Director's Notes and Newsletters to parents of First Step Learning Center of Lebanon students
JANUARY 2012
ADMINISTRATION REMINDERS
Happy New Year! Thank you to all parents who shared holiday activities with us in December. We hope that you enjoyed working with your child’s classmates in their classroom. Thank you also for the holiday gifts that you gave to our staff. We appreciate your expressions of generosity and gratitude for our work with your children. Can you tell that our staff members love our jobs? I hope so, because we do!
Information about Winter Specials will be distributed during the week of January 2nd. Classes will begin the week of January 17th. If interested, please register no later than January 12th.
Also in January, information about winter programs – courtesy of our fall fundraising efforts - will be announced. We raised over $500. I’ve been researching options to get the biggest bang for our buck! I’m very excited about this opportunity and hope that you will share my excitement with the results!
Emergency Delays And Closing
In case of inclement weather, First Step may delay our openings or close for the day. To check for information:
- Call the school, 236-7669, and listen to the ANSWERING MACHINE message which will be posted by 6 am and will begin with “Today is ________. First Step of Lebanon will have a delay/closing……” If you do not get a dated message, you likely entered our phone company message system. Please call back until you get the dated message.
- Check the website: firststeplc.com
Be sure to click on “LEBANON” location since decisions will be made on a school by school basis.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WE MAKE DECISIONS BASED UPON THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF!
Chris Scheick
NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOMS:
HUG BUGS
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday. The month of December was full of holiday fun. I hope everyone enjoyed the ornaments and cards that the Hug Bugs made for you. They enjoyed making them. During December, the Hug Bugs learned the Reindeer Pokey and the Snowman Hand Rhyme. We read a lot of great holiday books, too. The pizza party was also a nice start to everyone’s holiday vacation.
In the month of January we will talk about winter and snowmen. Our color is blue this month and we will also do a lot with imagination and pretending. Circle time will expand to include our weather and Show and Share (watch for information on this the first week of January). I will also introduce some Nursery Rhymes.
Please remember to check your child’s cubby everyday and to also bring appropriate outdoor clothing in case we have a couple nice January days.
Miss Lois
BUSY BEES
Hello! It’s hard to believe that another year came to a close and that another year begins!. We have been in school for almost four months and yet it seems like yesterday that we were all together for Back-To-School Night.
December was filled with holiday fun that included decorating the classroom and preparing holiday gifts for our loved ones at home. There was a “buzz” around the room this past month with the sound of children singing holiday songs on their own as they were playing. It was such a lovely sound!!
January will bring a new year and with it comes some discussions about winter and snow. We will talk about the importance of Martin Luther King and begin our “Alphabet Soup” study where we will begin to recognize, identify and explore the letters of the alphabet. We will also begin a weekly “Show and Tell”. Watch for cubby flyers that will give more information about “Alphabet Soup” and “Show and Tell”.
Hope that you enjoyed the holiday season with your family!
Miss Tracy
EXPLORERS
Our Caring and Sharing Project in December was a huge success! Our class raised over $100 toward the purchase of two gifts for children from the Holiday Hands program and a donation to the church to aid with winter fuel costs. Each student also had the opportunity to bring a book, game, and toy from home to share with their classmates. We enjoyed the variety of games and even discovered a few new favorites! I hope that you are enjoying your holiday gifts and playing many games of Tic-Tac-Toe at home. Board games are a wonderful tool to enhance your child’s cognitive skills and enjoy quality time with each other!
Our Star Student program has now ended. Thank you for all the creative posters about your child! Our students really enjoyed learning about their classmates through the posters and backpack objects. In January, your child will meet “Milton, Our Monkey” and get the opportunity to bring him home overnight through the rest of the school year. Information will come home shortly on Milton’s first visit to your home.
In January, we will continue with our Alphabet Study with the letters, O, C, Q, and G. Please note that the starting point of these letters is at the middle top and they include curves. We will also introduce the “Magic C” to help us write these letters. Our themes will be new beginnings, observations about winter, and a unit called “Artists on Parade”.
Let’s join together to make 2012 a terrific year for our children!
Miss Chris
DECEMBER 2011
ADMINISTRATION REMINDERS
The 2011 holiday season is officially upon us! Please see cubbies for detailed information about visiting your child’s classroom (weeks of December 12th & 19th) and our Holiday Pizza Luncheon on Thursday, December 22nd. Also, please remember that First Step of Lebanon is closed Monday, December 26 – Friday, December 30 and reopens on Monday, January 2, 2012.
Our last Soccer class is on Tuesday, December 13th. Winter Specials will be announced in January.
Our Usborne “Cards for a Cause” fundraiser raised $579.50! The cards will likely be distributed the week of December 5th. The funds will be directed toward winter programming. Thank you for all your support!
School photos will also be delivered in time for holiday gift giving. We hope that you enjoyed these “snapshots in time” as much as we did!
January is a popular time for student schedule changes! Please speak with me by December 15th if you’d like to add time to your child’s schedule.
Happy Holidays from our entire staff!
