Dear Families,
Welcome to our last month of the 2015-2016 School Year! It has been a pleasure serving our families this year and we look forward to an amazing 2016-2017 school year in June!
There is still time to register for the 2015-2016 school year if you need to re-register.
Please see the office as spaces are filling up quickly.
Holidays
We will be closed for the following May Holidays:
May 30, 2016- Memorial Day
Important upcoming dates
June 2, 2016- Last day of school
June 3, 2016- School Closed
June 6, 2016-School starts for the 2016-2017 school year!
Links to Learning
Our new Links to Learning 2014 curriculum was a huge success this 2015-2016 school year increasing the common core skills in our classrooms.
May Monthly Themes
- Summer weather
- Gardening
- Insects/Caterpillars/Butterflies
- Birds
- Mother’s Day
- Planets (Landforms such as mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, and hills)
- Memorial Day
- Teacher Appreciation Week
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.
Credit Cards
Soon we will be able to take credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover) at Merryhill school. A consent form have been emailed to all parents. Please return them if you are interested.
New Method of Communication
We have a new method of communication (daily reports, pictures, etc) that will allow us to effectively communicate to all the parents verses only one parent. We are planning to go live with this program starting May 2, 2016. The link to enroll has been sent via communication to all parents. Please let me know if you are not getting this communication and would like to receive it.
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.
Thank you to those who participated in our “Week of the Young Child Celebrations”. A smilebox will soon be coming out via email for parents who were not able to attend.
For more information on WOYC please click on this link: https://www.naeyc.org/woyc
Prek2 Graduation will be on Monday, May 23, 2016 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. The Graduation Ceremony will be held at our Merryhill Elementary School located at 1500 Yosemite Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035. If you have not registered for Kindergarten there is still time. Please see the office for details.
Graduation gowns and invitations have been ordered. Details about the graduation will be sent to the parents on a separate email. Be prepared for a FUN filled event!
Earth Day 2016
Students at Merryhill Preschool in Milpitas Celebrate Earth Day by Investigating
the Best Environments for Conserving Water When Growing Plants
Students planted fruits and vegetables after discovering that plastic terrariums are best for growing plants and conserving water
MILPITAS, Calif. (April XX, 2016) – On April 22, students at Merryhill Preschool on Corning Avenue in Milpitas celebrated Earth Day by planting a garden of fruits and vegetables using a gardening method that conserves water. Leading up to Earth Day, students tested which environment – soil, sand or a plastic terrarium – uses less water to grow plants. For 20 days, they watched seeds sprout and measured plant growth and the amount of water used. Students learned that the terrarium, which was made from a plastic bottle with cloth, was the most effective as it re-used water from condensation within the bottle. On Earth Day, students planted more seeds in homemade terrariums for the school’s garden. Merryhill Preschool teaches the importance of community and exploring nature at a young age.
Teacher Appreciation Week
We thank you so much in advance for making this week special for our teachers!
Monday, May 2nd: Flower bouquet
Bring your child’s teacher a bouquet of their favorite flowers. (ie: decorate with colorful ribbons, etc)
Tuesday, May 3rd: Pamper your Body Day
Bring in your child’s teacher anything they can use to relax with a personal touch. (ie: bath oil, lotions,)
Wednesday, May 4th : Eat your Heart Out Day
Bring your child’s teacher a special treat to eat. (ie: chocolate covered strawberries, Bagels with crème cheese, coffee)
Thursday, May 5th: Gift Card Day
Bring your child’s teacher a giftcard to any store. (ie: Starbucks, Walmart, Target)
Friday, May 6th: Make my Day/Wear your teachers favorite color!
Be creative and make a gift for your teacher from the family! (Ie: card)
Report Cards/Portfolios/Last day of school
Reports cards will be given on the last day of school, June 02, 2016 or sooner if your child’s end date for the 2015-2016 school year. If your child is leaving to Kindergarten, we have a portfolio to accompany your child and electronic pictures.
If you child is staying, your child’s portfolio will stay until they graduate with our school.
