Happy Spring! The children have been looking forward to the warmer weather, playing outside and looking for insects and rainbows. This month we will be celebrating one our favorite time of year WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD. We will kick off our celebration with our annual carnival on April 11th from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. The Theme this year is “WE ARE ALL SUPERHEROES” This is a special week that is designed to recognize early childhood education. We will also be having our annual “Ladybug Release Celebration” on April 22nd, to promote Earth Day. The children will be learning fun facts about ladybugs and how they help our Earth.
- IMPORTANT EVENTS:
- April Fool’s Day 1st
- Spring Party 3rd
- Egg Hunt 3rd
- World Health Day 7th
- National Farm Day 10th
- WOYC Carnival 11th
- Week of the Young Child 13th-17th
- Dress as a Super Hero 13th
- Bring your Sidekick 14th
- Bring your Parent to School Day 15th
- Music Matt Show 16th
- Trike A Thon 17th
- Cooking Class Begins 20th
- Earth Day 22nd
- Ladybug Release Party 22nd
- Arbor Day 24th
- Bird Day 27th
WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD:
We will be kicking off our celebration with our Child Play Day on April 11th from 10:30 am to 1:00pm. The children will also become SUPERHEROES from April 13th through 17th. Each day will bring a fun filled with superpowers and activities.
COOKING CLASS:
We will be having our Spring Cooking Class with Ms. Michaela from April 20th to April 24th. So if you are interested please sign up at the front office. Reminder space is limited.
LADYBUG RELEASE CELEBRATION:
We will be celebrating Earth Day with our annual Ladybug Release Celebration on April 22nd at 10:00 am. The children will start off the day with a parade and then will gather on the main playground to release 3,000 ladybugs into the sky. Please have your child wear black and red that day.
BRING YOUR PARENT TO SCHOOL DAY:
On April 15th we invite you to come and be a Merryhill Preschooler for the morning. You will get to experience all the great things your children learn and do on a day to day bases. Please sign up on your child’s classroom door if you will be able to join us.
ST. JUDE TRIKE A THON:
We will be having our annual St. Jude Trike A Thon on April 17th. Please have your child bring in their bike and helmet and help us in raising money for a wonderful cause. We are hoping to raise $1,500 this year, for St. Jude’s Children Hospital. Donation packets are at the front desk, all donation forms need to be turned in no later than April 24th. If you have questions please feel free to see the front office.
Specialty Classes
Minikickers
This soccer program coach skills within a framework of character development based on respect, responsibility, integrity, leadership and sportsmanship. Their curriculum has been created to address the key areas of technical development that have the biggest impact on performance in the game.
Jazzerettes
We offer a beginning Jazz Dance Class each Friday. This class is designed to introduce children to the art of dance. Making the art of dance fun for children, Ms. Jennifer engages the children with special props and music. The children are able to show off their dancing skills twice a year with a dance recital! More information is located in the lobby.
Gymtyme
Gymtyme is also offered on Friday with Ms. Jennifer. she introduces the children to the sport of gymnastics through fun activities. Ms. Jennifer brings with her each Friday different props so the children can learn about tumbling, jumping, balancing and so much more. This is a great class for both boys and girls!
Music Matt
Mr. Matt will be teaching an introductory music class. This class is open to all 3 and 4 year olds and will introduce them to different instruments, singing and much more! We are excited to announce that Music Matt is available for birthday parties. If you are interested, please contact Music Matt either through his website or by email. Please check out his web site at www.MusicMatt.com. If you would like more information he can be reached by e-mail: Only1MusicMatt@gmail.com or by phone: 530-220-4400.
News From our Education Department
Appreciating the Wonders of Mother Nature Spring is here and Earth Day is right around the corner, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect children with nature and reinforce the importance of preserving and protecting the world around us.
