PreK Press
April 5 - April 27
Busy Days Ahead: There are many class and school related events coming up in the next few weeks and we are working with the children to help them prepare and be ready for things such as our PreK Concert, Grandparents and Special Friends Day, our field trip with Reading Buddies to Grass Island, (more information will be in the next newsletter), and our Celebration of Learning - Bridges - to name just a few!
Bridges: We are continuing our study of bridges as we also complete many other activities related to this busy time of year. We look forward to sharing our entire bridge unit at our upcoming Celebration of Learning - Bridges. (See below) In the meantime, we are hoping to have parents email photos of local bridges that your children notice to either Rebecca or me within the next couple of weeks. Thank you.
Celebration of Learning - Bridges: The date for this wonderful event is set. Please mark Monday, May 21st on your calendar and plan to arrive as close to 8:00 AM as possible. It will end around 8:40 when our 4th grade friends come down and share the celebration with their Reading Buddies.
STEAM: We took a break this week from our study of bridges in STEAM to focus on Earth Day and the environment. We revisited our fall project in the Children’s Garden when we planted several different materials (some decomposable and some not) and made predictions about whether each specific item would still be there when we dug them up months later. Overall the children were correct in their predictions as the foil, styrofoam, plastic bottle cap, magic marker, etc. all remained the same while other materials like the acorn, stick, leaves, and apple were no longer in their initial state. This experiment helped the class understand a little more about the importance of putting trash in the proper places, recycling, and treating our planet with respect. It also taught them a little bit about patience and that sometimes you just need to wait!
Handwriting Without Tears: The PreKers continue to work in their Handwriting Without Tears books weekly as they continue to develop and refine their pencil grip and practice following directions and learning beginning reading readiness concepts. These books will be sent home at the end of the school year.
Hard Lockdown Drill: We were so proud of the PreKers yesterday as they practiced their first hard lockdown drill. Sitting all together without talking in a small space (in our case it is our class bathroom) is not easy for anyone but the PreKers did an amazing job! Attached is a copy of the email that our Director of Technology, Bill Leidt, sent out to the TCS community earlier today.
Good Morning-
This morning at 8:30 AM we performed a practice hard lockdown drill (shelter in place or "hiding") across the campus. The best way to think of this is the way a football team walks through their plays before a game - preparation leads to better performance. Teachers were fully informed of the drill in advance and we'll discuss what worked and what needs improvement from our experience today.
In a few weeks we will have a similar drill without informing the teachers in advance and look to make our preparedness better.
Thank you for your support. Have a great day.
Best,
Bill
Bill Leidt, Director of Technology
Reading Buddy Talents: We were so excited to begin PreK talents, thrilled with how many PreKers actually volunteered to go first, and amazed at how well the first several children did sharing their special talents with their 4th grade buddies. Noah shared his very special book on hybrid animals that he wrote and illustrated. Conrad shared his knowledge and interest in the sport of soccer. Fiona shared some of her artistic ability found in her wonderfully illustrated book she made for her brother. Cole talked about his interest and experiences playing soccer. Avery shared her knowledge and interest in gymnastics. Giuliana showcased her amazing hoola-hooping skills. Daniel shared his interest and expertise regarding turtles and tortoises and brought his own pet tortoise for a visit. Liv talked about her experiences riding and caring for horses. Finally Colton talked about and then demonstrated his proficiency at riding his two-wheeled bicycle. Every child has done an amazing job and we look forward to many more talents in the weeks ahead!
Alice In Wonderland: We hope you all had the opportunity to see the TCS production of Alice In Wonderland. It was a fabulous show and we congratulate all of the people - both adults and students - involved.
Earth Day: This week we have spent time talking about Earth Day - what it is, what it means, what can and should be done, and how each person can help. The children painted their own planet Earth (hanging in the foyer) with 7 green land masses to represent the continents and lots of blue water. Mrs. Wepler taught them the song This Pretty Planet during music class and we have watched Tom Chapin and friends perform it on YouTube. Now, thanks to Kindergarten teacher Ms. Kiely, you can watch the entire Lower School sing it as well. Please go to the link below to watch it.
TCS Auction Fundraiser: Please Come Together and Make a Difference. As you are by now aware, the TCS annual auction/fundraiser is coming up this Saturday, April 28th at Centerbrook Architects. This evening event is always a great opportunity to have fun, socialize with friends both old and new, and support TCS at the same time. We hope you will be able to attend. Come out and enjoy a great evening!
Class Baskets and Class Gifts: A vitally important component of this auction/fundraising event is the bidding that takes place on the class gift donations and the class baskets. The PreKers all participated in the making a wonderful piece of artwork that will be available for purchase at the auction and we know it will look beautiful hanging in your home! We also know you have all contributed to the Class Auction Basket and we thank you. Please check these and lots of other auction items out online, help support TCS, and bid high!
PreK Concert: We are busy preparing for our PreK Concert which is fast approaching and scheduled for next Thursday, May3rd at 8:30 AM. It will last about a ½ hour and will take place in the gym. Parents, siblings and extended family are all invited to attend. Please make it a point to be here for this very special occasion. You won’t be disappointed!!
PreK Update on Playground Climbing Walls: With warmer weather finally here and the growth of the children and their abilities, we wanted to let you know that the climbing walls will now be available for the PreKers to use. They will hear about this on Monday (since the weather foiled our plans for today) and will be very excited. We will discuss the importance of using them safely which means that only 2 children will be allowed on the wall at a time. Your help in reinforcing this is greatly appreciated.
Grandparents & Special Friends Day: May 11th will be here before we know it. Particularly for those who are new to TCS this year, Grandparents & Special Friends Day (GSFD for short) is a very special day for The Country School. There is a tremendous amount of planning and preparation that takes place behind the scenes to make it a successful and rewarding day for everyone - students and visitors alike. There are many volunteer opportunities available for parents so please speak up and sign up if you are able to help. Also, please let us (Ms. Hard & Mrs. Halsey) know as soon as possible (either in person, by sending in a little note, or by email) who and how many will be joining your child on that day. It is imperative that every child have at least one grown-up here so let us know if there are any extenuating circumstances. We will work something out!
HAPPY
SPRING!
No comments:
Post a Comment