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Avon Children’s Center 508 580 2572
School News Letter |
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Avon Children’s Center 152 Highland Street Avon, MA 02322
508 580 2572 |
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by Joanne Nurss Kindergarten is not mandatory in the state of Massachusetts although towns are required to provide it. A child does not have to attend school until age 6. This means that a parent can delay their child’s entry into school if they do not feel their child is ready. The age for acceptance into kindergarten varies from town to town. In deciding whether or not your child is “ready” is not only dependent on his chronological age but also his developmental age. For example, a child may excel in their cognitive skills but lack the social and emotional development to be successful in this setting. What type of skills should a child possess to have to increase their chance of having a positive kindergarten experience? Socially the child should be able to function within a cooperative learning environment in which he |
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can work both independently as well as a large or small group. Children are expected to be able to attend to and finish a task, listen to a story in a group, follow two or three oral directions, take turns and share, and care for their belongings. They are also expected to follow rules, respect the property of others, and work within the time and space constraints of the school program. Children should have developed certain physical skills before they enter kindergarten. They should have mastered many large |
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muscle skills such as walking, running, and climbing, and fine motor skills requiring eye-hand coordination, such as the use of a pencil, crayons or scissors. Fine motor skills are used when the child begins to write his name and attempts at written expression. It is assumed that children have acquired both visual and auditory discrimination of objects and sounds. Such discrimination skills will be used to learn the names and sounds of letters and the names and quantities of numerals. Children are expected to have developed the |
Special points of interest:· “Readiness for kindergarten depends on a child’s development...” · Favorite authors · Valentines · Daffodil Days · Photo Day · Mind in the Making · Dental Health |
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Avon Children’s Center |
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PARENT EXTENSION is published monthly by Quality Preschool, Inc. for the use of Avon Children's Center parents families and friends.
Diane Peterson, Director / Kindergarten
Glenn Peterson, President
Heather Gleason, Lead Teacher
Carla Pires, Kathryn Shannon, Early Childhood Educators
Quality Preschool, Inc. 152 Highland Street Avon, Massachusetts 02322 Telephone 508 580 2572
www.qualitypreschool.com |
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www.qualitypreschool.com |
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Parent Extension |
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concepts of same and different. They should be able to recognize some colors, shapes and their own names. Most five year olds can express themselves fluently with a variety of words and can understand an even larger variety of words used in conversation and stories. If children have been exposed to books and heard stories read and told, they have begun to develop an interest in what print says and how it is used to express ideas; a concept of story and story structure; and an understanding of the relationship between oral and written language. Readiness for kindergarten depends on a child’s development of social/emotional, perceptual, motor and language skills. It is also important to look at the curriculum and expectations of the program your child may enter. |
Director News |
Curriculum |
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Favorite Authors
The week of February 6th we will be reading books from our favorite authors. Some of them include Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, Laura Numeroff, Tomi DePaola, and Maurice Sendak. Friday, February 10th is Show-n-Tell with your favorite book. Each child may bring one to school that day to share with the class. |
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Valentines Day
Tuesday, February 14th, we will be exchanging Valentines. Please send the Valentines in BLANK envelopes so they can be easily distributed. There are 18 children and 2 teachers in Heather and Carla’s room and 7 children in Diane’s room. |
Health & Safety |
Announcements |
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Teachers Spot |
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PHOTO DAY
Ed Mulcahy, the school's photographer, will be taking individual and group photographs on Wednesday, March 21st. Parents will be receiving a photo packet for your child. Order forms must be returned with payment PRIOR to the day of the photography. |
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Dental Health Dental decay is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases among U.S. children. This preventable health problem begins early: 17% of children aged 2-4 years have already had decay. By the age of 8, approximately 52% of children have experienced decay, and by the age of 17, dental decay affects 78% of children. Children and adults who are at low risk of dental decay can stay cavity-free through frequent exposure to small amounts of fluoride. This is best gained by drinking fluoridated water and using a fluoride toothpaste twice daily. Children and adults at high risk of dental decay may benefit from using additional fluoride products, including dietary supplements (for children who do not have adequate levels of fluoride in their drinking water), mouth rinses, and professionally applied gels and varnishes. |
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Workshops
Diane will be involved with a discussion group around Ellen Galinsky’s new book Mind in the Making. Mrs Galinsky has written more than forty-five books and reports including The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, Ask The Children and the now classic The Six Stages of Parenthood. She has published over 125 articles in academic journals, books and magazines, for more information visit http://mindinthemaking.org/meet_ellen_galinsky/
Carla has renewed her CPR certificate through H.E.R. in Bridgewater last month. |
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Alyvia & Joylee |
