March showers bring April flowers and so much more to preschool! Hello Spring!

Easter Cross Decorating

Help us add to the decoration of our preschool cross over the next few weeks as we celebrate and remember the meaning of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Everyone is invited to bring a flower to add to our cross. Please stop by the cross and tuck your special floral donation into the ropes that twine its entire breadth and width.  

Good Friday and Easter Monday– Fri., Mar 29^th & Mon., Apr. 1^st, PRESCHOOL CLOSED

We will celebrate the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ by reflecting on the gift that the cross represents for all of us.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

Easter Sunday – Sunday, March 31^st

 ²⁴On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” ⁸ Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:1-8

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:5-6

Hallelujah, He is risen!!

Week of the Young Child – Monday, April 8^th – Friday, April 12^th

Every year, we celebrate the wonderful little people we serve and the unique world they inhabit with exciting week-long festivities. Each day will have its own particular theme and events to look forward to. This week is a national celebration that focuses on acknowledging this fundamental and transformative period of life. Oh, to be a young child! Parents are welcome to participate and volunteer; please be sure to check with your class to see how you can join in.

CLICK HERE for the Week of the Young Child Daily Themes & Events

Elks Vision Screening – Wed, April 10^th, Thurs, April 11^th, & Fri, April 12^th

The Elks Vision Screening is a free service provided to preschool children throughout California and Hawaii. This screening will happen on campus, in the Art Studio, as a special pullout for our students. Teachers will help facilitate the screening by shepherding students and assisting them during the screening process. If you are interested in participating in this program, be sure to fill out a vision screening form with the Front Desk at either drop off or pick up. Children need a Vision Screening Form to be able to participate. Hard copies will be available at the preschool, or you are welcome to use the link below.

CLICK HERE for Vision Screening Information

CLICK HERE for Vision Screening Permission Form

Preschool Chapel – Thursday, April 11^th

Our Fruit of the Spirit for April is Faithfulness. What a perfect fruit to reflect God’s plan and promise through His son Jesus Christ. We will read and discuss what transpired on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.

⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

PCS Association Meeting – Tuesday, April 16^th @ 7 PM

Join us for this year’s annual PCS Association Meeting. All members of the PCS community are welcome to participate. We will recognize staff members for their years of service and vote for new board members.

Summer Camp Registration

Will you join this year’s “Fun in the Sun” summer camp? If so, be sure to turn in your registration forms ASAP. Spaces are filling up fast! Summer camp is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, including outside families, so don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of the fun at the preschool this summer.

CLICK HERE for the Preschool Summer Registration Packet

CLICK HERE for the Kinder Camp Registration Packet

If you have already signed up, look for more camp-specific information over the months ahead.

As we cruise toward the end of the year, we wanted to share a few helpful hints, reminders, and requests.

DOORS & KIDS – Many of our kiddos want to be helpful and open doors; this is great if a parent or a teacher is present, but potentially dangerous if they aren’t. We want to avoid accidents or injuries.

When dropping off or picking up, please be sure you are with your child before they attempt to open or pass through any of our doors, especially the doors leading to our parking lot.

SIGNING IN – As a state-licensed facility, we are required to have physical signatures for children at drop off and pick up. Please be sure you are signing in and out each day. The preschool will be held responsible and potentially fined for every missing signature.

PLAYING at PICK-UP, CLASSROOM RATIOS, and TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES – When you are picking up at the end of the day, please be mindful of the other students and teachers who may still be present in the environment.

Our fantastic staff is legally responsible for the children who are still signed in for the day but, due to ratios and other concerns, cannot watch children who have been signed out, especially if they are from another class. That is why we ask adults to limit the time spent in classrooms and passing through our outdoor spaces, patios, and yards.

Additionally, as a licensed facility, we are prohibited from allowing older and younger siblings who aren’t enrolled in the preschool to play in our environment during our regular hours of operation. While siblings are welcome to come for drop-off and pick-up, they must always stay with their adults while in the preschool.

Families are welcome to take a moment in the lobby to visit the turtles, look at or borrow a book from our lending library, check out the “Zany Zoo” on your way out, or enjoy the swing. When enjoying the swing, please be mindful of the parking lot and the cross traffic.

