Winter News

Things are looking festive around the Barnes Early Childhood Center and 'Jingle Bells' can be heard throughout the halls as children sing with excitement. On Friday December 18th, families will come together for the Annual Barnes Holiday Gathering featuring music from North High School's Jazz Band, pictures with Santa, and a pancake breakfast! It is always a great time to celebrate the season with our school family.

Our programs at Barnes, and Trombly will be closed for Winter Break beginning on December 21, 2015. We will re-open on January 4, 2016. We look forward to seeing everyone again in the new year!

Kid's Talk

This morning, Pre-K children had their last session of Kid's Talk. Over the past 12 weeks, Ms. Rebecca from the Children's Advocacy Center has been meeting with our Pre-K children to talk about important safety topics. Each Kid's Talk session is about 10-15 minutes in length and includes time for children to ask questions.

Over the course of the program, children learned about fire safety, gun safety, and body safety. They learned an important body safety rule- "No. Go. Tell." We are proud of all of the important information the children have retained over these past few weeks. 

We are grateful to Ms. Rebecca for providing such an empowering learning experience for our children!

Thanksgiving Break

Just a friendly reminder that our program will be closed Wed. November 25- Fri. November 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday. We hope everyone enjoys time with their little ones! 

Professional Development

Yesterday, our school was closed but our teachers were still working hard! Our staff renewed their CPR and First Aid Certification, as well as attended a training about planning with children for purposeful play. Our trainer from Leaps and Bounds Family Services, talked with our staff about extending play and supporting children's ideas. They also had the opportunity to create props for children's planning.

The State of Michigan requires our staff to complete 16 hours of Professional Development each calendar year. Over the past year, our staff has attended many workshops, classes and early childhood conferences. We are proud to say that many of our staff members go above and beyond the required 16 hours.

Pumpkin Auction

The Annual Pumpkin Auction is underway at the Barnes Early Childhood Center!! Children will vote for their favorites, and families can bid in the silent auction if they would like to take a pumpkin home! Pumpkins were created by both children and teachers. Take a look at our creations:

 The Halloween Parade begins at 9:00am tomorrow morning! We are looking forward to seeing everyone in their costumes and celebrating at classroom parties! Please see your child's teacher for additional information.

Pumpkins

The sights, sounds, and temperatures of Fall are finally here! From Infants to Pre-K, we have been exploring pumpkins! Classes have been discovering the different characteristics of pumpkins including their shape, color, texture, and also finding out what is inside.

Our Toddler Two class used words such as "cold", "seeds" and "yucky" to describe the inside of a pumpkin. Preschoolers colored their pumpkin with markers before cutting open, and Toddler One played "Mr. Pumpkin Head".

Next week, we will begin our school wide pumpkin decorating contest! Check back at the end of next week to see pictures from the contest.

Now we know our ABCs.....

Our letter exploration has been getting underway in Pre-K at both Barnes and Trombly. Each week, the children explore a different letter. They have opportunities to practice writing, learning the sound of the letter, and what words begin with that letter. Take a look below at some of the awesome words they have come up!

Yoga!

This morning, our toddlers had their first Yoga class! Each week, our yoga teacher, Ms. T.J, will guide the children through their practice using songs, games and dances. Today, the children participated in a Rain Dance, as well as butterfly stretches and deep breathing. Later in the week, our Preschool and Pre-K classes will have their yoga classes.We are looking forward to continuing this practice throughout the school year and are grateful to have Ms. T.J with us!

You can read more information about the benefits of yoga by clicking here. 

Preschool Survey

The Grosse Pointe Public School District is looking to expand Preschool options in to our Elementary schools for next school year and your input is greatly appreciated. Please follow the link to take a quick survey if you are able, and feel share the link with others: 

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GPPSSpreschool2016

Welcome Back!

Our hallways are filled with a sense of wonder and excitement as children are arriving for the first day of school! It is so fun to see familiar faces returning from the summer, as well as new faces joining our school family. We are looking forward to another great year of playing, learning, dreaming, and creating together!

If you have any questions, feel free to speak with your child's teacher or stop by the Preschool Office located upstairs in room 209. We are invested in the success, safety, and happiness of each child and believe that by working together as a team we can create a positive environment for those ideals to flourish.

Welcome Back! We're so glad you are here!

Summer Break

It is hard to believe that summer is winding down. Our program will be closed August 31st-September 7th, so we can prep our classrooms for the new school year. We are looking forward to welcoming new friends on September 8th.

