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Ticks, Potty Training, and Happy Mother's Day!


News and Reminders

We are moving our Parent Potluck to May 25th, it was originally scheduled for May 18th. There will be a Parent Collaboration Committee Meeting immediately following the potluck.

We will be closed on May 29th for Memorial Day.

If you are missing any winter gear please let us know. We are currently going through everything and storing it for next year. We have put together a lost and found in the front entryway, look for the sign.


Potty Training Book Recommendation

The title of this book might put you off but the advice inside is fantastic. The author, Jamie Clowacki, does a great job of being very clear and concise. It simplifies the process and gives you a sense that as long as you are in control and have a plan, teaching your child how to use the toilet is something you and your child can handle. If you have a child between 1.5 - 2.5 years who is not yet potty trained definitely consider reading this book.


Ticks





I'm sure you have all heard that this year is already being called one of the worst years for ticks. Please consider dressing your children in light layers of long sleeves, pants, and socks so we can keep them protected. We will conduct tick checks here at school but it's also important for you to do them at home too. Make sure to check behind and in ears, behind knees, on the scalp, underarms, inside belly buttons, in between legs, and anywhere else that is warm and cozy. 
This hat is made by Outdoor Research and is definitely one of the best for children. It stays on nicely and is lightweight. In addition to protecting heads from ticks, it does well for sun protection. 
Here is the link to the CDC Guide to Ticks. They have images of different species, removal, and possible signs and symptoms you should look out for. Please take the time to look through the website.

The EPA has developed a website to help you search for the best tick repellent according to your needs. Check it out: EPA Tick Repellent Search Tool. Here are a few insect repellents that also work on ticks. Please give us your feedback about what works best. 


Bee Naturals Naturally Formulated Mosquito & Bug Repellent

Botanical Solutions Tick Guard

Happy Mother's Day to all of you! I hope you are able to spend some quality time with your family. The Mother's Days gifts are sunflowers, please plant them outside where it can get a lot of sun! 


Classroom Updates

Infant I
This week a big interest has been toy cars. We love to roll them across the floor, race them down the ramp, or just hold them upside-down and spin the wheels. We have also enjoyed singing songs both outside and inside throughout our daily routines. Several of our older children are getting great at clapping along and singing a word here and there. We've also been working on gentle touches and giving our friends a little room when they are upset. We talk a lot about different options each child has depending on where they are in their mobility. 




Infant II
We welcomed a new teacher this week, Kaitlyn. She just moved to Vermont with her son from New Hampshire. We are very happy to have her join us. The children really like Kaitlyn and had no problems adjusting to having someone new in the room. We have spent a lot of time outside this week exploring the grass and flowers that are starting to show up. Blowing bubbles has also been a frequent request. Our class is great at blowing the bubbles by themselves! Inside we explored playdough and the different prints we could make in it with different types of toys. The animals were very interesting. We also opened the sensory table and had a blast touching, crinkling, and throwing the tinfoil and tissue paper. We watched it fall so gently and listened to the different noises it made. We worked hard this week being as independent as possible with all our daily tasks. 





Toddlers
We had a lovely week in our classroom. We worked on several activities that foster fine-motor developed. We worked on lacing pegs using pipe cleaners. We also were very interested in our new classroom puzzles with a strong focus on the ocean puzzle. New large books about animals and their families were also very popular. Many children were very curious about why so many animal babies were born without hair. As always, we spent much of our time outside and really enjoyed the appearance of the sun! On Thursday we enjoyed a special music lesson from Shannon. We loved singing many songs with Shannon and her class, especially "Baa-baa Black Sheep", "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", "Mary (Kate) had a Little Lamb". 

Preschool I
This week the children shifted their interest from sun and rain to plants and how the rain and sun help them grow. On Tuesday the children planted individual sunflower seeds after learning a new fingerplay about "a little seed." They cared for the seeds throughout the week. A large lily plant, some soil, and bulbs were added to the sensory table for the children to explore. They learned specific vocabulary words, such as roots, leaves, stems, soil, wet, and dry. We also discussed how the children need to water the roots of the plant, as the leaves are for breathing and the roots are for drinking.
We are introducing more finger plays at circle to increase opportunities for language skills. Additionally, we are continuing to embed both counting and letter recognition in daily routines to supplement direct instruction provided when the children show interest. To build their sense of community and ownership of the school, Jacob and the threes have begun earning their library trips through helpful chores around the school, including washing wayward chalk drawings on the walls or raking leaves. Raking is a popular chore and is great for encouraging taking turns!

Next week the children will be transitioning to underwear, so please remember lots and lots of spare clothes, as well as water bottles and sun hats!







Preschool II
This week we spent all of our mornings at the Woof trail. We have really been settling into and owning this space in the woods and it has allowed our play to really deepen and expand. We worked very hard this week on listening to our friend's words the first time they ask something of us and not using our bodies to communicate when we become frustrated. We have just about mastered listening for the teachers "owl call" that tells us to return to the teacher when we are on the trail. 

We have also fallen in love with a poem and fingerplay song about peas in a pod. Ask your child to show you how it goes. 

5 little peas in a pod pressed
1 grew, 2 grew, and so did the rest
They grew and they grew and they grew so big
They grew and they grew and they didn't stop
They grew and they grew until the pea pod went POP! 

We are now having circle and all snacks outside and this has really been adding to the success of our days. Thank you so much for arriving early and ready to get out as quickly as possible, it greatly impacts every child's day! 

PreK
We were very sad to say goodbye to Kate this week. She is moving back to Nebraska to be closer to family. However, we are thrilled to welcome Amanda S up to PreK. We spent the week getting to know her and showing her our favorite spots. In campfire forest we collected small, medium, and large sticks to build a fort. Wednesday the older children attended sotrytime and free Music in May by the Stowe Performing Arts. We've been very interested in ants and plan to learn more about them next week. A few slower, longer mornings spent out back at school have turned into well thought out dramatic play and explorations. We also spent time planting seeds for Mother's Day and are excited to plant more next week. 

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