Chris Scheick
Director
NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOMS:
HUG BUGS
November has come and gone. This was a great month. The Hug Bugs had a lot of fun and we did a lot of exciting things. We explored the color brown, healthy foods, our five senses, and Thanksgiving. Our feast was delicious and enjoyed by all as we ate together and wore our special Native American hats.
December is just about everyone’s favorite and busiest time of year. Our color is green. We will explore Hanukkah and make Menorahs. During December, the Hug Bugs will work on a few class projects (which they love to do), sing holiday songs, and work on many holiday crafts. We will also do some baking.
I continue to expand our circle time and in the New Year will begin “Show and Share”. Details to follow.
Please remember to check your child’s cubby every day. Bring jackets, hats, and mittens (please label with your child’s name) as we do try to go outside as much as possible. I hope that everyone has enjoyed sharing the Hug Bug photo album with their child.
Have a wonderful holiday season!
Miss Lois
BUSY BEES
How quickly the leaves change color and fall to the ground! I was outside the other day and noticed there were many more leaves on the ground than on the trees!
November has come and gone as quickly as those leaves have changed color and fallen from the trees. We had a busy month discussing our homes, families, and Thanksgiving. The class had fun painting, coloring, and stuffing our bulletin board turkeys as well as sponge painting their family trees.
December brings many new topics to explore such as December Holidays and The Zoo. We will also be discussing several literacy characters such as “Arthur”, “Clifford”, “Curious George” and “Little Critter” from the Mercer Mayer books. We will talk about how these characters handle certain social situations such as sharing, being friendly, and following directions.
We will also explore buttons in our sensory table, while noticing similarities and differences as well as filling containers and pouring. We will continue with our cutting skills. Please encourage your child to practice cutting and coloring at home to strengthen his fine motor muscles. These efforts will gradually be reflected in their school work as their fine motor skills develop.
Enjoy this joyous time with your family and friends!
Miss Tracy
EXPLORERS
By now, I’m sure that your explorer has “read” his Thankful Book to you, family members, and friends - over and over again! I loved watching the pride in their eyes when we shared their books at school prior to sending them home. Their progress over the last few months is reflected in their books. Cutting, gluing, painting, drawing, delayed gratification, thoughtfulness, pride in their work, attention to detail, staying on topic, and literacy development are all integrated into this project.
Our students also loved earning their feathers (Helpful, Good Manners, Responsible, Good Friend, Following Directions, Caring, Listening, and Sharing) during November. We wore our earned feathers with pride to our all school Thanksgiving feast on November 22nd. As always, our Alphabet Study moved along and we look forward to letters N, M, and K in December.
December is our month for “Caring & Sharing”! We will focus on the importance of giving – rather than receiving – in the true spirit of the December holidays. Just wait till you see all the ways we can care and share with others in just one month! Explorers are AWESOME!
NOVEMBER, 2011
ADMINISTRATION REMINDERS
Thank you to all parents who attended our Back to School Night on October 11th. A mini-version of our slide show is now posted on First Step’s Facebook page - “First Step Learning Centers”- if you missed it. Thank you also to all parents who attended our Halloween Parade and/or volunteered at our Fall Festival on October 27th. We hope all our families had a terrific Halloween!
In November, we will launch our fall fundraiser - Usborne Books “Cards for a Cause”- 30 beautiful handcrafted greeting cards in a decorative box. The cards would make great holiday or birthday gifts! Order forms were distributed on November 1st and should be returned to school with order forms and payment due back no later than November 15th. Our school earns $11.90 per sold box and funds will be used to bring at least one special program to our school during the winter months. We appreciate your support in maximizing our profits by selling these items wherever possible!
Our annual Thanksgiving Brunch is scheduled for Tuesday, November 22nd, 11 am. Please check cubbies for specific information.
Please remember that First Step of Lebanon is closed on Thursday/Friday, November 24/25 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Many public schools are closed and/or are operating on early dismissal days during November but First Step is open. If your First Step student will not attend First Step due to an older sibling’s schedule, please advise me so I can staff accordingly. If your child needs extra time due to the public school’s schedule, please let me know.
Thank you.
Chris Scheick
Director
NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOMS:
HUG BUGS
Hard to believe that the month of October is over. We had a great month! During October, we learned important things about fire safety. Ask your Hug Bug about the “Five Little Firemen” and “Never Play with Matches” songs, and Stop, Drop and Roll. Another highlight of our month was introducing the Pledge of Allegiance as we all take turns holding the flag. We’ve added fun activities with colors and shapes into our circle time. The Hug Bugs enjoyed our Harvest Festival and getting dressed in our costumes and parading for everyone.
During the month of November, the color Brown will be introduced. We will also talk about healthy foods, our five senses, and learn some new songs/poems. We will also do a lot of fun things for Thanksgiving. Please look for the “Hug Bug” photo album in your child’s cubby and enjoy talking with him about his classmates and school experiences.
Remember we try to get outside as much as possible so please send a jacket and whatever else you would like your child to wear when playing outside.
