Central Christian Pre-K 3

Just Because...

2008-04-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

I really don't have any news that is worthy of reporting except that your children were fantastic today! They were respectful, and kind, both to me and their classmates, and they worked VERY hard on all of the projects I had planned! We had a really fun day, and being a parent myself, I know that sometimes it's just good to hear some good news for a change! See you Tuesday!

Conferences!

2008-04-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to all of you for participating in conferences! I know the concept of a preschool conference can seem silly at times, but I am glad for the opportunity to share with all of you, and get to know you a little better. I am so grateful to you all for the gracious reception to my news about moving. It reinforces how truly blessed I am to be teaching in an environment where the underlying values and spiritual views among parents, teachers, and children are the same!

I am looking forward to the next two weeks and what they will hold! On Thursday, the 24th, I am planning a little party for the kids since that will be my last day! You are (as always) welcome to be there and participate with your child! We will get started after Library at 10:00AM!

Thanks again for partnering with me to create the best environment possible for your child's schooling! Have a wonderful weekend!

Move to Spokane...

2008-04-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

Many of you have been asking me about our upcoming transition, so I wanted to post an 'official' announcement about our move to Spokane!

As many of you already know, my family has been separated since October. When the fallout in the housing sector was at its greatest, the company Tye works for let go of almost 80% of its employees. We were blessed to have been given the opportunity to stay with the company, but Tye would have to work in Eugene. Since then, the kids and I have been here, and he has been coming home only on the weekends.

To be completely honest with you, it has been quite a struggle for all of us! We prayed everyday that God would reveal His plan, and that we would have the wisdom and strength not to push forward without Him. He provided more strength and patience during that time than I could have ever had on my own, but this was not how He intended a family to function!

About two months ago, after realizing that we were not going to relocate to Eugene, the company approached Tye with an opportunity in Spokane. Two days later, our house sold! I had such mixed emotions about the entire situation! After much thought and prayer though, we were both convinced that this is where God was leading us to go!

That being said, I am truly devastated about leaving your little ones behind. My little class of seven kids has brought me more joy than you could ever know. I have grown to love each one of them as if they were my own! My sincere hope is that each one of you will keep me updated on their progress with pictures or emails now and then! The fantastic news is that God always provides a solution, and usually one that is far superior to anything we might dream up on our own.

Easton's mom, Melanie, has agreed to take over the class until the end of the year! She was my top pick, and I could not be any more thrilled with her decision to step in! She is a certified teacher, has several years of experience, and has even developed curriculum for children's' ministry in her church! She has very similar expectations of the kids, and will be in the classroom with me during my last week to help make the transition a smooth one!

Thank you for sharing your children with me this year, and for your support and encouragement. It has been a wonderful experience, and one that will be hard to match anywhere else! If you have questions about what will be happening over the next two weeks, please let me know! I will be glad to address anything that comes up! God Bless!

Successful Planting!

2008-04-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

As of this morning, we officially have a Classroom Garden! We planted several different kinds of flowers, corn, beans, peppers, cucumber, lettuce, watermelon, and one more that will be a mystery species! :) Thanks to all of you who contributed items to make this happen. Be sure to stop by and check out our progress! If you are interested in any of the plants, let me know! We will be transplanting them to new homes as soon as they are big enough to do so! Have a fantastic weekend!

Tornado Painting!

2008-04-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

Today, our Science focus was on tornados! We talked about how they form, what they look like, and even saw some pictures of the damage they can do! After much excited discussion, :) we took some time to make tornado paintings. Each child took a paper plate, and put it inside of a salad spinner with two different colors of paint! After giving it a good spin, we observed the patterns that were created, much like in a tornado! The kids had a great time with this, and so did I! We even did a few extra paintings just for good measure! :)

Conference Schedule...

2008-04-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Thursday April 10, 2008

9:30 - 9:50 Easton Croft
10:00 - 10:20 Korbyn Dice
10:30 - 10:50 Alyssa Walker
11:00 - 11:20 Jordyn Looney

6:00 - 6:20 Kyela Smith
6:30 - 6:50 Isabelle Ludi
7:00 - 7:20 Abby Anderson

WELCOME APRIL!!!

