September 2018 News
Welcome to the Carstairs Playschool! We hope you had a wonderful summer!
Themes
Every month the class focuses on several themes. This month the themes will be “All About Me”, “Friendship”, and “Fairy Tales”. We will be reading stories, participating in discussions, making crafts and doing activities that will be based on each individual theme.
Donations
In previous years, the Carstairs Playschool Society has asked for parents to help in prepping our craft activities. Over the years, we have accumulated a stock pile of templates and cutouts. This year the Carstairs Playschool Society is asking for small donations of specific materials, mainly craft supplies, instead. Each month I will be creating a list of craft materials that we may need. This month, I would be grateful for:
- Sequins
- Pony Beads
Parents are not obligated to donate items, however, it is very much appreciated if you can.
Classroom Visits
Parents are more than welcome to volunteer in their child’s class. I do however, request that these visits start after the Thanksgiving holiday. This is to give staff and students time to get familiar with each other and the routine. There will be a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the boot room, starting October 9, 2018, for those of you who would like to volunteer.
Library Cards
Miss Marg, from the Carstairs Public Library, will be coming to the playschool to read to the 4-year-old classes, starting in October. She is very happy to announce that she will be bringing some library books to the playschool each month for the children to sign out and bring home. The necessary forms required will be sent home with your child during the first week of school. These forms will enable your child to have their own library card! If your family already has a library card, please send the form back indicating that this, so Miss Marg is aware of how many books to bring to each visit. The dates of Miss Marg’s visits, and the book exchange dates, will be in each monthly newsletter.
Show and Share
For those families who are new to the playschool, and to refresh those families returning, I wanted to explain a little bit about show and share. Every day, two students from each class will bring something from home that they are willing to show and pass around to each child in the circle. Your child can bring whatever they want for show and share, however we do request that they bring just one item. This is so that each child has a sufficient amount of time to discuss their special object. It is labeled on each monthly calendar when it is your child’s turn to bring show and share. If your child is sick on his/her show and share day, he/she is more than welcome to bring their show and share item the next time they come to playschool. Items for show and share can be brought into the class and placed in the show and share bin on top of the lunch kit cubby.
We also, ask that you please do not send toys with your child unless it is their show and share day, as it tends to disrupt the class.
Please note, Show and Share dates cannot be posted on the website or Facebook page due to Privacy Laws and Regulations.
Welcome CES Staff
I would like to welcome the CES educational assistants to the Carstairs Playschool Society classroom. These ladies will be in our classroom assisting a few children with the daily activities and expectations of the playschool program. Both Lorraine and I are looking forward to working with them again this year.
Dates to Remember
September 11 – Annual General Meeting – in the classroom @ 7pm
October 3 - Monday/Wednesday picture day – details to be sent out shortly
October 4 – Tuesday/Thursday picture day – details to be sent out shortly
Scholastic Orders
There will be many scholastic orders available to you throughout the playschool year, however you are not obligated to buy any books. These orders will always be in your child’s cubby. All orders must be paid by cheque –NO CASH please.
Annual General Meeting
As stated above, this years AGM will be September 11th at 7pm. The Carstairs Playschool Society is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors. They are looking for a few more parents/guardians to sit on the Carstairs Playschool Board. If you are interested in participating in our monthly meeting or would like further information from any of our meeting, please let them know. You can email carstairsplayschool@gmail.com or call 403 999 8275. A complete list of the positions and description of each is available here on the website under the "About Us" tab.
Communication
Parents can expect ongoing communication regarding program activities via newsletters, Facebook page, our website and the bulletin board located in the boot room of the playschool.
The Carstairs Playschool supports and promotes an “open door” communication policy. Parents are encouraged to contact me and arrange a mutually acceptable time to discuss any concerns and/or questions regarding your child in the playschool program. The phone number for the Carstairs Playschool is 403 816 1481.
Should you have any feedback or concerns you would like to take to the Board of Directors, please feel free to complete a comment card. The comment cards will be kept confidential and can be found in the file folder on the wall in the boot room. Alternately, you can contact our Office/Financial Administrator, Gail Schwartz, at 403 999 8275.
On a personal note, I encourage communication of all kinds. Please feel free to call me on my cell at 403 305 6204, or you may contact me by email at carstairsplayschoolteacher@gmail.com
I am looking forward to another successful year!
Danielle
A big shout out to Viterra, for generously donating to the Carstairs Playschool Society!
Welcome Packages have been emailed out! Watch for yours!
Welcome to the Carstairs Playschool!
With playschool starting in a little over a month, the Carstairs Playschool Society would like to provide you with some information and documentation to help facilitate a smooth transition into the playschool. Included in this email are several documents for you to refer to throughout the year. Please click on the links below and read each carefully.
Welcome Letter From The Board Of Directors
The Board strives to keep parents and families informed as to the inner workings of the playschool school.
We ask that each parent read and fully understand the policies within the handbook. Most of your questions can be answered within this document.
Families are eager to know when their child’s first day of school will be.
Classes start September 5th and 6th.
3 year old program
To make the three year old children’s first day a little less overwhelming, it will be a staggered start. The class is divided up into two groups; the first group will attend from 8:45 – 9:45; the second group attending from 10:15 – 11:15. This is to allow the little ones the opportunity to see the space, meet with staff within a smaller group.
All children registered will attend at regular time on September 10th. Please watch for an additional email containing a letter addressed to your child with their specific start time.
4 year old program
All 4 year old children will attend for their registered day and time. Again, please watch for an additional email addressed to your child.
