LETTER “R”

WEEK OF MARCH 16TH   

MONDAY

 YAY J RUB-A-DUB-DUB….HOW MANY MEN IN A TUB???!!  . LET’S GET ON THE SMART BOARD AND DO SOME  FUN “R” GAMES.  WHO KNOWS WHAT THE LETTER R SOUNDS LIKE!!  MRS. SHELLER AND  MRS. FERGUOSN WILL BE OUR LUNCH PARENTS  TODAY WE HAVE ART THIS AFTERNOON

 TUESDAY

HAPPY ST.  PATRICKS DAY!!  WE ARE GOING TO BE ENJOYING SOME DELICIOUS SHAMROCK SHAKES YUM!!  DRESS DOWN IN GREEN/ORANGE AND OR YELLOW TO CELEBRATE THE IRISH!!  WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO WATCH OUR RILEY THISAFTERNOON DOING IRISH DANCING!!!!  WHO CAN MAKE A RECTANGLE IN THEIR MATH JOURNALS??  WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH SHAPES TODAY.    LET’S PUT THE CORRECT RAINDROP RHYMS IN THE CORRECT ROW DURING PHONICS! WOW WE ARE BUSY J  MRS. VANDERGRIFT AND MRS. MALDOU WILL BE OUR LUNCH PARENTS  TODAY…  IRISH DANCING THIS AFTERNOON!

WEDNESDAY

HOWDY PARTNERS!! IT IS RODEO TIME!!  MAKE SURE YOU DRESS UP IN YOUR BEST RODEO OUTFITS.  GIRLS DRESS UP IN COWGIRL OUTFITS AND BOYS AS COWBOYS!!  YYYYEEEEEE-HHHHAAAA!!! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HORSE RACE ON MRS. HICKEY’S!   LET’S DO SOME WRITING WITH PENCILS TODAY….RULER, ROCK, RAKE.   I WONDER HOW TO MAKE THE LETTER R IN SIGN LANGUAGE????  WE WILL SEE!!   MRS. LYNCH AND MRS.  WILL BE OUR LUNCH PARENTS…THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!  WE HAVE STREAM, SPANISH AND LIBRARY TODAY FOR SPECIALS!

  THURSDAY

TODAY IS R.O.Y.G.B.I.V. WE WILL BE DRESSING DOWN IN THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW TODAY.   HAVE YOUR CHILD DRESS IN ALL DIFFERENT COLORS TO REPRESENT THE RAINBOW!!!!   THANK YOU!!   .  TODAY IN RELIGION WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT REACHING OUT TO OTHERS AND HOW TO SHOW THEM LOVE!    WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING IN PHONICS AND WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE OUR VERY OWN R BOOKLET! WE HAVE GYM  THIS MORNING. MR. COMMALE AND MRS. ZIZZA  ARE OUR LUNCH PARENTS TODAY!! 😊

  FRIDAY

WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR LETTER R TODAY AND WORK ON SOME MATH TOO!!  MRS. STAGG AND MRS. PEIRANGELI  WILL BE OUR LUNCH PARENTS TODAY.  WE HAVE MUSIC THIS AFTERNOON!!    12 FILLED EGGS ARE DUE TODAY….EASTER EGG HUNT WILL BE WENDESDAY, MARCH 25TH

SOME DATE REMINDERS:

MARCH 20TH—12 FILLED EGGS ARE DUE.  PLEASE PUT YOUR CHILD’S NAME ON THE BAG

MARCH 25TH  ---EGG HUNT—STUDENTS WILL NEED A BAG OR BASKET

MARCH 27TH – DOWN SYNDROME DRESS DOWN DAY $1.OO

MARCH 31ST H – GRANDPARENTS DAY  11:15 DISMISSAL.  STUDENTS MAY LEAVE WITH GRANDPARENTS

APRIL 1ST – APRIL 7TH EASTER BREAK NO SCHOOL CLASSES RESUME APRIL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8TH

HERE’S WHAT’S  HAPPENING  IN OUR  CLASSROOM

LETTER S

WEEK OF MARCH 23rd    

WE WILL BE DOING A LOT OF EASTER ACTIVITIES TOO!!

MONDAY

IF YOU HAVEN’T SENT IN YOUR EGGS ON FRIDAY, PLEASE DO SO TODAY!!  12 FILLED EGGS LETS SEE WHAT THE LETTER S LOOKS LIKE!!  WE ARE GOING TO PLAY ON THE SMARTBOARD AND DANCE TO THE “S” SOUND!!  WE LOVE THE SMARTBOARD!!  IN RELIGION WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT NOAH’S ARK AND THE LETTER”S” ANIMALS THAT WILL BE BOARDING ON THE ARK!!!!  ART THIS AFTERNOON WITH MS. MATYOK. WE LOVE ART!!  MRS. PIERANGELI AND MRS. SHELLER ARE OUR LUNCH PARENTS!!

