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Director
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September News
We are so excited to get the new school year started and we look forward to a joy-filled, positive, and productive year with you and with your child!
Forming positive, responsive relationships with children and families is my primary goal at the start of every school year. I find that this happens quite naturally when you just spend time with the students and parents informally. I have made it a point to participate in some key times of the day such as: lunch time, nap time, outside time, group times, and Meeting time. One of my favorite parts of working with young children is listening to what they have to say and learning about how they understand the world.
I have been working in Early Childhood Education for over 22 years, across all my experiences I have observed many philosophies and styles of education. Throughout all these experiences one fact has remained; All children deserve quality early childhood education in a nurturing, engaging and safe environment with knowledgeable and caring teachers to support them on their educational journey.
Please feel free to call me or email if you have any questions.
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At the Jericho STEM Academy your child's health is our number 1 priority! Allergy & Anaphylaxis Policy Upon enrollment at our academy and whenever there are changes, parents are required to provide us with up to date medical information for your child. including any allergies your child may have and any emergency medications prescribed for potential anaphylaxis. The school, parents and doctor will work in conjunction to fill out the required forms. These documents will guide the entire staff in the necessary actions to take during an allergic or anaphylactic reaction. Each classroom has a list of children's allergies with the child's photo next to the allergy. All staff members will be trained in the prevention, recognition and response to food and other allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Our entire staff also maintain certifications in CPR & First Aid.
Let the Fall Fun Begin! From the Director’s Desk:
Dear Parents,
The new school year is off to a great start! The kids have settled in nicely to their new rooms and routines.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of the new and returning families to The Jericho STEM Academy. We are delighted to have you here and are looking forward to an incredible year together! As you and your children settle into the routine of fall, look for special classroom activities, field trips, school events, and other exciting experiences that revolve around the beginning of the autumn season.
You will also find copies of the menu, my monthly newsletter, and other printed forms that make things convenient for families on brightwheel. As always, I welcome your comments, questions, and input as to how to continually provide you and your family with an optimum early childhood experience. Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or positive comments.
Imagine yourself standing just inside the doorway of a typical early childhood classroom. To your right, a group of children are playing with cars and trucks. Across the room a little girl has just taken a tub a Legos from the shelf. In front of you, two boys are about to make pretend birthday cakes with playdough. And to your left, a group is gathered around the sand table, digging, and pouring. It all looks like fun, but will it help them get ready for elementary school? The answer is YES! The connection between play and later school success is strong, but often underestimated. It’s sometimes easier to see how play supports physical or social/emotional development than how it builds a foundation for academic skills. But it does. And here are only a few examples: Cars and Trucks– Figure-Ground Discrimination—the ability to pick out and concentrate on one item and separate it from the background. Arranging cars on a play mat in preschool, for example, builds a foundation for later being able to see a letter as part of a word or word as a meaningful part of a sentence. Visual Tracking—the ability to follow the movement of an object with one’s eyes and guide it with one’s hand. Practice in driving a toy truck along a road made of blocks helps to develop the coordination needed for guiding a pencil along a piece of paper. Grouping —the ability to figure out what characteristics several objects have in common. A child sorts through all the vehicles, searching for metal racing cars, rather than, say, plastic or wooden ones is preparing for mathematical set theory. Shelf Toys (Legos, pegboards, beads, etc.) - Seriation—the ability to determine what comes next in a series. A child creating a predictable sequence with blocks or beads is practicing a valuable math skill needed for understanding number patterns. Constancy—the ability to understand that a particular characteristic such as color or shape stays the same, even when other characteristics change. A child stringing beads soon discovers that round beads are always round no matter what their color or size. That paves the way for understanding that “A” and “a” are all the same letter. Control of muscles in fingertips. Toys that must be fitted together, arranged, and taken apart offer opportunities for strengthening and developing the muscles that will eventually be used in writing. Playdough—Matching —the ability to recognize how things correspond. A child who cuts a playdough shape with a cookie cutter and fits the shape back into the corresponding space is practicing a pre-reading skill that will enable them to discriminate differences and similarities among letters. Representation—the ability to see that one object can stand for or symbolize another. Knowing that a piece of playdough can represent a piece of pizza helps develop the idea that letters on a page can also represent real life. It all sounds serious, and that’s for a good reason: Play is a young child’s most critical pathway to learning along with our STEM curriculum.
