October Newsletter
Dear Families,
Is it October already? How did that happen?
We have a lot of fun activities planned for October, too…everything from a Firetruck visit, to pumpkin picking at our very own on site “pumpkin patch”, and a Halloween parade! 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
As I wrote in our last Newsletter, our program is designed to assure each child gets a rich foundation of nurturing, brain building experiences. Our approach is to provide learning experiences in a Balanced Framework of Best Practices:
· Nature Connection
· Early Academics and the Arts
· Social Emotional Learning
· Creating Community
In this month’s newsletter, I am going to focus a bit on our approach to providing social-emotional learning, through our implementation of The Pyramid Model. As you may know, Peppermint Tree is the only school in Ocean County that was selected to partner with Montclair State University to receive coaching and training in Social Emotional Learning, to accomplish a school-wide implementation of The Pyramid Model.
The Pyramid Model is a positive approach that helps preschool children build social-emotional skills and learn how to manage their feelings and behavior.
It focuses on:
Building strong, caring relationships between children and adults.
Creating supportive classrooms with clear routines and expectations.
Teaching social-emotional skills, such as sharing, taking turns, expressing feelings, and solving problems.
Providing extra support for children who need additional help with challenging behaviors.
The goal is to help every child feel safe, supported, connected, and ready to learn.
Pyramid Model- an Approach for Both School and Home
One important aspect of the Pyramid Model approach at Peppermint Tree is our overall expectations that guide all members of our community. We teach and reinforce these with the children each day – and all throughout the day:
We are kind (“We share our toys because we are kind.”)
We are safe (“We use walking feet because we are safe.”)
We are respectful (“We listen to others while they are talking because we are respectful.”
We are problem solvers (‘We work together to find a solution because we are problem solvers.”)
These overall expectations can be used at home, too. This helps the children have consistency between home and school so they will more quickly acclimate to the rules and expectations at school. (For example, when a child is being demanding, you might say “We ask nicely by saying please when we need help, because we are respectful.”)
Families: Show us How Your Child is Kind, Safe, Respectful, or Problem Solving at Home!
We use pictures of the children all around the classrooms, showing them being safe, kind respectful, problem solvers at school. It is a great way to reinforce the expectations.
We would love to also post pictures of families using the overall expectations at home! Send in pictures of your family being safe, kind respectful or problem solvers, and we will post them on our hallway bulletin board!
Examples of the type of pictures we would love to see:
Your child playing nicely with a sibling, to be KIND
Your child holding a parent’s hand, to be SAFE
Your child working on a puzzle, to be a PROBLEM SOLVER
Your child listening to a story, to be RESPECTFUL
It would be great to display both home and school examples to show the children that these are great ways of being where ever they go!
Please email photos to Miss Val!
Home and School Connection
Each month, along with the newsletter, we send out a “Backpack” handout for parents, that helps to explain different aspects of The Pyramid Model Approach, and specific ways you can benefit from it at home. This month we are sending out a “Backpack” on Helping your child through Transitions between Activities and Places. I hope you find it helpful.
We are also sending home, each week by email, a resource from the “Growing Together” Series. These are also meant for parents, to give you some ideas on how Pyramid Model Approaches can be helpful at home.
We would love to hear any feedback from you on these resources.
Looking to Grow our Parent Involvement in our Pyramid Leadership Team
As a New Jersey Implementation site of the Pyramid Model, we have an internal leadership team that meets each month to analyze our progress toward the goals on our Implementation plan, and assure we are meeting the social emotional needs of the children. Our Pyramid Leadership Team welcomes parent participation. The Pyramid Leadership Team meets once a month on a Friday at 1:00 p.m. for one hour. If you may be interested in being a part of this team, please contact Miss Val so we can answer any questions and give you more details.
Thank you for taking the time to read about our Teaching Approach- this month’s focus on Social Emotional Learning. We will focus on Early Academics and the Arts in next month’s newsletter.
Activities and Calendar Updates:
Earth Friends continues Each Tuesday and Thursday
We are learning about the fabulous planet Earth, and going outside to explore it! We have also added a new element to our playground, a “Sound Garden”. This is an opportunity for children to explore their sense of hearing while outdoors on the playground. They love it!!
Please Note: Toms River Schools are Closed on Monday, October 12th: 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 childcare 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.
Miss Lisa from Peas and Carrots Music will be visiting each classroom on Wednesday October 13th!
The children are enjoying Miss Lisa as she sings, plays the guitar and engages the children in movement and instrument playing.
October 20th-23rd: 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 (no matter what day of the week they attend). We can’t wait to see their excited faces when they see the pumpkins!
Fire Prevention visit, Wednesday, October 21st 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. They will bring a Fire Truck and their equipment to show the children how to stay safe in a fire emergency.
Please join us for Our Next Parent Group Meeting: Wednesday, October, 21st at 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Please 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 also complete our Families Activity Survey, sent home via email and on paper – our Parent Group meeting on October 21st will be centered around looking at the results of this survey so we can plan activities that our community of families will benefit from.
Friday, October 30th – Halloween Parades: Families are welcome!!
Weather permitting, we will be holding a Halloween Parade on the morning of Friday, October 30th. Volunteer parents are planning a little Trunk or Treat in the parking lot, 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 your child does not normally attend on a Friday, you may bring them to participate in the parade. This is an awesome photo opportunity!!
The Fun Bus is returning for a Winter Session, starting in December
Soccer Shots Fall Season ends in November, and to replace it during the Winter months, we will be offering The Fun Bus, Fitness on Wheels! This will be a Tuesday afternoon Optional Activity at 2;00 p.m. Fun Bus Fitness on Wheels is a Peppermint Tree favorite, and they bring fun, engaging fitness activities, helping the children stay active, build healthy habits, and develop confidence while having a great time!
Reminders:
Every child in Preschool in NJ MUST have a flu shot by November 30th each school year. Please send in your child’s immunization update when this is completed.
Please HOLD YOUR CHILD’S HAND in the parking lot! We have a very active driveway, so we do not want any child to get hurt, if they happen to run off from you.
Please don’t leave minor siblings unattended in the car while you pick up or drop off your child, or unattended at any time.
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-especially once it starts to get cooler!
Afternoon Snack: If your child is here after 2:00 p.m. (or after 2:30 p.m. for Room D), your child needs to bring in an afternoon snack. Please label it “PM Snack”, so it is saved for later. Some children eat everything at lunch otherwise! If your child is here after 5:00 p.m., a second PM Snack should be packed as well.
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.
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!!
