May News and Calendar of Events

It feels like spring barely made it here and now we are counting down to summer! We are in the final stretch with less than one month remaining. What a fantastic year it has been working with your little ones. We have enjoyed each and every one of them so much and we thank you for entrusting them with us.

The month of May is packed with excitement and loads of fun activities, so hang on to your hats…it will be a fun ride to the end!
In the News:

Water Bags for Cubbies

The time has come! Please send in a Water Play Bag with your child within the next week or so. Please see attached Water Play Bag Supply List flyer for details.

MVP HOURS – DUE SOON!

MVP hours are due by the last week of school. Many of you noticed that a charge of $150 was added to your account. This charge was placed on all accounts that did not have a completed MVP booklet on file. The charges will be reversed if your booklet is received by May 26^th. Click here for last minute opportunities: https://signup.com/group/1186271400029

Not done? No worries! A few remaining opportunities will include the Preschool Promotion Ceremony, Pizza Parties, and Family Picnic.

Summer Camp Registration

We are nearly to the close of our summer registration. Please register by May 8^th to avoid a $50 late fee. We still have a few spaces available.

For those who registered, summer information such as calendars and supply lists will be emailed out in the next week or so….be on the lookout!

Upcoming Events:

Moonlight Magic – May 5

Our FINAL Moonlight Magic of the year will be held Friday, May 5^th from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. Don’t let your kids miss out on the fun…sign up soon! We enjoy glow-light dance parties, flashlight tag, pizza, movies, and popcorn while YOU enjoy a night out! Flyers are available at the preschool desk. Spaces are available in preschool. BYH is sold out.

Preschool Family Picnic – May 20

The Preschool Family Picnic is by far one of the most enjoyable events of the year! Families will enjoy bouncy houses, crafts, water play, and a picnic lunch on the PCS field! Save the date…you won’t want to miss it!

Pizza Party Days – May 23 & 24

Each classroom will enjoy pizza parties in their classrooms to celebrate a year of fun. Look for sign-ups for ‘potluck’ side items (MVP hours available!)

Preschool Promotion Ceremony (Rooms 1 & 2) – May 25 @ 7:00 pm

The Preschool Promotion Ceremony is a very special time to recognize our Rooms 1 & 2 students who will be promoting to Kindergarten, TK and Pre-K. This is an event our Rooms 1 & 2 families will not want to miss! Families will enjoy a selection of songs, a slideshow, presentation of certificates, and light refreshments. Invite the whole family and don’t forget the tissues!

Volunteer Opportunities:

Preschool Family Picnic – Look for volunteer sign-ups for the annual preschool family picnic. We always need help with preparation, donations, and working the event at this super-fun picnic party!

Communication:

PLEASE FOLLOW the Preschool Blog for classroom updates: www.pasadenachristianpreschool.com

PCS Weekly: Check your emails for the PCS Weekly! This e-letter features links for volunteer opportunities, the main calendar, and more!

Calendar:

Friday, May 5 – Moonlight Magic – 6:00 – 9:00pm

Saturday, May 20 – Preschool Family Picnic – 11:00 – 1:00

Tuesday, May 23 – Classroom Pizza Parties

Wednesday, May 24 – Classroom Pizza Parties

Thursday, May 25 – Preschool Promotion Ceremony (Rooms 1 & 2) @ 7:00 – Minimum Day

Friday, May 26 – Last Day of School – Minimum Day

May 29 – June 2 – Clean Up Days – School Closed

Monday, June 5 – 1^st Day of Summer Camp (Registration Required)

Looking WAY Ahead…

*Monday, August 21 Classroom Welcome Party (Meet the Teachers and Handprint Party)

Tuesday, August 22 First Day of School!

Tips & Tricks for Traveling with Tots

Traveling with small children can be a hassle, especially when you know you have two little ones who refuse to sit still. Managing snacks, entertainment, and nap time can be quite the challenge when you know you have a long trip ahead. Thankfully, there are a few strategies that will help ease the challenge for the short (or long!) road ahead.

Plan your Snack and Meals Ahead of Time.

