ECDC Newsletter
September 2019
A Message from the Principal, "Miss Kelty"
It is also very important that your teaching team gets to know your child, and even your family. This is why, over these first few weeks, we are reaching out and asking you to share items that help tell your child's or your family's story. Each teaching team may do it a bit differently, but together we are on a quest to help both you and your child feel safe, connected and therefore ready to learn!
We also encourage you to share a little bit of you with your team. If you have a special tradition, talent, or a holiday that you celebrate, please share that information with your child's teacher. We invite families in all year to share those special things with us. We believe that the more we know and understand about each other, the better we all work and learn together now, and in the future.
Also, another important factor in our home-school relationships is the sharing of information and concerns. Our teachers are ready to listen. Please use the Communication Folder that comes back and forth to school to share updates, successes or even your concerns. You can also call and/or email your child's teacher to share information, but just remember that our teaching teams are with your child during the day so they may not be able to get back to you until school is over.
Your child's teacher should always be the first line of communication, but if you need more information or support, please feel free to reach out to me.
I am excited to get to know you and your child over this next school year!
Miss Kelty
ECDC Important Dates and Upcoming Events
To learn more about ECDC Happenings, please visit the Important Dates and Upcoming Events section on the ECDC Principal Page!
ECDC Family Curriculum Night on October 17th
The ECDC team would like to invite your family (yes, children too) to the first of two Curriculum Exploration Open Houses of the school year. This is an opportunity for ECDC students to take their families into a day in the life of a preschooler.
Families are encouraged to visit all of our classrooms, to PLAY with the materials and ASK questions!
Coffee and Conversation... with Miss Kelty
Please join Principal Kelty Kelley for an informal conversation about all things ECDC.
You can connect with other families,
as well as share your thoughts, joys and concerns.
Do you have a topic you wish to discuss such as transitions, curriculum, kindergarten, anxiety, etc.?
Please email your ideas to kelleyk@franklinps.net.
October 17 @ 9:30
January 16 @ 9:30
March 5 @ 9:30
May 7 @ 9:30
Please RSVP to Laura in the main office by calling
508-541-8166
or by emailing flanaganla@franklinps.net
Connections for Parents of Children with Special Needs!
6:30-8:00 pm on
September 26th
This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to make
Connections; to share fears and concerns about what
challenges they face and what strategies have been
successful; and to gather information about additional
resources available to the community.
Special Guests:
Franklin Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
Please RSVP to flanaganla@franklinps.net
Get Involved!
Here at ECDC we have LOTS of ways to have parents and guardians involved our school and in your student's learning!
- Talk to your teacher about volunteering in the classroom; she will find the "just right" way for you to volunteer that works for her classroom and your child.
- Share a passion or talent with the students at ECDC
- Consider joining our PCC (Parent Communication Council), our School Council, or attending our Connections for Parents of Children with Special Needs. Even if you are working, we can get creative and find a way for you to be involved!
- Help with our ECDC Community Garden...this year it is a little sad looking, because the spring was not kind to us! We will need people to help with the garden clean up in both the fall and spring and help with the planting as well!
All volunteers in the school MUST attend a Volunteer Training their first year. In addition, all volunteers must complete a CORI form and sign the Confidentiality statement as well every year. The training is pretty quick and will be done on the following dates:
September 17th @ 6:30pm (Before PCC)
September 24th @ 9:30am
September 26th @ 6:00pm (Before Connections)
October 1st @9:30am
Please RSVP to flanaganla@franklinps.net
Notes from the Nurse...Meet Nurse Suzanne!
Hi, I’m Suzanne Roma, the new school nurse here at ECDC!
