Peppermint Tree

May Newsletter

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:32:41 +0000

Dear Parents,

May is here, and the flowers are beginning to bloom. Especially the ones the children planted in the front of The Peppermint Tree for Earth Day. We had a lot of fun planting, so ask your child about the flower they planted.

I can’t believe how quickly this school year is flying by! Thank you to all of our special Peppermint Tree families and the great staff for making this a wonderful year…full of smiles and little achievements every day!

As the end of the school year draws near, we hope that you have seen the growth & development in your child that we strived to encourage. We certainly are enjoying seeing all of the children learn and grow! Please watch for a parent survey to be sent home in your children’s backpacks. We would love to hear from you about your experience with The Peppermint Tree, as we always strive to learn how we can improve.

Sincerely,
Valerie Frost-Lewis, MS Ed. (“Miss Val”),
Owner/Director

Open House Ice Cream Social

Please join us on Monday evening, May 7th, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. We are holding an Ice Cream Social, complete with a Mr. Scott the Music Man performance and The Fun Bus! This free event is one of our most popular, so please mark your calendars. We are also opening this event up to the community as an open house. So, if you know any family that may want to check out The Peppermint Tree for their children, please feel free to invite them to attend. Remember, we do provide a $25.00 tuition credit for any new family you refer who registers their child to attend Peppermint Tree for the first time.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

The children of The Peppermint Tree will have the opportunity to ponder this question as they watch chicks hatch right here at The Peppermint Tree. On Monday, May 14th, a farmer will be dropping off an incubator and the eggs, and will give a presentation to the children about the eggs and the chick’s they’ll soon see. We’ll be turning the eggs daily, and watching for the exciting hatching event over the next two weeks. Please stop in and take a peak!!

Mrs. Foley’s and Mrs. Hamilton’s Classes will have parent events this month

On the morning of Tuesday, June 8th, at 10:00a.m., Mrs. Hamilton will have her annual Mother’s Day Tea for her class’ Moms. And on Thursday, May 24th at 10:00 a.m., Mrs. Foley’s class will be holding a Parent Visit event. Come and enjoy your children in their classroom! More information about each of these events will come home from each teacher.

Summer Camp 2012- Register Now!

The Peppermint Tree Summer Camp Program is available to children who are 2.5 years through Fifth Grade graduates. We are planning lots of fun trips and activities, so we hope you’ll join us!

The calendar of activities is now available at our website on the Summer Camp page, scroll down to the bottom: CLICK HERE for the Summer Camp Calendar-then scroll down. Let’s get ready for the fun! Our Camp Director is Mrs. Carol Sullivan. We are offering:

SCHOOL-AGERS CAMP: For kids graduating 1st- 5th grades

JUNIOR CAMP: For kids 2½ years through Kindergarten graduates

Both camps offer new activities each day, like:

Games & Sports
Scavenger Hunts
Nature Activities
Arts & Crafts
Plenty of choices for everyone, fun for all!
Field Trips
Enriching & Entertaining Visitors
Swimming daily in our on-site pool (weather permitting)

Registration and Graduation

The last day of our school year is Wednesday, June 13th. That is also the day of our Pre-K Graduation ceremony at 10:00 a.m. If it is good weather, the graduation is held outside at Peppermint Tree, if there is rain we will hold it at The Elks Club in Toms River. More information will be sent home to Pre-K parents in the coming weeks. The Kindergarten children will have their own celebration to be announced soon.

If you have not registered for mini camp, then your child will not be expected to attend on Thursday June 14th and Friday June 15th. Our first day of Session #1 of Summer Camp is June 18th, 2012. That is when the pools will be open and the full activity schedule begins. If you have not done so already, please register now if you intend to send your child so we can be sure we have spots available for all of our current Peppermint Tree children.

Registrations are flowing in from the general public for both the Summer Camp and the Fall 2012 school program. There is limited room for both sessions, so please register quickly. And, remember that enrollment in summer camp does not automatically guarantee a space in the Fall program (or vice versa). You must register your child separately for each session to reserve your space in our program.

Parent Reminder about June Payment

As a reminder, our tuition is annual, broken up into ten equal monthly payments (September through June). So, please remember that on June 1st, you still pay a full school payment, even though school ends on June 13th. You have benefitted from this when there were five weeks in a month and your tuition did not go up. This allows both you and the school to budget an even amount each month for tuition. Any students not returning will have their security deposit subtracted from their their June bill.

Those continuing with us for camp also have their Session 1 payment due on June 1st. Session 1 is only two weeks, so this is half the monthly rate for Summer Camp. As always, we allow a 15 day grace period for the camp tuition, so there are no late fees until after June 15th. If you have any questions, please call the office at 732-929-2500.

Attention Kindergarten-To-Be Students:

Pre-K Graduation is scheduled for the morning of Wednesday, June 13th. Please mark your calendars for this festive event!

Toms River Kindergartens are only 2 1/2 hour sessions. As you may know, we offer an enriching Full Day Kindergarten, taught by Mrs. Sullivan, who is an experienced and certified Elementary School teacher. We are offering this class to ensure our students can absorb all the required concepts, and have hands on science, and other enrichments to provide an education that they enjoy.

If you are in need of full day care, we offer an extension to the Full Day Kindergarten class and we will reserve space for before &/or after public school sessions. This will provide public school children with a half day enrichment program from The Peppermint Tree. Both Cedar Grove and East Dover schools will transport to us. Please contact the office for more information.

Closed for Memorial Day, May 28th, 2012

The Peppermint Tree will be closed for all students and staff on Monday, May 28th, 2012 in observance of Memorial day.