Remembering to pack snacks and meals not only saves you money, but also helps keep snacking healthier compared to opting for the fast food alternative. A few healthy snacks that are also lightweight to pack are granola bars, string cheese, fresh fruit and the kids’ favorite – applesauce. If you have a long trip you might want to avoid packing foods that turn brown or can crumble such as bananas, avocados, and crackers. Stick to snacks that can be thrown in a bag and can be treated as rewards such and edamame, dried fruits, or even cubed tofu! All of these are healthy options and can stand at room temperature.

Entertainment for Traveling

Traveling with young children can be a task, but if planned accordingly, it can be a much smoother ride. If traveling by car, bringing small, cheap toys such as stickers, dolls and trinkets can help. Make sure that you bring it along in a travel bag or box to help keep things tidy. For kids older than the toddler stage, you can create a map of your trip and have them check off the locations you pass and even reward them when you reach a checkpoint with a snack, toy or special activity. Bringing your child’s favorite CD and having a sing off in the car can help time go by quicker in a fun way.

Planning Nap & Bed Time

Whether traveling by car, train, or plane, planning when to sleep can become a real challenge as most younger children need their down time. Making sure you stick to normal nap time schedules and planning your day around them can help avoid the sleepy-time crankies. Try bringing nap time products that help children feel like home such as their favorite toy or blanket. Traveling by night can help children as their bodies are normally getting ready to go to bed. This can also help as you will not have to manage a squirmy little one during a long flight or a crying child in the back seat.

Author: Stephany Mijanos, CSULA intern

Happy April!💐

Hi there from Room 2! 😊

We hope you’re well and blessed! We’ve definitely been having TONS of fun here in Room 2! Can you believe the school year will be over in just a few short weeks?! We definitely don’t want to think about that just yet… Not when there’s still so much fun to be had.😎

Last week was a huge treat for our entire school as we were visited by two police men, who came to speak to us about their job! It was so exciting to have them teach us about their gadgets, general safety, and about their vehicles! Some of our kiddos even had the chance to see inside! SO. COOL.🚓🏍

It was such a great day! We’re so thankful for the visit and hope to have more educational visits like it in the future.

Meanwhile, inside the classroom, we’ve been hard at work as we finish up our very last unit of curriculum! So exciting!!Our friends have been working hard, learning their shapes and letters as we conclude our last unit. They’re doing so well! We are super proud of their progress!!📚🖍☺️

Also, Room 2 is SO excited to be diving into the fascinating world of dinosaurs!! Our friends have been learning about dinosaurs, their anatomy, and their lifestyles! We saw the children develop an interest in dinosaurs and took the opportunity to encourage their curiosity to learn! It’s been such an amazing adventure. WE ARE LOVING IT!!

Our friends have also been busy developing their culinary skills!😉 Last week’s menu was dinosaur bones made from dough, and this week we made dinosaur eggs out of rice crispy treats! So yummy!!🥖🥚

We’re so thankful with God for the amazing gift He gives us each day, to learn and grow. Our hearts are elated and full of praise for the amazing ways His heart shines in our room. We’ve become such a family in our classroom, and as we head into these last few weeks of school, our hearts are deeply thankful and pensive at the memories we’ve made so far. The love, compassion, kindness, and overall growth that God has done in us will always remain, and that is the highest and sweetest blessing. We can’t wait to see what else these next few weeks have in store for us! Easter is next week, and we have one last adventurous field trip coming up in a couple weeks. We can’t wait to see you there.❤

Blessings and TONS of love,

Miss Wendy and the Room 2 Team💕

p.s. As always, some extras! Enjoy!🌞

Worship with Room1&2!❤

A Private Concert for the a Younger Pod!

Today we enjoyed a special up close and personal concert from one of our fabulously involved parents and family friend who happen to be incredibly talented concert musicians!! We had a counting lesson on the strings of the violin and the cello, learned musical vocabulary, and joined together in song as we were serenaded by our special guests!

The younger pod extends a huge THANK YOU to Elliston’s mommy, Joo, for arranging and providing such a once-in-a-lifetime immersive experience for the budding minds of rooms 4 and 5. Thank you!!

Children of the King

Why is emergent curriculum so great? Engagement! Engagement! Engagement! When children are engaged they are productive and productive play is essential to a successful learning environment.

