2018 September Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2018

Join us at the Pumpkin Patch Saturday, September 29 Peachtree Presbyterian Church 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Image by: Cole Kaineg | Owl | The Woodlands Room, Pre-K | Clay

DEAR FAMILIES,

At Peachtree we are cognizant of what children and parents will be facing in their educational journey and are committed to providing children the strongest foundation to solidify their love of learning. We all want children to love to learn. How does that happen?

At home, you have most likely watched in wonder as your child first turned over, reached for a toy, crawled, or spoke. In most cases, a love for learning starts with play; play is a vital aspect of the cognitive, social and emotional development of young children. However, play has been and continues to come under attack.

At Peachtree, we have experienced and dedicated faculty who are well educated in child development. The children that walk through the doors each day are respected and supported as they grow and develop. Remember, learning is not a race to get there first. It is about developing the skills to stay on tract the longest. We are committed to making the most of children’s first school experience to get them on the road to lifelong learning – through play.

We look forward to knowing your family better in the upcoming months.

MISS JANE

Calendar SEPTEMBER 3 SCHOOL HOLIDAY- No School

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20

Inclusion Parent Coffee, 9:00 a.m., Studio Annex

Pre-K and Five/Six Parents’ Night Out Party, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., Durden Home

Room Resource Parent Meeting, 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a,m, Studio Annex

10-21

25

7

17

6

Individual Pictures taken

Room Resource Parent Meeting, 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a,m, Studio Annex

Chapel Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, MWF Pre-K, M-F and MWF Three-year-old Classes

10-14

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Peachtree Afterschool and Extended Classes begin

Chapel Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, Five/Six and M-F Pre-K

OCTOBER 2

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Prospective Parent Tour, 9:30 a.m., Welcome at the Family Commons

Chapel Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, MWF Pre-K, M-F and MWF Three-year-old Classes

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Two-year-old Parents’ Night Out Party, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., Jones Home

Chapel Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, Five/Six and M-F Pre-K

8-9

Prospective Parent Tour, 9:30 a.m., Welcome at the Family Commons

NO SCHOOL

10 Coffee Chat, Leaving the Preschool, 11:00 a.m., Studio Annex

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18 Toddler Parents’ Night Out Party, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.,Thomas Home

Image by: Caroline Sams | Bubbles | The River Room, Three-year-olds | Acrylic crayon on paper

Three-year-old Parents’ Night Out Party, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.,Thomas Home

28 Whole Project Day - NO SCHOOL

29 Pumkin Patch, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Peachtree Presbyterian Church

18-19 Food Drive for Buckhead Christian Ministry

20 Stroller-K, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Roswell, GA

22 Vision Screening for Pre-K and Five/Six classes

25 Halloween Parades, M-F Pre-K and Five/Six, 9:20 a.m., Fellowship Hall

26 Halloween Parades, MWF Pre-K and all Three-year-old classes, 9:20 a.m., Fellowship Hall

From Parents’ Council: Parents, Welcome to another great year at Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool!

We are so excited that your family is a part of Peachtree. You’ve made a great decision, and your child will thrive here. We look forward to getting to know you!

Parents are an integral part of a child’s school experience, and the depth of our parent involvement is one of the reasons that our Preschool is such an amazing place. There are MANY opportunities for parents to become involved. Some of these include: volunteering as a Room Resource Parent in your individual classroom; signing up for classroom celebrations throughout the year; and working on schoolwide initiatives and events through the Parents’ Council. Parents’ Council is a group of parent volunteers who chair, manage, support, or help with various activities throughout the school year. Some volunteer roles are easy, one-time activities, and others require more of a time commitment....there is something for everyone! Committees include the Art Studio, Carpool, Library, Teacher Appreciation, Outdoor Classroom, Springtime at Peachtree (evening gala), and Peachtree Family Festival – just to name a few. This is likely your child’s first experience with school, and we know it can be overwhelming. Volunteering is a great way to plug in and build a community for yourself. We promise you will make wonderful friends and have a great time while doing it.

Everyone is welcome to join the monthly Parents’ Council meetings, generally on the last Friday of each month at 9:15 a.m. in the Studio Annex. The first one will be Thursday, September 27. Please join us!

Most importantly, we encourage you to take the time to read this newsletter each month. You will learn about upcoming events at the Preschool and maybe even see a photo of your child!

Any questions or interested in volunteering? Please contact me at 404-213-3484 or alisongrubinas@yahoo.com.