TUESDAY  

SUPER HERO DRESS DOWN DAY!!!  WHO CAN COUNT TO 6, 16, AND 26???  WRITE THE NUMBER TOO!!!!???  WE WILL FIND OUT WHEN WE WORK IN  MATH !!  WHAT DOES A SQUARE LOOK LIKE??   WE ARE GOING TO START SINGING THE 50 STATE SONG.  BY THE END OF THE YEAR, MY PRESCHOOLERS WILL KNOW ALL 50 STATES!!!!!  MRS. ZIZZA AND MRS. PETRUCCI WILL BE OUR LUNCH PARENTS!!    

WEDNESDAY

SILLY DRESS DOWN DAY FOR PREK!!  WE ARE HAVING OUR EGG HUNT TODAY!! PLEASE SEND IN A BAG OR BASKET WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME ON IT.  SO MUCH FUN 😊 IN SCIENCE CLASS WE WILL BE TOUCHING, TASTING, SMELLING, SEEING AND HEARING TODAY.  PLEASE SEND IN SOMETHING THAT IS SALTY,  SWEET, SOUR OR BITTER.  PLEASE LABEL THE BAG ACCORDING TO THE CATEGORY.  SENSATIONAL!  WHAT ARE THE 5 SENSES?????  WE HAVE STREAM, SPANISH AND LIBRARY SPECIALS TODAY!!MRS. GANNON AND MR. GANNON  WILL BE OUR LUNCH PARENTS!!

THURSDAY

LET’S GET OUT MATH PAPERS AND START WORKING ON OUR NUMBER 7  WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON LEARNING THE SOLAR SYSTEM TODAY!!! WE HAVE GYM CLASS WITH MRS. CRISPIN TODY!!   MRS. WALMESLY AND MRS. SHELLER WILL BE OUR LUNCH MOMS!!

FRIDAY

DRESS DOWN TODAY  $1.00… DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS….WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH LEARNING THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND WE HAVE AN AWESOME SONG FOR THIS TOO!!  WE WILL KNOW ALL THE PLANETS!!!MRS. GANNON AND MRS. WALMSLEY  WILL BE OUR LUNCH PARENTS TODAY!

BOOK FAIR INFORMATION…

 PARENTS,  BOOK FAIR IS OPEN ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY 7:50-8:30  PREK ONLY

THE TEACHERS DO NOT TAKE PRESCHOOL TO BOOK FAIR.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO PURCHASE A BOOK OR TWO, YOU MAY TAKE THEM ON THESE DAYS AT THIS TIME.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. 

 BACK TO SCHOOL

Welcome!  My name is Mrs. Carol Hickey.  I will be the Preschool teacher for the four year old's for the upcoming school year. I am confident that this will be an exciting and successful year.  The following information will be most useful to you throughout the months to come:

 SUPPLIES NEEDED:    Your child will need to have a school bag.  Please, no back packs with wheels.  I am also asking for two packs of napkins, two boxes of tissues, 5 boxes of baby wipes, 2 packs of white paper plates, 4 Clorox/Lysol wipes containers, 4 packs of paper towels, 1 sanitizer, 2 large freezer bags, lunch box and  snack bag, 2 cases of water (boys will bring them in first), 2 coloring books.

Your children can bring their snacks and drinks in a disposable brown bag or a lunch box (bag).  Please do not send in loose drinks or snacks and please make sure everything is labeled with your child’s name.  One snack and one drink are plenty.  Thank you!!

 Note:  Please do not send in toys or any items that are not asked of you with your child to school.  Please keep them in the car for the ride home.  It makes life so much easier.

 Drop Off:  .  Your child is to be dropped off between 8:00-8:20 at the new gym doors.  An aide will be there to greet you.  No one may enter the school during morning drop off.   At 8:20 the children will walk down to their classroom with the aide.  If your child is not here by 8:20, you will have to go to main lobby and wait until 8:30 for an aide to come back to grab your child.  No one is to come down the hallway to the classroom with the child.  No parents are allowed in the school building at this time unless appointments are made.  So sorry.  Parents will not be allowed to walk their child to the classroom. . Cares is from 7:00-7:45.  Once 7:45 comes, no one will be in gym until 8:00.

