September newsletter
Dear Families,
Our school year is off to a fabulous start: the children are making new friends, learning their new routines, and enjoying the lessons and classroom activities.
Please read this newsletter to stay “in the loop” about our upcoming activities, announcements, and reminders. September and October activities are included in this newsletter since we have so many events on the calendar – this way you can mark your calendar. There will likely be updates before the next newsletter, which we will send out to you either by email or on the ProCare app.
Let’s have a great School Year together.
Valerie Frost-Lewis, MS Ed. (“Miss Val”)
Owner/Director
Please join us for Back to School Night – Thursday, September 11th, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Parents, students and siblings are welcome to attend!
We will start on our playground! We will bring small groups at a time into the classroom for a visit. If it is rainy, we will limit classroom visits to 15 minutes to limit the group size at one time.
Two Optional Afternoon Activities are being Offered!
Soccer Shots on Wednesday afternoons at 2:00 p.m., and Wee Can Dance on Thursday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. are both wonderful options if you are looking to add special activities to your child’s week. Both programs have been Peppermint Tree FAVORITES through the years – and we are excited to offer both of these great activities for your children. Both programs are offering online sign ups. Here are the links. Sign up today to save a spot for your child:
Soccer Shots: https://oceancountysnj.soccershots.com/search?loc=86
Wee Can Dance: https://app.thestudiodirector.com/weecandance/portal.sd?page=Login
Classes for these programs start the week of 9/15/25.
A free demo of Soccer Shots is being offered starting at 10:00 a.m. for each classroom on Wednesday, September 10th, and a Free Demo of Wee Can Dance is being offered to each classroom starting at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 11th.
Hand Washing Lesson to be provided by a Visitor from the Ocean County Health Department on Monday, September 15th starting at 9:30 a.m.
We will be welcoming a visitor form the Ocean County Health Department to provide all the children in attendance that day with a special lesson about Hand Washing. Each class will participate. Children will learn about germs, and why, how and when we need to wash our hands.
Earth Friends is back!
We are excited to have been the pilot school for the now expanding, earth science program, Earth Friends, developed by Peppermint Tree parent, Janna Hockenjos. “Miss Janna” will be visiting the Preschool and PreK classrooms each Tuesday, and the teachers will also be following through with activities and lessons throughout the week. We will also be keeping you in the loop with information for families on what we are learning, so you can extend the learning at home. Each Module of the program has a family celebration – so stay tuned!! Earth Friends starts Tuesday, September 16th.
Please join us for Our First Parent Group Meeting: Wednesday, September 17th at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom
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 every month, 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.
Toms River Schools are Closed on the following days in September and October: Tuesday, September 23rd, Thursday, October 2nd, Monday October 13th: There is no school at Peppermint Tree for those following the Toms River Schools calendar on these days.
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. We will be combining children from the two PreK classes with any school age children who attend, into one group on these days. We will also combine Early Learners and Preschool class children.
If you follow the Toms River Schools calendar, we will not be expecting your child on these days. But, if you need childcare, 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.
School Portraits are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, September 24th & 25th
The photos will be taken outdoors. If the weather is not good, we will have a make-up day. If your child does not attend on a Wednesday or Thursday, and you would like to have their picture taken, please call the office to set up a time for you to bring your child in for a photo. If your child attends both days, we will plan to get the photo done on the Wednesday. The photo sitting is free and there is no obligation to purchase photos. The proofs will be available within a few weeks of the photo shoot, and you will be provided information to place your order online if you would like to purchase any photos. We will take sibling groupings and classroom group photos in addition to individual portraits.
Mr. Scott the Music Man will be visiting each classroom on Tuesday, September 30th, and then again on Wednesday, October 29th! (He visits us monthly.)
Mr. Scott the Music Man brings music, movement and joy, as he has the children giggling, moving and grooving each month! We love it when Mr. Scott visits!
Sign Up to Bring in Lunch Time Milk for your Child’s Class
As you may know, we serve water all day, and milk with lunch. We ask the parents to take turns sending in the lunch time milk for their child’s classroom. We ask for a gallon of 1% organic milk to be sent in when it is your turn. We have an online sign-up form, and send the link out to families via email. Please sign up, if you have not yet done so! If your child does not drink cow’s milk, we don’t expect you to participate in sending in milk, but please do send in an alternate type of milk for your child each week or two, that we can keep for your child in the refrigerator. Please label it with your child’s name.
Introducing The Pyramid Model and Peppermint Tree’s “Overall Expectations” for our community members (children, staff and families)
Peppermint Tree is proud that we are the only center in Ocean County to have been selected by the State of NJ to work with Montclair State University to implement The Pyramid Model at our center, which is an approach to develop and build children’s social and emotional skills and capacities. Our staff has in depth training on how to prepare the classrooms and teach children about their emotions, how to be a super friend, and how to solve problems.
As a part of our Pyramid Model Implementation, we have adopted “Overall Expectations” that we teach the children, and base our classroom rules upon. You can use them at home, too, if you agree, which will help give your child a consistent experience between home and school.
Overall Expectations:
We are Safe
We are Kind
We are Respectful
We are Problem Solvers
Each of the classroom rules, tie back to one of the expectations - for example: “We use listening ears because we are respectful”. Our classroom rules are posted with visuals in each classroom. At home, you can use this concept, too. For example, “We share with our siblings because we are kind.”
Watch for updates: Fire Truck visit, coordinating a date in October
In honor of Fire Prevention Week (Week of October 6th), and to teach the children about Fire Safety, we are working to have a presentation and demonstration by Toms River fire fighters who will bring a Fire Truck for the children to see.
Week of October 20th: 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 20th (no matter what day of the week they attend). We can’t wait to see their excited faces when they see the pumpkins!
Friday, October 31st – Halloween Parades at 10:00 a.m. - Families are welcome!!
Weather permitting, we will be holding a Halloween Parade on the morning of Friday, October 31st, at 10:00 a.m. followed by a little playground fun with the families. 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!!
Flu Shots
Every child attending preschool, who is 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.
Accident Report Procedure
Please note that if your child gets a bump, bruise, or scrape, etc., we will note it on an accident report, and ask the parent to sign it at the end of the day. Parents only should sign this report, unless the parent has provided alternate permission. If there is any bump to the head or face we will call or message you via ProCare you at the time of the accident, as well.
Reminders:
Please do NOT park in front of our building where the curb is painted YELLOW. This is an active bus stop – we have school busses that come and go all day!
Please return all paperwork, including medical forms, etc. if not already completed
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.
Label everything: backpacks (on the OUTSIDE – in LARGE PRINT), lunch bags (on the OUTSIDE), jackets, sweaters, all clothes, etc.
Send in an extra set of clothes, including socks (More than one set of clothes and sneakers if child is potty training.)
