Winter Weather!

November 15, 2018

Dear PreK Families,

Winter weather is here! We go outside each day for recess unless it is raining or below 10 degrees F, or a windchill below 10 degrees F. Your child needs snow gear to play outside. Please send in snowpants, boots, a jacket, hat and mittens. Mittens are much easier for preschoolers to put on independently. Please label your child’s snow gear. We have snow gear that children can borrow if they forget their items at home, but most children prefer to wear their own.

You may leave a pair of indoor shoes at school in your child’s cubby, so that there is one less thing to pack.  Also, please check your child’s change of clothes to make sure that it is weather appropriate.

If there is bad weather, school may be delayed or cancelled. If there is a delay in school, there will be no AM PreK. The superintendent’s office will send out an automatic call early in the morning. Delays and cancellations are also posted on WCAX.

If your child will need a utensil for their snack, please send one in their snack bag.

REMINDER: The Thanksgiving feast is on Tuesday and there is a time change so that all PreK students may eat lunch together.

AM: 10:15 to 1:00

PM: 11:45 to 2:30

Picture retake day has been rescheduled to November 30th.

Thank you,

Mrs. Zayas & Mrs Paronto

November News

November 6, 2018

Dear PreK Families,

Thank you to all of the families who were able to attend conferences.  It is so nice to have the time to
meet with all of you. We really enjoy having your children in the PreK classroom.

We finished our integrated unit on weather. The students kept track of the daily weather in a journal
and we recorded our daily weather on the calendar. We also read many nonfiction and fiction books
about weather, including Who Likes Rain? By Wong Herbert Yee, Rain by Marion Dane Bauer, and
Clouds by Marion Dane Bauer. We also read, It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw, and then
we made our own class book based on the story. We discussed what type of clothes we should wear
in different types of weather. We did science experiments on how to make a cloud rain and how to
create a mini cloud. The links to the experiments can be found here.

Rain Cloud Cloud in a Jar

The students really enjoyed our study of the season of fall and pumpkins.  We read books by Lois
Ehlert, Leaf Man and Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf. We did a nature walk outside and collected items from
nature. We also did a class science project on why leaves change color.

At the end of last month, we read Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jean Titherington and Go Away, Big Green

Green Monster by Ed Emberly. The children really loved learning the The Five Little Pumpkins Song
and making their mini book too.  Thank you to Elliott O’Hara in the AM Class and her family who
donated two pumpkins that they grew in their garden. Pumpkin tapping was a big hit. The children
took turns to tap wooden pegs into the pumpkin with small hammers. Many children helped to carve
our class pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Mrs. Paronto baked some seeds at home and brought
them in for a taste test at snack.

Currently, we are working on lessons about transportation. After the Thanksgiving break we will be
doing work around gingerbread.

We are moving along in our letter work and the students have been introduced to all of the letters
from A to K. You can reinforce this work at home by noticing letters when you are out and talking
about the letters in your child’s name.

The PreK teachers will have In-service on 11/16, the date that is scheduled for school picture
retakes.  PreK parents may come into school that day with their child and have their picture taken
between 8:30 and 11:30.  Please bring in your child’s pictures if you are having a retake done. Or,
just bring in your form if your child missed picture day. You may also register and pay on-line.

11/20 AM Class 10:15 to 1:00 pick up from the gym

         PM Class 11:45 to 2:30 pick up outside

This month there is also a special all school activity, the WRS Thanksgiving Feast. All of the students
and staff eat a turkey dinner in the gym on Nov. 20th. Our schedule is different that day so that all of
the PreK students can eat together with their teachers. The AM class will come to school late that day
and stay late.  The PM class will come a little bit early and will be picked up a little bit early. The meal
consists of turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, applesauce, squash, stuffing, cornbread, cranberry sauce,
and gravy. Your child may have milk or water to drink. Please send a home lunch if your child will not
eat the Thanksgiving lunch. Also, our PreK class is responsible for donating applesauce to the feast.
Please send in a jar of applesauce with your child. Thanks you for your help!

Thank you,

Mrs. Zayas & Mrs. Paronto

IMPORTANT DATES

11/12 No School Veteran’s Day

11/16 No PreK EEE InService

11/16 Picture Retake Day

11/20 Thanksgiving Feast

11/21-23 No School Thanksgiving Holiday