News You Can Use 10.10.2023
October at Patti’s
Greetings Patti’s Families,
We have had so much fun getting to know our classroom community these first few weeks in September! Your children have been busy exploring the classroom, trying out art and science at the teacher activity table, learning each other’s names and getting familiar with classroom routines. All our friends have been doing great at circle time – ask them what book we read or song we sang and what color circle they sat on during circle time. Even better – in the morning ask them what color they will choose to sit on for circle time!
We have used a variety of mediums and tools for art projects, and have even been scientists! Teacher Cathy brought in sunflowers and children used magnifying glasses and tweezers to examine the sunflowers and find and remove the seeds. We looked at sunflower books and later in the week we did sunflower art! Look for photos of our sunflower scientists and lots of other fun activities on our photo board in the hallway!
Patti’s is closed on Monday 10/9! We look forward to welcoming back our friends on Tuesday 10/10.
Reminders: Emergency Bags and Family Pictures We are still missing a few emergency bags. If you did not receive a 2gl ziplock bag or the list of what is needed please let me know and I can provide those.
Please send in a family picture! I think there was some confusion as we requested a family picture in the emergency bag, but we also need a second one for the family picture board in our classroom and is a great conversation starter, fun to talk about at circle time and also comforting for a child who might be having a tough morning.
Here Comes the Rain Again
Welcome to fall, to rain, and to coat weather! A reminder to send your child with weather appropriate outerwear and shoes as we play outside when it rains and when it is chilly. Please help us by writing your child’s name, or affixing a label, to their coats or sweatshirts. Many coats are very similar, and if asked children often choose the coat in their new favorite color instead of the one they arrived in. If items do not have names I will write them in sharpie on a tag or collar. Here is a link to my favorite no-iron labels (but a sharpie on the washing tag works too!)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IMJ2L62/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MY8FXT90BS7GZG3923NP
Save the Date: Patti’s Paint-a-Pumpkin Community Builder & Fundraiser! We will be bringing back this popular in-person family event on October 24 from 5:30-7:00.More details and a sign-up will be coming next week, we hope you can join us! All proceeds go to help supplement Patti’s program and we appreciate your support!
Teachers Michelle, Cathy and I look forward to celebrating fall with our Patti’s classroom community!!
As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
Cheers, Jennifer Cathey Director, Patti’s Play Center
News You Can Use 9.04.2023
Greetings Patti’s Families,
Thank you to everyone who was able to come to the Parent Orientation & Social Evening and the Open House. It was wonderful to meet our new families and see how much our returning kiddos have grown over the summer!
We are excited about the first week of school and welcoming everyone to Patti’s! The first week is a busy one, so I wanted to send some information that will be helpful, as well as some questions that will help our teachers better serve your children.
There is a lot of first week information so please read through all of it, we want the first week to go smoothly for everyone.
Registration Forms:
Please make sure you have filled out and turned in all the required paperwork. I have attached the forms to this email again in case you need them. A printout from your pediatrician’s office or the state registry are accepted instead of the vaccination form. Your child cannot attend Patti’s until all of the paperwork has been turned in. For our returning families, we are required to collect updated paperwork each year so please fill it out even if nothing has changed since last year.
If your child has any allergies, especially any food allergies, please email me directly to make sure we have this important information. I have not received all the paperwork yet and it will take a few days to go through everything.
What to bring the first day:
If your child is in diapers, please bring at least a week’s supply of diapers (2 per day) in a Ziplock labeled with your child’s name.
If your child is potty-trained, or in the process, please make sure you bring in your Emergency Kit, which includes a spare set of clothes, ideally two sets of underwear and bottoms. Accidents, or sometimes just toileting mishaps, are common in the first few weeks. We have spare clothes, but children are often more comfortable with their own clothing.
Emergency Kit: The bags and a list of required items will be available at drop-off if you did not receive one during last weeks’ orientation or open house.
Labels: It is important to label all spare or removable clothing (sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets, hats, etc.) Outerwear especially is often similar it is difficult for teachers to remember which navy blue or flowered jacket belongs to which child (and children often just claim one they like ). If clothing is not labelled, I will write the name in sharpie on a tag or the collar.
Water Bottle: Please bring a spill-proof water bottle labeled with your child’s name. Water bottles will be sent home at the end of each day. If a child forgets their water bottle we will provide a cup of water during snack. Please place water bottles on the cary between the two hook shelves.
Parking and drop-off:
This year Patti’s and EDS will both be using the entrance by the playground to access the building. We are again able to use the south parking lot of the Emmanuel Church Campus on 86th Ave SE, but parking is also available in the other two lots, just make sure you respect any parking signs for church events or tenants.
The building doors will open at 8:55am for both EDS and Patti’s.
