Principal's Update

January's focus for Shining Stars is respect. Mrs. Wyskiel, our assistant principal greets and helps with the display of some of our shining star students. We are so proud of our students!

Dear ECS Families,

I am so proud and honored to inform you that our Edna C. Stevens Preschool continues to demonstrate their commitment to young children and their families and earned national re-accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)—the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children.

The NAEYC accreditation ia a rigorous and transformative quality-improvement system that uses a set of 10 research-based standards to collaborate with early education programs to recognize and drive quality-improvement in high-quality early learning environments. We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards.

To earn NAEYC Re-Accreditation, the ECS Preschool went through an extensive self-study and quality-improvement process, followed by an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to verify and ensure that the program met each of the ten program standards, and hundreds of corresponding individual criteria. NAEYC-accredited programs are always prepared for unannounced quality-assurance visits during their accreditation term, which lasts for five years.

In the 30 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 6,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC—less than 10 percent of all child care centers, preschools, and kindergartens nationally achieve this recognition.

Our Preschool Staff will be honored at the February 13th Cromwell Board of Education Meeting at 7:00 p.m. at CHS.

For more information about NAEYC Accreditation, visit the NAEYC website.

Respectfully,

Lucille DiTunno

Principal

Happiest New Year wishes from the Library Media Center! We are continuing our focus on story comprehension, especially concentrating on the sequence of events in all our read alouds. We also practiced our Work Window, which is an exploration of library and STEAM vocabulary. Additionally, we had many opportunities to connect our Non-fiction books throughout our varied STEAM building times with Structure Blocks, Keva planks, LEGO’s, Maze Blocks and Power Clix. Please remember to return library books each week! Happy Reading, Ducks!

Our English Learner/Multilingual Learner students have been working hard and having a blast while they are learning! Kindergarten students just finished a unit on families. They learned who is in a family and activities families do together. Each student drew their family and together created a colorful family chain. First grade students are finishing up a unit on living and nonliving things. They are using their new vocabulary to describe what makes something alive. In December, second grade students learned all about holidays around the world. They made connections to their own holidays, and noticed how similar holidays are to each other. 2024 is off to a great start!

Before the holiday recess, all students learned about the story of the Nutcracker. Each grade studied and viewed a different portion of the ballet. Kindergarten viewed Act 1, the party scenes. Grade One viewed Act 1, Clara and the Nutcracker, the battle, the pine forest, the waltz of the snow flakes and the Christmas tree angels. Grade Two viewed Act 2, the Kingdom of Sweets.

Kindergarten students are currently building the following skills: the ability to match pitch, recite a chant while maintaining the beat in their hands and accurately recite rhythm patterns.

Students in Grades One and Two engaged in vocal warm-ups, tonal patterns, traditional songs, reading rhythm patterns and drumming.

The nurse's office is in need of clean clothes (particularly pants and underwear, size Medium) and gently used shoes/sneakers. Any donations are welcome.

Monday, January 15th-Martin Luther King- Day- No School