The First Steps Scholarship Program is here to help Burlington families pay for high-quality childcare. Your child does not have to attend a program in Burlington and you may be awarded scholarship funds that will go directly toward your child care tuition payment, along with help to secure additional state support.
Early Education Online
Hello families,
I hope this letter finds you healthy and safe. I know my own home has worked into some semblance of routine in this new, yet temporary, normal. During the past two weeks, the preschool teams have been working on developing a Continuation of Learning plan for the final 8 weeks of school. Some of you may have already received your weekly Newsletter or communication from your classroom teacher explaining this but I also wanted to send something from our main office.
Please know that our overarching goal during this time is to support you and your child during this time. With that we know that levels of engagement will look different for each family. Our plans consist of guidelines and general ideas that you can choose to fit into your day. We do not expect you to replicare preschool in your home. Our plan is iterative and we expect to revise as we go based on the feedback we receive. Communication between schools and families is key.
We have been directed by the Agency of Education that we are required to take attendance. Different forms of student contact (eg. emails, phone calls, comments on google docs, etc..) can and will be considered “attendance.”
Thank you for your support and patience.
Be Well,
Stacie Curtis
Director of Early Education for BSD
scuritis@bsdvt.org
Please find our online website link here.
November Newsletter
NOVEMBER’S HOT TOPIC: Routines
It is important to have routines for different parts of your
day. With repetition, children are able to learn the
routine, what to expect and what is expected of them.
Having routines for repetitive parts of the day provides
structure and comfort for your child.
Morning routines and bedtime routines are 2 important
times of the day. Having a routine for those times of the
day will help it go more smoothly.
Check out these helpful resources!
Morning Routines
Bedtime and Naptime Routines
Bedtime Routines
Things teachers do that you can do at home:
● Maintain the same routines each day, as best as
possible. This way children know what to expect
and what is expected of them.
● When something does come up, we call it a
“zig-zag.” That way the children know there is
going to be a change to the regular schedule.
● Provide a visual with pictures of the steps of the
routine.
● Example of Bedtime Routine:
○ Take a bath, put on pajamas, brush teeth,
bathroom turn, read a story, go to sleep.
Storytime Book Recommendations:
Llama Llama Nighty-Night by Anna Dewdney
Things to Remember:
We go outside every day!
Please send your child with a
warm coat, snow pants, boots,
gloves/mittens and a hat! Label
all items with your child’s name.
The Nurse Says: Flu Season is Here!
❖ Children and parents should get
the flu shot. If parents get sick,
you are more likely to pass the
germs to your children.
❖ People who have the flu will
usually cough, sneeze, and have
a runny nose and fever.
❖ To help stop the spread of germs, teach your child
to cover their mouth and nose when they cough or
sneeze. Teach them to cough into a tissue, into
their elbow or shirt.
❖ Always wash hands! Children should wash their
hands with soap and warm water for about 20
seconds. You could sing a short song to show them
how long 20 seconds is or count slowly to 20.
❖ If your child has a fever, they should stay home
until they are fever free for 24 hours with no fever.
❖ If your child is vomiting, they need to stay home
for 24 hours after they last vomited.
❖ We are trying to track flu like symptoms in our
school, so that we can notify parents if we are
seeing an increase in illnesses. Please call the
school if your child is out and let us know their
symptoms as this will help us keep our school
community healthy.
Cold & Cough:
❖ Children on average will get 7-10 “colds” a year.
Unfortunately there is no cure for the common cold.
Treatment is not always necessary. If your child’s
symptoms are not interfering with play or sleep you
can help them by making sure they get extra fluids
(water) and extra rest.
❖ If your child has any of these symptoms: fever,
prolonged or worsening cough, wheezing, or the
cold symptoms last longer than 2 weeks, call the
doctor.
Please call our school nurse Carol Neary at 864-8463
ext. 71422 with any questions or concerns.
Upcoming School Events
● November 25 – No School
● November 26 – No School (Parent Conferences)
● November 27-29 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)
October Newsletter
OCTOBER’S HOT TOPIC: EMOTIONS
Helping your child understand and name the emotions they are feeling is important. Children need to be able to NAME their emotions (happy, sad, angry, frustrated, nervous, embarrassed), have opportunities to identify their feelings, and have appropriate ways to respond to their feelings.
Check out these helpful resources!
How to Help Your Child Understand and Label Emotions
Teaching Your Child to Identify and Express Emotions
Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think
Things teachers do that you can do at home:
● Name and talk about your child’s feelings
○ “Your smile lets me know you are feeling
happy.”
○ “Your crying lets me know you are feeling sad.”
● Name and talk about your own feelings
○ “I feel happy because…”
○ “I feel sad because…”
Book Recommendation:
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
Things to Remember:
We go outside every day! Please send your child with a warm coat, gloves/mittens and a hat on colder days! Label all items with your child’s
name.
The Nurse Says:
❖ Please make sure you have provided a letter from the pediatrician documenting your child’s most recent well care exam and information regarding health conditions and medications. Your child’s teacher can give you a copy of the letter to be signed by your pediatrician.
❖ In the next 2-3 weeks, the nurse will be doing vision and hearing checks on all children. We will let you know if anything comes up.
Upcoming School Events
● October 18th – No School
UVM Babysitter Mingler
**UVM Babysitter Mingler: Sunday, September 15th, 2019**
Do you struggle to find a babysitter when you need one? Are you looking for a sitter who has a flexible schedule and lives close by?
Come to the UVM Babysitter Mingler, a chance for kids and their families in need of babysitters to meet and mingle with UVM students who want to babysit!
Babysitter Mingler
UVM Davis Center, 4th floor
590 Main Street
Sunday, September 15th
10:30 am – 12:00 noon
(Students arrive at 10:00 am)
Families and UVM students can register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uvm-babysitter-mingler-registration-69192638043?utm_term=eventurl_text
Children welcomed and encouraged to attend – and please tell all your friends!
To register as a babysitter, you must be a current (Fall 2019) UVM student – this is an employment event for the university’s students.
PLEASE NOTE: *As UVM affiliates, we cannot take on the role of holding, exchanging, or advertising the particular babysitting needs of parents in the community, or the particular babysitting availability and/or qualifications of our students. We can host Babysitter Minglers where we bring students and parents together so that they can meet face-to-face and exchange information if they so choose. We do recommend that parents check references of the students who attended the Babysitter Mingler and use whatever screening process they would normally use when hiring a sitter.*
note: the dissemination of this material is intended to be of community service – Burlington School District does not endorse nor sponsor this organization.
We hope to see you there,
Ash Hoyt
Gail Shampnois
John Mejia
UVM Office of Student and Community Relations