Mini-Kickers Soccer Classes
Just a reminder:
See below the 6 week April session information:
Start – Wednesday 20th April
End – Wednesday 25th May
Ages 2-3 – 9:00-9:45am
Ages 4-5 – 10:15-11:00am
(6 weeks) $105
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.
TOM SHUTT – Academy Program Director
Tel: (410) 440-0585 Tel: (916) 262-7542
Students at Merryhill Preschool in Milpitas Collect Donations and Prepare Gifts for Children in Other Countries
Water Conservation Project
May 2016 News
Dear Families,
Welcome to our last month of the 2015-2016 School Year! It has been a pleasure serving our families this year and we look forward to an amazing 2016-2017 school year in June!
There is still time to register for the 2015-2016 school year if you need to re-register.
Please see the office as spaces are filling up quickly.
Holidays
We will be closed for the following May Holidays:
May 30, 2016- Memorial Day
Important upcoming dates
June 2, 2016- Last day of school
June 3, 2016- School Closed
June 6, 2016-School starts for the 2016-2017 school year!
Links to Learning
Our new Links to Learning 2014 curriculum was a huge success this 2015-2016 school year increasing the common core skills in our classrooms.
May 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.
Credit Cards
Soon we will be able to take credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover) at Merryhill school. A consent form have been emailed to all parents. Please return them if you are interested.
New Method of Communication
We have a new method of communication (daily reports, pictures, etc) that will allow us to effectively communicate to all the parents verses only one parent. We are planning to go live with this program starting May 2, 2016. The link to enroll has been sent via communication to all parents. Please let me know if you are not getting this communication and would like to receive it.
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.
Thank you to those who participated in our “Week of the Young Child Celebrations”. A smilebox will soon be coming out via email for parents who were not able to attend.
For more information on WOYC please click on this link: https://www.naeyc.org/woyc
Prek2 Graduation
Prek2 Graduation will be on Monday, May 23, 2016 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. The Graduation Ceremony will be held at our Merryhill Elementary School located at 1500 Yosemite Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035. If you have not registered for Kindergarten there is still time. Please see the office for details.
Graduation gowns and invitations have been ordered. Details about the graduation will be sent to the parents on a separate email. Be prepared for a FUN filled event!
Earth Day 2016
Students planted fruits and vegetables after discovering that plastic terrariums are best for growing plants and conserving water
MILPITAS, Calif. (April XX, 2016) – On April 22, students at Merryhill Preschool on Corning Avenue in Milpitas celebrated Earth Day by planting a garden of fruits and vegetables using a gardening method that conserves water. Leading up to Earth Day, students tested which environment – soil, sand or a plastic terrarium – uses less water to grow plants. For 20 days, they watched seeds sprout and measured plant growth and the amount of water used. Students learned that the terrarium, which was made from a plastic bottle with cloth, was the most effective as it re-used water from condensation within the bottle. On Earth Day, students planted more seeds in homemade terrariums for the school’s garden. Merryhill Preschool teaches the importance of community and exploring nature at a young age.
Teacher Appreciation Week
We thank you so much in advance for making this week special for our teachers!
Just a reminder:
See below the 6 week April session information:
Start – Wednesday 20th April
End – Wednesday 25th May
Ages 2-3 – 9:00-9:45am
Ages 4-5 – 10:15-11:00am
(6 weeks) $105
Sign up link – Merryhill Milpitas
MILPITAS, Calif. (FEB. 1, 2016) – Pre-kindergarten students at Merryhill Preschool in Milpitas donated non-perishable food items to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank. The students learned about hunger awareness and what kinds of items were appropriate to donate through story time with the Second Harvest Food Bank turkey mascot. Following the event, students donated the bin full of food to the organization, which will benefit members of the community.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties has become one of the largest food banks in the nation, providing food to nearly a quarter of a million people each month. The Food Bank mobilizes individuals, companies and community partners to connect people to the nutritious food they need.
