A Note from The Directors Dear Interfaith Families, March 2017 Can you believe it’s almost spring? This has been an incredible school year and we have had the great pleasure of watching your children learn and grow this year. We are looking forward to all of the fun projects and activities that will take place these next few months.

We had a successful month of registration in February. Thank you for registering your children for summer and the upcoming school year. We still have some openings for our summer camps, so please stop by the office if you’d like to register your child for a camp session.

Our amazing Parent’s Club has been hard at work planning and preparing for this year’s Family Night and Silent Auction, “A Party in the Garden.” It will be held on Friday, March 31st from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. We will have games set up for our children and families to enjoy and wonderful baskets and items on which to bid. The auction is ICDC’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and the money raised through this event goes back into the school. The funds are used to purchase educational materials for the classrooms and larger items such as play and shade structures for the playgrounds. The Parent’s Club also uses some of the money raised to support your child’s teachers through tokens of appreciation and support with their professional development. Our Family Night and Silent Auction is truly an extraordinary event, and we hope you will make plans to attend on March 31st.

We are happy to welcome Martha Klie, Director of School, to ICDC. Here is a note from Martha:

Hi! My name is Martha Klie and I am delighted to have joined Interfaith Child Development Center as the new Director. I was born and raised in Lima, Peru, where my family lives. I have been living in The Woodlands for 17 years and I absolutely love this community. My daughter Sammy is 13 years old and goes to McCullough and my son Nate is 11 and goes to St. Anthony where we are very involved in the church as well. For a little over nine years, I was Music Director, Co-Director as well as Languages Teacher at another private school in The Woodlands. After spending the last few years in upper management at a global logistics company, I decided it was time to come back to my home community and to a school environment working with children. I have run a handful of half marathons, 10 for Texas, and I enjoy spending time with my children, listening to music, cooking or reading. I am very excited to become a part of the Interfaith family and be able to make a difference in your children’s life!

Please stop by the front office to welcome Martha to ICDC! Thank you for entrusting us with your children. We are truly grateful to you for your continued support.

Kindest regards, Martha Klie Lisa Whittle

ICDC Newsletter 1 Health & Safety

I would like to take a moment to discuss a common parasite called “Pediculus Capitis” AKA head lice. It is nothing to be embarrassed about because anyone can get head lice. In fact, they prefer a cleaner scalp to feed on and cleaner hair to lay their eggs on. Lice are a yellowish brownish color and about the size of a sesame seed. They feed on blood from the scalp and they cannot survive longer than about 24 hours without blood. Eggs, or nits, laid by adult females, are tightly cemented to the side of hair shafts. Lice spread primarily from head-to-head direct contact. They cannot jump or fly, but they do move very fast. They almost always are not seen because when you part the hair they run from the light. It is not unusual to have lice but only be able to see the nits (eggs) on the hair shaft. Also, our pets cannot contract head lice.

• What effects can lice have on people? Lice does not cause any kind of disease. Symptoms include itching and scratching especially at the nape of the neck and behind the ears, where they like to lay their eggs. Possible red marks might be seen on the scalp and infected sores could occur from scratching or excessive bites. • What do “Nits” look like? Usually an ivory tear drop shaped egg that sticks to the hair shaft. It cannot be flicked off like dandruff and it is not flat or flaky. Nits hatch in 7 to 10 days and up to 30% of nits are NOT killed by lice shampoos like RID or NIX. It is very difficult to tell a “live” nit from a “dead” nit. • What is the lifecycle of a louse? Lice have a lifespan of approximately 30 days, during which time one female can lay 100 to 400 nits/eggs. The nits hatch every 7 to 10 days. • How do I get rid of Lice? Liquid Permethrin like “NIX” or liquid pyrethrin like “RID” must be used initially with the daily combing (This will only kill the live lice, it will NOT eliminate the eggs). Only physically removing the eggs, by combing with a lice comb will eliminate them. This process must be repeated within 7 to 10 days to kill any newly hatched eggs. Researchers believe that lice are developing strains that resist chemical extermination. • Prevention of lice infestation or re-infestation. Teach your child not to share combs, brushes, hats or helmets and to have them put their hats in their coat pocket when they are not in use. Brushes and combs can be put on the top shelf of the dishwasher to disinfect. Vacuum the entire house and use a tape lent roller on anything that cannot be vacuumed, like leather couches and car seats. Check every member of the family for lice. Comb with a lice comb every day to remove any missed nits. Wash all bedding in hot water, then dry in dryer for 30 minutes every night on high heat. You may bag items and stick them in the freezer for 2 days. Any stuffed animals that cannot be washed can be bagged in an airtight bag for a few days. Inform anyone your child might have had a sleepover with. It is important to notify the school if a case of head lice is discovered.

Interfaith Child Development Center has a “NO-Nit” policy. If your child contracts lice I will perform classroom checks routinely on everyone in that class. I will need to check that all nits have been removed from the hair before the child will be allowed to re-enter the school. Enjoy your spring break!