I have worked in Franklin for the past 4 years as a Science teacher at Remington Middle School. It might seem funny for a Science teacher to suddenly become a nurse, but it didn’t happen that way. I have led parallel lives in the medical and teaching fields for many years. Before I had my own children I was able to balance my two “loves” easily. I worked in several well-respected hospitals while also teaching and eventually became a Registered Nurse. My specialty is pediatrics, and I have spent a lot of time in private pediatric nursing, caring for medically complex children in their homes. Several years ago I was fortunate to be the summer program’s nurse here at ECDC and fell in love with the community. The staff has a bundle of energy and is dedicated to ensuring that all children grow and learn in a positive environment. When the opportunity to join the team permanently at ECDC arose, I knew it was a place I would be happy to be part of again. I look forward to combining my loves of teaching and nursing in this incredible community and look forward to a great year ahead! I will be maintaining a website and monthly newsletter throughout the year. You can find that by clicking here.
ECDC School Council Update
The ECDC School Council is a group of educators and parents who work together with the principal to provide guidance and input into such processes as the development of a School Improvement Plan and the articulation of a school budget. We are still in need of ONE MORE PARENT REPRESENTATIVE.
Last school year we had a productive kick off for our new ECDC School Council!
One of our goals is to identify what really makes ECDC special and helps define who we are! In the spring we sent out a google survey to parents and staff seeking their feedback as we set out to identify 3-5 words or phrases that our students, staff and families will know and understand as the CORE VALUES of ECDC.
We will also be working with ECDC teachers to think of creative ways to seek input from our students over the next school year about what matters to them about school, too!
The CORE VALUES will then be written in short phrases that students, staff and families will all know and understand that THIS is what matters at ECDC!
If you have not yet shared your thoughts about what matters most to you about your child's preschool experience, click here to complete the family survey. before October 15th.
For more information, or to sign on, please reach out to me (Kelleyk@franklinps.net or 508-541-8166).
2019-20 School Council Members:
Linda Cournoyer, Speech and Language Pathologist
Stefanie Izzy, Parent
Kelty Kelley, ECDC Principal
TBD, Parent
Elizabeth Reynard, Special Educator/Early Childhood Teacher
2019-20 Meeting Schedule
(all meetings held at 1:45 in the ECDC Conference Room)
October 28th
December 9th
February 10th
April 6th
June 1st
Thank you!
Social Emotional Learning And a Donation from the Big Y
Last spring ECDC was given a $5000 gift from The Big Y to support our efforts in Social Emotional Learning.
Jen Curry (School Psychologist), Sandra Wong (OT), and I wrote a proposal to support their work to create “Chill Zones” in each of our 7 classrooms! “Chill Zones” are small, quiet spaces with a myriad of tools that students can use to calm themselves down and get ready to learn.
Why “Chill Zones”:
The Franklin Public Schools and ECDC are invested in fostering the Social Emotional development of each and every student, and that begins with providing our preschoolers a solid foundation in Social Emotional Learning. This year we are focusing on teaching Self-Regulation skills.
At ECDC we are working on teaching our preschoolers strategies for self-regulation and how being calm and self-regulated at school will allow them to be ready for learning. Our wish is to provide strategies and tools in each classroom so every student can access them throughout the day.
When our students are dysregulated they are not able to access what is being taught. They are unable to focus on lessons, participate in activities, socialize, and play. All of which are critical to their development and future success.
We believe that with the use of purposeful self-regulation strategies and tools, all of our students will be able to access the preschool curriculum, be able to navigate challenges they may face, and will more easily transition to the rigors of kindergarten.
We have seen first hand how self-regulation tools help our students when they are feeling out of control. After using such tools, students become more calm, relaxed, self-confident, self-aware, and happy. The additional materials purchased with this grant will compliment items already in use, making our “Chill Zones” more impactful for more students.
We have started to purchase items and developing plan for our new "Chill Zones!"
We are so grateful to the BIG Y for supporting our vision for Social Emotional Learning!
A Message from your PCC
What is the PCC?
The PCC stands for Parent Communication Council. A Parent Communication Council is just like a PTO/PTA and run by parent volunteers. Throughout the school year we will host events for our ECDC community, such as playgroup/playdates that provide opportunities for families and children to connect. (see below for the first playdate) We also host fundraisers during the year. The funds collected are used to be able to provide enrichment opportunities (such as, Barn Babies, Discovery Museum) for our ECDC students. The PCC also participates in community outreach programs such as the Food Pantry Drive, Hat/Mitten Drive. The ECDC PCC also celebrates teachers/staff with our annual Teacher Appreciation Week. Last but not least, the PCC hosts Fun Fair which consists of a carnival style end of the year celebration in June.