Miss Lois
BUSY BEES
I am amazed at how quickly October has gone by! This month was filled with so many activities, both at First Step and at home that I blinked and now the month is over. First off, thank you all for being so understanding the middle of the month when I was out for two days. It’s nice working in such a supportive environment!! A second big thank you for a great turn out on Back to School Night. It was great to meet parents that I hadn’t met in September.
We welcomed Fall with pumpkin fun. I’m sure by now you have had a chance to check out our Pumpkin People “hanging around” the classroom. We talked about leaves and apples and how to embrace the new season with hayrides, apple picking, and pumpkin decorating.
October is Fire Prevention month and we practiced “Stop, Drop and Roll.” It is so important to periodically practice this with your children. Remember the importance of developing your own family safety plan in the event of a fire in your home.
The Busy Bees will keep on buzzing into November with themes such as: “My Home”, “Family”, “Thanksgiving”, and “Harvest”. We will explore with corn and cornmeal in our sensory table.
Enjoy this wonderful fall weather,
Miss Tracy
FIRST STEP EXPLORERS
Did you notice how our students are following classroom rules and routines? Did you notice how our students place their “homework” in the basket and their items in the Show & Tell box? Did you notice how they verbalize good and bad behavior choices? Did you notice how nicely students are playing with each other? Did you notice how activity transitions are getting easier for them? Did you notice how they burst into song and sing our songs? Did you notice our Star Student posters? Did you notice how your child wrote our beginning letters – L, F, E, H and D? Did you notice the improvement in your child’s cutting skills? Did you notice how your child has strengthened his finger muscles and fine motor skills? Did you notice our Halloween mobiles? Did you notice how students are talking more about school activities and friends? Did you notice our students’ smiles and laughter? I did! It makes me very pleased with our student progress to date.
November’s activities will include Native American folktales, learning our snack poem in sign language, earning “feathers”, making a thankful book, and Thanksgiving activities. Our Alphabet Study will continue with P, B, R, and N. As the weather turns chilly, we will explore the changes outdoors so please remember to dress your child for outdoor play. Ask your child to teach you “the trick” for putting on jackets. It’s wonderful, independent magic!
Miss Chris
OCTOBER 2011
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
Thank you for your support as we began our 2011-2012 school year! All students seem to be placed properly and happily settling into their class – Hug Bugs, Busy Bees, or First Step Explorers. I hope that you can join us for Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, October 11th. You will have the opportunity to learn more about your child’s specific class from their teacher and meet other parents as well.
Also, start to think about outfits for Picture Day by Jelly Jar Photography on Thursday, October 20th. If possible and your child is not scheduled on Thursdays, please see me about them attending school that day to participate in Picture Day.
This year’s Harvest Festival will be held on Thursday, October 27th. All parents are invited to our Halloween Costume Parade at 9:30am. After the parade, our students participate in special activities with parent volunteers. Please see the Harvest Festival Donation List in the Parent Information Center to sign up for supply donations or to volunteer. More details will be forthcoming.
Finally, please remember to drive safely in our driveway, sign your child in and out every day, and check your child’s cubby for artwork and school notices. We look forward to a terrific year!
Thank you!
Chris Scheick, Director
NEWSLETTERS
HUG BUGS
It’s hard to believe that the month of September is over already. What a great month the Hug Bugs had!
During this month, we explored our classroom and made new friends. The color red was introduced and we made apples and enjoyed our ‘Ten Little Apples’ poem. Another fun theme was learning about each other’s families. We learned the ‘Where is Thumbkin?’ song so ask your child if he will sing it with you. We also created fun fall crafts and participated in activities to learn about fall.
There are a lot of exciting things to explore in the month of October. We will have our annual Harvest Festival which the children get very excited about. Also, don’t forget about Picture Day and Back-to-School night. Hope to see everyone there!
Thank you for sharing your children with me and for all the support you have given them in their first few weeks of school.
Please remember to bring appropriate outdoor clothing as our weather gets cooler. We try to get outside as much as possible.
Thank you.
Miss Lois
BUSY BEES
Wow! What a warm welcome I have had to First Step! I have had a great month getting to know your children!
September has buzzed right on by. We were busy little bees adjusting to the first month of school and learning school/classroom rules such as walking quietly to and from the bathroom, sitting “crisscross applesauce” on the carpet during circle time, and waiting until all of our friends are sitting at the table before we have snack. We also learned a new chant called “The Wiggles” to prepare us for snack. Be sure to have your child share this with you! We have talked about sharing, manners and feelings throughout the last few weeks. The Busy Bees said good-bye to September by saying hello to Fall.
October will bring many Fall fun activities such as lessons about pumpkins and, of course, Halloween, which will prepare us for our Harvest Festival at the end of the month! We will talk about Fire Safety and continue to work on our gross motor and fine motor skills.
I am looking forward to seeing you all at Back to School Night!
Thank you again for a great beginning to a fun-tastic school year!!
Miss Tracy
FIRST STEP EXPLORERS
The First Step Explorers are off and running! Literally…..around the playground fence! We’ve been enjoying the beautiful weather by exploring the playground, visiting the “alligator pit”, working in the garden with Mrs. Aldana, and exercising our hearts by running around the fence! Playing outside is a fantastic way to make new friends and I’ve enjoyed watching new friendships develop.
