Room 8
Tuesday-Thursday
February 2012
At the end of the month, we will be saying goodbye to Kristen. The Kim family is moving to Korea. We’ll miss you! Good luck!
Please remember that IN HOUSE REGISTRATION is Thursday, Feb. 2. Please read the office memo on instructions carefully!
Valentine’s Day is a Tuesday this year! We will celebrate by exchanging cards.* We will have “mailboxes” made for deliveries. Please send in your child’s valentines to share in a bag labeled with their name on that bag AND please have your child’s name on the back of the card. The front of each envelope can be left blank. We have 11 total students in class, 2 teachers plus Mrs. DeLoose and Mrs. Prodo in the office.
We will be using pink, red, hearts, XX’s and OO’s and singing Valentine/friendship themed songs this month!
Feb.2- IN HOUSE REGISTRATION (Also Groundhog’s Day)
Feb. 14- Valentine exchange; Chapel at 9:30
Feb. 23- Fire Department puppet show
Feb. 28- Chapel at 9:30
February Birthdays!!
2/6- Kristen
2/15- Tristan Philpott
2/19 Isaac
If we are lucky on the 23rd, Fairfax County firemen will be available to demonstrate their clothing, gear, and their fire truck. (In the past, we have been disappointed, but understanding, when the firemen are busy responding to a call and are not able to come. The puppet show is not affected.) Also in the past, some three year olds have been frightened when the fireman puts on all his protective gear including the air tank. Breathing with the air tank does make a different sound. We will emphasize that it is a “good, I’m here to help sound” before the firemen are scheduled on the 23rd. I wanted to give you the heads up on this, so you can reinforce that these strange- sounding and looking strangers are our FRIENDS. Thank you!
Thank you for conferencing with us. If you haven’t done so yet, we will make arrangements to do so soon. Thanks for sharing your wonderful children with us!
* A Valentine’s Class List will be put in your mail boxes on Feb. 2.
January 2012
The New Year has arrived! Happy New Year to all and many thanks for the nice cards, gifts, and the certificate. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Please continue having your child work on mastering inside-out sleeves and putting on his/her coat. Many of the boys’ coats are very similar (or identical) so please show your child where to locate and “read” their name. We go to the playground every day it is not raining so please be alert to the day’s weather forecast. If the weather turns nasty, please consult www.lordoflifepreschool.org for our late start policy. Please update the change of clothing in the tote to items that are seasonally appropriate if necessary.
The month’s calendar:
Jan. 10- Chapel at 9:30
Jan. 19- Pajama Day, but please wear sneakers for the playground.
Jan. 24- Chapel at 9:30
Jan. 30 AND 31- No School for FCPS and LOL
Please remember that you have access to ordering wonderful books at www.scholastic.com.
Parent-Teacher conferences will be scheduled during January in 15 minute increments. This time is designed for us to share thoughts, observations, and questions with you and for you to do the same with us. Please be thinking about and writing down the questions or concerns you would like to address during the conference. It would be helpful to bring those notes with you. We have scheduled our conferences days as Thursday, January 19 and Thursday, January 26. Both days we will begin at 12:30. There will be a sign up sheet outside the classroom door. Phone conferences are also an option. Please note on the sheet if that is your preference. It works best if you can make arrangements to attend without your student with you. We look forward to sharing individual time with each of you (spouses welcome!)
We will be reading The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Stone Soup this month. Winter themed activities are also planned.
Thanks for sharing you children with us! We’re looking forward to a great 2012 packed with playing and learning from each other!
December 2011
Dear Parents,
December: here it comes!! We will start the month with our Field Trip to Woodson High School with music and characters to get us into the holiday spirit!
Dec. 13- Chapel at 9:30 As always, you are welcome to join us
Dec. 15- 11:40 Mark your calendars for our Sing-along We will also be having a school wide Bake Sale
Dec. 20- Last day of school before Christmas
Dec. 21- Andrew’s birthday: Happy Birthday!
School will resume on Jan. 3. 2012
Please check the selection of Scholastic books online. Mrs. Madsen is our classroom liaison with Scholastic.