We do great things for our school community but can't do it without you! We need your help and support! Please consider joining the PCC. (see below for a schedule of our meetings)
Aracely Lee, PCC Chair
Kerrianne Bartro, PCC Treasurer
Sheri Paquin, PCC Secretary
Jennifer Woiszwillo, PCC Teacher Prep Committee
Eleanor Jaspersohn, PCC Social Committee
Upcoming PCC Meetings
September 17th @7pm
October 15th @9:30 am
November 19th @7pm
Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ ECDCPCC to keep up to date with all our events!
PCC Committees
Please consider signing up for one of our committees:
FALL HARVEST BASKET RAFFLE
To support the teaching staff and enrichment activities for students, the ECDC PCC will be raffling off several beautiful Fall Harvest Baskets at our Curriculum Night. If you would like to volunteer to help collect donations for the baskets and/or design the baskets for raffling please email us at ecdcpccpresident@gmail.com
TEACHER PREP COMMITTEE
The hard-working teachers at ECDC can use help prepping curriculum materials. Jobs include cutting, laminating, making copies, putting books together, etc. We meet upstairs in the ECDC prep room. Come to as many as you want and stay as long as you are able! Feel free to bring your kids--there are even some toys to play with. This is a great way to meet new people and socialize while helping our teachers.
Sign up for as many dates as you would like on the sign up genius below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080949A8A92AA4FB6-teacher
SOCIAL COMMITTEE
Every month the PCC will host playdates for ECDC families.This month we will be enjoying the beginning of a new school year with a playdate September 27th in Fletcher Park at 1pm. This is a 1/2 day for those parents of older elementary school aged children. Feel free to bring siblings, as this is a great opportunity to socialize with friends and get a chance to meet other parents and their kiddos. Be sure to check us out on Facebook or Instagram to get updates as the day approaches. We hope to see you there!
Important Upcoming Dates:
September 17- First PCC meeting of the year @7pm. Join us for refreshments and get to know what the PCC is all about
September 26- 1st Teacher Prep of the year @9:15 prep room ECDC Prep Room (see link above to signup if interested)
September 27- Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)
September 27- PCC Playdate at Fletcher Park @ 1pm (We'll meet up at the Franklin Library in case of rain)
September 30- Rosh Hashanah (NO SCHOOL)
October 9- Yom Kippur (NO SCHOOL)
October 10- Teacher Prep @9:15 (ECDC prep room)
October 11- Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)
October 14- Columbus Day (NO SCHOOL)
October 14- PCC Playdate @ Tangerini's Farm @10am (more info to follow)
October 15- PCC meeting @9:30 am
October 24- Teacher Prep @9:15 (ECDC prep room)
Franklin Food Pantry Provides FREE Weekend Food to Kids
All children in the Franklin Elementary Schools and ECDC are eligible,
all you have to do is sign up.
For more information or to sign up, please contact Nurse Suzanne at Romas@franklinps.net .
Looking for feedback!
Now that we have the first couple of weeks in the books, the teaching team here at ECDC would like to know your thoughts and ideas on how we can help make that transition to school even better for each one of our little ECDC students.
What did we do well?
What might make the transition even easier for you and/or your child?
How did the Thursday start day work for your child and your family?
You can send your thoughts to me via email @ kelleyk@franklinps.net or just drop a hand written note in your child's back!
Thank you for entrusting your little ones to us here at ECDC!
ECDC has a few spots still open---Tell Your Friends About us!
Tell your friends and family about ECDC!
For NEW students to ECDC, please click here
F.X. O'Regan Early Childhood Development Center
Kelty Kelley, Principal, M.Ed.
"There is no hand so small that it cannot leave an imprint on the world!" Klub Kidz
Email: kelleyk@franklinps.net
Website: https://www.franklinps.net/ecdc
Location: 224 Oak Street, Franklin, MA, USA
Phone: 508-541-8166
Twitter: @FranklinECDC