A Message From the Principal:
April is a special month for young children! It is a month of celebration! National Week of the Young Child is April 13-17th. This year it’s all about “Under the Sea is where the magic will be”. We will be sending out a very special packet with more information that will be in your child’s sign in/out sheet.
Now that the weather is warming up, the children will be spending much more time outdoors. For your child’s safety, please do not send him/her to school with open toed shoes. This will help prevent injury’s while running and riding the trikes. Please also send sunscreen that we can keep here at school for your child.
We will also be spending a lot of time on our gardens. Earth day is coming up…the classrooms will start by cleaning out their garden boxes and planting there seeds, plants or flowers. Be sure to check in with your child towards the end of the month to see how their garden is coming along.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Gill/Principal
In April
April 3 Easter egg hunts for the classrooms, and a visit from the Easter Bunny!
April 7 Raffle baskets items due
April 10-14 Scholastic Book Fair
April 11 PLAYDAY
April 14 Dinner & Art Auction at Steve’s Pizza in Elk Grove 5-8pm
April 15 Under the Sea Bubble Party at 10:15am
April 16 Under the Sea Puppet Show at 10:15am
April 22 Earth Day
For Parents
PLAYDAY! “Under the Sea is where the magic will be” Join us on Saturday April 11th from 10:30am-1:00pm for a morning full of fun! We will have lots of games, raffles, prizes, pony rides, a petting zoo, great food and much more. There will also be an under the sea walk game for the children to participate in. They will have the chance to win a stuffed animal of their own to take home. We will also be selling tickets for our raffle baskets! Here is a schedule of events during the Week of the Young Child-April 13th-17th:
Monday April 13-the children get to take home a special treat at the end of the day
Tuesday April 14th– Dinner Night at Steve’s Pizza and Art Auction 5pm-8pm
Wednesday April 15th-Bubble Party at 10:15am
Thursday April 16th-Under the Sea puppet show at 10:15am
Friday April 17th–a special ice-cream treat at school!
During Week of the Young Child your child’s teacher has planned special activities to celebrate!
Merryhill Reusable shopping bags – We will be selling Merryhill blue bags all month long, while quantities last. Get your for only $2.00 each!
Dinner & Art Show @ Steve’s Pizza – Join us for our 4th annual Dinner & Art Auction. Stop by for dinner anytime between 5:00-8:00 pm. Merryhill will receives 20% of the total profit brought in by Merryhill Families during this time. All proceeds made will go directly towards purchasing new trikes for the play yards!
Raffle Baskets – Please check your child’s classroom doors for items that need to be donated for our raffle baskets. All items are due to your child’s teacher no later than April 7, please, THANKS!!!
Parent Ambassador Program
If there is one thing that parents love to do, it’s talk about their children’s successes. When friends ask you about your child’s experience at Merryhill, what type of success stories do you share? Do you mention the personal and educational discoveries that your child is making thanks to our advanced curriculum? Do you talk about the new levels of self and social confidence your child has gained thanks to our encouraging atmosphere?
Whatever the glowing reports you deliver about how your child is growing with his or her education, we couldn’t be more appreciative. In fact, we’d like to show you just how thankful we are for your endorsements. Now when you tell other parents about our school, you can become a Merryhill School Parent Ambassador! You’ll recieve one free week of tuition for every new family you refer to Merryhill! (after 90 days of the new family starting)
Reminder: Please remember we are a nut free school
Appreciating the Wonders of Mother Nature
Spring is here and Earth Day is right around the corner, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect children with nature and reinforce the importance of preserving and protecting the world around us.
Our Links to Learning curriculum uses hands-on activities to cultivate a deeper connection to the earth and foster academic, physical and social skill development.
Below are activities we implement in our classrooms to get children excited about nature, as well as activities and books to read with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Our teachers provide natural objects, such as leaves, pinecones and flowers for the children to see and touch. We help children associate words with the concrete objects they represent.
At-home activity: Allow your child to experience different textured fruits, such as an orange, watermelon and cantaloupe. Talk about what he sees, smells, tastes and feels.
