Septoct2011 Newsletter
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Newsletter September/October 2011 Important Dates Tanaka Farms • September through December 31 Fresh and Easy fundraiser: Save all your receipts over $20 Pumpkin Patch Day • September 27, Frogg’s Bounce October 5th House fundraiser, 2-7 p.m. • October 5, Pumpkin Patch field trip at Tanaka Farms • October 19, General Meeting 7-9 p.m. • October 24, 28 Blooms & Blossoms Conferences • October 28 Sprouts Pajama Day • October 29 Saturday cleanup day 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A great day to spend with your family • October 31 Seeds & Blooms & other Hilltop families! Hilltop will be Pajama Day closed that day so that all • November 5 Hilltop Annual Fall families can attend. See the sign-up sheet on the Auction, “Sowing the Seeds of bulletin board at school. Love,” 6-10 p.m. • Meet at the big white tent at 9:30 Book babysitters now! • Admission for adults $6; children $12 (includes picking veggies & one pumpkin, petting zoo & wagon ride) 3 EASY Fundraisers • Sunscreen, hats, water bottles • Screamin Coupons! • Totes/bags for veggies (www.screamincoupons.com) • Bring a marker to write your child’s name on their bag • Renew your support or sign up for & pumpkin the Ralphs Community Partners • Dress children in closed-toe shoes and long pants… program (www.ralphs.com), or the Vons Escrip program (www.escrip.com). • Remember to set your home page Registration Paperwork, to Goodsearch Earthquake Kits (www.goodsearch.com) search engine, powered by Yahoo! This Please remit any outstanding paperwork for your child to Shannon site gives money back to the Hendriks as soon as possible. Please turn in forms directly to her or community just for searching place them in her file at the sign-in cubby. If you have any questions, the web! don't hesitate to ask. We also have some outstanding earthquake Select Hilltop Preschool kits. to ensure credit! Page 1 Lines From Lynette... Hello and a big welcome to all our new and returning families! During the summer, the teachers and I have enjoyed wonderful opportunities to continue our education, find inspiration and revive ourselves. First, Sarah and Anthonette attended a two-day conference in Sacramento called “Good Stuff for Children,” hosted by Roseville Community Nursery School and Bev Bos educator extraordinaire. Both teachers came back with renewed energy and passion, and a greater purpose toward teaching young children. This workshop is life changing for teachers; we are so glad they could attend. The second event, which took place over the course of three days, was attended by Anthonette, Sarah M., Jennie, Bob, Sara P. and I―it was the long-awaited and anticipated Parent Effectiveness Training (PET) course. We never have had the opportunity to take this course, as the cost was so prohibitive in the past, but we found a fantastic instructor who worked with us to make it possible, Meike Lemans. We all came away with an even greater understanding of PET. For interested families, you too soon can enjoy the opportunity to take PET classes with Meike, as we will be offering them at Hilltop. I will offer Parenting from the Heart Classes, as well, beginning in January (if you’d like to learn more about PFTH, I’m glad to share). Last, Jennie, Anthonette, Alissa, Malia, Sarah and I attended a workshop on “An Introduction to Reggio,” presented by Patricia McGrath and hosted by Little Owl Preschool. As always, it’s great for me to connect with fellow colleagues on similar paths. Speaking of colleagues, Hilltop has a new teacher this year―many returning parents already know him―Bob Sandoval, whose family returns for its fourth year. Son Zeke, Hilltop alum, is now a second grader; son Gabriel will be in Blossoms. Bob will support Blossoms on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; additionally, he will use his engineering background as the new woodworking teacher. Because of Hilltop’s philosophy and his inspiration, he began taking classes to earn his certificate in early-childhood education. Welcome Bob (be sure to meet wife and mom, Lea)! As the teachers and I anxiously plan and prepare for the up-and-coming school year, it’s such an exciting time when change and new adventures are in store. For many of you, this will be your child’s first school experience. We know you are probably both excited and nervous about this new chapter in your child’s life. As teachers of young children, and parents ourselves, we believe in engaging in open com- munication as well as providing a nurturing, warm and thoughtful environment for your child. As you will notice during the next few weeks, Hilltop’s classrooms will experience a lot of bustle and noise, and ultimately joy . Children are up doing things, talking, playing and exploring. Such an environment differs from the “old” images of a teacher doing