In September, we were extremely busy! The First Step Explorers learned many social lessons, courtesy of the Berenstein Bears. We spent two weeks on learning about our five senses and how they gather information for our brains so we can learn. This recurring theme will be shared throughout the year as we learn how to learn!
I also assessed each child’s skill levels so I can meet their individual needs. I will share my thoughts for the group and individually for your child at Back-to-School Night on Thursday, October 11th.
I have a wonderful group of children and I look forward to working with them!
Miss Chris
SEPTEMBER, 2011 NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year! Please read this newsletter carefully and keep it as a handy reference throughout the school year.
MEET OUR STAFF
Director Chris Scheick
Hug Bugs Lois Baker
Busy Bees Tracy Denkovic
First Step Explorers Chris Scheick
Fridays/Extended Care Nicole Fuentes
Chris Scheick joined our First Step staff in September, 1999 after her family moved to Clinton Township. Chris has over 25 years of early childhood experience and has directed our Lebanon site since September, 2007. She holds a B.S. in Recreation and Leisure Studies from Montclair State College, a M.A. in Instruction and Curriculum from Kean College of New Jersey, and a NJ Elementary Teaching Certificate. In her “down time”, Chris enjoys reading, quilting, kayaking, and spending time with her family.
Lois Baker began as a First Step parent. She accepted a Teacher Assistant position in 2004. After 6 years of assisting with our 2 & 3 year olds, she accepted a Group Teacher position in 2010 working with our youngest students. Prior to her early childhood experience, Lois graduated from the Katherine Gibbs School and worked for 11 years as an administrative assistant in an insurance company. The insurance industry’s loss is First Step’s gain! Lois lives with her husband and daughter in Clinton Township. Lois can frequently be spotted on many local soccer & softball fields cheering for her daughter’s teams.
Tracy Denkovic joins our staff this year. Tracy holds an A.A. in Early Childhood Education from Northampton Community College, a B.S. in Elementary Education from East Stroudsburg University, and a NJ Elementary Teaching Certificate. Tracy’s 20 years of teaching experience includes early childhood and elementary classrooms. Tracy is re-entering the workforce after being a full time mom for the past four years. Tracy’s family lives in High Bridge and her son, Ryan, is enrolled in our First Step Explorers program.
Nicole Fuentes anticipates a December, 2012 graduation from Kean University with a dual major of a B.S. in English and Special Education (K-8). Nicole joined our staff when she was still in high school. Nicole works part time during the school year and full time over the summer. Nicole’s high enthusiasm, creativity, growing professional knowledge, and positive work ethic are highly respected by our First Step staff, students, and parents. Nicole loves giraffes, hates bugs, enjoys the beach and playing with her dog, Cabella.
First Step staff members meet State of New Jersey, Department of Children and Families licensing requirements. Staff members must undergo a criminal background check, fingerprinting, and health screening. Staff members also hold First Aid & CPR certifications. In addition, staff members require 12 hours of continuing education in early childhood issues each year.
HEALTHY HABITS AND ROUTINES
First Step is open from 7:00 am – 5:30 pm, Monday – Friday. Upon arrival at school, you will find a sign in/out sheet at the Parent Information Center. Please make sure you sign your children in and out each day. Check the center daily for parent notices, program calendars, lost and found items, licensing information, and timely news. Beginning in October, monthly newsletters will be posted on our website, firststeplc.com, to update you on classroom happenings.
Drop off your child directly with his teachers in his classroom. Lunch boxes, jackets, sleep bags, extra clothes, and show and tell items should be labeled with your child’s name and placed in properly designated areas. A teacher will be in the classroom to greet you and your child for the morning program at 9 am. If your child attends our extended day program in the morning (7 am – 9 am), please drop your child with our morning staff in the “Big Room”.
Please pick up and drop off your child according to his confirmed schedule. The morning program begins at 9:00 am. If you arrive earlier, you may be asked to wait until your child’s classroom is open. Children who are habitually late miss important social and transitional activities at the beginning of the morning. Pick up times vary from 11:30 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, or later. A fee is charged for late pickups after 5:30 pm and is paid directly to staff members staying late for your child. The fee, paid by cash, is $15 plus $5 for each additional 5 minutes late. Thank you for your cooperation.
Each child is assigned his own cubby. Check your child’s cubby each day for their artwork and school notices. Extra clothes may be kept at school in case of an accident. Please provide seasonal clothes in a clearly labeled gallon Ziploc bag and replace them as necessary throughout the school year.
Pack your child’s lunch with food you KNOW he will eat! We encourage children to eat their healthy grow food first and then snacks. Please be mindful of any food allergies such as peanuts in your child’s classroom as you pack their lunch. If you prefer your child to ONLY eat food items from their lunch boxes, please advise our staff. First Step of Lebanon will now be “peanut free” for snack AND lunch. No peanut or nut products of any kind should be sent to First Step for snack donations OR included in lunch boxes. Please plan accordingly. Thank you for your cooperation with this new policy.
