Hi Everyone,

The highlight of last week had to be our visit to Ioka Valley Farm on Thursday.  The children all did a great job riding the bus.  This was a first for many!  We would like to thank Amy and Stella for providing us with some delicious muffins, apples and fruit for a quick snack before we left.  Once we boarded the bus, it was time for a quick review of bus safety rules and Mr. Lee started the bus.  While at the farm, we went on a hayride that looked like a haunted house.  Uncle Don drove the tractor over to the pumpkin patch where we talked about the fact that seeds are many shapes and sizes and they need soil, water and light to grow.  We also went through the Alphabet Corn Maze.  The children were challenged to find the food that begins with the first letter in their names.  Our little group found Strawberries, Nectarines and Dates.  They even found “Vegetable Marrow” for Vincent, who was not able to join us.  Once we made our way through the maze, we were provided with bags and invited to select a pumpkin from the patch.  Once everyone was satisfied with their selections, we boarded the haunted house for the return trip.  Back at the farm yard, Missy, taught us how to hold our hand flat when feeding the goats.  Everyone was given a handful of feed.  We also saw guinea hens, turkeys, chickens, ducks, rabbits, pigs and a cat.  It was such a beautiful fall day, that we were able to have our lunch at the outdoor picnic tables.  We also had great fun playing on the playground which included a wooden tractor, swings, a troth equipped with water pumps, water and ducks, and a giant black tunnel slide.  We were more than ready for rest time when we finally arrived back on campus! Each child was also given an Ioka Farm Coloring Book.   Thank you to Sam, Kim and Amy for joining us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also did our first multi-step projects.  This project involved the children tracing around a pumpkin shape on orange paper and then cutting it out with scissors.  The next day the children decorated the pumpkins using glitter and oil pastels.  The final touch was cutting black strips of paper, folding them accordion style and gluing them on to the jack-o-lanterns for arms and legs.  We are calling them “Dancing Jack and Jackies.”  I’ve displayed them in our Berkshire Room for everyone to enjoy.  The children also made spooky drawings on black paper using the oil pastels.  We talked about how the colors “pop” when more pressure is used when working.

 

 

Fire Fighter Fred was our special guest from Letterland last week.  He was busy putting out a fire with foam in the Letterland Forrest.  On his page, we saw a fawn, some frogs and a fox running from the fire toward the farm.  The license plate on Fred’s truck is “FF 4554.”  With each new Letterland character, we learn a simple jingle to help us remember the sound that the letter makes.  These songs are popular requests when ever we have our dance parties.  This week we will meet “Golden Girl.”

On Friday, all of the Pre K children were able to join Lower School in attending a special assembly where we met Astronaut Daniel Burbank.  Captain Burbank shared a beautiful slideshow of his travels in space.  He also talked about what it was like to be an astronaut and how he came to be interested in doing so.  He ended his talk by taking questions and comments and sharing his personal motto: “Nothing I ever did in my life I did right the first time.  I always had to try again, so work hard, be good at what you do, and don’t give up.”  You can read more about his visit in Saturday’s Berkshire Eagle and My BCD.  We would like to be sure and thank Kim and James Taylor for making his visit possible.

We will celebrate Halloween on Wednesday, October 31st.  On this day, children are invited to wear their costumes to school.  Costumes should be easy to put on and allow children to move about freely.  Please do not send irreplaceable accessories, as we cannot ensure that they will return home in the same condition that they arrive.  We know that the children may have other events to attend.  In addition, please refrain from allowing children to bring any pretend weapons, masks, or overly scary costumes.  Weapons are against classroom policy and  masks hinder vision and coordination.

Our Class Parent, Amy Elmore will be helping us organize a Halloweeny lunch and treats for snacks and desserts.  If your child does not like macaroni and cheese, you are welcome to send a lunch.  A sign-up sheet is posted in the coat room.  We will have a “trick-filled” Morning Meeting and then we will go on our annual Halloween Parade around the BCD campus.  Parents are welcome to join us for the parade.  Once we return to the classrooms and we say good-bye to parents, we will have our own celebration with special Halloween activities.  Special treats will be served for snack time and after lunch.  Please be sure to send in a set of clothes in a labeled bag for your child to change into whenever he or she is ready.  This should be a fun-filled morning!

 

Important Reminders:

  • Preschool goes outdoors each day.  Please be sure children have sweaters or coats as the mornings are often chilly.
  • Please replenish extra clothes when necessary.  Children should have a full set of clothing, including socks, undergarments, shirts and pants. 
  • Leaving a sweatshirt or sweater for days that may be chilly indoors may help your child feel more comfortable.
  • It is a good idea for children who wear dresses to also wear shorts or leggings.
    Please be sure to send in a refillable drink container for us to fill with water.  In our efforts to be green, we try to refrain from using plastic cups.
  • Please be sure to send appropriate flatware in your child’s lunch.
  • Including a variety of snack items is encouraged for young growing children.
  • If your child needs to have an item warmed up, please be sure it is in a microwave safe container.
  • Leaving an extra pair of sneakers or other shoes in school is a good idea. 

Dates to remember:

Wednesday, October 31st, Preschool Halloween Celebration

Wednesday, November 7th, Field Trip to The Norman Rockwell Museum

Thursday, November 8th, Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, November 9th, No School for Preschool and Lower School, Parent/Teacher Conferences

Monday, November 12th, No School, Veteran’s Day

 

Warmly,

Ellie