Dearest Merryhill families,

November is a time to be thankful for all the blessings in our lives!  We here at Merryhill School are very thankful for our children and families that we educate each and every day.  Since the busy holiday season in November and December are quickly approaching, we would like to give back a small portion to our local community. Starting November 25^th we will be collecting toys for “Toys for Tots”.  Once the toy drive is over we will have our local Marine department come out and collect the toys from the children.  This will be a great “giving” and learning experience for the children and something we take pride in every year!  More details will come once we get closer to the “Giving” Event.

I want to send out a special thank you to our amazing teachers who made Halloween so special with Spirit “dress-up day” and mind-blowing, custom made costumes!!  I am so proud of our teachers and I love our school so very much!!

We have the most SPOOK-TACULAR time here at Merryhill Preschool!  Thanks for being part of our Merryhill family!

There are 2 great parent communication tools that some of you are not taking advantage of.  I want to share with you, just in case you have not received the info on this yet.

First there is “Alma”.  The Alma portal will allow you to manage your account quickly and easily online. Functions include the ability to:

• Pay tuition and other school-related expenses
• Manage payment methods
• Set up automatic payments
• Update your contact information
• Manage your child’s authorized pick-up individuals
• View/print account statements

Here is the information on how to log into the portal:

The website is nlci1072.getalma.com. Your username will be “your first name dot last name ex: Heather.Bilbro ” then you can click the “forgot password” link.  If your “first name dot last name” does not work try your spouse’s.  It is only under one parent name.  If neither one works, email us and we can look it up for you.

The second great parent communication piece is “Links 2 Home” powered by Tadpoles, the leader in preschool communications, but is tailored specifically to tie with our Links to Learning curriculum. Links 2 Home has a mobile app that you can download to get started. The app gives you the ability to easily view photos, notes and daily reports from teachers, as well as the ability to easily notify us of special drop-off information or absences.

Download “Links 2 Home” at the itunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/links-2-home/id1081483198?mt=8 ) or Google Play : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nobellearning.links2home&hl=en ) store and create an account using the email address that is on file with our school. Both parents are able to create accounts.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback as we strive to continuously improve our communications with you, our valued families.

Important Note for future Kindergartners:

For our children who are graduating to Kindergarten in the new school year, visit the Elementary front office for information on how to reserve your spot!  Next week on November 7^th anytime between 9:00 am and 11:00 am there will be an Open House next door. This will give you an opportunity to see our Kindergarten classroom, students, and teachers. You will have time to ask the Principal, Joan Sousae any questions you might have over a cup of tea or coffee and a pastry. Please join her so she doesn’t have to eat pastries by herself.  There will also be a Kindergarten Orientation on the Elementary side January 22, from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, daycare will be provided.  This would be the perfect time to learn more about the program.  Keep an eye out for Joan Sousae’s emails.  She has emailed you this week about her visit with the Pre-K students when she read books to them.  If you are not receiving her emails, please reach out to her.  If you cannot make it to either event, or you want to see the Elementary School sooner, you can always schedule a personal tour with Ms. Sousae (Principal), Ms. Yesenia (Office Administrator), or Ms. Christine (Admissions Coordinator.)  The contact number is 408-254-1282.  You can also email them at joan.sousae@nlcinc.com, Yesenia.camacho@nlcinc.com and Christine.Van@nlcinc.com.

Now it is time to mark your calendars for many upcoming events and a few school holiday closure dates.  Please check our newsletter, our website and the preschool parent white board located in front of the preschool office for all November & December events and school closure dates.

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.”

Heather Bilbro Palmer

Merryhill Preschool Principal

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Calendar of Events

*November 1^st – Pajama Day! Wear your pajamas to school today!

*November 2^nd – Day Light Savings Time Turn Clocks back one hour…

*November 4^th – Yankee Candle Fundraiser Begins

*November 8^th – School Closed for Parent/Teacher Conferences

*November 11^th – School Closed for Veteran’s day Holiday!

*November 16^th – Open House 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

*November 18^th – Yankee Candle Ends

*November 22^nd– Thanksgiving Feast with friends and family! 11:30 am – 12:15 pm COME JOIN US!

*November 25^th – “Toys for Tots” Begins: Our Giving Event (bring in a new toy to place under the Christmas Tree and the US Marines will donate to the needy children in the bay area!)

*November 28^th & 29^th – School Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday!

*December 2^nd – Little Shoppers Fundraiser Begins

HOLIDAY SHOW TIMES:

December 2, 2019– @ 3:30 pm Beginners Holiday Show located in the “Intermediate Room”

December 3, 2019– @ 3:30 pm Intermediate A&B Holiday Show located in the “Intermediate Room”

December 4, 2019– @ 3:30 pm Pre-K A (Ms. Nancy and Ms. Neha) Holiday Show located in the “Intermediate Room”

December 5, 2019– @ 3:30 pm Pre-K B (Ms. Maria and Ms. Maribel) Holiday Show located in the “Intermediate Room”

*December 9, 2019– This week the Yankee Candle fundraiser will be delivered.  Exact date will be announced as soon as possible.

*December 18, 2019 – @ 9:15 am Santa Claus comes to visit Merryhill Preschool!

*December 18, 2019 – @ 11:15 am – 12:00 pm Multicultural Pot-Luck in your child’s classroom (This is our Multicultural Feast, please come and join us!)

*December 24, 2019 – December 25, 2019– School Closed for Holiday!

*December 31, 2019 – January 1, 2020– School Closed for Holiday!

*January 10, 2020 – @ 9:30 am Snow Day at Merryhill Preschool!  Yes, real snow will be dumped in the back yard for all to enjoy!  This is a fun family event for everyone!

*January 20, 2020 – School Closed for Martin Luther King Holiday!

**Look on our website to see all events and closure dates for the entire school year** http://capitol.merryhillschool.com

Join us for our next Open House!
November 16, 2019 10:00 am – 1:00 pm **Tell a friend and if they register you will receive one free week of tuition!**

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Extra-Curricular Activities here at school!!!

Tuff Tumblers Class – Held on Wednesday now… For more information go to http://tufftumblers.com or call 925-551-8900

MiniSoccer – Held on Tuesdays For more information go to this link:  https://challenger.mycustomevent.com/ShoppingCart.aspx?com=detailview&iid=76592

Merryhill San Jose is proud to offer Challenger Sports NEW MiniKickers Program in association with the Challenger Soccer Academy.

Amazing Athletes– This educational Sports Program is amazing!  To get more information go to www.amazingathletes.com/Southbay or you can reach the owner at nicolette@amazingathletes.com and by phone at 408-799-7014, ask for Nicolette.

Lil Angels Steps- Held on multiple days of the week. This new tutoring program gives the children extra help with their writing, phonics and letter/number recognition.  To get more information go to info@lilangelsteps.com or call 408-316-4917 to check it out or register for the tutoring program.

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Parent Referral Program:
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?
*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*.

It’s 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!!
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From the Education Department

Fall Sensory Fun

November, 2019   |   Topics: Mathematics, Social Emotional, Wellness

Sensory play is a wonderful opportunity for children to explore textures, sights and scents of the fall season. Multi-sensory experiences help children retain information better, build new skills, and develop a lifelong love of learning. Below are three activities that you can try with your child this month. 1. Explore[.....]
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PARENT INFO

*Participate in our new 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.