University Child Development - Kindergarten Readiness

University Child Development

March News

2/3/2019

Dates to Remember:
Mar 4 – Bruce’s Birthday!
Mar 13 – Boomer and the Library Lady visit,
10:00 AM
Mar 14-15 - CLOSED for Spring Break
Mar 15 – Lennox’s Birthday!
Mar 17 – St. Patrick's Day
Mar 19 – Isabelle’s Birthday!
Mar 20 – First day of Spring

Themes:
Mar 4-8 – Dr. Seuss
Mar 11-15 – St. Patrick’s Day
Mar 18-22 – Rainbows
Mar 25-29 – Spring

Show-and-Tell:
Mar 1 – Something to do with DR. SEUSS!
Mar 8 – FREE CHOICE!
Mar 15 – Something GREEN!
Mar 22 – Something COLORFUL!
Mar 29 – Something to do with SPRING!

What's New at Superhero Headquarters:

That’s a BIG Hat!
In celebration of Dr. Seuss’ Birthday (March 2) the UCD classrooms take part in a little competition throughout the month of March. We place the head of the Cat in the Hat (minus his hat) on the bulletin board in the hallway and invite parents to help us make his hat grow!

How do you do that? By reading to your child at home! We will be sending slips of red and white paper home with each family to fill out every time a book is read. After the slips have been filled out, bring them back to school for us to hang on the hallway bulletin board!

Spring Break:
Washburn University’s Spring Break is the week of March 11-15. UCD will close only that Thursday and Friday.

Super Student of the Month:

February News

1/23/2019

Dates to Remember:
Feb 13 – Boomer and the Library Lady visit,
10:00 AM
Feb 14 – Motor Development
– Valentine’s Day Party, 3:30 PM
Feb 18 – UCD Closed for Parent/Teacher
Conferences
Feb 19 – Motor Development
Feb 21 – Motor Development

Themes:
Feb 4-8 – TESTING
Feb 11-15 – Valentine’s Day
Feb 18-22 – Dental Health
Feb 25-Mar 1 – Dr. Seuss

Show-and-Tell:
Feb 1 – Something to do with DR. SEUSS!
Feb 8 – FREE CHOICE!
Feb 15 – Something RED or something to do with
VALENTINE’S DAY!
Feb 22 – Something WHITE or something to do with
TEETH!

What’s New at Superhero Headquarters:

Staffing changes – As many of you know, Ms. Jennifer is no longer with us.  In her absence Mr. Bruce Davies, Ms. Sammy Strecker, and Ms. Rachel Frakes will be my rotating Assistant Teachers.  Mr. Bruce, whom we have already nicknamed “Batman,” is a new to UCD, but Ms. Sammy and Ms. Rachel are familiar faces and the children are adapting well to these most recent changes!

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Parent/Teacher Conference appointments will be pre-arranged by Ms. Alex and I.  If you cannot make your appointment, please see one of us and we can get you rescheduled!

Motor Development – Each year the KR room pairs with Washburn University’s Motor Development class for an hour of physical education fun!  Motor Development takes place from 9:30–10:30 AM on campus in the Petro building, so a short walk is necessary.  Due to February’s cold mornings, we ask that all children are dressed warmly, in clothing easy to move in, with coats/hats/scarves/gloves etc. and wear tennis shoes and socks.

Super Student of the Month:

January News

12/17/2018

Dates to Remember:
Jan 1 - UCD Closed!
Jan 16 - Boomer and the Library Lady visit, 10:00 AM
Jan 17 - Jack's Birthday
Jan 19 - Aislynn's Birthday
Jan 21 - UCD closed in observance of Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day

Themes:
Dec 31-Jan 4 - Things that GO!
Jan 7-11 - Friendship
Jan 14-18 - Dinosaurs
Jan 21-25 - Diversity
Jan 28-Feb 1 - Kansas

Show-and-Tell:
Jan 4 - Something to do with TRANSPORTATION!
Jan 11 - A small GIFT to share with a FRIEND.
Jan 18 - Something to do with DINOSAURS
Jan 25 - FREE CHOICE!
Feb 1 - Something YELLOW or something to do with
KANSAS.

Notes from Ms. Rachel
Cold weather: January is notoriously cold in Kansas, but there may days here and there where we will still be going outside for recess. Unless the temperature dips below 32 degrees (including wind chill) we are required by law to take the children outside for at least 30 minutes in the morning and 30 in the afternoon. It is a good idea for children to have not only their coats, but whatever layers you feel would be appropriate (i.e. hats, gloves, scarves, etc.)