Our Links to Learning curriculum uses hands-on activities to cultivate a deeper connection to the earth and foster academic, physical and social skill development. Below are activities we implement in our classrooms to get children excited about nature, as well as activities and books to read with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Our teachers provide natural objects, such as leaves, pinecones and flowers for the children to see and touch. We help children associate words with the concrete objects they represent.At-home activity: Allow your child to experience different textured fruits, such as an orange, watermelon and cantaloupe. Talk about what he sees, smells, tastes and feels. Recommended reading: Colors from Nature from PlayBac Publishing and The Earth Book by Todd Parr
BEGINNERS (Ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to understand interdependencies in nature. For instance, they learn that ladybugs feed on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs. On Earth Day, many of our students have the opportunity to release ladybugs to help local gardens. At-home activity: Take a walk outdoors with your child and play a game of “I Spy.” Ask him point out objects found in the springtime, for example a red flower, a blue bird or a colorful butterfly. Recommended reading: Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli & David T. Wenzel and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
INTERMEDIATES (Ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As our Intermediates gain a greater understanding and appreciation for how living things grow, the class may adopt a pet such as a fish or bunny. Students develop math, science and language skills by measuring the pet’s food, observing the pet’s behavior and habitat, and learning new vocabulary. Research shows that when children have the opportunity to care for animals, they practice nurturing behaviors that help them interact in gentle ways with people also.
At-home activity: Create a small garden and allow your child to help you plant and water seeds, either outdoors or indoors. Ask him to predict what the plant will look like by drawing pictures in his journal. Check the plant regularly so he can observe and measure changes in growth. Discuss the importance of watering and caring for the plant. Recommended reading: Our Earth by Anne Rockwell and the poem “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out!” by Shel Silverstein
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (Ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage our older preschoolers to reuse recyclable materials in fun and unconventional ways. For instance, our students use cardboard boxes to create a castle, milk jug lids to sort and match, and plastic bottles to create beautiful, unique artwork.
At-home activity: Set up a recycling station using cardboard boxes, and label each box with the words “metal”, “plastic” and “paper”. Throughout the month, ask your child to help sort your family’s recyclables by placing the items into the correct box. Explain that recycling is just one way that we can be kind to the earth. Ask him to name a few other ways, such as conserving electricity, picking up litter and planting a garden. Recommended reading: A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss We create a path for lifelong learning by providing numerous opportunities for children to study and explore nature. These hands-on experiences lead to growth in all areas of development as students transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education
A few friendly reminders …….
- Upon arrival and during pick-up time, please make sure that you sign your child in and out in the sign-in/out binder located in the front office. All information must be completed on each line and be clearly legible. You must write a phone number each day where we can reach you immediately should there be a need for it.
- Should you require an alternate person to pick-up your child, please give a written letter to the office, stating the name of the person who is authorized to pick up. Please inform the person picking up the child that they must provide a valid form of identification with photo. A staff will ask for I.D. to properly identify this person as someone who is authorized to pick-up your child.
- All new students must have a complete file by the first day of school. Attendance will not be allowed until all necessary forms are completed. Please note that emergency information and immunization records must be updated as needed throughout the school year.
- Please make sure that your child has a crib-sized fitted sheet to cover his/her mat, a blanket, and at least two spare set of clothing in his/her cubby. On Fridays, you must take blankets and sheets home to be laundered and return them on Mondays. Please check your child’s cubby everyday for soiled clothing or other items that may need to be taken home. Please also make sure all items are clearly marked with your child’s name (clothing, sheets, blankets, sweaters and jackets, towels and bathing suits, etc.).
- Merryhill provides a hot lunch as well as a morning and afternoon snack. We do not provide breakfast, but we’ll be happy to assist your child with breakfast brought from home until 8:45 AM. If you would like your child to eat breakfast at school, he/she must arrive by 8:30 AM.
- Merryhill School is a NUT FREE environment, we ask that you not bring any food items into the school that contain nut products.
- Please refer to the tuition fee schedule for updated new rates and tuition policies for the current school year. A deposit equal to the weekly tuition amount is due on the first day of school.
