The Sandcastle Times - August 2024
"Building Strong Foundations for Lifetime of Learning"
A message from Holly Bevilacqua, COO
Happy August!
As the need for early childhood education continues to grow, Carelot is here to provide an exceptional learning environment for your children. Thank you for your continued support over the years! We are excited to announce that our new school year is just around the corner, and we are diligently preparing our curriculum to offer enriching and engaging learning experiences.
We hope you have enjoyed our Facebook updates, daily updates with the Family App, and classroom communications that share all the exciting learning happening in our programs. It's been wonderful to see the joy and growth in our students, and we're thrilled to keep you informed and connected.
As the fall season approaches (more quickly than we would like!), Carelot is busy enrolling new students and organizing our classrooms for the upcoming school year. We must bid a sad farewell to the children leaving Carelot at the end of summer, and we hope to see you all again next year for Camp or in one of our after-school programs. We have loved having you as part of our Carelot Family!
This time of year always brings some changes throughout the center. Some children leave while many new faces join our Carelot Family. Our classrooms are transitioning to their school-year curriculums and schedules, and we continually strive to make Carelot a wonderful learning environment for your children. Please remember that changes will occur, and we will do all we can to make any transitions smooth for our teachers, students, and learning environment.
As always, if you have any concerns, questions, or ideas, please stop by to see your Site Manager or Executive Director. We value your input and are here to support you and your child every step of the way. Thank you for being a part of the Carelot community. Here's to a fantastic school year filled with learning, growth, and fun!
ANNUAL ACTIVITY FEE
Important Reminder for Families:
To ensure we continue providing our children with the best learning experiences, including supplies, materials, and programs, we have an annual activity fee of $70.00 per family. This fee helps us maintain a high-quality educational environment for your child.
Please note: The activity fee will be added to each family account and is due by September 1st.
We appreciate your commitment to your child's education and learning journey. Thank you for your support in making this year a fantastic one filled with discovery, experiences, and developmental growth. We are excited to see all the amazing things your children will achieve!
We love shaving cream!!!
Join our Preschool Program!
Great idea!
CARELOT CLUBHOUSE CAMP- JULY ADVENTURES!
WISH LIST ITEMS
- Shaving cream
- egg cartons
- toilet paper and paper towel tubes
- washed and cleaned items for dramatic play (sour cream containers, laundry containers, butter containers, coffee creamer, cereal boxes, cool whip containers, etc )
- bubble wrap
- clean spray bottles (for hot days on the playground)
Summer Fun!
Question of the month "What theme would you like to see added to our 2025 Curriculum?"
July Winner: congratulations to Amanda from Brooklyn- Mom to Connor and Jace for winning a $25 tuition credit!! Thanks for participating!
3 characteristics of Carelot--- thank you for your kind words!
- Friendly, caring and knowledgeable
- Creative, compassionate, flexible
- Opportunity to advance, Dedicated to early and elementary child care, Open door policy for parents and employees with concerns.
- Communicative, Friendly, Flexible
- Loving, caring, fun.
- Adventurous, Creative and humorous (we always need a little humor!)
Don't forget to submit your answers to this month's question. You can win a $25 tuition credit on your account.
It's easy to win by just clicking the link below to submit your answer!
PTO news....
Upcoming events:
Harvest Festival- Saturday, October 12th 10:00a-12:00p at The Killingly Location!
Trunk or Treat- Friday, October 25th, 6:30pm- East Lyme Location
Community Yard Sale- Waterford Location- TBA
Next Fundraiser: Stay tuned
One-Stop Holiday Shopping: Believe it or not our annual shopping event is on the first Sunday of November. Stay tuned for more details - This event supports the PTO and the Ronald Vlaun Scholarship program offering scholarships to High School seniors moving on to Higher Education.
We are always looking for new ideas for fundraisers if you have an idea drop by the office and share it with us.
Helping out with committees is easy, there are many ways to help!