Reminders

Please check your child’s back pack each day for notices, their projects, and to clean out lunch items the children may have left behind.
Please Label All spring jackets & lunch boxes. Even our Kindergarteners often do not recognize their own belongings.
Send in new seasonal change of clothes for warmer weather.
We will be eating lunch outdoors at the picnic tables when ever the weather cooperates. For that reason, we ask that you discontinue sending in items that require microwaving for lunch through the end of the school year. Thank you!

Open House Ice Cream Social

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:45:48 +0000

Mark your calendars for this annual

FREE FAMILY EVENT! Rain or Shine!

Monday, May 7th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

FREE Family Event! Make your own sundaes, Mr. Scott the Music Man performs, and enjoy The Fun Bus Fitness on Wheels. The playground will be open, eat your ice cream outside at picnic tables and enjoy the park-like setting. Meet local families with young children and find out about The Peppermint Tree Summer Camp and School Year programs.

All families are welcome! Hope you’ll join us!

Live Performance by Mr. Scott the Music Man!

Make Way for Outdoor Play

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:45:14 +0000

by Valerie Frost-Lewis, MS Ed., Owner/Director, Peppermint Tree Child Development Center

Think back to your childhood summer vacations…what were your best memories? Most likely they include sunshine, breezes and playing with friends outside. Were you building sandcastles? Catching fireflies? Collecting rocks? These are the experiences of childhood that imprint fond memories, and whether we knew it or not, this is when we started to learn how to be a good friend and got our beginning earth science lessons.

Children building forts, digging in dirt, scrunching leaves and making mud pies use their imaginations, develop problem-solving skills and learn about the natural world through this kind of play. They create whole imaginary worlds, plan story lines and negotiate roles with other children as they build their social skills.

In today’s high tech and busy world, child development experts are concerned that our young children are experiencing a disconnection from nature and are becoming isolated because of increased indoor play and time spent playing video games and watching TV. “Screen time” only uses the senses of sight and hearing, which is quite limiting in comparison to the full array of textures, weights, temperatures, etc., that children encounter when playing outdoors. It is also a solitary way of playing, so researchers are concerned that many of today’s young children get less practice with their social skills.

Young children learn about the world through feeling, smelling, tasting, seeing, and hearing everything that is around them. So, the more sensory experiences young children have, the more opportunities they have to learn and understand the world.

And when we allow children to play outdoors in nature, they can use all of their senses at the same time. They can sift their fingers and toes through the sand, hear and see the waves crash while also smelling and tasting the salt air. This sensory feast is an important reason that outdoor nature play is a valuable part of early childhood development.

It is based on this philosophy, the importance of outdoor play, that we have designed our summer day camp at The Peppermint Tree in Toms River. Children play outdoors in our park-like setting and can explore nature on our safe, fenced property. They can dig, build, hunt for worms, go on nature walks, swim in our pools, and play basketball, volleyball, go on scavenger hunts, paint at our outdoor easels, or enjoy crafts. Of course our air-conditioned building is available for young children’s naps and if it is too hot or if it is raining.

Our goal is to provide lots of choices, so the children are free to spend their day as they please, at their own pace. Just like we did in the lazy days of summer of our memories. If you would like your child to have this kind of a summer experience, you can learn more about The Peppermint Tree Summer Day Camp at http://www.pepperminttree.com/our-summer-program/

And, make way for outdoor play!

The Peppermint Tree Child Development Center, serving Toms River for over 35 years is state-certified and privately owned. During the school year, we offer a research-based curriculum developed for young, inquisitive minds. Classes are offered for 2.5 year olds through Kindergarten. Our highly qualified, dedicated and creative faculty has been with the school on average, for fifteen years or more, providing a warm and stable environment for the children. During the summer, the facility is transformed into an outdoor summer day camp, complete with on-site swimming pools, park-like grounds and an enriching activity calendar with appropriate offerings for children from 2.5 years through fifth grade graduates.

April Newsletter

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:58:14 +0000

Dear Parents,

April is almost here and we are “Springing” into action at The Peppermint Tree, both in the classrooms, and in our community! We are participating in “The Budding Artists” art show at The Ocean County Library, Toms River Branch which will be on display all month. Artwork from our Crafty recycling Night last week will be on display, as well as artwork from other schools in the community. There is a special “gathering” event on April 17th at 6:30 p.m. at the Toms River Library for families to enjoy the artwork.

We will also be participating in The Children’s Festival, Saturday April 28, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Toms River Intermediate School North. Watch for a permission slip for your child to perform with Mr. Scott the Music Man to represent our school. We will have a table at the Festival and will be offering a sand art craft for the children to participate in.

We hope your family can join us at the above family friendly events.

Sincerely,

Valerie Frost-Lewis, M.Ed.

Owner/Director

Summer Camp 2012 – Register Now!

The Peppermint Tree Summer Camp Program is available to children who are 2.5 years through Fifth Grade graduates. We are planning lots of fun trips and activities, so we hope you’ll join us! Our Camp Director is Mrs. Carol Sullivan.

We are offering:

SCHOOL-AGERS CAMP:

For kids graduating 1st- 5th grades

JUNIOR CAMP:

For kids 2½ years through Kindergarten graduates

Plenty of choices for everyone, fun for all!

Arts & crafts
Ball games, & scavenger hunts
Field Trips
Enriching & Entertaining Visitors
Swimming daily in our on-site pool (weather permitting)

Registration

Registration is now open to the public for both the Summer Camp and the Fall 2012 school program. There is limited room for both sessions, so please register quickly. And, remember that enrollment in summer camp does not automatically guarantee a space in the Fall program (or vice-versa). You must register your child separately for each session to reserve your space in our program.

$25.00 Referral Tuition Credit – for each family you refer to Peppermint Tree (once they register)

“Word of Mouth” is our best form of advertising! And, we truly appreciate your spreading the word about Peppermint Tree to your friends, family and neighbors. We offer all of our current families a tuition credit of $25.00 for each new family you refer to Peppermint Tree. Once they pay their registration fee, we credit your account $25.00. There is no limit to the number of credits you can earn! We have one current family who has earned $100.00 in credits! (Thank you! You know who you are!)

