The Westminster Nursery School Times
Welcome to the shortest month of the year – or so it always seems! November appears to go faster than other months, but its special gift to us is one of the best of all holidays – Thanksgiving! Along with learning songs and finger plays about turkeys in sing-a-long, the children will be making turkeys with feathers, tissue paper, brown bags and their hands.
Gratitude is one of the trickiest concepts to teach preschoolers -- who are by nature self-centered -- but one of the most important. Sure, thankful children are more polite and pleasant to be around, but there's more to it than that. By learning gratitude, they become sensitive to the feelings of others, developing empathy and other life skills along the way. Here at school we believe that young children can begin to learn about gratitude when they think about the people that they love and the things that make them happy. Each year, Westminster encourages the students to learn that sharing is a way of saying ‘thank you’. The staff wishes all of our nursery school families the best Thanksgiving ever!
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Flu Vaccine
As a reminder, all children enrolled in preschool must receive a flu vaccine. This immunization requirement is mandated by the State of New Jersey beginning with this current school year. All flu vaccines must by administered by December 31st. If the office has not received the appropriate documentation, your child will not be able to return to school after winter break. If your child cannot receive the vaccine due to allergies, please provide the office with documentation from your physician to that effect.
Friendship Fruit Salad
The children in our classroom are like a fruit salad, with different colors and different tastes. We each have our families and houses and meals and customs and colors and shapes. On Monday, November 25th and Tuesday, November 26th (just before Thanksgiving) each class will prepare a friendship fruit salad for snack. Each child will bring in one type of fruit, which will be put into a big bowl to be shared with the other children in the class. Look for sign -up sheets on the classroom doors. Only a small amount (i.e. one banana or pear or apple; a small bunch of grapes, etc) of fruit is needed from each child. All fruit should be washed, cut up and ready to serve.
Christmas Child
Each year, Westminster Church and preschool participate in a program through Samaritan’s Purse that brings shoeboxes filled with little toys, games, clothing, etc. to needy children. This is such a good learning tool for your children, to give to others less fortunate.
Scholastic Book Order Reminders
When placing a Scholastic Book Order, please be sure all order forms are completely filled out. Include your child’s name and the teacher’s name. You may write one check for the total of all order forms. As the holiday season approaches, you may be ordering books that will be used as gifts. If this is the case, please note on the order form that it is a gift and the books will be bagged so your child doesn’t see them. Westminster earns “points” from book sales that we can redeem for items to be used in the school. In the past, we have received books, language aids (i.e. flannel board stories, listening center cds), classroom items and laminating sheets. If you have questions, please talk with Kathy.
“If Your Child Doesn’t Get Dirty At School, Then We Aren’t Doing Our Job!”.
I have seen children cry because they got a little bit of paint on their shirt, have witnessed emotional breakdowns on the play yard because mud was on the new sneakers, and have had children bound into school announcing that they aren’t allowed to paint anymore because it “ruins my clothes”. I have seen children proudly drag their parents out onto the yard to show off the tree forts, castles and mud houses they spent all day building and creating, designing and painting only to be asked, “Why are you so dirty?”, or be told, with a heavy sigh, “Oh no…there’s paint on your new shirt!” What kinds of messages are being sent to the children when there is so much emphasis on their clothes and shoes? Can the shirt really be more important than the opportunity to engage in a new creative experience? If it is, then it is a shirt or shoes that do not belong in preschool.
Outdoor Play
We continue to go outside as much as possible for play. Please be sure your child has a warm jacket, mittens (if necessary) and a hat. Teachers will take the time to help your child get ready for outdoor play.
Stay and Play
Extended Day, Stay and Play and Early Drop Off invoices will be distributed shortly. The November invoice will cover September and October sessions. Please drop a check off in the Nursery School office, noting “Extended Day” in the memo section of the check. Should you have questions on your invoice, stop in the office. As a reminder, Extended Day/Stay and Play is offered on Monday-Friday afternoons. The sign-up sheets are located on the bulletin board by the door to the playground.
Calendar Dates
November 7th and 8th - School Closed
November 25th and 26th - Friendship Fruit Salad
November 27th, 28th and 29th - School Closed
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
