Thank you to the more than 85 families who attended our Open House on August 29

Thank you to the more than 85 families who attended our Open House on August 29^th!

A special thank you to the 20 parents who have signed up to be part of our Parent Advisory Group. We have our first meeting on Thursday October 6^th from 8:15-9am in the conference room at Goodyear. I will reach out to each one of you and look forward to meeting you all. If you were unable to sign up to be part of our group it is not too late. Please contact Emily Ross for information 860-779-6773.

Dates to Remember:

Sept. 23^rd-Early Release Day

Oct. 6^th-Parent Advisory Group

Meeting

Oct. 7^th-Early Release Day

Oct. 10^th-No School/Columbus Day

Oct. 12^th- Visit to Fire Station

Oct. 19^th-Picture Day

Oct. 21^st-Early Release Day

Hello Goodyear Families!

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself.  My name is Jennie Kapszukiewicz and I am the newly hired special education teacher.  I partner with all of the classroom teachers, providing in-class support to students.  I may also be leading small groups in classes, so don’t be alarmed if your son or daughter mentions my name.  I bring 10 years of teaching experience to Goodyear, 7 of those years being at Killingly Memorial School. I am certified as both a classroom teacher and a special education teacher and look forward to meeting all the preschoolers attending this school year.  If you see me in the hall, be sure to stop and introduce yourself!

Mrs. Jennie Kapszukiewicz

Killingly Public Schools Preschool

22 Williamsville Road

Killingly, CT 06263

860-779-6770

September & October Newsletter

Principal, Sally Sherman

Administrative Assistant,

Dawn Weber

October is National Fire Prevention month. Every school year, firefighters and teachers do their part in educating children about the dangers of fire, and what to do if ever there's a fire in their home. But no matter how much your child learns, they cannot make their home safer without your help. Here are a few websites with parent and child activities and information www.smokeybear.com, www.sparky.org and www.firefacts.org.


Wednesdays: September 21^st and 28^th

October 5^th and 12^th

6:00-7:30

All sessions will be held at TEEG

15 Thatcher Road

North Grosvenordale, CT

Registration is required by Sept. 16^th. Please contact Chelsea at 860-923-3458 or [e-mail] to register

Anger Aside-Directing Emotional Energy Effectively


*Local
*Free Registration
*Free Onsite

Childcare

The Power of a Power Nap!
Many parents, and caregivers, may be under the assumption that once their children resist taking a nap, that they have outgrown them. Some children do start to outgrow naps between the ages of 3 and 5, but most still benefit from a daytime nap for their growing minds and bodies. In addition, a nap can help your child recharge during a busy day of playing. Regular naps, or rest time, may help them to fall asleep better at night.
Not napping can result in a crabby, crying child in the late afternoons and early evenings, but a lack of sleep can have more serious effects as well. Studies have found that 3-year-olds who miss out on a 90-minute nap are sadder and more anxious, and exhibit more problems socializing with their peers.
Preschoolers who nap have better memories and perform better in school as well. Also, forcing a child out of naps so that they get to bed earlier at night can backfire, because a “too tired” child can have more trouble falling asleep. On the other hand, forcing a child to continue napping has its own problems, such as temper tantrums and problems falling asleep. A happy medium is to allow for some rest time/down time during the day.

For more information or handouts on sleep and the sleeping needs of children 0-5, you can contact me, Cara Blackington, Parent Educator for the Killingly Family Resource Center at 860-779-6781.

2-1-1 Childcare-Free Parenting Workshops

Early childhood specialists from 2-1-1 Childcare United Way of CT will be presenting a series of four free parenting workshops related to children’s growth and development through the year. The series will be held at the Village of Killingly Community Room. The workshops run about 45 minutes and will be held during our normal playgroup days and times, so childcare will be available. Our first workshop is titled “What are the CT Early Learning and Development Standards”. These standards are widely used throughout the state and is very good information for parents and caregivers.

Upcoming workshops:

Thursday September 29^th

What Are the CT Early Learning and Development Standards?

Thursday November 10^th

Art with Your Young Child

Thursday January 5^th

Helping Your Child Develop Self-Help Skills

Thursday March 16^th

Music and Movement

All workshops are 10-11 am

Please contact Cara Blackington to register or for more information.

860-779-6781

Killingly Public Library is offering:

Preschool Story Time

Wednesdays 10am

Sept. 21^st-Nov. 16^th

Ages 3-5

Fun with books, music, finger plays and crafty creations! A little bit of everything for family fun. Siblings welcome.

Tinker and Tales

Thursdays 10am

Sept. 22^nd-Nov. 17^th

Ages 1-5

Come play, craft and enjoy a story with us! We will have a variety of open-ended crafts and activities and we’ll finish up with a story or two.

Babies, Books & Bounces

Fridays 10am

Sept. 30^th-Oct. 28^th

Ages 6ms.-18ms.

Come and enjoy some rhymes, bounces and books with your little one.

~Register for programs online at www.killinglypl.org or

call 860-779-5383~

Free Pre-K Matinee

at the Killingly Community Center

October 25^th “Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie” 11:00am

(come in your Halloween Costume)

Smart Start

Basketball

(ages 4-5)

Learn basic motor skills necessary to play basketball while working one-on-one with parents. Focus on teaching children and their parents skills in dribbling/ball handling, passing/catching, shooting and running/agility. Instructed by Coach Gina Derosier, Killingly High Schools Girls Head Basketball Coach.

Mondays October 10,17,24 and

November 7,14,21

$30 Parent/child

Killingly Community Center

860-779-5390

Resources and Referrals

If you are in need of advice about energy or housing, parenting issues, counseling or similar needs please contact your local Family Resource Center. We understand the needs of Killingly families and are committed to finding you the help and support you need.