Attention Kindergarten-To-Be Students:

Toms River Kindergartens are only 2 1/2 hour sessions. We offer an enriching Full Day Kindergarten, which is taught by Mrs. Sullivan, who is an experienced and certified Elementary School teacher. This full day experience ensures our students absorb all the required concepts, and have hands on science, and other enrichments to provide an education that they enjoy. If you are in need of full day care, we offer an extension to the Full Day Kindergarten class and we will reserve space for before &/or after public school sessions. This will provide public school children with a half day enrichment program from The Peppermint Tree. Both Cedar Grove and East Dover schools will transport to us. Please contact the office for more information.

Hop-A-Thon raised $334.00 for Muscular Dystrophy.

This is fantastic! The representatives from the MDA are so appreciative. Thanks for your participation and support of your child’s effort to help children who are less fortunate.

Dutch Mill Bulbs Fundraiser – Pick Up all Bulbs and Plants on Wednesday, April 4th. THANKS, EVERYONE!!!!

Thanks to everyone who placed an order for our fund raiser. We raised over $500.00. With these funds we have now paid for the Chick Hatching event coming to The Peppermint Tree later this Spring and also the children have benefited from a whole slew of new outdoor play items we purchased such as balls, hula hoops, rugged trucks and shovels of all shapes and sizes! Thanks for your support!

Children’s Festival, April 28th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at TR Intermediate School North

Please bring the family to the Ocean County Children’s Festival for FREE family fun! There will be lots of free activities for young children, giveaways, and the children of The Peppermint Tree will be performing at 10:30 a.m. with Mr. Scott! Please look for a permission slip coming soon for you to allow your child’s participation. In addition to offering a sand art craft to children who attend, we are also participating in a Book Drive to benefit deserving children (up to 8 years of age) in need in Ocean County, as a part of The Children’s Festival. Please send your children’s book donations to the school and we will bring them all to the festival.

We need your help—Please send in:

Empty glass baby food jars for sand art craft at The Children’s Festival. Need before April 28th. Thanks!
Small individually wrapped candies to fill our plastic eggs for the children’s egg hunts. These are needed before the week of 4/2. Thanks!

Calendar reminders:

Peppermint Tree is closed for all students and staff on Friday, April 6, for Good Friday. Have a great holiday weekend.
We are providing Child Care Only during the week of Spring Break, April 9-13, as the Toms River Schools are closed. We will open at 7:30 a.m. on those mornings, instead of 7:00 a.m. If your child is following the Toms River calendar, then your lower tuition does not include attendance on these school vacation days. However, if you need child care on any or all of these days, please call the office to arrange it, and you can pay for the care, on an as needed basis that week. If your child follows our Peppermint Tree calendar, then we are expecting them to attend on their regularly scheduled days. As a reminder, if your school aged child will be with us for a full day, you will be charged $7.50 per hour for any extra hours beyond what you have already paid for.
Mark your calendar for our Annual Ice Cream Social: Monday, May 7th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. This is a FREE family event, and you may invite friends as well, as it is an “Open House” event. Mr. Scott the Music Man will be performing and The Fun Bus will also be here for everyone to experience!

Reminders:

Please check your child’s back pack each day for notices, their projects, and to clean out lunch items the children may have left behind.
Please Label All spring jackets & lunch boxes. Even our Kindergartners often do not recognize their own belongings.
Send in new seasonal change of clothes for warmer weather. Dressing in layers is helpful with the changeable Spring weather.
Please remember that the children need to wear sneakers to school in order to be allowed to play on the climbing equipment on the playground.
When we come back from “Spring Break” we will be eating lunch outdoors at the picnic tables when ever the weather cooperates. For that reason, we ask that you discontinue sending in items that require microwaving for lunch through the end of the school year.

March Newsletter

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:11:32 +0000

Dear Parents,

March is a super busy month at the Peppermint Tree with our annual Muscular Dystrophy Hop-A-Thon, and our first ever CRAFTY RECYCLING NIGHT on March 23rd at 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Not to mention our celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, and a field trip for the Pre-K and K students to see a performance of “Seussical the Musical”. We enjoy bringing an enriching and exciting program to your children each month! And, March is no exception. So, let’s have a great month together!

Flower Fund Raiser Ends on Friday March 2-please send in orders and payments. Thank you for your support!!!

We are working toward supporting our farmer visitor who will come to the Peppermint Tree in May with the chickens, the eggs and the incubator for our “live chick hatching” event. We tend the eggs in the incubator, and the children get to watch as they hatch, right before their eyes. It is a wonderful experience! Thanks for your participation in our fund raising events, that make these “extra’s”possible!

MDA Hop-A-Thon, Week of March 5, 2012

We have chosen the MDA Hop-A-Thon for the past few years as an annual charity opportunity, because the MDA provides us with excellent materials to teach the children about those who are sick and in wheel chairs, and about being thankful for their strong muscles, and using them to help children in need. It is a wonderful program, and the children really enjoy “Hopping to Help”. Each class will learn about helping others and about children with disabilities such as muscular dystrophy, as a part of their participation in the Hop-A-Thon. Please look for the envelope that will be sent home with your child to provide your permission for participation, and to send in a donation to the MDA if you are able. Thanks for supporting your child’s efforts to help children in need.

March School Theme: R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

This month, in all classrooms, we will be focusing on being respectful-in many ways..to our parents, our teachers, our siblings and our friends. We will be discussing it, and role playing so children understand what it means to treat each person with respect. Please help us to follow through with these very important lessons, by asking your child what repsect is, and for examples of being respectful. If you notice disrespectful behavior at home, please point it out and ask your child what might be a more respectful way to handle the situation. Thank you!