Reminders:
Please make sure your child has two complete sets of clothes in their cubby/basket at all times (2 shirts, 2 pants, 2 underwear, 2 socks).

Every Friday is Show-and-Tell. Show and Tell almost always has to do with the current week’s theme. See above or check the calendar outside our classroom to see what the next theme is!

Please take home your child’s bedding, water bottle, and hand towels every Friday and bring back clean on Monday.

December news

11/16/2018

Dates to Remember:
Dec 1 - Date Day, Noon-4:00 PM
Dec 4 - Santa visits, 10:00 AM
Dec 5 - Boomer and the Library Lady visit, 10:00 AM
Dec 7 - Christmas Program.
Dec 14 - Date Night, 5:30-7:30 PM
Dec 21 - Movie, Pajama Day, and Book Exchange!
Dec 24-Jan 1 - UCD Closed for Christmas Break

Themes:
Dec 3-7 - Twas the Night Before Christmas
Dec 10-14 - Seasons: Winter
Dec 17-21 - Christmas
Dec 24-28 - No School! Closed for Christmas Break!!

Show-and-Tell:
Dec 7 - Something to do with CHRISTMAS!
Dec 14 - My favorite winter HAT, GLOVES, or SCARF!
Dec 21 - FREE CHOICE!

Upcoming Events:
Date Day - Got some Christmas shopping you still need to do? Sign up for Date Day, Saturday, December 1st from Noon-4:00 PM! Price of Date Day childcare is $30/1st child, $15/additional child and will include lunch, nap, and entertainment until pick up.

Christmas Program - Friday, December 7 is the big day! UCD's annual Christmas Program, in which the Kindergarten Readiness class are always the stars! Together with the Toddler and Preschool classes, we will be performing an adaptation of Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore.

What you need to know: The program will start at 6:00 PM, so please drop your child off (in costume) in our classroom no later than 5:45 PM. Family members can then head to the church sanctuary to find their seats.

Costumes are winter pajamas and slippers (unless otherwise stated in the memo sent home.) Refreshments will follow the production in the gymnasium.

Movie and Pajama Day - December 21 is a special day here at UCD! Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas, bring their favorite snuggle buddy, and spend a day relaxing with their friends while we watch Christmas cartoons!

Book Exchange: This year our school will be participating in a Holiday Book Exchange activity during our pajama party. If you would like your child to participate, please send a wrapped, gender-neutral book to school no later than Friday, December 21. No purchase is necessary, however, should you choose to buy a new book, please do not spend more than $5. The gift tag should be signed, “To: A Friend / From: (Your Child’s Name)”

At the pajama party children will exchange books with their classmates. Every child will take home a new book.

Notes from Ms. Rachel
Cold weather: As the weather continues to get colder, I wanted to remind everyone that unless the temperature dips below 32 degrees (including wind chill) we are required by law to take the children outside for at least 30 minutes in the morning and 30 in the afternoon. It is a good idea for children to have not only their coats, but whatever layers you feel would be appropriate (i.e hats, gloves, scarves, etc.)

The Elf on the Shelf: Every Christmas I sit down with my students and read to them, "The Elf on the Shelf" by Carol V. Aebersold and Chanda A Bell. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this story, it is an interactive holiday hide-and-seek tradition. We start by reading the book and naming our stuffed toy elf. Our elf then sticks around the classroom magically moving to a different lookout every day because, as the story goes, he flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa Claus every night and then flies back by morning. The kiddos love looking for his new hiding place every day and it becomes a favorite game until our elf "goes home" on Christmas Eve.

As I have worked in childcare for many years, I understand that not every family celebrates Christmas in this manner. Having said this, please do not hesitate to let me know if your do not wish your child to be encouraged to believe in Santa Claus. It will only take a few moments a day for me to pull your child aside and remind them that we are just pretending. It will not mess up or interfere with our fun tradition and will allow me to help reinforce your own family's traditions. Thank you!

November news

8/20/2018

Dates to Remember:
Nov 7 - Boomer visits, 10:00 AM
Nov 12-16 - Testing Week!
Nov 14 - RSVP for Thanksgiving Luncheon
Nov 20 - Thanksgiving Luncheon, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
Nov 22-23 - NO SCHOOL!

Themes:
Nov 5-9 - Scarecrows/Birds
Nov 12-16 - TESTING
Nov 19-23 - Thanksgiving
Nov 26-30 - Manners

Show-and-Tell:
Nov 9 - Something to do with SCARECROWS or
BIRDS!
Nov 16 - Something I am THANKFUL FOR!
Nov 23 - NO SCHOOL!
Nov 30 - FREE CHOICE!

