Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year

!

Please join us tomorrow at 11:30am in the Sanctuary for a very special Christmas Program.  Extended family and friends are welcome to attend!

Cortney Carroll is working on the Media Center schedule for January through April. Thank you to all of our awesome Media Center volunteers!   If you would like to be added to the list of volunteers, please let me know.  It's a fun way to spend time at the preschool.

There is still time to turn in your school picture order form.  Orders placed last week will be distributed at school next Wednesday.  Orders placed this week will be distrubuted the first week in January.

If your child is interested in the after school enrichment opportunities offered in January & February (Creative Movement, Volleyball and Lunch Bunch), please return the regiatration forms before the Christmas holiday.

Please join us on Wednesday December 18th at 11:30am for a very special Christmas Program!

Preschool picture proofs were sent home today in your child's school bag.  The proofs of the class pictures are hanging up outside of each classroom.  The students had fun having their pictures taken and the proofs are wonderful!
If your family returns the order form by this Friday (December 6th), your picture package will be delivered before the Christmas holiday begins.

Family Fun Night was a huge success!  Thank you for taking the time to stop by for the activities and Book Fair.  We look forward to hosting another family event in the spring.

Thank you to all of our parents for the delicious dinner baskets!  It was such a treat to have a night "off" from cooking.  We are so blessed to have such thoughtful families at our preschool.  You all make it a joy to come to work each day.  

Families, friends, and alumni please join us this Friday 4:00pm-6:00pm for some family fun!  Enjoy stories, arts and crafts, and games with your teachers and visit the Book Fair.  We hope to see you there!

A big "thank you" to Carla Davenport for sharing a wonderful science experiment with the Blue and Purple rooms today!  Be sure to ask your child what tools are used in space.

During the month of November, the students will be learning about the children's author Mo Willems in the Media Center.  Be sure to ask your child about Pigeon and what food he wants to eat.  Visit www.mowillems.com for more information and fun children's activities.

 Happy Halloween!

"The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.  This is especially so during the preschool years."  From Becoming a Nation of Readers, report of the National Reading Panel

Our magic pumpkin seeds grew over the weekend!

The children in the Red and Yellow classes had a wonderful time making Gak today using Borax, Elmer's glue and water.  Visit http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/glue-borax-gak for the recipe and instructions to make Gak at home.
 

The children enjoyed the fire safety presentation and the "tour" of the fire truck.  A big "thank you" to Fire Station #9 for visiting Promises Preschool!

These rainy days have provided the students with the opportunity to enjoy indoor gym time!

On Tuesday, October 22nd 6:30pm-8:30pm, Susan Brown from Commonwealth Parenting will present a parenting class "Raising the Resilient Child" (for parents/caregivers of children 0-7 years of age).   This class is free for Promises families and $30 for others.

Raising the Resilient Child
Helping children build life skills has become more important than ever.  Have you thought about how your child will handle responsibilities as he/she grows?  Would you like to see your child develop greater self-confidence?  Find out how to encourage children to solve their own problems, learn from the consequences of their choices and think for themselves.  Allowing our children to have both success and failures in a safe, nurturing environment builds self-confidence and motivation to make positive choices.  

Media Center was a big hit this week.  The children learned about how to care for books and enjoyed checking out their first books to take home.  Please have your child return those books next week.

Next week we will begin our first author study.  The children will spend several weeks learning about Laura Numeroff's popular children's books.  Visit Laura Numeroff's website www.lauranumeroff.com for more information.

Many thanks to our wonderful Media Center volunteers!

It's been a beautiful week at Promises Preschool!  The children have really enjoyed the playgrounds and God's Garden.

The children have really enjoyed starting Music Class and Chapel this week! Be sure to ask your child about Max, the preschool church mouse.  Max helps us learn about God's love and is very excited to have everyone back for weekly Chapel visits.  

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

This school year, Promises Preschool is collecting soda pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House.  The recycling of pop tabs is one of the largest fundraisers for the Ronald McDonald House each year.  There is a pop tab collection jar on the preschool sign-out table.  Pop tabs can be collected from soda cans, soup cans, vegetable cans, etc..  We will deliver the pop tabs to the Ronald McDonald House once per month.  Thank you in advance for helping with this easy outreach program!

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

The 3 year old and prekindergarten classes have all enjoyed meeting Al and his friends Keisha and Ty.   Please visit the Al's Pals website for more information about the Al's Pals: Kids Making Healthy Choices
curriculum.

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

The 3 year old and pre-kindergarten classes have started using the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum.  The students in both programs are using the big and little sticks and curves for letter formation and the pre-kindergarteners have been introduced to Mat Man.  Please use the Handwriting Without Tears link for more information.

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer  

Susan Brown, from Commonwealth Parenting, will present a class on Kindergarten Readiness and Play-based Learning at Promises Preschool on Monday, September 30th at 9:00am.  This class is free for Promises families and $30 for outside guests.

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

Please join the Promises Parents' Group for Brown Bag Lunches on Tuesday (9/17) and/or Thursday (9/19).  Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the preschool playgrounds with friends at 12:00 noon on both days.  The weather should be beautiful!

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

Please remember to frequently check the Shutterfly site for your child's classroom.  This is where parents can find important information about activities happening in the classrooms and look at wonderful pictures from the school day.

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

Please check your child's school bag today for important information about Carpool Line and After School Enrichment opportunities.  Carpool line begins Monday, September 16th and the After School Enrichment programs begin the first week of October.

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

Don't forget to order a Promises Preschool t-shirt for your child.  The order forms will be on the sign-out table through Friday, Sept. 13.  T-shirt sizes include all child and adult sizes as well as 2T and 4T.  We are having another great day!

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer

We had a terrific start to the school year today!  Thank you to all of our parents for taking the time to attend Parent Orientation and Open House last week and for following our suggestions for a smooth first day. Your children were excited and confident about being at school!

Blessings,
Kerri Palmer