Recommended reading: Colors from Nature from PlayBac Publishing and The Earth Book by Todd Parr
BEGINNERS (Ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to understand interdependencies in nature. For instance, they learn that ladybugs feed on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs. On Earth Day, many of our students have the opportunity to release ladybugs to help local gardens.
At-home activity: Take a walk outdoors with your child and play a game of “I Spy.” Ask him point out objects found in the springtime, for example a red flower, a blue bird or a colorful butterfly.
Recommended reading: Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli & David T. Wenzel and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
INTERMEDIATES (Ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As our Intermediates gain a greater understanding and appreciation for how living things grow, the class may adopt a pet such as a fish or bunny. Students develop math, science and language skills by measuring the pet’s food, observing the pet’s behavior and habitat, and learning new vocabulary. Research shows that when children have the opportunity to care for animals, they practice nurturing behaviors that help them interact in gentle ways with people also.
At-home activity: Create a small garden and allow your child to help you plant and water seeds, either outdoors or indoors. Ask him to predict what the plant will look like by drawing pictures in his journal. Check the plant regularly so he can observe and measure changes in growth. Discuss the importance of watering and caring for the plant.
Recommended reading: Our Earth by Anne Rockwell and the poem “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out!” by Shel Silverstein
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (Ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage our older preschoolers to reuse recyclable materials in fun and unconventional ways. For instance, our students use cardboard boxes to create a castle, milk jug lids to sort and match, and plastic bottles to create beautiful, unique artwork.
At-home activity: Set up a recycling station using cardboard boxes, and label each box with the words “metal”, “plastic” and “paper”. Throughout the month, ask your child to help sort your family’s recyclables by placing the items into the correct box. Explain that recycling is just one way that we can be kind to the earth. Ask him to name a few other ways, such as conserving electricity, picking up litter and planting a garden.
Recommended reading: A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
We create a path for lifelong learning by providing numerous opportunities for children to study and explore nature. These hands-on experiences lead to growth in all areas of development as students transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education
April News
A Message From the Principal:
April is a special month for young children! It is a month of celebration! National Week of the Young Child is April 13-17th. This year it’s all about “Under the Sea is where the magic will be”. We will be sending out a very special packet with more information that will be in your child’s sign in/out sheet.
Now that the weather is warming up, the children will be spending much more time outdoors. For your child’s safety, please do not send him/her to school with open toed shoes. This will help prevent injury’s while running and riding the trikes. Please also send sunscreen that we can keep here at school for your child.
We will also be spending a lot of time on our gardens. Earth day is coming up…the classrooms will start by cleaning out their garden boxes and planting there seeds, plants or flowers. Be sure to check in with your child towards the end of the month to see how their garden is coming along.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Gill/Principal
In April
April 3 Easter egg hunts for the classrooms, and a visit from the Easter Bunny!
April 7 Raffle baskets items due
April 10-14 Scholastic Book Fair
April 11 PLAYDAY
April 14 Dinner & Art Auction at Steve’s Pizza in Elk Grove 5-8pm
April 15 Under the Sea Bubble Party at 10:15am
April 16 Under the Sea Puppet Show at 10:15am
April 22 Earth Day
For Parents
PLAYDAY! “Under the Sea is where the magic will be” Join us on Saturday April 11th from 10:30am-1:00pm for a morning full of fun! We will have lots of games, raffles, prizes, pony rides, a petting zoo, great food and much more. There will also be an under the sea walk game for the children to participate in. They will have the chance to win a stuffed animal of their own to take home. We will also be selling tickets for our raffle baskets! Here is a schedule of events during the Week of the Young Child-April 13th-17th:
Monday April 13-the children get to take home a special treat at the end of the day
Tuesday April 14th– Dinner Night at Steve’s Pizza and Art Auction 5pm-8pm
Wednesday April 15th-Bubble Party at 10:15am
Thursday April 16th-Under the Sea puppet show at 10:15am
Friday April 17th–a special ice-cream treat at school!
