May 2011

It’s hard to believe that the school year is almost over! The children have grown and blossomed wonderfully. We have many plans for the month. We’ll continue to talk about the changes in nature in springtime, flowers, insects and sea life.

Our last chapel times for the year will be Wednesday, May 18 and Wednesday, May 25, at 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the church. As always, please join us if you can.

The special helper/show and tell schedule is:

May 4: James, Kyle
May 6: Leo, Mackenzie
May 11: QB, Tristan
May 13: Emily, Chris
May 18: Isabella, Haley
May 20: Kyle, James
May 25: Mackenzie, Leo
May 27: Tristan, QB
June 1: Chris, Emily
June 3: Haley, Isabella

On Friday, May 6, mothers, grandmothers, fathers, grandfathers and caregivers are invited to join us at 11:30 a.m. to celebrate spring and Mother’s Day. We’ll share some food and have some fun!

Another important date for your calendar is Wednesday, June 1, Outdoor Day. We’ll spend most of the day outdoors, riding bikes and enjoying water table activities. Please dress your child in play clothes and sandals or shoes that can get wet that day.

The preschool is sponsoring a team for the Race for the Cure on Saturday, June 4, in Washington, D.C. If you’d like to run or walk with us, you’re more than welcome to join our team. Donations are welcome, too, of course. Please check out our team (Team Lord of Life) at www.nationalraceforthecure.org. Our team leader is Kareen Lawson. We’re excited about supporting this very important cause again this year.

We’re going to make gak later on in May. The children will have lots of fun drawing on it with markers and cutting it into different shapes with scissors. We’re including the recipe in case you’d like to make it at home sometime over the summer:

Mix 1 ½ cups warm water with 2 cups glue in one bowl
Mix 4 tablespoons borax with 1 1/3 cups warm water in another bowl
Add the borax water to the glue water (you may need to drain off some excess water)

Our last day of school is Friday, June 3. If you’d like to have a conference before the end of the year, please let us know. Thanks so much for sharing your children with us. We’ve enjoyed getting to know them and watching them grow and learn. It’s been a joyful year! Have a wonderful summer and we hope to see many of you back at Lord of Life in the fall!

April 2011

We’re looking forward to spring weather! We had a busy March celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, enjoying the firefighters’ puppet show, learning about the weather and looking forward to Easter. In April we’ll continue to look for signs of spring—listening to the birds, looking for buds on the trees and enjoying nature’s rebirth. We’ll explore life cycles and how things grow. We’ll be discussing snakes, turtles, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders and how plants grow from seeds.

Our chapel times will be at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13, and Wednesday, April 27, upstairs in the church. Please join us if you can. Our show and tell/special helper schedule is:

April 1: Emily, Chris
April 6: Isabella, Haley
April 8: Kyle, James
April 13: Mackenzie, Leo
April 15: Tristan, QB
April 27: Chris, Emily
April 29: Haley, Isabella

The children will get to enjoy a wonderful presentation by Reptiles Alive on Wednesday, April 6. They’ll get to see and learn about some very interesting animals. The preschool’s spring break will be Monday, April 18 through Friday, April 22. There will be no school on those days.

We’d like to invite any parents who’d like to come in to share any special skills or family history with the children—for example, a musical instrument, special information on a country they’re from, information on their careers, reading a favorite story, etc. The children love to share their parents!

Looking ahead to May, please save Friday, May 6, for our Springtime Celebration. More details will follow. We wish you a wonderful Easter and a relaxing spring break. As always, please call with any questions or concerns.

March 2011

In March we’ll be looking for signs of spring and we’ll enjoy lessons and activities about the weather. We’ll also talk about St. Patrick’s Day and play some games with shamrocks and gold coins. We’ll celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday, March 16. Your child may wear something green on that day, if they’d like to do so.

Fairfax County firefighters will visit the preschool on the Wednesday, March 23. There will be a puppet show about fire safety and the children will have a chance to see the fire and rescue vehicles up close. Chapel will be on Wednesday, March 9, and Wednesday, March 30, at 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the church. Please join us if you can.

Our special helper/show and tell schedule for March is:

March 2: Isabella, Haley
March 4: Kyle, James
March 9: Mackenzie, Leo
March 11: Tristan, QB
March 16: Chris, Emily
March 18: Haley, Isabella
March 23: James, Kyle
March 25: Leo, Mackenzie
March 30: QB, Tristan

The children are continuing to learn about taking turns, being kind and having patience. They really have fun playing with playdough. If you’d like to make some at home, here’s our recipe (we double it for the class):

1 cup flour
1 cup water with food coloring
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Mix and cook over medium heat until it forms a ball. Remove from pan and knead until it has a smooth consistency. Store in an airtight container after it has cooled. Have fun!

