Email: bright@443mail.org
Website: https://usd443.org/542378_3
Location: 200 West Comanche Street, Dodge City, KS, USA
Phone: 620-371-1220
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightBeginningsEarlyChildhoodCenterDodgeCity

September

9/2 - No School /Labor Day

9/3 - Parent Friends Time w/Ms. Melyssa @11:00am & 3:05pm

9/4 - Story Time in the Bright Beginnings Library @11:15am & 3:05pm

9/8 - International Festival @ Wright Park 2pm-6pm

9/10 - Parent Connection Group w/Ms. Melyssa @11:00am & 3:05pm

9/12 - Policy Council Meeting

9/16 - Learning Lab Host Meeting @ 3:45 - 5:30pm

9/17 - Parent Friends Time w/Ms. Melyssa @11:00am & 3:05pm

9/17 - Parent Connection Group/Conscious Discipline @BB Gym 5-6pm

9/20 - Student Count Day

9/24 - Parent Connection Group w/ Ms. Melyssa @11:00am & 3:05pm

9/28 - Story Time in the Bright Beginnings Library @11:15am & 3:05pm

Happy September Bright Beginnings Families!

We had such a great start to the school year! Thank you for sending your children to Bright Beginnings! We are happy to be your child’s second teacher! You as parents will always be their first teacher and we are so happy to partner with you in their education.

Thank you for taking the time to learn and follow our parking lot rules. A few important reminders:

• Follow traffic flow signs
• Use Crosswalks
• Hold your child’s hand
• Park in a spot to take your child out of the car
• Do not park in a handicap spot if you do not have a tag
• Daycare Parking is specific for our daycare parents

Attendance is an important part of your child’s education. You are setting your child’s attendance habits now. We understand that as children begin school they are going to get sick. If they are healthy, they should be in school every day. If your child has fever, vomiting, or diarrhea please keep them home until they have been symptom free for 24 hours without medication. If your child will not be present please notify the office at 620-371-1220 by 8:30 am.

Please remember that if you change phone numbers or addresses, please come to the office to ensure that we have the most up to date information. Also, remember, any person who is picking up students at dismissal must be 16 or older.

If you are on Facebook, please follow Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Center! We share many resources and important information on our page. Also, you should receive messages from Talking Points with program information or information directly from your teacher. If you are having trouble receiving messages from Talking Points, please come to the office so we can help you get connected.

Have a wonderful school year!

Bianca Alvarez

Principal/Director

Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Center

USD 443

#eeii

Every Encounter Is Important

During the month of September pre-k classrooms are working on many different things! The students are getting adjusted to the routine of school, playing with friends, and learning in the classroom. The focus areas are:

• Colors: Red, Yellow, and Blue
• Numbers: 0-5
• Counting to 5
• Shapes: Circle and Square

Each classroom will be learning a new letter everyday to practice getting to know what letter their name starts with. The cycle will change everyday to be able to learn all the letters and continue throughout the school year. There are many other areas your child may be working on in the classroom such as, coloring, cutting, and name tracing!

Come check out a book to take home and read with your child.

THE LIBRARY WILL BE OPEN TO PARENTS

Room C115 on THURSDAYS:

7:50 am

11:50 am

3:05pm

New take-home learning activities every WEDNESDAY for you to take and make at home with your child.

Story Time

Please bring your child and join us for a fun activity right after child's dismissal time.

WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 4 at 11:15am and 3:05pm

WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 25 at 11:15am and 3:05pm

• By-Laws - Learn about what Policy Council Members do.
• VOTE for new Policy Council parent President, Vice President, and Secretary
• Monthly Fiscal Report
• ERSEA Training

The policy council team is made up

• 7 Head Start Parents
• 2 Early Head Start Parent
• 2 Parents from other qualifying programs
• 1 443 Board member
• 3 Community Members
• Not eligible: 443 or 613 employees
• One year terms not to exceed 5 years.
• Each member counts for 1 vote.
• We must have a quorum of 8 to vote on items.

Officers:

• Chairperson: Understand By-Laws and run a respectful meeting.
• Vice Chairperson: Assume running the meeting in case the Chairperson is not present.
• Secretary: Review the minutes typed by staff

If you are interested in participating in Policy Council, please contact your teacher, advocate, or Brenda Carmona for more information. Please click here to read more about Policy Council. We are so excited to share our program information with parents and have our parents guide our program decisions.

Greetings!

Thank you for sharing your children with us and being a part of our Bright Beginnings School Family!

I have had the JOY of meeting your children by greeting in the hallways, joining in their classrooms, playing on the playground, or during Friend's Time in your child's classroom family.

Friends Time is a daily whole group time where children learn and practice using Seconds Steps Curriculum along with Conscious Discipline. They learn ways to identify their needs in positive ways and what to do when big emotions or responses happen. They learn how to be with the teachers in their room who are their helper to be safe, calm as needed, problem solve in their activities, as well as with others. All of these moments allow children to "turn on their" brain to engage. Wow! Preschool is a time for much learning! I will join in all classrooms weekly to with our friends, Shubert, Sophie, and Bailey Bear.

You are invited to join in for Parent/Guardian Friends Time with your child two times a month. As well as Parent Connection Groups/Mini Sessions on topics. AND a monthly evening Parent Connection Session. All of these will include the monthly focus your child is learning in the classroom.

Be looking for ways to join in any or all of these opportunities as well as on Facebook, Talking Points, and when we see each other in the hallways. We are in this together!

Thank you for being a part of our Bright Beginnings Family! You got this family!

Wishing you Well this School Year!

~Miss Melyssa

Parent Connection Time: Success with Visual Schedules

Tuesday: September 10 and Tuesday: September 24

Time: 11:00am and 3:05pm

Some notes from our Nurse:

Please make sure that your child is up to date with:

• Physical Exam
• Update Immunizations
• Lead Blood
• Hemoglobin
• Dental Exam

It is important to have these Health Requirements because our program has deadlines to meet to have these health items due for this school year. If your child is still missing health requirements see below the information of doctors offices.

Kendra Tieben BSN, RN

Health/Nutrition Facilitator~School Nurse

Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Center

BB 620-371-1227 T/Wam/R

EHS 620-371-1260 M/Wpm/F

In August we welcomed many new families into our program. Our children are learning how to play with others and take turns. We are brushing teeth two times during the day, after breakfast and lunch. The children are going outside every day to play while the weather is nice.

Kimber Barry

Early Head Start Specialist

Our socialization will be held at the International Festival for the month of September. There you will find our Early Head Start staff with the Literacy Bus. We are inviting our families to come attend the event and visit our booth to do a fun multicultural craft with their child.

Sunday, September 8 from 2:00-6:00pm at Wright Park