Happy November! October was an exciting time in preschool, and we look forward to many new experiences this month.
Fall has offered so many opportunities to explore our surroundings. We will continue to watch the changes happening outdoors. We will also be discovering what types of things can be harvested this time of year. Food, family traditions, friends, leaves and pumpkins will be some of the themes for November. We anticipate plenty of fun projects and activities this month.
Thanksgiving provides a chance to talk about our families and traditions. We will discover different foods that people share at this time of year. If your family has any traditions that you would like to share with the class, please let us know! The children will be gathering with their friends for our Thanksgiving lunch at school. This fun event takes place the week of Thanksgiving.
We will be holding parent-teacher conferences on November 6. Conferences can be in person or via zoom. I will be emailing a sign up shortly. Preschool will be in session that day. I am looking forward to a chance to speak with all of you about your amazing children.
November 11 – First Steps is closed in observance of Veteranâs Day
November 28 and 29 – First Steps is closed for Thanksgiving Break
*Please note preschool is open on Wednesday, November 27 although the UPK
classes are closed that day.
As the weather gets colder, please make sure your child has appropriate clothing to stay warm outside. Labeling clothing is very helpful.
Thank you for your continued support!
Heather, Ashley and Alex
In early October, I began my new position as a UPK teacher for First Steps. It has been a pleasure getting to know both you and your child. I have truly enjoyed getting to know your childâs interest and favorite things they like to do at school. I am looking forward to working with you, the family, and your child as we learn and grow together throughout the school year.
The children have been introduced to the âHandwriting Without Tearsâ program and working on pre-writing skills. This month, we will be focusing on a âletter of the weekâ. Each week, we will be learning about the letter through song, building the letter with various materials, and tracing/writing the letter.
November brings a theme of gratitude. We will talk about friends, family, and things we are thankful for. We are looking forward to another great month of getting to know each other, engaging in a time filled with fun and learning.
Thank you,
Sheri
Happy November! We have enjoyed celebrating fall and watching the changes around us. We have taken time to notice the changes in the mountains and trees over the last several weeks.
Our classroom library is a great resource for children to explore our monthly themes and topics as well as develop emergent reading skills such as turning pages, holding books correctly, and making up stories based on pictures in the book. We share in a read aloud each day as we continue to build these skills. We especially love listening to audio of books read by the author or another reader. This is a great time for the children to relax on the rug, listen to a story and either look at the pictures of the book or make up their own pictures in their head.
We will spend the month learning about Thanksgiving, what it means to be thankful, family, and continuing to decorate our classroom with the beautiful artwork of the students. These projects not only help us to learn about our monthly themes in a meaningful way but also promote readiness skills such as gluing, cutting, and motor planning.
This month, we will be bringing in some flavors of fall and Thanksgiving into our classroom as we try some recipes! This is a wonderful way to practice skills such as measuring and pouring as well as trying new flavors and textures. We will also get to share some of these recipes when we have our âFriendsgivingâ lunch at school before Thanksgiving break.
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday, November 6th. This is a great opportunity to discuss your childâs progress and address any concerns or questions that you may have. Both in person and virtual conferences are available. Please sign up for a conference on the sheet posted to the bulletin board near our classroom entrance door. Please note that our classroom is not in session on this day.
We hope that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for the time spent with your child each day.
All our best,
Michelle, Brandi & Helen
Hello Families,
It has been such a great start to the school year! I have enjoyed getting to know the children as well as all of their families.
Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12. On October 7th at 9am, the Fire Department will be visiting our school to teach us all about fire safety. The children will get to see the truck, speak to firefighters, and do fun activities.
We will also be having our Halloween Walk around the neighborhood on October 31st. The children can bring their costumes to change into in the afternoon. We will start our walk at 2:15. We would love to have our Parent Partners and families who would like to volunteer hand out little treats along the walk. Please contact me if this is something you are interested in volunteering for.
We are still looking for Parent Board Representatives to sit on our Board. It would require one week night a month (usually the second Thursday from 5-7pm) for the school year. Please speak to myself, Pastor Ralph, or your child’s Lead Teacher if you are interested. People who have expressed interest in Parent Partners will receive an email this week welcoming you to the group and setting up next steps. If you do not receive this email by Monday 10/7 and would like to be part of this group, please email [email protected] and let us know.
Best,
Alexis
Hello families!
Happy Fall! October is here and we are looking forward to all the changes that take place around us this month. We continue to spend time outdoors embracing the fall weather. We plan to enjoy many fall activities as the season unfolds.
We spent our first month together learning about each other, our school community and apples. October is fire prevention month! We will be learning about firemen and the important job they do. Fire drills are a monthly occurrence at First Steps and are a great way to learn what to do in case of an emergency. The Woodstock Fire Department will stop by for a visit with fire trucks and an ambulance. Stay tuned for more details!
Pumpkins and leaves are always exciting topics! Noticing the fall colors, collecting and sorting leaves and using leaves for art projects allow us to bring nature inside. We like to extend our classroom outside and explore as much as possible as well.
Investigating pumpkins; whatâs inside, how they grow and what can be made from pumpkins offer many opportunities for learning.
Of course October brings Halloween! We have so many awesome Halloween activities planned for our classroom. We will have a Halloween parade at First Steps! This is such a fun event! Your child can bring a costume to school and families are welcome to join us as we walk around our neighborhood collecting treats. More details to come as we get closer!
Our classroom community grows stronger each day. We have loved spending time with your children and watching them take in each new experience. We canât wait for the adventures that October will bring!
Happy Autumn!
