Bulldog Buddies Bulletin

Hello Bulldog Buddies Families,

This season is one of my favorite times of the year—a time for joy, togetherness, and celebration. It’s a season to reflect on the year, cherish loved ones, and share kindness with others. Whether it’s through giving, gathering with family, or simply enjoying the cozy spirit of the season, it brings a sense of warmth and gratitude. As I reflect on this year, I’m so proud of our Bulldog Buddies and all they have accomplished so far. It has been wonderful to watch them learn, grow, and have fun! From August to December, their progress has been incredible, and they continue to amaze us each day. Thank you for sharing their journey with us! I’m also very grateful for our fantastic staff, who always put our preschoolers first and create a joyful, nurturing environment that ensures a love of learning for our little bulldogs. I hope this season brings about new memories, celebrated traditions, and goodwill within our community. Wishing each and every one of you a wonderful holiday season filled with warmth and joy!

With gratitude,

Kristy Elsey

As we wrap up our Roads study and begin our Wheels study, our preschoolers went on a road trip! They enjoyed the full bus and train experience while spotting common items found along the way. After a fun-filled journey, they shared a delicious lunch and created unforgettable preschool memories with their friends! Thank you to all of our Bulldog Buddies families that shared their morning with us for our Bulldog Buddies Road Trip!

Check out some highlights from the Roads Study!

During our roads study we learned about how roads are made, how they help people, how maps are used, safety on roads, and the meanings of road signs. The preschoolers had opportunities to build and draw roads and bridges, explore real pieces of roads, pretend to drive or work on roads, and participate in a variety of hands-on learning activities. We will extend this learning by going into a Wheels Study for the month of December. Children can share what they already know about wheels and what they want to find out. We will be exploring and investigating to answer these questions:

• What different types of wheels are there?
• How do wheels move? How can we make our own wheels?
• How do we use wheels? How do they help us?

Children will be able to make predictions and experiment with different wheeled vehicles on roads, tracks, and ramps. We will learn about how wheels turn on axles and see if we can make our own wheeled creations from a variety of materials. We will make charts and drawings to document some of our findings. Look for family activities to be shared soon!

This month, our Bulldog Buddies had a heartwarming celebration filled with gratitude and friendship! At our Friendship Feast, each preschooler contributed a special ingredient to create a delicious trail mix snack, which they enjoyed together after reading a book about giving thanks and friendship. Thank you to everyone that donated and helped make this celebration special. 🍂🧡

Quality gifts for preschoolers are often much simpler toys than what we see advertised this time of year. Many of us have seen a cardboard box provide hours of entertainment for our young children (and sometimes older children too). Here are a few gift ideas that might be considered “oldies but goodies”.

• Books!

• Toys for pretend play: costumes for role play or dress up, props and play sets (tools, food, pots and pans, doctors kit, cash register, shopping cart), dolls, dollhouses, stuffed animals, puppets, vehicles, building toys
• Building Toys: blocks, Legos/Duplo's, magna tiles, train set
• Puzzles and Games: wooden puzzles, floor puzzles, alphabet puzzles, simple games (Hi Ho Cherry O, Candyland)
• Art Supplies: crayons, paint sticks, watercolors, stickers, drawing tablets

It's that time of year! In the event of inclement weather, please follow the preschool schedule below.

2-Hour Delay:

• AM Preschool: No class.
• PM Preschool: Starts at normal time.
  
  

School Cancellation:

• No preschool classes at all.

For updates, parents and staff should check district website. This should help keep everyone informed!

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.

$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.

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.

December 24-January 2nd - Winter Break, no preschool classes

January 7th - Classes resume

January 20th - Martin Luther King JR. Day, no preschool classes

January 29th - eLearning Day, no preschool classes

February 17th - Presidents Day, no preschool classes

March 11th - eLearning Day, no preschool classes

March 24-28th - Spring Break, no preschool classes

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