The Graduates of 2021

 

Dear Families,

Here is the class of 2021 in the photos.  It is hard to believe that the year has come to an end.  Due to the Covid virus, it was a tough year for all of us.  But since children are very resilient little people, somehow everything worked out despite masks, social distancing, no shared equipment and the like.  A tremendous amount of social, emotional and academic growth took place here.  Friendships were formed, some of which will last a lifetime.

Your support and kind words about our program were so appreciated!  But if the truth be told, for us, teaching preschool is a labor of love.  We have enjoyed sharing with you your most precious possessions, each and every one of them.  They will be in our hearts for years to come.  There is no doubt that the Whole Notes Class will take kindergarten by storm!

Rolene and Jackie

The Ice Cream Social

 

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The blog begins with our ice cream social.  The teachers donated their time, food and supplies for this event.  Our party began with the group doing sand art which involved filling a jar with layers of colored sand.  Next with the use of a pen, wave like designs were made.  The finished product was a beautiful sand creation that can be displayed in a child's room.  Do not worry!  The cover is hot glued on tightly.  Finally the big hit was an ice cream treat served in a waffle bowl (think waffle cone).  The choices were chocolate or vanilla ice cream with options of fudge sauce, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate jimmies and finally a squirt of whipped cream.  You can see the happy faces and smiles shown.  The comments were so positive from everyone!  "This is delicious" or "the best ice cream I ever ate".  What could be bad about ice cream?  Lucas told us it was the best party he had ever been to in all his life.  Truly the activity was a big success.  Ask your preschooler about it.

Also shown on the blog are some fancy girls who are having fun in the dress up area by wearing jewelry with hats and pocketbooks.  Items that can be shared are slowly being added for imaginative play.  Ruby and Lucas are two very good friends who are chatting.  Other photos are of friends doing decoupage to create an owl and a sun.  Still other Whole Notes are making a moon and stars to show a night scene.  These projects are for our graduation surprise.  Finally are views of children who are playing with new play dough, a gift from the teachers.  Usually we have play dough made by the teachers at home.  They loved the difference in the texture of the commercial version.

As you can see, we are having lots of fun right up to the very end of school.  Next week's blog will be the last of the school year.

Rolene and Jackie

Pizza Friday

 This week's blog and pictures are a little bit evasive.  We are busy as you can see.  Friends are holding paint stampers, creating trees, drawing faces, coloring a squirrel and showing a painted hand.  The  most that  we will tell you is that we are working hard to add a special touch to our graduation program.  You will be pleased and surprised when you see what is really happening here.

The one thing we will share with you is about the photos of facial expressions-happy, silly, grumpy and surprised.  Our drawings of faces led to a discussion of various emotions and situations that cause them.  The class could not resist the opportunity to have fun and demonstrate these feelings.

At the blog's end you can join our pizza lunch.  Friday is by far the favorite lunch day of the week.  Not only is the pizza delicious, but it is the only day of the week that everyone stays for lunch.  So much talking, laughing and friendship happens here.  The teachers always watch the two lunch tables and marvel at just how much the Whole Note children really like each other.  They have all become very good friends.  It does not matter which table the youngsters are at or who they are eating with.  The respect for each others comments and opinions is very obvious.  This pleasant comradery does not always take place in classrooms.  But in our room it is recognizable to all who enter, therefore making the teachers very proud.

Enjoy the long weekend.  See you on Tuesday.

Rolene and Jackie  

Smiling Faces

 We began our week by continuing to work on our yearbooks so that they can be delivered to the "Teacher Publishing Company" in order to have pages put in order, corrections made, pictures organized and the like.  Our topic for discussion and illustration was about doing good deeds,  in this case something that could make you a kind friend or helper (preschool level).  We first read the book "Rainbow Fish to the Rescue" in which Rainbow Fish very bravely saves a small striped fish from being eaten by a whale (obviously a good deed).  Your children thought about something they had done to also fulfill this capacity.  Some great answers included helping a Dad to garden, teaching a Mom how to build with legos, reading to a younger sibling, helping a Grandmother to cut watermelon, showing a classmate how to draw and pitching in to clean up after a family party.  The children are shown here working on these pages for their yearbooks.  Two other yearbook projects featured are friends signing their names for an autograph page and one Whole Note member answering questions for his yearbook interview with a teacher.

At our art/writing center two new activities for free choice time were offered this week that you can view.  One was the opportunity to create your own book by drawing and writing in the blank books made and put out by the teachers. The other was the chance to use word cards about spring to either model from or copy printed words.  You will observe new stands to prop up the word cards, making it easier to see as you work.  Both offerings are to encourage beginning literacy.

The other photos are from this week's outdoor time on our playground.  Notice the smiles!  EEC is now allowing the children and teachers to play outside without a mask.  Some youngsters are in the sandbox baking or cooking.  Other friends are climbing the ladder to bravely come down the slide. Still there are a few more enjoying a tea party under the structure.  How much better we could all breathe on that warm day.  It was so great to once again see the beautiful and handsome faces on the children!  As restrictions are lifted, we are sure to have more socialization with other classes and see more excited facial expressions on the group.

Remember that next weekend is a holiday weekend with no school on Monday, the 31st.

Rolene and Jackie  

The Worry Eater

 A friend who works with children lent us her worry eater this week.  That is the adorable "little fellow" you see first on the blog.  Worries are placed in the zipper pocket to be eaten and therefore disappear.  You might wonder why we would borrow the little guy.  Children worry just like adults.  We read the book "Wemberly Worried"  and talked about the kinds of things a pre-kindergartner might have concern about.  We drew pictures about our worries that you will find in the upcoming yearbook publication.  Some of the worries included: falling off a bike when riding without training wheels, having bad dreams, reading scary books, being afraid of thunder and lightening, being without electricity or performing well at gymnastics.  Please know that the teachers reassured all our friends that it is okay to have concerns.  You will see some youngsters on the blog drawing their worries.  Each child placed his/her worry in the pocket of the worry eater.

The hit of the week was the birthday celebration for Lucas.  The class was beyond excited because the whole group is now five years old.  The blog shows the birthday chatting, eating and pure joy happening.  Thanks to Lucas' family for goodies along with healthy food.  All of you have made your child's birthday special.  At the end of the year you will receive the pictures taken when your preschooler turned five.

Other pictures are from our everyday activities.  Friends are connecting chains.  Some do it in patterns of colors, other have no particular order.  All the smaller chains made are connected.  You will see friends measuring and comparing lengths.  For instance, is the chain as long as the row of cubbies?  How many Whole Notes would it take to be the length of the chain?  Many friends plan and cooperate for this beginning math adventure.

Other Whole Note friends are using their fine motor skills to make objects with play dough, while still others are in photos reading books and building.  A group is using imagination at a road and construction table.

You will receive a reminder next week about the time you selected for your conference.  Deb will send you a zoom link.  Conferences are for 20 minutes only.  Please be prompt to keep the day running smoothly.  It is on Thursday, May 20th. We look forward to meeting with you.

Rolene and Jackie