Label outerwear please and also practice putting on coats. We prefer mittens over gloves. Please check to see that the change of clothing in the totes is seasonal: that is, pants and not shorts.
The website has information on Inclement Weather.
Merriest of Christmases to all and Happy New Year!!
November 2011
Dear Parents,
We enjoyed seeing many of you for Open House and for the Halloween parade. Thanks for taking the time to attend.
Now on to turkeys, harvest foods, Pilgrims, and Indians for Thanksgiving!
Please note the following dates:
Nov. 6- Daylight Savings
Nov. 8- No School- Fairfax Co. Teacher workday
Nov. 11- Veterans Day- thank you, troops!
Nov. 15- Chapel at 9:30 Visitors welcome to join us
Nov. 24- No School- Happy Thanksgiving
Dec. 1- 10:00: Field Trip to W.T. Woodson High School “Tunes for Tots” Holiday program
Please read :
FIELD TRIPS
Each class may participate in field trips for which advance notice is given to families. Drivers who transport other than their own children must provide proof that they have current driver’s licenses and insurance in accordance with the regulations of the state that licenses the driver. The field trips require parents to help out with the driving (car seats are required). Students without car seats/parental permission or who arrive after the class has left will not attend the field trip but remain at the school under staff supervision. For insurance coverage and safety concerns, no siblings are allowed to participate in the school sponsored extracurricular activities. Please find childcare arrangements for siblings. One option may be to trade child care with another parent in your child’s class or another class. Lord of Life Preschool does not necessarily promote businesses visited nor endorse the resource people brought to the preschool.
If you choose to only drive your own child on a field trip, please notify the classroom teacher as soon as possible so that car pools for the other children can be adjusted accordingly. All children and all drivers (even those going with the parent only) must report to the classroom so that all children can be accounted for prior to leaving for the field trip. We advise drivers to not use kiss and ride on field trip days but to park and come into the building.
We are requesting 4 chaperones come with us to Woodson. Along with the two teachers our ratio will be one adult per two students. Either 3 or all 4 of the chaperones will also be drivers, depending on car seats arrangements. If you are able to transport a total of 3 or more students please consider signing up to be a driver/chaperone. Thank you!
A sign up sheet will be posted outside Room 8’s door on November 10th.
The program begins at 10:00 and we will leave the preschool as close to 9:15 as possible, returning at approximately 11:15. We will have snack upon returning to Lord of Life.
Please use a Sharpie marker or other labeling system on all of your child’s outerwear (coats, sweaters, hats, mittens* {preferred over gloves}). We will be using the playground every day the weather allows. Lower temperatures alone do not keep us inside!! In the past we have caught snowflakes on our tongues!!
We are showing each child how to pull sleeves back to right side out when they are inside out. We place the coat on the floor and have the child locate the hood/collar, bend or kneel down at the hood and scoot each hand and arm as strongly as they can down each sleeve. Then, presto!! We end with a duck of the head and flip over that ducked head with the body of the coat and the coat is on!! Please practice at home. If they instead stand at the hem end ----the hood ends up looking like a tail!
Healthy 2 part snacks are being brought in and being labeled with name and date. Thank you!
Consider Kiss and Ride if you are not taking advantage of that service, especially if the weather remains cooler.
They are getting in the habit of washing their hands upon arrival, before and after snack, after being in the bathroom, and after using a Kleenex. Practice pushing up long sleeves too please!
Coughing and sneezing is going on of course and we are trying to keep their little fingers and hands away from their faces as much as possible. We teach them to “catch” sneezes and coughs in the bent crook of their elbows. Remember to call the preschool if your child will be absent and mention the reason for the delay or absence please.
We are reminding each student to use the bathroom before we go the playground at 10:30 and then again especially between 11:15 and 11:45 while we are in the Big Room which has 2 bathrooms. Many parents are reporting good progress and success with independent bathroom skills at home too! We also watch for the “I’m -busy, but- I don’t -want –to- stop- playing- to- use- the- bathroom-dance.” Keep up the good work.
Watch for information on the Scholastic Book site becoming active soon.
Trains, cars, gluing, some painting, puzzles, singing, and stories are keeping us busy. We will overlay our play with November themes!