Looking ahead to next month, our spring break will be Monday, April 18 through Friday, April 22. There will be no school on those days. As always, please call if you have any questions or concerns.

February 2011

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us at our conferences. We certainly have a wonderful class!

With Valentine’s Day approaching, we’ll be talking about feelings and the ways we show our love for family and friends. On Friday, February 11, we’ll celebrate by exchanging Valentines. Please send in nine valentines for your child to deliver to his/her friends. Please don’t put names on the envelopes. Each child will have a chance to be the letter carrier and deliver mail to the other children.

This month we’ll also focus on manners—being kind and polite, taking turns, etc. Of course, we work on this every day but we’ll give manners a special emphasis in February.

In-house registration for the 2011-2012 school year will begin on February 2. If there is a delayed opening on February 2, registration will start at 10:00. If there is no school on February 2, registration will start on February 3. Our chapel times will be on Wednesday, February 9 and Wednesday, February 16, at 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the church. Please join us if you can.

Our special helper/show and tell schedule is:
Feb. 2: Mackenzie, Leo
Feb. 4: Tristan, QB
Feb.9: Chris, Emily
Feb. 11: Haley, Isabella
Feb. 16: James, Kyle
Feb. 18: Leo, Mackenzie
Feb. 23: QB, Tristan
Feb. 25: Emily, Chris

Your children are working on their cutting skills in school. For a good indoor activity, put out some old magazines or papers with child safety scissors, markers and crayons. They’ll have fun!

On Wednesday, February 8, we’ll have a preschool Hat Day. Your child may wear any hat they choose on that day! Thanks for your continuing support. Please call us with any questions or concerns. And happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

January 2011

We hope your holidays were wonderful. Thanks for all the terrific gifts! December was a very busy month with all the Christmas preparations and activities. In January we’ll talk about the winter season, snow and ice, polar bears, penguins and feeding the birds. We’ll also learn about community helpers. A discussion of good health habits will include talking about going to the doctor and dentist.

We’ll continue to focus on colors and shapes and how they are present in many things we see. On Wednesday, January 12, we’re having a preschool Pajama Day. Please send your child in pajamas that day. Of course, we’ll still need warm shoes for the playground! Also, please remember to send mittens and hats for the children. We do go outside when it’s cold. Putting their names on their coats and hats is very helpful!

In-house registration for the 2011-2012 school year will begin on February 2. Please don’t delay in signing up as the classes fill quickly.

Chapel will be on Wednesday, January 12, and Wednesday, January 26, upstairs in the church. Please join us if you can.

Our special helper/show and tell schedule is:
Jan. 5: Chris, Emily
Jan. 7: Haley, Isabella
Jan. 12: James, Kyle
Jan. 14: Leo, Mackenzie
Jan. 19: QB, Tristan
Jan. 21: Emily, Chris
Jan. 26: Isabella, Haley
Jan. 28: Kyle, James

Our parent/teacher conferences will be held on Monday, January 24. A sign-up sheet will be posted outside the classroom. Please make arrangements to have someone watch your child during that time. If you need to schedule a different day, please let us know. Also, please let us know if you would prefer a phone conference.

Thanks for your continuing support. We look forward to a happy, healthy new year.

December 2010

December is filled with exciting things for the children to learn about and enjoy. We’ll continue to focus on sharing and caring for one another. As we have fun making gifts, we’ll learn about the Christmas story, sing holiday songs and enjoy Christmas crafts and activities.

Our chapel times are Wednesday, December 8 and Wednesday, December 15, at 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the church. Please join us if you can. Breakfast with Santa will be on Saturday, December 4. Information on this festive event has already been sent home by the preschool office.

On Wednesday, December 15, we’re also planning to have a Christmas sing-a-long upstairs in the church. The classes will gather at 11:40 a.m. and sing Christmas songs with their parents, grandparents and/or caregivers. We hope you can be there!

Our special helper/show and tell schedule for December is:

Dec. 1: Leo, QB, Tristan
Dec. 3: Emily, Chris
Dec. 8: Isabella, Haley
Dec. 10: Kyle, James
Dec. 15: Mackenzie, Leo
Dec. 17: Tristan, QB

It’s the time of year when inclement weather may affect our school hours. Please refer to the Preschool Handbook or our website (www.lordoflifepreschool.org) to check our policy. If you haven’t already done so, please put your child’s name in his/her coat.

Thanks!

Our last day of school will be Friday, December 17. We wish you all a very

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

October went by quickly as we enjoyed getting to know each other better and learning about the fall season. Thanks so much to the wonderful moms who helped with our Halloween celebration. It was nice seeing so many of you at our open house. The children love to share their room, artwork and music.

