December News

December Newsletter
Note from Danielle Gerle and Michelle Johnson:
 We’re excited to invite you to our Christmas concerts on Wednesday, December 17th in the playschool gym!
 

•Monday/Wednesday classes Dec 17th: 9:00–10:00
Please bring your child to the classroom at 8:45.

•Tuesday/Thursday classes Dec 17th: 10:30–11:30
Please bring your child to the classroom at 10:15.

 If your child attends more than two days a week, please choose one of the concerts to attend and let us know which one works best for your family. The children will be singing a few festive songs—you’re welcome to take videos! After the performance, families can enjoy a treat and a drink together. No need to pack a snack that day. Your child’s Christmas crafts will be displayed and ready to take home, along with a small treat bag. And… we have a special guest this year—Santa!
He’ll visit at 9:30 for the first concert and 11:00 for the second, ready for photos and hangout with us!  We can’t wait to celebrate with you! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Sponsor Spotlight! We are thrilled to recognize Hi 5 Auto as a Gold Sponsor of the Carstairs Playschool! Their generous support helps our program continue to grow, create enriching learning opportunities, and provide memorable experiences for our little learners. Located right here in our community, Hi 5 Auto is known for exceptional automotive services, including diesel performance, tires, alignments, and general automotive care. Their commitment to quality and community shines through in everything they do. 
A huge thank you to Hi 5 Auto for investing in our playschool and supporting the families of Carstairs. Your contribution makes a meaningful difference! Please join us in showing appreciation by supporting the businesses that support our kids. 

 Fundraisers:

•Mabel's Labels ongoing throughout the year.

•The Spice Age: Due December 8th- Expected shipment date Dec 15-18. Please use the links below to order!

Direct Shipping

Local Pick up option

 Needing some gifts please visit the Scholastic link:
  Class Code: RC183593
 

4 year old Table time:  Working on letters I and U, and will also be practicing writing their names. These activities will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters. 3 Year old Table Time: Working on rectangle, circle, and triangle shapes. When drawing shapes, the children will be recognizing familiar two-dimensional shapes, as well as using correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for symbols.

Mon/Wed AM Show and Share
 Mon/ Wed PM Show and Share
 

 Tues/ Thur AM Show and Share
 Tues/ Thurs PM Show and Share 

April News

Themes

- Weather

- Gardening

- Easter

- Earth Day

- Environment

Playschool Fees were due December 1 and March 1. Reminders have been sent out. Please contact the office if you are unsure of outstanding fees or if you have any questions. Unpaid fees will mean your child will not be able to participate in class for the remainder of the year and/or graduation.

March 29 - Spring Market Fundraiser - details below

April 2 – Wear purple day for the Monday/Wednesday classes to honor Autism Day

April 3 – Wear purple day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes to honor Autism Day

April 15 – Miss Marg comes to read to the Tuesday/Thursday classes

April 15 - Board Meeting 7pm, everyone is welcome

April 15 - Deadline for Growing Smiles orders - details below

April 16 – Easter parties for the Monday/Wednesday classes

April 17 – Easter parties for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

****April 21 – April 25 – Spring Break****

April 28 - Monday/Wednesday classes resume

April 29 - Tuesday/Thursday classes resume

May 8 - Open House 4:30pm-6:30pm

May 30 - Ladies Night Gala and Fundraiser - details below

DONATIONS

Thank you to those families who have donated.

We are in need of small paper bowls.

Easter Parties

The Easter parties for each class will be held on Wednesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 17.

Please bring 2 hard-boiled eggs to the Easter party so that your child can decorate their eggs at the party!

Also bring a regular snack to the party as we will be following our day as close to the usual routine as possible.

Overdue Library Books

There are several books that have not been returned.

Mrs. Gerle has sent emails to those with outstanding books.  They can be returned to the Playschool or at the Carstairs Public Library as soon as possible.

