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August News

Dear Families,

Welcome to our 2015-2016 School Year. We are at the beginning of our third month of school. Preschoolers learn very differently and are constantly in need of opportunities to expand their brain development. Therefore, our curriculum offers those opportunities year round. We still have some limited spaces available if parents have younger children or friends who would like to join. We do have a great parent referral program.

Closures

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We will be closed Friday, August 14, 2015 for a Teacher In-service Day. We will resume classes on Monday, August 17, 2015.


Links to Learning
Our new Links to Learning 2014 curriculum was a huge success this 2014-2015 school year increasing the common core skills in our classrooms.

August Monthly Themes 

  • Sports
  • Exercise
  • Teamwork
  • Cooperation
  • Olympics
  • Out of this World (Space, Starts, Moon, Planets)
  • Airplanes
  • Camping

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.

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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. We will be having an end of summer party and the theme will be “Sports”. The party will be on Friday, August 21, 2016 from 3:00 to 4:15 pm.  Wear your favorite sports outfit. Let see which team and sport has the most spirit!

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Water Day is every Friday during the Summer

Please bring your child’s bathing suit, water shoes, towel, plastic ziplock bag for wet clothes, and extra clothes. We usually do Water Day around 3pm – 4 pm for the Beginner/Intermediates and 4 pm – 5 pm for the Prek2. If you will be picking your child up during this time, please call us ahead of time and we will get your child changed and ready to go. The last day for “water day”  will be on Friday, August 21, 2015.

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Soccer at Merryhill School

We’re excited to announce the dates for fall MiniKickers. We’ll be running a 8 week program, which will be the last session for 2015! Below is the web link to sign & information. Attached is the flyer with further information.
START DATE August 26th    
END DATE Oct 14th  
(8 weeks)
Wednesdays
$115
Classes will restart again in the fall.  For any questions please call  or email Tom at 916-262-7542.th (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 


Fundraisers-Brax Cups

Our Brax Cups Fundraiser started on July 30, 2015.  Please see display at the front office for details. Show your support for your favorite team by getting a Brax Spirit Cup!

www.braxfundraising.com 

brax cups


Merryhill Preschool in the News

Please join us in congratulating our students on their Water Conservation Project which made the Milpitas Patch on April 30, 2015. Our teachers are constantly challenging our students to find solutions to our community problems. This helps our students become productive members of society. Please click on the link below to see the post.

http://patch.com/california/milpitas/students-merryhill-preschool-milpitas-participated-water-conservation-project-earth-day

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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

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Kind Regards,

Lucy Nunez,
Principal

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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

routine

Reestablishing Routines for Your Preschooler

Maintaining Order & Staying on Track

As we reach the end of summer, now is a great time to reestablish comforting routines for your preschooler. Routines help children build self-confidence and independence, cope with transitions, and gain a better understanding of the world around them.

Our Links to Learning curriculum promotes students’ social and emotional development, which is necessary for following directions and demonstrating self-control. Our teachers focus on the importance of healthy living and safety routines in the Wellness component of our curriculum.

Here are some examples of ways we establish routines in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.

TODDLERS (ages 1-2):

In the classroom: Naptime gives children an opportunity to recharge and reboot. Our toddlers transition from napping in cribs to napping in cots. Teachers schedule naps at the same time and in the same area of the classroom every day. Soothing music is played to help toddlers wind down.

At home: Talk with your child’s teacher about the naptime routine at school. Minimize naptime battles by attempting to maintain the same routine at home.

Recommended reading: Naptime by Elizabeth Verdick

BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):

In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to learn basic self-help skills such as dressing themselves. Our Beginner students practice snaps and zippers, and are encouraged to complete basic sequences like putting on socks before shoes.

At home: Offer your child a choice during routines in order to increase his interest in the activity. For example, lay out two outfit options for him to wear. Allow him to choose the outfit he prefers. Give him ample time to dress himself before offering assistance.  Praise every attempt.

Recommended reading: Let’s Get Dressed by Caroline Church

INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):

In the classroom: Teachers focus on the importance of sleep in the Wellness component of our curriculum. Students read and act out We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury and Michael Rosen. They discuss why the bear was sleeping, and why sleep is important.

At home: Create a bedtime routine for your child. For example, bathe, brush teeth, read a story, go to sleep. Follow the same sequence of events at the same time and in the same order every night.

Recommended reading:  The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):

In the classroom: Our older students follow an arrival routine at the start of every school day. They sign themselves in, say goodbye to their parents, and put away their belongings. Students learn rhymes and songs to help remind themselves what to do when they enter the classroom.

At home: Mornings are critical for setting the tone for a successful and positive day. Establish a morning routine for your child with a maximum of four steps. For example, get dressed, brush hair, brush teeth, eat breakfast.

Recommended reading: Waking Up is Hard to Do by Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield

 

Following routines helps children develop the habits of responsibility that will be crucial for their future success and well-being. Kindergarten students are expected to follow instructions, listen to their teacher and complete specific tasks. By setting routines in the preschool years, your child will be better prepared as he enters elementary school and beyond.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education

 

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