PICK UP:  Afternoon Dismissal:  Teachers will stagger dismissal of children in carline keeping them appropriately spaced from one another.  Mrs. Hickey’s 4 year olds will be dismissed first, 2:15.   Mrs. Lauser’s class will follow and then followed by 3 year olds.  Please try your best to be here at our dismissal time.  Teachers will dismiss children, while aides clean and disinfect the classroom and toys.   All will be dismissed by front entrance..... Stay in your car at all times.  We will come to you with your child and place them in your car.  PLEASE DO NOT GET OUT OF CAR.   Once the door is closed, you may pull up further towards the church and buckle your child into the car seat.  Thank you!  This year we are asking you to make a sign (8 ½ x 11) for your window labeled with your child’s name on it.  Because of the glare outside it is often hard to see who is inside the vehicle.  A great way to show your sign is to use a hanger that has clips on it, clip the name on there, and hang hanger from the rear view mirror.  It would be most helpful.  We believe that the children should get use to a routine and stick to it as much as possible.  Thank you for your understanding.  If someone else is picking up your child, please notify us with a note in the morning.  Also, inform them of the pickup procedure.  You may also text me at 610-453-6703

  LATENESS:   This year the school policy when you are late is to check in at the office and one of the aides will bring your child down to the classroom.  This if for safety purposes.  You must have your child at the gym by 8:20.  If you are running late, you will need to go to office and wait with your child until an aide comes for them.  No parent is allowed down to the classroom.  Please do your best to be on time.  

SNACK TIME:   Every day we will have a thirty minute snack time/lavatory time.  Pretzels are available on a daily basis.  The pretzels are $.50.  I highly urge the purchasing of pretzels.  They are easy clean up and do not have to be unwrapped.  Pretzels are to be ordered on line under the St. Thomas Website.  They are ordered monthly.  We sell snacks also in the classroom.  If you would like your child to buy a snack, they are to bring $.50 in.  I do ask that the drinks be disposable, as small as possible.  Please only have ONE snack for your child at snack time.  The snack is to be placed in a separate bag.  Do not put the snack in with their lunch box.  With that being said, your child should have two bags, one for snack and one for lunch.  MAKE SURE NAMES ARE ON THEM!!

 VOLUNTEERS: 

LUNCH PARENTS---

                          LIBRARY PARENT---

WEEKLY JOURNAL:   The children will be given a journal the first day of school.  It will contain pictures accompanied with teacher-written stories, art projects, written words done by student, etc.. that the children have worked so hard on throughout the year.  It makes for a great keepsake.

 PARENT INFORMATION:  You will receive a school calendar with upcoming events for the month.  I will have a weekly newsletter informing parents on upcoming events of the week.  The newsletter will be sent home in your child’s folder.  This is the best communication!!  PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ALWAYS CHECK YOUR CHILD’S FOLDER

EVERY NIGHT!!    In addition, there will be a homework folder with homework pages and/or books.  Please keep eye out in their folders for these.

 PHONE CHAIN:  You will be asked to sign a phone chain list so that either the homeroom moms, phone chain parent or I can contact you. 

 PARTIES:  We will be having several celebrations through the year.  The homeroom parent will contact you as to what is needed for parties.  I really appreciate your support and help in preparing for our celebrations.  Parties are short and sweet!! 

 DONATIONS:  Because there are only so many supplies that can be ordered from year to year, I depend on you and your generosity for donations toward the classroom.  Some of the donations include the following: ( *** meaning most needed!!!)  The supply list is our major donation part!! 😊

 MEDICATIONS:  If you child needs to take any medication, please send it to school in a labeled container.  I am required to send all medication to the school office where they will give to nurse.  Please be aware that even non-prescription medicine requires a note.

 TAKE-HOME FOLDERS:  This will be our big communication saver!!!

 SICKNESS:  If your child is sick, please call the office and let them know that they will not be in that day.  Please do not send your child to school if he/she has any of the following symptoms:  fever, coughing, rash, vomiting, diarrhea etc… Also, if your child feels sick in the morning with headache or other symptoms, please do not give any medication (Tylenol, motrin etc..)  PLEASE KEEP THEM HOME.  I know that this is asking a lot, but at this time, we need to be take precaution.  

 BELONGINGS:  Please make sure you LABEL ALL OF YOUR CHILD’S BELONGINGS!!

 DRESS CODE:  All children are to wear the ST. THOMAS Gym uniform.  Sneakers are to accompany these uniforms.

