2009-2010 School Year Information

June 25, 2009
Dear Preschool Families,

We know summer has just begun but we want to share important information about the Fall Semester at St. Joan of Arc Preschool! There will be several preschool classes. The Butterflies (4 year olds) will meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Some children will be attending all five mornings. Mrs. Peggy Kline will be the main teacher for the Butterflies. The Caterpillars (3 year olds) will meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with Mrs. Peggy Johnson as the main teacher for this group. Another Caterpillars (3 year olds) class will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Some children will be attending all five mornings and Mrs. Jeanne Conner will be the main teacher for this group. All three teachers will interact with all the children daily. All children must be potty trained before coming to preschool.

The Butterflies first day of school is Monday, August 31, 2009. The Caterpillars first day of school is Tuesday, September 1, 2009. Please bring your child to the classroom on the first day. The first few days may be challenging for some of the kids. DON’T WORRY! We will contact you if there is a major problem. Please know that anytime a child is in a new environment with a new adult, separation may be difficult. You are always welcome in the classroom, but give us a chance to get acquainted with each other on our own the first few days. If you are worried about your child after you leave, please call the school office (283-1518) and they will check on your child for you.

After the first day please plan on dropping your child off at the silver doors on the playground. This is new this year. We will get your child from the car and gather them inside the building on the steps. We will take them down to the classroom as a group. The upper grades will be meeting in the gym daily for Prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and morning announcements promptly at 8:00 a.m. If you are dropping off PreK-8 graders, please pull up to the silver doors and release all the children at the same time. The older children will walk along the side of the building to enter at the main door of the school.

We will have a shared snack mid-morning. We ask you to donate snacks to share with the class. If your child has any special dietary needs or allergies please let us know prior to the first day of school. Please pack your child’s lunch, including a drink, in a labeled lunch box or sack. Milk is available to purchase through Mrs. Burnside in the school office. If you wish to purchase hot lunch for your child it must be done through the school office by the first of the month. We will dismiss the class at 12:30 or 3:00 from the silver doors on the playground. Please let us know who has permission to pick up your child.

Tuition is due the first of the month. A late fee of $25.00 will be assessed after the 15th of the month. Please be prepared to pay the first month’s tuition on August 31st or September 1st, 2009. If your child will be attending an extended preschool day (12:30 to 3:00 for an additional $10.00 per day) please include this charge in the monthly tuition.

We look forward to an exciting year! The early years in your child’s life are precious. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about your child throughout the school year. While it may be difficult to talk while we are in the classroom with the children, please do not hesitate to email or call us anytime.

Sincerely,
Peggy Kline - 506-3173 (cell) - pkline@sjoa.org





ON THE FIRST DAY, PLEASE BRING:
 Family picture to hang in our classroom
 2 rolls of paper towels
 2 boxes of tissues
 2 boxes of wet wipes
 2 boxes of snacks (crackers, animal crackers, pretzels, goldfish, etc.)
EVERYDAY PLEASE BRING:
1. Backpack or Bag (large enough to hold a lunch box and all school papers and materials)
2. Lunch Box
3. A BIG HAPPY SMILE!


Arrival from 7:45 to 8:00 A.M. please use the silver doors on the parking lot.

Arrival after 8:05 A.M. please park your car and enter through the main doors.

Please bring your child to the classroom.

Dismissal @ 12:30 please use the silver doors on the parking lot.

Dismissal @ 3:00 please use the silver doors on the parking lot.


If you are picking up K-8 students also,


please pick up your preschooler first and have them secure in your car


before K-8 dismissal at 3:15.

January 2009

The first semester went by so fast! WOW! The children are growing up and enjoying everyday at Preschool! Jeanne and I want to thank Brande Mickens and Gabie Young for making each day special for the kids. These two young ladies are a joy to work with at school. They both work in our NYO after school program with Carolyn Holder and Ms. Burnside.

This semester will fly by too. Here we go................!