This is the yearly school calendar we will be following. It outlines which days your child will attend, no school days, and special events. This information can also be found on the website. Please note, there could be additional school closures due to weather or unexpected scenarios. Should there be an unexpected school closure, steps will be taken to contact each family as outlined in the handbook. Please watch our Facebook page and website for Inclement Weather updates.
As outlined in the Carstairs Playschool handbook, program fees begin on August 1st, 2018. The playschool provides you with three payment options, as outlined below:
Monthly posted dated cheques - $115 each month starting August 1st, through to May 1st
Semi Yearly - $575 on August 1st and January 1st via postdated cheque or email transfer
Yearly $1150 – cheque or email transfer received on August 1st
Please forward all email transfers to carstairsplayschool@gmail.com. If you choose to pay by post-dated cheque, please contact our Office and Financial Administrator at 403 999 8275 or email to the above address to make cheque drop off arrangements.
Program Outlines
The Board of Directors wanted to provide families with an outline of the days events. Over the years of parental feedback, suggestions from multiple therapist and years of teaching experience, Mrs. Gerle and administration has put together a very success playschool program. This is just an outline and is subject to change through out the year, based on the needs of the class.
3 year old AM
4 year old AM
4 year old PM
Each child is required to have a parent or guardian authorize the Carstairs Playschool staff to take the child off the playschool premises. This would include trips to the park, field trips or walks. Please complete this form and return to the Carstairs Playschool on your child’s first day of school.
Carstairs Playschool Society Annual General meeting will be held on
September 11th, 2018 at 7pm
This is an opportunity for families who want to be actively involved in the inner workings of the playschool to become more familiar with the volunteer Board of Directors positions available. Alternatively, it provides an opportunity to meet the upcoming board of directors for the 2018 2019 school year.
Further details regarding the roles and responsibilities of the board of director’s positions can be found on the website at www.carstairsplayschool.net.
Lastly, please ensure you like and follow the Carstairs Playschool Society Facebook page, as well as, watch for the newsletter that is emailed out monthly. This email will include the themes for the month, activity details, and the Show and Share calendars. Please note, Show and Share calendars will not be posted on the Facebook page or website due to Privacy Laws.
If you have any questions or concerns not addressed in the documentation provided, please feel free to contact the Office and Financial Administrator at 403 999 8275.
We look forward to another successful year!
The Carstairs Playschool
June Newsletter
Wow, it is so hard to believe the year is almost over!! I just wanted to let you know a couple of things before we wrap up.
Themes
We will wrap up the year discussing Father’s Day and Summer. Each day we discuss, make crafts and partake in activities based on the themes.
Dates to Remember
June 11th – Celebrate summer birthdays for the Monday/Wednesday 4-year old class
June 12th – Celebrate summer birthdays for the Tuesday/Thursday 4-year old classes
June 12th – Miss Marg comes to read to the Tuesday morning 4-year old class
June 13th – Miss Marg comes to read to the Monday/Wednesday 4-year old class
June 13th – Trip to the candy store for the Monday/Wednesday classes
June 14th – Miss Marg comes to read to the Tuesday/Thursday afternoon 4-year old class
June 14th – Trip to the candy store for the Tuesday/Thursday classes
June 18th – Graduation Day for the Monday/Wednesday 4-year old class
June 19th – Graduation Day for the Tuesday/Thursday 4-year old classes
June 20th – Year-end parties for the Monday/Wednesday classes
June 21st – Year-end parties for the Monday/Wednesday 4 year old afternoon class and Tuesday/Thursday 4-year old classes
Candy Store Field Trip
The Traditional Sweet Shop has graciously invited the Carstairs Playschool to visit the store on, Monday, June 11th for the Monday/Wednesday classes, and on Tuesday, June 12th for the Tuesday/Thursday classes. We ask that you please send your child with $1 to purchase candy with.
4-Year Old Graduation
The 4-year old students will be having a small graduation ceremony to celebrate them moving on to Kindergarten in the fall. The Monday/Wednesday afternoon class will be graduating on Monday, June 18th and the Tuesday/Thursday classes will be graduating on Tuesday, June 19th. Parents are invited to attend the last hour of the class to view their child’s graduation. Graduations for the Tuesday/Thursday morning class will begin at 10:45am and the afternoon classes will begin at 2:30pm. For those parents who have children to pick up at Carstairs Elementary School, and who are coming to the afternoon graduation, there will be lots of time for you to pick up your other children, as the actual graduation presentation will be finished by 3:00pm.
The children will be singing a couple of songs, then Lorraine and I will be presenting them with a diploma. We know these guys are ready to move on to kindergarten, but it will still be a sad day for us!
Year End Parties
The year-end parties will be held at the Carstairs Gymnastics building. The schedule is as follows:
- Monday/Wednesday 3-year old morning class – Wednesday, June 20th from 9:30am-11:00am (drop off at 9:15am)
- Tuesday/Thursday 4-year old morning class – Thursday, June 21st from 9:30am-11:00am (drop off at 9:15am)
- Monday/Wednesday & Tuesday/Thursday afternoon classes – combined on Thursday June 21st from 1:00pm-2:30pm (drop off at 12:45pm)
- Please note: due to the small sizes of both afternoon classes, we have combine both classes for the year end party. This creates larger group of children to have fun with.
Each family will have to sign a waiver from the Carstairs Gymnastics to participate. Sadly, this will be their last day of school.
Lastly, I would like to shout out a huge “Thank you!”, to the board members, parents, and children of the Carstairs Playschool Society. Thank you for all your help and support throughout the year. For those of you who will be moving on, I wish you and your families all the best, and for those of you who will be returning, I am really looking forward to teaching your children again.
I love working at the Carstairs Playschool! I love the kids, and I love being their teacher. I am excited to come back and do it all again in the fall!
I hope you all have a great summer!
Danielle