Director’s Newsletter: October 2022

Dear Parents,

Fall is in full swing we are planning fun fall-themed activities for our students this month and we will be excited to share photos with you all through ProCare. Our students will be enjoying nature walks and they will work on seasonal curriculum activities. 

Halloween, one of most celebrated holidays of the year here at our preschool, is just around the corner. This special day will offer opportunities for fun and exciting activities where you will see the colors orange and black, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, and scarecrows. Our classrooms will be celebrating Halloween by doing crafts, playing outdoor games with their classmates, and wearing their costumes in our annual Trunk-Or-Treat event on Monday, October 31st starting at 3:30 pm. 

Trunk- or-Treat

We invite parents and their children to wear their favorite costumes and go trick-or treating here at the school. We will ask for parent volunteers to decorate their car trunks and the children will parade through the school parking lot and collect treats from the decorated car trunks.

Extra Clothing Reminder

With winter around the corner, our classrooms are spending as much time outdoors as possible. If you’ve not already done so, please send in an extra set of weather appropriate clothes for your child and provide a lightweight coat/sweater daily.

Rules for Vehicles While On School Grounds

Because the safety of our children is of paramount concern to us, we require all parents to adhere to the following rules of the road while on school grounds:

  1. There is a 5 miles per hour speed limit at all times while on school property.
  2. Park in designated parking spaces only. Reserved spots are for school admin.
  3. While on school grounds, pedestrians always have the right of way.
  4. Vehicle ignitions MUST be turned off, and the keys removed, while parked on school grounds.
  5. Children may NOT be left unattended in a vehicle at any time or for any reason. As mandatory reporters, we are required to report any children left unattended in any vehicle.
  6. Violations of these rules may result in a warning. If a violation is serious, or if violations continue, school personnel are authorized to take a tag number for a report to the local police.

Additional Reminders:

  • Please make sure that your child has a naptime blanket, and at least two spare set of clothing in his/her cubby. On Fridays, you must take blankets and other personal nap items home to be laundered and return them on Mondays.
  • Please check your child’s cubby every day for soiled clothing or other items that may need to be taken home. Please also make sure all items are clearly marked with your child’s name (clothing, blankets, sweaters, and jackets, etc.).
  • Please provide your child with a healthy morning snack. We do not provide breakfast during this time.
  • Sunset Academy is a NUT FREE environment, we ask that you not bring any food items into the school that contain nut products or were made in a factory containing nuts.

playing safely with autumn leaves!

The colorful leaves that make a crisp sound when you walk on them are the first signs that autumn is around the corner. Kids enjoy jumping on piles of autumn leaves carefreely. But playing with those colorful leaves can up their risk of:

  • Scratches and injuries: Leaf piles can hide sticks and small rocks that might harm your child and even up their fall risk. Moreover, if the pile has been lying in the backyard since last week, it might hide bugs, spiders, frogs, or even snakes.
  • Mold exposure: Wet leaves gather harmful bacteria and mold. If your child is allergic to mold, leaves might trigger an allergic reaction. Children with asthma might have more severe reactions.
  • Parasite exposure: Think about autumn leaves as homes to parasites that come from trees. Touching leaves or raking them means getting in contact with parasites. If the leaves are close to the woods, then there is a higher risk to be exposed to more parasites than otherwise.

How to be proactive:  

  • Limit the time your child spends near piles of leaves. If your child is allergic or has asthma, give them a respirator mask while playing in the yard.
  • Avoid leaf piles by disposing of them right after raking.