- Tuition is due no later than Friday prior to the week of attendance. Tuition is considered delinquent at 12:00 PM on Monday. A $25 late fee charge will be assessed at that time and should be included in your payment. Tuition is continuous throughout the year. There are no deductions in tuition for absences, illness, or the holidays that are observed throughout the year. Each child is entitled to one week of vacation credit for each school year. Requests for vacation credit must be presented in writing to the office at least two weeks in advance.
- A charge of $1 per a minute will be assessed for children picked-up after 12:30 PM for half-day students, and 6:00 PM for full-day students.
- In order to keep you informed of everything happening at Merryhill, please check the Merryhill Links to Learning Parent Board and students’ files located in each classroom, our monthly newsletter, and our website. In an effort to establish prompt communication with parents please make sure to provide us with an e-mail address for up-to-date e-notifications.
- We welcome children to bring a special item for “Show and Tell” on Fridays. Please make sure that these items are small enough to be stored inside your child’s cubby. Toy guns and/or weapons of any kind are not allowed. Merryhill is proud to provide all our classes with enough materials that are fun and educational. Sometimes it is hard for the children to understand the concept of sharing special items that they bring from home. Some of these items are valuable to the child, therefore, we do not want to take the chance of them getting lost or misplaced.
- It is very important that you make contact with the teacher on duty when arriving or picking-up your child. This will help you better understand how your child’s day went and allow you time to ask any questions and/or voice any concerns you may have.
- During the summer months we will have water play days and occasionally go on walks. We will also maintain our playground schedule when weather permits. We ask that parents put sunscreen on the children before they come to school. We also ask that you maintain a bottle of sunscreen in your child’s classroom and teachers will reapply as needed. Please make sure that you complete a “Permission to Apply Sunscreen” to maintain in your child’s file.
- Please make sure to carefully review our Sick and Medication policies. Our goal is to maintain a healthy environment for all our children and staff. We are asking you to abide by our sick policy as we will continue to enforce those policies with every enrolled student. Although their symptoms may not abide by the sick child policy, the school administration will determine when a child needs to go home according to their well being. On occasion, symptoms may be outside the parameter of our Sick Child Policy, at that time the school administration will contact you if we feel your child needs parental care.
APRIL NEWS
Happy Spring! The children have been looking forward to the warmer weather, playing outside and looking for insects and rainbows. This month we will be celebrating one our favorite time of year WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD. We will kick off our celebration with our annual carnival on April 11th from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. The Theme this year is “WE ARE ALL SUPERHEROES” This is a special week that is designed to recognize early childhood education. We will also be having our annual “Ladybug Release Celebration” on April 22nd, to promote Earth Day. The children will be learning fun facts about ladybugs and how they help our Earth.
WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD:
We will be kicking off our celebration with our Child Play Day on April 11th from 10:30 am to 1:00pm. The children will also become SUPERHEROES from April 13th through 17th. Each day will bring a fun filled with superpowers and activities.
COOKING CLASS:
We will be having our Spring Cooking Class with Ms. Michaela from April 20th to April 24th. So if you are interested please sign up at the front office. Reminder space is limited.
LADYBUG RELEASE CELEBRATION:
We will be celebrating Earth Day with our annual Ladybug Release Celebration on April 22nd at 10:00 am. The children will start off the day with a parade and then will gather on the main playground to release 3,000 ladybugs into the sky. Please have your child wear black and red that day.
BRING YOUR PARENT TO SCHOOL DAY:
On April 15th we invite you to come and be a Merryhill Preschooler for the morning. You will get to experience all the great things your children learn and do on a day to day bases. Please sign up on your child’s classroom door if you will be able to join us.
