
Unity Preschool News
September 2023-24
Ms. Linda's Letter
What a wonderful first full week of preschool! We enjoyed the smiles, hugs, and laughter of your children. Your children are a delight and we thank you for trusting your child's preschool education and faith-building to us. The car line is running smoothly and the children are doing well learning and following classroom routines. At Unity Preschool, one of the first items that we focus on is developing self-help skills. Self-help skills are abilities that children gradually attain to give them more independence. All of the children have mastered our first self-help skill: walking to their classroom without tears! Additional self-help skills that we are working on include hanging their backpacks, taking out their folders, taking care of their trash after snack, attending to bathroom needs, and picking up toys. When we trust children to do things for themselves, they feel empowered. Their involvement contributes to growing their learning experiences. It is also about learning life skills so they can look after themselves without depending on others. It has been a joy and a delight watching your children learn to master these skills and we look forward to continuing the process throughout the school year.
Thank you for the many, many supplies that you provided. We will be using them throughout the school year. Your generous contributions help us lower our costs so that we can continue to offer one of the most affordable private preschool tuitions in the area. We are so excited to begin this school year with you and help your child have a year filled with learning, adventure, friendship, and fun! Please continue to keep Unity Preschool in your prayers as we pray for a successful and healthy year for all.
Much love,
Ms. Linda
Director
Color and Spirit Days
Color Days: Each month we will have at least one "Color Day" when we ask your child to wear something to school with that color on it (example - shirt, pants, socks, hair bow, or shoes). Our first Color Day is Thursday, September 21. Wear something BLUE to school on this day.
Spirit Days: We will continue to host fun internal events in our classrooms, typically on the last Thursday of each month. Our first "Spirit Day" is Thursday, September 28 with "Glad to Be Me" day and celebrating how God made all of us different, but each of us special. Please wear something that is your favorite (shirt, hat, shoes, socks, etc.).
October 31: Halloween Celebration - We will have Halloween parties in our classrooms.
November 16: Feast Day - We will celebrate Thanksgiving in our classrooms by enjoying a Thanksgiving meal prepared by some special Unity Preschool friends.
December 21: PJ Day - We will all wear our pj's and enjoy some Christmas fun.
Staff Updates
Two's Update: We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Kristen Tenini who will be working with Ms. Danielle in the Older Two's class. Ms. Kristen was a Clinical Social Worker before taking time off to care for her three children: 4th graders Kate and Paige, and kindergartner Patrick. Ms. Kristen's children attend River Trails Elementary School. Ms. Kristen and her family moved to Fort Mill six years ago from Verona, Wisconsin. Ms. Kristen is originally from Alabama. Her family loves to hike at the Anne Springs Close Greenway and visit local playgrounds.
A few of Ms. Kristen's favorites:
Food: Gluten-free cupcakes, granola
Music: Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen
Books: Mel Fell by Corey Tabor, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen, Harry Potter
Activities: Reading, exercising, hiking, watching Formula 1 Racing
Three's Update: We are sad to say goodbye to Ms. Beth who is relocating to North Carolina. Ms. Brandi, who worked with Ms. Becca last year and was our former Four's Lead Teacher, has joined Ms. Laura in the Frog Room as the Lead Teacher. Ms. Jen, who began as an Assistant in the Three's class at Unity, returned to the Three's and will be working with Ms. Becca in the Monkey Room.
Returning Staff: Our entire Fours staff is returning this year: Ms. Maureen and Ms. Kellie in the Fish room and Ms. Elizabeth and Ms. Sarah in the Owl room. Ms. Danielle works in our Preschool Office on Mondays and teaches Music to our Fours classes. Ms. Carolyn will be working in the Preschool Office on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will serve as a substitute when needed. Ms. Linda, our Director, begins her 15th year at Unity Preschool and works Tuesday through Thursday in the Preschool Office.
Preschool Communication
1. See Saw App: Most of our class communication this year will be through your class SeeSaw app. Please download the Family Seesaw App or you will miss fun pictures and teacher announcements. Contact your child's teacher if you need assistance.
2. Smore Newsletter: A Newsletter using the Smore app is emailed monthly from the Director. It has valuable information about programming and policies.
3. Preschool Website: Unity's website was renamed and redesigned this summer (www.UnityPreschool.org). It has general information as well as current events.
Please contact your child's teacher or Linda Bunge if you have any questions, concerns, or issues. If we are not aware of problems and/or concerns, they cannot be addressed. We want Unity Preschool to be a positive experience for not only the children we serve, but also their families.
Family Picnics - October 3, 4, and 5
While the weather is nice, we thought it would be fun to host a Family Picnic for our preschool classes. You (mom, dad, grandparents, friends, siblings) are invited to bring a picnic lunch and a blanket to preschool and we will enjoy lunch together in our Park.
