"K" is for Kim

Hello Preschool Families!

I cannot believe that we are down to one month left of school!  The year has gone by so quickly.  I give you back your child, the same child you confidently entrusted to my care last fall.  I give them back pounds heavier, inches taller, months wiser, more responsible and more mature then they were then.  Although he would have attained his growth in spite of me, it has been my pleasure and privilege to watch their personalities unfold day by day and marvel at this splendid miracle of development.  I give them back reluctantly, for having spent nine months together in the narrow confines of a crowded classroom, we have grown close, have become a part of each other, and we shall always retain a little of each other.  We have lived, loved, laughed, played, studied, learned and enriched our lives together this year.  I wish it could go on indefinitely, but give them back I must J, take good care of them, for they are precious!!  Thank you so very much for sharing your child with me this year!!!

Teacher Kim

September 2, 2006

Treasurer's Chest

I would like to thank all of our preschool families for a great year! It is hard to believe that the school year is almost over. Please remember that May is the last month we pay tuition. I have enjoyed getting to know all of our families and I look forward to seeing many of you next year!

Kari Beck

Treasurer

January 22, 2008

Ways to Raise

Garage Sale - The 2nd Annual Garage and Bake Sale is coming up quickly on Saturday, May 19th! The sale will be open to our families and the public from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Please remember to box/bag up all your donated items and have them priced and ready to sell for Saturday! Thank you to all those that have started signing up to help. We still have a few areas we need help in, including: 7 a.m. Set-up; 5 p.m. Take Down/Clean Up; Placing Signs around town morning of the sale; 8-11 Shift; 2-5 Shift; and providing Canopies/Tents. Please let Megan McFarlane or Annie Massey know if you have any questions. Thank you!

Raffles - The Pampered Chef Sweet's Basket Raffle ends on April 30th! Thanks to all those that bought tickets!

Serenity Salon Gift Certificate - May 1 - May 15 - The sun has been shining and now it's your turn to shine! You'll be ready to spring into summer with a fresh and stylish new "do," if you win our next raffle. Buy your raffle tickets to get a professional haircut by our favorite local family salon and spa... Serenity Salon! Raffle ends May 15.

The Pampered Chef Naturally Good Basket - May 16 - May 31 - This is the FINAL raffle of the year - so don't miss out on your chance to win this gorgeous Pampered Chef basket! This Naturally Good basket includes a Medium Round Bamboo Bowl, Salad Choppers, Bamboo Salad Tongs, and the Spin on Salads Cookbook. Total value is $75!

February 20, 2007

Happy Spring!

Our first ever egg dye-ing session this year....what fun! The time with our children is about Quality, not Quantity - something I try to remember! Because what preschooler has an attention span lasting more than about 20-30 minutes per activity anyway? Enjoy those kiddos!

Book sale

SCHOLASTIC
Customer appreciation book sale

BATES
South campus in Tacoma
2201 S. 78th Street Tacoma, WA 98409 Commons area- building E

Thursday April 26, 10 -9pm
Friday April 27, 10- 8pm
Saturday April 28, 10- 6pm

Activities include:

• Time with Clifford
• Games, Prizes and crafts
• Meet Clifford, the big red dog!

Garage Sale....

Thank you to all who have signed up so far in the class rooms to help out with our 2nd annual Garage sale fundraiser being held on May 19th in the Waypoint Church Parking lot.....looking good you all!!

Raffle

"Sweet Wishes" basket of goodies - Pampered Chef Raffle $2 each in the Vaughn site classroom

"M" is for Mary

Parents,

It hard to believe that we are coming up on the end of April, where has the year gone.

Beginning the week after Spring Break we will have some special visitors in our classroom, I am not going to tell you what or who they are,so you will have to come into the classroom and find out. We will also be exploring bugs butterflies and as the Month of May roll around we will hopefully be exploring the sunshine and sea life. I hope to throw a few more of the classic books into the mix as well. We are still working on prekindergarten readiness skills.

It has been a fun and exciting year, thank you for sharing your children with me

Miss Mary

January 15, 2008

"K" is for Kim

Hello Preschool Families!