Important dates:
10/9 School’s closed- Indigenous Peoples’ Day
10/10 Heroes’ Day-Teachers will send home information on Friday.
10/12-Trip to Fire House
10/18-Trip to White Post Farms-3’s & Pre-k Toddler Pumpkin Patch
10/31 Halloween Parade- Dress in costume-No Mask
October Themes:
- Fire Safety
- Squirrels
- Acorns
- Pumpkins & leaves
- My neighborhood/Community Helpers
Happy Birthday to Sia Saggar, Aiden Alam & Michael Isakharov!!!!
NOVEMBER NEWS
This part of the year is the time to reflect and be thankful for the things we have, and it provides us with beautiful opportunities to teach and model gratitude and appreciation to our young children in so many ways. As they grow older, children begin to express appreciation for qualities such as friendship and kindness. At the end of the day, spending quality time with your family during this Thanksgiving season is what matters most. Whether you donate toys, make a hand turkey, or simply take a walk in the nice fall weather, taking the time to be intentional with this time with your family is the important thing. The weather is changing, and we want to ensure we can still get outdoors whenever possible. Make sure your child has their coat, mittens, scarves and hats with their names on it so that we can ensure all items get back to the right owners. We suggest getting a supply at a discount store. Despite our best efforts they will go missing. Please ensure your child has an appropriate change of clothes in their cubby in case of accidents, messy art projects, etc. Leaping for Literacy- Happy Reading! I would love to receive suggestions from our students on their favorite book for December but here is my favorite for November. It is "Bear Says Thanks" written by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman. I love this story because it really focuses on the important aspects of Thanksgiving which is being thankful and spending time with family and friends. I hope you enjoy it! REMEMBER, I would love to hear from you on what your child's favorite book is. The first 5 messages I receive will be mentioned in my December newsletter. As part of our focus on gratitude and connecting with others. We will be having a Food Drive starting November 13th-November 20th. We will be collecting non-perishable food items and donating to Long Island Cares. There will be boxes located near the front door to drop off your items. Our entire school will be celebrating Thanksgiving with a special feast on November 22nd. Students are making their own placemats and other Thanksgiving themed artwork to bring home to share with the family. Many families turn to online reviews to learn more about the reputation of schools. Just a reminder that you can find our school on Facebook, Google, and other online directories. We’d love more families like yours, so please consider spreading the word about our school.
Love Our School? Review Us on Google!
Fall Conferences: We will be having Parent/Teacher conferences November 15thThe teachers will send you the link to sign up online the first week of November with all available times. Please let me know if none of the times work for you. The conference will last about 15 minutes and will give us a good chance to check in and talk about how your student is acclimating to preschool. Tis the season of colds and the flu…if your child is sick, please keep him/her home. Your child must be fever free without the aid of medicine for 24 hours before coming back to school. On the sickness note…we teach the kids to “catch” their sneeze/cough into their elbows…please reinforce this at home to help us avoid the spread of germs in preschool. We’d like to keep everyone as healthy as possible!!! As always, if you need to contact me, please don’t hesitate to do so. I can be privately messaged under administration on brightwheel or you can email me at [email protected].
Dates to Remember 11/13- World Kindness Day- Please send in a smooth rock for our rock garden. 11/13-11/20- Food Drive 11/14 Diwali Celebration at school. 11/15 Parent/Teacher conferences 11/16 Trip to Garvies Point for 3’s and Pre-K 11/21 Dress to impress its PICTURE DAY! 11/22 Thanksgiving Feast Employee of the Month Please join us in thanking Fulyane for her dedication to the field of early childhood and for always going above and beyond to ensure that each child in her care has fun and is loved and safe each day. Fulyane arrives early and puts in all the extra time and effort required of a toddler teacher. She takes the initiative to offer her help readily to peers, families and children in ways that are thoughtful and meaningful. To listen to her laughing, playing, and learning alongside her students is a highlight of each day. I believe our infants, Lucy, Leo and Bonjun would agree that Miss Fulyane should get this recognition. Thank you, Fulyane, for being an exemplary staff member and leader in our school.