Please ensure all books are returned promptly so Carstairs Playschool can continue to take advantage of this incredible program put on by the Library.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Table Work

This month the three year olds will be working on vertical and horizontal lines, diagonal lines (left and right), wavy lines, and zigzag lines. These are all important skills to learn before the children start the Handwriting Without Tears program.

The four year olds will be working on letters B, R, K, and A. Practicing these letters will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters, while holding a crayon with proper pencil grip and using their helper hand to help stabilize objects and paper. Mrs. Gerle works closely with the children at this center to help them with their pencil grip as well as help with the letters in their name. They have come so far with their name writing and their understanding of the lingo used in the Handwriting Without Tears Program.

Ms. Johnson’s center almost always involves some king of scissor practice which may have to do with the theme or the letter that we are working on. The children love this center and all of them have improved significantly with their scissor skills. We are both so proud of all the kids, and how well they are doing this year!

Registration for the 2025-2026 year is now open. For those parents with a child currently enrolled at Carstairs Playschool, we strongly recommend registering as soon as possible as spots are filling up quickly.  Please help spread the word to other families if they have shared interest in the program.

You can find the registration form on our website.

The Growing Smiles Fundraiser is on until April 15. Please click here to order online. We have several posts on our facebook page if you want to share the information with others.

On March 29, Carstairs Playschool will be attending the Spring Market at the Carstairs Community Hall from 10am-3pm with our first ever toonie drive! The theme is “How Many Toonies Long Is A Blue Whale?”

We will be there with a table, handing out blue whale candies to anyone that donates and keeping track on our very own blue whale how many toonies it takes to fill the blue whale! We would love your support in stopping by our table or spreading the word to being your toonies.

Check out the Facebook Event

The preschoolers were sent home with tickets to our big event fundraiser of the year. We would love your support in selling the tickets if you know of any women that would love to attend our Ladies Night Gala and Market Fundraiser on May 30. We will have a vendor market, an art show to showcase the preschoolers work, food and cocktails, dancing and so much more!

Tickets are $15 each, payment can be e-transfered to carstairsplayschool@gmail.com or cash can be brought when you return the small portion of the ticket to the school. Please write the name of the person who purchased the ticket on the back of the small side. If you have any questions or need additional tickets please reach out to Veronica at 780-721-0423 or Carstairs.playschool.fundraising@gmail.com

Check out the Facebook Event.

Supporting a Preschooler Experiencing Anxiety – Some Tips For Parents

1. Create a safe and supportive environment

a) Establish routines

 Predictable routines can help reduce anxiety, so stick to regular schedules for meals, bedtime, and activities

b) Provide reassurance

 Let your child know that it’s okay to feel anxious and that you are there to help them cope

c) Model calm behavior

 Children often mirror their parents’ emotions, so try to remain calm and composed, even when facing stressful situations

d) Limit exposure to scary content

 Monitor the news, TV shows, and online content your child is exposed to, and limit exposure to potentially upsetting material

2. Encourage open communication

a) Listen actively

 Pay attention to your child’s verbal and nonverbal cues, and allow them to express their feelings without judgement

b) Validate their feelings

 Acknowledge their anxieties and fears, even if they seem irrational to you

c) Use open-ended questions

 Instead of asking “Are your anxious?”, try “How are you feeling about going to school today?”

d) Share your experiences

 If appropriate, share your own experiences with anxiety and how you cope with it

3. Teach coping skills

a) Deep breathing

 Teach your child to take slow, deep breaths when they feel anxious

b) Relaxation techniques

 Practice simple relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery

c) Positive self-talk

 Encourage your child to use positive affirmations and to focus on their strengths

d) Role playing

 Practice scenarios that might trigger anxiety, such as going to the doctor or attending a party

e) Distraction

 Engage your child in fun activities or games to take their minds off their worries

f) Grounding techniques

 Help them focus on their senses by identifying 5 things they can see, 4 things they can touch, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste. This will help your child focus on the task at hand rather than on what is causing them to feel anxious