Strengthening Families Meeting, Monday March 5, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. All parents and staff are welcome to attend to help us plan our family events. Free Child Care provided.

Crafty Recycling Night – Friday, March 23, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Mark your calendars!

Our Strengthening Families Committee of parents and staff is sponsoring this special event: Crafty RecyclingNight! We are asking each family to save all types of clean recycling materials such as paper towel and toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, soda and water bottles, bottle caps, styrofoam meat trays (cleaned) plastic food containers, etc. Bring them in on the evening of 3/23 for an evening of fun creativity for parents and children to work together. This is a great chance to make a creation together!!! All family members are welcome to attend. This is a FREE event! An RSVP form will be sent home soon. Keep a look out for it.

“Suessical the Musical” Field Trip – Pre-K and Kindergarten students – Thursday, March 29, 2012 at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank

Watch for more details and a permission slip for this exciting theatrical adventure!

Sign up for “Tasty Bites”—our new healthy lunch program. http://www.tastybitesnj.com/. Yummy healthy lunches delivered fresh to Peppermint Tree each day. Go to www.healthybitesnj.com for March’s menu, and to sign up.

Upcoming April Events

Annual Art Show – On display–our “Crafty Recycling Creations” at Toms River Library (all through the month of April)
Ocean County Children’s Festival: April 28th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Toms River Intermediate School North

Registration for Summer Camp 2012 and Fall 2012 School Year are now in Full Swing

We are now accepting both summer camp and school year 2012-2013 registrations from the general public, and we are doing a bit of advertising for this, as well. If you have not yet registered your child, please do so as soon as possible, so we can be sure to save you a spot, for the schedule you need. With our on-site swimming pools and extensive activities, our summer camp tends to fill quickly. You can register quite easily, for both Fall and Summer, on-line at our secure website: https://www.pepperminttree.com/registration/ or by filling out the paper application we sent home recently.

Please keep in mind that there is a $75.00 family registration fee to reserve your spot for Summer and for the Fall. A separate fee is required for each session, however, one fee covers all children in your family for that session. We need a separate application form filled out for each child. We now offer online payment for the Registration Fee and for tuition as well, via PayPal. See our website (any page but the home page)for the button to “click” on to pay us via PayPal. If you have any questions, just call us at 732-929-2500.

A quick reminder about Summer Camp tuition: The first payment for summer camp is due on June 1, as is your last payment for school tuition (unless you get your security deposit applied). Some families choose to begin paying for Summer Camp in advance by making partial payments to offset the extra tuition due in June. We will gladly work out a payment plan that will work for you. Just call the office.

Join the Summer Fun at Peppermint Tree Summer Camp!

We have so much to offer with field trips, daily themes, swimming pools, swim lessons, and visitors: there is non-stop action and choices to keep your child active and happy all summer long. If you haven’t yet tried our summer camp, why don’t you sign your child up for at least Session 1, which is only two weeks in length? Your child can attend 2, 3, 4, or 5 days per week. Check out the video I made explaining our summer camp program at: http://www.pepperminttree.com/videos/ It’s the fourth video down on the page. There is also a full description of the program at: http://www.pepperminttree.com/our-summer-program/ Scroll all the way down to view the 2012 Summer Camp Calendar of Activities. Join Us!!!

Parent Notes

We need glass baby food jars:cleaned with label removed for offering sand art at The Children’s Festival in April. Please begin collecting them if you have a baby at home, and send them in any time.
Punch in and out: If you come in to drop off or pick up your child, and you have a time card, PLEASE punch your child in and out each day. The state requires our accurate records for attendance and drop off and pick up timing, and this is also for your child’s protection that we have an accurate system knowing when they are dropped off and picked up. Please do not have your child punch the card. The adult should do this. THANK YOU! (This does not apply to parents who drop off and pick up on “the line”).
We have FREE SAMPLES of “Hyland’s Children’s Cold & Cough 4 Kids” in the office. We can not send them home in the children’s backpacks, so if you would like some, please stop in the office for a sample size bottle. We also have coupons for this product.

Enhancing Your Child’s Readiness for School Through Music and Movement

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:21:50 +0000

by Valerie Frost-Lewis, MS Ed., Owner/Director, Peppermint Tree Child Development Center

How did you learn your ABC’s? Probably by singing them. There are research-based reasons why songs “stick” in our brains. Now that we have sophisticated brain imaging technology, we have learned that music activities use both sides of the brain, and stimulate the brain cells to strengthen connections for learning. We have also learned that the brains of very young children (those under five years of age) have a great deal of “plasticity”, meaning their brains are growing and reshaping rapidly as they learn. The more stimulation they get, the stronger the brain growth. So, music and movement is not only fun and exciting for children, it is also an educational tool that enhances brain development.

According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s guideline, Developmentally Appropriate Practice (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009), “The preschool years are now seen as the key period for establishing positive attitudes and behaviors about learning.” Having enthusiasm for learning is an important factor in school readiness. Music and movement add fun to learning, and keep children engaged in the topic at hand.

In addition, music’s rhythm patterns prepare the mind for math. To enhance this effect, you can encourage children to count out beats, claps, stomps, taps, spins, skips, etc., and before you know it they are having fun with numbers! Having a child repeat back a simple rhythm on a drum or with a shaker is early patterning, which is an important foundational math skill. Patterns can also be a part of the movement activity during a song as well, like in the song, “Head, shoulders, knees and toes”, in which the children learn the repeated pattern and follow through by identifying each body part.

And, in the area of reading readiness, singing songs expands your child’s vocabulary and gets them to tune in to the sounds of words (phonemic awareness). One of the easiest ways to encourage singing is to sing together with your child and especially by singing songs with lots of repetition, or call and response sections, so the children can catch on and learn it confidently. Once a child enjoys singing, they can be encouraged to fill in the blanks in the lyrics with their own details, then make up their own verses to songs, make up their own melodies, and to sing their own songs. This lays a creative foundation for them to one day write their own stories.