Thanks for your patience at dismissal time. We like to have each child say so long to their friends. Remember to check the mailboxes when they are on the wooden chairs. The top names on the mailboxes are for the MWF class and the lower names are for the TTh class. Also please remember to look for the snack bags and lunchboxes below the coats. We have put colored stickers by their names above the coat hooks to help each child locate their hook.
Thanks for sharing you children with us!
October 2011
Dear Parents,
“All aboard the October train!” During September we practiced walking one behind another in a train formation to (playground, Big Room, Chapel, group singing, etc.) Mrs. Reed is the engine and Mrs. Jones is the caboose. So now onto October!
Please remember that school wide information is posted on www.lordoflifepreschool.org and also on the wall by the office.
Class photos are scheduled for October 20. “All aboard the Smile Train!” Individual and group photos will be taken.
Thanks to those using Kiss and Ride. We’re hoping that more will start using it in October. Mrs. Reed will look for our students in the line.
With the weather changing please label any outerwear and sweaters brought to school. Thanks for labeling snack with name and date each school day.
Show and Tell begins in October. The hard copy assignment calendar was distributed in the mailboxes. Your child will be co-line leader with Mrs. Reed on his/her Show and Tell day. Please send ONE item for your child to say a sentence or two about and pass around to their friends. Breakable and valuable items should stay at home. Favorite sleeping friend stuffed animals are a common choice.
We have done quite well with using the bathroom. We ask frequently if anyone needs to use the restroom, teaching them to knock on the door and listen for a response since we share with Room 7. Likewise, if they are in the bathroom and hear a knock to call out “Just a minute please.”
We’ve had a few absences. Thank you for phoning in and letting the office know. We are reminding everyone to sneeze and cough in the crook of a bent elbow, throw away used tissues, and wash and dry hands thoroughly. We want everyone to stay as healthy as they can and come to preschool!!
Grace Madsen’s mom has volunteered to be the Scholastic Lady!! Thank you. Watch for further information about our book ordering process.
Open House: Families are invited to come to Room 8 on Wednesday evening, October 26, between 6:45 and 7:30. We will have artwork on display and it provides a glimpse into how our TTH mornings unfold!
We will celebrate Halloween on Thursday October 27. Please note our guidelines for costumes:
-Fleece costumes are too heavy for indoors all morning.
-No masks, no weapons please
-Ease with using the bathroom
Tristan Miller’s mom will be an additional adult with us on the 27th to help with costume logistics.
If there is someone willing to bring in a Halloween cookie for our snack please let us know. (We’ll be asking on other holidays as well. We really don’t need more than one treat in addition to our regular snacks brought from home.)
Dancing Feet! And Head and Toes are two action books that have us duplicate movements. Llama, llama, Misses Momma and Little Meeow are two other titles which the class has enjoyed.
We’ve had paint at the easel and markers and paper at the tables. Play dough and gak have been popular. The dollhouses and the train tracks seem to be favorite rug activities.
If you have any questions or concerns please call the office (703-323-5581) and we’ll get back to as soon as we can. Thanks for sharing your children with us!
September 2011
Welcome to Lord of Life Preschool and Room 8! We are excited to start the year with you!
Thanks to those who were able to make it to the Meet and Greet and also to the playground get-together in August.
Please let us know if you have not yet received the Daily Schedule and the Themes handout. Calendars with Show and Tell assignments and activities will be distributed at the beginning of each month.
I hope you have read through the Parents Manual and are aware of the school’s website: www.lordoflifepreschool.org. Please visit these two sources of valuable information regularly.
Show and Tell will begin in October to give us time to settle in with our other transitions during September. Starting in September, Show and Tell will be one student per day. On that day your child will also be the line leader. Keep in mind that fragile items and valuable keepsakes don’t always stand up to travel and handling. One sturdy item please as we will be passing the item around to each student. As the year progresses we will be asking for items pertaining to our themes for the month.