 ASSESSMENT:  The children will receive progress reports the second and the fourth marking periods (usually the end of January and May)

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES:  I am very easy to contact.  Please call the office if you ever want to talk.  The phone number is 610-459-8134.  I will call you back the same day.  You can also reach me by email: chickey@staglenmills.org   Please do not try to have a conference with the teachers when dropping or picking up your child.  When the bell rings, we think of one thing….getting home to our babies!  I am sure you understand completely.  Thank you!  If you ever have any concerns or questions, please follow the procedures you see here!!  We are looking forward to a great school year!          

                                      Thank you,

                                      Mrs. Hickey, Mrs. Purifico and Ms. Regan

 Parents,

The 11:15 dismissals that you see on these pages are days that St. Thomas dismisses at 12:00.  For safety reasons, Preschool is to dismiss at 11:15 due to the amount of traffic that occurs during these days.  All students from Preschool will dismiss at 11:15.  They will not dismiss with siblings at any time during full day and during half days.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

DAILY SCHEDULE:            Daily Step by Step Procedures for Pre K

• Morning drop off in the new gym where students will get a temperature check by teacher or aide. 

• 8:20am students will walk to the classroom with aide

• Before entering the classroom, students will use hand sanitizer from the no touch classroom dispenser on the wall.

• Students will enter the classroom using the ENTER door and exit using the EXIT door.

• Children will go to desks and unpack at their desk. 

• Prayers will be recited from their desk.

• Morning work will be completed from their desks.

• Morning meeting will be conducted on the floor. 

• Class work will be completed at desks, or specials will come to the cohort.

• Every student will wash hands before and after snack and lunchtime.

• Children will eat snacks and lunch with their cohort in their classroom.

• There will be no sharing of food or any food from the outside brought into the classroom. 

• There will be no use of the microwave for students’ lunches or snacks.

• Recess will be outside on Pre-K playground.

• Centers will be held after rest time in the afternoon.  Students will have their own center activity. Centers will be disinfected at the end of each use.

• Children may play with toys individually or in small groups. Toys will be set aside and then disinfected at the end of day.

• All toys and hard surfaces will be disinfected at the end of each day. 

• After the student has packed up for dismissal, they will use hand sanitizer and exit through the EXIT door. 

Circle time consists of prayers, Pledge of Allegiance, and morning songs.  We will discuss the weather, complete our calendar, count and sing our ABC’s and so forth and so on.  We will then have Religion, an activity pertaining to the letter of the week, and a variety of activities including Science, Math, Gym, Art, Social Studies, Language Arts, Gross/Fine Motor, Music etc… depending upon the day.  We will then have snack time/ lavatory, lunch, rest time, outdoor play, story time, clean-up time, and then dismissal time.  

PRE-K RETURN POLICY FOR STUDENTS 

AFTER AN ILLNESS:

• FEVER FREE for 24 HOURS ( WITHOUT MEDICATION)

• LESSENING SYMPTOMS for 24 hours with a cold, flu COVID and variants WITHOUT MEDICATION

• NO VOMIT AND DIARRHEA for 24 hours WITHOUT MEDICATION

• Student has been on prescribed antibiotics for FULL 24 HOURS after strep throat, ear infections, and conjunctivitis.

• Student has been treated with LICE treatment and not.

• Hitting, bitting and any harm done to another student from a child is not tolerated.  

 St. Thomas the Apostle’s Discipline Policy

We believe that discipline is fundamental to life. Discipline is a necessary reflection of the philosophy of a Catholic school, which attempts to develop a Christian committed to the observance of just rules and regulations, which will assist the individual in responding to his/her responsibilities and obligations to his/herself and others. Correct training in discipline means that a child learns to

accept rules and regulations presented by lawful authority. Students are expected to act in such fashion that their behavior will reflect favorably on themselves and the school. They are expected to show consideration and respect for their fellow students and teachers; thus, creating a harmonious atmosphere within the school. All students must recognize their individual responsibilities and obligations and discharge them in accordance with school regulations. Children who fail to comply with school policies and regulations must accept the consequences. In addition to individual classroom incentives and consequences, St. Thomas the Apostle School uses a school-wide conduct calendar system. When a student receives a mark on the calendar for infractions of the code, the parent/guardian must sign it on the night issued and the student must show the signed calendar to the teacher who issued the mark the next school day. A parent/guardian’s signature indicates that the parent/guardian has been

Informed.

Preschool Policy

Preschool also has a behavior calendar.  We ask that parents initial it every night.  There is a zero tolerance rule in regard to students physically hurting other children.  If a child pushes, hits, kicks, bites, or harms another child he/she will be sent home immediately.  If they continue to harm others they will no longer be able to attend St. Thomas the Apostle Preschool.