Morning snack (10am) is provided and afternoon snack (4pm) is typically any leftover food from lunch boxes. Any food that your child does not eat will be returned to you in their lunchbox so you know what was eaten. Thermal lunch boxes are required and ice packs are recommended. If you want your child to have a hot lunch, send it in a thermos. We are NOT allowed to heat up lunches. Also, please remember napkins and utensils! It is hard to teach proper table manners without the proper tools!
Please direct any requests for schedule changes or extra time requests and payments to Chris Scheick, Director. “Drop In” lunch or extra time costs $10 per hour. Requests will be approved based upon First Step’s space and staff availability and your reliability and cooperation in following these procedures.
First Step bookkeeping is consolidated into one office location in Whitehouse. ALL TUITION PAYMENTS must be mailed or delivered to:
First Step of Lebanon
c/o First Step Petite Academy
2 Lake Drive
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889.
Checks are payable to “First Step”. Tuition is due on the first of the month and a $40 late fee will be assessed after the third of the month. A $35 returned check fee will be assessed, as necessary. Please direct any tuition questions to Jill Leary, jillleary@firststeplc.com or
908-534-0012.
MEDICAL ISSUES
If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please call us in the morning and let us know. If they are sick, please advise us of the symptoms. Remember, children must be “fever free” for 24 hours prior to returning to school. Please help us in keeping our students and staff healthy!
If your child needs medication to be administered at school, prior written approval is required. Forms are available at the Parent Information Center. Medication must be in original containers with doctor’s name and phone number, if applicable.
All students 59 months and under require an annual flu shot. Please provide written proof once immunized for our records to avoid suspension from school according to Board of Health requirements. Kindly plan a flu shop appointment in October to avoid the rush!
Food allergies, especially peanut and nut allergies, are a growing concern among schools and children programs. At First Step of Lebanon, we choose to be “allergy responsible” to this possibly life threatening situation. Allergies will be addressed on a case by case, classroom by classroom basis, since we also share space with the church. Your child’s teacher will notify you of any limitations for your child’s classroom. Snack donations must be “nut free” (see below).
Sometimes young children are still mastering toilet training when they begin our program. We will work with you during this process; however, a “diaper rate” (an additional 20% of your monthly tuition) will apply until your child is toilet trained. A child is considered toilet trained at First Step when:
*Underwear is worn to school, not pull-ups *the child is able to take care of his/her personal clean up
*the child is able to verbalize his/her toilet needs *the child is NOT having regular “accidents” (every day)
*the child is able to use the child size toilets in our school
SECURITY AND SAFETY
Each family has been given the keypad code for our entrance door. THE CODE IS GIVEN ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS ONLY! Parents and caregivers who pick up or drop off your child REGULARLY will likely need the code. Others should use the doorbell and intercom system as necessary. Please DO NOT let children punch in the code!
Students will not be released to any individual without prior written permission.
Individuals must be listed on the “Authorization for Person to Pick up Child” form in your child’s file or you must complete a separate release form for a certain day, time, and individual. Forms are available in the Parent Information Center. In case of an emergency, you can fax a written permission to release your child to First Step of Lebanon c/o Petite Academy at 908-534-0017.
The driveway can quickly become a dangerous place for people and cars, especially during crowded pick up and drop off times! Please RESPECT and FOLLOW these guidelines for your child’s safety:
*Park along the sidewalk or preferably in the back parking lot.
*Turn OFF your vehicle when you park.
*When parked along the sidewalk, have your child exit/enter your car on the SIDEWALK side of the vehicle.
*Have your child carry his own belongings into school. Leave all other toys and items in the car or, better yet, at home!
*Keep your child WITHIN ARM’S LENGTH of you at all times
*DO NOT ALLOW your child to run ahead of you toward the entrance door, your car, or to climb on the rocks around the Memorial Garden.
*NEVER leave siblings in the car unattended while you are inside the building.
*When you exit the church, drive down into the main parking lot, circle, and then exit SLOWLY up the driveway.
*NEVER back up in the driveway or onto Haytown Road or make a K-turn driveway.
*Park in the rear parking lot for extended stays and whenever possible.
Dress your child in sneakers, closed toed shoes, or ankle strapped sandals for safety at school. It is hard to run, jump, and move your growing body when your shoes are falling off! Also, please dress your child in clothes that can get messy and dirty. Even with our best efforts to use smocks during messy projects, clothes frequently get dirty at school. Thank you for planning ahead with their wardrobe.
DONATIONS ARE WELCOME!
Snack Donation calendars are posted in the Parent Information Center. We ask parents to donate snack items at least twice a year, typically for your child’s birthday and a time of your choice. We prefer healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables, pretzels, cheese crackers, whole wheat crackers, muffins, etc. DO NOT DONATE ANY ITEMS THAT INCLUDE NUT PRODUCTS OF ANY KIND. Please read the labels carefully before you send items to school.
We also post a monthly “donation wish list” for other assorted supplies for our school or special events. Donations can be deposited in the donation basket. Donations are ALWAYS appreciated in support for our school!
