Preschool Blog

I can see a hint of sunshine behind those rain clouds today.  Hoping to have a bit of sunshine next week while we are off on Spring Break.

See you all after April 16th!

"The flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land."  Song of Solomon 2:12

Happy Easter.

We often hear children talking about big numbers, one hundred, one thousand, infinity.  Preschool children love to rattle off numbers, counting from one to ten to twenty and eventually to one hundred.  This is a big deal and signals the beginning of mathematics learning.

There are many opportunities in our classrooms to practice counting.  We count children as a part of our attendance and calendar routines, we count cups or napkins as we prepare the snack, we count as we wait during an

Much of the work in our preschool classrooms is active and open ended, busy, and often noisy. There are also times for children to have their own materials and to practice a more directed activity.
At the science table, students are learning to follow directions, to wonder about what might happen (will the drops flow differently if we change the surface or the angle), to talk about their work and describe what they are seeing.  They are acquiring new vocabulary and learning the value of

Three and four year olds have a pretty quick pace.  It is not unusual for our students to move quickly from one activity to the next, sometimes forgetting about that project they have just completed.  And often, out of sight is out of mind.

One of our goals in preschool is to help children begin to think about the work they are doing and recognize not only their efforts but to notice when they are learning new skills.  Our classroom and hallway displays are a great place for children to gather

It has been a short week at preschool but your children have been so busy.  Sometimes it is good to just find a quiet spot to do some building too.

No School on Thursday and Friday this week, November 10 and 11. 

Enjoy the extra time with your children!

Do you remember the first time you looked at your baby's hands?  Did you wonder at the beauty of those tiny fingers?  I remember holding our baby's hand as she slept, so small and soft and perfect.  It wasn't long before she developed a pretty strong grasp and began picking up everything in her reach. 

Your preschooler's hands are continuing to grow and develop.  In our classrooms, we are providing many and varied opportunities for those little hands to do the big work of becoming stronger and

Lunch Bunch has begun!

We are offering Lunch Bunch at the Overlake Park campus on Tuesdays and at the Mack campus on Fridays.  Ask your classroom teacher about signing up or contact Shannan in our preschool office, 425-485-1824 ext. 326.

And don't forget the Fall Carnival at the Clyde Hill campus.  Friday, October 21, 5:30 - 8:30 pm.  Lots of fun for the whole family!

We are dancing with excitement and joy because Jog-a-Thon week is finally here!  On Friday, our preschool students will be running at the Mack and Three Points campuses.  We are excited to have the Overlake Park students join us at Three Points for our run.  The funds we raise will go directly to the purchase of equipment for our preschools.  Thanks for your support.

Upcoming Dates:

9/27 - Picture Day at Overlake Park

9/28 - Online Book orders due for Mack and Overlake

9/30 - Jog-a-Thon

10/5-7

We are so excited to meet our students this week.  All of the preparation leads to these first days of school.  As you and your child become familiar with the routine of preschool, let us know if you have any questions or ideas.  We have a busy month ahead.  Be sure to check your child's classroom calendar to find information about activities for your specific class.

Look for your Jogathon packet this week.  Each preschool student will receive a T-shirt but you might want to order more shirts

We are busy getting ready for our first days of schools, looking forward to meeting all our new families and welcoming back our returning families this week.  Please refer to your teacher letter for your Open House time or call our preschool office, 425-485-1824 ext. 326.  And don't forget to bring your tote bag to school!

Wednesday, August 31, 10 am -Parent Meeting for Overlake Families in the classroom building

Thursday, September 1, 10 am - Parent Meeting for our Three Points Families in

We have had crews working on each campus to get our classrooms ready for the new school year.  Our preschool office will re-open on Monday, August 15.  Teacher lettes will be mailed on August 8.  You may call our office with questions, 425-485-1824 ext 326, or contact Shannan at slindor@bellevuechristian.org.

If you have questions about your tuition, please contact Tammy in student billing - tmasse@bellevuechristian.org.

Back to School Dates (please note the dates for your campus and your

There were many celebrations last week as we finished up another year at preschool.  Thanks for sharing this year with us and enjoy your summer!

