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March News

Dear Parents,march

March is sure to be another busy month at Merryhill School! Spring is around the corner and teachers are busy planning a variety of fun seasonal activities that will help our students learn more about the many changes which occur in our environment during springtime. Be on the look-out for plants and flowers popping up around campus.

This month we will be hosting our “Early Bird Registration” from March 7th through March 18th.  Be sure to re-enroll your child in order to secure their registration for the 2016-2017 school year.  We are excited that our current students will continue to learn, grow and shine at Merryhill School. Beginning March 21st we open enrollment to the public; so if you do not secure your child’s enrollment, their spot could be given to a new student.

Please join us for our Open House on Saturday, March 12th from 10 am to 1 pm.  We will be hosting a multicultural block party to celebrate the diversity of our school and community.  10:00 to 11:00 come meet your child’s teachers for the 2016-2017 school year and take a trip around the world (each classroom will be a country which represents our families here at Merryhill School).  A special entertainer will be providing music, storytelling and puppets at the event from 11:00 to 12:00.  From 12:00 to 1:00 we will have a pot luck lunch and spring egg hunt.  We are going to have an awesome time and we hope to see everyone at Open House!

Please continue reading below to stay connected with March happenings!

Have an awesome month!

Sincerely,

Angel Ahlbrandt, Principal

Shirley Gent, Asssistant Principal

“At Merryhill School we provide a challenging and nurturing environment where children are give a strong academic foundation to be lifelong learners.”

March Classroom NewslettersMarch Owl1


Calendarsrainbow


 2016 Summer Camp Brochuressummer-camp-clipart

2016 School Age Summer Camp Brochure

2016 Preschool Summer Camp Brochure


Reminders

  • Please remember to bring extra changes of clothes for your child (please include a change of underwear, socks & shoes). We especially need extra clothes for sizes 2, 3, & 4 (boys and girls), any donations would be greatly appreciated!
  • Please sign up for our Celly Text Alerts. This is the fastest way we can communicate to our families for school closures, important reminders, etc. Please see the front desk for information.
  • Check this website if we have a closing due to weather!!!
  • Per state licensing, please send your child in closed-toe and closed-heel shoes; such as, sneakers. This will help prevent your children from being injured.
  • Please remember to sign your child In and Out daily.
  • For the safety of all our children, it is required that a parent/adult escort your child to their classrooms. Please also remember an authorized adult (18 years and older) must sign children out for the day.

Elementary Age After School & Camp Program

Winter, Spring & Summer Camp full day schedules

Please consider us for your child’s after school program! We pick up at the following elementary schools:

  • Keller ISD: Whitley Road, Freedom, Florence, Shady Grove, Liberty
  • Birdville ISD: Green Valley
  • International Leadership

For Parents

Introducing Your Preschooler
to the Fascinating World of Non-FictionNews article March

When you think about children’s books, you might envision princesses in castles, talking animals or a flying magic school bus. Although it’s fun to read these types of stories with your child, it’s important to also introduce him to non-fiction books. You may be surprised to learn that he’s fascinated with exploring real people, places and things!

Non-fiction is not only interesting to children, but it also creates an important foundation for learning. It helps children build new vocabulary, develop critical thinking skills, fuel their curiosity and gain a better understanding about the world around them.

Below are ways we integrate non-fiction in the classroom, as well as activities you can try at home.

INFANTS:

In the classroom: Infants love to look at faces, so our teachers choose non-fiction books that include photographs of people, such as Global Babies by Global Fund for Children. Afterward, they show the baby a photo of his own family and talk about the people in the photo. For example, “Look, Ben. Here’s your mom. Who’s she holding? That’s you.”

At home: Read multi-sensory picture books with your child. Choose non-fiction books with different textures and bright colors to help stimulate his growing sensory awareness.

Recommended reading: Families by Rena D. Grossman, Bathtime (Baby Touch & Feel) by DK Publishing

TODDLERS (ages 1-2):

In the classroom: Toddlers learn the names of different animals and vehicles and the sounds they make. While singing songs with students, our teachers ask, “What does a pig say?” or “What sound does a fire truck make?”

At home: Point out photographs of familiar animals and vehicles in magazines or books. Ask your child to mimic the noise that each item makes. This can also be done in the car as you’re driving around your neighborhood.

Recommended reading: Baby Animals by National Geographic Kids, Noisy Trucks by Tiger Tales

BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):

In the classroom: Teachers and students read non-fiction books by going on picture walks. A picture walk motivates children to rely on pictorial clues to decipher the story’s plot and make predictions. Before reading the story, they flip through the book, and the child is encouraged to make predictions about the characters and plot. The teacher then reads the book aloud to the student. When finished, the teacher asks questions to start a conversation about the text.

At home: Visit a library with your child, and let him choose a book. Take a picture walk through the book with him. When you’re finished, ask the librarian to recommend a non-fiction book about the same topic. For example, if you read Clifford the Big Red Dog, your child might also be interested in Puppies, Puppies, Puppies, a non-fiction book by Susan Meyers.

Recommended reading: My First Baseball Book by Sterling Children’s, Everything Spring by Jill Esbaum

INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):

In the classroom: Our Intermediate teachers combine non-fiction reading with dramatic play. After reading a book about farm life, children create their own farm in the dramatic play center and pretend to be farmers. Children gain a better understanding of the book, practice problem solving skills, and use new vocabulary.

At home: Select a book with large photographs or illustrations. Flip through the book, and let your child stop on pages that interest him. Don’t worry about reading every page. Ask him to tell you what is going on in the pictures, and encourage him to make comparisons to experiences he’s had in real life. For example, if you pick a book about weather, you might ask, “Where do we go in the summertime when it’s hot?” or “Why do we use an umbrella in the springtime?”

Recommended reading: Watching the Seasons by Edana Eckart, Wings by Melanie Mitchell

PRE-K/PRE-K2 (ages 4-5):

In the classroom: Our older preschoolers read a non-fiction book paired with a fiction book, and compare and contrast the two stories. After reading Stella Luna and Bat Loves the Night, the teacher might ask, “In Stella Luna, the bat slept upright. Is that how a real bat sleeps?” Students may also create a Venn diagram that shows similarities and differences in the two books.

At home: Read various forms of non-fiction with your child, including books, brochures and flyers.  Challenge him to find sight words in the text. Afterward, ask him to write in his journal what he would like to learn about next. Use that information when choosing another piece of non-fiction.

Recommended reading: Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin (fiction), Wonderful Worms by Linda Glaser (non-fiction)

By introducing children to both fiction and non-fiction texts in the preschool years, they become comfortable with a wide range of subjects and acquire the skills needed to comprehend important information in kindergarten and beyond. They are better able to tap into their interests and enjoy learning about real world people, places and things.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education

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