April Newsletter
April 8, 2013
April is the Month of the Young Child
We would like to formally invite you to join us for our annual Early Childhood Program Exhibit, showcasing the work of our interns, teachers, and (of course) the children. Keep an eye out for invitations written by the children, which they will be working on the next few weeks. Our exhibit will be held at the ECEC on Wednesday, April 24th at 4:30-6:00 P.M. Feel free to bring your child with you, and invite your child to be your guide to what they have been learning and exploring with this semester. This will be a great opportunity to chat with the other families in our classroom, as well as with the interns, and celebrate how much the children have grown so far this year. Light refreshments will be available as well. We look forward to seeing you there!
Parent-Teacher Conferences and Kindergarten Readiness
Many families have had questions regarding kindergarten readiness and parent-teacher conferences. I would like to recommend signing up for a parent-teacher conference to discuss the expectations for local kindergarten programs, and talk about what we can do together to help prepare your child. Kindergarten eligibility laws have changed in the state of Michigan, and children will be age eligible for kindergarten if they are 5 years old by November 1, 2013. At conferences, I will have information available for kindergarten readiness, including information about continued support for your child through the rest of the school year, which ends on Monday, June 24th. Conferences will last approximately 20 minutes, and will be held on Friday, April 26th, Monday, April 28th, and Tuesday, April 29th. The sign-up sheet will be set out during this week, and will remain out until the last day of the semester (Friday, April 19th). If you have any questions about scheduling a conference, please contact me at aszymasz@umich.edu.
Upcoming Project Work: Babies and Family Life
As many families have been expanding in our classroom, the children have shown a growing interest in caring for babies and talking about who is in a family. To support this learning in the classroom, we are looking for donations! If you have any onesies, baby clothes, bibs, spoons, board books, bottles, or empty baby food containers, we would love to have them! These real-world materials will help the children learn about the needs of babies, and explore with roles and responsibilities in caring for younger children and each other. Any items you would like to donate would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your continued support of this project!
Upcoming Events· Friday, April 19: Last Day of the Semester
· Monday, April 22-30: optional care days· Wednesday, May 1-3: ECEC closed for Semseter Break· Monday, May 6: Classes Resume· Parent-Teacher Conferences: Friday, April 26, Monday April 28, Tuesday April 29· Early Childhood Exhibit: Wednesday, April 24th