Summer has flown by! We had a blast sharing it with you!

Sensory Exploration

One thing we love at the GPPSS Child Development and Preschool Program is Sensory Exploration!! Our Preschool classroom even coined the phrase "Messy Mondays" last school year inviting parents to participate in creating sensory materials and joining in to play!

Sensory exploration sets the stage for open ended, hands on learning. The children create their own experience- deciding how to manipulate the materials, testing out their own theories and exploring concepts of math, science, problem solving, and cooperation. While observing sensory explorations, teachers often hear very descriptive vocabulary words and creative ideas!

Whether it is sifting sand, filling cups of water, sorting colored rice, or drawing in shaving cream, the children's senses are engaged and brain connections are growing stronger and stronger!

We love our Messy Mondays.... and our Messy "Every-Days"!

Garden Update

Our garden project has taught us so much this summer! Together, the children have learned what it takes to care for plants, where food comes from, and how to work as a team! They shared the responsibilities of weeding, watering and reaping the harvest. Seeing their excitement as tomatoes turned from green to red was such a great moment!

The children enjoyed tasting various vegetables at snack time, and even made Kale Chips one afternoon. An abundance of zucchini allowed us to explore all of its' properties- through observation, cutting open, and even using zucchini as an art manipulative. Zucchini paintings were a hit in our Toddler Two and Preschool Prep classrooms.

We are looking forward to exploring what will come next for our garden project. We've definitely been enriched by the beautiful space, and the authentic experiences in nature. Thank you to the staff members who work on our Garden Committee, and also to the many families who donated items for the project. It was truly a team effort!

Bubbles!

This morning, Mr. Ron the Bubble Man visited our school to dazzle us with a bubble show! The children were so excited to see giant bubbles, bubbles inside of bubbles, and bubbles filled with fog! Our Pre-K teacher, Ms. Stephanie, assisted Mr. Ron in making a friendship bubble, and also a bubble teddy bear. We learned about what makes bubbles pop and how they change shape.

We are collecting empty Gatorade type bottles, so we can make our own foam blowers just like Mr. Ron! If you have any empty bottles, please turn them in to your child's teacher! Thank you!!

Music and Movement

Ella Fitzgerald once said, "The only thing better than singing is more singing". We are about to be doing a lot more singing over at the GPPSS Child Development and Preschool Program!

Back in May, our program was awarded a grant from the Grosse Pointe Foundation for Public Education for the creation of Music and Movement Resource Kits. We have completed the process of ordering materials and assembling the kits! Each of the four kits consists of a classroom set of instruments, various dancing scarves, a puppet, and a large group material- such as a canopy or octa-band. Two of the kits contain instruments that are safe for infants and toddlers. In addition, we were able to create a lending library with books related to music, instruments and music concepts. These books will be available for teachers to check out and use in their classrooms as well. 

This week, our staff went through a training session to test out the new materials, share ideas and review information about the importance of music in the earliest years. Our teachers are now ready and equipped to begin using the Resource Kits in their classrooms. 

We are grateful that the Grosse Pointe Foundation for Public Education made this vision a reality for us. We are excited that everyone in our program, birth through age five, will be able to participate in music experiences!

A group of teachers test out the XL Stretchy Band

Practicing with an octa-band for large group movement

Nutty Science

Things got a little nutty around here last week when we were visited by Professor K- the Nutty Scientist!! Professor K visited our Preschool and Pre-K classrooms to show us just how awesome science can be!

Air molecules were the topic of our exploration. The children saw demonstrations of how air molecules can cause objects to float, fly and move! They predicted what they thought might happen, how they thought it might happen, and even got to participate in a few of the experiments. We even learned about a cool scientist named Bernoulli, who inspired one of Professor K's inventions. 

We hope to continue our excitement for science and try some experiments of our own!

Firefighter Exploration

Recently, our Preschool Prep class has been very interested in fire trucks and fire fighters. The children were curious to know things like:

• Why is the siren on a fire truck so loud?
• Can both boys and girls be fire fighters?
• Where is the hose on the fire truck?
• Do you have to wear a seat belt on the fire truck?

Their exploration led to many activities and stories. The children were guided by their teacher, Ms. Stephanie K, who also arranged for a visit from the Grosse Pointe Woods Fire Department. All classrooms and ages were invited to participate. The children had the opportunity to ask questions, see and try on fire fighter gear, and explore the fire truck. 

