November kicks off LOADS of fun in preschool…from Apple and Pumpkin Day celebrations to Thanksgiving and Christmas; there is no shortage of holiday fun over the next few months.

NOVEMBER CURRICULUM

Our November curriculum will focus on friendship, farm life, harvest, and Thanksgiving. Our older pod will take a BIG field trip to Underwood Farms and of course, we spend time reading the book Stone Soup to prepare for our annual Stone Soup celebration!

3 Skills Sheet_November

Click the link to find out which skills we will be focusing on. Please remember that the skills listed are the overarching objectives to be learned by the end of Pre-K. In general, our two year olds will begin investigations with these skills, three year olds will explore and and expand on these skills, while the Pre-K students (entering kindergarten next fall) will refine and gain mastery. As always, social-emotional and spiritual learning is at the forefront of all that we do in preschool as it is the basis of being able to learn successfully

HOUSEKEEPING:

Just a reminder that we are CLOSED in observance of Veteran’s Day – November 12

THANK YOU to all the parents who helped at our Site Work Day. The yard and classrooms look absolutely beautiful!

Fall weather brings cooler temperatures (well…hopefully anyway!). Please be sure to update your child’s cubby box with season-appropriate clothing and send a sweater during cooler days. The playground can be chilly in the mornings.

NEWS, NOTES & MORE

Eligible for TK/K in 2019-2020? Be sure to attend the Kindergarten Meet and Greet on Saturday, November 10th. This is for PCS preschool students only and is a fabulous opportunity to meet the PCS teachers and visit the classrooms WITH your students!

*see notes in Admissions Section for more info.

Staffing Updates:

Welcome back, Mrs. Joy! Mrs. Joy will be returning from maternity leave to her position as Assistant Director on November 5th. Ms. Sheri (who has been doing a fabulous job at our desk!) will be heading to the Younger Pod as their Outdoor Curriculum Specialist.

Sadly, we will be saying goodbye to Ms. I-Chieh (our long term substitute in the Younger Pod) as she has accepted a full time job beginning November 5th. She will be missed, but we are so proud of her for securing a full time teaching position!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Please be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, December 15th from 10-12. This is our annual HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS party! The children will sing a selection of songs for you on the PCS stage and then everyone will enjoy crafts, games, lunch and more on the PCS courts.

Saturday, November 3 – Fall Family Festival – JOIN THE FUN! There are games, prizes, rides, and more…fun for the whole family! Tickets are available at the door.

Wednesday, November 7 – Annual Playopolis Toy Sale – Our annual toy sale begins next week and will run for 1 week. Get an early start to Christmas shopping; proceeds benefit our school!

November 15 – PCS orchestra visits preschool – the PCS orchestra will play a selection of songs and demonstrate their instruments to the students

Friday, November 16 – Older Pod Field Trip to Underwood Farms

Please remember to fill out your forms and make your payment through Smart Tuition. Thank you in advance to all the chaperones who will be helping to make this field trip a great success!

PARENT TEACHER FELLOWSHIP (PTF):

CLASSROOM TEACHER TREATS: 

November 16 – Parents of Room 3 – Look for emails from your Room Parents.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

Volunteer opportunities are available! CLICK HERE to register for all-school events through signup.com!

Meal Train Opportunities! (2 MVP HOURS EACH MEAL PROVIDED)

BABIES, BABIES, BABIES! This year, have about TWELVE (and counting!) families welcoming new members to their family! Please help us bless them with a meal.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TEACHERS!!!

November 27 – Ms. Pam

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: 

Click Here for FULL 2018-2019 Calendar

November 3 – Fall Family Festival – JOIN THE FUN!

November 12 – Veteran’s Day – School Closed

November 15 – PCS Observation Day and PCS Orchestra to play at Preschool

November 16 – Underwood Family Farms Older Pod Field Trip

November 19 & 20 – Stone Soup Days (lunch provided)

November 21 – 23 – Thanksgiving Break  – School Closed

December 6 – PCS Observation Day (tell your friends!)

