and Humpty Dumpty! We will be using our egg shakers and having fun with scarves and the parachute. Our Clifford Class will have a rodeo unit and we just might be square dancing and galloping with our pool noodle horses!

Here are a few selections that we will be enjoying this month:

Five Green and Speckled Frogs

It's Gonna Rain using egg shakers

Humpty Rap

Rhythm in the Scarves

Wiggle Til' the Cows Come Home

God Bless you and your families and thank you for sharing your children with us!

Ms. Karen

Need some extra time to run errands or get to an appointment? We can help! We still have openings in our early arrival and lunch programs. Your child will enjoy the extra time to socialize and play!

Early Arrival - available daily; drop off begins at 8:15 am

Lunch Program - available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; pick up is at 1:30 pm

Extended Day Programs for January – May are now available. Extended Day offers flexible programming to lengthen your child's school day, grow stamina, and practice mealtime independence. Choose from the discounted "Monthly Enrollment" option or the more flexible "Drop-In Enrollment" option. Click here for Extended Day Program Registration