Monday, September 27

We had a great first day of music with Miss Caitlin!  We can't wait until this Friday when she comes back!

Just a reminder that Photography by Lori will return on Thursday, September 30, to do make-up pictures and retakes.  If you'd like your child's photo taken and your child is not normally at school on Thursday, please bring your child to the Fellowship Hall at 10:30.  If your child is in class on Thursday, please make sure his/her teacher knows that you'd like a photo taken and we'll make sure it gets done.

Tuesday, September 21

We have a new music teacher who will start working with the 3s and 4s each Friday beginning September 24! Please help us welcome Mrs. Caitlin Whitaker to WIPP. She recently graduated from Georgia College and State University with a degree in Music Therapy. After completing a 7-month internship in the Fulton County School System, Caitlin moved to Savannah to start her pediatric private practice, Making Melodies Music Therapy. She is also certified in Kindermusik and is currently teaching classes in the Savannah area. We're thrilled to have her on board!  (We haven't forgotten the 2s!  Miss Caitlin will start visiting them biweekly later in October.)

  

Thanks for returning the forms for Lunch Bunch. Look for a flyer next week with details on our 2010-2011 Lunch Bunch program which we hope to start on Monday, October 4th!

  

Just a reminder that carpool will start for the 2-year-old classes next week. For those of you who have children in the MWF 2s and 3s classes using the back preschool parking lot, we expect some slow-downs. We're doing our best to move things along quickly and avoid a traffic back-up. If you could help us by:

• pulling all the way around to the front of the car pool line;
• placing your child's car seat on the passenger side of your vehicle;
• remaining in your vehicle and letting the teachers help your child in and out of the car/car seat; 
• and displaying your child's name in the front window of your vehicle at afternoon pick-up.

We realize that sometimes you'll need to resettle your child(ren) or adjust things, but we ask that you pull around to the end of the driveway to do that.

Please be careful in and around the parking lot. We've tried to cut back grass and bushes for maximum visibility, but we know it's not always an easy entrance or exit. Also, please refrain from using cell phones during drop-off and pick-up so that everyone's complete attention is on our students.

Friday, September 17

As promised, here's the web version of the General Information update sent home this week:

General Information

　
Admission:


The preschool has a non-discriminatory admissions policy for all children.



Arrival and Departure:


Preschool carpool begins at 8:50 am and preschool activities begin at 9:00 am.


Dismissal carpool for children starts at 11:50 am. PLEASE BE PROMPT! The late pick-up fees are $5.00 for the first 15 minutes and $10.00 for each additional 15 minutes. This is a transition, planning and cleaning time for the teachers. Please call the preschool at 897-7568 if you anticipate being late because of an emergency, so we can prepare your child. It is very upsetting to a child to be picked up late. Also, please try to put your child’s car seat on the RIGHT side of the back seat for easy access in getting your child in and out quickly at carpool time.


Lunch Bunch will be offered Monday through Friday from 12:00-1:00 at a cost of $5.00 per day.  Please send the money along with a note on the morning of attendance.


Written Messages:


Dismissal time is an important part of the day’s routine. If you need to change the plan you have registered with us concerning your carpool, please send us a written note. Children sometimes invent play-dates with friends without the parents’ knowledge! We need to have any changes in writing before we release your child.



Health:


The staff will make every effort possible to protect the health and safety of each child. Your cooperation is expected to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. You should keep your child home if he/she has symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, runny nose, sore throat, skin rash, earache, coughing, or fever. If your child develops a contagious disease, please notify the teacher/Director in order that other parents may be notified of the possible exposure to their children. The State Health Department REQUIRES this.


If your child becomes ill during the morning, you will be contacted immediately and your child will be isolated from the other children until you can pick up your child. Please do not send your child to school if he/she shows any signs of illness, including colds.


The Health Department and the State of Georgia require an immunization record from your doctor each year. The form 3231 must be in the office within 30 days.


All 3-year-old children who are entering the 3-year-old classes MUST be potty-trained.


Updated SEP 2010

Thursday, September 16

Here's a copy of the letter sent home this week with students.

Dear Families:

Thank you for helping us to get this school year off to such a great start! Most of you have already turned in all of the forms, emergency information and immunization records that we need for our files. That really helps us keep our office up-to-date.