Saturday, December 8 – PCS Christmas Breakfast & Kids-only Christmas Store

December 14 – Grandparents’ Day / Minimum Day

December 15 – Happy Birthday Jesus Party –  (attendance HIGHLY encouraged!)

December 18 & 19 – PJ and Hot Cocoa Day – wear your PJs!

December 19 – Minimum Day

December 20 – January 4 – Christmas Holidays

January 7 – School Resumes

ADMISSIONS & RE-ENROLLMENT INFO

Admissions season has begun (hard to believe, I know!!)

If your child is TK eligible (age 5 by Dec. 31 2019)  or Kindergarten eligible (age 5 by Aug. 31 2019) for the 2019-2020 school year, we encourage you to attend the specical PCS Preschool Family Meet and Greet on November 10th. RSVP to Betty St. Peter.

You may also opt to attend a PCS Observation Day! Our next one is November 15. Tell your friends about us, too! We LOVE referrals 🙂 Sign up here: http://www.pasadenachristian.org/admissions/tour.cfm

**If your kinder-eligible child does not attend 5 days per week, be sure to check out our monthly skills sheets and chat with the teachers about readiness activities you can do at home to ensure your child is kindergarten-ready** 🙂

TK/K Enrollment: For current preschool families entering PCS TK/K in the fall, there is no separate application…simply fill out the Intent to Enroll form which will be distributed in December.

Preschool Re-enrollment – You will receive an “Intent to Enroll” form at the beginning of December asking you to choose your desired program (2, 3 or 5 days) for 2019-2020 .  Please watch for this form as we create enrollment packages based on this form

Referrals: Do you have friends who would enjoy our school? Send them our way! If you love them, we will love them too!!! Applications for 2019-2020 are available on our website for new students.

What a blessing to have some cooler weather…it *almost* feels like fall! Let’s hope this cooler weather stays for a bit! The month of September seemed to fly by as we adjusted and acclimated to our new classrooms. Now that we are all settled in, the year is really rockin’ and rollin’! The fall season and upcoming holidays are always jam packed with fun and adventure, so be sure to check the calendar and read through this information so you stay in the loop.

OCTOBER CURRICULUM

October will be FILLED with learning! This month, we will dive into the wonderful world of autumn and will investigate: pumpkins and apples, leaves changing (bring some in if you happen to find some red or yellow ones!), cooler weather, families, and the harvest season.

Click the link below to find out which skills we will be focusing on. Please remember that the skills listed are the overarching objectives to be learned by the end of Pre-K. In general, our two year olds will begin investigations with these skills, three year olds will explore and and expand on these skills, while the Pre-K students (entering kindergarten next fall) will refine and gain mastery. As always, social-emotional and spiritual learning is at the forefront of all that we do in preschool as it is the basis of being able to learn successfully!

2 Skills Sheet_October

HOUSEKEEPING:

Classroom Sign-in Logs: Per state licensing, a FULL SIGNATURE is required on our classroom sign-in logs. We can be fined for non-compliance, so please help us stay in compliance by signing your full signature each day.

Drop-Offs: Thank you for continuing to drop off quickly in the mornings, especially during “rush hour” (7:45-9:00).

 Siblings at School: Just a gentle reminder that if you bring a non-enrolled sibling to school during drop-off and pick-up, please keep them within arms reach at all times.

Parking Lot: To help us through the morning rush, please drive slowly, park carefully, and keep your morning drop-offs (especially between 7:50-9:00) very short.  The parking lot is nearly VACANT until about 7:57am! Come early and avoid the rush!

NEWS, NOTES & MORE

Parent Education Night: Topic – Disaster Preparedness

Tuesday, October 23 @ 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

California emphasizes earthquake preparedness during the month of October and as a school we practice a school-wide earthquake drill. But are you prepared at HOME? Join us for our first Parent Education Night and hear Joel Gay speak on Disaster and Earthquake preparedness. More info to follow.

Parent Conferences:  Parents conferences are coming soon! This conference is our opportunity to share your child’s developmental progress with you and to give you an overall picture of how your child is doing in school. Please be sure to attend your child’s parent conference on October 26th. This is a non-student day, but we do have child care while you attend the conference.