This month we will talk about the letters Nn, Oo, Pp and Qq. Last week the PreKindergarten and Butterflies wrote their own newspapers. The stories included house fires, stories about cats and dogs, and playmates. They have great imaginations! While our Indianapolis Star newspaper is shrinking and the Internet is taking over, we still believe the children need to develop their small motor skills on paper with a variety of materials. This creative process will carry over into the next generation of communication resources. Just think what they may encounter in year 2058 when they are our age!

Next week we will explore the ocean and all of its creatures. Thank you to the Musgrave family for bringing shells from their vacation in Florida! Although we are land locked in Indiana we bring the seashore and deep blue sea to 42nd Street through books, songs, and arts and crafts.

While learning about the letter Oo we will be be taking a field trip - (no permission slip required!) - to our school office, church office and Mrs. Sharpe's office. We will learn about the equipment they use to do their jobs everyday.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK is January 25th - January 30th. Please join us on Sunday after the 10:30 Mass for brunch and tours of the school. If you only get to the basement for preschool this is a great chance to talk with the K-8 grade teachers and see what great things are happening upstairs. Our ISTEP scores have soared and the school is flourishing. We believe St. Joan of Arc School is the place to send your children for the best education in the North Deanery. You will not find better leadership and teachers for your children anywhere. Registration for Preschool through 8th grade will begin during Catholic Schools Week. More information will be sent home about the activities during Catholic Schools Week. Mark your calendar for Friday, January 30th for the school Carnival!

Thank you again for sharing your children with us! We couldn't wait to get back from Christmas vacation to see the kids. They keep us laughing!

Peggy Kline and Jeanne Conner

April 2008

The kids have had a great week! They came back from Spring Break ready to play, paint, sing, swing, dance, and draw. We have planted marigolds to watch them grow. Mrs. Burnside is keeping them in her windowsill so they will get enough sun! We will check on them everyday.

Save the date for our Preschool and PreK Program, Wednesday, May 21st. The entire will preform at the Cultural Arts Celebration. Our program will be at 5:00 P.M. before the FSF meeting at 5:30 followed by the school program at 6:00. More information will follow! I am sure you will hear the children singing some of the songs at home!

Have a great weekend!
Peggy

Hello to all!

We have had a busy time these last few weeks. We built a rocket and took a couple of trips to the moon. We collected "moon" rocks and ate "moon" food. The kids all thought the "moon" food tasted similar to our marshmellows! They all talked about what they would need to take a trip. The all insisted on helmets and seatbelts! We had suggestions for oxygen masks and spacesuits too. I promised I would have them back to St. Joan of Arc before lunch time. Even though we ran into trouble in flight and almost hit a meteor we made it back to school. I wish you could see their imaginations at work. What a gift!

St. Valentine's Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 13th with the Butterflies Class and on Thursday, February 14th with the Caterpillars. We will decorate bags to collect our valentines.

We are receiving registration forms for next year's Preschool Classes! I am sorry if it has been confusing for some of you. PreKindergarten is an option for children who will be 4 by August 1, 2008. Registration for PreK is done through the school office. School hours are 8:00 to 3:15. NYO (Neighborhood Youth Outreach) provides after school care at an additional fee. registration for this program must be done through Carolyn Holder 283-6710.

Tell your friends and family and spread the word what a great time we have here at SJA! http://www.sjoa.org/ School Pages has a link information about our Preschool Programs.

Keep dry and warm - I don't know what the Ground Hog said this year, but I feel spring is coming soon!

Ms. Peggy (aka Mrs. Piggy)

Mrs. Kline (aka Mrs. Clown)

"hey teacher"

I don't know how I have any self-esteem!

January 16, 2008

Hello from 42nd & Central!

Today we finger painted 'pink pigs' with 'pink pudding'. We licked our fingers too! Yum!

Remember: don't get dressed FRIDAY, JANUARY 18th - come in your 'pajamas' and eat 'pancakes'. We won't go back to sleep - we will learn about where animals sleep. Do they brush their teeth before they go to bed???

Remember NO SCHOOL MONDAY! Go see the Harlem Globetrotters at Conseco! Last week a Harlem Globetrotter, Moo Moo, came to our school and spoke about how important it is to stay in school, work hard and be the best you can be at whatever you do!

Peggy