Upcoming Events:
Thanksgiving Luncheon - Tuesday, November 20th will be UCD’s Family Thanksgiving Luncheon. From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM family members are invited to enjoy a Thanksgiving lunch with their children in the gymnasium, served by our very own G’s Catering. Please R.S.V.P by Wednesday, November 14th so we can have an accurate head count for the big day!

Thanksgiving Break - Don't forget, UCD will be CLOSED Thursday, November 22nd and Friday, November 23rd in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Super Student of the Month:

October News

8/20/2018

Dates to Remember:
Oct 4 - Fall Pictures!
Oct 5 - Date Night Fundraiser, 5:30-7:30 PM.
(Go on a date and leave the babysitting to us!
  Date night childcare will include pizza and a
  movie. $20 for the first child, $10 for each
  additional child. Proceeds raised will go towards
  our playground and building maintenance.)
Oct 8-12 - Spirit Week
   Monday - Pajama Day
Tuesday - Superhero vs Villain Day
Wednesday - Wacky Wednesday
Thursday - Old People Day
Friday - Washburn Pride Day
Oct 13 - Washburn University Homecoming Parade
Oct 9 - PTO Meeting, 5:30 PM
Oct 10 - Boomer visits, 10:00 AM
Oct 17-22 - Ms. Rachel gone
Oct 23 - Board Meeting, 5:30 PM
Oct 31 - Trick-or-Treating around Washburn
(See details below.)

Themes:
Oct 1-5 - Community Helpers
Oct 8-12 - Colors and Shapes
Oct 15-19 - My Body
Oct 22-26 - Pumpkins & Harvest
Oct 29-Nov 2 - Halloween

Show-and-Tell:
Oct 5 - Something to do with COMMUNITY HELPERS!
Oct 12 - Something that is your FAVORITE COLOR!
Oct 19 - FREE CHOICE!
Oct 26 - Something ORANGE or something to dow tin PUMPKINS!
Nov 2 - Something to do with HALLOWEEN!

Upcoming Events:
Wednesday, October 31st we will be taking the Preschool and Kindergarten Readiness classes to Washburn campus to trick-or-treat. This is extremely exciting for the kids, but also very tiring, so please be sure to send them in comfortable shoes and weather appropriate additions to their costumes (for instance, tights under a dress or a jacket for a chilly morning). It would also be beneficial to have all pieces of your child’s costume properly marked with their names or initials to avoid loss and/or mix-ups. We will change into our costumes after breakfast so please have your child to school no later than 9:30 AM. We will return to the school in time for lunch and nap time will proceed as usual.

Parents are WELCOME to come and help out! The more adults we have to help corral our little ones, the less chaotic and more fun the trip!

Super Student of the Month:

September News

7/31/2018

Dates to Remember:
Sept 3 - No School; Labor Day
Sept 7 - Date Night Fundraiser, 5:30-7:30 PM.
Go on a date and leave the babysitting to us!
Date night childcare will include pizza and a
   movie. $20 for the first child, $10 for each
   additional child. Proceeds raised will go
   towards our playground and building
     maintenance.
Sept 8 - Garage Sale Fundraiser, 7:30 AM-2:00 PM
Sign up sheet is hanging on the office door
     for any parents willing to either help set up
     or help during the sale. All proceeds go to
  the classroom budgets.
Sept 10-14 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
See Below for details
Sept 12 - Boomer visits! (KR Room only)
Sept 19 - Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day!
Feel free to come to school dressed as a
     Pirate or a Princess!
Sept 25 - Board Meeting/PTO Meeting, 5:30 PM
Sept 30 - Playground Clean up, 12:00 PM
  Volunteers needed!

Themes:
Sept 3-7 - Apples
Sept 10-14 - School Buses
Sept 17-21 - Pirates & Princesses
Sept 24-28 - Autumn

Show-and-Tell:
Sept 7 - Something RED or something to do with
APPLES!
Sept 14 - Something YELLOW or something to do
with SCHOOL BUSES!
Sept 21 - Something to do with PIRATES or
PRINCESSES!
Sept 28 - Something to do with AUTUMN!

Parent/Teacher Conferences:
The week of September 10th through 14th is Parent/Teacher Conferences. I have four days available that week to meet with parents.

My Conferences are extremely easy and short! We will go over your child’s beginning-of-the-year Developmental testing and set goals for them if necessary. Conferences are also a great time to ask any questions you may have about our curriculum, daily schedule, or pretty much anything you’ve been wondering about!

