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November Newsletter

A Note From Our Principal 

We had so much fun last month engaging in fall lessons, pumpkin themed activities, and classroom celebrations. We also loved seeing so many of you at our Fall Festival and our Costume Parade! This month, we are focusing on gratitude, connecting with others, and sharing family traditions. Thank you for allowing us to teach and care for your children.

Sincerely,

Ms. Vici

Thanksgiving Activities 

Please look for communication from your classroom teacher and/or room parents for information on when/if your class will be doing a Thanksgiving celebration.

Family Survey Reminder 

Our enrolled family survey launched in October. If you have not received the email, please let us know so we can request it be resent. The survey provides the opportunity for you to give us feedback anonymously on our strengths and areas we can work on. Survey closes November 18.

Cubby Refresh

As a reminder, please make sure to refresh the spare clothing in your child’s cubby. Take home anything that no longer fits and leave a spare set of well-fitting, weather-appropriate clothes.

Important Dates

November 8 – STEM/STEAM Day

November 10th – Spirit Day! – USA Day!

November 11 – School Closed for Veterans Day

November 17 – NO Aftercare – Monthly Staff Meeting

November 18 – PRE-K (Rms 9, 11, 14 & 15) Only – Thanksgiving Songfest 9 & 10 AM, please see more info from your classroom teacher

November 21-23 – No School – Thanksgiving Break, Camp available – Advanced registration required

November 24 & 25 – School Closed for Thanksgiving

November 30 – End of Month Folders go home

New On Our Education Blog

5 Easy STEM Activities to Try This Month at Home

Did you know… National STEM/STEAM Day is November 8th! We believe that introducing these concepts in preschool is important to help children build problem-solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills, as well as self-confidence and self-direction.

All year long, our students work collaboratively to create vehicles using cardboard boxes, make containers to grow plants, and build cities out of blocks. They use hands-on materials to explore and understand math concepts such as pattern, size, and shape. They even become mini scientists by making predictions, experimenting, and charting their results.

Below are a few ways to continue STEM/STEAM education at home.

  1. Chia Seed Jar

Gather a mason jar, a cup of water, and a teaspoon of chia seeds. Ask your child to place the chia seeds into the jar and pour the water on top. Assist if needed. Cover the top of the jar with a cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Let the jar sit overnight. The next day, drain the water. The chia seeds should begin sprouting in a few days. Ask your child to predict how tall the seeds will grow and record the results.

  1. Baking Soda Art

Cover the bottom of a tray with baking soda. In a separate bowl, add vinegar and food coloring. Using a dropper, ask your child to pick up the vinegar and drop it into the baking soda. They’ll love watching the fizzy experiment. Use different shades of food coloring and encourage your child to create unique art in the tray.

  1. Sink or Float Experiment

Fill a large bin or bathtub with water. Provide your child with various seasonal items, such as pinecones, leaves, and mini pumpkins. Ask them to predict whether each object would sink or float. Conduct the experiment to see if their hypotheses were correct.

  1. Unique Creations

No need to go shopping! Use materials found around your home to design and build unique creations. Some easy ideas include making binoculars with toilet paper tubes and tape, building a fort using pillows, assembling a tower from magazines, and creating a necklace using macaroni and string.

  1. Ice Melting Activity

Conduct an experiment to see where ice would melt the fastest inside your home. Place ice cubes in bowls in different rooms, such as a bedroom, the kitchen, and garage. Ask your child to predict which bowl of ice would melt the fastest.

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