All Around Carelot
Wow, has this summer been a whirlwind of fun or what? From sunny days to field trips, picnics, and splash-tastic water play, we've been living it up! ☀️ As we gear up for the new school year, please make sure to finalize your fall schedules and let us know your childcare needs at the Clubhouse/Center. We promise we'll help you keep those ducks in a row—quack, quack! 🦆
Can you believe it's August already? Time really flies when you're having fun (or maybe it's just the sugar rush from all those popsicles!). July was jam-packed with excitement. We kicked things off with our All American Spirit Week, and then we dove headfirst into weeks of mad science experiments, adventurous flavors, under-the-sea exploration, and pirate shenanigans—Ahoy, matey! 🏴☠️
The kids loved grooving to the beats of CT music, making a splash on water play days, crafting masterpieces, and embarking on daily adventures in the classroom. It's been a summer to remember, and we couldn't have done it without your support and your little ones' boundless enthusiasm!
Here's to a fantastic finish to summer and an even better start to the school year ahead! 🚀
Carelot’s Transition Policy!
As your children grow and reach new developmental milestones, we at Carelot are committed to helping them transition smoothly to their next exciting stage of learning and discovery! This may involve changes in their curriculum or moving to a new classroom, and we want to ensure you are fully informed and comfortable with these changes.
Keeping You in the Loop
Communication is Key: Our dedicated teachers and assistant teachers will keep you updated on your child's progress, strengths, and areas for growth. This happens formally during our January and June Conferences and informally throughout the year. We believe in open communication and are always here to discuss your child's development with you. Our Family APP is a great way to stay informed throughout the day.
Personalized Assessment: To understand each child's unique journey, we maintain portfolios and assessment lists. These are available for you to view anytime, providing a window into how your child is growing and thriving.
Preparing for Transitions
Ready, Set, Grow!: As your child approaches a transition, our team, including the director/site manager, will assess their readiness. When it’s time for a change, you’ll receive our “Time Flies—It’s Time to Move” letter. This will notify you of the transition details and provide an opportunity for you to discuss any concerns with the teacher or director.
Collaborative Preparation: We believe that smooth transitions are a team effort! Families, teachers, and assistants will work together to prepare your child for their next adventure. This includes classroom visits and spending time with new teachers and friends, ensuring your child feels comfortable and excited about their new environment.
Why Transitions Matter
While we aim to keep changes to a minimum, we understand that growth requires new challenges and experiences. Our goal is to create a positive and supportive environment for every child involved in these transitions, ensuring a smooth journey for all.
Thank you for trusting us with your child's development. We are excited to support your little ones as they continue to explore, learn, and grow with us!
Preschool 2024-2025 School year!
Our program is rich in:
- Social/Emotional Development
- Physical Development and Health
- Language and Literacy
- Creative Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Cognition
- Social Studies
Preschool is available to any children ages 32 months to 5 years.
FAMILY RESOURCES:
Carelot Children's Centers maintain a family information board in the main halls with resources for families to utilize and assist them with health, mental health, assessment and educational services for their children. In addition to this resource board each director maintains information in the office and is a resource to assist families in finding any outside resources they may need. Directors pursue community collaborations each day that allows him/her to know of the resources available in the community and state.
Summer tips and reminders
Day trip Ideas
· Take advantage of social and cultural opportunities. Preschoolers are curious about the world around them. A day trip -- even if it only lasts a couple of hours -- will occupy a preschooler while providing important social and cultural experiences. If you visit local museums and art galleries, point out colors and shapes. "Please touch" museums and exhibits encourage preschoolers to explore with their eyes and hands.
· Visit a park. Spending time at a park that is frequented by children of the same age can be a healthy, fun and inexpensive outing.
· Explore your neighborhood. Walk around your neighborhood looking for acorns, leaves, bugs or architectural features, which can teach your children to observe the world around them more closely.
Children are like sponges! Plan activities that will both entertain and educate them, and you'll both have a great time.
Carelot Children's Center, Inc.
"Building Strong Foundations for a Lifetime of Learning"
Providing education to Children ages 3 months to 12 years!
Email: adminassist@carelot.net
Website: www.carelot.net
Location: 315 Flanders Road, East Lyme, CT, United States
Phone: 860-739-1993
Facebook: facebook.com/carelotctr