KECEC's Mini Firebird Messenger

Fall is here and our students have really "fallen" into a routine. You may hear students sharing the wonderful things they have learned in school and we encourage you to share their excitement by having them "teach" those things to you! As your child becomes more acclimated with a school routine, you may notice lots of changes as they develop socially, emotionally, and academically!

September was a busy month as students at each level learned about colors, sorting, and learned about how they can contribute to a safe learning environment. We had our second fire drill and hosted a family game night that brought in over 100 of our students and their families! Students also celebrated Dot Day. As our teachers get to know your child, they are designing specially designed instruction that helps your child meet individual developmental and academic goals. These goals are developed based on ongoing observational assessments throughout the year. With your input, teachers plan instruction with your child's goals in mind. Make sure to ask your teacher at the upcoming conferences what goals they have in mind for your child!

With the month of October ahead of us, we have several fun activities planned to enjoy the Fall season. Preschool students are invited to participate in a field trip to Brumbaugh Farms on October 18th. We are hosting our annual Trunk or Treat on October 24th, and students will have an opportunity to dress up on October 31st and go Trick or Treating down the halls of KECEC.

Be sure to stay tuned to all the fun and Join us on Facebook!

October 3rd- Parent/Teacher Conferences for PreK

October 4th- School is Closed

October 4th- Last Day to Order from the Fall Apparel Sale

October 7th- Book Mobile visits KECEC

October 8th- Fire Drill

October 18th- Brumbaugh Farms Field Trip

October 24th- KECEC Trunk or Treat

October 25th- Preschool Parent Meeting (Students with IEP)

October 29th- Picture Day

October 30th- Picture Day

October 31st- "Trick or Treating" at KECEC (No masks or toy accessories please)

November 5th- Professional Learning Day and Parent/Teacher Conferences- No School

Each Month we will be acknowledging our staff members who exemplify their commitment and dedication to their students through perfect attendance for the month. David Hughes, General Manager of one of Kettering's favorite restaurant First Watch, has helped acknowledge Kathy Gaiser (Infant 2 Lead Teacher) as September's KECEC Employee of the Month.

She received a Gift Card from First Watch and a gift card to Starbucks!

September was National Attendance Awareness Month. Every child that had perfect attendance in the month of September will be bringing home a Free Kid's Meal at First Watch!

If you would like to help support efforts to acknowledge our student's or teacher's attendance one month through your business or organization, please contact mark.weese@ketteringschools.org.

Two dates have been set aside for our Preschool teachers to set up an individual Parent/Teacher Conference. During this meeting, teachers will provide data from the Beginning of the Year Screener as well as observational data they are collecting for the Early Learning Assessment. Parents and their child's teacher will develop appropriate goals that are just right for the child. Be sure to ask teachers questions during your reserved conference such as:

• What can I do to support these goals at home?
• What kind of progress has my child made so far?
• How is my child acclimating socially?

Your teacher can learn a lot from you as the parent as well! Be sure to share what motivates your child, what are their interests, dislikes, etc. These things are great things to know as they continue to provide appropriately challenging instruction that will help your child grow.

Did you know that even our infant teachers have a curriculum they follow with assessments? Our infant and toddler childcare utilize Creative Curriculum and progress monitor developmental milestones aligned to the Early Learning and Developmental Standards. All of our childcare teacher's are required to create developmental goals for each student based on ongoing assessments.

We are reserving November 5th as a date for our Employee Childcare teachers to plan conferences to discuss these goals and transition plans. Please be on the lookout for a message from your child's teacher.

Please be reminded that Employee Childcare Services are not offered on November 5th. This is a professional development day and these teachers will be participating in professional learning leading up to conferences. Please plan to make arrangements for alternative childcare on this day.

Ohio’s Early Learning Assessment is a tool for teachers of preschool age children to learn about the current level of each child’s skills, knowledge and behaviors in the areas of Social Foundations, Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Well-Being and Motor Development, and Fine Arts. Your teachers will share more information about this assessment tool at your conference.

We think our parents make great substitutes because they are invested in the culture! These positions have great flexibility to work around your child's school schedule while supporting the teachers and school you love. If you are interested in being a substitute in our childcare or preschool classrooms, please contact Stephanie Towne to find out more information (937) 499-1427. Let her know that you want to be added to the KECEC substitute list. All applicants must get and pass a background check. Some online trainings may also be required based on the positions being filled.

Each month we will be planning extended learning opportunities for our preschool students. These experiences provide opportunities they would not normally receive within the classroom walls and therefore we have reached out to local businesses to help with this year's Friday Learning Extensions which are free to students.

This month we invite you to participate in a Field Trip to Brumbaugh Fruit Farms on October 18th.

We have scheduled our extended learning opportunity for October!

It will be on Friday, October 18th, 2024. We will be going to Brumbaugh Fruit Farm.

Brumbaugh Fruit Farm is located at 6420 Arcanum-Hollansburg Rd. Arcanum, OH 45304.

While at the farm, students will be taught age-appropriate, hands-on lessons focusing on pollination, apple development, harvesting and everything you want to know about bees. Our bee activity area also teaches students about the important role the honeybee plays in our farm and in nature! This fun-filled tour gives students an opportunity to learn while having a good time! Students and parents will also:

• Enjoy a hayride to the pumpkin patch to pick the pumpkin of your choice.

• Receive an apple to take home, or to be used as a learning activity back at school.

• Visit the Bakeries & purchase sweets if you would like or fresh fruits and vegetables!

• Corn Maze & So Much More!!!