2008-04-01T11:35:00.001-07:00

I can hardly believe that April is already here! I hope all of you had a fantastic Spring Break! This month our focus will be primarily on weather, Noah and the Ark, and we will continue to review some of the letters and numbers that tested a little weak! It's also conference time again! I will be posting a conference schedule online as well as sending reminders home with the kids. Just like last time, I will have report cards ready for you to take home the day of your conference! I am really looking forward to meeting with you and sharing some of the successes your children have made. They truly are a wonderful group of kids!!
P.S.
On Thursday of this week, we will be planting our class garden so please be sure to send the kids in clothes that can get dirty!

Easter Celebration Thursday!

2008-03-18T11:20:00.001-07:00

Our final lesson on the resurrection will be this Thursday, culminating in an Easter celebration in which the kids will be asked to get up and present at least one part of the Easter story to the class! I was so proud of them today... they have come so far from the start of the year! They could tell me the name of the city Jesus rode into on the donkey, who betrayed him to the court, who gave the order to put him on the cross... it was pretty amazing! In addition to our Easter celebration, we will be finishing our 'Road to Easter' bulletin board as well, so be sure to check it out when you stop by!

P.S.
We planted several seeds in root viewers last week, and are tracking their progress! Today was the first day we were actually able to see the roots! It was pretty exciting around here!!!!!

Thanks to all of you who have volunteered to help with the portable garden! We will be planting the Thursday after Spring Break, so be sure to send the kids in clothes that can get dirty!

Some of Our March Needs...

2008-03-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

We will be starting preparations for the 'Pre-K3 Portable Garden' within the next two weeks! Here are some of the items we are going to need! If you have any of these, and are willing to let us use them, please let me know! Thanks so much!

-Seeds (fast germinating seeds would be best, for example: sunflowers, cucumbers, pumpkin, watermelon, squash, etc.)
- 2 - 3 Medium-sized bags of potting soil - enough to fill a small wagon or child-sized wheel barrow.
- 1 or 2 watering cans
- 1 small wagon or child-sized wheel barrow.
- Bulbs (any kind will work)
- 10 Clear plastic Cups

It's March!!

2008-03-03T19:21:00.000-08:00

This month our major focus will be on Easter and the Resurrection Story! Central Christian sticks to a school-wide policy of focusing strictly on the religious aspects of the holiday, so we will not be addressing anything else at school. In addition to Easter, we are going to be starting a unit on plants. This will culminate in the planting of our ‘portable classroom garden’ at the end of the month!

March will also be the start of our ’Final Reviews’. I will be testing each child individually to see what areas we need to re-address as a class. We will be spending focused review time on those specific areas! As always, if you have any questions, thoughts or concerns, PLEASE feel free to call me! Thank you for sharing your precious children!

This Month’s Memory Verse:
“Sing praises to the Lord.” Psalm 9:11

Fire Station Update!

2008-02-27T16:26:00.000-08:00

The Fire Station field trip was a blast! Your kids were so good, and they had some fantastic (and funny) questions for the firemen! Hopefully this experience will 'spark' some conversations about fire safety at home! Thanks again for sharing your wonderful kids! They bring such joy to my days!

Valentine's Party Pictures!

2008-02-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

Our Valentine's Party was so much fun! Thanks to all of you who brought supplies, or participated!

ID Bracelets!

2008-02-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

The following is a comment left on the site from Abby's mom, Rachell. I wanted to make sure you all are aware of this - it's a great deal, and a good idea for all kids to have one! Check out the website and let her know by next week, if you are interested, so that she can go ahead and place the order! Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

"I am placing an order for child identification bracelets from idtags.com. If I order 20 or more they are only $8.45 a piece. If you are interested call me at 788-1493. Rachell"

UPDATE!

2008-02-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the scenarios we went over today in order to practice "NO! GO! YELL! TELL!" The kids did a wonderful job of putting the strategy to use, but I am a firm believer that you can never have enough practice with this sort of thing!

