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Our students were a big hit at Newbrook Lodge but really, how could they not be?! They sang some songs, delivered some crafts and did some visiting! We will continue to work towards having all our classes visit there soon! We look forward to continuing this new friendship in the future! Between these visits & the food bank, our kiddos have been filling a lot of buckets! Easter Break: BELA will be closed March 25-April 3. Classes resume April 4th.

BELA NEWS March 2016 www.brooksearlylearning.ca

BELA Registration 2016-2017 We want to share information regarding Registration for next year, as well as important information regarding tuition. Our Board is fully aware of the current economic situation in our province, and want to support families in our community, as best we can. Please see information on the following page regarding fee payment, and options available to families. As always, parents are welcome to visit us at BELA to discuss individual circumstances, in order for us to customize payment for you, if we can. We know that your child's education is an important priority for you, as it is for us!

Pre Registration: We hold Pre Registration for all our current BELA families in the spring. This is where you can register your child who is continuing on at BELA next year, or register a younger child, who hasn’t yet attended BELA. The dates for this are : April 26 & 27 10:45-1:15 . You can come in and complete your registration before or after you pick up your little one from class. Registration packages will be available by April 1. You must have all your paperwork complete, including payment or payment plan to hold your spot. This is not open to the public.

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Bucketfillers, News & Reminders

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March 2016 www.brooksearlylearning.ca

Registration (continued….)

Parent Information Night: Every year we host a public parent info night at BELA for families to come in, see the school and learn more about our program & staff. This year it will be on May 12 at 7:00pm.

Registration: Our registration that is open to the public is on May 26 6:00-8:00pm at BELA.

Tuition & Financial Information

1. As always, BELA has payment plans available. You can pay in full, pay quarterly (first at registration and then Aug 1, Nov 1, Feb 1) or pay monthly. Please see Carmen to discuss or email carmen@brooksearlylearning.ca with questions.

2. The Government of Alberta has a program to help with the costs of preschool, if your family qualifies. They can pay up to $1200 to your child’s school. The program is called “Stay at Home Parent Support “ and requires that 1 parent work 20 hours per week or less, among other requirements. I urge you to look into this to see if you qualify. You can call Alberta Human Services or use the online estimator to see if you may qualify. If you have had a change in your income I would suggest calling and talking to them to see how they can help. The number to call is 1-877-644-9992 or you can look online at Alberta.ca under “ Programs & Services and then under Financial Support.

3. NEW this year: watch for info coming home in March regarding our “Refer a Family Program” which will allow you to bank credits towards your child’s tuition by referring new families to register at BELA! The referred families will receive a credit as well! Stay tuned for all the details!

Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten Registration is underway within our community. Parents are requested to register

their children for Kindergarten as soon as possible, see contact information below:

• Grasslands Public Schools contact the Board office, or your neighbourhood school for information: Griffin Park 362-7555, Uplands 362-2660, Eastbrook 362-5464

• Holy Family Academy 362-8001 and Newell Christian School 378-4448

Once your child has been registered, please advise classrooms staff which school he/she will attend, so that we can forward student files.

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March 2016 www.brooksearlylearning.ca

March is Nutrition Month!

Take a closer look at what you’re drinking!

o 1 can of coca-cola contains 10 tsp of sugar!

o 1 bottle of Sunny Delight contains 16 tsp of sugar!!

o 1 large slurpee contains 37 tsp of sugar!!!

o Choose water instead to quench thirst

Water, water, amazing water!

We use water in many ways every day. Every system in our body depends on water. We need water to:

-Cool our bodies (when we sweat)

-Help with digestion

-Absorb and carry nutrients throughout the body

-Remove wastes and help the body repair itself

-Act as a cushion for our organs and joints

Our body loses a lot of water through our skin, when we breathe and through our urine. To maintain a balance we need to drink enough water and other healthy fluids to replace what we are using. Make sure children have water available throughout the day. Drinking water every day is a simple way to stay healthy!