Dear Merryhill families,
February known as the month of love and friendship and we will take the opportunity to encourage friendship, love, and appreciation to all our students and families. We believe that love extends farther than the love we have for our friends and family as it can extend to those we don’t know and to those in need. Our students will be learning about different ways to help others and we encourage them to show kindness and appreciation to all.
And speaking of love and appreciation….. we consider ourselves so blessed to have the chance to get to know each of you and to care for your little ones. We cherish the time we get to spend with the children in our school and that would not be possible without the trust and kindness of our families. You all truly make a difference in each of our lives!
This month we will also incorporate activities that include learning about our Presidents and the role they play in our daily lives. The month of February brings multiple opportunities for us to incorporate the community, family, and school to create a wonderful learning environment. We will celebrate Black History Month through song, reading, and hands on activities. We will also teach the children how to care for their hearts and teeth in honor of American Heart and Dental Health Month.
Yvonne Valenzuela
Principal
Important Dates to remember for the 23-24 School Year
Event’s Days:
February 5 – 16 – Priority Registration for current families
March 25 to 29 Scholastic Book Fair
May 22-23 Lifetouch – Picture Day
May 24 – School closed for student attendance – open for parent conferences
June 20 – Last Day of 23-24 school year –
Family Gathering Days:
Feb 16th 3pm – Merryhill Friendship Snack-nic
March 29th 3pm – Spring Egg Hunt
April 22nd 3pm – Earth Day— Bug release
May 10th at 3pm – Mommy’s Muffins Snack-nic
***Snack-nic = not a full picnic but fancier than a regular snack…it’s a SNACK-NIC!
***These family events are “outside snack time” for the parents to come, spend time with the children, and get to know one another.
Closure days 2024:
February 19 – School closed in honor of President’s Day
March 8 – School closed for Staff Professional Development
May 24 – School closed for student attendance – open for parent conferences
May 27 – School Closed for Memorial Day
June 19 – School closed in honor of Juneteenth celebration
June 21 – School closed for teacher-in-service-day
Open House / Family Referral Bonus
Do you know a colleague who has recently had a baby, a friend in need of care who just relocated to the area, or a family member who is seeking a new preschool for their child? Invite them to our Open House on January 20. When you refer a friend and they enroll, you’re eligible for a free week of tuition. Ask us for details!
News From our Education Department
January, 2024
|
Topics: Language & Literacy
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. In our classrooms, students will learn about local and influential African Americans through engaging books, learning experiences, and thoughtful discussions. Below are four age-appropriate books to read[.....]
Read More »
Keep in mind…. *
Home-Based Symptom Screening:
All children MUST be pre-screened at home for cold symptoms prior to attending school.
Extra Clothing Reminder
If you’ve not already done so, please send in an extra set of weather appropriate clothes for your child. Extra clothing must be brought to school in a ziplock bag. No loose items can be stored in your child’s cubby.
Links 2 Home
If you’re not currently receiving photos and daily reports for your child, you can easily change this by downloading the Links 2 Home app on your phone. Just type ‘Links 2 Home’ in the search bar for the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading, you can register with the same email address that you used to enroll your child in our school.
Online Parent Communication
In addition to our newsletter, the ‘For Parents’ section of our website also includes links to our menu, monthly calendar and school year calendar. We update these items frequently to ensure you’re always informed. Though we send information through Links 2 Home, our calendar can be printed or even downloaded directly to your device. Our menu and school year calendar can be printed or saved for easy reference as well.
Updating your Information in Alma
Do you have a different email address or phone number? Need to add or remove an emergency contact? You can do this at any time in Alma. If you need help logging in or accessing the system please let us know.
Ancillary Classes at Merryhill Karitsa!
Amazing Athletes class, Soccer Shots, Hip Hop dance class, and Music Matt music class are in full swing now here at Karitsa! Information regarding the sign up for these classes is available at the front desk.
A few friendly reminders …….