What an awesome experience! Thank you GPW for supporting safety, learning and community involvement. Thank you for working hard each and every day to help keep us safe!

  

Welcome Jug Brothers!

We were so honored this morning to welcome live music from The Jug Brothers! Mr. Gordon and Mr. Glenn performed a musical set in each of our classrooms. It was hit with every age group- Infants through Pre-K! For some children, this was their first time hearing a live guitar and banjo. The brothers performed The Hokey Pokey, Twinkle Star, Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Chicken Dance, and many others!  Children were clapping, dancing and moving along to the beat. We truly value the experience of live music in our classrooms!

We want to send a warm thank you to the Jug Brothers for enriching our morning with the beauty of live music. Being able interact with, and incorporate movement to the songs, made our experience so much richer.You are welcome at our school any time!

Graduation Day!

In the words of Dr. Seuss..... “You’re off to great places! Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way!”

This week, we celebrated Pre-K graduations at both Barnes and Trombly! It is hard to believe that Kindergarten is right around the corner. We are confident that the children will have a smooth transition in to the start of their formal education. They have grown so much this past year working on letters, numbers, patterning, and taking on new responsibilities. They have formed friendships and learned what it means to share, work together and be part of a team. We are so proud of our Pre-K classes!

We also want to give a special "Thank You!" to all of the parents, family members, nannies, and everyone who came along this journey with us. We have enjoyed having you as a part of our school family, and look forward to your continuing relationship with Grosse Pointe Public Schools.

Best wishes to our Pre-K Graduates!

Fun-A-Palooza!

Last week, we celebrated the ending of the school year with our annual 'Fun-A-Palooza'!! The weather was absolutely perfect for this outdoor event. Families enjoyed pony rides, bounce houses, face painting, Wally's Custard, and train rides! Each classroom contributed a raffle basket to the tin can auction. The baskets were full of gift cards, sports tickets, locally made products, children toys and more! We hope everyone had a great time! Thank you for all of your support!

Exciting News

We are excited to announce that our program has been awarded a grant from the Grosse Pointe Foundation for Public Education for the creation of Music and Movement Resource Kits. By enhancing our music and movement component, we can support development in the areas of social, emotional, physical, cognitive, language, and motor skills. Music supports many areas of our curriculum including giving children confidence in moving through space, gaining control over their bodies, and the ability to keep a steady beat. It exposes them to aspects of language such as rhymes and alliterations, and gives them opportunities to express themselves and build a strong sense of self.

Thank you to the GPFPE for all you do to strengthen our schools and our community! We will post updates as materials are purchased, assembled and explored by our children! 

 

Still Growing

Our garden is coming to life! The warmer weather has allowed us to transplant the seedlings from our classrooms in to the garden. The children helped dig the dirt, and also took turns watering the plants. The garden has also served as a relaxing spot for story time, and drawing pictures. We are loving the sense of community and teamwork the garden project has created for our school! 

A Visit From Miss Wayne County

On Friday, we had a special visit from Miss Wayne County! Her name is Anna Dai, and in a few short weeks she will be competing for the title of Miss Michigan! She shared stories with the children at Barnes, and also with our Pre-K class at Trombly. The children were excited to learn more about her.  They asked her questions about her family, how she won her crown.... and if she had "princess pajamas"!

We are grateful to Miss Wayne County for giving her time to our program, and we wish her all of the best in the Miss Michigan Pageant! Thank you Anna!

Guest Readers

Thanks to all our of April Guest Readers!

This week our children will be surprised by Guest Readers! We are excited to welcome moms, dads, grandparents and other special guest to our school. Thank you for giving your time and sharing the gift of reading. If you would like to be a guest reader this week, please sign up with your child's teacher! 

A parent reading 'Quack Quack' with our infant classroom.

A special visit from a grandma in Pre-K.

Happy Earth Day

Our preschool is going GREEN! 

Reusable materials are all around us and starting some great discussions among the children. Some of our classrooms have been asking families for recyclables from home. Art seems to be the most popular use for our recyclables as well as  building with boxes, bottles, and anything else we can get our hands on. 
We also want to teach children how they can be green on their own by re-purposing materials. One great way that parents can be green is to pack waste free lunches. You would be surprised how much waste our preschool creates from one midday meal.  

