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December News

Message from the Principal:

Hello Rocklin Merryhill Families!!

Don’t you just love the holidays?!  For me, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.  I love the lights and other sights of the season; the smell of a freshly cut pine tree and holiday cookies; spending time with family and friends; sending Christmas cards.  I really enjoy all the Christmas carols, even after hearing them over and over and over…!  The best part is seeing of all this through the eyes of a child; or in my case, 100 children!  The wonder and awe on their faces is amazing.  As we get closer to Santa’s special visit, I can “feel” their excitement.  What a great way to share in the joy of the season.

All of our classes will be celebrating holidays around the world this month.  We revisit The Polar Express with a week of special activities.  The children will enjoy a train ride, the first gift of Christmas, special dress-up days, a visitor from the North Pole (that’s a secret!), hot chocolate, other surprises and share in the story with their friends.  They will delight you by sharing songs of the season at our annual Cookies and Carols festivities on December 18.

Our students will also engage in Giving without Walls this month.  They will be creating holiday cards to share with children who are spending Christmas in the hospital.  We will also be participating in our annual pajama drive to benefit local foster children.  It is important, even at this young age, to help children understand that not everyone is as fortunate as we are.

Please be on the lookout for the Winter Break attendance sheet on your sign-in/out sheets.  It helps us plan appropriate staffing during this week and allows me to plan for vacation time for our teachers.

The staff here at Merryhill in Rocklin want to wish you and your families a warm and happy holiday, filled with family and friends, special moments of joy and time to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Warmly,

Sue Stewart
Principal


Upcoming Events

  • Dec. 7-18            Pajama Drive
  • Dec. 11                Parent’s Night Out
  • Dec. 15                Train Rides at School
  • Dec. 17                Special Visitor from the North Pole
  • Dec. 18               Cookies & Carols
  • Dec. 24               School Closes at 12:30
  • Dec. 25               Christmas Day – School Closed
  • Dec. 30               LTL Folders Go Home
  • Dec. 31                School Closes at 12:30

News From Our Education Department 

Exploring Holiday Traditions from Around the World

The holiday season is here, providing a wealth of opportunities to enrich the children’s understanding of diverse cultures and traditions around the world. In addition, our students will share their own traditions with others.
Below are age appropriate activities that we use in the classroom, as well as activities for you and your child to do at home.

BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: As they near the age of two, children begin to recognize the sights and sounds of holidays celebrated by their family. Parents visit our classrooms to share holiday traditions, including unique books, songs and activities.
At home: Gather family photos and point out traditions, such as unwrapping presents, eating holiday dinner at grandma’s house, and making a snowman. Encourage your child to talk about what he sees in the photos.

Recommended reading: Children Around the World Celebrate Christmas by Christine Tangvald, Happy Hanukkah, Corduroy by Don Freeman, My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz

INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Children sing holiday songs from around the world and are introduced to holiday symbols that they may see in their communities, such as Christmas trees or Hanukkah menorahs.
At home: Take a drive with your child or bring him to various holiday festivals in your community. Encourage him to look for and identify holiday decorations.

Recommended reading: Christmas Around the World by Calliope Glass, Hanukkah Hop by Erica Silverman, Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna Washington

PRE-K/PRE-K2 (ages 4-5)
In the classroom: After learning about holiday traditions around the world, our older preschoolers identify countries on a globe. For example, they might learn about Diwali, the festival of lights, and then find India on the globe. They might make tamales, a dish often served on Christmas, and then find Mexico on the globe.
At home: Ask your child to help you prepare your family’s favorite holiday foods. Talk about the long-standing traditions in which these foods are rooted. For instance, you might explain, “I used to bake cookies for the holidays with my mom. Now we can start baking cookies together!”

Recommended reading: Children Just Like Me: Celebrations by Anabel Kindersley, Light the Lights: A Story about Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas by Margaret Moorman, The Story of Kwanzaa by Mary Washington

Exposing children to various holiday traditions helps them build strong social skills, establish a sense of self, and respect the differences of others as they transition into elementary school and beyond.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education

 

 


 For Parents and Teachers

“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.”
-Malcolm Forbes – American Businessman


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.

 

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