Our Room 1 friends have been productively exploring their interests in everything Medieval! Our “Almost Kindergartners” began showing interest in princesses and knights, a popular area of interest for 5 year olds. So naturally, and with their help, we transformed our classroom into a medieval kingdom. We have been exploring their interests in dynamic and multifaceted ways–ways that have not only kept their interests alive for MONTHS but have absolutely propelled them forward as critical thinkers, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, artists, writers, and thespians!

Room 1 loves to start exploring an area of interest with literature! Books and pictures inspire us, peek curiosity, provoke questions and brainstorming…

We built.

We measured.

We catapulted.

We melted and molded.

We designed.

We wrote.

We patterned.

We micro-dramatic played.

We painted royal self portraits.

We became knights, princesses, servants, and jesters.

We built castle walls and colored stain glass windows.

We created.

We declared ourselves children of the King.

We put on the full armor of God!

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:11

We know there is a war going on for our hearts. God wants us to obey His word and the enemy doesn’t. When conflict arises in our classroom we remind our kids: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

It is our prayer that our kids learn to fight this spiritual battle. We want them to put on their helmet of salvation and believe in Jesus. We want them to gird themselves with honesty, fairness and righteousness. We want them to use God’s word to separate right thoughts and actions from wrong ones. We want their faith to extinguish the lies–lies that they don’t have to be obedient or share their toys or love their classmates. We want the truth of God’s word to hold everything in place. We want them to walk out the Gospel with peace. We pray our little ones make Jesus the Lord of their life because He is the King of ALL kings and the Lord of all lords!

2017 April News and Calendar of Events

Dear Parents,

Spring has sprung and we are bounding towards summer! We are on the home stretch! The mood at the preschool has been filled with fun as the warmer weather has allowed for some water play (off an on, anyway!) and sunny days outdoors. Many classrooms are also delving into the wonderful world of insects and you should be seeing caterpillars, silk worms and more making their way into the school. We had our annual Association Meeting last week and we recognized Monica and Joy for their 5 years of service, as well as Pam for her 10 years! Feel free to send a warm thank you their way. Our fabulous parents are one of the many reasons our staff enjoy LONG working tenures at PCS :-). In fact, our 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Gallego, just celebrated 30 years and Dr. Gray was not far behind, with a whopping 25 years at PCS!
In the News:

Water Bags for Cubbies

The time has come! Please send in a Water Play Bag with your child within the next week or so. Please see attached Water Play Bag Supply List flyer for details.

Room 1 Staffing Update

We are pleased to announce that Mrs. Joy will soon be having her first baby! She left on maternity leave this past Friday and we ask that you keep her family in your prayers as they prepare for their little one. Miss Kristen will be leading the classroom and Mr. Sam will be joining the Room 1 teaching team for the remainder of the year.

MVP HOURS – DUE SOON!

MVP hours are due SOON! Please make an effort to fulfill your hours and turn in your booklet as soon as possible to avoid the MVP fee to your account. Don’t have a book? Lost your book? No worries…come to the office and we will replace it for you. Enrolled late to PCS? Plan on completing 1 hour per month of attendance. Sign up to help here! https://signup.com/group/1186271400029

Summer Camp Registration

Thank you to all the families who registered by the March 8^th deadline for summer camp. You should see your first tuition payment posted to your Smart Tuition account for April 1^st. For those who haven’t registered, we have a few spaces left in some of the classrooms, so if you are still looking to enroll your child, please do so asap. Submissions received by April 8^th may be billed to your account; submissions received after May 8^th will be due in full and will incur a $50 late fee.

Upcoming Events :

Easter Parties

Be on the lookout for Easter classroom party information. Each classroom has their own schedule and traditions for how Easter is celebrated, so please look for their information regarding the parties. Just a reminder that PCS celebrates Easter for what it truly is – recognition of Christ’s sacrifice for us. While the “bunny” may play a small part in the fun, please help us in remembering the true meaning of this Christian holiday.

70^th Anniversary Gala & Auction

We hope you can attend our 70^th Anniversary Gala and Auction! This is a very special event and our very first Gala. Enjoy time with PCS families while joining the fun in bidding on amazing auction items and priceless classroom auction baskets! Visit our BidPal Center at http://bidpal.net/70 to register and
purchase tickets today. Event seating is limited. Advanced reservations are required for entry.

Bidding from home will be available through BidPal! Mobile bidding goes live at 9:00AM on April 22^nd.
Watch for our email giving you early access to our event’s Silent Auction!

