Bulldog Buddies Bulletin

Hello Bulldog Buddies Families,

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break filled with new memories and much-needed relaxation. As we begin the final stretch of the school year, I wanted to share a few important reminders with you.

Preschool Classes:
The last day for preschool classes will be May 23rd. Please mark this on your calendar!

End-of-Year Activities:
Stay tuned for more details about our end-of-year activities, which will take place during the week of May 26th. We can’t wait to celebrate the end of another wonderful year with all of you!

Placement Letters:
Placement letters are coming soon! We apologize for any inconvenience this delay has caused. If you have completed the interest form for the 25-26 school year, there is no need to fill it out again. We are working through those requests, planning for the 25-26 school year and will be sure to get that information to you shortly.

Thanks so much for your continued support! Let’s make the end of the school year as special as the rest.

Kristy Elsey

Assistant Director of Elementary Education

Phone: 219-663-4330 ext. 22001

Email: kelsey01@cps.k12.in.us

On March 21st, Bulldog Buddies proudly celebrated World Down Syndrome Day by wearing multi-colored, bright, or mismatched socks! This day holds special significance, as individuals with Down Syndrome have three copies of their 21st chromosome — which is why we raise awareness on 3-21. We are so grateful to be part of a community that embraces and celebrates differences, and it was wonderful to see everyone join in on the celebration! If you’d like to learn more about Down Syndrome and find valuable resources, visit www.worlddownsyndromeday.org.

Check out some highlights from the Pets Study!

We really enjoyed our Pets Study and the kids learned so much about the characteristics of pets, where pets live, what they eat, and how to care for pets.

We will be starting our Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Study on April 7. Children are interested in garbage and recycling trucks and are curious about where everything goes and what happens to it. We will talk about what students already know and what they want to find out. We will be trying to find answers to the following questions:

• What does it mean to reduce? How can we produce less garbage?
• What does it mean to reuse? What can we reuse? How can we reuse items?
• What does it mean to recycle? What can we recycle? How do we recycle items?

If you would like to bring in items that we can reuse for art projects or recycle sorting activities, we can use things like paper towel rolls, egg cartons, clean plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, magazines, newspaper, or small boxes.

Learning Through Play

Preschool helps to prepare children for success in school (and in life). Young children are naturally curious and their curiosity motivates them to learn about the world around them. Our curriculum fosters learning through hands-on experiences, active exploration, and freedom to make choices.

Children learn best through the process of playing. The more active children are in their work and the more engaging and meaningful an activity is, the more children will learn and remember.

We focus on the whole child in order to meet learning goals in all areas of development: social-emotional, cognitive, language, and physical.

Some important learning objectives for preschoolers (From A Family’s Guide to Preschool by Diane Trister Dodge and Joanna Phinney)

Social-emotional: to manage emotions, follow limits and expectations, interact positively with peers, make friends, and participate cooperatively in a group

Physical: to increase movement skills (balance, running, jumping); strengthen large muscle skills (throwing, catching, kicking); and use the small muscles in their hands for tasks like buttoning, stringing beads, cutting, drawing, and writing.

Language: to understand an increasing number of words; use language to express ideas, needs, and feelings; and engage in conversations with others

Cognitive: to develop positive approaches to learning, such as persistence, curiosity, and flexible thinking; remember and connect experiences; use classification skills; and think symbolically

We are starting to plan for the 2025-2026 school year. Please complete the interest form below if you are interested in your child attending the Bulldog Buddies preschool program next year (2025-2026). Completing this form does not guarantee your child a spot within the program; however, it is the first step in that process. You will receive additional information from my office as the year progresses regarding registration.

Bulldog Buddies Preschool Interest Form 2025-2026

Information for current Bulldog Buddies preschool students that will be 5 by August 1, 2025 and going to kindergarten next year.

Tuition Payment Schedule:

• Fees are loaded on the 15th of the previous month and due by the 1st of each month.
• Payments can be made online via PowerSchool or at the school office.
• If payment isn’t received by the 10th of the month, the child will not be allowed to attend preschool until the balance is cleared.

Supply Fee:

$65 per year for all preschool students, payable in August.

Monthly Tuition Rates:

3 days/week: $180

5 days/week: $300

Free & Reduced Program:
The application for free/reduced tuition is available on the Food Services page.

For questions, contact the preschool office at (219) 663-4330.

The Birth to School Program at Crown Point Community School Corporation (CPCSC) provides free classes and events for children aged 0-5 who live within the district boundaries. Here’s a breakdown of the program offerings:

Little Learners Series:

• Baby Class: Ages 0-12 months
• Toddler Class: Ages 13-24 months
• Little Learners Class: Ages 25-36 months

Imaginarium Classes: For all children ages 0-5

Children already attending Bulldog Buddies can also participate in the Birth to School Program. For more details, visit the Birth to School Program page, or reach out to Jamie Kalk, the Birth to School Coordinator, at jkalk@cps.k12.in.us.

April 18th - Good Friday, no preschool classes

May 22nd - Last day of preschool for AM classes

May 23rd - Last day of preschool for PM classes

Kristy Elsey, Assistant Director of Elementary Education

Email: kelsey01@cps.k12.in.us

Charissa Leestma, Preschool Specialist

Email: cleestma@cps.k12.in.us

Christine Johnsen, Preschool Treasurer

Email: cjohnsen@cps.k12.in.us

Website: https://preschool.cps.k12.in.us/

Location: 720 Summit Street, Crown Point, IN, USA

Phone: 219-663-4330