DECEMBER NEWS
Dear Families, December is here and what an exciting month we have to look forward to! We will be concentrating on experiencing the Holiday Season through our senses. We learn about the feelings, textures, colors and smells (cinnamon, pine…) and the symbols (candles, stars, bells…) that make this part of the year so special. I hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed some great family time and of course some wonderful food. We here at Jericho STEM are thankful every day for the opportunity to spend time with you and your children, and I am thankful for the hard-working staff that we have here every day who always go above and beyond for their children. I am very fortunate that I am part of the Jericho STEM Family! We continue the Holiday spirit as we roll into December & celebrate Chanukah, Kwanza and Christmas. As the weather is getting colder, please make sure that your children have appropriate outdoor clothing. We do still try to take the children out when it is above 40 degrees. Label hats and gloves so they can be returned to their owner when we find them on the playground or on the classroom floor.
Please don’t forget about our Parent Referral Program. If you refer a friend(s) to our school, you receive a FREE week’s tuition. This is an unlimited offer. ( Example: For 1 friend = 1 free week, 2 friends = 2 free weeks, 3 friends = 3 free weeks, 4 friends = 4 free weeks, etc.)
As a quick reminder, should any of your contact information change, please do get that to us as quickly as possible so that we can update our records here. It is vital that we have accurate contact information for you and for any emergency contacts in case we need to get hold of you. We do need to make sure that all accounts are clean and up to date at the calendar year’s end so that your tax statements will be a true reflection for you. They will be available for you on brightwheel early in the New Year. •
Ehaan Ahmed-12/31-Happy Birthday!
The holiday season is a time when we celebrate community, diversity, and the universal joy of giving. In the classroom, we introduce children to holiday traditions observed around the world by singing songs, making art, and tasting favorite local seasonal foods, as well as those from other countries. You can continue the learning at home by engaging in shared reading experiences with your child. Below are some of our all-time favorite multicultural holiday books.
1. Lights of Winter: Winter Celebrations Around the World by Heather Conrad Your child might be familiar with Christmas, Kwanzaa or Hanukkah, but what about Soyal or Los Posadas? This book introduces children to 10 winter holidays celebrated around the world.
2. The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving by Jan and Mike Berenstain This story does a wonderful job reinforcing the importance of showing gratitude and giving back to others. After reading, encourage your child to think of ways he can spread holiday cheer this year.
3. Dream Snow by Eric Carle This book tells the story of a farmer who falls asleep on Christmas Eve wondering if Christmas will come without snow. He then dreams about a magical snowstorm that covers him and his animals. Infants and toddlers will love the lift-the-flap version of Dream Snow, which is designed to help stimulate their growing sensory awareness.
4. A Kwanzaa Celebration by Nancy Williams Your child will enjoy learning about the traditions and principles of Kwanzaa as he delves into this pop-up book by Nancy Williams. He’ll even be introduced to African words and pronunciations!
5. Where is Baby’s Dreidel: A Lift the Flap Book by Karen Katz Your little one will embark on a reading adventure as he lifts the flaps to reveal dreidels, menorahs, potato pancakes and other symbols of Hanukkah. 6. Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto This book tells the story of a little girl who misplaces her mother’s diamond ring while making tamales. Not only will your child enjoy the story’s humor, but she’ll also learn the names of foods enjoyed by Hispanic families during the holiday season. 7. The Night Before Hanukkah, by Natasha WingIt’s the night before the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah begins, and everyone is excited! Each evening, the family gathers to light the candles and share holiday traditions such as playing dreidel, eating latkes, and exchanging gifts. The seventeenth title in Natasha Wing’s bestselling series, The Night Before Hanukkah captures all the joy and love in one of the most wonderful times of the year! 8. Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin Bringing in the New Year is a heartwarming story about a Chinese-American family as they prepare for and celebrate the Chinese New Year. The book introduces food and festivities, such as a dragon parade, dumplings, lion dancers, lanterns and fireworks. \
Important Dates
December 4-Hibernation Party-Send in a hibernating stuffed animal. December 6- Fire Museum Trip for threes and Pre-K.
December 8-Piano lessons begin. Bring the piano book Gail asked you to purchase.
