December 2010
Observations
Dear Families and Friends,
As I look back at the month of November, I am especially aware of all that you, the Palisades Preschool Community, contribute toward the advancement of the mission and the intentions of our organization. Early in our school year, we created two primary intentions for ourselves and for the children: to collaborate to create or enhance our own– and the children’s–sense of place, through participation as a shared value. At our Back to Preschool nights, I passed along these words from Italian educators, Cagliari and Giudici (2001):”. . . Participation does not indicate simply the involvement of families in the life of the school. Rather, it is a value, an identifying feature of the entire experience, a way of viewing those involved in the educational process and the role of the school…”
The month of November included many examples of the commitment of our community to participation as a shared value. Beginning with the major effort undertaken by everyone who planned and attended the Silent Auction and followed by the work of the December Charity and Emergency Preparedness Committees, we ended the month with lovely Thanksgiving meals in each classroom. Additionally, several families were represented at our Nov. 17th Parent Meeting: The role of documentation in a Reggio inspired school. Hopefully, these kinds of opportunities are creating and enhancing the sense of place of the adults in our community. By becoming involved in the activities, events and dialogue, we develop a connection and a special feeling for our little school.
How does this translate to the children’s experience? They see and feel our presence and our interest. The family photos on the walls, parents’ relaxed and pleasant interactions with teachers and directors, our own familiarity with the site and the neighborhood, play-dates at the park, our interest in the documentation pieces that teachers create and share with us about the children’s explorations and projects– all endow children with a sense of belonging and a sense of their own connection to Palisades Preschool. During the coming weeks and, especially, when we return to school in January, we will continue to build on the fruits of our early collaboration this school year.
Warm wishes,
Nancy
Click on the links below or scroll down for this month’s topics:
- The Role of Documentation in a Reggio Inspired School
- Emergency Preparedness at PPS
- Family Donations
- Pardee Realty Company
- PPS Water Bottle Sale
- Holiday Celebrations
- December Songfest
- Holiday Wish List
- December Charity Initiatives
- Preschool Mission Statement
The Role of Documentation in a Reggio Inspired School
Selected slides from the presentation shared with families at the November 17th Parent Meeting will soon be included in a panel for the hallway. The Small Group Stories and other documentation that teachers spend a great deal of time and effort preparing each week are essential to our work and to our community’s understanding of that work. We encourage you to read the Stories available each week and to stop and take time to read and reflect upon the text and photos presented in the panel. Thank you!
Emergency Preparedness at PPS
Thanks to the collaboration of our Emergency Prep. Committee members, the two bins located inside the preschool are being restocked with fresh supplies—as well as additional new items, including more emergency medical supplies. In addition to the items in each bin, the preschool maintains a reserve of bottled water. Additionally, each classroom has a backpack that includes family emergency phone numbers and the names of individuals to whom we would release children in the event of a disaster or an emergency. Please double-check with Karen that we have your current information on file.
We hold monthly fire drills during which we practice exiting our building with the children, with all classes convening outside in the play area. This month we will practice what to do in the event of an earthquake, advising children to drop and to cover their heads (as suggested by the American Red Cross). Please take a look at the PPS Parent Handbook for more information regarding evacuation procedures. We hope and pray that we will never have the occasion to use our emergency supplies or to follow our emergency procedures, but we must, of course, prepare as best we can.”Thank you,” to the parents on our committee: Olga Lavinthal, Keirstin Uomoto, Farnoosh Zamani, Lisa Owens, Kim Egan, Bryan Haas and Emily Chase.
Family Donations
We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to all of the families who have made a donation of $400 or more to our preschool. Your generosity makes a big difference in our work, helping us to provide a high quality preschool experience for all of our children. Thank you. After the first of the year, Karen will be preparing letters for tax purposes, verifying your donations to our nonprofit organization.
Pardee Realty Company
Last month we received a $1,000 donation from Tami Pardee following her sale of the home of one of our families. As part of her Giving Back program and at the request of the Jamet-Kuhne Family, Tami donated a percentage of her profit to PPS. She has offered to continue this practice when any of our families use her service in the successful sale of their home. We thank Tami–and Avery’s parents, Laura and Shawn–for their support of our preschool!
PPS Water Bottle Sale
Our Green Committee is planning to sell our PPS adult and child water bottles on Wed., Dec. 8th and on Wed., Dec. 15th. The water bottles make practical and eco friendly holiday gifts!
Holiday Celebrations
Please be sure to check the Celebration Sign-up if you are interested in sharing the traditions observed in your home with the children and teachers in your child’s class. Food, stories, special holiday items, and music are all examples of ways to celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa in the classroom. Try to collaborate with teachers about dates, times, and plans—and let them know if you are planning to prepare or serve food so that they can advise you regarding food allergies. We ask that there be no parties or decorations for these holidays and that you try to avoid Thursday, Dec. 16th in planning to share your holiday tradition. These celebrations are a wonderful way for parents (and relatives) to participate in the life of the preschool.
December Songfest
We invite all families to join our music teacher, Parker Bent, PPS teachers and children in the Parish Hall for our annual Songfest on Thursday, Dec. 16th. We plan to sing a few holiday songs as well as some of the children’s favorite songs that they enjoy every Thursday with Parker and their teachers. The Cherry Blossom and Rosemary room Songfest will start at about 9:15 a.m., to be followed by a social time — with holiday cookies– from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.. The Dandelion and Sunflower room Songfest is planned for 10:15 a.m., also to be followed by a time to gather and enjoy refreshments. We will say”good-by” to families by about 11:00. We hope that you will be sure to attend!
December 16th is our last day of school before Winter Break. The children will have lunch at school and we will follow our regular dismissal times. The preschool will be closed on Dec. 17th and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 3rd, 2011.
Holiday Wish List
Two of our h/p laptop computers are showing signs of heavy use. . .We would like to purchase new Mac’s to replace them. Santa, help!
December Charity Initiatives
The Westside Food Bank and Connections for Children join us in expressing our appreciation to all families who are participating in our December Food and Toy Drives.”Thank you,” December Charity Committee Members: Cynthia Korman, Stephanie Scott, Kelli Haas and Mary Nadler.
Preschool Mission Statement
Our mission is to serve our community by offering a preschool experience for children and families that celebrates diversity, creativity and kindness. These values are embedded within a rich child-centered curriculum that provides individuals and groups with opportunities to investigate, explore and express themselves through meaningful play.