SPECIAL OFFERINGS
In the past, First Step has offered special activities operated by outside contractors such as computers, gymnastics, soccer, creative movement, and cooking. Specials are typically scheduled during lunch hours so your child can participate no matter what his school schedule. If more than one class per offering is required, we attempt to group the children according to age and ability. Check the seasonal list of offerings to register for activities at an additional cost.
DATES TO REMEMBER
September 6 First Step – First day of school
September 12 - 16 Registration for fall specials
October 11 Back to School Night, 7-8 pm
October 20 School Photos - Jelly Jar Photography
October 27 Harvest Festival
WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?
YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER in person or by First Step telephone 236-7669, about classroom, social, learning, emotional concerns; classroom routines and procedures; class special events; show and tell questions.
CHRIS SCHEICK, DIRECTOR at cscheick@firststeplc.com or by First Step telephone,
236-7669, about Lebanon school operations; scheduling; extra time and fees; school special events; safety concerns.
JILL LEARY and LYNNE BAKA, OWNERS, at jillleary@firststeplc.com, lynnebaka@firststeplc.com, or Petite Academy, 534-0012 about tuition payments, billing inquiries, policies, facility concerns; and ANY overall concerns or issues.
PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS:
FIRST STEP OF LEBANON SUMMER CAMP
“Chugging Through the Summer”
June 20 – August 25, 2011
First Step Summer Camp begins Monday, June 20th and runs through Thursday, August 25th. First Step will be closed Monday, July 4th and Fridays throughout the summer. First Step is also closed the week of August 29th through Labor Day, Monday, September 5th. Our 2011-2012 School Year begins on Tuesday, September 6th.
Our theme this year is “CHUGGING THROUGH THE SUMMER”. Our camp will combine traditional outdoor games and water play with creating crafts from recycled items, tending our garden, learning about ecosystems, and observing the world around us. We invite you to view our daily activity board posted in the Big Room to follow along in our summer fun! We monitor weather reports and heat indexes closely and plan our daily activities accordingly.
Each morning, please dress your child with a bathing suit underneath his/her play clothes and water shoes with ankle straps unless it is raining. Also, please apply sunscreen at home in the morning. Sunscreen is considered a medication and must be treated as such. If you want our staff to apply sunscreen as necessary during the day, please provide spray on sunscreen clearly labeled with your child’s name. You must give written permission on the 2011 Summer Camp Sunscreen Permission List located in our Parent Information Center. DO NOT leave sunscreen in your child’s cubby or swim bag. We have noticed some allergic reactions to sunscreen this season. Please speak to us if you have any concerns.
During the summer, bee stings can and do happen. Please advise our staff if your child has ever been stung before and if you know they are allergic. Benadryl can be administered in case of emergency with your prior written permission. First Step provides the Benadryl and will give a dose as noted on the bottle. Please sign the 2011 Summer Camp Benadryl Permission List located in our Parent Information Center.
JUNE 2011
FIRST STEP OF LEBANON ADMINISTRATION REMINDERS
Thank you to all who returned their “paperwork” for summer camp and the coming school year! I appreciate the cooperation as we end the current school year, prepare for summer camp, and think ahead toward the excitement of a new September. Please check cubbies for information on our Father’s Day Breakfast on June 7th, Beach Party on June 14th, and our Graduation Celebration on June 16th. Summer Camp begins on June 20th and information, as applicable, will be distributed in mid-June.
If you have any questions about any of our programs, please contact me at 908-236-7669 or cscheick@firststeplc.com. Enjoy your summer!
NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOMS
As another school year ends, our staff wishes to say “thank you” for sharing your children with us this year! We enjoyed getting to know them in September and nurturing them throughout the school year. Let’s take a little trip back in time!
BUSY BEE 2’s
Remember the teary and loud goodbyes (parents and children!) when you dropped your child at school? Now look at the smiles and waves and swift goodbyes in the morning!
Remember how many diapers you supplied for school?
Now look at children using the toilet all by themselves!
Remember the art projects that needed to be explained what they were meant to be?
Now listen to your children tell you what they made!
Remember toy grabbing and the echoes of “Mine!”
Now watch the children taking turns and sharing toys…..sometimes!
Remember how difficult it was to have children sit still for two seconds?
Now watch them sit and listen to a whole book before they move again!
BUSY BEE 3’S
Remember how you carried your children and their bags into school?
Now they walk into school on their own two feet and carry their belongings independently!
Remember how children wandered around the classroom not sure what to do next?
Now look at how they make appropriate choices from specific daily activities!
Remember how children played alone and BESIDE each other a lot?
Now listen to their chatter as they play WITH each other!
Remember how children didn’t know how to make a line?
Now see the quiet line walking through the school and children following directions!
Remember how children’s attention wandered during circle time?
Now see the children sitting on squares reciting finger plays, singing songs, and listening to stories!
Remember the emotional meltdowns caused by a variety of reasons?
Now witness the decrease in frequency of meltdowns …..we all have them sometimes!
FIRST STEP EXPLORERS
Remember how children squabbled over EVERYTHING and sought adult help to solve the problem?
Now they still squabble but frequently solve their conflicts by themselves!
