Hello Rocklin Merryhill Families!!
We are so ready for fall and to welcome the wonderful fall weather! The hot days were nice for water play, but I think our students will agree that some cooler days will be AWESOME! I have a feeling our parents are ready for the cooler weather as well!
As the cooler weather approaches, and the jackets and sweaters come out, I just want to remind you about labeling those outside clothes. We just donated 22 jackets and sweatshirts (not labeled with names) the last day of August!
We’re going to slow things down a bit in September. After all the special events and dress up days during the summer it will nice to have a little bit of calm before we gear up again in October with our special Book Week events, Fall Festival and Trunk-r-Treat!
As always, we appreciate your continued trust in Merryhill Rocklin to provide your children with the highest quality of care and education possible.
Warmly,
Sue Stewart
Principal
Upcoming Events
- Sept. 7 School Closed – Labor Day
- Sept. 11 Grandparent’s Social
- Sept. 11 Patriot Day
- Sept. 16 Pajama Day
- Sept. 24 Picture Day
- Sept. 30 LTL Folders Go Home
News From Our Education Department
Developing Balance Skills in Young Children
From Tummy Time to Bike Riding
Balance is a fundamental skill necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair, or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury, and helps children focus on academic tasks.
Our Nobel Learning Education team stays up to date with the latest research to ensure that our Links to Learning curriculum exceeds childhood learning standards. The Links to Learning curriculum was enhanced last fall to include a greater focus on balance, a building block for skills such as hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and body awareness.
Here are some ways we help improve balance in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Tummy time promotes neck, back and abdominal strength needed for infants to eventually push up, roll over, sit up and crawl. Teachers keep infants engaged by using activity mats or plush blocks.
At home: Place your baby on his stomach and shine a flashlight near him. Once you have captured his attention, shine the light in a rhythmic pattern. For older infants, encourage your baby to move or crawl toward the light.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: During the toddler years, children make major strides in balance and coordination. Teachers play music and encourage students to move their bodies in different ways while maintaining their balance.
At home: Push and pull toys require children to use core balance and arm strength, which can be difficult for new walkers. Place a small wagon or toy shopping cart and a pile of blocks on the floor. Show your child how to fill the cart with blocks. He will enjoy pulling or pushing the blocks around the room.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Sitting cross-legged, or as we say with the children “criss-cross applesauce,” is an important developmental skill for two year olds. Teachers encourage children to sit criss-crossed anytime they are playing on the floor. Sitting in this position strengthens a child’s core muscles and helps improve body control. We discourage “W-sitting,” with knees together and feet on either side of the hips, because it puts strain on knees and hips and fails to engage core abdominal muscles.
At home: Provide your child with a sit-and-spin toy. Ask him to sit on the toy with his legs crisscrossed. As he turns the wheel to spin, he will gain a better understanding of cause and effect.
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Around age three, children learn to maintain control of their upper body while moving their lower body. Our Intermediate students practice pedaling a tricycle, bouncing on hopper balls, and walking on a balance beam.
At home: Have your child practice running and stopping with control by playing the traffic light game. Shout out the color green, yellow or red. Have him move quickly when hearing “green,” move slowly when hearing “yellow,” and completely stop when hearing “red.”
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage children to practice balance and coordination by jumping on their non-dominant foot, walking on a line or beam, or jumping rope. Children also practice balance by crouching down to tie their shoes.
At home: Ask your child to tell you about the games and activities played at school. Include these activities at home and during family events such as birthday parties and vacations. Scooters and pogo jumpers are great toys for children at this age.
Good balance helps children maintain appropriate and controlled body movement during important tasks. By building balance skills 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
For Parents and Teachers
“Children are the only future of any people.” – Frances Cress Welsing – American Psychiatrist
Reminders
Nut Free: We are a NUT FREE school. We do have some students with nut allergies and appreciate your help in keeping all of our children safe and healthy.
California Licensing Regulations require that parents sign children in and out, with drop-off and pick-up times, and a complete, legible signature. We will be highlighting your sign-in/out sheets on those days when you forget to sign in or out!
Tuition Options: We appreciate that you make every effort to make your tuition payments on time. As you are aware, tuition payments are due on Monday of each week (or on your child’s first day of attendance). To save you time, the headache of having to remember your checkbook every Monday and to avoid those pesky late fees, consider enrolling in our automatic payment program at no charge. Please talk to Sue or Aubrey for more information.
Product Recall Binder: As a courtesy to our families we have a Product Recall binder in the front office. We post recall notices for products that our children or their siblings might use. We hope you find this information helpful.
Art Files: Please remember to check them at least once a week to pick up any correspondence between the office and/or teachers, along with your child’s amazing art work.
Clothing and Nap Items: Remember to update your child’s extra clothing as the seasons change and your child grows! Please label all of their items so we can return anything that may be forgotten at the end of the day. Any soiled items will be placed in plastic bags and put into your child’s cubby. Each child needs a blanket and crib size sheet for rest time. Sheets and blankets must be taken home on Fridays (or you child’s last day of attendance during the week), laundered and returned on the first day of attendance.
LTL Files: Links to Learning files are available on the last day of each month. These files provide you with information about the skills your child will learning in the upcoming month, as well as a snapshot of what has been accomplished in the current month through the work you will find in the folder.
Merryhill Elementary School: If you are interested in having your child stay with Merryhill School for kindergarten and beyond, please visit our elementary campus at 1115 Orlando Ave. in Roseville, just off of I-80 and Riverside Ave. The school contact information is 916-783-3010 or connie.curiel@nlcinc.com.