Movement activities help lock in learning further, because, as is commonly known, children learn by doing. So, when children sing and dance, they are making connections and stimulating many parts of the brain at once. Movement can also foster creativity, as children explore the use of their bodies to act out the actions in a song’s lyrics, or just move to the way the music makes them feel. Music and movement also can work to enhance emotional development. As children experience and identify different feelings that the music evokes, they can learn to express those feelings through movement. Movement is a wonderful form of self-expression for children, especially for those who do not yet have the words to fully communicate.

So sing a song, and dance a dance, and invite a child to join you! You’ll be building their brain power while creating lasting memories of fun and togetherness.

February Newsletter

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:02:02 +0000

Dear Parents,
Registrations for Fall 2012 are now flowing into the office from current families and we will be opening up registration up to the public as of February 1st. Please fill out your child’s registration form either on paper & hand in to your child’s teacher, or on-line at our website www.pepperminttree.com, and send in the $75.00 family registration fee as soon as possible if you would like to reserve a spot for your child at Peppermint Tree next Fall. Space is saved on a first come, first reserved basis. This includes registration for Full Day or Extended Day Kindergarten, as well as our Early Learners Preschool starting at 2 years of age, our Preschool class (3 years), Pre-K class (4 years) and our Before and After Elementary School programs for East Dover and Cedar Grove Schools.

Parents or Grandparents, do you have an interesting hobby you could share with the children? Or, would you like to come in to your child’s classroom to explain what your job is? Children benefit greatly from seeing their own parent in the classroom, also they learn so much about the world when we share our work and our passions. Please write a note to your child’s teacher if you would like to come in some time!

As always, if you have any questions about the programs we are offering, please call (732) 929-2500.

Valerie Frost-Lewis, MS Ed.
Owner/Director

Summer Camp Registration

We will offer priority in-house registration for our current Peppermint Tree families beginning February 13th. Watch your child’s backpack for the registration form. The Peppermint Tree Summer Camp program is available to children who are 2.5 years old through fifth grade graduates. We are starting to plan lots of fun trips and activities, so we hope you will join us. Our Camp Director is Mrs. Carol Sullivan.

We are offering:

School Agers Camp: For kids graduating 1st – 5th grades

Junior Camp: For kids 2.5 years through Kindergarten graduates

Both camps offer plenty of choices for everyone, fun for all!

Including:

Enriching and entertaining visitors
Swimming daily in our on-site pools (weather permitting)
Field Trips
Arts & Crafts, nature, ball games
Scavenger hunts & more!

Vision Screening (Free) and Speech and Language Screening ($20.00 fee) being offered this month

Information and permission slips will be sent home regarding each of these screenings. Both screenings are optional an no screening is ever performed without written permission from the child’s parent or guardian. On Friday, February 24th, Caryn Zieve, Lead Therapist from Classic Pediatric Center for Therapy will be offering speech and language screenings for those two years of age through Kindergarten, at a cost of $20.00 per child. And on Wednesday, February 29th, the State of New Jersey Commission for the Blind will be here to provide vision screening free of charge. Both screenings are held during the morning session. You may bring your child in if you want the screening, but your child does not normally attend on the day of the screening.

We are looking for a “Paddington Bear”-stuffed animal from the story book. Does anyone have one they can loan to Mrs. Sullivan’s class, or would anyone want to donate one? Let us know. Thanks.

Toms River School Holidays in February

Please note the The Toms River Schools will be closed on Friday, 2/17 and Monday 2/20 for President’s Weekend. Our students who follow the Toms River Schools calendar do not have school at The Peppermint Tree on those days. However, we will be open for Child Care Only for our children following The Peppermint Tree calendar. Our doors will open at 7:30 a.m. on those days (not 7:00 a.m.) Please call the office if you need child care on either or both of those days, and your child follows the TR Schools calendar, so we may add the day(s) to your child’s schedule.

Winter Weather Reminder

If the Toms River schools are closed due to snow, our children who follow the TR calendar DO NOT HAVE SCHOOL. We will announce our delays and closings on our website www.pepperminttree.com, our phone message, and 94.3 WOBM Stormwatch, and we will send an email message to families and staff.

If Toms River Schools have a delayed opening or are closed, we will automatically have an 8:30 opening at the earliest (and not 7:00 a.m.). This will allow the street plowing and sanding to occur before our staff and families hit the road for the morning. This will also give us time to assess the weather and road conditions to determine if we can open or if we will have to close for the day.

Lots of Upcoming Events–Please Mark Your Calendars:

Tuesday, Feb. 7 @ 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Parent and Staff Workshop: Discipline Empowering Adults and Children, at The Children’s Home Society, 1433 Hooper Avenue, 3rd floor. RSVP to Peppermint Tree office.
Friday, Feb. 10 @ 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Pajama Club Children wear PJ’s and eat pizza, watch movies and enjoy popcorn while Mom & Dad get a chance to go out! $3.00 per child. (Space is limited. RSVP required)
Friday March 2 – “Read Across America” Parents and Grandparents are invited in to our classrooms all week (Feb 27 – Mar 2) to read a story at 10:00 a.m. each day. You must arrange the date with your child’s teacher, so we do not have too many visitors in a particular classroom at one time.
Monday, March 5 @ 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. – Strengthening Families Initiative, Next Meeting Our meeting will be held downstairs in The Peppermint Tree office, and all parents and staff are welcome to help plan ways to support our families. Join us!
Friday, March 23 @ 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Family Crafty Recycling Night Bring recyclables and make crafty creations together with your child. Our creations will then be on exhibit at the Ocean County Library!
Saturday, April 28 @ 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Ocean County Children’s Festival. This is a FREE event, held at Toms River Intermediate School North, filled with lots of activities for the kids. The children of The Peppermint Tree will be performing on stage with Mr. Scott the Music Man. (with parental/guardian’s permission)
Monday, May 7 @ 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Annual Ice Cream Social Make your own sundaes, Mr. Scott the Music Man and lots of fun surprises. The whole family is invited.