Some important dates:

June 22 - August 15 - Our preschool office will be closed.  If you have questions about your tuition account, please contact Student Billing. You may also email Juliann through August 7 - jphillips@bellevuechristian.org.

August 8 - Back to school letters will be mailed

August 31 - Parent Meeting for Overlake Park Preschool

Our last day of preschool is right around the corner. We will be saying goodbye to some of our students as they head off to kindergarten next year.  We are also saying goodbye to Mrs. Bohac, thankful for this year that she has spent at our Overlake Park campus. 

Thanks to all of our parent volunteers for helping in the classrooms and providing support to our teachers.  We appreciate being able to share this work with you.  We are looking for a few more parent representatives for next year.  If

We are counting down the days until summer!  Letters with class lists and teacher assignments will be going out later this week.  We still have a few spaces at Overlake Park and Three Points and would be happy to schedule a tour for interested families.  Just call Shannan in our office, 425-485-1824, ext. 326.

June 7 - Last Day for Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Schroeder, Mrs. Bohac, and Mrs. Salzman's 3's class

June 9 - Last Day for Mrs. Smit and Mrs. Simmons

June 10 - Last Day for Mrs. Kelly, Mrs.

Bugs, butterflies, and birthdays - it is spring at preschool and we have a lot to celebrate these last few weeks.  Be sure to check your child's calendar for end of the year field trips and classroom activities.

No Preschool - May 25 - Teacher collaboration - Please note this is an early dismissal day for our K-12 students.

We still have a few openings at each of our campuses.  Check the Preschool Registration page for more information.

Upcoming dates:

May 30 - No school - Memorial Day

June 7

These last weeks of preschool are busy so be sure to check your child's class calendar for dates specific to your class.

May 16 - Mrs. Simmons' class to library

May 17 - Mrs. Smit's class to Juanita Park

May 24 - Playground expansion meeting for Mack parents at MACK preschool campus - 10:30 am OR 2:00 pm in the Library

May 25 - No Preschool - K-12 has early dismissal - Collaboration Day

May 30 - No Preschool - Memorial Day

Thanks to all our moms and grandmothers for helping our students learn and grow. 

Did you know we are offering an afternoon Pre-K class at our Three Points Preschool.  Please call Shannan to set up a tour - 425-485-1824 ext. 326.

This week we will be celebrating moms at preschool.  Be sure to check your child's calendar, newsletter, or email messages about the time for your celebration or field trip.

May 9 - Mrs. Harris' and Mrs. Schroeder's - Mom's celebrations

May 10 - Mrs. Bohac's and Mrs.

A great big thank you to all who came out to our Mack preschool campus on Saturday for the playground work party.  With so many willing and helping hands, the work was completed before nooon!  The children will have a great time in their expanded play space.

Upcoming dates:

May 9-13 - Mom's celebrations and field trips - be sure to check with your child's teacher for the details specific to your class

May 25 - No Preschool - our final collaboration day

May 30 - No Preschool - Memorial Day

June

Just 7 weeks left in this school year! Today, Clifford the Big Red Dog made a guest appearance at the Mack campus Book Fair.  Not everyone wanted to get too close to Clifford but it made for a fun way to spend a rainy day!

Upcoming Dates:

April 25-29 - Book Fair at the Mack Campus

April 27 - No School -Teacher Collaboration

Arpil 28 - Spring Program at the Overlake Park Preschool - 11:30 am

May 11 - Overlake Park Book orders due

Be sure to check your child's class calendar for Mom's Day

Welcome back from Spring Break!

On April 7, we took two of our preschool classes to the high school for a science field trip.  A wonderful group of ninth graders met us at the bus and spent an hour helping our students explore their science stations.  What fun it was to see some of our former preschool students work with our current students.

We have just 8 weeks left in our school year. 

Some upcoming dates for your calendars:

April 20- Mrs. Johnson's class to Denny's Pet World

April 22 -

This is the time of year when we see how friendships are blooming in the classroom.  Learning to ask for and offer help is an important school skill.