Remember how children could follow simple, one step directions?
Now watch them listen, repeat, and follow multi-step directions and routines independently!
Remember how the children listened to stories being read to them?
Now listen as they “read” to you independently with a variety of reading strategies!
Remember how children spelled or wrote (or didn’t!) their names?
Now look at how they spell and write their first and last names!
Remember when children could count from one to 10?
Now ask them to count to 100…and see how close they get!
Remember when their questions were easy to answer?
Now their questions are more complex, very inquisitive, and sometimes difficult to answer!
MY, HOW WE HAVE GROWN!!!!
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MAY 2011
Director's Note
May Administration Reminders
As the school year winds down, please remember the following dates. Event details will follow. Please direct any questions to me.
Wednesday, May 4th Mother’s Day Tea, 9:30 -10:30 am
Monday, May 30 Memorial Day – First Step Closed
Wednesday, June 1st Final 2010/11 Tuition Payment due, if applicable
2011/12 Registration Fee & Deposit Payment due, if applicable
Tuesday, June 7th Father’s Day Breakfast, 7-9 am
Tuesday, June 14th Beach Party – All Students welcome!
Wednesday, June 15th Beach Party Rain date
Thursday, June 16th Graduation Celebration, 4 pm - All Students participate!
Friday, June 17th Last day of 2010-11 School Year Program
Monday, June 20 Summer Camp Begins
If you have not returned your summer camp or 2011-2012 Registration forms, please do so immediately so I can plan accordingly. Thank you for your assistance!
News From the Classrooms:
BUSY BEE 2’s
Wow, where has the year gone. It is hard to believe that we are in the Month of May already. The children have grown so much in so many ways. April was an exciting month. We reviewed our colors and made peacocks and also reviewed our shapes and made shape gardens. We learned a new bunny poem and read lots of fun books. Everyone enjoyed our Easter crafts and egg hunt.
During the Month of May our colors will be black and white. We will learn about farm animals and learn the poem Baa, Baa Black Sheep. We will also be planting seeds and watching them grow into flowers. The children will learn some songs that we will sing at our special Mother’s Day Tea. Hope to see everyone at our Mother’s Day Tea celebration.
BUSY BEE 3’S
HI Busy Bee 3’s. We all had such an awesome April. Spring weather finally left our winter days behind. Flowers are blooming and Easter hopped on by.
In April, we discovered dinosaurs, lots and lots of different dinosaurs. Our favorite dinosaur buddy was the big T-Rex the carnivore. Busy Bees walked just like dinosaurs and made scary dinosaur noises as we continued to develop our gross motor skills. We shared lots of dinosaur tales and made fun dinosaur projects.
During April we also created Easter eggs and celebrated Earth Day! Remember: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Next month, May, we will be looking forward to more exciting springtime activities. We will be discovering and investigating all about bugs and learning so much about oceans and sea life! Mother’s Day fun will be a favorite highlight. Weather will be getting warmer too, so dress comfortably!
Thank you, parents, for your continued cooperation and support in helping to make school such a successful partnership.
FIRST STEP EXPLORERS
First Step Explorers say goodbye to April showers and hello to May flowers! Our class completed our Trip Around the World in 30 Days. Our “suitcases” filled with souvenirs went home on April 14th and we hope that you enjoyed hearing about our adventures. In April, we also completed our Alphabet Study and our Alphabet Books went home. If your child missed any letters, simply encourage them to complete their book at home.
As May unfolds, First Step Explorers will prepare for many special events. Mothers’ Day Tea, Fathers’ Day Breakfast, Beach Party, and our Graduation Celebration will keep us busy all month long. We planted seeds to start indoors for our garden plants in April. Now we are watching them grow before we transplant them into our playground garden. We also hatched Painted Lady butterflies from caterpillars. We look forward to seeing them and their children in our garden all summer long!
APRIL 2011
Director’s Note:
Thank you to all who participated in our Family Night on April 1st! We hope that you enjoyed the event and we appreciate your support of our school!
Please remember to register for Spring Specials as soon as possible. Offerings include CompuChild, Jamnastics, Hunterdon Taekwondo, and Kiddie Soccer. Registration forms are available in the Parent Information Center.
Please return registration forms for Summer Camp by May 1st and for the 2011-2012 School Year as soon as possible.
Please save the following dates for our end of the year events:
Wednesday, May 4th – Mother’s Day Tea – All Students and their Moms welcome
Tuesday, June 7th – Father’s Day Breakfast – All Students and their Dads welcome
Tuesday, June 14th – Beach Party
Wednesday, June 15th – Beach Party Raindate
Thursday, June 16th – Graduation Celebration – All Students Participate!
From the Classrooms:
Busy Bee 2’s
It is hard to believe how quickly the Month of March came and went. We did a lot of fun activities during the month. The children loved having their hands traced and making them into flowers for a great spring decoration for our classroom. We continue to have fun with our colors, shapes, weather , books, and poems during circle time. The children have especially loved being able to have some outside time on the playground!
During the Month of April our color is yellow. We will learn about the circus and different circus animals. Of course we will make a lot of great projects for Easter as well. We will continue to learn how to cut with scissors.