Welcome Spring!  It is so nice to finally have some nice weather!  I hope that you are all enjoying some outside play time.

We will be beginning our caterpillar/butterfly unit when we return from Spring Break.  We will watch caterpillars go through “metamorphosis” and talk about all of the changes that are happening to the caterpillars.  We will creating some wonderful dough caterpillar creations and many other caterpillar and butterfly art projects.  Some stories we will be reading are “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, “From Caterpillar to Butterfly” and “Charlie the Caterpillar”.  This is such a fun time of year!  We will also begin planting seeds and taking care of them by watering them and making sure they are getting sunlight and air, when they are big enough we will send them home so that you can plant them in your gardens.

If your child will be entering Kindergarten next year, please make sure that you register them as soon as you can.  Each school wants to make sure they have enough kindergarten staffing for next year, so the earlier they know how many incoming kinders they have, the earlier that they can begin hiring staff.

Thank you all so much for your continued support of our preschool and mostly for sharing your child with me!!

Teacher Kim

Bates Updates

April 30, 2007

Dear Parent,

One of my favorite parent educators is Bonnie Harris. I subscribe to her on-line newsletter called “Connective Parenting Newsletter”. It is almost always informative and thought-provoking. She is all about the relationship between parent and child and not so much about specific techniques; although she often has practical advice as well.

In her March newsletter she talks about “when the best isn’t good enough”. This resonated with me since I see so many of you wonderful parents struggling with being the perfect parent and raising perfect children. Not only is this aspiration not possible, it is also not even necessary.

Years ago we had the concept of the “good enough” parent. Today we seem to think that good enough isn’t good enough – for ourselves or for our children. I remember complaining to one of my friends that none of my children were musical. She said, “They can’t be good at everything, Carol”. She was so right. Why was I focused in on what they were not good at and not enjoying what they were good at? This attitude put more pressure on me and my children and could have interfered with my relationship with them.

Does this mean that we settle for mediocrity? Of course not. We give our children time, structure, opportunities, resources, encouragement, love and sometimes a gentle push. If we concentrate on what they need for their brains, bodies, and spirits, they will figure out what they like, what they are good at, where they want to excel and where they will just be good enough.

Below are some more suggestions from Bonnie to help your children be less stressed and to be good enough.

 “Listen to your children, allow them to complain

· Provide opportunities and watch which ones your children are drawn to

· Watch for signs of stress: changes in sleep or appetite, a more hostile attitude, frequent headaches and stomach aches

· When you see signs of stress provide a "mental health day", have a heart-to-heart and re-evaluate schedules

· Pull back on saying, "I'm so proud of you." Instead try, "You must be very proud of yourself."

· Make sure your child has plenty of down time. Boredom is necessary for relaxation and creativity.

· Relax. Be more, teach less. “

To being good enough….

Carol

More on Kindergarten....

2012-2013 Kindergarten Registration Kick-Off!

March 17, 2012

Peninsula School District's 2012-2013 Kindergarten Registration Kick-Off is scheduled for Saturday,

March 17, 2012, from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon at all neighborhood elementary schools. Thanks to the passing of the Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy we are able to continue with our 4-day, All-day Kindergarten program.

Eligible kindergarteners for 2012-2013 are children who are 5 years of age by August 31, 2012, and who reside within the Peninsula School District. Please complete the 2012-2013 Enrollment and 2012-2013 Health forms prior to arriving to register at your neighborhood school. This will help to facilitate a smooth registration experience. You can find these forms on the district website at www.psd401.net. Copies of these forms will be available for you at your neighborhood home school office if you are unable to complete these forms prior to your visit. Please bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residency to complete your child’s Kindergarten Registration. In addition, if you are unable to make the Kick-Off date, you will be able to register your child at their home school following March 17^th Monday-Friday from 9:00 am -3:00 pm.

2012-2013 Enrollment-Emergency-Opt Out Form
2012-2013 New Student Information
2012-2013 Health Care Resources
2012-2013 Health Information Survey
2012-2013 Immunization Requirements
2012-2013 Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS)

Ways to Raise

Fundraising Update -

Our fundraising activities are winding down for the year - only one more major event and a few raffles coming up.

