Golden Nuggets

Dear Families,

I hope you all had a good break filled with family and fun! It's been fun hearing children tell us about their time off from school. We are excited to get back to school for the second half of our school year. As a reminder, here is our Preschool Calendar. Please note the dates for Early Release, Monday holidays, Spring Break, and Summer Break.

What did your child learn at their Hot Cocoa Party?

Social Emotional/Friendship Skills

• Use of manners like “Please pass the fruit.” and “Thank you for passing.”

• Practicing social norms like sitting while eating and using utensils at the table

• Follows limits and expectations

• Patience as they waited for a turn to serve themselves

• Cooperation as they set the table

• Impulse/self control as they blew on the cocoa to be sure it isn't too hot, and as they wait until everyone is served before eating

• Using tongs to serve themselves food

• Pouring from a teapot into a teacup

• Using pincer grasp to stir the cocoa and milk with a straw

• Hand eye coordination as they pass plates, poured milk and cocoa, and used serving utensils

Math

• Counting skills as they counted out marshmallows

• Simple math as they served themselves “You have 3 marshmallows, how many more can you take?”

• One to one correspondence as they set out one napkin, one cup, and one saucer per seat.

Language

• Practiced asking for an item to be passed

• Used new words and phrases like “Please Pass?”, ”Pardon me.”, Por favor?, and “Feliz Navidad!”

And so much more!

If you are able to bring healthy snacks, we would appreciate a variety of fresh items donated when we get back from the Holiday break.

Some ideas on what we need: cheese, carrots, grapes, cherry tomatoes, apples, oranges, bananas, yogurt/Go-gurts, hummus, eggs, berries, and more. If it is healthy, we would appreciate it!

Next Early Release is January 15th:

-No afternoon classes.

-Full Day parents, please pick-up your child at noon. We will eat lunch early that day at 11:30.

The snow is here! We go outside almost every day. Please Make sure to:

1. Bring your child's snow gear each day, or leave their snow gear at the preschool.
2. Label all of your child's belongings with their name.
3. We change clothes often in the winter because children sometimes get wet when outside. If you see a note come home asking for a change of clothes, please bring them the next day.

2 Hour Delay:

-Full Day classes start at 10:00am

-Morning 1/2 day Preschool classes are cancelled

-Afternoon classes start on time

Colorado Preschool Program Overview

In the 2022 Legislative Session, HB22-1295 established the Colorado Universal Preschool Program to offer voluntary, high-quality universal preschool to every Colorado child in the year before kindergarten. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) is charged with operating the program to enable families to choose from a mixed-delivery system of high-quality preschool settings, including licensed community-based programs, school-based programs, and licensed home providers. High-quality preschool has demonstrated positive outcomes for children and families in the short and long-term.

How Does it Work?

All children in Colorado can register for up to 15 hours of free, high-quality preschool in their year before kindergarten through Colorado’s Universal Pre-K (UPK) Program.

• Families may qualify for more hours based on a number of qualifying factors.
• 3 Year Olds should contact their school district for preschool services.
• Preschool aged children with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) should work with their Special Education Administrative Unit (AU) to enroll.

Need Colorado Universal Preschool Information? https://cdec.colorado.gov/universal-preschool-family-information

Contact Ashlyn Sims at: tpecc.familyresource@gmail.com for help filling out UPK registration for the 25/26 school year.

"As a parent or caregiver, you may see your child behave in a way that doesn’t make sense and ask yourself, “Why does she keep doing that?” It can be very frustrating, especially when it seems like it should be easy for your child to figure out on her own a more appropriate way to behave. In moments like this, it is important to remember that children continue to use a behavior because it works! Your child’s behavior is a powerful communication tool that she uses to tell you what she needs or wants.

Children use challenging behavior to either: 1) get something, such as attention, a toy or a nap, or, 2) get out of doing something, such as going to bed, eating a new food or getting buckled in the car seat. The first step you must take to help your child learn a new behavior is to determine if she wants something or wants to avoid doing something." Read more here:

• English: https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/backpack/BackpackConnection_behavior_understand-meaning.pdf
• Spanish: https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/backpack/BackpackConnection_behavior_understand-meaning_SP.pdf

We hope you find this resource beneficial. We have printed copies available if you would like a copy. If you have any questions or need further support, please feel free to reach out.

Check out the "Local Events" tab on the Park County School District website. It is next to "Announcements" and will house all of our community events.

Here is the link: https://www.parkcountyre2.org/en-US/local-events-517eaa78