Week of the Young Child:

Each year we celebrate the Week of the Young child with some daily fun and activities. Join the fun and have your child participate in the following:

Monday, April 24 – Pajama Day – Wear your jammies to school!

Tuesday, April 25 – Color Day – Show your classroom spirit by wearing your class color!

Rm 1- Purple, Rm 2 – Orange, Rm 3 – Green, Rm 4 – Red, Rm 5 – Blue

Wednesday, April 26 – Mismatched Day (we often joke that every day is mismatched in preschool…but on this day…go extra crazy!!)

Thursday, April 27 – Fruit Day – Bring a fruit to share in the classroom Fruit Salad Snack!

Friday, April 28 – Crazy Hat Day – How crazy can you get???

Moonlight Magic – May 5

Our FINAL Moonlight Magic of the year will be held Friday, May 5^th from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. Don’t let your kids miss out on the fun…sign up soon! We enjoy glow-light dance parties, flashlight tag, pizza, movies, and popcorn! Flyers are available at the preschool and BYH desks.

Volunteer Opportunities:

PTF Preschool Teacher Treats: April 21 – Parents of Room 3

Meal Trains – Congratulations to the Williams family on the birth of baby Cameron! Help bless this family with a meal while earning 2 MVP hours! https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/6gw20y

Communication:

PLEASE FOLLOW the Preschool Blog for classroom updates: www.pasadenachristianpreschool.com

PCS Weekly: Check your emails for the PCS Weekly! This e-letter features links for volunteer opportunities, the main calendar, and more!

Calendar

Tuesday & Wednesday, April 4 & 5 – Spring Photos on the yard

Friday, April 14^th and Monday, April 17^th – Easter Break – No School

Saturday, April 22^st – Dinner Gala – NO MOONLIGHT MAGIC

April 24 – 28 – Week of the Young Child

Friday, April 28^th – Open House 6:30 – 8:00 – Minimum Day

Friday, May 5th – Moonlight Magic

Saturday, May 20^th – Preschool Family Picnic

Thursday, May 25^th – Rooms 1 & 2 Preschool Promotion Ceremony – Minimum Day

Friday, May 26^th – Last Day of School – Minimum Day

Monday, June 5^th – 1^st Day of Summer Camp

July 3 & 4 – Holiday – School Closed

June 5 – August 4 – Fun in the Sun Summer Camp

August 7 – August 18 – School Closed

Monday, August 22 – Preschool Classroom Welcome – Details to follow

Tuesday, August 23 – First Day of School 2017 – 2018

Why Routines are Important for Kids

Why Routines for Kids are Important

Predictability is something young children need in their lives. Uncertainty and change is naturally stressful for all human beings. Children are confronted with change daily. Although it is a growth opportunity, it can also be stressful for children. Changes are handled best in environments with familiar routines and if children know what is expected. A daily routine adapted to children’s interests and/or needs is very important because it allows them to feel safe. A sense of mastery in handling their lives is developed, allowing children to adapt to changes in their environments. Young children do not yet fully understand the concept of time, so they order their lives by events that happen, not by hours and minutes. One of the most important things that you can do to make your young child feel safe is to establish as much routine as possible. Children have a better understanding of their world when events happen in the same order every day, which is when they feel the most secure. Routines are emotional regulators that decrease conflict, stress, and anxiety. Children emotionally prepare for changes that are to come when routines are in place. A child with a set routine will progress through it, while also knowing what is expected of him/her when the task is complete. Through routines, children learn social skills (e.g., turn taking), self-control (e.g., waiting), and positive behavior. Routines help children understand concepts such as “before and after”. It is never too late to start a routine. When implementing routines it is important to keep in mind that adjustments may be needed. Know ahead of time that your child will have difficulty adjusting, and be prepared with how you will handle the resistance. Having consistency and limits is key. When you stick to a routine, you teach your child how to arrange his/her time in a manner that is efficient, productive, and cuts down on stress. The sense of order will allow your child to suppress an automatic sense of how to organize his/her own life as they grow up.