March and April - Be on the lookout for some fun Raffles! We have a Gift Certificate to your favorite local salon - Serenity Salon; and a Simply Sweet Pampered Chef Basket that includes all your baking essentials!

May - Annual Garage Sale - The Annual Garage Sale is tentatively May 19. We will be needing your help to fill the tables at the Garage Sale, so start your Spring Cleaning now! Set aside all your gently-used goods and items that are ready for a new home! More details to come soon!

Box Tops / Labels for Education / Ink Cartridges - We will be turning in Box Tops and Labels for Education very soon in March, so if you have some at home please send them in your child's backpack as soon as possible. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE USED INK CARTRIDGES, PLEASE REMEMBER TO SEND THOSE IN, TOO! We can turn in 10 a month to Office Depot for a FREE $20 a month, but we are running low. We would love to be able to continue turning them in through the Spring and Summer, so please remember to send them in.

Well, I was interested....

A kindergarten (from German Kindergarten (help·info), literally "children's garden") is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school. His goal was that children should be taken care of and nourished in "children's gardens" like plants in a garden.

Origin: 1850–55; < German: literally, children's garden, equivalent to Kinder children ( see kind² ) + Garten garden

Thought some of you might like to read this too! ~Annie

Kindergarten...

2012-2013 Kindergarten Registration Kick-Off!
March 17, 2012
Peninsula School District's 2012-2013 Kindergarten Registration Kick-Off! is scheduled for Saturday, March 17, 2012, from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon at all neighborhood elementary schools. Thanks to the passing of the Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy we are able to continue with our 4-day, All-day Kindergarten program.

What a success!

Our Preschoolers did great and had a lot of fun riding trikes, getting fits for helmets and face painting during our first ever Trike-a-thon last Saturday!

To all our sponsors, thanks for supporting these terrific kiddos-

With your help we raised over $3,000 for our preschool!

"M" is for Mary

July 3, 2008

Parents,

We are going to be talking about Spring in the next couple of weeks. We will be reading IT LOOKED LIKE SPLIT MILK and LITTLE CLOUD. We will be doing some amazing activities that go along with the book. We are still working on letter writing and will soon start on numeral recognition.

Parent- Teacher conferences are scheduled for the 14th and 15th of March, which means that we do not have school on those days. If you would like to schedule a conference please let me know and I will set up a time.

I would also like to thank all my parents you participated in the Trike-a-thon, each and everyone of you made it a huge success. It seemed that everyone one had a great time,so once again thank you.

Miss Mary

"K" is for Kim

Hello Preschool Families!

As hard as it is to believe, many of our students will soon be starting Kindergarten.  We have spent our preschool time preparing our students and their parents for Kindergarten.

First and foremost, parents should always remember that on a daily basis, you are your child’s first and best teacher!  As your child’s most important teacher, simply treating them with love and respect teaches them two important qualities right off.  Also, the examples you set in all areas of daily life teach skills…the way you problem solve, he way you handle frustration, the way you speak and the vocabulary you use, your healthy habits versus your not so healthy habits…everything you do sends an instructional message to your child.  Having said that, no one is perfect, and if you slip up, or are working on self improvement, discuss it with your child at an age-appropriate level.  Let your child see that everyone makes mistakes, but the important thing is learning from our mistakes and trying not to repeat them.

The second most important thing for parents to keep in mind is that at this stage of development, PLAY is the most important learning tool your child has.  So, have fun with your children…laugh and play simple games, you will be amazed how much is learned and retained through this process!  Childhood is such an amazing, but short period…what a great gift you can give by not rushing your child through and letting him or her enjoy each special day.

Thank you for allowing me to spend this precious time with your children!!

Teacher Kim

Trike-a-Thon

Levy Action!

Just a reminder that your ballots for the Levy need to be mailed by Feb. 14th, which is Tuesday.

Replacement Levy 2012 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q – What is the Replacement Levy?

A – This is a levy that is voted on by the citizens in a school district that allows the district to collect a property tax that provides funding for the public schools.

Q – Is this an additional levy beyond what we are currently paying?

A – No, this is a replacement levy that will take the place of the levy that was approved in 2009. The 2009 levy will expire after 2012.