Our classroom has four doors to the hallway, we will enter the classroom via the door furthest down the hallway, closest to the bathrooms. Each child has a name card beneath their hook under the white shelves. Please help them hang their coat and/or backpack, on the hook. Please make sure their coats and backpacks are labeled with their name.
Before coming to the classroom please go to the bathroom and help your child wash their hands with soap and water. Please encourage children who are potty trained to use the toilet before washing hands and entering the classroom.
Teacher Michelle, Teacher Cathy, or I will greet you at the door and let your child in. If your child is having trouble saying goodbye, please let the teacher help them into the classroom and guide them to an activity.
We are no longer taking temperatures at drop-off. Please help us by keeping children home if they are exhibiting symptoms or not feeling well. Please see our health procedures and the attached COVID-19 procedures form for more details.
If your child will be absent, please email pattisplaycentermi@gmail.com, or call Patti’s , so the teachers know not to wait for your child. If you will be late or someone else will be picking up your child please text me, I cannot keep up with emails during the school day or answer the classroom phone when we are on the playground so text is the best way to relay time sensitive information. Please note that this is my personal cell phone so I would appreciate it if texts were only used for same day inquiries or information. If you have general questions or want to make sure we are aware of upcoming vacation plans, etc., please email pattisplaycentermi@gmail.com.
Pick-Up:
We will be dismissing children from the classroom at 12:00. Please make sure to check the shelf for your child’s water bottle. Please help us by being on time for pick-up, after the first late pick-up we will begin charging late pick-up fees. If there is an emergency or you know you will be late please call Patti’s .
Please let us know if your pick-up person changes.
Lunch Bunch:
We will begin offering lunch bunch on September 11th if there is enough interest. Please fill out and return the attached questionnaire. Once lunch bunch is established, then drop-ins will be available.
Separation Anxiety:
For many of our students Patti’s is their first group learning experience and separation anxiety is natural for both children and parents. Our teachers are experienced with helping with this. We want to support your family and your child in this new experience and have attached a questionnaire about separation anxiety. Please return this by email or bring it with you on your child’s first day.
Please feel free to email me at pattisplaycentermi@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
We can’t wait to see you all at Patti’s Play Center!
Cheers,
Jennifer Cathey
Director, Patti’s Play Center
News You Can Use 8.20.2023
Welcome New & Returning Patti’s families!
Teacher Michelle, Teacher Cathy and I are thrilled to welcome you and your child to a new year at Patti’s Play Center. We can’t wait to meet new members of our classroom community and experience school for the first time through their eyes, we are also excited to welcome several returning Patti’s kiddos and see how much they’ve grown over the summer!
The first day of school will be Tuesday September 5th, but the first event of the school year is for parents only! We hope you will join us for our first Parent Social and Orientation meeting. This is a chance for you to see the classroom and meet the teachers in a less busy environment. We will discuss our schedule and curriculum and answer any questions. Our new Parent Board President, Magdalena Garcia, will also be there to meet everyone and talk about opportunities to become involved and help Patti’s Play Center! Appetizers and beverages will be provided.
We look forward to seeing all our families and meeting the kiddos at our Open House on Thursday, August 31st from 10am-12pm. We will be gathering outside on the playground and taking small groups to visit the classroom.
Please park in the south parking lot on 86th Ave. Patti’s Play Center will be using the south entrance, closest to the playground, for drop-off and pick up this year.
I have attached the calendar for the school year and some important registration forms. A print-out from your pediatrician’s office may be submitted in place of the immunization form. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Looking forward to seeing you all,
Jennifer Cathey
Director, Patti’s Play Center
News You Can Use 2.15.2023
February Reminders
Hello Lovely Patti’s Families,
Our classroom community has spent the beginning of February having fun with dinosaurs and Valentines! At circle time we have added dinosaur fun by reading the “Do Dinosaurs…” series and marching to “We are the Dinosaurs” by Laurie Berkner, and kiddos loved color sorting toy dinos with Teacher Cathy!
Next week, February 20th – 24th, Patti’s Play Center will be closed for mid-winter break. We hope everyone has a fun and/or restful week!
We need play dough volunteers!
Homemade play dough is a treasured tradition at Patti’s Play Center. Thank you to all the families who signed up at the beginning of the school year and have brought play dough – we especially appreciate the families who signed up for more than one week!
Unfortunately we only have one week of the school year covered after mid-winter break. If you joined our classroom community after September, or did not already sign up for a week please choose one or two now. If you already made play dough and are willing to contribute again we will be very grateful. Your kiddos love the play dough table!
Here is the link to sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4DA5A829A13-pattis
Special Request: If any familes use baby food in jars we would love to have the jars and lids to use with art in the classroom! Please consider saving them for Patti’s!
Thank you from your teachers – Michelle, Cathy, Monique and Jennifer
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 11
- Next Page »