The flu season has started early this year. In an effort to keep our students and staff healthy, please remember that if your child isn’t feeling well he/she will be more comfortable at home than at school. The attached General Information sheet spells out our guidelines for health issues, as well as some other preschool information.






Our carpool seems to be speeding up a little bit. Thank you for your efforts in streamlining this process. If you need to talk to a teacher, please contact them to set up a time to speak or meet. Carpool just doesn’t allow our staff to give you the time and attention that you and your child deserve.






We’ve finally heard back from Georgia’s Bright From the Start regarding our Lunch Bunch program. With the new regulations being enforced, the only way we can offer Lunch Bunch is from 12:00-1:00. We know this isn’t ideal, but we hope that it helps out. Please return the form at the bottom and let us know if you would be interested in using this new version of Lunch Bunch. If there is enough parent interest, we’ll try to get it started before the end of the month.






________________________________________________________________________


LUNCH BUNCH FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS AND 4 YEAR-OLDS



Please return by Friday, September 17.


____ Yes, I would be interested in having my child attend Lunch Bunch on some or all of the following days at a cost of $5 per day.


____Monday ____Tuesday ____Wednesday ____Thursday ___Friday



___ No, I would not be interested in using Lunch Bunch from 12:00-1:00.

If you'd like to us know about Lunch Bunch via email, send your messages to kpecic@gmail.com.  I'll post the General Information sheet that was attached to the letter later this week, so don't forget to check back.


Here are some photos of our M-F 3s and 4s doing their morning work today.

September 15

We've successfully completed our picture taking thanks to Photos by Lori. Everyone looked so nice in their picture clothes! If your child was absent or didn't get his/her photo taken for other reasons, we'll be letting you know make-up information shortly.





Waiting our turn

All done!









All done!







Wednesday, September 8

It was another great day at WIPP! It's amazing to see the confidence of some of our children already growing. They're navigating the hallways, helping each other with walking in line, and learning classroom routines. We did have a little bit more noise from our 2s today, but our teachers and assistants spent some time holding and comforting—and our 2s got to enjoy some heavy-duty playground time—and that seemed to help!

We're still experiencing some problems with carpool traffic in the morning and we're working on possible solutions. The Island Precinct traffic officer came by this morning to give us a few suggestions, so hopefully we'll be able to implement some of them and get things running more smoothly.

Don't forget that September's tuition is due this Friday, September 10—and mark your calendars for next Tuesday and Wednesday (9/14 and 9/15) for our individual photos. Photography by Lori will be returning to take pictures of our children on those days.

Tuesday, September 7

We're working hard at learning all of the names of our new friends and all of the rules for our new classrooms. Today our 4-year-old classes practiced cleaning up after playing with blocks, stuffed animals, housekeeping, and more. We did a really good job of following directions about clean-up time.

It was the first time on the playground for our TTh 2-year-old class and they did a great job of walking down and back. Everyone followed directions and held onto the rope--and everybody had a wonderful time playing!

First Day for the Rest of the School

Well, it was a little noisier and a lot busier today with over 100 children coming for their first day! There were a lot of smiles, a few tears (from both moms and children!), and a lot of new friends being made. Thank you to all of the families who helped make the day such fun.

Remember that carpool starts in the front church parking lot on Tuesday for our 5-day-a week classes. Please be patient with us as we work out the kinks. The TTH 2s will continue to walk to the classroom with their family members.







Reminders:

• Have you turned in your emergency form, information form, etc.?
• Don't forget that this month's tuition is due by September 10th. Please use the labeled manila folder.
• If your child will be taking the Learning Links computer class, don't forget to turn in your paperwork for Miss Stefanie ASAP so she can make her schedule.
• The YMCA gymnastics program starts next week for the 4s. Contact the Y if you're interested. (The 3s start the following week.)

Open House and First Day for TTH2s

Thank you to all of our families who came to Open House last night. Your support is wonderful! We know that in this busy world, it's always hard to find time for extra events and we appreciate the time and energy you give us. (And remember, if you'd like to help shovel some of that mulch into the playground...)

Today was the first day for our TTh two-year-old class. Everything went so smoothly it was hard to believe that it was the first time in preschool for many of the children. They played with dolls and puzzles and trucks; they read books and drew pictures. They all had a great time!

Tomorrow the rest of the school will come in for their Get Acquainted Day. We can't wait!