January Newsletter

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:00:47 +0000

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year to all of our families and staff! We have a lot in store for your children and for the whole family in 2012. During January, we will unveil a new healthy eating curriculum, “Kidsize Nutrition” in the classrooms for the children, and a preview for the parents on the evening of January 23, too. This event will be held at 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., and we will provide free dinner and child care. Our guest will be nutrition consultant, Heather Sabey.

As always, my door is open to you. If there are any questions, ideas or concerns you’d like to discuss, please feel free to call or email me, or stop in.

All the best in 2012!

Valerie Frost-Lewis (aka “Miss Val”)

Director

Kindergarten Readiness Presentation for Pre-K Parents/Guardians

One of the most frequent questions we hear from our Pre-K Parents/Guardians is, “Will my child be ready for Kindergarten?” Miss Val, who holds a Master’s Degree in Education and Mrs. Sullivan, our Kindergarten teacher and our school’s Head Teacher will be presenting a parent workshop on “Kindergarten Readiness” on Monday, January 9th, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., to help answer that question. We will discuss the important foundational skills that children need for success in any Kindergarten classroom, whether it is in the Toms River Public Schools, or in our Full Day Kindergarten, or Half day Kindergarten programs here at Peppermint Tree.

As a part of this discussion, we will outline our options available to your child next year: We will be providing a Full Day Kindergarten class from 9:15 a.m. – 3:15 p.m., and we are also offering an extended day beyond that for working parents. We will also continue to provide half day Kindergarten before and after public kindergarten for East Dover and Cedar Grove elementary school students, as well. We will explain our curriculum and approach to learning, as well. We hope you will join us. Please RSVP to the office by phone or email for this session so we are prepared with the appropriate quantity of handouts.

Registration for the 2012 – 2013 School Year

Very soon we will be beginning our in-house priority registration for the next school year. We are already accepting Kindergarten registrations. Very soon you will receive an application for you to register your child for the next school year. We provide our current families with an opportunity to save a space for their child in advance of opening registration up to the general public. So, please respond soon when you receive the application in your child’s backpack over the next week or so. If you do not want to wait for the paper application to be sent home, you may go ahead and register online beginning now.

Just remember that the non-refundable family registration fee of $75.00 is due at the time of registration in order to secure a spot for your child. Spaces are saved on a first registered and paid, first reserved basis.

Miss Val’s “Brain Lessons” will begin over the next weeks

In the three year old and older classrooms, I will be visiting the classrooms to help the children in exploring how the brain works, and discovering that the harder they work it, the stronger it gets. We will also be learning that our brain grows when we work it, so you can always improve your skills. The children will be involved in a variety of activities around this theme that include reading books about famous inventors who had to keep trying before they succeeded, singing songs that reinforce persistence, and also doing art projects and movement exercises. This should be fun, and I am hoping to help instill in The Peppermint Tree children a life lesson that will carry them through all of their years in school and into the work place. I developed these lessons based on the latest brain research, and it was the basis of the final work done to complete my Master’s Degree.

Dates to Remember

First Pizza Lunch (optional) is Friday 1/6/12- be sure to send in your sign up form and make payment before then so we are sure to order enough pizza.
Strengthening Families Committee meeting: 1/9/12 at 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. All parents and staff are invited to attend to help us plan upcoming events to benefit our community of families. This is being held right before the Kindergarten Readiness presentation which begins at 7:00 p.m. the same evening.
No classes on Monday, 1/16/12: Toms River Schools are closed for Martin Luther King Day. We are open for childcare for those children following our Peppermint Tree calendar, as the Peppermint Tree calendar tuition includes this date. If your child follows the Toms River calendar, and needs care on this day, please call the office so we may arrange care for your child. A separate fee will apply.
Monday, 1/23/12 @ 6:30 p.m: FREE Parent Workshop on “KIDSIZE NUTRITION”, includes free dinner and childcare at Peppermint Tree. This is a preview of a new curriculum on nutrition for the children. We will be providing more information and an RSVP form for you to complete after the 1/9/12 Strengthening Families Committee meeting during which we will be developing the final plans for this evening. Please save the date!

2011 Tax Statements

Please note that we will send out your 2011 tax statement (that many of you need for your tax returns) during January. Please set it aside for when you work on your 2011 tax returns.

Reminders

Please label all of your child’s belongings that come to school.
No toys from home are allowed at Peppermint Tree
Please dress your child for outdoor play, including mittens (NOT gloves) and hats. No boots or scarves. We will not play in the snow, however, we will take the children outside to play in the plowed areas (we place traffic cones to block our driveway when we do this). The playground will re-open when the snow melts. (I am assuming we will get some snow this winter!)

December Newsletter

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:58:18 +0000

Dear Families,

“Pajama Club” Parents Night Out – Friday, December 2, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

(There’s still room, so RSVP Today!!)

Do you need a chance to get holiday shopping done without the kids??? Some of our parent Strengthening Families volunteers (along with Miss Val) will watch your children while you shop this Friday evening so you can either shop or have a quiet dinner out!

We will treat the kids to pizza, popcorn, a drink and movies for $3.00 per child. (The children will vote on movies to watch so if you have popular G-Rated movies to share, please send them in with your children for us to borrow for the evening.)

Kids should wear their pajamas for a fun night at Peppermint Tree!

Space is limited, so you MUST RSVP ASAP by responding to this email, calling the office, or sending a note in to your child’s teacher with the names and ages of children you would like to attend. You may pay the $3.00/child that evening.

