A Note From Our Principal
We wanted to thank you all for your participation in our Kids Helping Communities initiative this summer! We are grateful for the opportunity to watch our students serve others these past few weeks and appreciate the role you all had in this. Child Crisis Arizona was truly blessed by your generous donations!
Sincerely,
Ms. Vici
Online Parent Communication
As we get ready to kick off a new school year, we want to make sure you’re kept in the know. In addition to this newsletter, the “For Parents” section of our website also includes links to our menu, monthly calendar, and school year calendar. If you’re not currently receiving photos and daily reports for your child, you can easily change this by downloading the Links 2 Home app on your phone. Just type “Links 2 Home” in the search bar for the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading, you can register with the same email address that you used to enroll your child in our school.
Parent Referral Bonus & Open House
Do you know a colleague who has recently had a baby, a friend in need of care who just relocated to the area, or a family member who is seeking a new preschool for their child? Invite them to our Open House on August 6. When you refer a friend and they enroll, you’re eligible for a free week of tuition. Ask us for details!
Important Dates
August 1 & 2 – End of Summer Gap Camp, pre-registration required
August 5 – Meet the Teacher, staggered times based on last name. Please see email for more details.
August 8 – First Day of School
August 17 – Spirit Day! – Class Color Day – wear the color of your backpack/car tag
New On Our Education Blog
How Our Literacy-Rich Classrooms Foster a Love of Learning
Our teachers inspire a love of reading and language every day by creating a child-centered, literacy-rich environment where stories, letters, and words are consistently introduced to students. In our classrooms, materials are labeled with photographs and words, vocabulary development is paramount, and children’s writing attempts are apparent.
Below are a few ways we introduce language and literacy in each of our programs.
Infants (0-1 year)
Language and literacy education begins with our youngest learners. Our teachers establish this foundation with our infants by looking at picture books, reenacting stories using puppets, and reciting nursery rhymes. Teachers take the learning outdoors by encouraging infants to explore sounds heard. For example, teachers may ask, “Do you hear a bird chirping?” or “Do you hear the leaves crunching while we walk?” Through these activities, infants learn about the sounds and structure of language, pre-literacy skills that influence their later success in reading, writing, and speaking.
Toddlers (1-2 years)
Toddler teachers turn reading books into an interactive experience by using dialogic reading. In dialogic reading, teachers engage the students as storytellers and ask questions about the story. For example, the teacher may point to a dog in the book and say, “What is this?” The student may respond, “Dog,” and the teacher will further the conversation by saying, “Yes! That’s a brown dog. Can you say brown dog?”
Beginners (2-3 years)
Teachers in our Beginner classroom design learning experiences that provide students opportunities to recognize their first name in print. For example, they may place students’ first names in the sensory bin with other sensory materials and encourage students to find their name. Our classroom management systems are another way Beginner students learn to recognize their first name in print. Students place their picture, labeled with their first name, by the center they wish to explore.
Intermediates (3-4 years)
As opposed to teaching one letter per week, our teachers discuss letter names and provide opportunities for students to hear specific letter sounds. Prior to reading the book Strega Nona, the teacher may ask, “What letter makes the /s/ sound? What letter makes the /t/ sound? Let’s see if we can hear other words that sound like /s/ and /t/!” While reading, teachers also assist students in connecting new information to what they already know by saying, “This looks almost the same as _____” or “Have you ever _____?”
Pre-K (4-5 years)
Our Pre-K teachers incorporate many activities throughout the day for students to practice language and communication skills. During group discussions, teachers provide time for students to process what they hear and to share their individual thoughts. While exploring centers, teachers ask open-ended questions to encourage multiple responses. For example, they may say, “What would happen if ____” or “What else could you do here?” Teachers create meaningful and authentic language experiences by encouraging students to read together to find answers, create labels, and write lists and thank you cards.
August Newsletter
A Note From Our Principal
We wanted to thank you all for your participation in our Kids Helping Communities initiative this summer! We are grateful for the opportunity to watch our students serve others these past few weeks and appreciate the role you all had in this. Child Crisis Arizona was truly blessed by your generous donations!
Sincerely,
Ms. Vici
Online Parent Communication
As we get ready to kick off a new school year, we want to make sure you’re kept in the know. In addition to this newsletter, the “For Parents” section of our website also includes links to our menu, monthly calendar, and school year calendar. If you’re not currently receiving photos and daily reports for your child, you can easily change this by downloading the Links 2 Home app on your phone. Just type “Links 2 Home” in the search bar for the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading, you can register with the same email address that you used to enroll your child in our school.
Parent Referral Bonus & Open House
Do you know a colleague who has recently had a baby, a friend in need of care who just relocated to the area, or a family member who is seeking a new preschool for their child? Invite them to our Open House on August 6. When you refer a friend and they enroll, you’re eligible for a free week of tuition. Ask us for details!
Important Dates
August 1 & 2 – End of Summer Gap Camp, pre-registration required
August 5 – Meet the Teacher, staggered times based on last name. Please see email for more details.
August 8 – First Day of School
August 17 – Spirit Day! – Class Color Day – wear the color of your backpack/car tag
New On Our Education Blog
How Our Literacy-Rich Classrooms Foster a Love of Learning
Our teachers inspire a love of reading and language every day by creating a child-centered, literacy-rich environment where stories, letters, and words are consistently introduced to students. In our classrooms, materials are labeled with photographs and words, vocabulary development is paramount, and children’s writing attempts are apparent.
Below are a few ways we introduce language and literacy in each of our programs.
Infants (0-1 year)
Language and literacy education begins with our youngest learners. Our teachers establish this foundation with our infants by looking at picture books, reenacting stories using puppets, and reciting nursery rhymes. Teachers take the learning outdoors by encouraging infants to explore sounds heard. For example, teachers may ask, “Do you hear a bird chirping?” or “Do you hear the leaves crunching while we walk?” Through these activities, infants learn about the sounds and structure of language, pre-literacy skills that influence their later success in reading, writing, and speaking.
Toddlers (1-2 years)
Toddler teachers turn reading books into an interactive experience by using dialogic reading. In dialogic reading, teachers engage the students as storytellers and ask questions about the story. For example, the teacher may point to a dog in the book and say, “What is this?” The student may respond, “Dog,” and the teacher will further the conversation by saying, “Yes! That’s a brown dog. Can you say brown dog?”
Beginners (2-3 years)
Teachers in our Beginner classroom design learning experiences that provide students opportunities to recognize their first name in print. For example, they may place students’ first names in the sensory bin with other sensory materials and encourage students to find their name. Our classroom management systems are another way Beginner students learn to recognize their first name in print. Students place their picture, labeled with their first name, by the center they wish to explore.
Intermediates (3-4 years)
As opposed to teaching one letter per week, our teachers discuss letter names and provide opportunities for students to hear specific letter sounds. Prior to reading the book Strega Nona, the teacher may ask, “What letter makes the /s/ sound? What letter makes the /t/ sound? Let’s see if we can hear other words that sound like /s/ and /t/!” While reading, teachers also assist students in connecting new information to what they already know by saying, “This looks almost the same as _____” or “Have you ever _____?”
Pre-K (4-5 years)
Our Pre-K teachers incorporate many activities throughout the day for students to practice language and communication skills. During group discussions, teachers provide time for students to process what they hear and to share their individual thoughts. While exploring centers, teachers ask open-ended questions to encourage multiple responses. For example, they may say, “What would happen if ____” or “What else could you do here?” Teachers create meaningful and authentic language experiences by encouraging students to read together to find answers, create labels, and write lists and thank you cards.