• Bring a lunch or snack to enjoy in the picnic area

The cost of the Field Trip is FREE for each student. Parents will pay when they arrive at the farm. Parents and siblings will cost $7.00 Under two are free. Since this field trip is outdoors, Programs are held rain or shine. Make sure students have dressed appropriately for the weather and outdoor activities. Everyone will need to pack their lunch IF they are planning on eating at the farm.

We will NOT have busing available. Please be on time and meet us at the farm promptly at 9:00am if you are attending.

• If you plan to buy goodies at their store such as apple pies, apple turnovers, donuts, or cookies you may wish to do that early in the morning as they do run out.

Field Trip Day Schedule:

9:00 Arrive at Brumbaugh Fruit Farm

9:00-11:00 Farm Tour Apple/Bees/Pumpkins

11:00-12:00 Lunch at the farm (don’t forget to pack you and your child’s lunch!) / Playtime

12:00 Dismissal

Please complete this permission form if your child plans to participate on this trip.

In order to grow as a program as well as meet the needs of the families we serve, we are asking that you complete this short survey. Our Building Leadership Team will discuss this input to help plan for this year. Thank you for helping us grow and improve!

We encourage you all come participate in our Annual Trunk or Treat event on October 24th from 5:00-6:30. We hope the whole family will participate in this fun night! To help us prepare for this event, we are asking for donations of candy or items suitable to pass out for our youngest trick or treaters. Donations can be dropped off at our front desk. Thank you in advance for your help!

In September we read books about colors, learned a couple of color songs, and had a fun color week! I read If You Take a Mouse to school dressed as a mouse and we had fun during our first music week learning about our 4 voices singing voice shouting voice and dancing to Footloose, the children’s book about a zoo(That was a blast!) Footloose 1 Footloose2 Footloose 3 Footloose 4

This month we will be reading books about fall fun and talking about what the author and the illustrator do. Our music emphasis will be on opposites in music. During quiet reading time I will be encouraging children to “read” books on their own by first encouraging them to go through the book and look at the pictures and tell themselves what they think is happening on each page. I will encourage them to go through the book and look for letters or words they may know. After quiet reading time some teachers are allowing them to check out books to bring home for the week.

Each month plans are posted right outside the library door, so if your child is talking about a story or trying to remember words to a song, you are welcome to come by and look at what they are excited about. You can also check it out by clicking on this link ( 24-25 October ) or feel free to email me.

We use the Preschool Promise book of the month. I try to do this the first week of the month, but it isn't always the case. Here is a link listing the books for the year.

October's B.O.M.: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams

Upcoming B.O.M.s!

The Dayton Public Library will bring their bookmobile to KECEC Monday Oct 7th and Oct 28th. The children get to walk out to it with their class and enjoy a story and some songs with a Dayton Public Librarian. Some of the classrooms will be participating in this others will not be, feel free to check with your child’s teacher to see if this is one of their activities.

If your child would like to donate a new book to our library, they can bring it in with a note attached that says for library donation. We will put a sticker in the book saying that it was donated by them and the year. Some of the books we'd like to have for our library on an Amazon wish list or you may choose to give at our library's Donors Choose link . Thank you for supporting our early childhood literacy efforts and promoting a love for reading early!

For parents of Babies -

Choose baby friendly books. Books with bright and bold or high-contrast illustrations are easier for young babies to see, and will grab their attention. Books made of cloth or soft plastic (for the bathtub) or “board books” with sturdy cardboard pages are easier for a baby to handle.

For parents of Toddlers-

Recite rhymes, sing songs, and make mistakes! Pause to let your toddler finish a phrase or chant a refrain. Once your toddler is familiar with the rhyme or pattern, make mistakes on purpose and get caught.

For parents of Preschoolers-

Give everything a name! Build your child’s vocabulary by talking about interesting words and objects. For example, “Look at that airplane! Those are the wings of the plane. Why do you think they are called wings?”

Medication cannot be dropped off at the school for "as needed" or "just in case". These over the counter medications must be accompanied by a physician's note and can only be given consecutively for a short period of time. We have a form for you and your physician to complete if needed.

As your child becomes exposed to more germs starting school, please stress the importance of washing hands throughout the day. This is something our teacher teach, preach, and model throughout the day.

Childcare

7:00am Drop off Begins- Don't forget to sign in at our front table when you arrive.

11:00-11:45- Toddler, Infant, and PreK Childcare Lunch

4:30 pm Pick up for Employee Childcare

5:00 pm Before and After Care PreK program

Please note that our childcare staff does not stay after the pickup times listed above. Please contact our front office if you know that you will be late. Your child will be picked up in the office. Late fees will be administered after the third late pick-up. Thank you for your understanding.

Integrated Pre-School Program

7:55 am - Staff meets families at building entrance for drop-off

8:00 am- Morning Integrated Preschool begins; Tardy students must be checked in through the front office by guardian.

10:30 am- Morning Integrated Preschool Dismissal at building entrance

11:40 am- Staff meets families at building entrance for drop-off

11:45 am- Afternoon Integrated Preschool begins; Tardy students must be checked in through the front office by guardian.

2:15 pm - Afternoon Integrated Preschool Dismissal at building entrance.

Pathfinders Preschool

8:25 am- Staff meets families at building entrance for drop-off

8:35 am- Pathfinders Preschool begins; Tardy students must be checked in through the front office by guardian.

12:00-12:30 pm- Lunch

1:30 pm- Preschool Dismissal at designated area

We encourage all of our parents to go ahead and complete the district's volunteer form. For the safety of our children and staff, any person that accompanies or participates in a school sponsored instructional event including field trips should complete the volunteer paperwork and online application to receive volunteer approval. Your Volunteer approval expires every 2 years at which time you would need to re-apply. Getting this done at the beginning of the year would ensure that you can partake in all the fun activities and events we have planned for the year.