June 15, 2026 

Dear PreK Families, 

We have had a wonderful year in PreK. The students have all had so much growth and development it is amazing to see. 

We had a fun visit to the HACTC for the Teddy Bear Clinic put on by the Health Sciences students and staff. The class also loved riding the school bus there and back. 

In May we learned about the lifecycle of turtles. Ms. Laurie from VINS came to teach us about turtles and brought Turt the Turtle with her. Turt is over 50 years old!. We read many books on the topic including: Old Turtle by Douglas Wood and One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies. 

We raised Painted Lady caterpillars in the classroom and then set them free in the garden when they hatched from their cocoons. The students were very interested in the process of metamorphosis. We kept journals on their development and did many art and craft projects. We read many books including: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Butterflies by Melvin and Gilda Berger, Farfallina and Marcel by Holly Keller, The Butterfly by Anna Milbourne and Cathy Shimmen, The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent, and Percival the Plain Little Caterpillar by Helen Brawley. 

In May, we worked on an insect unit in Math to explore symmetry; sequence events; order numbers; compare sets; create different combinations of 4, 5, and 6; and practice addition doubles. In June, we conducted sink and float experiments, made and tested load bearing boats, modeled and solved story problems, explored the idea of counting on, and learned two new board games.

This week, you will also receive your child’s Teaching Strategies Gold report card. Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Field Day will be tomorrow, on Tuesday, June, 16th. We will play indoor and outdoor games that day. We will still have lunch and rest time in the classroom. Please send your children in clothing that can get wet and apply sunscreen before school. They can wear swim shirts and or lightweight shorts, but no bathing suits please. Your child can also bring a towel and a change of clothes.  

The last day of PreK will be Wednesday, June 17th. It is an early release day. Please pick up your child at 12:30. 

Please fill out this google survey on the WRS PreK program. 

I hope that you all have fun and relaxing summer breaks. I will see many of you back in the fall for another year of PreK. Other students are ready for the challenges of Kindergarten in the fall. 

Thank you, 

Amy 

IMPORTANT DATES 

6/16 Field Day

6/17 LAST DAY for PreK & Early Release at 12:30

 May 7, 2026

Dear PreK Families, 

The class had a great visit with Blue the Hawk during Read on the Beach day last month.

Last month we completed a unit on physical science. We read several books including Magnets by Angela Royston, Magnets, Pulling Together, Pushing Apart by Natalie Rosinsky, Magnets by Peter Riley, The Planets by Gail Gibbons, The Solar System by Melvin and Gilda Berger, Rock On by CJ McDonald,  Volcanoes by Sara Gilbert, Disaster Zone Volcanoes by Cari Meister. First, we conducted experiments on magnetism. Then we studied what the Earth is made of and went on a search for rocks from the playground. Then we painted the rocks and put them in the garden.

In April, we also completed a unit on communities. We discussed things that were important in a community too, such as homes, schools, roads, playgrounds and parks, rivers, police stations, hospitals, and stores. Then we made maps of our bedrooms, our school and we made a big map of our community. As a class we have discussed jobs and how people do work in the community. Then students will think about what jobs they want to do when they get older. During this unit, we read many books including: My Map Book by Sara Fanelli, Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney,   Where Are You Going Manyoni? by Catherine Stock, Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann, and Guess Who? by Margaret Miller. 

Currently, we are studying weather. Last week, we kept track of the daily weather in a mini weather journal. We also read several books including, Shapes in the Sky by Jospeha Sherman, Clouds by Marion Dane Bauer, Rain by Marion Dnae Bauer, Weather by Catriona Clarke, Lightening by Jeff Bauer, Rain by Manya Stojic. We even made a class book based on It Looked Like Spilt Milk byCharles G. Shaw. We have conducted several experiments to make rain in the classroom. A fun one was to make rain in a jar, which can be done with a few simple things and we made wind socks to use outside. 

 

This month in math, we have just begun working on an insect unit to explore symmetry; sequence events; order numbers; compare sets; create different combinations of 4, 5, and 6; and practice addition doubles.

We have finished learning how to write the uppercase letters and have been practicing writing our names. 

Our caterpillars in a cup just arrived so that we can study the life cycle of the painted lady butterfly in May. 

Thank you, 

Amy 

IMPORTANT DATES

5/14 Teddy Bear Clinic Field Trip to the HACTC

5/15 NO PREK K-5th field trip to Boston 

5/18 ECP  NO PreK - ECP In-Service

5/25 NO SCHOOL Memorial Day 

5/26 Kindergarten visit (for students who are attending Kindergarten at WRS next year) 

5/29 VINS - Turtles

 March 27, 2026

Dear PreK Families, 

Thank you for coming in for Parent Teacher Conferences. It’s always nice to share what is going on in the classroom with families. 

This month we have been busy, beginning with a fairy tale and folktale unit. We read The Three Little Pigs, Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. We read different versions of each story and did retelling activities with figurines. We had a class vote and most students liked The Three Billy Goats Gruff the best. 