Q – How will the passage of this levy affect property tax?

A – It is estimated that tax rates will be $2.14-$2.38 per $1000 of assessed value. The 2012 rate is $1.94 per $1000. Please see slides 21-23 for the rates over the previous 20+ years, in the slide presentation at http://www.psd401.net/staticfiles/psd/documents/2012_Replacement_Levy_Presentation.pdf

Q – How much more will this replacement levy cost the average homeowner?

A – The current levy approved by the taxpayers in 2009 will be assessed at $1.94 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2012. A homeowner with a home valued at $300,000 would pay $582 in property taxes to the Peninsula School District. The proposed replacement levy estimates tax rates to be $2.14 in 2013 or about $642 for a $300,000 home. This would be $60 difference annually, or $5 per month.

Q – When will this replacement levy take effect?

A – Voters are being asked to approve a four-year levy which, if passed, will be in effect from 2013-2016.

Q – What do the levy dollars pay for?

A – Many years ago, when the levy system was initiated, the intent was that levy dollars would be used to pay for extras that a community wanted to provide within their school system.

However, over the years, as other funding sources have decreased, levy dollars have become more and more important as support for basic programs and services. In the Peninsula School District, levy dollars now provide over 20% of the operating budget. Current levy dollars pay for:

· 20% of the cost of classroom teachers · 40% of the cost for custodians, paraeducators and clerical staff · 80% of athletic and co-curricular costs · 100% of the cost of health technicians · 85% of technology staff and equipment · 100% of maintenance projects

· The 4-day, all-day free kindergarten program · 60% of textbooks and instructional materials · Supplemental funding for school security and emergency preparedness

Helping the behaviorally challenging child.....

HELPING THE BEHAVIORALLY CHALLENGING CHILD

“This wonderful class has profoundly changed the relationship with me and my son - my husband,

too. We talk more. He tantrums less. And he feels empowered - he owns the solutions and therefore

works hard to carry it out. Thanks for teaching this class with such passion!” - Emily S

If you are a parent or teacher of a child for whom sticker charts,

rewards and other behavior programs just don’t seem to work, or

your child gets frustrated and melts down or simply puts on the

brakes, this class series will explore these and other issues

through Collaborative Problem Solving* and other positive

communication practices. The presenter brings her personal

experience as well as her experience helping other families and

schools with these challenges.

You will learn:

¨ What’s getting in your child’s way

¨ Why traditional behavior plans aren’t working

¨ Communication methods that will create solutions and foster independence

¨ Common roadblocks and how to deal with them

¨ How to help your child become a flexible, tolerant problem-solver

Presenter Sara Gardner is the parent of a former "challenging"

child, and has been a professional trainer for 25 years. She

teaches parenting classes to parents with children encompassing

a wide range of disabilities, as well as those with typicallydeveloping

children. She has received training from Dr. Ross

Greene, author of "The Explosive Child" at his Center for

Collaborative Problem Solving, and from Stuart Ablon at

Think:Kids. Sara currently serves as President on the board of

directors for the Autism Society of King County, and works at

Bellevue College as Program Advisor for their Autism Spectrum

Navigators program, which she developed.

*Collaborative Problem Solving was originated by Ross Greene, PhD in his

book “The Explosive Child.” For more information on this model, recently

recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as one of only two

methods that work for “defiant” children, go to Think:Kids – Rethinking

Challenging Kids at www.thinkkids.org.

To register or ask a question contact Sara at 425.298.4409 or

sesgardner@gmail.com. Class outline: www.BehaviorToday.info

2 Saturdays

March 10 &

March 24, 2012

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

University of Puget Sound

1500 N Warner, Tacoma WA

Weyerhaeuser Hall

room tbd

Saturday March 10th 9:00-1:00

Collaborative Beginners

$45, includes materials and

e-mail consultation

Additional family member

sharing materials, $30

Saturday March 24th 9:00-1:00

Advanced Collaboration

$45, includes materials and

e-mail consultation

Additional family member

sharing materials, $30

BOTH classes for $80, $50 for

second family member

Register by March 4 to

ensure your spot!

www.BehaviorToday.info