December 11-Holiday Hat Day- Wear a hat for a special December holiday.
December 12- Potato Pancake snack
December 21, Thursday- Parents invited to our holiday class pares. Please due to space 1 parent per child. Infants, Jr. & Sr. Toddlers- 10:30-11:00 Threes and Pre-K- 11:30-12:15 December 25-January 1-School closed for winter break **If you travel abroad, go on a plane or a cruise please email me a negative covid test.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER YOGESH JOSHI! The Teacher of the Month award is designed to recognize an employee that exemplifies our core values, which are compassion, humility, integrity, loyalty, and love for children. This month we are pleased to announce that our December Teacher of the Month is Joshi, Sr. Toddler Assistant. Joshi is well loved, not just by her students, but by families all over the building! She greets the children as they are coming in each morning and makes a point to speak to her former students each day. Joshi is just a ray of sunshine that everyone loves! Joshi does a great job with her sweet two-year-old’s, nurturing them and helping them to become more independent. milestone. Joshi is always happy to help if asked to and is a great support and mentor for her co-teachers!” Her class is so happy as she helps prepare them for the next milestone. Joshi is always happy to help if asked to and is a great support and mentor for her co-teachers!”
December News
We all look forward to a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year with new, fun, and exciting things planned this year at the Jericho STEM Academy! We believe that YOU are the most important teacher your child will ever have! Open lines of communication between staff and family members are essential to facilitate your child’s growth and learning. Brightwheel & newsletters provide news about activities that your child is participating in as well as other important notices and information. Winter is finally here! Please be sure to send your child with appropriate weather gear as we will continue to go outside as the weather allows us to. Please make sure your child’s hats, gloves, snow pants, winter coat, & snow boots are labeled. Tax Time- If you would like your 2023 Tax Statement, please log into Brightwheel soon. You’ll be able to access it from there. Illness Policy Reminder Our parents are vital partners in helping us to maintain a safe and healthy environment for the children in our school. The most important thing you can do to assist us in creating a healthy environment is to keep your child home if they are ill. This reduces the spread of illness and allows your child to fully recuperate. Children may not attend school until they have been symptom free for 24 hours if they display any of the following: · Fever of 100.3 degrees or more—must be fever free for 24 hours with no fever-reducing medicine before returning to school · Vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach upset · Heavy nasal discharge requiring wiping every 3-5 minutes · Persistent, non-productive, or barking cough · Sore throat · Skin rash · Head lice · Symptoms of a communicable disease · Fussy, cranky behavior unlike child’s normal demeanor that may indicate illness For more information, please see our Parent Handbook or reach out to a member of our administrative team. This month, our school is celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and discussing the importance of acceptance, love and kindness for all people. At home and school, books are an easy way to familiarize your children with Martin Luther King, Jr. and the theme of equality and friendship in a way that we can understand. Appropriate titles include Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr. by Jean Marzollo (ages 3-5), I Am Martin Luther King, Jr. by Brad Meltzer (ages 4-5), The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore (ages 4-5) and My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart by Angela Farris Watkins (ages 5+). Another fun way to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. is through art. After reading one of the books above, encourage your child to draw you a picture or write a few words about what he learned from the story. Use this as a learning opportunity to recap the story, discuss his artwork, and encourage creativity. FROM OUR INFANT PROGRAM How to Teach Baby Sign Language How To Teach Baby Sign Language --As a parent of a new baby, you may be looking for ways to enhance communication with your child. One great way is Baby Sign Language. Baby signs are common terms that have been modified and simplified from American Sign Language. This tool allows babies to express themselves before they can do so verbally – in turn, reducing frustration during early stages of language development and improving self-esteem. Choose meaningful signs. Start with practical words that align to your baby’s daily routine. In our Infant Program, we teach baby signs relevant to each infant. Examples include: ‘mommy’, ‘daddy’, ‘more’, ‘happy’, and ‘all done’. Say the word aloud as you sign. To reinforce the connection between signs and spoken words, say the word aloud while performing the sign. Our teachers, positioned at eye level with the baby, follow this approach to ensure a comprehensive learning experience. Be consistent. Use signs regularly and repeat them often. Repetition helps babies more readily understand the meaning of the sign. Be patient. As infants reach 6-8 months, they will begin to recognize and sign back to you. Don’t be discouraged if your infant doesn’t catch on immediately. Teaching your baby sign language is a fun journey that not only facilitates early communication, but also strengthens the bond with your child. If you’re curious about other ways our dedicated teachers foster your infant’s growth and development, contact us today. FYI January 8- Winter Enrichments Begin * Please sign up. January 11- AAA Mrs. Blackburn will be presenting her Pedestrian and Passenger Safety program with Otto the Auto January 15-School closed for MLK Day January 26- A nutritionist will come to present a special program to the children.