During November we’ll focus on what it means to be thankful for family, friends and all the other blessings in our lives. We’ll enjoy some cooking activities and we’ll measure, mix and share the adventure of making food for ourselves and our friends.

Starting this month, we’ll have show and tell time in our class. On the day that your child has show and tell, he/she may bring in one item from home to share with the class. On their show and tell day, the children will also be a special helper for the day, either the line leader or the door holder. The schedule will be listed in the monthly newsletter. The show and tell schedule for November is:

Nov. 3: James, Kyle
Nov. 5: Mackenzie, QB
Nov. 10: Tristan, Chris
Nov. 12: Emily, Haley
Nov. 17: Isabella, James
Nov. 19: Kyle, Mackenzie

Chapel will be on Wednesday, November 10 and Wednesday, November 17 at 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the church. Please join us if you can.

There will be no school on Wednesday, November 24 or Friday, November 26 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

As the weather changes, we’ll continue to go outside to the playground. Please be sure that your child’s name is on his/her coat. Also, we ask that you send mittens instead of gloves. Many of the children can’t put gloves on themselves and we have many, many fingers in our class! It’s good for the children’s self-esteem to be able to put their coats, hats and mittens on by themselves.

Please check your child’s tote bag and replenish the diaper supply if needed. Also, please be sure that the extra clothes in their school bags are appropriate for the season.

Please feel free to come into the classroom to share any special talents or interest you have or to read a story to the class. Just let us know so we can add it to our schedule. The children are always thrilled to have a parent come in to visit the classroom.

OCTOBER 2010 NEWS

After only a few weeks of school, our class is already making progress in the areas of sharing and caring for friends. In October we’ll be observing the changes that fall brings and enjoying Halloween. With the changing weather, please provide your child with a sweater or jacket labeled with his/her name. We will be working on helping them learn to put their coats on the “tricky” way. Ask your child to show you at home!

Here are some important items to note:

Picture Day: On Friday, October 22, a photographer will be at school to take individual pictures of each child as well as our class. The pictures will be made available to you for purchase or return.

Chapel: Chapel will be on Wednesday, October 13 and Wednesday, October 27 upstairs in the church at 9:30. Please join us if you can.

Snack Time: Thanks for sending in healthy, two-part snacks and for marking their lunchboxes/bags with the children’s names and the date. They’re enjoying having snack with their friends. We provide water so juice boxes aren’t needed.

Open House: You and your children are invited to visit our classroom on Monday, October 18, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. We hope to see you there.

Halloween Fun: We will celebrate Halloween on Friday, October 29. You may dress your child in a costume that day or they may bring it in their school bag to put on later. Please, no masks! We would appreciate having one or two parents come for the last part of the day to help us go “trick or treating” in the school. More information will be sent home later.

Book Orders: At the beginning of every month, we’ll be sending home Scholastic Book orders. Ordering books for your child is completely voluntary. Our class receives points from Scholastic for each order which we use to purchase books for the classroom. You may order online by going to www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs and using our classroom activation code GZ3KL. With each online order, our class receives a free book.

Thanks for helping us help your child to adjust to school. We’re having fun! Please call if you have any questions or concerns.

OUR CLASS BOOK ORDERS

Dear Parents,

Thanks to all who have ordered Scholastic books for your children through our Scholastic Book Club catalogs. Our class earns points with each order which I use to purchase books for the classroom. I’ve now signed up with Scholastic so that you can use online ordering. By ordering online, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card. Of course, if you prefer to give me a check (made out to Scholastic Book Clubs), that’s fine, too. As always, ordering books through Scholastic is completely voluntary!

Here’s how the online system works: 

1. Sign up at www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Don’t have a User name and password?” link and then register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code (GZ3KL). This code ensures that your order is sent to me online.
2. Select the books you’d like to order from the catalogs listed.
3. Send your order to me online by the due date. Books will be delivered directly to our classroom.

Ordering online is fast, easy and secure. Plus our class benefits thanks to the free books we’ll earn with every parent online order. I’ve noticed that Scholastic adds a Club Shop listing to the catalogs I choose. It can’t be deleted from the list so please feel free to look at it or ignore it.

At the beginning of each month you’ll receive the catalogs in paper form as well as a listed due date and the class activation code—GZ3KL. The catalogs and the due date will also be noted at the online site.

I hope you find the online system to be easy to use and more convenient. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

Daphne Rozsa

We enjoyed meeting with you and your child. Thanks for helping us to ease the transition to preschool and to make this a happy time for the children.

During the first month of school, the children will get to know one another and we’ll establish some school routines. We’ll begin with an emphasis on making friends. Learning activities will include listening to stories, singing, painting, playing outside and having fun.