Heather, Ashley and Alex
Dear UPK families,
Fall is here! We have been enjoying the outdoors and the beautiful weather. We will be taking walks around our neighborhood and learning about the changing seasons.
Next week, we will be getting a visit from the Fire Department. They will be bringing the fire truck and discussing fire safety and what a firefighterâs job is. We will be doing in class readings and activities as well to help teach the importance of firefighters in our community.
Throughout October, we will continue with our Handwriting Without Tears program by exploring letters with various materials and activities. We will also be continuing activities tracing and recognizing numbers and our names. For science, we will be exploring leaves and talking about what we observe through sight, touch, smell, and sound. We are also learning the life cycle of a pumpkin and what a pumpkin is composed of.
It has been such a pleasure getting to know the children and their parents over the last month. We are looking forward to a great month filled with more fun and learning!
Best,
Miss Rose
Happy October! Itâs hard to believe that fall is here and the leaves are starting to change. Weâve taken advantage of the beautiful fall weather by taking walks around the school and using our senses to talk about things we see, hear, feel, smell, and touch. We look forward to extending our classroom outdoors as much as possible and as long as the weather cooperates! Fall and everything it has to offer will be a big part of our focus as we head into October. We look forward to enjoying this time with your child and are excited for our upcoming fall projects and learning activities.
October is Fire Prevention Month and we will be learning about fire safety through reading, activities, and a special fire truck visit right to our school! This is always a very thrilling activity and your child will surely have a lot of exciting things to share with you. We will also learn about firefighters. We will learn about their job, why it is important to have firefighters in our community, and what they need to do their job safely.
This month, we will have the opportunity for several fall related science experiments including pumpkin decomposition! In October, we will begin the âLetter of the Weekâ in our classroom. Each week, we will focus on a different letter of the alphabet. Following the Handwriting Without Tears program, we will begin with letters L, F, E, and H for this month. Each child will have the opportunity to explore the letter, build the letter with other materials (such as play-doh, popsicle sticks, etc), learn songs about the letters, and write the letter.
It has truly been a pleasure getting to know both you and your child over these last few weeks. We are excited to begin a new month filled with more learning and fun as we welcome in October!
All our best,
Miss Michelle, Miss Brandi & Miss Helen
“Parent Representatives to the First Steps Board are needed”
The Board wants to hear your ideas and concerns. Each class room needs a parent rep to the First Steps Board – to attend the monthly evening Board meeting. Bring parent concerns to the Board and learn from the Board plans and concerns for the program of First Steps. Each Room Parent Rep serves for one school year. Parents who are interested please inform your child’s Lead Teacher, Director Alexis Bell, or (Pastor) Ralph Merante – member of the Board, for more information.
“Parent Partners” group forming!
We are excited with the start of the new school year. Several parents have already expressed interest in a “PTA” like group here at First Steps. All parents or child guardians who wish to join together to support your child’s early education are welcome. First Steps “Parent Partners,” is an action group, to plan fun events, class-room help, work parties, fundraisers, parenting workshops, networking opportunities for First Steps families. Please let your child’s Lead Teacher, our Director Alexis Bell, or (Pastor) Ralph Merante (Board Member) know you want to be part of “Parent Partners.”
“BROOKS Chicken BBQ” Tuesday, October 1st Beginning at 3:00 PM $18.00 for Chicken Dinner: half chicken, Baked Potato, Home Made Coleslaw (Ms.Michelle’s secret recipe!), roll, and homemade dessert. Proceeds help provide maintenance and improvements at Overlook for First steps and all our community partners. Dinners are boxed ready for Take Out. You may also choose to enjoy a picnic with your family on the West Lawn by the Garden. Reserve dinners by calling 845-679-6800, or see Ralph Merante.
Thank you!
Ralph, First Steps Board Member.
Happy September! A new school year is always exciting! We are delighted to welcome you into the First Steps community!
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Our first month will be spent getting to know each other and our routines. We will discuss what it means to be a friend and how we can help each other. We will begin exploring apples this month as well. We have cooking projects and creative activities lined up!
A few reminders to help your child have a great day!
We are off to a great start and look forward to an amazing school year!
Thank you for your support!
Heather, Alex and Ashley
Dear Families,
Welcome to our UPK class! We are so excited to start this school year with your little ones. September will be a special month as we begin our journey of learning and exploration together. This month, we will focus on four engaging themes: Apples, Family and Friends, Home, and Transportation.
Along with our themes we will focus on making our classroom a warm and welcoming environment where each child feels safe, valued, and excited to learn!Â
Weâll start the month by getting to know one another through fun activities and routines that help everyone feel comfortable and included. Every child will have the opportunity to build friendships and become familiar with their new learning environment!
Apples: We will explore everything related to apples, from tasting different varieties to understanding how they grow. Our activities will include apple-themed art projects, counting exercises, and even making apple prints!
Family and Friends: We will talk about the importance of family and friends in our lives. The children will have the opportunity to share stories about their families, create our classroom family tree, and learn about cooperation and kindness.
Home: Weâll discuss what makes a house a home and the different types of homes people live in. Weâll explore stories about homes around the world, and the children will create their own model homes using various materials.
Transportation: We will look at different modes of transportation, such as cars, buses, trains, and airplanes. The children will engage in transportation-themed play, art, and stories, and learn about how people and goods move from place to place.
If possible, please send a family photo with your child by September 13th so that we can start creating our classroom family tree!Â
Make sure your child wears comfortable shoes, and brings a reusable water bottle daily!Â
We look forward to starting this exciting journey together!Â
If you have any questions or concerns, please donât hesitate to reach out.
Warm regards, Â
Mrs. Williamson & Miss RoseÂ