Spring Break is just around the corner.  No School April 8-17

More upcoming dates:

April 7 - Mrs. Kaskes' and Mrs. Simmons' classes - science field trip

April 27 - No School - Collaboration Day

April 28 - Overlake Park Preschool Spring Program

Spring is here and evidence of children learning and growing is everywhere! 

We have an exciting week ahead with our Dad's Nights and field trips.  Your classroom teacher will have all the details for your child's class.

Hope to see you at the Auction on April 2.  Contact Christi Downs, cdowns@bcsmail.org for more information.

Spring break is just a few weeks away.  No Preschool April 8-17.

Spring is just around the corner and our classrooms are buzzing with children at work and play.  Mrs. Smit's and Mrs. Simmons' classes have been learning about music.  The children have been drawing pictures of instruments, reading stories about music and musicians, and have had some guests visit their classrooms to play a variety of instruments.

We are looking forward to Dad's Nights and Dad's field trips over the next few weeks. 

We still have a few openings for next year.  If you are

Big News!
We are opeing an afternoon class at our Three Point Campus.  Give us a call for all the details.

Registration confirmation packets are due today - March 7. 

Have you registered for Kindergarten at BCS?  Be sure to ask your child's teacher to complete the Kindergarten Readiness Form.

Important Dates:

March 22 and 24 - Dad's Nights - Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Schroeder, Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. Bohac, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Smit, and Mrs. Salzman

March 25 and April 1 - Dad's Field Trips for Mrs.

Coming up this week:

March 2-4 - Portfolio Conferences for all Pre-K classes.  We look forward to giving you an opportunity to catch a glimpse of your child in the classroom setting.  Please note that we will not have  regular school sessions March 2-4. 

Registration Confirmation Packets for the 2011-2012 school year are due March 7.  Please contact Shannan, 425-485-1824 ext 326, if you have questions about your child's packet.

Thank you to everyone who has registered for the 2011-2012 school year.  You will be receiving a confirmation packet this week.  We still have openings in many of our classes. Please contact our preschool office, 425-485-1824 ext. 326 for information about class openings.

Upcoming dates:

February 25 - Mrs. Kelly's classes to Denny's Pet World

March 2-4 - Portfolio Conferences for our Pre-K classes - please be sure to sign up for a Portofolio Session with your child's teacher

March 22 and 24 -

Happy Valentine's Day!  Our classrooms have been humming and buzzing the last few weeks.  The children have had a great time delivering mail in their classroom post office centers, learning to cut heart shapes and write important words such as Mom, Dad, and I Love You. 

Upcoming Dates:

February 15 - Last day of priority re-enrollment for current preschool families - new students will be accepted as space is available

February 15 - Mrs. Simmons' class to Kamaikan for band class

February 21 - No

This is collaboration week!

No preschool on Wednesday, February 9. 

Portfolio Conferences are coming!  Please mark your calendars - March 2-4, 2011.

Your child's teacher will be posting a sign-up sheet with dates and times for Portfolio Conferences.

February is here and our classrooms are filled with hearts and opportunities to learn about friendship and kindness.  This month the children will be learning the verse, "Love your neighbor" Mark 12:31 as they create valentines and discover what it means to be a friend.

Re-registration has begun for our current BCS families.  Please be sure to get your paperwork back quickly to insure your child's placement for the 2011-2012 school year.  If you have questions, give us a call in the

Birds, penguins, pet shops, snowflakes, mittens, and winter weather - these are just a few of the themes we have been exploring this month. 

Re-enrollment packets will be coming home with your child by January 31.  Please complete your forms and return to your classroom teacher as soon as possible so we can begin to welcome new families for the 2011-2012 school year. 

Friday - January 28 - No Preschool - Our teachers will be attending a Kuske Math workshop

Come for a visit!

We have Open Houses and tours at each of our campuses during the month of January and we would love to show you around.  We will share details about our programs, goals, and philosophy and visit the classrooms where you will see preschool in action.  Call or email Shannan to reserve your spot.

Shannan Lindor - 425-485-1824 ext. 326 or slindor@bcsmail.org

Happy New Year!  We started last week with snow at the Mack campus and today we are watching the sky to see if there will be more snow this week.  Please be sure to watch the website for information about possible school closures or schedule changes due to snow.