Chapel will be on Wednesday, September 29, at 9:30 a.m. upstairs in the church. All parents and caregivers are invited to join us. If you’d like to come to chapel, we suggest that you drop your child off at Kiss and Ride, park your car and join us upstairs in the church. We’ll bring the class upstairs.

Please put a change of clothes and a diaper in your child’s tote bag. If you haven’t given us a photograph for our bulletin board, please send one in.

Please remember to send a snack for your child every day. The container (lunch box or bag) must be clearly marked with your child’s name and the date. Please do not send in a drink. We’ll serve water for them to drink. The Virginia Department of Social Services requires the snacks to be two-part. Please choose two categories from the following list and send in a snack with an item from each of your chosen categories:

Grains
Snack cracker
Bread, muffin or roll
Cold dry cereal

Protein
Cheese
Egg
Yogurt
Peanut butter

Fruits or Vegetables
Fresh fruit (we can cut)
Carrots or celery
Canned fruit
Applesauce

We’re looking forward to a great year with your child. Please feel free to call us with any questions or concerns.

Mrs. Rozsa has been working on scheduling your individual meetings with her at the preschool in Room 4. She and Mrs. Gramsch are looking forward to meeting with you.

Attached is her welcome letter and class shedule. These will also be posted on the website.

If you have time on Saturday, Sept. 4, please consider joining us in spreading the mulch on the preschool playground. Please let Annie Huse, preschool advisory board chair, know if you can make it. 703 968 7782

 

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Lord of Life Preschool! We’re looking forward to an exciting and successful school year with your child. Please take the time to read the Family Policy Manual as it contains valuable information concerning policies and procedures. Also, please check our website (www.lordoflifepreschool.org) for further information on the preschool’s classes, staff, the school year calendar, inclement weather closings, etc.

Open House/Orientation Day will be Friday, September 10, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. After spending a few minutes in the classroom with the children, parents will meet with Mrs. DeLoose and the Preschool Board members in another room. In the classroom, the children will enjoy a story and snack and will have a chance to begin to get to know each other and experience part of the normal classroom routine.

Tote bags are supplied to each child by the preschool. Please have your child bring it every day and keep a change of clothing and a diaper in it at all times. We’ll check the bags every day for any notes or other communication from you. At the end of the day a box with a slot for each child will be placed in the hall outside our room. Please be sure to check the box when you pick up your child. Look for monthly newsletters, book orders and other notices. The children’s artwork will also be in their slot. The tote bag is a convenient way to carry these papers home.

We serve a mid-morning snack. We are asking that each child bring his/her own snack daily. The container (lunch box or bag) must be clearly marked with your child’s name and the date. Please do not send in a drink. We will serve water for them to drink. The Virginia Department of Social Services requires the snacks to be two-part. From the following list, please choose two categories and send in a snack with an item from each of your chosen categories:

Grains
Snack cracker
Bread, muffin or roll
Cold dry cereal

Protein
Cheese
Egg
Yogurt
Peanut butter

Fruits or Vegetables
Fresh fruit (we can cut)
Carrots or celery
Canned fruit
Applesauce

Please do not send in candy, cookies or popcorn for snack.

We will celebrate all birthdays occurring during the school year. You may send in special treats for your child’s birthday, if you wish. Cakes and cupcakes can be very messy. Cookies, brownies, bars, muffins, ice cream cups or popsicles are all examples of fun and easy birthday treats.

Drop off at Kiss and Ride takes a little extra time the first few weeks of school. Staff members will be outside at the kiss and ride area at 9:00 a.m. to get the children out of the cars and escort them to their classrooms. Please be patient—we want to give each child the time and attention needed to learn the routine. Your child’s safety is our main priority.

Thank you for sharing your child with us this year. It’s a joy to watch each child grow and develop. Please feel free to call at any time with questions or concerns.

CLASSROOM SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY CLASS

Wednesday:
9:00 - 9:45 Art activities, free play and centers in classroom
9:45 – 10:15 Big room
10:15 – 11:00 Circle time, snack and library time
11:00 – 11:30 Playground time. During inclement weather, we will have special crafts or games inside.
11:30 – 11:45 Closing circle
11:45 – 12:00 Group music

Friday:
9:00 – 9:30 Art activities, free play and centers in classroom
9:30 – 9:50 Creative movement
9:50 – 10:15 Big room
10:15 – 11:00 Circle time, snack and library time
11:00 – 11:30 Playground time
11:30 – 12:00 Closing circle with music and other activities

Chapel is scheduled monthly and the specific times will be noted in the monthly newsletter. Families are welcome to attend.