March News

Themes

-Dr Seuss

-Pirates

-Transportation

-Bed Time

March 5 – Twin day for the Monday/Wednesday classes – dress like a family member or classmate

March 6 - Twin day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes – dress like a family member or classmate

March 11 - Board Meeting 7pm - everyone is welcome

March 12 – Dress like a pirate for the Monday/Wednesday classes

March 13 – Dress like a pirate for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

March 18 – Miss Marg comes to read to the Tuesday/Thursday classes

March 19 – Wear mismatched socks for the Monday/Wednesday classes – Down Syndrome Awareness Day

March 20 – Wear mismatched socks for the Tuesday/Thursday classes – Down Syndrome Awareness Day

March 26 – Pajama Day for the Monday/Wednesday classes - details below

March 27 – Pajama Day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes - details below

May 8 - Open House drop in 4:30-6:30pm

***We are still accepting applications for substitute teacher’s assistants. If you, or someone you know, has early childhood education experience and is at least 18 years of age, please forward a resume to carstairsplayschool@gmail.com

Registration

Registration is now open for the 2025 – 2026 Playschool Year!

For those parents with a child currently enrolled in the Carstairs Playschool, we recommend registering for the upcoming school year as soon as possible as spots are filling up quickly. If you are aware of other Carstairs families interested in having their child join Playschool, please let them know they can find the registration forms on our website.

4 Year Old Parents

Kindergarten is coming soon and we want your children to be as confident as possible to start their first year of school.

There are four skills that your children should be doing consistently upon entering kindergarten:

1. Your child must be able to hold a pencil correctly (proper pencil grip – tripod grasp)

2. Your child must be able to hold scissors correctly (thumb’s up)

3. Your child must be able to recognize his/her name

4. Your child must be able to put on his/her own shoes, and zip up his/her own coat

We have been working on these skills with the children since the beginning of the school year and they all have been doing very well. Any extra work at home with these tasks would be beneficial to the transition from playschool to kindergarten.

Pajama Days:

The children can come to playschool in their pajamas and they can also bring a pillow and a stuffie. Regular classroom routines will be followed, however we will be including a few different games and activities. Each class will be watching a movie and will have popcorn as a treat, please send your child with a regular snack as the movie won’t be played until the end of class.

Donations

Some donations we would really appreciate this month are:

Large white paper plates

Table Time

This month, the three year olds will be working on diamonds, and then doing a review of the shapes they have learned. We will then move on to working on vertical lines, and we will be starting to learn the vocabulary for the Handwriting Without Tears program. These activities will aid the children in recognizing familiar two-dimensional shapes, and will allow them to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for symbols. At this time, they will be practicing holding a crayon and using their helper hand to stabilize their papers. At craft time, staff works one on one with the children and we are able to help them with proper pencil grasp, holding scissors correctly, and following one or two step directions.

At the beginning of the year, playtime for three year olds usually involves parallel play, where the children play beside each other but not with each other. As the year goes on, this slowly transitions into imaginative play where the children will start creating games that involve more than just themselves. This is where we are at now in the three year old class and there are some really close friendships emerging! During this kind of play, the children are learning problem solving skills, sharing, taking turns, as well as new ideas they may have not thought of themselves. All the skills are extremely beneficial for the children and are preparing them for the more structured four year old program.

This month the four year olds will be working on letters G, S, J, and D. Practicing these letters will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters, while holding a crayon with proper pencil grip and using their helper hand to help stabilize objects and paper. Mrs. Gerle works closely with the children to help them with their pencil grip as well as help them with the letters in their name. They have come so far with their name writing and their understanding of the lingo used in the Handwriting Without Tears Program.

Ms. Johnson focuses on some kind of scissor practice which may have to do with the theme or the letter being worked on. The children love this center and all of them have improved significantly with their scissor skills.