Preschool Picture Day – Please be on the lookout for an email from Adrea Scheidler containing a link to your child’s photos. You won’t want to miss seeing these photos as you all have the most adorable children EVER!!!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Moonlight Magic: October 5, 2018

We are looking so forward to our FIRST Moonlight Magic of the year! If you signed up, please be sure to read the informational email that was sent out. This is an evening of fun where the kids enjoy pajama dance parties, pizza, a movie, and MORE, while the parents enjoy a night out. If you missed registering for this one, our next one is February 8th, 2019.

California Shake-Out Earthquake Drill: October 18 @ 10:18 a.m.

Each year, we participate in the California Shake-Out Drill. As a preschool, we practice how to duck and cover (we call it “bunny in the hole” at preschool to keep it appropriate), and then we head to the PCS Campus for check-in. While we keep it light for the students (singing, reading books, and enjoying a snack on the field), our staff has the opportunity to practice mock first aid and rescue scenarios to ensure we have our systems in place should we need them in a real disaster.

 Accreditation Work Day: October 19 – This is a MINIMUM DAY. Our accreditation preparation s is coming along well! The preschool teachers have been focusing on learning our new curriculum layout and how to implement it effectively into the classroom. This month, we will be working with our updated developmental profiles (preschool progress reports).

Site Work Day – October 6th – DOUBLE MVP Hours available! Please click here to help us deep clean cubbies, beautify the garden, till the sandbox, and haul in our fresh new mulch.

PARENT TEACHER FELLOWSHIP (PTF):

MVP Booklets/Hours: All families should have received their YELLOW MVP booklet.  PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU DIDN’T RECEIVE ONE.

CLASSROOM TEACHER TREATS: 

October 19 – Parents of Room 2 – Look for emails from your Room Parents.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

Volunteer opportunities are available! CLICK HERE to register for all-school events through signup.com!

Meal Train Opportunities! (2 MVP HOURS)

BABIES, BABIES, BABIES! This year, have about ELEVEN families welcoming new members to their family! Please help us bless them with a meal.

Samuel Family

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TEACHERS!!!

October 4 – Ms. Sarah

October 5 – Ms. Daisy

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

Friday, October 5 @ 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. – Moonlight Magic (registration required)

Saturday, October 6 @ 9:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m. – Site Work Day

Thursday, October 11 – Kindergarten/PCS Observation Day – Interested in PCS? Sign up for a tour online!

Tuesday, October 17 & Wednesday, October 18 – Hearing Screenings

Thursday, October 18 – Great Shake Out Earthquake Drill – Volunteers Needed

Friday, October 19 – Accreditation Work Day (MINIMUM DAY – DISMISS AT 12:00)

October 25 – Preschool OPEN regular hours; PCS minimum day for conferences

Friday, October 26 – Parent Conferences (No Students)

November 1 – PCS Observation Day (register online!)

November 3 – Fall Family Festival – JOIN THE FUN!

November 12 – Veteran’s Day – School Closed

November 15 – PCS Observation Day and PCS Orchestra to play at Preschool

November 19 & 20 – Stone Soup Days (lunch provided)

November 21 – 23 – Thanksgiving Break  – School Closed

Dear Parents,

What a fabulous start to the school year we have had! Your little ones are doing such a fabulous job acclimating to their new classrooms and are enjoying all the fun activities we have at preschool. We are enjoying happy days, water play, lots of free play, big field (for the older pod), and so much more! We are also very proud of our mommies and daddies who took great strides to make drop-offs short and sweet, despite a few tearful goodbyes. You have done a great job assuring your little ones that you love them and that you will be back, then handing them to the teachers and separating quickly. These short goodbyes actually reduce stress for the children and allow the kiddos to process their emotions so they can gain their confidence and independence to feel secure at school. Well done, Parents!