March 29^th – Good Friday: PRESCHOOL CLOSED

April 1^st – Easter Monday: PRESCHOOL CLOSED

April 1^st – 5^th – PCS Main Campus Spring Break

April 2^nd – 5^th – PRESCHOOL OPEN

April 8th-12th – Week of the Young Child

April 10th-12th – Elks Vision Screening

April 12^th – Deadline for MVP Hours

April 16th – PCS Association Meeting

May 10^th – Open House

May 11^th – PCS Gala

May 18^th – Preschool Family Picnic

May 27^th – Memorial Day: PRESCHOOL CLOSED

May 29^th – Preschool Promotion: MINIMUM DAY

May 30^th – Last Day of Preschool: MINIMUM DAY

May 31^st – June 7^th – PRESCHOOL CLOSED

June 10^th – First Day of Summer Camp

July 4^th & 5^th – CAMP CLOSED

August 1^st – Last Day of Camp

August 2^nd – August 20^th – PRESCHOOL CLOSED

August 19^th – Back to School Night

August 20^th – Preschool Meet & Greet

August 21^st – First Day of School

We adore the month of love and are looking forward to all the exciting things that will happen over the next four weeks!

FUN RUN – Friday, February 2^nd 

The preschool is thrilled to participate in this year’s FUN RUN event!

WHEN: Fri., Feb. 2^nd from 10:15 AM to 11:00 AM

WHERE: The PCS Field or Auditorium

Tuesday/Thursday, friends are welcome to join us, with a parent, for the event itself.

All the kiddos will have a special FUN RUN shirt to wear on the day of the event. To avoid any mishaps with the t-shirts, classrooms will hold onto the T-shirts and put them on the children the day of. Tuesday/Thursday friends will have the option of taking their T-shirts home on Thursday.

Parents are welcome to join us for the FUN RUN by coming to the preschool prior to the event and walking over with the kiddos or by signing in through the main campus front office and meeting us at the field. MVP Hours are available for helping at the FUN RUN.

The children will be encouraged but not required to run/participate. 

Preschool Chapel – Thursday, February 8^th

It is the month of love, and we focus on where love comes from. After all, G.O.D. is L.O.V.E. We look forward to coming together to worship and celebrate the love of God for each of us and our love for Him and each other.

1 John 4:7-12

Valentine’s Day Parties – Tues., Feb. 13^th & Wed., Feb 14^th 

Each classroom will celebrate the holiday with special festivities on both Tuesday, February 13^th, and Wednesday, February 14^th. Please be sure to keep a look out for classroom-specific details about what they’ll be doing. This includes how each classroom will handle Valentine’s Day favors. 

• Here are a few quick suggestions…
• Avoid edible treats. Instead, themed pencils, crayons, erasers, stickers, or other small items would be a great gift idea.
• Simple and small is always best.
• On the cards, sign – To: My Friend         From: Your Child’s Name
• Due to flux schedules, not all the kids know each other, but it is easier to give to everyone than to figure out who comes on which day. The classrooms will provide a total head count for each room.
• Avoid the “Boy/Girl” Valentine trap. Allow your child to select the Valentine’s they wish to give instead of worrying about how many boys and girls there are. The kids get so much more out of the reflected diversity of their peers’ interests and the things they want to give.
• There is no obligation to give out Valentine’s cards/treats, but you are welcome to participate as you see fit.

Teacher In-service Day – Fri., Feb. 16^th – PRESCHOOL CLOSED

Teacher In-service Days are crucial and provide us the much-needed time for training, planning, preparation, and cleaning that can’t be achieved while the children are on campus. We are grateful for these opportunities to grow and improve all that we do in service to the children and families.

Presidents’ Day – Mon., Feb. 19^th – PRESCHOOL CLOSED

While we don’t typically do a deep study of American history or civics as a part of the preschool experience, we are happy to celebrate two of our nation’s most influential leaders and the role presidents play in shaping and guiding our country.

Let us raise standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God. – George Washington

My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right. – Abraham Lincoln

Picture Days – Wed., Feb. 21^st & Thurs., Feb. 22^nd

It is time to capture those adorable preschool smiles once again! Preschool Picture Days have arrived.