Tips for Supporting Learning at Home – How to Build Independence in Preschoolers
During the preschool years, children begin to truly develop their sense of independence. This is immensely important for building confidence and a sense of self.

> To nurture independence, structure the day. When children can anticipate their day, they are better equipped to take on responsibilities.

> Start small. Before going outside, for example, your child may put on their own hat and get their shoes from the closet.

> Let your child choose. Involve them in choices, like what to wear. Provide 2-3 options, and then praise their ability to make a choice.

> Let your child help. Children love to help! When you allow your child to help, even if it takes you longer to get things done, you foster their confidence and give them an opportunity to learn something new.

> Let your child solve problems. Allow your child to try things that are hard and to solve small problems on their own. Wait until they ask for help or assist only in getting them to the next step in a task. You can acknowledge that something is hard and let them know that you are proud by offering praise for trying something on their own, or for the first time.

> Give your child chores. Simple tasks like picking up toys or putting laundry in the basket allow your child to have reasonable responsibility, and those tasks also help with maintaining routine and structure throughout the day.

February News

THEMES

Health & Nutrition                                                Valentine’s Day

Family                Anti-Bullying Day

February 3-6 - Handing out Valentine’s cards

February 10 – Wear red for the Monday/Wednesday classes

February 11 – Wear red for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

February 11 - Board Meeting 7pm all are welcome

February 12 – Valentine’s Party for the Monday/Wednesday classes

February 13 – Valentine’s Party for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

February 17 – No school -Family Day holiday

February 18 - No school -Family Day holiday

February 19 - No school -Winter Break

February 20 – No school -Winter Break

February 25 – Miss Marg reads to the Tuesday/Thursday classes

February 26 – Pink shirt day for the Monday/Wednesday classes

February 27 – Pink shirt day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

May 8 - Open House 4:30-6:30pm

 Valentine Cards  

The children will be handing out their Valentine cards to each of their friends.

Please DO NOT write each child’s name on each Valentine card as, we have found in the past years, that it takes a very long time to hand out the cards and the children get very restless waiting for their turn. Only write who the card is from.

If you do choose to give out Valentine cards, please give one to each child in the class so as to avoid hurt feelings.

Please bring your child’s Valentine cards to the playschool the week of February 3 - 6.

 Valentine’s Party  

Each playschool class will be having their own Valentine’s party. Each class will be following the regular classroom routine, however a few different games and activities will be included which will be related to the Valentine’s Day theme.

A small treat for the children will be provided but please still have the children to bring their regular snacks on the day of the party.

 Anti-Bullying Day  

The annual Pink Shirt Anti-Bullying Day is on Wednesday, February 26. Carstairs Playschool feels it is important to join the nation in teaching the children how not to be a bully. We will be observing Anti-Bullying Day on Wednesday, February 26 and Thursday, February 27.

If you are able, please join us by sending your child in pink on those days to support this great message.

Donations

This month we would really appreciate:

Sticker gems

White poster paper

Wagon wheel pasta

Large file folders

 Teacher/Parent Conferences  

Mrs. Gerle has created kindergarten check list for those parents who have children attending kindergarten in September 2025. Each child will be observed for their social and emotional skills, independent skills, language and communication, gross motor skills and wellness, fine motor skills, cognitive skills, numeracy, and creative expression. This check list is intended to demonstrate where your child is at in regards to readiness for kindergarten. It is important to note that playschool does not have a set curriculum.

Parent teacher conferences will be conducted during the first two weeks of February to discuss the check lists. These meetings will be during classroom hours and the Board will be emailing parents to sign up during a specific time in the day. If you are unable to attend during classroom hours, there will be a limited number of evening slots open to accommodate. During these meetings, parents will be shown examples of your child’s skills, and Mrs. Gerle will relay to each parent how your child is doing in the classroom, as well as their strengths and weaknesses within the playschool environment.

