January News

We hope you all had a
wonderful holiday.

Thank you to all the parents for your thoughtful and generous wishes at Christmas.

WE HAVE A NEW CHEF!
We are very excited to welcome our new chef, Jorge Mendez.
He will join us January 5^th. Stop by and say hello.

The winter weather has arrived.
We do not go outside unless the temperature is 20 degree or higher.
Those little hands and ears still need gloves and hats.
We need snow pants and boots to play in the snow.

Research tells us:

	********	Reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for building understanding and skills for reading success.

	********	Growth in vocabulary and oral language use is related to reading.

	********	Children acquire knowledge of letters through reading.

	********	Phonological awareness is related to reading success and begins to develop through traditional rhymes and word games.

	********	Reading to your child as bedtime is a wonderful way to end the day and a great cuddle time.

	********	Celebrate when your child shows the ability to hear rhyming sounds, predicts story lines and is able to spot simple sight words. It's a wonderful journey to take with your child.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

If you should change your phone number
at home or work or cell please notify us.

If you have a cell phone, please give us the number.

A new Movement, Music and Theater Class will begin on
Monday, January 5th.
The class is being presented by
Virtuoso Performing Arts, L.L.C.
There is still room.
See the information.
See the application.

Medical News

Hand washing is the single most important thing we can do to prevent the spread of germs.
As simple as it sounds, there are suggested procedures from the National Health
and Safety Performance Standards for proper hand washing which we all need to be
aware of and to teach our children. Suggested procedures include:

1.	Turn on water.
2.	Moisten hands with water and apply liquid soap to hands. This is the hard part for children. They will apply sop first and then add water, thus rinsing off the soap.
3.	Rub hands together vigorously until a soapy lather appears and continue for at least 10 seconds. Rub areas between fingers, around nail beds, under fingernails, and back of hands.
4.	Rinse hands under running water until they are free of soap and dirt. Leave water running why drying hands.
5.	Dry hands with clean, disposable, single-use towel.
6.	Turn off faucet with disposal towel.
7.	Throw the disposable paper towel into a lined trash container.

There is a fun little song to sing with children when washing hands.

		(tune: Row, Row Row Your Boat) Wash, wash, wash your hands Play this handy game. Rub and scrub, rub and scrub, Germs go down the drain.

If your child receives a shot
during a doctor's visit,
please get a note from the doctor,
so our medical records are
always up to date.

JUST A REMINDER...

At the recommendation of the Health Department we will
not administer over the counter medication without a note or fax
from the children’s doctor. Prescription medication must be in the
original container from the pharmacy. If your child should require
medication the doctor can often prescribe the dosage twice a day,
so that you are the only person administering the medication.
Our new policy takes effect immediately.

Thank you for your understanding.

Early Years
is a newsletter to provide busy parents with practical ways
to promote school readiness, parent
involvement, and more effective parenting.
Click here to read the January Edition.
(You must have Adobe Acrobat to open this newsletter)

January Birthday List

Gabriel M. January 9^thBraiden F. January 11^thAndrew B January 20^thBianka K. January 23^rd
Kayla H. January 28^thJoshua R. January 28^th^{HAPPY
BIRTHDAY!!!}

Some New Year Resolutions...

1.	Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight, and height.

2.	Keep only cheerful friends.

3.	Keep learning: learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle.

4.	Enjoy the simple things.

5.	Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.

6.	Surround yourself with what you love: Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.

7.	Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it, if it is unstable, improve it.

8.	Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

9.	Never go to sleep angry.

10.	Keep smiling: to those you know and those you don't.

WHAT'S HAPPENING...

Our Teddy Bears, the two's ...
Last month we talked about the different holidays being celebrated.
Christmas, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa.
This month we will talk about winter things.
What we wear in the winter, what we see & winter animals!
Happy New Year! :)

The Bunny Bunch, the threes ...
during December Week learned about Winter, and the holidays Christmas and Hanukah.
In Winter Week we talked about how boys and girls dress for the weather.
We made snow globes and played Bingo.
During our Holiday Weeks we talked about the holidays that were coming.
We made menorah's marble painted dreidels and Christmas wreaths.
We sang lots of holiday songs.

In our 4's, our Junior Kindergarten ...
We celebrated the snowy month of December by learning about the different holidays!
We made colorful flames on menorahs, trimmed trees, made Kwanzaa fruit and enjoyed Feliz Navidad.
As we approached the break, we discussed the sights, sounds and smells of the holidays.
We even played Hot Cocoa Shop and Santa's Workshop in dramatic play!
From our hearts to yours we wish you holiday blessings!

Our 5's, our Kindergartener's...
during the month of December we talked about how Winter weather came to town.
We added snow to our Season Tree.
We talked about gingerbread men and decorated our own gingerbread cookies.
We had a discussion about the holidays around the world.

You can now print our Registration Form.

Happy New Year !