November 2012

This month is starting off with a big weather bang!  Hopefully once the storm passes, we can enjoy some pleasant weather for the rest of the month.  However, it’s never too early to get out the cold weather gear.   As it gets colder it’s nice to have hats, mittens, boots, and even snow pants on the playground.  Remember that one of our goals is independence and you can help by making sure your child’s clothing is labeled and easy to put on. 

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 6-8 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.  This is another great chance to practice our public speaking.  

Thank you to everyone who helped with our Acorn Designs fundraiser!   Both the Acorn products and T-shirt orders should be in soon.  We also have tote bags available anytime.   October book orders are due November 9^th – remember there are more books available online.  We’ll probably have November & December orders together at the end of the month to give everyone another chance to buy before the holidays. 

Schedule:  Our next parent meeting will be Wednesday, November 7^th at 6:30.  We’ll go over some more info for Fun with Santa and talk about mini-conferences.   We are offering mini-conferences the week of November 13-16 after school (11:40-12:30).  We will be setting aside more time in March for in-depth conferences, but this offers an opportunity to check in early in the school year.   We are also happy to meet with you any day after school or you can always email me (austicloz@hotmail.com).

Remember, there’s no school on Monday, November 12^th for Veterans Day and Wednesday- Friday, November 21-23 for Thanksgiving break.  TCNS will have school on November 16^th even though the Tburg schools have a conference day. 

Fundraising:  Keep working on getting donations for our silent auction.  Make sure you check the list of possible silent auction donors at the top of the stairs and sign up.  We’re asking each family to get 2 donations – a donation of your own talent is also welcome.  This year we will also be adding a kid’s raffle of smaller gift baskets.  This is a great way to clean out your gift drawer.  The silent auction committee would appreciate having all donations in right after Thanksgiving.  That will give the group plenty of time to organize!

November activities:  Our themes this month will be nighttime & nocturnal animals, health, family & thanksgiving, and hibernation to end the month.  We haven’t finished all our planning for November yet, but we have some books picked out.  The week following Halloween we’ll be reading an old favorite, Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. We’ll make owl puppets and a nocturnal collage.  To get ready for Thanksgiving we’ll read Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes.  We’ll talk about all the things we have to be grateful for, make beaded necklaces and of course, pinecone turkeys. 

Terrific Two’s:  Welcome November! We will introduce themes on families, being thankful and colors. We will continue to talk about fall and the changes all around us. Our circle times are expanding to include simple yoga and name and color recognition. We are able to focus longer and Deva and I are thrilled to have expanding discussion in our circle times. It is exciting to hear vocabulary expanding. We will be adding water to our sensory table and experiment with pouring, floating and sinking. Painting has become a classroom favorite as well as markers and crayons and glue! Not much weather keeps us inside so keep remembering to send appropriate clothes for outside play. Thanks for sharing your kids with us! Ms. Jackie and Ms. Deva.

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.

Playdough:  1 cup flour, ½ cup salt, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 2Tbs oil, 1 cup water & food coloring.

Add food coloring to water.  Mix together dry ingredients.  Add water and oil, and mix well.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat when slightly sticky & knead until smooth.