If the results of the evaluations demonstrate some severe delays in skills, it may be suggested your child attend another year of playschool. This would not be a detriment to your child. An extra year of playschool is very beneficial to those children who have late birthdays or who may not be quite ready to attend full days of kindergarten. Studies have shown that those children who waited an extra year to attend public school are much more confident, can adjust to long days much more easily, and are able to navigate their new environment without a large amount of stress and anxiety.

CES Communication Permission

If your 4 year old is to move onto kindergarten next year, please fill out the form below.  Mrs. Gerle will be meeting with the Principal of Carstairs Elementary School, Ms. Upshaw, to discuss information such as personality (shy, outgoing, social, anxious, etc.) peer relationships, supports needed, etc. This information is used to help place students in the best classes so they will thrive in kindergarten next year.

These conversations can only take place if parents sign off on the permission form.  Please complete as soon as possible.

CES Communication Permission Form

 Table Time  

Three year olds will be working on the circle, diamond, and triangle shapes.

Four year olds will be working on letters Q, G, and S. Practicing these letters will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters, while holding a crayon with proper pencil grip and using their helper hand to help stabilize objects and paper.

Cold Weather Clothing Tips

The teachers help the children get dressed to leave for the day, and they are having difficulties with some children struggling to put on their gloves. If possible, it is highly recommend the children wear mittens, not finger gloves, as many children who bring finger gloves to school have difficulty with putting their fingers where they need to go, which takes the teachers a longer time to get the children ready.

We have also noticed some of the children’s shoes are getting a little snug. We will be letting the families know if your child is growing out of their indoor shoes. It is appreciated if you could replace your child’s shoes with either Velcro or slip ons. This will help your child become more independent in putting their own shoes on, which in turn helps them with kindergarten readiness.

Carstairs Playschool Society is looking for substitutes! Spread the word!

If you have experience with early childhood education and are at least 18 years of age, please forward your cover letter and resume to carstairsplayschool@gmail.com

Playschool Fee Accounts

Please ensure your fees are up to date and you are not behind on payments. The third payment instalment is due March 1st and there are many families who still have outstanding balances. If payments are not made, the Board will move to next steps in restricting hours students will be allowed to attend.

Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated.

January News

Themes

Winter

Rainbows

Ocean

January 6 – First day back to school for the Monday/Wednesday classes

January 7 – First day back to school for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

January 8 - Registration for 2025-2026 year opens

January 8 – Fire drill for the Monday/Wednesday classes (weather permitting)

January 9 – Fire drill for the Tuesday/Thursday classes (weather permitting)

January 14 - Board Meeting 7pm - all are welcome

January 21 – Miss Marg comes to read to the Tuesday/Thursday classes

January 22 – Wear a Jersey Day for the Monday/Wednesday classes

January 23 – Wear a Jersey Day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

January 27 – Beach Day for the Monday/Wednesday classes

January 28 – Beach Day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes

January 29 – No School

January 30 – No school

 Beach Day

What fun would it be to have a beach day in January (at least we can pretend it’s warm for one day!). Each playschool class will be having their own beach day. The children can dress in shorts, sun dresses, tank tops, capris, flip flops, etc but

NO SWIMSUITS PLEASE!

Please send a towel with your child so we can have a picnic on the “beach.” Children are to bring their regular snacks, and a small treat will be provided afterwards. For each Beach Day, the regular classroom routine will be followed, however a few different games and activities will be included which will be related to the beach theme.

We are in need of small paper plates.

Table Work

The three year olds will be working on the square, rectangle, and circle this month. These activities help the children work on their pencil grasp, start to practice vertical lines, and listen to oral directions to attend to a simple task. When drawing the shapes, the children will be recognizing familiar two- dimensional shapes, as well as using correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for symbols.

The four year olds will be working on the letters U, C, and O this month. These activities will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters. They are also great for proper crayon grip to write and to practice using the helping hand to stabilize objects and paper. We will also be working on the sight words in, at, and on.