Illness Policy Reminder:
Our parents are vital partners in helping us to maintain a safe and healthy environment for the students in our school. The most important thing you can do to assist us in creating a healthy environment is to keep your child home if they are ill. This reduces the spread of illness and allows your child to fully recuperate. Children may not attend school until they have been symptom free for 72 hours if they display any of the following:
Please refer to our Merryhill Family Hanbood for details about our Illness and Medication Policy
Parking Lot Safety
Because the safety of our children is of paramount concern to us, we require all parents to adhere to the following rules of the road while on campus:
- There is a 5 miles per hour speed limit at all times while on school property.
- Park in designated parking spaces only.
- While on school grounds, pedestrians always have the right of way.
- Vehicle ignitions MUST be turned off, and the keys removed, while parked on school grounds.
- Children may NOT be left unattended in a vehicle at any time or for any reason.
- Do not to leave any valuables in your car when entering our building or any other location.
Tuition Policy Reminder:
Tuition is due no later than Friday prior to the week of attendance. Tuition is considered delinquent at 12:00 PM on Monday. A $25 late fee charge will be assessed at that time and should be included in your payment. Tuition is continuous throughout the year. There are no deductions in tuition for absences, illness, or the holidays that are observed throughout the year. Each child is entitled to one week of vacation credit for each school year after attending school for six months. Requests for vacation credit must be presented in writing to the office at least two weeks in advance.
- A charge of $1 per minute will be assessed for children picked-up after 12:00 PM for half-day students, and 6:00 PM for full-day students.
- Sign up for our Automatic Payment Program and avoid late fee charges via your parent portal, ALMA! You can also use this portal to submit payments via credit card.
- We encourage you all parents to sign into your parent portal, ALMA, to view your account, print statements, make payments, and update contact information. ALMA is an online platform that can be reached from this website from the “For Parents” tab. Please see an administrative staff member if you need help setting up your account or a password reset.
Additional Reminders:
- Please make sure that your child has a crib-sized fitted sheet to cover his/her mat, a blanket, and at least two spare set of clothing in his/her cubby. On Fridays, you must take blankets and sheets home to be laundered and return them on Mondays. Please check your child’s cubby everyday for soiled clothing or other items that may need to be taken home. Please also make sure all items are clearly marked with your child’s name (clothing, sheets, blankets, sweaters and jackets, towels and bathing suits, etc.).
- We ask that your child wear appropriate shoes to School in order to protect them for potential injuries. Flip Flops are not permitted at school.
- Merryhill School is a NUT FREE environment, we ask that you not bring any food items into the school that contain nut products.
Love Our School? Review Us!
In today’s connected world, many families turn to online reviews to learn more about the reputation of schools. Just a reminder that you can find our school on Facebook, Google, Yelp and other online directories. We’d love more families like yours, so please consider spreading the word about our school!
February 2024 Newsletter
Dear Merryhill families,
February known as the month of love and friendship and we will take the opportunity to encourage friendship, love, and appreciation to all our students and families. We believe that love extends farther than the love we have for our friends and family as it can extend to those we don’t know and to those in need. Our students will be learning about different ways to help others and we encourage them to show kindness and appreciation to all.
And speaking of love and appreciation….. we consider ourselves so blessed to have the chance to get to know each of you and to care for your little ones. We cherish the time we get to spend with the children in our school and that would not be possible without the trust and kindness of our families. You all truly make a difference in each of our lives!
This month we will also incorporate activities that include learning about our Presidents and the role they play in our daily lives. The month of February brings multiple opportunities for us to incorporate the community, family, and school to create a wonderful learning environment. We will celebrate Black History Month through song, reading, and hands on activities. We will also teach the children how to care for their hearts and teeth in honor of American Heart and Dental Health Month.
