A Message From Our Principal:
Dear Families,
Priority enrollment for our next school year 2015-2016 has ended. However,we are still accepting enrollment for next year especially in our Beginners classroom. Limited spaces are available in some classrooms.
Refer a Family, Get a Week Free!* Do you have friends with children in the area? If you refer your friends to Merryhill and they enroll, you could be eligible to get a free week of tuition!
*After three months of enrollment. Only applicable for full time students.
Links to Learning
We are in our eight month of our new Links to Learning 2014 curriculum.
Our “Language and Literacy” component of our new curriculum required some skills in reading enrichment. Our Book-A-Night program is now in full effect in our Intermediate, Pre-K, and Pre-K2 classrooms. Please note that special prizes are awarded to those students of families who do book extensions to their book of the week. Please let me know if you need ideas for extended projects.
Monthly Themes
- Celebrating Children
- Earth Day
- Water Conservation
- Superheros and Princesses
- Water Conservation
- Recycling
- Insects
Snack Menu
Our “Wellness” curriculum component is using the following website at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/ to ensure the nutrition of our students. Please look for our snack menu please let us know if you have any suggestions for our snack menu or would like recipes for home use.
Celebrations
Celebrations help our students meet our learning component in “Community and Environment”. If you would like to share a family tradition with our students, please let us know. Embracing diversity is a social skill that will help our students in the long run when traveling or building friendships.
Please join us on April 2, 2015 from 3 pm through 4 pm for our Easter Celebration. The children will have an Easter Egg Hunt. Donations of Easter eggs filled with wrapped candy are welcomed (No nuts please). Children are welcomed to dress in bright spring colors and girls may wear their bright spring dresses. Parents can bring colorful snacks to share for their classroom party. All extended families are also welcomed to attend. We will have a special visitor.
April 8, 2015 Soccer at Merryhill School
Classes to start on Wednesday, April 8, 2015. For any questions please call Tom at 916-262-7542 or email or Sign up online.
April 10, 2015 Pajama Day
Due to our wonderful Parent responses for our Parent Assurance Reviews, we will be having a Pajama Party! Students can bring their pajamas, tents, stuffed animals, blankets, slippers (bring extra shoes), and their camping stories. We will provide pancakes in the morning with warm chocolate and “smores” in the afternoon. Thank you parents for making our school one of the best in Parent Reviews!
Week of the Young Child
Join us in celebrating our students with special events! Events all week from April 13-17 2015.
We are in the process of confirming the Milpitas Police or an Ambulance to come down at 10:30 am. They will show the children how to be safe in their neighborhood and have a tour of the vehicles.
In the afternoon, they will get to do a Music Video about their neighborhood. Through music, children develop math, language, and literacy skills – and of course, have fun while being active! In their popular song, Thingamajig, Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band use some very unusual words! For Music Monday we invite you to sing and dance along to this hit. Have fun making up your own verses and dance moves. Record your own unique version of the song and share it on NAEYC’s Facebook page.
http://www.naeyc.org/woyc
Every year in celebration of one of our previous special teachers, Mrs. Yanett, our students have a trike-a-thon to earn money for children with cancer. Please have your child bring their bikes and safety gear including helmets in the morning. See schedule below on the event times if parents would like to join.
10:15 am to 11:15 am-Prek1 and Prek2
3:15 pm to 4:00 pm-Beginners and Intermediates
The Milpitas Fire Department will come to visit our school in the morning at 10:30 am to 11:00 pm. Please have your students wear their favorite red outfit or fireman outfit.
In the afternoon, the students will get to pretend to be firemen. This is considered a waterday event and students will need an extra change of clothes, towels, water shoes, sunscreen, and bathing suits. We will provide pretend water spray extinguishers for them to put out fake fires.
Our favorite Dental team will be returning to our school along with their special puppet friend to show our students how to brush their teeth and the importance of eating healthy.
In the afternoon, our students will have an obstacle course setup outside along with a healthy snack bar for them to eat. Please bring tennis shoes and an extra change of clothes.
Our students get to wear their favorite superhero or princess costumes. They will get an opportunity in the morning to make additions to their costumes including masks, princess crowns, jewelry, capes, etc.
At 3:00 pm, our school will have a “Carnival” to celebrate all of our Superheroes and Princesses. All families are welcomed. We will be having games, nachos, ice cream, photo booth, balloons! Come and join us!