a lot of “talking” while young children doing a lot of t “listening.” Early childhood is a time of life quite different from adulthood, and even from the later school years. It has been documented that children in the early years (birth through 8 years) learn far more appropriately through direct interactive ex- periences than anything else! They learn extraordinary amounts through play and exploration. And the younger the children are, the more of what they learn needs to be relevant and interesting on the day they experience it, not just in the con- text of some future learning. Based on this knowledge about young children, we design our environments to provoke inspiration, creativity, imagination and investigation of the world in and around them. It works a lot better than trying to cram in abstract concepts or redesign the young child. A Reggio-inspired program like ours is aware of the intent and purpose of a child's investigations, and we as teachers are co-learners alongside with them supporting and building our knowledge together. But that’s not all. To make the program a good place for everyone, we provide enrichment opportunities and activities to this community and the families in- volved. We are eager to learn as much as we can about each child’s family, cultural background, past experience and current circumstances. With this knowledge, we work to create a program and environment that fits the children and families of Hilltop. Love, Lynette Page 2 Preparations for our highly anticipated annual auction event are underway! This year’s theme perfectly fits all our little Seeds, Sprouts, Blooms and Blossoms—Sowing the Seeds of Love . So gather as many friends and family as you can, and help support our beloved school at the Greenbrook Clubhouse on Saturday, November 5, 6-10 p.m . This wonderfully exciting event includes dinner, drinks, our fabulous live and silent auctions, and excellent company. Greenbrook Clubhouse is located at 18222 Santa Joanana Street, Fountain Valley. Sunlight and water nurture growth, and your dedicated support of this event will nurture its great success! Your valued support means soliciting auction donations of all kinds and contributing in the following ways: • Purchase 4 tickets per family at $25 per ticket (your $100 purchase is reflected in your October tuition invoice; each additional ticket $20) • Sell at least 20 50/50 raffle tickets ($1 each) • Collect donations totaling at least $150 Donations can come from any business or service establishment in the Southern California area. Merchandise, gift certificates, tickets of any kind, hair cuts, portraiture, salon and spa services, personal training, kids’ parties, bouncy houses—everyone’s got something to sell or provide! One-of and Mom-and-Pop establishments are especially generous. Tip: All businesses are accustomed to queries for school donations, so don't feel shy or awkward! Your personal gifts and services are valuable, too! The possibilities are endless. • Prepare a gourmet meal, host a cocktail party, or teach a cooking class • Bake a cake or cookies of the month for three months • Provide access to a vacation home for a week or weekend • Offer a pair of your season tickets to a sporting or entertainment event • Teach a surfing lesson or donate a round of golf • Offer babysitting vouchers or organize/coordinate a child’s birthday party We also seek event sponsors (realtors, accountants, insurers, any local business). In the program, purchase advertising space for your or a friend’s business. Solicit advertising from your or your husband’s company. Personal messages to your child in the program from grandparents, uncles and aunts are uniquely special! Please deliver your donations by Friday, October 28. Your $150 in donations and pre-paid event tickets are a great start, but please do what you can to keep nurturing that success! Challenge yourself; you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easily you can surpass that $150 donation goal. Please, don’t hesitate to contact Erandy Matejka with auction questions at [email protected] or 714-469-4536. Or talk to any board member! We’re here to help you! The only way this event is a success is through your dedicated efforts! Page 3 What in the World Is OCCPPNS? Blossoms’ Bursts OCCPPNS is more than the world’s largest acronym. The Orange It is the tiny steps into wonder and discovery that County Council of Parent Participation Nursery schools falls under develop into who we are. the larger umbrella of California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools, a community of parents and educators committed I believe that the work of early childhood is the ladder to teaching and inspiring families through parent involvement and upon which we build our futures both emotionally and mutual support. Parent participation nursery schools and pre- educationally.