The students enjoyed St. Patrick’s Day in the classroom. We even had some leprechauns visit and they made some mischief when we were out of the room. 

Currently we are learning about science topics including magnetism. We have been using magnets to do experiments and play games. Next we will focus on the Earth and Moon and space. 

We also had a visit from VINS. Our educator brought an American Kestrel and taught us about birds of prey. It was a fascinating show that we saw with the Kindergarteners. Next month, VINS will return to teach us about turtles. VINS is having an Owl Festival on April 25th for people interested in learning more about owls and their habitats. Check their calendar for other family friendly events during the month of April as well. 

In math, we have been doing work in a robot unit in which we learned about shapes, sorting, patterning, counting, solving story problems, and collecting data. The students are playing many math games, working with partners, reading stories, and having discussions about these topics. 

We are half way through learning how to write the uppercase letters and should be finished shortly after the April break. 

Thank you, 

Amy 

IMPORTANT DATES

3/30 NO PREK ECP In-Service

4/13 NO PREK ECP In-Service

4/20-4/24 Spring Break- NO SCHOOL

5/1 VINS - Turtles lesson

5/15 NO PREK K-5th field trip to Boston 

5/18 ECP  NO PreK - ECP In-Service

5/25 NO SCHOOL Memorial Day 

5/26 Kindergarten visit (for students who are attending Kindergarten at WRS next year) 

February News

 February 10, 2026

Dear PreK Families, 

VINS came to visit the classroom today to teach the students about bears. We had a puppet show, songs, and many hands on activities.

 

In literacy, we have started learning how to write the uppercase letters of the alphabet. We will work on 2-3 letters each week and be finished in April. If your child is writing at home, please remind them to use the pincer grip and to write from the top to the bottom. We use the Fundations PreK Activity Set for letter instruction. 

On Friday, we will celebrate Valentine’s Day in our class with a card exchange and a special snack. Please prepare cards at home for your child to pass out to classmates. There are 11 students. You can just have your child sign their name if they know how to do so, or an adult can write for them. You do not need to label them with each person’s name. 

In math this month the topic is bears. Using the bear theme, we are working on counting sets, reading and writing numerals, showing and solving addition problems, sorting and patterning, and graphing. 

On Friday, February 20th we will have pajama day and a Teddy Bear Party. Your child may wear pajamas to school. Please choose pjs that will fit under snow clothes and that your child can wear shoes with. Please choose a bear that can fit inside your child’s backpack. We will do several math activities with our bears. On that day the students can also play with their bears during centers and sleep with them at nap time. 

A sign-up sheet for PTC will come out next week, so look for that in your email. 

Thanks, 

Amy 

IMPORTANT DATES

2/13 Valentine’s Day Card Party

2/16 NO PreK - ECP In-Service

2/23-3/2 Winter Break- NO SCHOOL

3/3 Town Meeting Day - Teacher In-Service NO SCHOOL

3/19 Early Release at 12:30 for PTC

3/20 NO SCHOOL - PTC

3/25 VINS Show for PreK & Kindergarten - Bids of Prey

3/30 NO PreK - ECP In-Service

January News

 January 26, 2026

Dear PreK Families, 

December was a busy and short month for us. The highlight was reading a variety of gingerbread man stories and then baking our own gingerbread man. And he ran away just like in the books. Thankfully we searched the school and found him in the teacher’s room. Then we brought him back to class and ate him up for snack. We are making a class book about our adventure. 

We also had our make up lesson with Miss Laurie from VINS. We learned about pulleys and did many hands-on activities with her materials. 

This month, we have been working hard on writing the numbers 1-10 and are finishing with our number books. You should see them come home in your child’s backpack soon. We begin writing uppercase letters next. We will work on about 2-3 a week and we will finish by April. 

We began the month learning about the season of winter and snow. We did many hands-on activities, craft projects, open art time, and science experiments about snow. We read many books, including: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, Snowman’s Big Job by Janet Kusmierski, Snow by Cynthia Rylant. Next, we will be studying animals in winter. 

Your child will have received a Passport to Winter Fun  booklet by the Upper Valley Trails Alliance. If you would like to participate in the program, you can fill in the booklet with the winter activities that your child does and then return it to school.  If you have an older child at WRS, the older child got the booklet and you can fill it out as a family. 

Next month, we will celebrate Valentine’s Day in our class on February 13th. We will have a card exchange and a special snack. Please prepare cards at home for your child to pass out to classmates. There are 11 students. You can just have your child sign their name if they know how to do so, or an adult can write for them. You do not need to label them with each person’s name. 

Please do not park in the back parking lot (unless you have permission from Mr. Kussius) or in the bus loop when dropping off or picking up your preschool. Please remind caregivers of this policy as well. 

Thank you, 

Amy 

IMPORTANT DATES

2/16 NO PreK - ECP In-Service

2/13 Valentine’s Day Card Party

2/23-3/2 Winter Break- NO SCHOOL

3/3 Town Meeting Day - Teacher In-Service NO SCHOOL