The Washington Star ⭐
September 2023 Edition
September 29, 2023
Greetings Families!
We are so happy you are here! Our Washington Star is a newsletter that we hope to send out monthly that will be focused on student and school news, PTO events, and reminders. Basically, all the good things happening in our Preschool!
First of all, let's give a round of applause for all of our brave preschoolers for adjusting so quickly to coming to school everyday! We are so proud of them (and of the mommies and daddies who also might have had a hard time)!
By now, our students have settled into their classroom routines and have been hard at work learning all the procedures (arrival/dismissal, classroom, lunch, specials, even fire drills!). They are becoming well versed in classroom expectations and are already delving deep into learning. PE, Art and Music are also a part of their weekly routines and the children absolutely love enriching their days this way.
Pictured below is a snapshot of what some might argue is the best part of the day - SEL time (social-emotional learning). During this time, the whole school gathers to recite the pledge of allegiance, sing and dance. Arguably, there is no better way to start the day! And while the students and staff are all having fun, the students don't even realize that they are also learning to be a part of the school community. They are learning how to follow whole group instructions and participate in a large group activity. It's not as easy as you might think for some. They get to dance along with peers from other classrooms which allows them to practice their social skills and visit with friends they may not be in class with everyday.
Preschool Field Trip! 🎃 🚜
Preschool is going on a trip! By now you should have received a permission slip for the Preschool Field Trip to Secor Farms. Some classes are going on 10/19, and some on 10/20. Please check with your child's teacher if you are unsure of their assigned date. Payment for this event is due by October 6th.
📌 Please Note: Weather permitting, children will be going outside for PE and to play as much as possible. Please dress them accordingly, with jackets/coats, gloves and hats when the weather becomes cooler.
Classroom Spotlights!
The students in Miss Laura’s class have been learning about the emotions they may be experiencing when starting school. On this particular day, they read the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme and talked about the things that may make them scared.
Some of the students volunteered to take turns pretending to be little Miss Muffet and experienced being frightened by a plastic spider “that sat down beside her/him.” It was so much fun!
This month Ms. Katie’s class learned about who is in our school. They took a walk around the building matching photos to people and practiced saying “Good morning!” We loved learning about the circle and our fun song:
“A circle is like a ball. A circle is like a ball. Round and round it never stops, a circle is like a ball!”(To the tune of the Farmer in the Dell)
We also loved learning the letters L and F and many words that begin with them. We practiced taking turns and sharing as we learned how to navigate our center time in class and we enjoyed some nice sunny days on the playground. We are excited for our field trip next month!
Spotlight on Speech!
This week in speech we read a book about apple picking! We worked on answering “wh” questions while we read and learned new vocabulary words such as; “climb”, “pick” and “basket”. Next, we decorated our own apple trees with dot paint! We reviewed by pretending to climb up a ladder, pick some apples and put them in our baskets. Next week we will target describing different apples based on their colors and sizes.
Food Service
Click on the picture to check it out!
PTO Corner
Save the Date: Our first PTO meeting will be held on 10/3 at 6:30pm at Washington School. All parents are welcome - we would love to see you there!
Thank you to Ariana Rodriguez for volunteering to be our PTO President and Brielle Barnes for Secretary!
We are still in need of a Treasurer and fundraising committee members so please reach out if you would like to volunteer.
Keep an eye out for our next fundraiser from Fun Pasta! Details will be coming home soon.
Upcoming Events:
Week of Respect: 10/2-10/6
Peace, Love & Respect - Wear your Tie Dye Monday 10/2
Wear Yellow or Orange on Wednesday 10/4 to show that you radiate respect.
📅 Reminder: Monday, October 9th is a single session day for students. Full time students will be dismissed at 1:00, and half day students will be released at 10:45.
201-843-6740 / 225 Market St. Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 / www.sbpsnj.org / @washingtonelementarysb