ST. JUDE TRIKE A THON:
We will be having our annual St. Jude Trike A Thon on April 17th. Please have your child bring in their bike and helmet and help us in raising money for a wonderful cause. We are hoping to raise $1,500 this year, for St. Jude’s Children Hospital. Donation packets are at the front desk, all donation forms need to be turned in no later than April 24th. If you have questions please feel free to see the front office.
Specialty Classes
Minikickers
This soccer program coach skills within a framework of character development based on respect, responsibility, integrity, leadership and sportsmanship. Their curriculum has been created to address the key areas of technical development that have the biggest impact on performance in the game.
Jazzerettes
We offer a beginning Jazz Dance Class each Friday. This class is designed to introduce children to the art of dance. Making the art of dance fun for children, Ms. Jennifer engages the children with special props and music. The children are able to show off their dancing skills twice a year with a dance recital! More information is located in the lobby.
Gymtyme
Gymtyme is also offered on Friday with Ms. Jennifer. she introduces the children to the sport of gymnastics through fun activities. Ms. Jennifer brings with her each Friday different props so the children can learn about tumbling, jumping, balancing and so much more. This is a great class for both boys and girls!
Music Matt
Mr. Matt will be teaching an introductory music class. This class is open to all 3 and 4 year olds and will introduce them to different instruments, singing and much more! We are excited to announce that Music Matt is available for birthday parties. If you are interested, please contact Music Matt either through his website or by email. Please check out his web site at www.MusicMatt.com. If you would like more information he can be reached by e-mail: Only1MusicMatt@gmail.com or by phone: 530-220-4400.
News From our Education Department
Our Links to Learning curriculum uses hands-on activities to cultivate a deeper connection to the earth and foster academic, physical and social skill development. Below are activities we implement in our classrooms to get children excited about nature, as well as activities and books to read with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Our teachers provide natural objects, such as leaves, pinecones and flowers for the children to see and touch. We help children associate words with the concrete objects they represent.At-home activity: Allow your child to experience different textured fruits, such as an orange, watermelon and cantaloupe. Talk about what he sees, smells, tastes and feels. Recommended reading: Colors from Nature from PlayBac Publishing and The Earth Book by Todd Parr
BEGINNERS (Ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to understand interdependencies in nature. For instance, they learn that ladybugs feed on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs. On Earth Day, many of our students have the opportunity to release ladybugs to help local gardens. At-home activity: Take a walk outdoors with your child and play a game of “I Spy.” Ask him point out objects found in the springtime, for example a red flower, a blue bird or a colorful butterfly. Recommended reading: Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli & David T. Wenzel and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
INTERMEDIATES (Ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As our Intermediates gain a greater understanding and appreciation for how living things grow, the class may adopt a pet such as a fish or bunny. Students develop math, science and language skills by measuring the pet’s food, observing the pet’s behavior and habitat, and learning new vocabulary. Research shows that when children have the opportunity to care for animals, they practice nurturing behaviors that help them interact in gentle ways with people also.
At-home activity: Create a small garden and allow your child to help you plant and water seeds, either outdoors or indoors. Ask him to predict what the plant will look like by drawing pictures in his journal. Check the plant regularly so he can observe and measure changes in growth. Discuss the importance of watering and caring for the plant. Recommended reading: Our Earth by Anne Rockwell and the poem “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out!” by Shel Silverstein
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (Ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage our older preschoolers to reuse recyclable materials in fun and unconventional ways. For instance, our students use cardboard boxes to create a castle, milk jug lids to sort and match, and plastic bottles to create beautiful, unique artwork.
At-home activity: Set up a recycling station using cardboard boxes, and label each box with the words “metal”, “plastic” and “paper”. Throughout the month, ask your child to help sort your family’s recyclables by placing the items into the correct box. Explain that recycling is just one way that we can be kind to the earth. Ask him to name a few other ways, such as conserving electricity, picking up litter and planting a garden. Recommended reading: A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss We create a path for lifelong learning by providing numerous opportunities for children to study and explore nature. These hands-on experiences lead to growth in all areas of development as students transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education
A few friendly reminders …….