ELC Parent NewsletterAugust 2016

S.E.E.K. Early Learning Center

1848 N. 52nd Street

Phoenix | 85008480.902.0771

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Hello Families,

Welcome new S.E.E.K. families and welcome backto all returning children. It is our pleasure to helpyour children familiarize themselves with S.E.E.K.,the staff and the facility this school year. We lookforward to making your child feel at home at theirnew school and in the classroom by guiding themcarefully throughout their new environment.

This month's theme is All About Me, My Family,and My Neighborhood! This theme will addressskills and concepts that are important in growing upsuch as: recognizing and learning our name, learningabout emotions, personal hygiene (e.g. brushing ourteeth) and most of all knowing that everyone isunique and special.

As usual we welcome you to volunteer your time inyour child's classroom. Some examples mightinclude reading a book, prepping materials for anactivity, or making play dough! Speak to yourchild's teachers for more details!

Help us promote literacy and a sense of communitywith Take a Book, Leave Book exchange.

August 1st

August 15th

First Day of School

Curriculum Night

(Limit one per child, please).

Friendly Reminders

We are a nut free and scentfree facility. Also, please bemindful that wehave children enrolled in thecenter with other foodallergies. Label your child'sfood containers and keepfood in the lunch box not inthe child's cubby.

The ELC is open 7am-7pm,teachers are not permitted toaccept students outside ofthese hours.

Please send a refillable waterbottle with your childdaily. Label your child'sbottle and take home dailyto be washed.

Toddlers and preschoolersrest between 12pm-2pm.Please bring a blanketfrom home for your child.This allows the child a pieceof comfort from home. Takethe blanket home onFriday to be washed.

Please send a change ofclothes appropriate to theseason labeled with yourchild's name.

Please do not open the ELC's front door for anyone youare unfamiliar with duringdrop-off and pick-up.

Important Dates at the ELC

To celebrate the joy of reading and sharing books,S.E.E.K. Early Learning Center has introduced Takea Book, Leave a Book. A suitcase filled with booksis now located on the table at the front entrance.Families are welcome to take one book per day andreturn it after reading it or donate a different book tothe Take a Book Leave a Book Library!

Happy August Everyone!

Sara Van WinkleEarly Learning Center Director

A Peek into the Infant Room

The infant room sat in a circle while they played and sang

songs.

A Peek into the 1's Room

Sept. 1st - 9th

Sept. 5th

Sept. 16th

Oct. 10th

Career Week

Closed for LaborDay

Picture Day

Closed for Teacher

In-Service Day

Taking a Vacation?

Each family who attends S.E.E.K.will receive 10 days of credit forvacation per year, August 1st to July31st. The credit of $20 for half dayand $35 for full and extended daychildren will be applied to thefollowing month's invoice. Pleasenote: credits for vacation days areper child, not per family. Anycredits not used by July 31st ofeach year will expire. Please give atwo weeks notice by submitting aVacation Request form to theDirector. Please contact BeulahSpencer, our Payroll Clerk, withquestions.

Things to do in August:

1st - 6th: Shrek: The Musical- Arizona Broadway Theatre

6th: Jerome Art Walk:Jerome, AZ

6th: Movies on the Square:Zootopia - HeritageSquare in Flagstaff

6th: Celebrate incredibleinsects and amazingarthropods, get a bugs-eyeview of many of the millionspecies of arthropods:Sonora Desert Museum

14th: FREE Family Sunday

The toddler 1's class made their variation of watermelonslices with paintbrushes, glue, colorful paper and paper

plates.

A Peek into the 2's Classroom

The toddler 2 class created mini volcano's with baking

soda, food coloring, and vinegar!

A Peek into the Preschool Room

at Phoenix Art Museum

20th: Children's Music andArts Festival - BushmasterPark

Five Nut Free Lunch Ideas:

1. Macaroni and broccoli cheesecasserole with diced tomatoes ontop, apple slices, grapes andpretzels.

2. Egg salad, brown ricecrackers, pumpkin muffin, orangesand strawberries and popcorn withdried cranberries.

3. Bean burrito, spanish rice,cucumbers, watermelon, ritzcrackers and sunbutter.

4. Diced chicken, broccoli florets,banana slices, vanilla yogurt and agranola bar.

5. Meatballs, green beans, quinoa,sliced tomatoes, sliced cheese, andapple sauce.

Last Water Day of 2016

The preschool class played a game of Connect Four!

Need Drop-In Care?

We need to be notified at least 24 hours inadvance of any "drop-in" as our enrollment is nowat capacity. If needed, please complete the drop-inform and leave it at Kelsie's desk. You can alsoemail it to Sara Van Winkle. We will then determineif we have the staff and/or space for an additionalstudent to attend. Drop-in/unscheduled services are available on afirst come, first served basis. Payment will bededucted from the credit card on file. Thank you in advance for adhering to this policy.

High Scope Curriculum: Common Questions

S.E.E.K. Early Learning Center implements theHighScope educational approach to learning(HighScope).

1. When I Go To My Child's Preschool, ItLooks Like They Are Just Playing. Are TheyLearning Anything From This? Yes! Childrenlearn through play. When children play, they areactively engaged in activities they have freelychosen; that is, they are self-directed and motivatedfrom within. In its position statement ondevelopmentally appropriate practice, the NationalAssociation for the Education of Young Children(NAEYC) states "Research shows that child guided,teacher-supported play benefits children in manyways. When children play, they engage in manyimportant tasks, such as developing and practicingnewly acquired skills, using language, taking turns,making friends, and regulating emotions andbehavior according to the demands of the situation.This is why play needs to be a significant part of theyoung child's day" (Copple & Bredekamp 2009, p.328).

2. How Is The Curriculum Structured? Is It AllInclusive, Including Lesson Plans, Themes? OrIs It More Open Ended? Our teachers are asactive and involved as children in the

classroom. They thoughtfully provide materials,plan activities, and talk with (not at) children in waysthat both support and challenge what children areobserving and thinking. Activities are both childinitiated (built upon children's natural curiosity) anddevelopmentally appropriate (matched to children'scurrent and emerging abilities).

S.E.E.K. Early Learning Center's teachers have theirlesson plans posted daily on the ParentCommunication Board located in each classroom.

3. Does HighScope Meet AZ State's Standards?The HighScope Curriculum meets all statestandards, national core standards, Head StartOutcome standards, and NAEYC standards.

4. Does HighScope Work With Children WithSpecial Needs? Absolutely! The HighScopeCurriculum builds on and maximizes children'sstrengths and abilities, recognizing each child'sindividual needs and developmentaldifferences. S.E.E.K. Early Learning Center is not aone-size-fits-all approach but rather a school inwhich all children are supported. Children withspecial needs benefit from the core principles ofHighScope's participatory learning approach, inwhich young children actively construct theirknowledge of the world through their interactionwith people, events, materials , and ideas.

5. How does HighScope evaluate studentprogress? At S.E.E.K. Early Learning Center,we evaluate children's learning in nine content areas.Each day, teachers generate brief writtendescriptions, or anecdotes, that objectivelydescribe children's behavior. They use these notesto evaluate children's development and then planactivities to help individual children and theclassroom as a whole makeprogress. The anecdotal records are stored inindividual student portfolios. The portfolios are re-visited and shared with parents for parent-teacherconferences twice a year.