Routines at School:

At Pasadena Christian Preschool we understand the importance of routines and are aware of the positive effects it can have on our student’s emotional development. Our teachers promote a consistent routine day after day, giving our students the sense of security they need to take risks and make choices, which opens the door to exciting learning opportunities. All classrooms have similar daily schedules with different weekly curriculum that target children’s interests. In addition, our teachers make announcements during morning meetings about what to expect throughout the day, which helps incorporate learning with an organized connection. Our students are able to experience a sense of satisfaction and control at being able to perform all of part of the tasks connected with the routine.

Author: Irina Zepeda, CSULA Child Development Intern

Shamrockin’ 🎵

The younger pod had a fabulous Saint Patty’s day on Friday with green yogurt, courtesy of Mrs. Terri, lots of outdoor fun, and a special surprise visit from our dear friend Ms. Jessica who came with a very special gift for our studio!!

We have been explaining the folklore around Saint Patrick’s Day to our little ones with the concept of “luck” and being “lucky” really meaning “blessed”. We’ve focused and talked at length about what a blessing is and what it means to be blessed- that we are all God’s children, brothers and sisters here to support and build one another up. We understand that we are here to enjoy the marvelous resources the Lord has set before us in our unique and individual ways as each one of us has been fearfully and wonderfully made, unique by God’s design. We put great importance on counting our blessings and living with an attitude of gratitude throughout life here on Earth. When we say we are “lucky” we truly mean blessed, and we are ever grateful for the grace of God, and for our brothers and sisters who let the Holy Spirit’s light shine so brightly through them.

The teachers were blessed with an over the top “teacher treats” spread on Friday by the hard working Parents of Room 2, complete with a green St. Patty’s Day theme! What a marvelous way to end the week and enjoy the holiday. (Thank you Room 2 Parents!) 💚

Rockin’ Room 5!

The recording studio is alive and well in Room 5. We’ve had a blast extending our learning with guest visitors and an expanded play space! We read “Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin” by Lloyd Moss last week during circle time and were given a special concert and demonstration of the violin by the lovely and talented Mrs. Sarah from all the way up in Room 1! The kids and teachers were thrilled! One of our featured artists on the recording studio walls is Lindsey Stirling who plays violin and dances beautifully! Check out her videos on YouTube with your child and see how cool a traditional instrument like the violin can be!

We also expanded our practice space into the circle time and blocks area with the addition of microphones and a drum set! Now we have been having rocking jam sessions every morning.

(We love to break out the scarves and free dance to Lindsey Stirling!)
As usual we are also getting a great education in the outdoor classroom. Our bodies, minds, and social skills gain a hot of exercise outside!

We are so grateful that some of our musically inclined parents have volunteered to give our little guys some immersive experiences with music and in our studio! Check back for updates on these exciting adventures in creativity and if you would like to donate your time/experience/old equipment or instruments to Room 5’s studio please let us know! Family involvement is one of the things that makes our school incredibly special. Until next time, rock on and peace out! ✌🏼

Descanso Gardens🌿🌸

Welcome back to Room 2’s blog post!

We had an absolutely wonderful time last week, exploring Descanso Gardens on our field trip! It felt great to get out of the classroom for a change and marvel at God’s creation together. We loved being outside, learning the names of plants, trees, and simply getting to enjoy nature. God is so good, and provided us with the perfect weather to experience it in.🌾

Our Room 2 friends got to take in some beautiful views! The cherry blossoms were particularly gorgeous!

We loved taking in some fresh air and especially loved having moms and dads accompanying us! Parents, you always make our trips extra special. Thanks for making the time to be there! We love being a team with you.😊🍃

God is so good… He gives us so much. It can be hard in our busy lives to really make time to sit with Him and thank Him. But by making time to be outside and to fellowship with friends, we are doing just that. We are thanking Him. We must try remember to take a moment and thank Him. He’s worthy of our deepest praise and gratitude. He’s the Good Shepherd, who knows us; he knows our deepest needs, our deepest wants, and dreams. There isn’t a single detail of our lives that He doesn’t know about. Knowing this allows us to have peace and to hope, no matter where we might be in our journey with Him.🌱

We leave you with this last thought, out of the book of Psalms…

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name…” Psalm 23:1-3❤

We pray you are encouraged to look around and take a few moments to spend time with Jesus, wherever you might be. Here in Room 2, we don’t take those moments for granted. Until next time…💛

-Miss Wendy

P.S. As always, a few candids!📸💕