From the Principal’s Office
Dearest Families,
The flowers are blooming, the days are growing longer, and the birds are singing. Yes, spring is in the air! And with the warmer weather comes more moments for learning! More outdoor time will create more opportunities for gross motor skill practice and environmental learning. Another improvement announcement! In the outdoor environments we will add our very own Merryhill Preschool Garden! You asked for it in the parent surveys, and once again we have made it happen! We are already gathering the materials needed for the garden in each back yard. The children will be helping create the garden from scratch. Yes, they will be painting the pallets and the fences as well as adding the soil and different plants. We can’t wait to get started!!
Last month we celebrated the love of reading with our “Scholastic Book Fair”. We did a fantastic job selling books! We sold a total of 250 books which earned each classroom tons of free books for their students to enjoy. Thank you for your support! Our goal was to reach 260 books sold and Ms. Flor and I would turn into human cakes. We were only 10 books shy of our goal so…..we are going to do it anyway!!! Come prepared on Wednesday April 8th at 3:30 with your cameras and ingredients to watch Ms. Flor and I get covered with eggs, flour, milk and all other items that can bake a human cake. Please bring in any items for the children to dump on the top of our heads and drop them off with your child’s teachers!
We have several exciting events going on this month that will help to incorporate outdoor learning. One is our annual Trike-a-Thon. This event helps raise funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Plus, the children get to race around the track in the back yard with their friends. Great gross motor exercise for a great cause! More details to come.
We will also celebrate the children in our lives with “The Week of the Young Child” April 13 – 17. We have a fun itinerary set, so make sure to check out the dates and detailed info below in the “Calendar of Events”. This is a very special week of fun events and activities everyday! We will have live performances, a preschool carnival, petting zoo and much more!
For our graduating Pre-K students, do you know where you are going to send your child for the summer? Merryhill Elementary has a great summer camp program for you!
For those children who are graduating to Kindergarten in the new school year, visit the Elementary front office for information on how to reserve your spot for the new school year! Contact the Elementary Principal for more details. Her name is Karen Cooper and her contact number is
408-254-1280, email is
karen.cooper@nlcinc.com.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns my door is always open. We are here to help you and “our” children in any way we can. Everyone at Merryhill is special and important to us. Let us continue to make this a great school year!
“All the flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds we sow today.”
Calendar of Events
- April 3rd- Easter Egg Hunt at 3:30 pm (Parents are welcome to join us!)
- April 13th – April 17th is week of the Young Child (Parents are welcome to join us for all events)
- Monday, April 13th – Pajama day! Wear your cozy pajamas to school and enjoy yummy breakfast items for snack time!
- Tuesday, April 14th – Petting Zoo comes to Merryhill Preschool
- Wednesday, April 15th -Magic Show!
- Thursday, April 16th – Merryhill Preschool Carnival in the back yard. There will be face painting, cotton candy, games and much more!
- Friday, April 17th – St. Jude Trike-a-Thon for a special cause! Bring your tricycle from home and your helmet to school and ride around the track to raise money for St. Jude Children’s research hospital “Finding Cures, Saving Children”!
- April 22nd- Earth Day Celebration at 3:30 (We will release our butterflies and lady bugs back to nature!)
Upcoming Calendar of Events:
- May 4th -8th – Teacher Appreciation Week, During this week we will celebrate our teachers! Everyday we will do something special for them to show them how much we appreciate all their hard work and dedication throughout the year. More info will come…
- May 8th – Spring Show at 3:30 pm (You must come and watch as your children perform on stage while singing and dancing!) We will set up our stage in the back parking lot, behind the school. See you all there!
- May 11th – Mother’s Day Pot-Luck party at 3:30 pm
- May 12th – 27th – Parent Teacher Conferences (schedule for sign-up dates will be in the classrooms by April 27th)
- May 25th – School Closed for Memorial Day
- May 28th – Pre-K Graduation at 3:30 pm in the back parking lot behind the school
- May 29th – School Closed for Teacher’s In-service Day
- June 1st – First Day of the new school year! Welcome new and old families to your new classrooms!
Extra Curricular Activities held at Merryhill School
Merryhill San Jose is proud to offer Challenger Sports NEW MiniKickers Program in association with the Challenger Soccer Academy.
MiniKickers is a new and exciting program that teaches basic soccer skills while developing strength, balance, coordination, listening skills and team work for children aged 2-5. Our professional, licensed British coaches will ensure your child has a positive soccer experience.
The MiniKickers curriculum has been devised by soccer experts, child development professionals and experienced coaches. Classes are weekly
45 minute sessions for period of 8 weeks
Check the school website for sign up link, or visit www.challengersports.com then select ‘Find a Program’, select ‘MiniKicers’ & enter zip code to sign up
If you have any questions, please contact
Parent Referral Program
*For every new child you refer who enrolls at our school for three months, you’ll receive one FREE week of tuition for your child*.
If there’s one thing parents love to do, it’s talk about their children’s successes.
When friends ask you about your child’s experiences at Merryhill School, what type of success stories do you share? Do you mention the personal and educational discoveries 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?
This is our way of saying thanks for doing what comes naturally – singing the praises of your child and sharing your experiences with the Merryhill School difference!!
From the Education Department
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
Parent Info
Participate in our Automatic Payment Program
Tired of having to remember weekly tuition payments?
Save time and avoid late fees with this program. Contact your school principal for more information on how to join or click this link for the document to fill out and return to the preschool office.
Automatic Withdrawl Form
April Newsletter
From the Principal’s Office
Preschool Principal
heather.bilbro@nlcinc.com
408-254-1280
“All the flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds we sow today.”
Calendar of Events
Upcoming Calendar of Events:
Extra Curricular Activities held at Merryhill School
Parent Referral Program
*For every new child you refer who enrolls at our school for three months, you’ll receive one FREE week of tuition for your child*.
If there’s one thing parents love to do, it’s talk about their children’s successes.
When friends ask you about your child’s experiences at Merryhill School, what type of success stories do you share? Do you mention the personal and educational discoveries 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?
This is our way of saying thanks for doing what comes naturally – singing the praises of your child and sharing your experiences with the Merryhill School difference!!
From the Education Department
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
Parent Info