The kids will have a blast, and you’ll get a break!

And, don’t forget that Friday is also Pajama Day during the school day, in honor of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you can send in a donation, I know it will help the children in NJ who are sick.

The Peppermint Tree Secret Holiday Gift Shop, being held December 12 – 15, 2011, is an opportunity for your child to participate in giving gifts this holiday season – not just receiving. They will also experience the process of shopping (counting money out and receiving change, and working within a budget).
For the holiday shop, we have purchased a quantity of small, inexpensive gifts suitable for immediate family members, grandparents and dog and/or cat pets, ranging in price from 50 cents to $3.00. If you wish your child to participate, send in whatever you deem suitable in a sealed envelope with the completed form. On your child’s regularly scheduled day, he/she will “shop” with their class for each person listed on their form. This will be an exercise in decision making and money handling. We will also be discussing the concept of thinking about others. All gifts will come home wrapped and tagged. Wrapping paper will be made by children.

Buy a Mr. Scott the Music Man’ CD or DVD for your child for the holidays!

Your children know and enjoy many of the songs when Mr. Scott visits The Peppermint Tree each month, and they can enjoy his music at home, too! His music get’s kids off the couch and movin’ & groovin’…just perfect for cold days when the kids are stuck inside.

We have the CD’s on sale at The Peppermint Tree at a special price of $10.00 each, and the DVD is $15.00. If you would like to order, just write me a note or send an email, call me, or stop in the office. You can pay in cash or by check made out to The Peppermint Tree. We will send you the CD or DVD home the next day. (We will wrap it up and sneak it into your child’s backpack if it is a surprise…just let me know if it is.) You can visit Mr. Scott’s website to listen to samples of the music and to decide which one you might like to purchase. www.mrscottmusicman.com

Holiday Cards for Soldiers

The children enjoyed making cards for the soldiers for the holidays. If you would like to do this at home with your children as well, you can find out about it at: http://redcrosschat.org/2011/11/03/holiday-mail-for-heroes-2011/

Class Lists

At the request of many parents, beginning in January we will publish a class list for each classroom, sharing the phone number and an email address of all those who would like to share this information with other families in your child’s class. This will help facilitate play dates and informal meet ups at playgrounds, etc. We will send home a permission slip for the class list participation soon. Please watch your child’s back pack for it.

December Calendar Notes

We will be closed for all children and staff on Monday, December 26th and Monday January 2, 2012. And, there are no classes December 27 – December 30, however we are open for child care on these days. If your child follows our Peppermint Tree calendar, this week of care is included in your monthly tuition. If your child follows the Toms River calendar, and you need child care during this week, please let the office know so we may save a space for your child, and adjust your bill for the additional day(s).

Inclement Weather

In case of snowy or icy conditions, please check our website announcement on the home page, or your email box for updates about school opening on these days. We also provide this information to WOBM radio and change our outgoing phone message. We make every effort to open, however the safety of our staff and families are our first concern. As a guideline, if The Toms River Public Schools have a delayed opening or are closed due to inclement weather, the earliest we will open is 8:30 a.m. This will give us time to get our driveway and walkways plowed, salted and sanded and determine if we will delay further or have to close for the day. There are no refunds or credits for inclemet weather closings.

Annual Flu Shots:

As per the State of New Jersey requirements, all children who attend Peppermint Tree who are under 5 years of age, must get an annual Flu shot, before December 31. Please send in proof of this vaccination for your child’s file.

Funds Raised from KidStuff Coupon Book Sale:

Thank you again for the wonderful support on this sale! Peppermint Tree raised $1000.00 and I wanted to report to you how the funds were spent. Most items were purchased while at the National Association for the Education of Young Children Convention in earlier November:

Books:

Twelve new books for the children: First Snow in the Woods, Small-Medium-Large, Not Fair Won’t Share, Cool Down and Work Through Anger, I’m Like You You’re Like Me, Sharing Time, Nap Time, Listening Time, Calm Down Time, I’m Not Happy, But Why Can’t I, My Name is Chicken Joe (Book & CD) Six New Resource Books for the teachers: Mandate for Playful Learning, Challenging Behavior in Young Children, Kindergarten Math Focus, Progression in Play for Babies and Children: Sound and Music and Movement and Beat, Kickstart Music Early Years (3-5 years).

Tegu Magnetic Wooden Blocks Set (Magnets inside the wood blocks makes these blocks an interesting challenge and allows for structures that stick together. The children love these!)

Coloratura Wood Blocks Set ( A “designer” set of colorful blocks that inspire creative building that looks beautiful!)

Capital and Lower Case Letter Stories, Dry Erase Flash Cards

“Bubber” – “The lightest sculpting material on earth.” (2 Tubs-only for those 4 years old or older)

My Very First Game: Feeling and Touching (try to identify shapes just by feeling them)

Magnatabs: Upper Case, Lower Case, Numbers & Free Play (these are intriguing toys to help children practice writing their numbers and letters, or to draw and hold the pencil. It uses magnets to guide the correct formation of the characters. Very fun to use!)

Glo Germ Kit: Handwashing Book & DVD for Children, Ultra Violet Light, Glo Germ Gel. This is a whole system to teach children about the proper way to wash germs from their hands.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!

Parent Reminders:

Label Everything. If item is not labeled, we may label it for you.
Mittens ONLY/ no gloves no scarves.
No strings on jackets or hoodies.
Dress your child in layers. We go outside every day that it is 32 degrees or higher, and not precipitating.
All children must go outside with their group. If a child is too sick to play outside, then they should stay home from school to rest.
For safety, please hold your child’s hand in our parking lot and when walking your child back and forth to your car in the pick up or drop off line.
At 11:30 and 2:00, in the pick up “line”, please don’t move your car if there are children and staff walking by. Please wait until they have passed, to assure safety. Also, please do not get out of your car if you get in the pick-up “line”. Wait for our staff to bring your child to you. If you need to get out of your car, please do not join the “line”.