The preschool will host School Pictures from Julie Lilly Photography on Wednesday, February 21^st, and Thursday, February 22^nd. Your child will be photographed only on the listed days. Please look out for more information from your child’s teachers about which day has been assigned to you. 

Families will receive an envelope for their child’s picture purchases the week before Picture Days (February 12th-16th). Please complete and return to the preschool office on or before Picture Day.   

Please let us know if you have any questions; we are happy to help!!

Staying Healthy at Preschool

We want to thank all of our families for their support and understanding as we navigate the winter months and the challenges of keeping our preschool healthy and safe. A few things to keep in mind…

If you notice your child is under the weather or displaying any signs or symptoms of potential illness, please exercise caution, keep them home, and monitor their condition. While most preschool illnesses are common and pass quickly, some are much more concerning, such as RSV.

State regulations also remind us that children may not attend school if they have had a fever, vomited, or had diarrhea in the last 24 hours. This means if your child experiences any of these conditions, they must stay home from school the following day and may return to school the day after. For example, if they have a fever on Monday, the potential first day back would be Wednesday. The same standard holds true if a child is sent home from school with any of these issues.

Please know that our team will be monitoring our kiddos, and we will contact families if we spot signs or symptoms while they’re on campus. Conversely, we appreciate parent support in our staff’s discernment regarding a child’s presence at school. Often, sick children may be cleared by a doctor to return to school but may present minor symptoms such as a lingering cough or runny nose.

Our team greatly appreciates parent notification when their child is out due to illness. It’s essential for tracking, informing other families if needed, and potentially preventing further spread. Those notifications also give us peace of mind and allow us to keep you in our prayers.

Happy New Year! We are so excited to be back together at preschool in 2024. Here are a few quick reminders about what we will look forward to this month.

Preschool Chapel – Friday, Jan. 12^th

This month’s chapel will focus on the visit of the magi as well as revisiting the details of the nativity story. So often, we see depictions of the magi worshiping Jesus at the stable, but it took them a whole additional year to find him! We can’t wait to explore the story and see what other details we are able to parse out regarding their auspicious arrival and the gifts they bring.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Mon., Jan. 15^th – PRESCHOOL CLOSED

We will be celebrating the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., along with the rest of the nation, by taking the day to remember and reflect on his service and sacrifice.

At the preschool, we approach the concept of social justice at an age-appropriate level by acknowledging the meaningful contributions of historical figures such as MLK but more specifically by reflecting on the love and nature of God. God teaches us that we are all created in His image (Gen. 1:26), that we are all one in Christ Jesus (Eph. 5:21), that we are called to stand for others (Prob. 31:8-9), and most importantly, to love God and each other. (Matt. 22:37-39, John 15:12).

Moonlight Magic – Fri., Jan. 19^th

We are having our first Moonlight Magic event since 2020. This is a chance for parents to have a night out and for the preschoolers to have a pajama party! The event follows our preschool day from 6 to 9 pm.

Information and registration forms were sent out prior to our Christmas break by Mrs. Allen, the director of the BYH. Still, additional forms and information can be found in the preschool lobby.

BYH registration is closed, but the preschool will accept forms until Friday, January 12^th. Spaces are limited and are first come, first served.

Snow Days – Thurs., Jan. 25^th & Fri., Jan. 26^th

We are excited to announce an on-site field trip to the snow this winter! Starting Thursday, January 25th, we are turning the yard into a winter wonderland with snow! The snow will be provided by an outside company, Arctic Glacier, specializing in snow/ice events. Each classroom will have an opportunity to explore the frosty fun as an extension of their classroom’s yard time.

We recommend bundling up your little ones on those days and sending snow-appropriate clothes, footwear, and extra clothes to change into after the event.

*This event will be postponed if the forecast calls for rain on either of our planned days.

Coming soon…

Picture Days – Wednesday, Feb. 21^st & Thursday, Feb. 22^nd

It is time to capture those adorable preschool smiles once again! Preschool picture days have arrived.

The preschool will host School Pictures from Julie Lilly Photography on Wednesday, Feb. 21^st, and Thursday, Feb. 22^nd. Your child will be photographed only on one of the days. Please look out for more information from your child’s teachers about which day has been assigned to your kiddo.