Spring is here! Students have been going on nature walks looking for signs of spring – finding yellow forsythia, pink and white hyacinth, and daffodils popping up all over; some daffodils are hiding in the bushes! (Pssst - did you find the bunny in Mrs. Hassen’s window?)
Masks Thankfully at this writing, COVID numbers remain low in Union county and the flu season officially ended March 31st. At this time wearing a mask remains optional. The staff and I respect the decisions each family makes regarding masks for their child, recognizing that circumstances for each family differ and the decision is a private matter. All the other measures we take to minimize germ spread remain in place. Please know how much we appreciate your continued cooperation in monitoring your child for symptoms.
Art Show – Week of April 25 I am so excited to announce that our annual Art Show will take place at the end of the month. IN PERSON! Your child’s teacher will be inviting you to attend on a specific day and time so each class can enjoy their artwork together. The art show has long been an annual event and we can’t wait for you to see our halls filled with the art your children have created.
Registration and Parent Packets If you know of anyone looking for a nursery school for next year, please let them know registration is ongoing.
Early Drop Off and Extended Day Early drop off is available daily at 8:30am for $5. There is no need for advance notice. Extended day for 3s and 4s is $30. Please let the office know in advance if you would like your child to stay. 4s Enrichment is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.
Upcoming Dates of Note
April 11 -15 School closed for Spring Break
April 18 School resumes!
Week of April 25 Annual Art Show!
Week of May 23 Music Week!
Green paint was everywhere, green paper was running low, more and more students were wearing green clothes...St. Patrick’s Day was coming! This year on St. Patrick’s Day, we had a school assembly in the sanctuary where Mrs. Hassen played jigs on her violin and students danced with their hands at their sides like Irish Dancers! The rest of the day was filled with excited cries of discovery as students found leprechauns hiding in the hallways!
Music Week Postponed! Music Week, scheduled for next week, will be postponed for later in the year. We hope to be able to welcome people in our sanctuary at a later date to show the students a variety of instruments. Please let the office know if you play or have an instrument you could share with us!
Masks Current COVID dashboard numbers from the schools do not yet offer a clear picture of what effects the removal of masks has had on positive COVID cases. Additionally, the Union County Office of Health Management continues to express concern about unvaccinated students not wearing masks given the high rate of transmissibility of the current and newer variants. For these reasons, Westminster’s policy recommending masks for our students and staff remains in place. Please know we are monitoring the situation closely and you will be notified of any changes.
Registration and Parent Packets If you know of anyone looking for a nursery school for next year, please let them know registration is ongoing. For those of you already registered, your Parent Packets are coming! The office is revising the packets so there is more information in the Parent Handbook and fewer papers to sign.
Early Drop Off and Extended Day Early drop off is available daily at 8:30am for $5. There is no need for advance notice. Extended day for 3s and 4’s is for $30. Please let the office know in advance if you would like your child to stay. 4’s Enrichment is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.
Upcoming Dates of Note
April 11 -15 School closed for Spring Break
Week of April 25th Annual Art Show
Hearts can be found all over the school this time of year, in the artwork we’re creating and in the books we’re reading. They are a wonderful reminder to be kind and loving, to fill our hearts with all good things!
Valentine’s Day
Our Tuesday/Thursday classes held their Valentine’s celebrations this week! The 4s and 3-day 3s classes are looking forward to celebrating on Monday Valentine’s Day! The Valentine exchange is a wonderful example of learning by doing, as each child shares cards from home and gives them to their friends. Sometimes it is hard to come to school with treats and then give them away! Students are learning to share : )
Mask News
Governor Murphy announced recently that the mask mandate for K-12 and early child care centers will be lifted March 7th. Masks are still mandated until March 7th so there is no immediate change to our current policy. We are licensed by the State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families and are expecting new operating guidelines within the next few weeks.
Westminster has remained open with little disruption throughout the pandemic. We are grateful for the cooperation of our families and adherence to our COVID protocols and procedures which include masking. We are very aware we are nurturing an unvaccinated population and expect to proceed with caution in the coming months.
2022-2023 Registration!
We are excited to be welcoming most of you back next year even as we will be saying good bye to many in our 4s class. Our classes are filling fast! We have some openings left in our 2 1/2, 2-day 3s and 3-day 4s classes. If you know of anyone hoping to enroll here, please encourage them to do so quickly1
Extended Day Programs
Our extended day programs (11:30am – 2:30pm) are a wonderful way to extend the day in community with friends. We eat together and then spend the afternoon learning through play and games and getting some much needed large motor activity in whether outside or inside. Limited availability remains for Mrs. Marsh’s program for 3s Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mrs. Hassen’s program for 4s has availability on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both programs are $30 per session.
Snow Days and Delayed Openings
We have had some warm days, but I don’t think winter is done with us yet! Please remember to check your email if bad weather is in the forecast! Westminster Nursery School follows the Berkeley Heights Public Schools when it comes to closings and delayed openings due to inclement weather. I will send an e-mail between 5:30 am and 6:00 am in the event of a closing or delayed opening. If there is a delayed opening, classes will be in session from 10:00am until noon, with extended day in session noon to 2:30pm.
If the public schools call a remote learning day due to unsafe conditions, Westminster may call a snow day as the safety of our staff and students remains our top priority.
Early Drop Off
Early drop off is available daily at 8:30am for $5.
Upcoming Dates of Note
February 18th – 21st - School closed President’s Day!
March 8th – School closed for Staff Professional Development (CPR, AED, First Aid certification)