Blessings,

Image by: Campbell Cargal | Green | The Ivy Room, Pre-K

2018-2019 Individual Picture Schedule Monday, September 10 Arberg/ Sewell/ Somodean Bohntinsky/ Gross /Purcel/ Traynelis Fiveash/ Lindler Wednesday, September 12 Bell / Fleetwood / Montana Justice / Williams / Wright Owens / Wells / Young Thursday, September 13 Bomar / Legg / Rackley Freeman / Orme / Wasilewsky Pope/Rhodes/Smith Friday, September 14 Farr / Legg / Parker Freeman / Orme / Wasilewsky Hatfield / Rothschild / Underwood Monday, September 17 Bomar / Burke / Rackley Hathcock / Ross / Troutman Freaney / Weber Tuesday, September 18 Hathcock / Ross Boswell / Jones Thompson/Wamsley Wednesday September 19 Thompson/Wamsley Nichols/Vailes Boswell/ Jones Thurday, September 20 Amstutz / Klitenic / Myers Beacham / Kirtland MacLane/Tilgner

Alison Rubinas Parents’ Council Chair 404.213.3484 alisongrubinas@yahoo.com

Friday, September 21 Carroll / Leete / Sarajian Barnhart / Olivier / Quintana

Peachtree Afterschool The Preschool offers afterschool opportunities, staffed by Peachtree faculty, for children ages 2-6. There are two sessions for the 2018-2019 school year. Pick-up is at 1:15 p.m. in the Family Commons carpool line. Register today online at www.peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org.

Session One: Week of September 3 – Week of December 10 Afternoon Storytime: This literacy program is designed to develop children’s foundational skills with letter sounds, letter identification, phonemic awareness and rhyming in order to enhance a love of reading. Each week will focus on a different children’s book. Afternoon Storytime meets on Fridays ($456). (Children in Pre-K and Five/Six classes) Create: In this class, children will explore different mediums while working with a variety of materials. Create meets on Tuesdays ($494), Thursdays ($532) and Fridays ($456).

(Children in Three-year-old, Pre-K and Five/Six classes) Hola Amigos: This is an immersion program that uses stories, games, finger plays, songs and movement. Children will be introduced to the basics of the Spanish language and exposed to concepts including colors, body parts, numbers, family members and common phrases. Hola Amigos meets on Thursdays ($532) and Fridays ($456). (Children in Three-year-old, Pre-K and Five/Six classes) Language of Food: This class helps children gain awareness and appreciation of where our food comes from and how we use all of our senses to discover food. Among the activities, children will plant vegetables in the Outdoor Classroom, prepare seasonal food items, learn about setting a table, table manners, and interact with the Peachtree chickens. The Language of Food class meets on Fridays ($456). (Children in Two-year-old, Three-year-old, Pre-K and Five/Six classes) Music Class: This program offers an afternoon of singing, dancing and making music in a fun, engaging environment.

Children will embrace their love for music with familiar songs, movement and exposure to traditional and non-traditional instruments. Music Class meets on Thursdays ($532). (Children in Two-year-old, Three-year-old, Pre-K and Five/Six classes)

New Family Coffee

Splendid Day: This program offers an extension of the Preschool day with indoor and outdoor play. Splendid Day meets on Monday ($264), Tuesday ($286), and Wednesday ($286). (Children in Two-year-old, Three-year-old and Pre-K classes) Super Heroes Club: Designed to help children develop confident social skills, this class focuses on age appropriate concepts including sharing, turn taking, problem solving and creating play schemes together with peers. The instructors are Inclusion Teachers: Emma Cutler, Grant Troutman and Katie Troutman. Super Heroes Club meets on Wednesdays ($770) and Fridays ($660) until 2:00 p.m. *If you are new to the class please contact Katie Troutman before registering. ktroutman@peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org.

Tell Me All About It: Children are invited to expand their spoken language and listening skills through play, art, songs and more. This class will focus on individualized receptive and expressive language targets, listening skills and speech goals while also working with the family to support children with hearing loss or language needs at school and home.

Tell Me All About It meets on Tuesdays ($770) and Fridays ($660). *If your child is new to the program, please contact Corine Parker before registering cparker@peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org. (Children in Two-year-old, Three-yearold and Pre-K classes) The Great Outdoors: Children enjoy the Outdoor Classroom where they will encounter everything nature has to offer. Children will experience working in the garden, “cooking” in the Mud Kitchen, sketching the environment, searching for bugs and caring for the chickens. The Great Outdoors meets on Mondays ($456), Wednesdays ($532), and Thursday ($532). (Children in Two-year-old, Threeyear-old and Pre-K, Five/Six classes)

Parents’ Council is hosting a coffee for families whom are new to the Preschool. Please join us Wednesday, September 26 at 9:00 a.m. in the Studio Annex. We want to give parents a chance to create community within the Preschool! No RSVP is needed, and children are welcome to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Parent Ambassador Chair Kristen Entrekin - kristenentrekin@gmail.com.

SEPTEMBER BLESSING:

Teacher Spotlight

For each new morning with its light,

This month we are spotlighting Amy Ross. Amy is in her third year as a teacher at Peachtree.