Please call Cara Blackington with any support or family issue

860-779-6781

PAT (Parents as Teachers Program)

A nationally recognized program that considers parents to be their child’s first and most important teacher that provide:

• 
  Home/Personal Visits: free monthly home or personal visits with a certified PAT Home Visitor who will provide timely information on child development and conduct age appropriate activities.
  
• 
  Ages & Stages Developmental Screenings: conduct periodic screenings which are parent driven, and highlights the strengths and abilities of your child as well as identifies any developmental delays that may hinder your child’s learning and future development.
  
• 
  Resources & Referrals: access to a Parent Educator who can assist with parenting questions from A-Z, as well as assistance with any parenting concerns, resources, and referrals. Parenting handouts and a monthly newsletter are provided as well.
  
• 
  Group Connections: provides weekly play & learn socialization groups where parents of children 0-5 have an opportunity to interact with others playing, doing crafts, and participating in story time. Yearly parenting workshop s are provided as well.
  

One of the best ways to teach your child about letters is to provide a wide variety of opportunities and materials for her to interact with. Children learn best not in isolated abstract experiences with workbooks and flashcards, but with natural activities that arise from their daily life and interests. As you well know, eating is an important and interesting daily activity — so why not use food and cooking as an interactive and organic way for your child to learn about letters?

The following activities are meant to provide your child with edible experiences with making and matching letters, even writing. Have the alphabet letters nearby for your child to use as a reference. Write them BIG on a piece of paper, make a chart, or use ABC magnets on the refrigerator. These will provide your child with visual examples of all the letters when she wants to remember how to make an "M" to put on a cookie for Mom.

Shape letter sculptures: One of the best ways to practice making letters is to sculpt them. Use this simple recipe to create a dough that is easy to shape into letters. When it is refrigerated, it will set into delicious peanut butter kisses. With clean hands, have your child mix and knead together 1 cup smooth peanut butter, 1 cup dry (powdered) milk and ½ cup honey. Once the dough is smooth and pliable your child can sculpt letters and words. Try decorating with chocolate chips, and sprinkles and serving at an ABC tea party!

Cook dough letters: Another great dough to use for letter sculpting is breadstick or soft pretzel dough. Find uncooked dough in the freezer department at your grocery store. Defrost and follow directions for shaping and baking — except make letters instead of sticks and twists.

Painted Stick Instrument
Step 1: Take a nature walk to find a stick with a fork at one end.

Step 2: Using a variety of acrylic paints, paint the stick and let dry.

Step 3: When dry using craft wire, add beads, buttons, bells, etc. and stretch wire across end with the fork.

Step 4: Add a handle using yarn, wrap tightly at the end of the stick.

Make letter-shaped sandwiches: Invite your child to make the letters with a sandwich. Spread two slices of bread with cream cheese and jelly. Then carefully use a cookie cutter to cut out the letter shapes. Your child can make his (or your!) initials with the letter sandwiches. Or if he is really hungry, he can make his entire name!

Use ABC cookie cutters: Your child can also use the ABC cookie cutters to cut letters, initials and words out of gelatin blocks! Make an "Initial Salad." Ask your child to help you make gelatin blocks (recipe on box). When set have her cut the first letter for each family member's name and place on a leaf of lettuce. Make place cards for everyone. At dinnertime have her match the gelatin letter salad to each name as she sets the table. Ask her for more ideas: "What else can we cut with alphabet cookie cutters? How about cheese slices?"

Practice with pudding: Children need to practice writing letters with big fluid lines. Put a dollop of pudding on a large plate or tray and invite your child to use clean fingers to practice making her letters. Clean up is delicious!

Form letters with food: Try using veggie sticks, potato sticks and/or pretzel pieces to make letters. Your child can use the pieces as is or bite them into shape. The traditional curve shaped pretzels (like a knot) are perfect because their lines and curves are similar to lower case letters. Prompt your child: "How can you bite off part of the pretzel to make a 'b'?" Remember to have your alphabet chart around for reference.

Serve alphabet noodle soup: Follow package instructions to make delicious vegetable soup with alphabet noodles. While preparing, have your child go on a letter treasure hunt, looking through the dry noodles for the letters in her name. You might want to add a magnifying glass to the fun because the uncooked letters are very small. At the table, invite everyone in the family to go on a letter hunt in his own bowl. What letters can they find?

Write your name with alphabet cereal: Make frosted cupcakes or spread graham crackers with frosting, then use alphabet cereal to label them with names. Use these as edible place cards at a birthday party or family gathering.

Sort animal crackers: Using a printed alphabet or cards, ask your child to sort animal crackers by their beginning letter sound. Say the name of the animal together ("bear") and then find the letter! Ask: "Which letter did you find the most for?"

Make up a silly fruit story: Language and storytelling are an important part of learning to read. What would happen if fruits were characters in a story? Place some fresh fruits in a basket or market bag to create a pass-around story for dessert. Start by taking a piece of fruit and saying, "Once upon a time there was a happy little apple who was walking through the forest looking for his friends. As he turned a corner he saw his friend…" At this point pass the fruit basket to the next person at the table so he can continue the story using the fruit he chooses. Continue the story back to the first narrator and create a "happily ever after ending."

Go shopping: Next time you are making your shopping list from a grocery story circular invite your child to make his own list. He can cut out the foods he wants and paste them on a sheet of paper. Invite him to write the first letter of each food he wants to help you buy. Take the grocery-shopping list to the supermarket, encouraging your child to try to find the food items on his list. As he sees the relationship between the written list and the real objects, your child is making an important letter/sound connection and also experiencing the usefulness of reading.