EXCITING CURRICULUM UPDATE

September Skills Sheet

As a developmental, play-based school, we believe that a strong curriculum develops the whole child: physical/motor, spiritual, social-emotional, cognitive/academic. Our program supports the development of the whole child through daily routines, self-help activities, large and small group direct instruction, music and movement, story time, free play, independent activities, outdoor play, and more. At the forefront of learning in preschool is the development of a child’s social-emotional skills: learning to share, care,  thrive in a community setting, talk, listen, focus, gain independence, ask questions, investigate, observe, clean-up, wash up, use the potty, etc. These are all critical skills for future success. Many of these social-emotional skills are developed through daily routines, interactions, conversations, etc. In addition to social-emotional development, we also want to stimulate students’ development in the other domains. All activities, whether in the form of free play or teacher-directed, are intentionally planned.

This year, we are excited to announce that we have developed a monthly Skills Sheet that outlines some of the focused skills the children will be learning each month. It is important to know that we have been teaching these skills all along…now we have simply put them on paper for you to view so you can help reinforce and encourage these skills at home. The Skills Sheet is the same for every class – HOWEVER, each classroom will have differentiated outcomes based on their developmental/chronological age. For instance, when we introduce letters each month, the goal for 2 year olds will be to “explore” and “gain awareness” of letters, whereas the goal for Pre-k students will be to identify and recognize the name and sound of each letter. Your child’s Developmental Profile will outline their progress towards these outcomes and will be given to you in October during the parent conferences, and additionally in February and May.

BEGINNING OF THE YEAR HOUSEKEEPING:

Classroom Sign-in Logs: Per state licensing, a FULL SIGNATURE is required on our classroom sign-in logs. We can be fined for non-compliance, so please help us stay in compliance by signing your full signature each day.

Drop-Offs: Thank you for continuing to drop off quickly in the mornings, especially during “rush hour” (7:45-9:00). Please be sure to greet the teacher with your child in the morning to ensure the teacher is aware of his/her arrival. Students should never be dropped off to an empty classroom or left on the yard with another classroom. In addition, please do not let your child go ahead of you into a classroom unattended in the morning while you are checking in.

 Siblings at School: Just a gentle reminder that if you bring a non-enrolled sibling to school during drop-off and pick-up, please keep them within arms reach at all times. By law, they not be left unattended on the yard, in the car, or in the classrooms, even if you think you will be “just a second.” We appreciate your cooperation!

Parking Lot: In a perfect world, we would have a giant parking lot with ample space for everyone. Unfortunately, our parking lot is small and hard to maneuver. To help us through the morning rush, please drive slowly, park carefully, and keep your morning drop-offs (especially between 7:50-9:00) very short.  The parking lot is nearly VACANT until about 7:47am! Come early and avoid the rush!

NEWS, NOTES & MORE

Back to School Night: Thank you for attending our Back to School Night! We appreciate your time and commitment. Please pick up a packet from your child’s teacher if you weren’t able to attend.

Tell Your Friends! If you have friends who are interested in enrolling for the 2019-2020 school year, online applications will be available on the PCS website beginning in October. Please tell your friends to call for a tour or attend an Observation Day, and apply EARLY to get on our applicant list. Be sure they tell us who referred them! We LOVE our word-of-mouth referrals!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Accreditation Work Day: September 21 – This is a non-student day. As you know, our school is Accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International. Our accreditation visit is coming up next year and therefore, substantial preparation time is required. For this reason, PCS has scheduled a few Accreditation Work Days to allow time for accreditation preparation, teacher training, resetting classrooms, school advancement, curriculum building, and so much more.  Have a good long weekend with your Little Blessings 🙂

Preschool Picture Day – This year, we will have our candid/yard photos with Adrea Scheidler Photography in the fall (September 24 – 26). Teachers will post schedules prior to the photography session. Preschool Portraits and “Graduate” photos with LifeTouch will be taken in the spring.

Elks Vision Screening – Elks Vision will be here on September 27 & 28 to conduct vision screenings of our students. Please fill out the permission form in your child’s box if you would like your child to be screened.