For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends,

Birthplace / Hometown: Atlanta, GA

For everything Thy goodness sends.

Ralph Waldo Emerson Image below The Blossom Class Angels Mixed Media on Canvas, 2018

Education: BA Anthropology Cleveland State University Personal: I love two year olds, gardening, reading, music, greyhound rescue and great white sharks!

Claim to Fame: Volunteering at a Spanish greyhound rescue facility in Madrid, Spain in 2009, and bringing dogs back to the U.S. for adoption.

Favorite Quote: “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”-Scott Adams

CHAPEL Students in the Three-year-old, Pre-K and Five/Six classes attend a Chapel service in the Sanctuary each month. Katie Manning leads the service that includes guest speakers, songs and Bible stories. Parents are invited to attend the service and join their children in worship.

Worship Services will be held in the Sanctuary at 9:20 a.m. on Monday, September 17 and Tuesday, September 18.

Each month, students are encouraged to participate in an outreach project by bringing toiletry items for Buckhead Christian Ministry. September’s donation item is deodorant.

Children will bring the donation to Chapel and place in a wagon at the front of the Sanctuary.

Welcome Parties and the First Days of School

Parents’ Corner Kelli Francis

SIGN UP ONLINE FOR PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT WWW.PEACHTREEPRESBYTERIANPRESCHOOL.ORG

One of the most unique attributes of Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool is the Inclusion Program which allows children of all needs and abilities the opportunity to attend preschool, learning side-by-side with typically developing children. This program is not only a blessing for those families with children who have special rights, but the Inclusion Program is a benefit to all children and adults as it allows everyone the opportunity to learn empathy and appreciate the value of differences. Children and adults learn first-hand how every person has their own strengths and gifts.

A recent blog post titled “Three Tips for Explaining my Child’s Differences to your Kid” is making it’s way around the internet.

The post was written by a mother with a child with special needs, and she addresses some great tips

that we thought might be useful as we enter a new school year.

1. See Her (or Him): No one wants their child to point and stare, but don’t inadvertently teach your child to ignore a special needs’ child. Encourage your child to say “hi”!

2. Acknowledge Differences: It is okay to ac-

knowledge that people are different. One child may be limited verbally, so it is okay to point out to your child that some children communicate in different ways. One child may use assisted equipment, and it is okay to discuss how that is different. Teach all children at an early age that being different is a good

thing.

3. Remain Positive: The author writes, “We can make differences seem scary or sad or bad, or we can make differences seem awesome. And this is how we change the world.

‘There she is, she is different, and isn’t different pretty awesome?’”

Professional Development

48 3

educators attended Bing Nursery School Summer Institute at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA

educators enrolled in the Nurtured Heart Approach online course

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educators attended the Planning and Projecting workshop at The Preschool

Because we believe professional growth is vital to build and maintain the quality of experience for children and families, the staff participated in professional development. From the weeklong Study Tour in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the online Nurtured Heart course and local and national conferences, the staff invested in educational exchange.

2

educators attended the Westminster Summer Leadership Institute in Atlanta

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educators attended the Reggio Study Tour in Reggio Emilia, Italy

educators attended the Project Infinity Summer Institute

Sense of Belonging Children who feel a part of the classroom community will be better able to focus on building healthy relationships and having a happy experience. Children build and develop a sense of belonging with children, families, and peers.

Peachtree strives to form relationships that

evolve children’s self identity and support their understanding of who we are together as a community.

Book Review How to be a Lion

by Ed Vere From the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of Max the Brave comes an inspiring and adorable picture book about a pair of unlikely friends who face down a pack of bullies.

In this timely and charming story about the importance of being true to yourself, mindfulness, and standing by your friends, we meet Leonard, a lion, and his best friend Marianne, a . . . duck. Leonard and Marianne have a happy life together—talking, playing, writing poems, and making wishes—until one day a pack of bullies questions whether it’s right for a lion and a duck to be pals. Leonard soon learns there are many ways to be a lion, and many ways to be a friend, and that sometimes finding just the right words can change the world .

This sweet, funny, thoughtful, and much-needed story will open up readers’ eyes to the importance of being who they are and not backing down to hurtful criticism. It’s an empowering tale about connecting with others and choosing kindness over bullying, and shows children how angry and provocative words can be overcome by empathy and courage.

"Children will feel empowered after reading such a deliberate story of unyielding strength and self-awareness.

Thoughtful and provocative words to live by."

-School Library Journal

Peachtree Presbyterian Church and Preschool

pumpkin

Patch

to SePTember 10 a m y 1pm a d r Satu

29th

push for good

5K WALK

RUN & OCT 20, 2018

(STROLLERS WELCOME) + CHILDREN’S

FUN RUN

9:00 -11:00 AM RIVERSIDE PARK | ROSWELL, GA 575 RIVERSIDE ROAD 30075