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February News 2012

Dear Parents,

The older I get the faster the time seems to go! I can’t believe it is February already. Recently I was reminded of how time does naturally lend itself to growth and development in young children. I happened to be visiting our Preschool 3 room the other day with some parents of a child in a younger class. The children were all actively involved in the various learning centers that were set up in the room. There was a harmonious buzz in the room. The noise level was active but not overbearing. The children were all busy, playing, interacting, talking, drawing, producing puppet shows, playing in the sensory bin with dried pasta, counting, sorting, and classifying the miniature dinosaur counters, and building with blocks. It was no accident that the children were able to function so beautifully in their classroom. They have spent the past 6 months learning about the routines and rituals of the preschool program. They have learned how to make choices about what activities they want to engage in, can negotiate with their peers, and can independently move throughout the classroom with confidence and ease.

So yes, the time is flying by! But the children are all growing and maturing in so many positive ways. I was filled with pride as I watched the class flow so beautifully. I must admit, our classrooms all are dedicated to appropriate developmental education. Our teachers continue to work to create a curriculum that is challenging, creative, interesting, and fun for all of the children. Please feel free to visit any of our classrooms so you can see for yourself how terrific our Almost Home classes run!

Staff development is an important aspect of the success of Almost Home. This past staff day we focused on helping each teacher gain further insight into their own personality type. As educators it is crucial that we recognize that we are likely to have a wide range of personality types in our classroom. It is our responsibility to make sure that we meet the academic and social/emotional needs of each and every child. Recognizing our own type helps us to understand the similarities and differences in all of us. We used the Myers-Briggs Inventory as well as a bunch of hands on activities that helped us learn more about one another and ourselves.  The Myers-Briggs is a terrific personality type indicator with a long history of statistical reliability and accuracy. I think the staff enjoyed the experience and found the insight gained meaningful. The remainder of the day was spent working on strategizing a time line for meeting the Preschool Benchmarks, developing infant and toddler curriculum, a staff training session for all of the part time staff, and an hour of restorative yoga at the end of the day.

A few reminders for the month:

·       Registration for the Summer 2012 and Fall 2012/2013 School Year Session is now underway. Please make sure to submit all necessary forms to ensure a reserved spot for your child.

·       Almost Home will be closed on Monday, February 20th for President’s Day.

·       Simply Dinner has introduced some new items on their menu!

·       Please join the Almost Home Facebook page for updates and interesting posts.

·       It is not too late to sign up for dance or karate with Kerin or for a Happy Feet Soccer class.

We wish you all a fabulous February and a Valentine’s Day full of hugs and love!

Sincerely yours,

Jennifer
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