Director Newsletter: December 2022

Dear Parents,

We hope all our families had an enjoyable Thanksgiving with loved ones!

December is here! A month filled with excitement, laughter, and cheer! There will be a lot of fun things planned for the children! Please keep a look-out for reminders for upcoming events.

As the weather continues to get wet and cold, please remember to bring appropriate clothing including hats, mitts, snow gear, rain/snow boots (for the water and mud or snow) and many changes of clothes for your children. We do go outside snow, rain, or shine so we need to ensure the children are dressed appropriately to play! 

Thank you to all the parents who supported our Scholastic Book Fair. We raised enough money to purchase new books for every classroom!

A Season to Give

We will be placing a donation box at the front of the school for nonperishable foods, canned foods, toiletries donations. We will take these donations to the Our Center that provides services to the homeless and those in need in our community.

Holiday Closure Sunset Academy will be closed at 2:00 p.m. on December 23rd in observance of Christmas Eve.

We will be closed on December 26th in observance of Christmas Day.

Please be sure to locate and fill out the sign in/out rosters located outside your child’s classroom door to let us know if you will be out for the week of Christmas and/or the week of New Year’s so that we may staff appropriately. 

Christmas Toy Buying Safety Tips

There is nothing more wonderful than seeing the face of pleasure and joy of a child when opening gifts every Christmas but we have to be aware that not all the toys we find in the market are safe, and it is important to be aware of the importance of Be diligent when shopping this season, always keeping in mind the age of the child to whom the toy is intended and making sure that the gift complies with safety regulations.

  • Buy toys according to the child’s age. It is important to consider the classification by age groups recommended by the manufacturer in toy packaging.
  • Buy toys in safe places. Beware of places not specialized in toys such as multi-price stores, as they may have toys that have not passed the appropriate security controls. In the case of buying in second-hand stores, such as eBay, although they often have toys in excellent condition, it is better to check them and wash them before giving them to children.
  • Painted toys must contain lead-free paint.
  • Check if the toy has sharp edges that can cause scratches.
  • Avoid moving parts that can pinch small fingers.
  • Avoid toys that contain small removable parts that can pose a choking hazard, such as nose, eyes and mouth in stuffed animals. These types of pieces must be firmly attached.
  • Avoid toys with magnets. In addition to assuming a choking hazard, in case the child ingests them, they can cause intestinal perforations.
  • Avoid toys that have long chains or cords that can be dangerous for babies and young children as they can cause strangulation if the cable is wrapped around the child’s neck.
  • Buy toys that are made of flame resistant materials.
  • In the case of toys that need batteries, it is necessary to check them periodically to avoid things like battery acid leaks that can cause fatal injuries.
  • The musical toys or make some kind of noise, it may be advisable to cover them with tape speakers as children’s ears are more sensitive.
  • Beware of jewelry and / or cosmetics that may contain toxic chemicals.