Unity Preschool News

Dear Preschool Families,

Merry Christmas! We are looking forward to a fun and joy-filled few weeks spending time with your children as we enjoy their excitement and anticipation during this most magical season of Christmas. We will have fun together sharing Christmas stories, making ornaments and cards, exploring our Christmas sensory bins and nativity sets, and singing Christmas songs - new and old. We are looking forward to sharing our Christmas Program with you on Wednesday, December 20. It will be a brief (very brief!) retelling of a favorite nativity story including Christmas songs that the children are learning. My sincere hope is that during this time of faith and family, the true meaning of Christmas will fill your hearts with His love and perfect peace.

Christmas Blessings,

Ms. Linda

Director - Unity Preschool

We look forward to RED day on Thursday, December 14! The picture to the right is from our Brown day in November - the Frog Class (Three's).

We will have two color days in January (our calendar is incorrect):

January 11 - White Day

January 25 - Gray Day

Our December Spirit Day will be Thursday, December 21! Plan to wear your pajamas to school on our last day before the Christmas holiday. Below are some pictures from our November Spirit Day: The Thanksgiving Feast

This year we have four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas so we thought we would bring back one of our former Unity Preschool traditions, a Christmas program. We will be telling the story "Christmas in the Barn" and sharing some Christmas songs that we have learned so please mark your calendar for Wednesday, December 20 at 11:30 in the Sanctuary. You are invited to bring guests to share some Christmas spirit with us. Please park on the front lawn and your child will be dismissed to you from the Sanctuary following the program (length is likely 15 minutes or less!). The children will return to school the next day (December 21) which is pajama day - a fun and exciting way to end the school year before our long Christmas break.

This week we are featuring our Frog Class teachers: Ms. Brandi and Ms. Laura.

Ms. Brandi Laughter (rhymes with "daughter') and her husband, Brentley, relocated to Fort Mill a few years ago from the South Asheville area. They have three busy boys: Brent (17 - Fort Mill High School), Jack (12 - Gold Hill Middle), and Will (10 - Tega Cay Elementary). Brandi's family are active members of Sisk Memorial Baptist in Fort Mill. All three boys enjoy sports so Ms. Brandi's family can be found at the fields on most weekends.

Ms. Brandi taught Preschool at Arden Presbyterian Preschool for four years and prior to that she was a Pharmacy Technician. Ms. Brandi was a former Four's teacher at Unity Preschool but took a year off to courageously battle breast cancer. Now she is actively involved with the Nothing Pink organization serving as Prayer and Support Director. We are thrilled to have her serve as Lead Teacher in our Three's (Frog) classroom this year after serving as an Assistant in the Three's (Monkey) classroom last year.

Here are a few of Ms. Brandi’s favorites:

Favorite Foods: Salads, Charcuterie and Mexican food

Favorite Music: Very little that I do not enjoy dancing to.

Favorite Book: "It's Not Supposed to be This Way" - Lysa TerKeurst

Favorite Movie: Any comedy, Hocus Pocus, and the Sand Lot.

Favorite Activities: Doing activities with my family - kayaking, ball games, and family movie nights.

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Ms. Laura Vaughn is in her third year at Unity Preschool serving as our Three's Assist in the Frog room. Ms. Laura is a former fourth and fifth-grade teacher. Ms. Laura and her husband, Richard, have two children, Riley (16 - Fort Mill High School) and Garrett (13 - Pleasant Knoll Middle School). Ms. Laura loves traveling, the beach, and being a boy mom!

Here are a few of Ms. Laura's favorites:
Favorite Foods: Japanese, Mexican and every sweet on earth.

Favorite Music: Country

Favorite Book: Every Sandra Boynton book and every Colleen Hoover book

Favorite Movie: Shag and Pretty Woman

Favorite Activities: Spending time with my family, Girls weekends and Day dates with my hubs

Our Children's Ministry Team at Unity is hosting a Birthday Party for Jesus for families with young children on Saturday, December 9th, at 10:30 a.m. at Unity Presbyterian Church in the Fellowship Hall! We will enjoy crafts, snacks, a photo booth and nativity activities as we celebrate the reason for the season. No registration is needed. Bring an unwrapped gift of diapers of any size, wipes, baby food, or baby formula to share with a baby in need through the Fort Mill Care Center.