September News
Message from the Principal:
Hello Rocklin Merryhill Families!!
We are so ready for fall and to welcome the wonderful fall weather! The hot days were nice for water play, but I think our students will agree that some cooler days will be AWESOME! I have a feeling our parents are ready for the cooler weather as well!
As the cooler weather approaches, and the jackets and sweaters come out, I just want to remind you about labeling those outside clothes. We just donated 22 jackets and sweatshirts (not labeled with names) the last day of August!
We’re going to slow things down a bit in September. After all the special events and dress up days during the summer it will nice to have a little bit of calm before we gear up again in October with our special Book Week events, Fall Festival and Trunk-r-Treat!
As always, we appreciate your continued trust in Merryhill Rocklin to provide your children with the highest quality of care and education possible.
Warmly,
Sue Stewart
Principal
Upcoming Events
News From Our Education Department
Developing Balance Skills in Young Children
From Tummy Time to Bike Riding
Balance is a fundamental skill necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair, or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury, and helps children focus on academic tasks.
Our Nobel Learning Education team stays up to date with the latest research to ensure that our Links to Learning curriculum exceeds childhood learning standards. The Links to Learning curriculum was enhanced last fall to include a greater focus on balance, a building block for skills such as hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and body awareness.
Here are some ways we help improve balance in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Tummy time promotes neck, back and abdominal strength needed for infants to eventually push up, roll over, sit up and crawl. Teachers keep infants engaged by using activity mats or plush blocks.
At home: Place your baby on his stomach and shine a flashlight near him. Once you have captured his attention, shine the light in a rhythmic pattern. For older infants, encourage your baby to move or crawl toward the light.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: During the toddler years, children make major strides in balance and coordination. Teachers play music and encourage students to move their bodies in different ways while maintaining their balance.
At home: Push and pull toys require children to use core balance and arm strength, which can be difficult for new walkers. Place a small wagon or toy shopping cart and a pile of blocks on the floor. Show your child how to fill the cart with blocks. He will enjoy pulling or pushing the blocks around the room.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Sitting cross-legged, or as we say with the children “criss-cross applesauce,” is an important developmental skill for two year olds. Teachers encourage children to sit criss-crossed anytime they are playing on the floor. Sitting in this position strengthens a child’s core muscles and helps improve body control. We discourage “W-sitting,” with knees together and feet on either side of the hips, because it puts strain on knees and hips and fails to engage core abdominal muscles.
At home: Provide your child with a sit-and-spin toy. Ask him to sit on the toy with his legs crisscrossed. As he turns the wheel to spin, he will gain a better understanding of cause and effect.
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Around age three, children learn to maintain control of their upper body while moving their lower body. Our Intermediate students practice pedaling a tricycle, bouncing on hopper balls, and walking on a balance beam.
At home: Have your child practice running and stopping with control by playing the traffic light game. Shout out the color green, yellow or red. Have him move quickly when hearing “green,” move slowly when hearing “yellow,” and completely stop when hearing “red.”
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage children to practice balance and coordination by jumping on their non-dominant foot, walking on a line or beam, or jumping rope. Children also practice balance by crouching down to tie their shoes.
At home: Ask your child to tell you about the games and activities played at school. Include these activities at home and during family events such as birthday parties and vacations. Scooters and pogo jumpers are great toys for children at this age.
Good balance helps children maintain appropriate and controlled body movement during important tasks. By building balance skills 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
For Parents and Teachers
“Children are the only future of any people.” – Frances Cress Welsing – American Psychiatrist
Reminders
Nut Free: We are a NUT FREE school. We do have some students with nut allergies and appreciate your help in keeping all of our children safe and healthy.
California Licensing Regulations require that parents sign children in and out, with drop-off and pick-up times, and a complete, legible signature. We will be highlighting your sign-in/out sheets on those days when you forget to sign in or out!
Tuition Options: We appreciate that you make every effort to make your tuition payments on time. As you are aware, tuition payments are due on Monday of each week (or on your child’s first day of attendance). To save you time, the headache of having to remember your checkbook every Monday and to avoid those pesky late fees, consider enrolling in our automatic payment program at no charge. Please talk to Sue or Aubrey for more information.
Product Recall Binder: As a courtesy to our families we have a Product Recall binder in the front office. We post recall notices for products that our children or their siblings might use. We hope you find this information helpful.
Art Files: Please remember to check them at least once a week to pick up any correspondence between the office and/or teachers, along with your child’s amazing art work.
Clothing and Nap Items: Remember to update your child’s extra clothing as the seasons change and your child grows! Please label all of their items so we can return anything that may be forgotten at the end of the day. Any soiled items will be placed in plastic bags and put into your child’s cubby. Each child needs a blanket and crib size sheet for rest time. Sheets and blankets must be taken home on Fridays (or you child’s last day of attendance during the week), laundered and returned on the first day of attendance.
LTL Files: Links to Learning files are available on the last day of each month. These files provide you with information about the skills your child will learning in the upcoming month, as well as a snapshot of what has been accomplished in the current month through the work you will find in the folder.
Merryhill Elementary School: If you are interested in having your child stay with Merryhill School for kindergarten and beyond, please visit our elementary campus at 1115 Orlando Ave. in Roseville, just off of I-80 and Riverside Ave. The school contact information is 916-783-3010 or connie.curiel@nlcinc.com.