April 22, 2015 Earth Day
Please join us on our water conservation challenge for our students. They will come up with ideas on how to help our community conserve 20% of the water consumption both indoors and outdoors. Please submit all ideas by April 22, 2015. See our calender for more details. We are also collecting all recycled products such as plastics, cans, or paper. Our students will be making art with them.
May 26, 2015 Graduation
Graduation 2015 for our Prek2 students will be on May 26, 2015 at 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm. We will be ordering the gowns this month in April to make sure they come early. Parents keep a look out for information.
Merryhill’s Facebook Page
Our students are continuously posted on our Facebook page! Please share with your friends and family.
https://www.facebook.com/merryhillschool
Kind Regards,
Lucy Nunez,
Principal
April Events (Please look at the calender for details)
- April 2, 2015- Easter Party and Egg Hunt
- April 8, 2015- Soccer starts
- April 10, 2015- Pajama Day
- April 13-17, 2015- Week of the Young Child
- April 22, 2015- Earth Day
Reminders:
Parent Videos & Photos
If you are video-taping or taking pictures at our school they must be only of your child. Please do not post videos or pictures of other children as it is a violation of their privacy. If you have accidentally posted pictures or videos of other children, please remove them immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Nut-free School
We have a nut-free policy at our school. Please keep all peanut items at home. We have children with severe allergies.
Medication and Sunscreen Policy Reminder
Just a friendly reminder that our medication policy states that we can only administer medicine that has been prescribed by a doctor. We cannot administer over the counter medication without a doctor’s note with explicit instructions on how to administer it.
Regarding sunscreen, if you would like your child’s teacher to apply sunscreen throughout the summer months, please complete the “Sunscreen Authorization Form” located in the front office. We ask that you bring your child in their own sunscreen and apply a coat of sunscreen before they come to school. All sunscreen will be applied after nap unless noted differently by a parent.
Referral Program
Refer a Family, Get a Week Free!* Do you have friends with children in the area? If you refer your friends to Merryhill and they enroll, you could be eligible to get a free week of tuition! *After three months of enrollment. Only applicable for full time students.
Automatic Withdrawal
No checks necessary! Enroll in our Automatic Payment Program and never write another check for your monthly tuition or pay another late payment. Tuition can be automatically deducted from your checking account. You can find more information about ACH in the front office. Let us help you sign up today!
News from the 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
April News
A Message From Our Principal:
Dear Families,
Priority enrollment for our next school year 2015-2016 has ended. However,we are still accepting enrollment for next year especially in our Beginners classroom. Limited spaces are available in some classrooms.
Refer a Family, Get a Week Free!* Do you have friends with children in the area? If you refer your friends to Merryhill and they enroll, you could be eligible to get a free week of tuition!
*After three months of enrollment. Only applicable for full time students.
Links to Learning
We are in our eight month of our new Links to Learning 2014 curriculum.
Our “Language and Literacy” component of our new curriculum required some skills in reading enrichment. Our Book-A-Night program is now in full effect in our Intermediate, Pre-K, and Pre-K2 classrooms. Please note that special prizes are awarded to those students of families who do book extensions to their book of the week. Please let me know if you need ideas for extended projects.
Monthly Themes
Snack Menu
Our “Wellness” curriculum component is using the following website at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/ to ensure the nutrition of our students. Please look for our snack menu please let us know if you have any suggestions for our snack menu or would like recipes for home use.
Celebrations
Celebrations help our students meet our learning component in “Community and Environment”. If you would like to share a family tradition with our students, please let us know. Embracing diversity is a social skill that will help our students in the long run when traveling or building friendships.
April 2, 2015 Easter Party and Egg Hunt
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Please join us on April 2, 2015 from 3 pm through 4 pm for our Easter Celebration. The children will have an Easter Egg Hunt. Donations of Easter eggs filled with wrapped candy are welcomed (No nuts please). Children are welcomed to dress in bright spring colors and girls may wear their bright spring dresses. Parents can bring colorful snacks to share for their classroom party. All extended families are also welcomed to attend. We will have a special visitor.
April 8, 2015 Soccer at Merryhill School
Classes to start on Wednesday, April 8, 2015. For any questions please call Tom at 916-262-7542 or email or Sign up online.
April 10, 2015 Pajama Day
All Day
Due to our wonderful Parent responses for our Parent Assurance Reviews, we will be having a Pajama Party! Students can bring their pajamas, tents, stuffed animals, blankets, slippers (bring extra shoes), and their camping stories. We will provide pancakes in the morning with warm chocolate and “smores” in the afternoon. Thank you parents for making our school one of the best in Parent Reviews!