Please remember to dress your child for outside playtime as we will be getting out side quite a bit.
BUSY BEE 3’S
What a great month we had! It was Dr. Seuss’s birthday and we celebrated all week! We had a special snack, made a cat in the hat, and read all kinds of Dr. Seuss books. I think There’s a Wocket in my Pocket was one of our favorite books. We also learned about different kinds of weather and made our own cloud pictures. We read Cloudy, With a Chance of Meatballs and came up with our own wacky weather pictures too. For the letter P week, we came to school in our pajamas. What fun that was! St. Patrick’s Day came and we learned all about leprechauns and their pots of gold. We wished we found a pot of gold! Then the dinosaurs came! We learned about different kinds of dinosaurs, fossils, and the difference between carnivores and herbivores. We read many different books about dinosaurs and had a great time.
Coming up in April, we will be learning about space. We will read books about the eight planets, the stars, the sun, which is a star, and the moon! We will also be talking about signs of spring and baby animals. Easter is also a holiday we will touch on.
First Step Explorers
April is a terrific month! After the long winter, First Step Explorers rediscover the playground and outdoor play. Ask us about “The Running Game” that we play to exercise our hearts. We also start to prepare our garden for planting. This year we will try and plant everything from seed. Wish us luck!
In March, we began our unit of “Around the world in 30 days.” Each day we “visited” a different country as we awaited the return of all our Flat Stanleys. The Explorers held a bullfight in Spain, ate croissants in France, and created baboushka dolls in Russia. We ate fortune cookies in China, hiked through the rain forests of South America, and visited the scientists at the South Pole. We will complete our journey in April as we approach the spring holidays of Passover and Easter. Our students are excited to “unpack” their suitcases and share their souvenirs and adventures with you!
By the end of April, First Step Explorers will have completed our Alphabet Study. Each year, we are always happy to witness their progress and fluency in alphabet recognition, fine motor control and handwriting, and phonemic awareness due to this activity. If your child missed any letters in their Alphabet books, simply have them complete the project at home. They should all be proud of their books and the hard work it required to complete the project. We are proud of each and every one of them!
MARCH 2011
Director’s Note
Spring is arriving in bits and pieces! After the winter snow, each spring like day is truly welcome! I’m starting to think about our garden again. Anyone able to rototill the garden for us?
Due to snow cancellations, Jamnastics and Taekwondo classes will add make up classes. As of February 17th, Jamnastics has missed two classes and will now end on March 29th. Hunterdon Taekwondo missed three classes and will now end on April 6th. Information about Spring Specials will be distributed in early April.
Summer Camp and 2011/2012 Registration forms were recently distributed to our current families. Thank you for returning the forms promptly so I can coordinate your requests prior to opening registration to new families. If you know any families looking for a preschool, kindly invite them to call me to schedule a school visit. Your recommendations are our best form of advertising!
News From The Classrooms:
Busy Bee 2’s
February was yet another great month. Our valentine’s celebration was a lot of fun. The children had a great time giving valentines to their friends and making valentine cards for mom and dad.
Our circle time fun continues to expand and we learned a new poem called “Snowflakes.”
During the month of March our color is purple. The Busy Bees will talk and do a lot of art projects about spring. We will also learn a new poem about ducks.
The children and I are looking forward to some warmer weather so we can get outside for a few nature walks and time on the playground. Happy Spring!!!!!!!!
Busy Bee 3’s
What a great month February was! We learned about so many different things. The month started out with Groundhog Day. He didn’t see his shadow so spring should be just around the corner. We painted with red and pink for Valentine’s Day and decorated hearts. Our Valentine’s party was so much fun! We had yummy heart cookies and healthy veggies for snack. We also pretended to be mail carriers and delivered our valentines to our friends’ valentine mailbags. It was so much fun!
Upcoming in March, we will be learning about dinosaurs. I know we are all excited about that! St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and so is Dr. Seuss’s birthday. We will be reading many Dr. Seuss books and picking our favorite ones. Our alphabet study will continue with the letters N, O, P, and Q. We keep practicing writing our names on the white boards. We’re keeping busy till we can welcome spring on March 20th!
First Step Explorers
The months seem to be marching by quickly this year! February was a whirl of snow days, simple machines, inventions, magnets, presidents, and telling time. Thank you for participating in our Valentine Exchange and encouraging your child to make or write their valentines. It was an authentic literacy event from beginning to end - writing valentines to mailing valentines to reading valentines. Our students are learning that reading and writing have a purpose! Our Flat Stanley Project also encourages literacy development. Hopefully all our “Flat Stanleys” were mailed out and we look forward to their return trip to school. A map and bulletin board display is awaiting their arrival so we can see all the places that they traveled.
Our Alphabet Study is winding down with only 9 more letters to go! March will include J, A, S, U, and V. Our class will celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday, St. Patrick’s Day, and thankfully, the first day of spring. As March marches on, we will “visit” places around the USA and the world. We will compare our adventures to our Flat Stanley’s adventures and see how many places we can go! Stay tuned and we will share our adventures with you, too!