Students at Merryhill Preschool in Milpitas Collect Donations and Prepare Gifts for Children in Other Countries
http://www.mercurynews.com/milpitas/ci_29238008/milpitas-students-send-holiday-gift-boxes-needy-children
Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students assemble donated gifts and write letters to children in need around the world
MILPITAS, Calif. (Nov. 2015) – On Nov. 20, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students at Merryhill Preschool on Corning Avenue in Milpitas prepared 80 gift packages of toys, art supplies, books, school supplies and more to send to children around the world as a part of Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child is an international humanitarian organization that sends care packages to children in third world countries. The packages, along with handwritten letters from the students, will be sent to children in countries including Mongolia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The gifts were donated during the school’s Operation Christmas Child drive this month. In the classroom, students have been exploring global citizenship and working to create friendships in other parts of the world. Through this experience, they will learn the importance of helping children in need during the holiday season.
Milpitas students send holiday gift boxes to needy children around the world
http://www.mercurynews.com/milpitas/ci_29238008/milpitas-students-send-holiday-gift-boxes-needy-children
Milpitas Post
Students at Merryhill Preschool in Milpitas prepared 80 gift packages of toys, art supplies, books and more on Nov. 20 to send to children around the world through an international humanitarian organization.
The group, called Operation Christmas Child, delivers care packages to children in Third World countries. The packages, along with handwritten letters from the students, will go to children in countries including Mongolia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The gifts were donated during the school’s Operation Christmas Child drive in November.
In the classroom, students have been exploring global citizenship and working to create friendships in other parts of the world. Through this experience, they will learn the importance of helping children in need during the holiday season.
For more information about Operation Christmas Child, visit samaritanspurse.org.
Water Conservation Project
http://patch.com/california/milpitas/students-merryhill-preschool-milpitas-participated-water-conservation-project-earth-day
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.
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
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
Building Your Child’s Sense of Family Belonging
Relationships with family members play an important role as children begin to develop a sense of self. When they feel a sense of identity and belonging within their own families, children are better able to grow emotionally, make friends, and appreciate and accept the diversity of others.
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s a great time to share activities that celebrate the importance of family.
Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in the classroom, as well as activities you can do with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Teachers use baby sign language to help children identify and eventually verbalize names for their family members. When parents enter the classroom, teachers say, “Look! Here’s Sophia’s mommy,” while also signing “mommy.” They work with parents to learn specific names used at home, and then use those names in the classroom.
At home: Use baby sign language as you come across names of family members in books and songs. To sign “mommy,” tap your thumb on your chin repeatedly. To sign “daddy,” tap your thumb on your forehead repeatedly. Remember to say the word aloud as you sign.
Recommended reading:Spot Loves His Mommy by Eric Hill, Are You my Mother? by PD Eastman
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: By age two, children begin to learn the names of extended family members, such as grandmother, uncle and cousin. They practice using these words as they talk about their families. After sorting stuffed animals by type, teachers might say, “This is the horse’s family. He has a big family. Who’s in your family?”
At home: Give your child play dough and encourage him to create the members of his family. Afterward, ask him to count and name them. This activity helps him conceptualize that multiple people make up his entire family and gives you insight into what family means to your child at his particular point in development.
Recommended reading:On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott, Oonga Boonga by Frieda Wishinsky
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As children read stories about diverse families, teachers encourage them to share unique details about their own families. For example, teachers might ask, “Who has a sister?” or “Who has a pet?” Afterward, students create charts with the information.
At home: Have each member of your family make a thumbprint using finger paint on a piece of paper side by side. Then, ask your child to compare the various sizes, and guess which thumbprint belongs to each person. As they talk about their family members, they begin to appreciate what makes their family unique.
Recommended reading:Clifford’s Family by Norman Bridwell, What Mommies DoBest and WhatDaddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Our older preschoolers begin to understand that their parents have more than one role. Family members are invited to visit and talk to the class about their roles inside and outside of the home. Students are encouraged to write and draw their family members in the different roles they serve. For example, “Mommy is a doctor.”
At home: Go on an uninterrupted family outing with your child. Try to avoid checking work emails or answering unimportant phone calls. Afterward, ask your child to write about his favorite parts of the day in his journal.
Recommended reading: Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? by Eric Carle, The Napping House by Audrey Wood
All of our schools will be celebrating families in really fun ways this Mother’s Day season, and we hope that you do too!
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education