Waste-Free Ideas 

Reuse: 

• Send in utensils that can be sent home and washed
• Cloth Napkins
• Refillable drink containers
• Reusable lunch containers
• Plastic baggies/Eco friendly bags

Recycle:

• Aluminum Cans 
• Glass Bottles
• Paper Bags
• Food Scraps

Waste Free Lunch Day April 29th! 

Click here to learn more from the EPA

Favorite Stories

April is the National Month of the Young Child and we are celebrating with an emphasis on Literacy. This week we have been talking about our favorite stories! Our Pre-K class at Barnes complied the list below during their group time. 

What are some of your favorite childhood stories?

Watch Us Grow

April Showers Bring May Flowers.... and also tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and other vegetables! Our littlest learners have begun planting seeds and learning about how food grows. When the time is right, the little seedlings will be transplanted in to our school garden, located on the south side of our building.

Our Toddler Two teacher, Ms. Jessica is heading up the garden, along with help from each classroom. She believes gardening is an important process to explore. Connecting to and learning from nature is not only relaxing but educational!

We can't wait to see how our garden grows!

National Month of the Young Child

April is the National Month of the Young Child and we are celebrating all month long! Our celebrations are focused around early literacy and also the uniqueness of each child! We'll be featuring guest readers, book raffles and more!

Literacy and language skills begin during infancy and continue to develop through the early years. Reading and talking with infants is an important experience that cannot be overlooked! Having opportunities to interact with print, explore sounds and have conversations, all contribute to emerging literacy.

A few ideas to try at home include:

• Reading stories that have strong rhymes and/or repetitions
• Talk to young children about their actions and feelings are they go through their daily routine
• Spend time singing nursery rhymes or rhyming songs
• Introduce new vocabulary words as you experience new situations or visit new places together

We are excited to celebrate the National Month of the Young Child and highlight the wonderful qualities of the children! We hope you are excited to celebrate with us!

Spring Forward

Birds are chirping outside our windows again and today the sun is shining!! Just a friendly reminder to 'Spring Forward' this weekend in to daylight savings time. We are looking forward to spring adventures on our playground and in our classrooms!

Homemade Dough

One popular material around our school is Play-dough!! The children think of endless ways to squish, sculpt and mold the dough. They love to add in cookie cutters, pom poms, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, rolling pins and more to their dough! 

You can make this dough at home with just a few simple ingredients. Children can participate in the stirring and mixing, but should be supervised around the boiling water. Adding food coloring or Kool-Aid to your dough can change the color and scent! 

Here is our basic recipe:

Recipe:

• 2 cups plain all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 1- 1.5 cups of boiling water (add slowly until it feels right)
• 1 packet Kool-Aid (optional)

Instructions:

• Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar, kool-aid and oil into the mixing bowl.
• Stir dry ingredients together.
• Add water slowly to the dry ingredients ( I typically use 1 1/4 cup water)
• Keep stirring- dough will be sticky!
• Let cool for a few moments and then knead with your hands vigorously!
• Set the dough aside until it cools completely and then enjoy!

Namaste

Why Yoga?

Sure, yoga sounds cool but how does it benefit the children? What can a one year old gain from practicing yoga? What are they doing in that yoga room?

Yoga has benefits for both mind and body. Here are just a few things that we can gain from our practice:

• Learning how to control, maneuver, and isolate our body parts
• Gaining awareness of our breath
• Practicing balance and building muscle strength
• Learning how our bodies fit within our own location and space (spatial awareness) 
• Trying an enjoyable way to engage in physical activity
• Following directions
• Finding peace and strength within ourselves

Children enter the yoga room to find a beautiful space dedicated to their practice with yoga mats, a yoga chime and a warm, friendly greeting from their instructor. Our yoga instructor, Ms T.J, teaches yoga through animal poses, songs, and  dances. We are grateful to have Ms. T.J guide us in our yoga practice!

"There's something special about being with these littlest yogis.  Their whole world is about feeling good…having clean diapers and full tummies, playing with toys and activities that please them and receiving care from loving people.  These wonderful "feel goods" come from their external world.  Yoga gives them a safe place to explore finding that "feel good" from within…exploring movement, feeling the calming affects of a purposeful breath and connecting with their power of self-regulation. Our practice focuses on creating a positive, peaceful space for them to recognize the "feel good" of being who they are.  They are amazing and they share such great energy.  Although they come to the yoga room just once a week, I know this is a space that all the  teachers hold in their classrooms as well." -Ms. T.J 

A peaceful resting pose after practicing yoga