Fall 2024
What a wonderful group of kids and families! We love getting to know everyone! Your kids are a joy to spend time with each day!
Our Day
Our classes are off to a great start. We have fun every day. We start each class on the playground. The students enjoy playing with each other, running around, swinging, climbing, playing in the sandbox and cooking in the mud kitchen. These kids keep busy!
If the weather is nice, then we move along to the courtyard garden where the kids can play in the “forest”, water and care for our plants. We also enjoy the hula hoops, playing with the pretend farm animals, sidewalk chalk and the sensory bin! Sometimes we even go back to the secret garden!
Then it is off to explore the classroom. Each day we have many activities out on the tables, and an art project in the art area. Students can play in the classroom and work on the planned activities. They keep busy building in the Lego and block area, dressing up, playing in the kitchen, dancing to music, listening to stories, and working on the daily project.
Once all the students have done their art projects we gather as a big group to sing songs and talk about the plan for the day. Then we split into two smaller groups, to do our listening, learning and circle time work. The children love the small groups and enjoy being able to learn and play with their friends.
Ask your child which circle time group they are in, Garden or Honey Bee ?
Then it is meal time. When we are done, we gather in the cozy story time area and listen to books until all of our friends are ready to go. Then we are off to the playground for more fun before our school day ends! Rain or shine, so make sure to bring a coat!
Music class & visiting artists join us during school on various days so everyone can participate a few times a month.
September
- 11th- Music-Music Quest, https://www.musicquestkids.com/
- 16th-Enrichment classes begin
- 17th–Music with Teacher Brittany, /https://singwithteacherbrittany.com/
- 25th-Music with Matt, https://www.makemusicwithmatt.com/
October
- 5th-Music with https://littletonemusic.com/#home
- 7th & 10th, Special guest, Talk About Trees Oregon
- 14th, NO SCHOOL
- 15th & 16th, School Pictures, https://www.douglasfrierott.com/index
- 23rd, Music with Teacher David, https://youtu.be/6FpBJhAzzxM
- 31st, Halloween Party with Red Yarn, https://redyarnproductions.com/
October is a busy month. Children and families are settling in to their new schedules and the holidays are just around the corner. Preschool children love to celebrate and have parties. Our first party will be Halloween!
Because Hands On children attend our school on different schedules, we try to make sure that we include a few celebrations that everyone can attend. Our first celebration of the year is Halloween! Dress up and celebrate with us!
Our Halloween party will be on Thursday, October 31st, 12:30-1:30. All families are invited to dress up and celebrate with us! Even if your child doesn’t come to school on that day, you and your child are welcome to join us for the party! Siblings may attend as well.
Look for a sign-up sheet mid-October on the check in table to see how you can help.
Talk About Trees
Each year we look forward to a few visits from “Talk About Trees”. Talk About Trees is an interactive, science-based program for preschool through eighth grade students. This program brings the forest into schools and helps to encourage awareness and appreciation for the value of trees and forests in our daily lives. The program also encourages an understanding about the protection, management and conservation of the renewable forest. Joan, a former Hands On parent, leads the Talk About Trees program and works with all of our students outside on a nature talk and walk. We will learn about trees with needles and trees with leaves, look at fruit and nuts that come from trees, as well as all different types of cones. Teacher Joan will join us Monday, and Thursday, October 7th and 10th.
Colds, flu and sickness, Oh MY!
It is the season of germs!
If your child has a goopy, runny nose–Keep them home until they are 24 hours symptom free, or plan to mask while still a little runny.
If your child a fever, or cough, keep them home and take a COVID test. • If a child tests negative, they may return 24 hours after resolution of cough and fever without the use of fever-reducing medication.
If your child has COVID, they will need to stay home for the week and return when they no longer have symptoms and do not not test positive.
If you or someone in your home, has COVID, but your child is testing negative, we encourage you to keep them home, but if they do come to school we will ask that they wear a mask.
If a child has diarrhea, vomiting, headache, sore throat, or rash, keep them home. They may return 24 hours after resolution of symptoms.
We are collecting:
Please help us collect items we need for some of our projects this year. Here is a list of what we are looking for currently:
- A picture of your child and family
- Shoe boxes, any size.
Reminders:
- Tuition payments are due by the 25th of each month.
- Morning preschool starts at 9 AM and ends at 12:30 PM. Drop-off begins at 8:45 AM.
- Afternoon preschool begins at 1 PM and ends at 3:30 PM. Drop-off begins at 12:45 PM.
- Please send your child to school with a coat and make sure it has the child’s name in it. Some children will have the same coat and this makes it easier for them to find if they take it off on the playground.
- Don’t forget to pack extra clothes for your child to leave at school. We have some, but often kids are more comfortable in their own extra clothes.
- Please pack non-breakable dishes in lunches.
- We are a nut free school, please do not send nuts or nut butters.
Teachers
This year we have 10 teachers in the classroom, along with 4 enrichment teachers, as well as musicians and early intervention specialist visiting each week. You will receive a class list, names of students and parents, as well as email contact information for all families and teachers. To learn more about our current teachers visit, https://www.handsonartandplay.com/about-us