Yvonne Valenzuela
Principal
Important Dates to remember for the 23-24 School Year
Event’s Days:
February 5 – 16 – Priority Registration for current families
March 25 to 29 Scholastic Book Fair
May 22-23 Lifetouch – Picture Day
May 24 – School closed for student attendance – open for parent conferences
June 20 – Last Day of 23-24 school year –
Family Gathering Days:
Feb 16th 3pm – Merryhill Friendship Snack-nic
March 29th 3pm – Spring Egg Hunt
April 22nd 3pm – Earth Day— Bug release
May 10th at 3pm – Mommy’s Muffins Snack-nic
***Snack-nic = not a full picnic but fancier than a regular snack…it’s a SNACK-NIC!
***These family events are “outside snack time” for the parents to come, spend time with the children, and get to know one another.
Closure days 2024:
February 19 – School closed in honor of President’s Day
March 8 – School closed for Staff Professional Development
May 24 – School closed for student attendance – open for parent conferences
May 27 – School Closed for Memorial Day
June 19 – School closed in honor of Juneteenth celebration
June 21 – School closed for teacher-in-service-day
Open House / Family Referral Bonus
Do you know a colleague who has recently had a baby, a friend in need of care who just relocated to the area, or a family member who is seeking a new preschool for their child? Invite them to our Open House on January 20. When you refer a friend and they enroll, you’re eligible for a free week of tuition. Ask us for details!
News From our Education Department
Four Must-Read Books for Children This Black History Month
Read More »
Keep in mind…. *
Home-Based Symptom Screening:
All children MUST be pre-screened at home for cold symptoms prior to attending school.
Extra Clothing Reminder
If you’ve not already done so, please send in an extra set of weather appropriate clothes for your child. Extra clothing must be brought to school in a ziplock bag. No loose items can be stored in your child’s cubby.
Links 2 Home
If you’re not currently receiving photos and daily reports for your child, you can easily change this by downloading the Links 2 Home app on your phone. Just type ‘Links 2 Home’ in the search bar for the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading, you can register with the same email address that you used to enroll your child in our school.
Online Parent Communication
In addition to our newsletter, the ‘For Parents’ section of our website also includes links to our menu, monthly calendar and school year calendar. We update these items frequently to ensure you’re always informed. Though we send information through Links 2 Home, our calendar can be printed or even downloaded directly to your device. Our menu and school year calendar can be printed or saved for easy reference as well.
Updating your Information in Alma
Do you have a different email address or phone number? Need to add or remove an emergency contact? You can do this at any time in Alma. If you need help logging in or accessing the system please let us know.
Ancillary Classes at Merryhill Karitsa!
Amazing Athletes class, Soccer Shots, Hip Hop dance class, and Music Matt music class are in full swing now here at Karitsa! Information regarding the sign up for these classes is available at the front desk.
A few friendly reminders …….
Illness Policy Reminder:
Our parents are vital partners in helping us to maintain a safe and healthy environment for the students in our school. The most important thing you can do to assist us in creating a healthy environment is to keep your child home if they are ill. This reduces the spread of illness and allows your child to fully recuperate. Children may not attend school until they have been symptom free for 72 hours if they display any of the following:
Please refer to our Merryhill Family Hanbood for details about our Illness and Medication Policy
Parking Lot Safety
Because the safety of our children is of paramount concern to us, we require all parents to adhere to the following rules of the road while on campus:
Tuition Policy Reminder:
Tuition is due no later than Friday prior to the week of attendance. Tuition is considered delinquent at 12:00 PM on Monday. A $25 late fee charge will be assessed at that time and should be included in your payment. Tuition is continuous throughout the year. There are no deductions in tuition for absences, illness, or the holidays that are observed throughout the year. Each child is entitled to one week of vacation credit for each school year after attending school for six months. Requests for vacation credit must be presented in writing to the office at least two weeks in advance.
Additional Reminders:
Love Our School? Review Us!
In today’s connected world, many families turn to online reviews to learn more about the reputation of schools. Just a reminder that you can find our school on Facebook, Google, Yelp and other online directories. We’d love more families like yours, so please consider spreading the word about our school!