- A nice-looking stranger approaches your child in the park and asks for help finding a lost dog.
- A stranger tells your child that 'Your mom and/or dad sent me to pick you up'.
- Your child thinks he/she is being followed.
- A woman who lives in your neighborhood, but that your child does not know, invites your child in for a snack."
- A stranger offers your child candy or a toy.
- A stranger tells your child to get in the car so that they can take him/her to where you are hurt.

"NO! GO! YELL! TELL!"

2008-02-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday of this week we will be talking about "NO! GO! YELL! TELL!" This is an easy to remember strategy your kids can use if they are ever approached or grabbed by a stranger! We will be roll playing and practicing all four elements! I'm sure they will be eager to explain the whole process, so be sure to ask!

It's Safety Month!

2008-02-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

This month is all about safety! We kicked off our unit today by talking about how, why, and when we use the telephone! You may notice that your child no longer has a name tag, but instead, has to be able to recognize his/her phone number to find their seat! We will be covering strangers, fire safety, 911, and much more! To top it all off, I have asked a Police Officer and Fireman to come talk to the kids! The objective of this unit is not to scare the kids, but to instill a greater awareness of their surroundings, and tools for how to react appropriately. If you have any questions, please call or email me - and BE SAFE!

P.S.

The "It's Safety Month" title above is also a link to McGruff's Child Safety Center. They have some fantastic information and activities for kids!

Auction News!

2008-02-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

Tye and I attended the annual auction last night, and while I do not know the final total for the evening, I am SO happy to report that there was a generous response during the freenzy auction that raised more than enough money for a new bus!!! If you did not attend this year, please consider going next year! It was a fantastic evening! Our Auction Committee really outdid themselves! Thanks to all of you who participated in one way or another! The effort is greatly appreciated!

EXTRA! EXTRA! We're Having a Valentine's Day Party!

2008-01-30T17:48:00.000-08:00

Our Valentine's Day party will be on Thursday, February 14th! We have some inexpensive needs that I was hoping some of you might be willing to donate! You will find those listed below! Please post a comment saying what you are willing to bring so that others can see what needs have already been filled! Also, I have included a class list that you can use to fill out Valentine cards. Please be sure that all Valentines are appropriate for Pre-K 3, ie. no mean looking characters or suggestive messages, etc. :) Thanks so much!

Party Needs:

7 Store-Bought Cupcakes - Jordyn
1 Bag Baby carrots and/or Broccoli - Korbyn
1 Bottle Ranch Dressng - Kyela
7 Juice Boxes or Capri Sun
1 Package Valentine Napkins - Abby
1 Package Valentine Plates - Abby
1 Package of Red or Pink Ballons

Class List:

Abby
Alyssa
Easton
Isabelle
Jordyn
Korbyn
Kyela

Let Us Love One Another!

2008-01-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

This is our memory verse for January and February! On Thursday, we will be talking about Zacchaeus, and how much Jesus loved him, even when he made a mistake! (Luke 19:1-10) Now there is a method to my madness here! I have been making an effort to hold each child in class accountable for all of their actions! They have had September to December to learn the routine, and now I am holding them to that! My hope / goal is for them to understand that even if they make a mistake at school, they are still loved and cared for by their families, myself, and by their Lord! As a result, we will be making a 'Love' tree where each child will have a leaf with their name on it, and one leaf which tells about one of their positive attributes! You are invited to stop by and look at the tree any time - you may even see Zacchaeus sitting in the branches!

Auction Bird Houses!

2008-01-25T17:28:00.000-08:00

Wow! Your children are truly amazing! A few weeks ago, I was given the assignment of creating something as a class that could be sold at the upcoming fundraiser auction! Given our garden theme, I decided on birdhouses! I have to admit, I was envisioning a mess of gigantic proportion, but I felt that it was important to involve our littlest students in an event that impacts the school so much. As you can see, they created what I consider to be a genuine masterpieces (considering the age and skill level of the artist)! Not only did they paint and decorate each house, they were enthusiastic and eager to make it a good experience! We had a blast!

If you have not purchased tickets for the auction, keep in mind that the last day to buy them is Tuesday, January 29th!