Shawna Stefaniak, LVN School Nurse ICDC Newsletter 2 Curriculum Corner

Science Lab News

Variety in weather is the spice of life! When the weather changes, it makes us more aware of our natural surroundings. Children will be exploring and learning all about weather this month in the Science Lab. They will be experimenting with wind, making a tornado, discovering how to make it rain, and learning about the water cycle. There will also be books to read and songs to sing.

Literacy News

Happy Birthday to Who?? Dr. Seuss of course! Children will celebrate many magical, fun to read books written by Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss).

ICDC Newsletter 3 ICDC Parent’s Club From The President

2017 BOOK FAIR: S’MORE FUN WITH BOOKS!

Thank you to all of the volunteers that made our 2017 ICDC Book Fair such a success! Because of the generous contributions to the fair from our ICDC families Parent’s Club was able to give new books to ALL classrooms. A special thanks to our tireless Book Fair chairs: Casey Cole and Alex Montalvo! The fair would not have been a success without these two ladies!

* SPECIAL THANKS* To the Hitchcock Family for donating lunch to our teachers and staff from Black Walnut Café on Friday, February 17th! 2017 ICDC SILENT AUCTION AND FAMILY NIGHT

Please join us for our annual Silent Auction and Family Night honoring ICDC’s 40th Anniversary through “A Party in the Garden”. The event will take place on the evening of Friday, March 31st at the school. All auction items are donated from each class and the community.

ALL donations and ads are due by THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 10TH. Please pick up an auction donation form or ad form at the front office or by emailing me directly at [email protected].

TUITION RAFFLE TICKETS are on sale NOW at the front office. The winner will receive FREE TUITION for one month (up to $500). Tickets are $20 each and may be purchased at the front desk of the school.

Parents Club is offering a PRE-ORDERED Chick-fil-a dinner the night of the silent auction and family night. Forms are available at the front desk. All meals must be PRE-ORDERED by Friday, March 17th.

Our next parent’s club and silent auction meeting will take place THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8TH at 1:30 pm in Room P-18 at the school. This is our last meeting before the silent auction- please join us!!

As always, thank you for supporting our school!

Mary-Kathryn D’Agostino ICDC Parent’s Club President [email protected] ICDC Newsletter 4 People of ICDC

Hello, my name is Angela Wardsworth. I am the new afternoon assistant for A- 15. I grew up in Kenya, where I completed my formal education, including college. My professional training is in Travel and Tourism management. After college, I worked in Kenya for a while and later relocated to the United States. While living in America, I have worked in retail and banking. I resigned from corporate America after my firstborn son was born.

I am married with 3 beautiful children. As aforementioned, I have 2 sons and a daughter. My journey with Interfaith begun 10 years ago when my eldest son started attending Ms. Amanda and Ms. Amy’s class; later, my daughter and youngest son followed suit.

All the teachers that taught my children were excellent, not only in their professionalism, but in warmth, character and example too. Presently, these teachers are still teaching at the school. This in itself is a testament to the schools’ reputation of being a great school for children, because of the leadership.

This school year, my youngest son started attending Kindergarten. Just like his siblings, he was well prepared to go to the “big” (elementary) school, where they are all excelling in their studies. My love for learning and desire to help other families in preparing their young ones for a lifestyle of learning prompted me to rejoin the workforce. I love teaching and seeing children blossom. I am honored to serve you and your children. Together we will work to build and mold future leaders, who will lead their communities and country at large, with skill, ingenuity, wisdom and integrity.

5 ICDC Newsletter People of ICDC

Hello! My name is Linda Murphy and I’m so excited to join the Interfaith family working with four year olds every afternoon. I think children are an extraordinary, magnificent blessing in our lives! It is truly a privilege to teach them and care for them. I grew up in Rochester, New York. I am the oldest of five children. My B.A. was earned at the University of Kentucky with a psychology/sociology major. I earned my Masters in Education at the University of Miami with a degree in psychology and counseling. I have three grown children and two wonderful grandchildren ages 9 and 5. For twenty-five years, I served as a junior high school counselor at Magnolia Junior High… a memorable and great experience. I am now retired but love history, reading, traveling, poetry and children. I have been to Paris, London, Italy, , Costa Rica and the Middle East. Every journey is an adventure! Thank you for the opportunity to work with your children and to be part of such an outstanding preschool.

P.S. My daughter attended Interfaith Child Development Center when she was in preschool and my grandson did as well.

6 ICDC Newsletter Other notes:

During the week of April 24th – 28th, we will celebrate Week of the Young Child. This is an annual celebration hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is designed to celebrate early learning, young children, their teachers and families. During the week, we will have activities to go along with their themes for each day: Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. Please look for more information about Week of the Young Child in early April.

Scholarship information for the 2017-2018 school year will be available in the front office by the end of March. Completed packets must be submitted to the Director by May 1st.

ICDC Newsletter 7 Important Dates:

March 2017 Important Dates Thursdays and Fridays Spirit Days – Wear your ICDC t-shirt March 2 Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!! March 13-17 Spring Break – Full Day and School Agers Only **No MDO, Partial, or School Day Programs **Enrichment Classes will not meet the week of Spring Break March 20-22 Rodeo Days at ICDC March 31 “A Party in the Garden” Family Night and Silent Auction April 14 ICDC Closed – Spring Holiday

ICDC Newsletter 8