The Season of Advent begins on Sunday, December 3rd, and preparations are underway for a wonderful season here at Unity around the theme “From Generation to Generation: There’s Room for Every Story.” As some of you are already making plans for the season, we wanted to share a few of the special services:

Sunday, December 10 - Taizé Service: We will have a Taizé Service of scripture, song, and prayer in the Historic Sanctuary at 5:00 PM. We look forward to incorporating Advent and Christmas themes into this meaningful service.

Tuesday, December 12 - Festival of Carols: The Choirs from all three high schools will join the Unity Chancel Choir for a special evening of music and carols at 7:00 PM in our sanctuary.

Sunday, December 17 - Musical Lessons and Carols Service: At both the 8:45 AM and the 11:00 AM Services, come hear the story of Christ’s birth told anew through the reading of Scripture and music from our Chancel Choir and guest instrumentalists.

Wednesday, December 20 - God with Us (A Blue Christmas Service): To recognize that Advent and Christmas can often be a challenging time, especially for those who have lost loved ones, we will gather at 6:30 PM in the Historic Sanctuary for this service of prayer, comfort, and hope. It has become a very meaningful time not just for those grieving or struggling, but for us all.

Sunday, December 24 (Christmas Eve): As Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, it’s also the 4th Sunday of Advent, so we will have FIVE worship services:

• 8:45 AM - Fourth Sunday of Advent, a traditional Sunday morning service

• 11:00 AM - Family Friendly Christmas Eve Service

• 4:00 PM - Christmas Eve Service with Communion and Candlelight

• 6:00 PM - Christmas Eve Service with Communion and Candlelight with significant choral and music arrangements

• 11:00 PM - Christmas Eve Service with Candlelight

Sunday, December 31: As we have the last few years, we will continue our new tradition of a single 10:00 AM service with casual dress in the Sanctuary.

We hope that these services will not only be wonderful times for our church family, but also be opportunities to truly share the light and love of Christ with our community.

Current Student/Sibling Registration for 2024-25 School Year: We will distribute more information following our holiday break, but forms and payments will be due on Thursday, January 18, 2024, to reserve your spot for the 2024-25 school year. We are excited to once again offer an online sign-up form this year. Additional information will be posted on our website in January if you are referring new families.

Just a reminder that we do not have school on the following dates:

Christmas Holiday: The weeks of December 24 thru January 7. Fours classes will resume on Monday, January 8 and Twos/Threes classes will resume on Tueday, January 9.

MLK Holiday: Monday, January 15

President's Day Holiday: Monday, February 19

Spring Break: April 1 thru April 4

Last Day of School: Thursday, May 16

*Warm Jackets and Hats: We go outside if the temperature is above 40 degrees. Please send your child in warm jackets, hats and mittens. The children need the fresh air and exercise!

*Label Items: Please remember to label your child's items so that we don't mix them up.

*Tuition Withdrawal: Our next tuition withdrawal date will be Wednesday, January 3.

Front Row - Left to Right by teaching pairs:

Ms. Maureen and Ms. Kellie (Fours - Fish)

Ms. Elizabeth and Ms. Sarah (Fours - Owls)

Back Row - Left to Right by teaching pairs:

Ms. Carolyn (Librarian/Helper/First Call Sub)

Ms. Danielle and Ms. Kristen (Older Twos - Bees)

Ms. Becca and Ms. Jen (Threes - Monkeys)

Ms. Brandi and Ms. Laura (Threes- Frogs)

Ms. Linda (Director)

Unity Preschool does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and other school-administered programs.

Email: preschoolatunity@gmail.com
Website: https://www.preschoolatunity.com/
Location: 303 Tom Hall Street, Fort Mill, SC, USA
Phone: 803-396-8454