FEBRUARY NEWS
Black History Month-February is Black History Month! What a great time to learn about and celebrate African Americans– present-day and historical.
Priority Re-Enrollment
It may be only February, but it’s time to start planning for the fall! There has been an overwhelming demand for our Infant and toddler rooms. We want to make sure you secure your child’s spot for next school year. Priority re-enrollment will run from February 28-March 15th. More information will be sent soon about school and camp registration.
Love Our School? Review Us
In today’s connected world, many families turn to online reviews to learn more about the reputation of schools. Just a reminder that you can find our school on Facebook & Google, we’d love more families like yours, so please consider spreading the word about our school. We’d love you to write a review we could put on our website as well.
Winter Cubby Refresh
The winter season is here. Please be sure to dress your child accordingly, including hats and mittens. Also, be sure that your child has extra clothes available in their cubby for the winter weather. This is a great time to check sizes too!
New On Our Preschool Blog
What Scientific Exploration Looks Like in Our Preschool Classrooms
Soda bottle geysers and volcanoes made from baking soda and vinegar might be just some of the things that come to mind when you think about science education for young children. It’s important to note that even simpler activities and everyday experiences can introduce children to scientific concepts and help them gain an understanding of how things work.
Science also helps children to develop important life skills, such as communication, collaboration, perseverance, analytical reasoning, and most importantly, a sense of wonder. We believe science education is critical in the preschool years, and we do so by tapping into children’s natural curiosities to explore the world around them.
Below are ways we foster this in each of our classrooms.
Toddlers (1-2 years)
The Scientific Exploration component of our curriculum begins in our Toddler classroom. Teachers provide toys and materials that allow toddlers to experiment with cause and effect, such as buttons that push to make a sound, knobs that twist to open, and levers that slide open to make an object appear.
(3 years)
Our Beginner students begin to explore engineering concepts. They design and build small structures using various materials, such as toothpicks and playdough or craft sticks and small paper cups. As students design and build, teachers ask open-ended prompts, including, “Tell me about what you made” or “What are you going to do with your new structure?”
Intermediates (3-4 years)
While our Intermediate students are engaged in science activities, teachers offer a variety of tools and technology to support and enrich the learning. For example, when learning about living things, they may explore with magnifying glasses, paper, and writing utensils. While studying the Earth’s environment, students may use balances, thermometers, rain gauges, and sifters.
Pre-K (4-5 years)
Students in our Pre-K classrooms love learning about different animals and their life cycles. After reading related books, students use playdough, paper, and writing utensils to create a 3-D representation of the life cycle of their choosing. They label the different stages and share their unique models with their classmates. Afterward, they write about the life cycle in their science journal.
Sickness: We know that many of you have noticed the increase in sickness during these colder months. It is crucial to the health and safety of everyone here that you please keep your child home if they are showing signs of any symptoms such as:-fever-cough-runny nose-sore throat -diarrhea-vomiting. If your child tests positive for anything such as influenza, RSV, COVID-19, ext. please let us know so we can keep track of the illnesses and where they are so we can plan accordingly!
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to us on March 18th. We have geared our Fair to preschool age book selections. Did you know that the book fair profits go right back into the classroom? Your child’s Scholastic subscription is paid for by our book fair profits! Stop by at your March Parent Teacher conference and buy a book. Scholastic accepts all forms of payment from cash to credit card. “Today’s readers are tomorrow’s leaders!
FYI
School closed Feb. 19-Feb. 23 for Presidents Day/Winter Break.
Winter Mini Camp- February 20-22 for those children who signed up, NO DROP OFFS ALLOWED