Dear Families,

What a rainy start to October!  We can’t wait to see you at our re-scheduled Back to School Nights – which each begin with a Playground meetup for children and families of each classroom to have the opportunity to connect.  See below for the new dates for our Back to School Nights.

We have a lot of fun activities planned for October…everything from a Firetruck visit, to pumpkin picking at our very own on site “pumpkin patch”, to a visit from Mr. Scott the Music Man and Halloween parades!  It’s going to be a super fun and action packed month at The Peppermint Tree!  Read on to learn all about our activities for the month.

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

Owner/Director

Toms River Schools are Closed on Wednesday, October 5th:  There is no school at Peppermint Tree for those following the Toms River Schools calendar, and we provide child care for those following the Peppermint Tree calendar.

On the days Toms River Schools are closed, for those of you who are registered for our Peppermint Tree calendar, we are open and we will be expecting your child to attend.

If you follow the Toms River calendar we will not be expecting your child on these days. But, if you need child care on these days,  please call the office and we can arrange to care for your child, on a space available basis. You will be billed for the care on a per day basis.

On these “Child Care Days” the Early Learners and Preschool class children are together in the Early Learner’s classroom (front right door), and the two PreK classes and any school age children who attend will be together in Room A, which can be found at the back left door.  Also, not all staff work on these days – please prepare your child for these changes.

Please join us for Back to School Nights for each classroom – which will each start out on our playground!  (Parents, students and siblings are welcome)  Please see below for the NEW RAIN DATES:

• Miss Liz’s, Miss Ashley’s & Miss Angelina’s Preschool Class – Thursday, October 6th, 5:30-6:30 p.m.  (In the front half of the playground.)
• Miss Debbie’s & Mrs. Brazil’s PreK Class (Room D) – Thursday, October 6th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. (In the back half of the playground)
• Miss Alyssa’s, Miss Robyn’s & Miss Connie’s Early Learners Class – Thursday, October 13th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. (In the mini play park)
• Mrs. Hamilton’s & Miss Sharon’s PreK Class (Room A) – Thursday, October 13th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. (Meet in the front part of the playground)

Fire Truck visit, Wednesday, October 19th at 10:00 a.m.

In honor of Fire Prevention Week, and to teach the children about Fire Safety, we will have a presentation and demonstration by Toms River fire fighters who will bring a Fire Truck for the children to see.  If your child does not normally attend on a Wednesday, you are welcome to being your child at 10:00 a.m. to watch the presentation and see the truck.  We will be meeting out in the parking lot – all classrooms at the same time.  (Each classroom will stay with their group.) (Please park on the street-we will be blocking off the driveway.)

Week of October 24th: Peppermint Tree Pumpkin Patch

Peppermint Tree is purchasing small pumpkins which will be placed in our circle to create a “pumpkin patch”.  All children will have a chance to go out to the patch and pick a pumpkin with their classroom during the week of October 24th (no matter what day of the week they attend).  We can’t wait to see their excited faces when they see the pumpkins!

Please join us for Our Next Parent Group Meeting: Thursday, October, 27th at 8:00 p.m. via Zoom.  Also – sign up to participate in the “Class Contact List” and complete the “Families Activities Survey”

We invite all parents/guardians to attend our Parent Group Meeting via Zoom.  (Zoom link to be sent later.) This is your opportunity to meet with Miss Val, and to meet other parents to work together to create the community we want for our children and families.  We plan activities, parent workshops, and provide valuable feedback to the school director to assure we are meeting your needs.

Please be on the lookout for an opportunity to sign up for the “Class Contact List”, sent out via email.  We don’t share your contact information without permission, but our parent group (thanks to parent, Caroline Brittain) is sponsoring a contact list to share, for those who want to participate.  If you choose to participate, other families will be able to contact you to get together for playdates, birthday parties, etc.

Please also complete our Families Activity Survey, sent home via email – our Parent Group meeting on October 27th will be centered around looking at the results of this survey so we can plan activities that our community of families will benefit from.

Mr. Scott the Music Man will be visiting each classroom on Friday October 28th!

Mr. Scott the Music Man brings music, movement and joy, as he has the children giggling, moving and grooving!  We love it when Mr. Scott visits!

Monday, October 31st – Halloween Parades: Families are welcome!!

Weather permitting, we will be holding a Halloween Parade for each class, on the morning of Monday, October 31st, followed by a little playground fun with the families.  We have a little goodie bag of Halloween surprises for each child, too!  Each child should wear their costume to school that day, and bring a full set of clothes to change into.  Please note: We do not allow weapons or masks that cover the child’s face.  If you child does not normally attend on a Monday, you may bring them to participate in their classroom parade.  This is an awesome photo opportunity!!   Here is the planned schedule-adults please plan to stay just 25 minutes, so we can stay on our schedule:

• 9:45 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. – Miss Alyssa’s Early Learners Class
• 10:15 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. -Miss Liz’s Preschool Class
• 10:45 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. – Mrs. Hamilton’s PreK Room A
• 11:15 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. – Miss Debbie’s & Mrs. Brazil’s PreK Room D

Reminders:

• Label everything: backpacks (on the OUTSIDE – in LARGE PRINT), lunch bags (on the OUTSIDE), jackets, sweaters, all clothes, etc.
• Send in a weather appropriate extra clothes in your child’s backpack-it’s getting cooler!
• Please check your child’s backpack each day and remove papers and art work sent home from school.
• Please send your child to school wearing sneakers on their feet…these are the safest on the playground.
• Every child under the age of five MUST have a flu shot between September 1st and December 31 each school year. Please send in your child’s immunization update when this is completed.
• Please drive SLOWLY in our driveway and parking lot.
• While dropping off at the two front doors, please avoid pulling up beyond the front edge of our building in our driveway – that blocks the driveway entrance too much.  Also, do not park in the front where the yellow curb is-that is a school bus stop.  Please pull beyond the yellow curb.  Thank you!!