September 2004

WELCOME to all our new and returning families!  We are beginning our 40th year of educating young children!  We are looking forward to establishing a great relationship with all of our parents during the year.  Welcome to the school newsletter ~ it is written once a month to let you know about our school and each other.  We send additional notes home when needed ~ we are trying to keep them to a minimum!  Since we are a cooperative nursery school and want the best for your child, we like to keep you informed of what is going on and to let you know what help we need ~ please be sure to read our notes.  Thanks!!

THANKS TO the CAREY family for their book donation!

THANKS TO the JACOBSEN family for their donation of toys!           

THANKS TO all of you who have pitched in to help out as helping parents on a “double duty tour” for the first couple of weeks!

THANK YOU very much to all of you who have brought in napkins, cups and paper towels!  With your help in supplying these necessities, we are able to purchase other necessities for the children.  If you still have not brought your paper goods, please do so ~ we still need them.  Thanks again!

THANK YOU to all of the Teddy Bear parents for waiting so patiently outside our door!  We know you are anxious to see your child after the school day, but the doorway tends to get very crowded during our hectic dismissals!  In addition, by you waiting for your child to be dismissed to you, helps to keep everyone safe and accounted for!!  Your cooperation, support and patience is greatly appreciated!

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE to have such a diverse cultural group of students.  If anyone would like to talk to the children about a particular holiday or special custom, please let one of the teachers know!  Also, if anyone speaks another language fluently, please let us know. 

A FEW REMINDERS---

1.   If you know in advance that you will be unable to be helping parent on a certain day in any particular month, and want to insure that you will not be assigned that day, please notify your child’s teacher by the 15th of the preceding month. Should you need a sub. on your helping day, you would give the sub. $10 and send the snack, or give the sub. $16 and they provide the snack. 

2.  Your child may participate in SHOW AND TELL on his/her helping day.  Please encourage him/her to bring in ONE ITEM only ~ a toy, a souvenir from a trip, or something with special meaning to him (but please, nothing of great value!).  Guns and weapons of any kind are not allowed at school.  Show and Tell is an important learning experience, and we discourage children from bringing in toys on other days.  These toys are frequently lost or broken during the school day because we cannot keep track of them!  Also, please remember that no toys should be brought to school on field trip days!

3.  Please put labels on clothing.  As the weather gets colder, the children will be wearing more outer clothes.  Trying to sort out similar clothes or boots can be frustrating for all!

4.  Please look at the Nursery School bulletin board in the front hall – many interesting, and often important notices are placed there.  Health notices and announcements of local activities for children are placed on this bulletin board.  If you have a notice that you would like to post on the board, please check with one of the teachers first.

Please read the notes that are regularly posted by your child’s classroom door, such as:  sign-up sheets, reminders of up coming events, birth announcements, and helping parent lists.  Notes are often posted regarding the day’s activity so that you may talk to your child about it.

Occasionally we will post notices on an easel in the front hall, such as the carpool information that was posted when school began, or sign-up sheets that are for the whole school.

5.  There is a LOST AND FOUND box located in the entrance hall up on the shelf – check there first if your child loses something or forgets an article of clothing.  If we don’t know who something belongs to, we put it in that box.  Again, PLEASE LABEL everything!

6.  School starts at 9:15 am and ends at 11:45am.  The afternoon session begins at 12:30 and  ends at 3:00.  Our teachers need time to prepare themselves and their classroom for your children.  Children MAY NOT be dropped off before 9:10 am or 12:25 pm.  Helping parents of the day are asked to arrive approximately 10 minutes before the session begins.

Children MUST BE PICKED UP no later than 11:55 am and 3:10 pm, unless other arrangements have been made ahead.  Thank you for your cooperation!

