Welcome to Preschool

  The day before school starts is always an exciting day for teachers, parents and kids. I am excited and to be honest a little nervous, I get to meet and work with 34 new kids! and 34 new sets of parents and grandparents.

  Getting ready for school includes a lot of things first off we want everyone to feel comfortable talk with your child about starting school and allow them to express their fears and their excitement with you. Reassure them as needed that you always come back and that school is a fun welcoming place to be. Remember to send your child to school daily with a backpack and inside that backpack please have a full change of clothing (shirt, bottom, underwear, socks, shoes, etc.) in a ziplock bag. Please try to label your child's items as best you can it helps the teachers and parents make sure everyone goes home with the correct items. The cubbies at this time are marked with names pictures will be added once I get everyone's picture taken.

 I have a lot of fun planned for this week but we are going to take it easy and go with the flow. We are going to use this week to get to know each other and learn about how preschool runs and what our expectations are. Be ready to play! We are going to use play dough, paint, art supplies, and lots more this week. I am going to be taking dictations and asking a lot of questions this week in an effort to get to know your child and these sheets will be kept and I will ask the same questions at the end of the year to see what has changed from the start of the year. Our theme for this time is all about me.

  If you are working this week be prepared to go with the flow and make changes to our plans as needed. Relax, be yourself, and have fun while working with the kids. Remember this is your chance to play too!

 Are you looking to get some power hours? I have a few projects that I need done to help our room be the fun space it needs to be.

1. I need some crate seats made. I have the instructions and I believe some of the materials on hand.
2. Know how to sew? I am looking to have a few things made for our library area. Some small pillows and some bean bags.

I will announce opportunities for power hours on face book and on this blog. Every family has 4 power hours per year that need to be completed and these tasks can take care of some of these hours.

Let's have a great first week and I look forward to meeting and working with all of you and your children.

Welcome Back

  Welcome back to school! I hope everyone had a good two weeks off and is ready to return to class on the 31st and 1st. We return to school with a few changes I will now be teaching the MWF Owls as well as the TTH owls. I am ready to continue working with families in both classes and I hope this transition is smooth for our MWF families.While I am sad that Ms. Tara is no longer teaching I am happy that I was chosen to carry on with her class in the Owl room. On MWF we will be having one classroom outside each week so that there is a teacher covering outside as well as still keeping the options open (I hope the weather continues to cooperate) So when you arrive to class on MWF some of the science and art activities will take place outside the first week and then rotate through each class as we progress so it will go Orange Owls, Blue Turtles and Green Dragonflies in that order then back again each week. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

 Our theme is nature when we return so I am excited to brainstorm with the kids what they think and know about nature and what they want to study in this unit. We will be hatching some silkworms, and looking at life cycles, we may discuss weather and things that come with changes in weather, maybe some plants and planting. I am not sure where we will go but I am excited to go there with everyone.

 We will also be getting ready for Easter and discussing eggs and what comes from eggs soon. Please begin to think about our Easter egg hunt. Each year families bring 10 eggs each filled with toys, stickers, tattoos, or a little candy and each child then gets to take home 10 eggs its a fun Easter tradition.

 Please enjoy the rest of spring break and I can't wait to see everyone again when we return!

Ms. Charlee

Switching Gears

  As some of you know we are switch gears over from boxes to transportation. We are excited to be exploring different areas of transportation in our free choice center time, and in our classroom we will extend that theme and also add in a little about community helpers.

  This week I will introduce the share bag on Tuesday, and we will be talking a lot about making good choices in our room. We will be working on some simple class rules like Be Kind, and Be Safe. We will be exploring catapults in science so I am hoping the kids will pick up some new vocabulary like fulcrum, pivot point and catapult. We will also speaking with the children about what they want to be when they grow up.

  We have a field trip coming up on February 6th to the fire memories museum in Banning. I have never been to this location so I am excited to see the different things related to this fire station. I look forward to seeing a lot of our class there for a fun experience. On field trip days please note that school is closed.

  We are celebrating the 100th day of school on Tuesday with a few fun activities related to the number 100. Valentines day is coming and I plan to have a party list posted by the February 1st. The children can bring valentines to class on February 13th but we ask that if you choose to bring them in make sure you include everyone in class we have 18 students. We are asking that instead of student names you write "to my friend" that way they can pass out their own valentines to the kids in class. We will be using tissue boxes as our "mail boxes" So please continue to bring in those square tissue boxes. As with every party parents are always welcome to attend and participate in the festivities.

  We are really working hard in class on re direction. When your working in class its our goal to let the children know when they are not making a good choice and to re direct them to another activity or center. I will be helping with that but I need parent support in class as well to help. It is ok for you let a child know that they are not making a good choice or talk with them about good choices and if they are continuing to make a bad choice it is ok to help them to find another center or activity to participate in.

 On my wish list are a few items we are collecting for activities, and classroom projects and upkeep.
As always if you have any questions please feel free to send me an email to charlee.ips@gmail.com

Have a great weekend and see you on Tuesday!

Ms. Charlee

Our First Week

 We made it through our first week together and if I do say so myself the children are adjusting well to the new teacher and new routine. I want to thank all the parents who have worked this first week for being flexible and understanding as we transition together. I have truly enjoyed working with all of you and your children and I look forward to working with the rest of the class parents as the weeks progress.

 This next week we will be working on really getting small group centers going Tara and I have come up with some great plans for the week. Including a class story, creating a book, some new and fun art and making a treasure box. I also plan to re-introduce the share bag this week with me being the first one to share something I will bring in. For share bag to be successful I am asking that the children only place one item in the bag so that it doesn't take over all our circle time which I will tell them on Tuesday when we are back together again. So help your child to think of one special item to place in the share bag something that they love or means something to them and help them to prepare to talk about that item. What makes it special? Why is it their favorite item? Its asking those questions that get them thinking and turn those gears.