Wednesday, Jan. 12 - No Preschool - Teacher Collaboration Day

Monday, Jan. 17 - No School - Martin Luther King Day

This week we will be out in the community, meeting new families.  If you attending one of these events, please stop by

Kings and shepherds, angels and mangers, our classrooms are filled with the story of Jesus' birth.  We will enjoy this last week of preschool with all the projects, singing, and celebrations.  Then we will enjoy a few weeks to be at home with our families.

December 19 - January 2 - Christmas Vacation

January 3 - Back to School!

Re-enrollment month will be February 2011.  We will have lots of information about classes and schedules when we return to school in January.

Christmas through the eyes of children - it doesn't get much better than this!  When I walked through the classrooms this last week I heard some fun stories of the snow we had before Thanksgiving.  Just a reminder that we have a great alerts system in place to bring you updated information about school delays and closures due to snow.  If you did not receive those alerts last month, please let us know so we can make sure we have your most current information.

We are on a regular schedule for

Welcome back!  Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Just a few weeks until Christmas vacation.  Be sure to check your child's classroom calendar for special events and activities. 

December 6 - Christmas Chapel at Mack - Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Schroeder's classes

December 9 - Christmas Chapel at Mack - Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Kaskes, and Mrs. Simmons' classes

December 13 - Christmas Celebration - Mrs. Bohac's class

December 16 - Christmas Celebration - Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Smit's more...

No Preschool this week - November 22-26.

May your week be filled with the joy of family and friends this Thanksgiving.

November 17 - Picture retakes at the Mack Campus

There will be a lot of feasting and a focus on Thankfulness in our classrooms this week.  Be sure to check your child's classroom calendar for reminders about dates, times, and items you  might need to be bringing to school.

November 22-26 - No School - K-12 conference week and Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have a short week at preschool:

Thursday, November 11 - No School, Veteran's Day

Friday, November 12 - No School, Teacher Workday

Wednesday, November 17, Picture Retakes at Mack campus

If you didn't see the Ebulletin last week, be sure to take a look at our preschool perspective on Rigor and Early Education.

Thank you for coming to our Kuske Math information meetings last week.  If you were unable to attend, we will try to put together an information packet to send home later this month.

Have you signed up to work in your child's classroom?  Volunteering in the classroom is a great way to see how your child is adjusting to school.  Teachers have posted sign-up sheets and would love to have your help.  Parents generally stay for the first hour of the day and are free to leave at that time. 

Coming

Preschool Kuske Math Information Nights

Please join us to learn more about the new Kuske math materials and progam we are using at preschool this year. The meetings will last about 45 minutes.

Tuesday, October 26 - 6:00 pm at the Three Points Campus in Medina

Thursday, October 28 - 6:00 pm athe Mack Campus in Woodinville

Pumpkin Patch Field Trips- Rain or Shine!

Oct. 26 - Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Schroeder

Oct. 28 - Mrs. Smit, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Bohac, Mrs. Kaskes, Mrs. Kelly and Mrs.

October continues to be a busy month with trips to the Pumpkin Patch, Kuske Math Information Nights, All School Carnival, and school pictures.  Be sure to check your child's class calendar for details on these events.

This week at Preschool:

Monday, October 18 - Lunch Bunch Begins at Overlake Park

Tuesday, October 19 Individual pictures at Mack Preschool

Tuesday, October 19 - Parent Coffees at Mack Preschool - 8:30 am and 12:15 pm

Wednesday, October 20 - Mrs. Salzman's classes to Craven

We are back in the classrooms this week after our teacher in-service days.  It was good to work together on our plans for assessment.  We will be sharing what we learned over the next few weeks.

Monday, Oct. 11 - Parent Coffee for Mrs. Bohac's class at Overlake

Wednesday, Oct. 13 - Parent Coffee for Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Smit's classes at Overlake

Coming next week:  Student pictures and parent coffees at the Mack Preschool campus

And don't forget the Pumpkin Patch field trips.  Be sure to turn