The times I have available will be posted outside my classroom. If these times conflict with your schedule but you would still like to meet, please see me and we can find a time to work you in!

Student of the Month:
Starting in September, Ms. Jennifer and I will be choosing one student each month to be our Student of the Month! This is a special reward for student’s good behavior. If chosen, you and your child will be given the opportunity to design and decorate the outside of our second classroom door.

What do you do if your child is chosen? Just schedule a time with us to come in and we will release your child from their daily activities to spend some creative quality time with you.

Children love seeing pictures of themselves, so I recommend bringing in 5-6 pictures of your child and basing door decorations off their favorite things (for example, if a child likes Trolls, you could go with a Trolls theme). This project is not meant to be complicated or stressful, so please do not hesitate with any questions you may have. If you need decorating ideas, just go to your favorite search engine and check out the images. I can’t wait to see your creations!

September Student of the Month:

August News

7/30/2018

Dates to Remember:
Aug 2 – Back to School Night, 5:30 PM
Aug 3 – Field Trip to Mulvane Art Lab
Aug 17 – UCD CLOSED for Teacher In- Service
Aug 20 – “All About Me” homework due

Themes:
Aug 6-10 – Welcome Back!
Aug 13-17 – Testing
Aug 20-24 – All About Me
Aug 27-31 – Family

Show-and-Tell:
Aug 3 – Something to do with SPORTS!
Aug 10 – FREE CHOICE!
Aug 17 – No School
Aug 24 – Something that means a lot to ME!
Aug 31 – A picture of my FAMILY!

My name is Rachel Johnson and I am the Lead Teacher in the Kindergarten Readiness class, as well as UCD's Assistant Director.
Outside of school I have a wonderful husband, to whom I have been married for 17 years, and an ornery 4-year-old daughter named Aislynn. I really love Superheroes, reading, scrapbooking, and camping. I travel often with my little family, especially in the summer time.
I have been working with children for 16 years and have been a certified Preschool teacher for 9 of those years. I have been with UCD since 2012 and I attended Highland Community College to receive my CDA (Child Development Associate Credential) in 2015.
I am looking forward to another year of SUPER school adventures! My work schedule is Monday-Thursday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, so you can always catch me if you have any questions!

June/July News

5/30/2018

Summer Schedule:
As our summer program starts, parents will need to keep a close eye on our schedule so that you will know what is in store for your child on any given day. Our new summer activities will include:

Messy Monday/Arts & Crafts - We will start our week out with a little creativity! Whether it is making slime or gluing paper, it's bound to get a little messy!
Splash Tuesday - Splash day will be every Tuesday and Thursday and will require a swimsuit, flip flops/water shoes, sunscreen and towel in a SEPARATE bag. (Please make sure all of your child’s belongings are marked with their name to avoid mix-ups!)
Dramatic Play Wednesday – Dramatic Play Wednesday will coordinate with that week’s theme. Children will be allowed to bring any items pertaining to the theme (Example: Stuffed Animal toys for Zoo week, Beach towels and sand toys for Summer Fun week, etc.)
Field Trip Fridays – We will be taking one field trip every week over the summer that will be within walking distance and at least one overall that will require a car ride and parent volunteers. Please note: on walking field trip days it is recommended that children wear socks and tennis shoes.

Dates to Remember:
June 1 – Field Trip to Boswell Park*
June 8 – Field Trip to WU Fish Pond*
June 15 – Field Trip to Boswell Park*
June 17 – Father’s Day
June 18 – Father’s Day Snack, 3:15 PM
June 22 – Field Trip to Dairy Queen*
June 27 - Field Trip to Deanna Rose Children's
Farmstead
June 29 – Field Trip to WU Campus*
July 4-5 - UCD will be CLOSED

*Field trips are subject to change based on weather conditions and daily activities.

Themes:
June 4-8 – Water
June 11-15 – Zoo Animals
June 18-22 – Seasons: Summer
June 25-29 – Ocean/Beach
July 2-6 - Stars & Stripes
July 9-13 - Safety
July 16-20 - Farm Animals
July 23-27 - Picnic

Show-and-Tell:
Fri, June 1 - Something to do with CAMPING!
Fri, June 8 - FREE CHOICE!
Fri, June 15 - Something to do with ZOO ANIMALS!
Fri, June 22 - Something to do with SUMMER!
Fri, June 29 - Something to do with the OCEAN!
Fri, July 6 - Something RED, WHITE or BLUE!
Fri, July 13 - FREE CHOICE!
Fri, July 20 - Something to do with a FARM!
Fri, July 27 - Something you would take on a PICNIC!