  There are a few things on the wish list tab these are items that we will be using for projects in class in the coming days and weeks so if you can bring in an item or two that would be greatly appreciated.

 We are getting ready to think about Valentines day in the next few weeks (I know it was just New Years!) we will have a class party and I plan to get a list up by February 1st and a list of all the children's names for you as well if you want to start writing out Valentines. As always parents are welcome on party day's.

 Enjoy the rest of our 3 day weekend and I will see everyone tomorrow morning.

Ms. Charlee

Fall is upon us

 October is here! I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. With the beginning of fall comes some fun things and lots of changes at school and at home. Our study topic at this time is trees and unfortunately we have a lack of trees in the play yard but my goal is to find some fun tree related items for us to play with outside.

 Another thing that has changed is the weather. Its been a bit windy and chilly some mornings and this is the time of year when we need to start making some changes in the morning routine to include jackets in our wardrobe. When my daughter was a student we would send her to school each day rather she wanted it or not with a jacket either worn on her body or in her backpack. I would suggest you try to do the same. The weather can be a bit unpredictable at times and some days it's warm and sunny when you leave home but chilly and windy at school. Unless the winds are just way too high to manage or its below freezing we play outside every day and its best to be prepared. Also we will continue to have outdoor gooey and water bins. The same goes for parents working in the classrooms you never know when you may end up with an outdoor board. Also now is a good time to check your child's spare clothing inside the backpack to make sure its weather appropriate. We try our best to make sure everyone takes in their jackets or sweaters when they go in but sometimes I miss one or two please try to put your child's name or initials on their jackets.

 This week October 7th-11th is fire safety week. We will have our monthly fire drill and play some fun stop drop and roll games outside. I will also start making use of our larger sensory bins for some messy sensory items and fun.

 Our annual jubilee is Friday October 11th it will be a fun night with carnival style games, foods and fun. We look forward to seeing everyone. Breakfast with Ms. Tiffany is this week and that's your chance to sign up for work days in November, December and maybe January if I am correct. Remember if you don't sign up your work days will be assigned to you. Our first maintenance day is on October 12th and a big thank you in advance to those working I know there are a lot of various outdoor tasks to be done and I appreciate your time and efforts. October 30th and 31st are our in class harvest parties. I can't wait to see everyone dressed up this year our theme is zoo phonics characters! I bet you all can guess who I will be :) for a list of zoo phonics characters you can ask your child or any teacher we know all of our zoo phonics friends very well.

 If you see the teachers walking around with ipad's and taking lots of pictures and sound clips don't be alarmed we are now using a new portfolio system that uses the ipad's as a means of getting developmental milestones and making a comprehensive portfolio of your child's time with us at IPS. I have to say I am pretty excited to be learning this system and putting it to its full use and intention soon.

 I have a few requests for some up coming projects I am looking for toilet paper and paper towel cardboard rolls, and I would love to borrow a soccer goal for a week (the portable kind like they use at AYSO if you have one) I am also in need of some more hot wheels or matchbox cars (they seem to be getting taken home or buried deep in the sand) if you have an older child who has moved on from hot wheels ask them if they would be interested in donating them to the preschool I know they will get a lot of use!

 Have a great week everyone and I can't wait to see you at school!

Update

 Hello IPS families! I wanted to give you all little update on what's happening with me and how surgery went. The surgery went well and they actually found less than they had expected! They removed what needed to be removed and thank God it was not cancer! I came home the same day and my recovery has gone faster that we had initially anticipated. I am released to return to work next week. We are working on a plan for me to be re-integrated into the school with all of our kids and families new and old. I am super excited to get back to school and do what I love.

 I want to thank all the families who brought us delicious dinners while I was healing. It was a big help to not have to worry about what was for dinner and who would cook it for 2 weeks! It was a great blessing. That is one great thing about being a part of a co-op not only are we helping each other at school but we help each other in life. It's like being a part of a second family and IPS is my preschool family.

 Also thank you to everyone who said a prayer, sent a Facebook message or post, sent a text or any other support. Its very meaningful to know you thought about me. Also my fellow teachers who all prayed for me before I left and while I was gone, and continued to check on me while I was home.

 I also want to send a big thank you Ms. Tamara who filled in for me. She did an amazing job of setting up outside, making lesson plans, cleaning the yard and integrating the new areas of the playground. I know being outside all day and working in the heat is not easy and the outdoor teacher position is not a traditional classroom setting and she has stepped in and done an amazing job in my absence. I couldn't have asked for a better substitute teacher.

 I will be seeing you all very soon and meeting our new families in person very soon.

Not so good news

  I have some not so good news to report to everyone. While it has been great to see everyone I have to tell you I will not be in school the first 4-8 weeks. During summer vacation after my tonsillectomy I had some pain and went to see the doctor. After an ultrasound and some blood tests they found I have a growth between the size of a lime and a small orange on my ovary. I have to have surgery to remove the ovary, and a possible hysterectomy.

  While I am gone outside will still be open and there will be a short term sub working for me. I have plans to visit as many times as I can while recovering, that way I can meet the new children so that when I come back I am not a total stranger.  I can also see the returning students and families as well. I will also be writing all the lesson plans and helping to set up for the first weeks of school. I will also remain available through email, blogger and Facebook.

  I know that God has a plan for what's going on. I am hoping its a quick and easy process and I'll be back in 4 weeks ready to go and play (which I miss so much) I will miss everyone and I will be thinking about IPS while I am out.