Week of the Young Child
Join us in celebrating our students with special events! Events all week from April 13-17 2015.
April 13, 2015 Neighborhood Safety Day/Music Monday
10:30 AM – 3:15 PM
We are in the process of confirming the Milpitas Police or an Ambulance to come down at 10:30 am. They will show the children how to be safe in their neighborhood and have a tour of the vehicles.
In the afternoon, they will get to do a Music Video about their neighborhood. Through music, children develop math, language, and literacy skills – and of course, have fun while being active! In their popular song, Thingamajig, Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band use some very unusual words! For Music Monday we invite you to sing and dance along to this hit. Have fun making up your own verses and dance moves. Record your own unique version of the song and share it on NAEYC’s Facebook page.
http://www.naeyc.org/woyc
April 14, 2015 Trike-a-thon
All Day
Every year in celebration of one of our previous special teachers, Mrs. Yanett, our students have a trike-a-thon to earn money for children with cancer. Please have your child bring their bikes and safety gear including helmets in the morning. See schedule below on the event times if parents would like to join.
10:15 am to 11:15 am-Prek1 and Prek2
3:15 pm to 4:00 pm-Beginners and Intermediates
April 15, 2015 Fire Safety Day
All Day
The Milpitas Fire Department will come to visit our school in the morning at 10:30 am to 11:00 pm. Please have your students wear their favorite red outfit or fireman outfit.
In the afternoon, the students will get to pretend to be firemen. This is considered a waterday event and students will need an extra change of clothes, towels, water shoes, sunscreen, and bathing suits. We will provide pretend water spray extinguishers for them to put out fake fires.
April 16, 2015 Healthy Day
All Day
Our favorite Dental team will be returning to our school along with their special puppet friend to show our students how to brush their teeth and the importance of eating healthy.
In the afternoon, our students will have an obstacle course setup outside along with a healthy snack bar for them to eat. Please bring tennis shoes and an extra change of clothes.
April 17, 2015 Superhero and Princess Day/Carnival
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Our students get to wear their favorite superhero or princess costumes. They will get an opportunity in the morning to make additions to their costumes including masks, princess crowns, jewelry, capes, etc.
At 3:00 pm, our school will have a “Carnival” to celebrate all of our Superheroes and Princesses. All families are welcomed. We will be having games, nachos, ice cream, photo booth, balloons! Come and join us!
April 22, 2015 Earth Day
Please join us on our water conservation challenge for our students. They will come up with ideas on how to help our community conserve 20% of the water consumption both indoors and outdoors. Please submit all ideas by April 22, 2015. See our calender for more details. We are also collecting all recycled products such as plastics, cans, or paper. Our students will be making art with them.
May 26, 2015 Graduation
Graduation 2015 for our Prek2 students will be on May 26, 2015 at 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm. We will be ordering the gowns this month in April to make sure they come early. Parents keep a look out for information.
Merryhill’s Facebook Page
Our students are continuously posted on our Facebook page! Please share with your friends and family.
https://www.facebook.com/merryhillschool
Kind Regards,
Lucy Nunez,
Principal
April Events (Please look at the calender for details)
Reminders:
Parent Videos & Photos
If you are video-taping or taking pictures at our school they must be only of your child. Please do not post videos or pictures of other children as it is a violation of their privacy. If you have accidentally posted pictures or videos of other children, please remove them immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Nut-free School
We have a nut-free policy at our school. Please keep all peanut items at home. We have children with severe allergies.
Medication and Sunscreen Policy Reminder
Just a friendly reminder that our medication policy states that we can only administer medicine that has been prescribed by a doctor. We cannot administer over the counter medication without a doctor’s note with explicit instructions on how to administer it.
Regarding sunscreen, if you would like your child’s teacher to apply sunscreen throughout the summer months, please complete the “Sunscreen Authorization Form” located in the front office. We ask that you bring your child in their own sunscreen and apply a coat of sunscreen before they come to school. All sunscreen will be applied after nap unless noted differently by a parent.
Referral Program
Refer a Family, Get a Week Free!* Do you have friends with children in the area? If you refer your friends to Merryhill and they enroll, you could be eligible to get a free week of tuition! *After three months of enrollment. Only applicable for full time students.
Automatic Withdrawal
No checks necessary! Enroll in our Automatic Payment Program and never write another check for your monthly tuition or pay another late payment. Tuition can be automatically deducted from your checking account. You can find more information about ACH in the front office. Let us help you sign up today!
News from the 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