During Week of the Young Child your child’s teacher has planned special activities to celebrate!
Merryhill Reusable shopping bags – We will be selling Merryhill blue bags all month long, while quantities last. Get your for only $2.00 each!
Dinner & Art Show @ Steve’s Pizza – Join us for our 4th annual Dinner & Art Auction. Stop by for dinner anytime between 5:00-8:00 pm. Merryhill will receives 20% of the total profit brought in by Merryhill Families during this time. All proceeds made will go directly towards purchasing new trikes for the play yards!
Raffle Baskets – Please check your child’s classroom doors for items that need to be donated for our raffle baskets. All items are due to your child’s teacher no later than April 7, please, THANKS!!!
Parent Ambassador Program
If there is one thing that parents love to do, it’s talk about their children’s successes. When friends ask you about your child’s experience at Merryhill, what type of success stories do you share? Do you mention the personal and educational discoveries that your child is making thanks to our advanced curriculum? Do you talk about the new levels of self and social confidence your child has gained thanks to our encouraging atmosphere?
Whatever the glowing reports you deliver about how your child is growing with his or her education, we couldn’t be more appreciative. In fact, we’d like to show you just how thankful we are for your endorsements. Now when you tell other parents about our school, you can become a Merryhill School Parent Ambassador! You’ll recieve one free week of tuition for every new family you refer to Merryhill! (after 90 days of the new family starting)
Reminder: Please remember we are a nut free school
Appreciating the Wonders of Mother Nature
Spring is here and Earth Day is right around the corner, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect children with nature and reinforce the importance of preserving and protecting the world around us.
Our Links to Learning curriculum uses hands-on activities to cultivate a deeper connection to the earth and foster academic, physical and social skill development.
Below are activities we implement in our classrooms to get children excited about nature, as well as activities and books to read with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Our teachers provide natural objects, such as leaves, pinecones and flowers for the children to see and touch. We help children associate words with the concrete objects they represent.
At-home activity: Allow your child to experience different textured fruits, such as an orange, watermelon and cantaloupe. Talk about what he sees, smells, tastes and feels.
Recommended reading: Colors from Nature from PlayBac Publishing and The Earth Book by Todd Parr
BEGINNERS (Ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to understand interdependencies in nature. For instance, they learn that ladybugs feed on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs. On Earth Day, many of our students have the opportunity to release ladybugs to help local gardens.
At-home activity: Take a walk outdoors with your child and play a game of “I Spy.” Ask him point out objects found in the springtime, for example a red flower, a blue bird or a colorful butterfly.
Recommended reading: Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli & David T. Wenzel and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
INTERMEDIATES (Ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As our Intermediates gain a greater understanding and appreciation for how living things grow, the class may adopt a pet such as a fish or bunny. Students develop math, science and language skills by measuring the pet’s food, observing the pet’s behavior and habitat, and learning new vocabulary. Research shows that when children have the opportunity to care for animals, they practice nurturing behaviors that help them interact in gentle ways with people also.
At-home activity: Create a small garden and allow your child to help you plant and water seeds, either outdoors or indoors. Ask him to predict what the plant will look like by drawing pictures in his journal. Check the plant regularly so he can observe and measure changes in growth. Discuss the importance of watering and caring for the plant.
Recommended reading: Our Earth by Anne Rockwell and the poem “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out!” by Shel Silverstein
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (Ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage our older preschoolers to reuse recyclable materials in fun and unconventional ways. For instance, our students use cardboard boxes to create a castle, milk jug lids to sort and match, and plastic bottles to create beautiful, unique artwork.
At-home activity: Set up a recycling station using cardboard boxes, and label each box with the words “metal”, “plastic” and “paper”. Throughout the month, ask your child to help sort your family’s recyclables by placing the items into the correct box. Explain that recycling is just one way that we can be kind to the earth. Ask him to name a few other ways, such as conserving electricity, picking up litter and planting a garden.
Recommended reading: A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
We create a path for lifelong learning by providing numerous opportunities for children to study and explore nature. These hands-on experiences lead to growth in all areas of development as students transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education