7.  PROBLEMS – don’t forget – if you have a problem or concern, talk to your child’s teacher or the Director, Robin Tedeschi (278-2661).  We are ALWAYS willing to talk to you – even from our homes.  We like to solve problems in the early stage before they become a major concern.  The school has an email address, provided for your convenience ~ sometimes getting to the phone can be a real hassle!  Please feel free to contact us in either way that works best for you.  Our email address is:

coopteddybears@yahoo.com                    

8.  Parents, please try to check your child’s hook when leaving – we try to remember everything, but sometimes don’t!

SPEECH HELP – If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, please let your teacher know.  A speech screening is offered here at school for a nominal fee.  If a problem does exist, your child may be eligible for speech therapy at no cost to you.  The public school districts pay for the therapy if your child qualifies, and the therapy is usually done here at school.  The sooner the screening is done, the better because it does take some time to be approved for the therapy.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT PARKING!!  Our small parking area has been a problem, therefore,   we will start our “Drop-off System” Monday, September 22nd, which will help arrivals.  Helping parents are asked to fill in numbered parking spots that are located on the perimeter of the parking lot, which are commuter spots, but available to our parents after 8:45 am.  The “Tow-away Zone” sign does not apply to us!  Pick-up time can be tricky!  We will try to have formal activities end by 11:35 am and 2:50 pm.  Perhaps this will give a little more time to those of you who would rather pick up a little early and avoid the rush! Do NOT park in the middle of the parking lot!!  Please, let’s try to be considerate of each other!      

TUITION – We thank you for your prompt payments!!

A REMINDER – The third tuition payment for the year will be due on October 1st. A tuition box will be located in Mrs. Tedeschi's room. Please make the tuition payable to Brewster Co-op Nursery School.  This year, the tuition box will be left out until the 15th of the month.  If you miss the box, you can leave your payment in the slot on the side door of the church (ask one of the teachers where it is located!), mail your payment to our Treasurer, Patty Osmer @ 589 Fair St., Carmel, NY  10512, or give it to Mrs. Tedeschi.  Your payment will only be considered late if we do not receive it by the 15th of each month. 

SNACK TIME:

As you know, you are able to bring a special treat for birthday celebrations. If you bring ice cream cups, maybe you can also bring in some sprinkles or whipped cream for some added fun. We have a special birthday candle holder and candles to add to the festivities. Summer birthdays are celebrated on their half birthday- - i.e. a July birthday would be celebrated in January.  Otherwise, we ask that you bring a generally healthy snack to share. We do say thank you’s to our helping parents, helping children, as well as our thank you prayer.

The thank you prayer we say at snack time is as follows, should you wish to learn it or help your child to learn: 

Thank you for the world so sweet, 
Thank you for the food we eat,
Thank you for the birds that sing, 
Thank you, God for everything. 

RECYCLING continues at the Co-op. Many of our art projects include recycled items, which we talk about with the children. We are asking all of our parents to clean any recyclable items used at snack time, and place them in the blue container that is located in the kitchen.

Thanks for your cooperation!

Also, please do not leave any opened juice or milk containers in the refrigerator. We prefer that you dispose of them or bring them home.

PICK-UP TIME – Many thanks to all our parents for remembering to let the teachers know when someone other than usual is picking up your child. We will not release your child without this notification! Let us know if there is anyone you DO NOT wish to have pick up your child from school.

Also, once a parent has picked up a child from the classroom, he/she is responsible for that child. Please be careful not to engage in conversation with someone and lose sight of a fast moving child! With so many people going in and out the main door at pick up time, it is very easy for a child to wander out into the parking lot.

COMING EVENTS – (More information will be coming)

Mon., September 22:  Start DROP- OFF 

Wed, September 29:  Walking trip to LIBRARY (extra walkers will be needed!)

Wed., October 1-15 :  TUITION BOX

Mon., October 11:  NO SCHOOL – Columbus Day

Fri., October 15:  Trip to ORCHARD – Drivers will be needed; Cost of the trip is $8.00 for both children and adults. We are going back to Thunder Ridge for pumpkin picking, a hayride, corn maze, farm animals, snack, etc.

Fri., October 22:  Walking trip to BREWSTER FIREHOUSE (extra walkers will be needed!)

Fri., October 29:  HALLOWEEN/FALL CELEBRATION!

 A QUOTE WORTH REMEMBERING - -