Upcoming Changes:
Summer is almost here! With summer will come some important scheduling changes at UCD. Our summer session officially begins on Monday, May 28th. We are closed on that day for the Memorial Day holiday, however, we will be begin our "summer school" the following day!

Summers are a little bit different for the classroom curriculum. We do not run our normal curriculum; we will have lesson plans and activities that are a little more relaxed for June and July. We will have splash days, arts and crafts, go on walks, and go on some field trips (See Summer Schedules above for details).

The teacher's schedules will also be changing in the Kindergarten Readiness classroom. Ms. Rachel will only work part time during the summer months. Her schedule is Monday-Tuesday 7:30-5:30 and Thursday 12:30-5:30. She will be helping out in the Kindergarten Readiness room and the Infant room, as well as covering the office from time to time. Once summer is over she will return to full time for the new school year. Ms. Dani will remain the assistant teacher but will be working full time. Her schedule is Tuesday-Friday 7:00-5:00. And of course, we will still see Ms. Juanita from time to time as well! She will be filling in for Ms. Rachel and Ms. Dani on their days off.

Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead Field Trip:
Wednesday, June 27th is our field trip to Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead! Cost is $6.00 per person. This fee gives us a guided tour of the farmstead, a wagon ride, a chance to feed the baby goats, and a reserved time in a private, shady area to eat lunch.

We will be leaving the center no later than 9:00 AM. Please feed your child breakfast before bringing them to school on this day, as we will be gone before breakfast is served.

For this field trip, your child will need: a sack lunch, a water bottle, and a car seat (if not riding with a parent).

Our exploration of the farmstead is estimated to take 2.5 hours, so we should be wrapping things up and heading home by 1:00 PM. Depending on driving time, we should be back at the center no later than 3:00 PM.

May News

4/14/2018

Dates to Remember:
May 1 – UCD Annual Meeting, 5:30 PM
May 2 – Spring Pictures!
May 7-11 – Testing week
May 13 – Mother’s Day
May 14 – Mother’s Day Milk & Cookies*
May 18 – Kindergarten Readiness
Graduation, 4:00 PM*
May 25 – Last Day of School!
May 28 – Memorial Day! NO SCHOOL!*
May 29 – 1st day of summer care

(*indicates more information below)

May Themes:
April 30-May 4 – My 5 Senses
May 7-11 – Testing
May 14-18 – Bugs & Insects
May 21-25 – Pond Life
May 28-June 1 – Camping

Show and Tell:
Fri, May 4 – Something you can SEE, HEAR,
TASTE, TOUCH, or SMELL.
Fri, May 11 – FREE CHOICE!
Fri, May 18 – Something to do with BUGS
and INSECTS
Fri, May 25 – Something to do with FROGS
Fri, June 1 – Something to do with
CAMPING

Upcoming Events:
UCD Annual Meeting – Our Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 1st at 5:30 PM. As shareholders of UCD, all parents are encouraged to come to the annual meeting. We will be voting on the slate for new board members, voting on changes to By Laws.s, reviewing the year and our goals for the upcoming year. Please let me know if you will be attending and if you will need child care for the meeting. Please see the office for a copy of the proposed changes to the By Laws.

Mother's Day Milk & Cookies: Calling all Moms!! Come enjoy a tasty snack of milk and cookies with your son/daughter to celebrate Mother's Day! Monday, May 14, 3:15 PM.

Graduation: "Rockin' Around Preschool" Kindergarten Readiness Graduation will be at 4:00 on Friday, May 18th in the Fellowship Hall (gymnasium). All children that will be attending Kindergarten for the 2018-2019 school year will take part in the graduation ceremony. The entire KR class will be performing a few songs and a skit, so please come and support our graduates!

Memorial Day: UCD will be CLOSED Monday, May 28th in observance of Memorial Day.

Author

Ms. Rachel is the Kindergarten Readiness Lead Teacher, and Mr. Bruce, Ms. Rachel F, and Ms. Sammy are the assistant teachers.

Ms. Rachel has worked with children for 16 years and has been with UCD since 2012. She attended Highland Community College in 2015 and earned her CDA. Ms. Rachel is also the assistant director at UCD.

Mr. Bruce joined the UCD team in January 2019. He has worked with children as a lifeguard and also as a soccer and basketball coach. Bruce is a junior at Washburn and plans on taking education classes in order to pursue his teaching license.

Ms. Rachel F. is a freshman at Washburn University, studying elementary education and middle school mathematics. She has been with UCD since August 2018.

Ms. Sammy has been with UCD since 2017 and is in the Nursing program at Washburn University.

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