We celebrate birthdays by asking the family to send a snack to share with the group. Gooey, heavily frosted cupcakes are very messy so we favor cookies, Dixie cup ice cream cups, or Rice Crispy bars. Currently we have no allergy limitation in room 8. The birthday child will have a paper crown to wear as we sing to them during group music. Please remember that classroom parties are not to be scheduled and party invitations are not to be distributed at preschool as stated in the Parents Manual. Goody bags are discouraged.
Snack time is at 10:20 each day so be sure your child has a hearty breakfast. We swerve water. No juice boxes please. Additional guidelines for snack are in the Parents Manual. Please label the snack visibly with the date each school day and make sure your child’s name is also on the paper bag or lunchbox.
Hopefully you have given some thought to a “goodbye routine” that will help with drop-off. Kiss and Ride is available and is highly encouraged, though the first part of September is our “cushion.” Whether you walk your child in for the first few days or use Kiss and Ride from day one, a “goodbye routine” offers comfort and security and should be consistent and brief: one smooch and a special bye-bye wave or blowing a kiss while using a special nickname are offered as examples. If you child got off to a slow or sad start that morning, maintain your composure and follow your routine. Feel free to call the office to check on how your child is doing.
Please bring a 4X6 photo of your child for our bulletin board is you have not done so yet. Thanks!
In the tote bag please put a set of dry clothes including socks. Pull-up also if needed. Bathroom accidents, water table spills, snack spills and splashing at the sink would all be reasons for a change of clothing. Tote bags should be carried to school each day and hung on the hook by your child’s name label which is the bottom set of names for Tu/Th class. Mailboxes will also be sued to dispense information and art projects and will be set in the hallway.
Thanks for sending your child to have fun and learn with us at Lord of Life.
Meet and Greet 2011
Dear Families,
Welcome to Lord of Life Preschool and Room 8 ! We are excited to meet you! To start the new school year we will host a Meet and Greet on Tuesday, August 30.
The following time slots have been arranged accommodating 3-4 families per slot. The time is designed to give your child a chance to become familiar with the classroom and to locate the sink and bathroom and pick up a tote bag. Saying hello to us, seeing our faces, and playing alongside three new friends will help ease any beginning of school jitters. It is also designed to give parents an opportunity to ask questions and share information with the teachers.* Please make sure that the office has received any pertinent allergy information.
The August 30th time slots are as follows:
9:30-9:50 Philpott, Rivas, Oedemann
10:00- 10:20 Madsen, Messer, Tsuchida
10:30-10:50 McCarty, Miller, Price
Please bring a recent photo of your child for our September bulletin board.
*The Parents Manual is loaded with school wide policies and information. Please take time to read the Parents Manual before school starts. Better yet, before the Meet and Greet on August 30 so that you can ask questions during that time.
Show and Tell will begin in October to give us time to settle in with our other transitions during the morning. Starting in October, Show and Tell will be 3 students per day which means your child’s show and tell opportunity is every other week. We will keep your assigned day either a Tuesday or a Thursday so it’s easier to keep track. Keep in mind that fragile items and valuable keepsakes don’t always stand up to the travel and handling. One sturdy item please as we ultimately like to pass the item around to each student. As the year progresses we will be asking for items pertaining to our themes for the month.
We celebrate birthdays by asking the family to send a snack treat to share with the group. Gooey, heavily frosted cupcakes are very messy so we favor cookies, Dixie cup ice cream treats, or Rice Krispy bars. The birthday child will have a paper crown made for them to wear as we sing to them during group music. Please remember that classroom parties are not to be scheduled and Party invitations are not to be distributed at preschool as stated in the Parents Manual.
Each month a newsletter and calendar will be sent home electronically. They are also posted on the preschool website.
Snack time is at 10:20 each day so be sure your child has a hearty breakfast.
Be thinking about establishing a “goodbye routine” for you and your child. Kiss and Ride is available and is highly encouraged, though the first part of September is our “cushion.” Whether you walk your child in for the first few days or use Kiss and Ride from day 1, a “goodbye routine’ offers comfort and security and should be consistent and brief: one smooch and a special bye-bye wave or blowing a kiss while using a special nickname. If your child got off to a slow or sad start that morning, maintain your composure and follow your routine and then feel free to call the office to check on how your child is doing.
Thanks for sending your child to have fun and learn with us at Lord of Life!