*Our Two's class is invited to join us on Tuesday, October 3 at 11:15.
*Our Threes classes are invited to join us on Wednesday, October 4 at 11:15 and
*Our Fours classes are invited to join us on Thursday, October 5 at 11:15.
If you are a working parent and cannot attend, simply let us know. You can send a lunch with your child and we will arrange a picnic partner for your child. If the weather does not cooperate, we will postpone until the following week.
Scholastic Book Fairy Program
The simple and enjoyable act of sharing books with your child helps them learn pre-reading skills such as understanding the sounds letters make, developing a bigger vocabulary, and building background knowledge. Reading to children from an early age can help prepare children to enter kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed.
Scholastic Book Club Program
Three times a year we send home Scholastic Flyers so that you can choose some new books to purchase for your children. The preschool earns points from your orders that we can use to purchase additional books for our Preschool Library as well as Birthday, Christmas and End-of-Year books for your children. Did you know that the Unity Preschool Library has over 2800 books that we share with our children daily!
Our first Scholastic Flyer is in your child's backpack today. The link for ordering is below. Family orders must by placed by September 27 so that we receive maximum awards for September. Place an order of $25 or more and you can pick a FREE $5 book (use code READS at checkout).
Family Order Due Date: 09/27/23
SHOP OUR CLASS PAGE: https://orders.scholastic.com/GXCK8
SHOP FLYERS: https://clubs.scholastic.com/prek
Thanks in advance for your support!
Busy Toddler
Here is a link to her printable fall bucket list with simple and cheap activities for families to enjoy during the fall months: https://busytoddler.com/fall-bucket-list-for-toddlers/
Do I Send My Child to School
We have received questions about whether you should send your child to school with runny noses, coughs and other symptoms. The rule of thumb that we like to use is "If another child had similar symptoms, would you want your child playing with them?"
Missing a day or two of preschool will not set them back on their educational journey. If you find you are wiping your child's nose often; they are unusually tired, whiny, or clingy; and/or you are reminding them to cough in their sleeve all day long, please keep them home. Your child will enjoy the extra loving time and it will help prevent spread in the classroom. If your child has a persistent cough or runny nose due to allergies, please let us know that they are not contagious. We welcome questions if you are just not sure.
On Wednesdays we wear TENNIS SHOES
Car Line Reminders
*Safety: If your child has been removed from your car, please do NOT pass other cars ahead of you. We often have to remove children from both sides of the cars and the car line is not designed to be two lanes.
*Remain in Cars: Please remain in your vehicles during car line (morning and afternoon). Our Assistants will unbuckle your child(ren) in the morning. In the afternoon, please pull forward to a parking space and then buckle your child.
*Car Tags: Please use your car tags in the morning for the month of September. This will help us as we get to know you, your child, and your car. If you need extra car tags, let us know. If you place your car tag in the window, be careful if you roll down your window. Windows like to eat car tags:)!
*Car Line Times: Just a reminder that we begin unloading in the morning at 8:45 a.m. We begin loading the Twos and Threes at 11:55 a.m. and the Fours at 12:10 p.m.
Miscellaneous
*Folders: Each child received a plastic pocket folder with his/her name on it. Those folders will go home every day. Please review and empty them and return them on your child's next day of school.
*Photo Release: Just a reminder that you signed and dated a photo release on your child's online registration form. The photo release allows us to post pictures of the entire class on SeeSaw and/or in our School Newsletter. We will NOT post pictures on Facebook or Instagram and no names are used with any pictures that we post.
*Outside Reminders: We go outside every day as long as it is not raining or too cold. Please apply sunscreen in the morning, if needed, and wear tennis shoes/close-toed shoes and socks. We have mulch and a sandbox in our Park area and comfort is more important than fashion.
*Label Clothes: Please remember to label jackets/sweaters/extra clothes that you send to school so that we can make sure they go home with the correct child.
*Tuition: Our next tuition withdrawal date will be Monday, October 2nd.
Unity Preschool Staff 2023-24
Front Row - Left to Right by teaching pairs:
Ms. Maureen and Ms. Kellie (Fours - Fish)
Ms. Elizabeth and Ms. Sarah (Fours - Owls)
Back Row - Left to Right by teaching pairs:
Ms. Carolyn (Librarian/T & Th Helper/First Call Sub)
Ms. Danielle and Ms. Kristen (Older Twos - Bees)
Ms. Becca and Ms. Jen (Threes - Frogs)
Ms. Brandi and Ms. Laura (Threes - Monkeys)
Ms. Linda (Director)
Questions, concerns, or comments? preschoolatunity@gmail.com or (803)396-8454
Unity Preschool
Email: preschoolatunity@gmail.com
Website: https://www.unitypreschool.org/
Location: 303 Tom Hall Street, Fort Mill, SC, USA
Phone: 803-396-8454