Site Work Day – October 6th – DOUBLE MVP Hours available! Keep an eye out for the Site Work Day Sign-up through signup.com! Help us deep clean cubbies, beautify the garden, till the sandbox, and haul in our fresh new mulch.

Moonlight Magic – There will be three Moonlight Magic events this year: Oct. 5, Feb. 8 and March 22. This is YOUR chance to have a night on the town (or in the quiet of your own home watching Netflix!) while your little ones are safe in our care enjoying flashlight parties, pajama dance-offs, pizza and a movie. ONLINE REGISTRATION is required, so sign up early (see flyers)! Elementary-aged siblings may attend the BYH Moonlight Magic on the same night.

PARENT TEACHER FELLOWSHIP (PTF):

ROOM PARENT & COMMITTEE SIGN UP! Please sign up HERE if you are interested in serving on a committee or as a Room Parent. Thank you!

ROOM PARENT & COMMITTEE MEETING!!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 @ 8:15 a.m. (IN THE PARENT LOUNGE @ the PCS LIBRARY)

If you signed up to be a Room Parent or to serve on a committee, or if you are interested in volunteering but want more information, please attend our Room Parent Meeting to get the ‘scoop’ on what is expected, upcoming events, etc. The gate to PCS will be open through 8:15 a.m. – if running late, enter through the PCS main office.

MVP Booklets/Hours: All families should have received their YELLOW MVP booklet. Please record your volunteer hours in these books. You can have your hours signed off by the office staff, Room Parents, volunteer coordinators of specific events, PTF Reps, etc. Every family is required to complete 10 hours (or 20 hours if you have students at the elem/jr. high) before the end of the school year. You can turn in your book as soon as it is complete! PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU DIDN’T RECEIVE ONE.

CLASSROOM TEACHER TREATS: 

September 28 – Parents of Room 1

Never expected, but always appreciated, Teacher Treats are a way to show your love and appreciation for our teachers. Each classroom is assigned two Fridays per school year to bring in treats for the preschool staff. Keep an eye out for information from your Room Parents!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

Volunteer opportunities are available! CLICK HERE to register for all-school events through signup.com!

Meal Train Opportunities! (2 MVP HOURS)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TEACHERS!!!

September 3 – Ms. Wendy

September 19 – Mrs. Silvia

September 26 – Mrs. Thelma

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

Monday, Sept. 10 @ 8:15 a.m – Room Parent Meeting (PCS Parent Lounge)

Friday, September 21 – Accreditation Work Day (No Students)

September 24 – 26 – Candid yard photos with Adrea Scheidler

September 27 & 28 – Vision Screenings

Friday, October 5 @ 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. – Moonlight Magic (registration required)

Saturday, October 6 @ 9:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m. – Site Work Day

Thursday, October 11 – Kindergarten/PCS Observation Day – Interested in PCS? Sign up for a tour online!

Tuesday, October 17 & Wednesday, October 18 – Hearing Screenings

Thursday, October 18 – Great Shake Out Earthquake Drill – Volunteers Needed

Friday, October 19 – Accreditation Work Day (MINIMUM DAY – DISMISS AT 12:00)

October 25 – Preschool OPEN regular hours; PCS minimum day for conferences

Friday, October 26 – Parent Conferences (No Students)

Happy spring! It seems nearly incredulous that we are already swinging into April and that the end of the year is just around the corner. The rains of late have been a nice change of pace and we have enjoyed splashing in a few puddles here and there. But as April begins, we are excited to bound into ‘spring’ themes such as gardening, flowers, insects, life cycles and more! This is always an exciting time of year as we watch new growth appear in nature, celebrate the resurrection, and enjoy the blessings God has bestowed on us.

NEWS, NOTES & MORE

Tuesday, March 27th, 7:00 pm in the Auditorium – ASSOCIATION MEETING – Did you know that ALL parents are all members of the PCS Association? As a member, it is important that you participate in our annual Association Meeting as this is an opportunity to vote on new board members, recognize staff members years of service, discuss current school issues, and more. We hope to see you there!

Easter Holiday: We are closed for Easter on Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30th. We are OPEN during the PCS spring break of April 2 – 6th.

SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION!  There is still some availability in the summer program. Please submit your forms as soon as possible. A $50 late fee will incur on registrations submitted after April 23.

KINDER CAMP – Kinder Camp is open to all students entering TK and/or Kindergarten in the fall. Due to the nature of the program, Kinder Camp is only available in 2 4-Week sessions (not weekly). Kinder Camp is held on the PCS campus (in the TK, First Grade and Kindergarten classrooms). Should you need weekly care, your child may join us at the preschool for one last hurrah before heading off to “big” school ;-).

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

PCS Gala – April 14th – We would love to see a strong attendance from preschool families at the gala. This is a fun and fabulous event where parents can socialize, get to know each other and bid on classrooms baskets (and other amazing items!) while supporting our school! Order your tickets online. Can’t attend? You can bid for items during the event using your bidpal account!

Open House – Friday, April 27, 6:30 – Minimum Day – We hope EVERYONE can attend our PCS Open House! This is the culminating school year experience where families can visit classrooms, view work and projects from this past school year, tour the art studio, visit your child’s next classroom, and even tour the PCS campus to see what fun the kids have in elementary school!

Preschool Family Picnic – Saturday, May 19 – 11:00am – 1:00pm – Join us for a morning of FUN, FOOD and FAMILIES! Children will enjoy water play, slip and slides, face painting, snow cones, bouncy houses and more! A hot dog lunch will be available for purchase. Help us estimate attendance by signing up on our “soft” RSVP form at the check-in computers. MVP HOURS AVAILABLE! 

Preschool Promotion Ceremony (Rms 1 & 2) – Wednesday, May 30, 6:00 pm – Rooms 1 & 2 families – save the date, tell your families, and get your cameras ready…this event is for YOU! This your child’s culminating event of the year where students will present a selection of songs, view a special preschool-recap video, and receive a special certificate. You will NOT want to miss it!

PARENT TEACHER FELLOWSHIP (PTF):

MVP Booklets – Booklets are DUE in May! For those who have not turned in their booklet, a REVERSIBLE charge has been placed on your account. As long as your booklet is submitted by the deadline, the charge will be removed from your account.

Thank you to all who participating in donating towards the preschool auction baskets. We sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness, generosity, and support of our school.

NEED HOURS? Here are a few opportunities to get your hours in!

PCS ALL-SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES

Ramirez Family Meal Train – 2 MVP Hours

Hoffman Family Meal Train – 2 MVP Hours

Classroom Easter Parties – sign up via your child’s in-class sign-up

Older Pod Field Trip to the Zoo – May 2018 – Details to follow!

Preschool Family Picnic – Be on the lookout for an email outlining volunteer opportunities to help at our upcoming family picnic. Opportunities will include volunteering at stations, donating food items, etc.

CLASSROOM TEACHER TREATS: 

April 20 – Parents of Room 3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TEACHERS!!!

Belated! March 11 – Joyce (Room 5)

April 3 – Joy (front desk)

April 7 – Monica (art teacher)

April 7 – Teresa G (substitute)

April 14 – April (substitute)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March 29 & 30 – Easter Break – School Closed

April 2 – 6 – PCS Spring Break – PRESCHOOL OPEN!

April 14 – PCS Gala – We hope you can attend!

April 16 – 20 – Week of the Young Child – Details to follow

April 27 – Open House @ 6:30 – MINIMUM DAY

May 19 – Preschool Family Picnic 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

May 24 & 25 – Preschool Pizza Parties (lunch provided! Pizza and sides will be served.)

May 28 – Memorial Day – No School

May 30 – Preschool Promotion Ceremony @ 6:00 Rooms 1 & 2 – MINIMUM DAY

May 31 – LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  – MINIMUM DAY

June 1 – June 8 – Teacher Prep Week – No Students

June 11 – August 3 – Summer Camp (registration required!)

August 6 – August 17 – Vacation and Teacher Prep Week – No Students

August 17 – Classroom Welcome Party for 2018-2019

August 20 – First Day of School!