We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!

P. S. One of our families has a few baby items they no longer need, and are willing to donate to a Peppermint Tree family that may want any or all of them: Chicco Travel System (Stroller and Car Seat) which is brown, beige and orange. A high chair and boys clothes up to 2 years. Just email me at val@pepperminttree.com if you are interested.

Valerie Frost-Lewis, MS, Ed. (“Miss Val”)

Owner/Director

November Newsletter

Valerie Frost-Lewis — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:33:48 +0000

Dear Families,

Thank you so much for supporting our school and your children by attending our October events. The children had a blast with their grandparents (or “grandparents for a day”) at the Pumpkin Picking Hayride event, and I am sure they will enjoy parading around in their costumes at our Halloween Parade. These are great opportunities to get to know one another and to share some treats together.

I also want to thank you for supporting our first fundraiser, the KidStuff Coupon Book sale. We raised $1,000.00 and have already purchased a special hand washing lesson kit that includes “glow germ gel” and a black light, so the children can see how well they have to wash to get all the germs off of their hands. There is also a book and DVD that goes along with the lesson. With cold and flu season upon us, hand washing is probably one of the most valuable lessons for the children! We still have $900.00 left over that will be used for special activities, equipment and materials, such as our Spring Chick hatching. Mr. Scott and I are heading to the National Early Childhood Education Conference in Florida this month, so I will be on the look out for the latest innovations to bring back for the children. I will continue to report to you what we purchase with the fundraising monies. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

We have another special event for families coming up, and we hope you will continue to participate! Please mark your calendars for our Thanksgiving Feast, Scheduled for Friday, November 18th at 6:30 p.m. To assure we plan accordingly, please RSVP for this event either by sending back the form that is being sent via email and paper, or simply email me with the number of adults and children that will attend. Email me at val@pepperminttree.com . We want to make sure we are prepared!

This year we hope to get the whole Peppermint Tree community involved in sending care packages to U. S. soldiers serving overseas. We are asking families to send in an item (or items) from the lists of the things the soldiers enjoy receiving. The lists will be sent out by email and paper. From Novemner 1st through the Thanksgiving Feast on November 18th, we are collecting the items, and Ms. Jennifer Raffo, a parent volunteer will be taking the items to the collection location for shipping to the soldiers. The children will also be making cards for the soldiers during school and the entire school will work on a banner to send to the soldiers from The Peppermint Tree. Please support this effort, and get your child involved in selecting items for the soldiers, so they can experience the spirit of giving.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. We are thankful for our Peppermint Tree families!

Sincerely,

“Miss Val”

Valerie Frost-Lewis, MS Ed.

Owner/Director

Toms River Schools will be closed Thursday, November 10th & Friday, November 11th

As with all school holidays, we do not hold classes on these days. However, we are open for our fun, recreational child care on these days. If your child follows the Toms River Schools calendar, your tuition does not cover attendance on these days. However, if you need child care, we can add your child for either or both of these days for a per day (or half day) fee. All children on The Peppermint Tree calendar are expected to attend – and your normal hours are prepaid for these days. Keep in mind that there will be a supplemental fee if your child is at Peppermint Tree for longer than regularly scheduled. (For example, before and after Kindergarten children are charged $15.00 per day for the additional time. Call the office with any questions.)

Toms River Schools have early dismissal on November 15th, 16th and 17th

School Ager tuition is based upon the usual number of hours your child is with us. Additional hours of care due to the early dismissal will be charged at $7.50 per hour or any part of an hour. This does not apply to students paying the before and after Kindergarten rate: it only applies to those who are charged based on scheduled hours.

Pre-K and Kindergarten Field Trip to Johnson’s Corner Farm Wednesday, 11/16 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Watch your backpacks for the permission slips if your child is in one of these classes. The children will be picking cotton, sweet potatoes and corn, and will see how a real farm operates. It is an enriching experience. Children must bring a brown bag lunch. Permission slip must be returned for participation. All Pre-K and Kindergarten children are invited to attend the field trip, whether they normally attend on Wednesday or not. Kindergarten children will not be back in time for the afternoon session bus, but please note due to school conferences it is a shorter session of public school that day. So please consider sending your Kindergarten child for this wonderful experience. Children are not required to attend and there will be a regular session at school for those who do not attend the field trip.

Our next Strengthening Families Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 11/15 at 6:00 p.m. We will be making last minute plans for the Thanksgiving Feast on 11/18 and planning more family fun events for ther rest of the school year. All parents/guardians and staff are welcome to attend. There is no charge for child care during this one hour meeting. Join us! The meetings are a fun and informal way to get to know other parents and the staff.

We will be CLOSED for the Thanksgiving Holiday, Thursday and Friday, November 24th & 25th. No classes or child care offered. Enjoy yourselves!!

Children’s ID Cards:

The Ocean County Sherriff’s Office will be at Peppermint Tree on Monday and Tuesday November 14th and 15th at 9:30 a.m. to create ID cards for each child, that include a photo and their fingerprints. Please watch your child’s backpack for a permission slip and a card to fill out the pertinent information that will be on the final ID Card. These cards will be sent home for your use, if needed in an emergency. No copy is kept by The Peppermint Tree or The Sherriff’s Department. If your child does not normally attend on a Monday or Tuesday, you may bring him/her in for the ID card project on either morning.

Parent reminders:

Check backpacks daily for information from the office or your child’s teacher and art projects from your child.
Label everything, especially jackets and sweatshirts!
Please send in an extra set of clothes for the cooler weather. We play outside every day as long as it is not raining or snowing or below 32 degrees F.