November 2011

We’re coming into the holiday season and we have some pretty active classes at TCNS. I’ve attached an article about superhero play and am thinking it would be a great discussion topic. While this can be challenging for adults, it is an important and rich developmental arena for young children and an amazing amount of social learning occurs during these interactions.

So far we’ve been very lucky with the weather and have gotten outside almost every day. As the temperature turns chilly, please be sure to send your child with warm outdoor clothing. Lightweight mittens are also a good idea since the chains on the swings can be very cold!

Thank you to everyone who helped sell bulbs for TCNS. We raised about $450 for the school! The bulbs should arrive soon and can be planted any time before the ground freezes. T-shirt orders are due soon, and tote bags are available anytime for $5. Both make great gifts for grandparents!
Remember, that the week following Halloween we’ll be collecting candy to send to the troops. Please bring your extra candy to school by Friday November 4th. We have started a special music program once a week with Amy Pruyear. Amy will be alternating between Wednesdays and Thursdays and teaching the children new songs and movement games. The first lesson was very well-received by the children – we had requests for the new songs right away!

We’ve had a lot happening with our teachers this year. Jackie is recovering from her back surgery and Deva Maas has been filling in and helping Liz with the Terrific Two’s. Tammy was sad to leave us, but excited about her long-term sub job at the middle school, and we now have Amy Dawson filling in the Tuesday/Thursday class until Jackie is back at work. The children have been very adaptable and are wonderfully accepting of all the new faces in the classroom.

This month we will start Friend of the Week in the preschool classes. Each week one or two children will be scheduled to bring in photographs to share at circle time. We usually get photos of grandparents, pets, vacations, whatever your child wants to share. Please check the calendar for your child’s turn.

Fundraising: Fun with Santa is fast approaching! Watch for the list of possible silent auction donors and sign up. We’re asking each family to get 2 donations – a donation of your own talents is also welcome. The silent auction committee would appreciate having all donations in before Thanksgiving. That will give the group plenty of time to organize!

Make sure to look closely at the November calendar. There is no school on Friday, November 11th and 18th and there are no classes November 23rd to 25th for Thanksgiving holiday. Our next parent meeting is Tuesday, November 8th at 6:30 pm. Remember children are welcome!

I will be available on November 15th, 16th & 17th from 11:30-12:00 for anyone who would like to check in about their child’s progress. We will schedule more in-depth conferences in March, but this gives a chance to bring up any questions or concerns. We are also happy to meet with you any day after school or you can always email me (austicloz@hotmail.com).

November Activities: Our themes this month will be nighttime & nocturnal animals, health, family & thanksgiving, and hibernation to end the month. We’ll start the week after Halloween by reading Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant. We will talk more about seasonal changes, the time change, and nocturnal animals. We’ll make an animal collage and habitats from salt dough. The following week we’ll read Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson and begin to talk about hygiene and healthy food choices. We’ll make toothpaste silly putty, paint with toothbrushes, a food collage and paper bag puppets. The week before Thanksgiving we’ll read Thanksgiving Treat by Catherine Stock and talk about being thankful. We’ll make pasta necklaces, handprint turkeys, paint with feathers and cornhusks, and bake pumpkin pie! The last week of the month we’ll read Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming and talk about hibernation, make birdseed feeders and paint with pastels.

Terrific Twos: The Twos have settled in nicely during October. We’re all getting used to our classroom routine and working on sharing, taking turns, and helping with clean up. The children already know all their friends’ names and look forward to seeing each other at school. In November, we’ll focus on nature, family, and Thanksgiving. We plan to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins, and Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland. We’ll make egg carton caterpillars, family portraits, and handprint turkeys, among other projects, and do some yummy themed baking, too. So far, snack time and outside play seem to be our favorite times of day. We’ll keep going outside as much as we can, so please dress warmly!

Jack Frost tapped at the windowpane
He knocked at the door with his icicle cane
Excuse me I said, but the door’s shut tight
I’d rather you not come in tonight
So he wrote his name all over the glass
And the children sneezed “Achooo!”
As they heard him pass.