Dear P.A.W.S. Community,
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we have so much to be thankful for at P.A.W.S.! We are thankful for the teachers and staff who bring joy, pride, and love to their work! They provide each child with the very best early childhood education and experiences and the children are growing and learning each day! We are thankful to have an amazing PTO support us with the resources we need to enhance everyday learning, including bringing Mr. Ken the Music Man, to every classroom! We say THANK YOU to all of you, our P.A.W.S. FAMILIES who support our important work and who partner with us to be the exceptional, special, and inclusive Preschool At Wellesley Schools!
Sharing Family Traditions
This year, I am thrilled that so many parents and family members have been coming into P.A.W.S., bringing their family traditions into the classrooms! As each family shares their special and meaningful songs, stories, traditions, and activities, every child’s learning experience is enriched and enhanced. There is so much thoughtfulness, love, and care shared during these special class presentations. The lessons taught make lasting impressions. Please keep reading this newsletter to hear about another exciting opportunity for YOU to come and share some of your special family traditions at our Night of Sharing Family Traditions and favorite Desserts, on December 8th!
December 8 – Family Traditions Dessert Night at P.A.W.S.
This year we are starting a new P.A.W.S. Tradition! On December 8th at P.A.W.S. from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm, all families are invited to bring a favorite family dessert to share. Prior to the event, a luminary bag will be sent home for students to decorate and return to school before the event. The luminary bags will be used to light the walkway into P.A.W.S. the night of the event. We will gladly accept all decorated bags, and if you are able, we ask for a $10 donation for each luminary to help fund activities at P.A.W.S.
An event email Evite will be sent to you from the PTO soon! RSVP via the evite and let them know how many people from your family will attend the event and what dessert you are planning to bring. Please remember no nuts! Children are invited to come in their pajamas or come as they are. We will be showing the movie A Snowy Day based on the book by Ezra Jack Keats.
Thank you to the families who came to share their traditions of the Harvest Moon Festival and Diwalli! Here are some pictures from classroom events:
P.A.W.S. CARES TEAM
At this time of year, we often gather together and give thanks for all that we have and we are also reminded to think of those who are working hard and yet may be struggling to make ends meet. Sometimes a little loving assistance from friends can help make a difference. To that end, we are starting a P.A.W.S. Cares Team. There are Care Teams at the Fiske and Schofield Schools, and we will be joining those teams in helping our friends and neighbors who are in need in our school community. The P.A.W.S. Care Team will be comprised of volunteers who would like to help others. The Care Team will send out emails to those who ask to be on the Care Team email distribution list, and will be alerted when someone in our community needs assistance or support. If you would like to join the P.A.W.S. Cares Team, please send an email to pawsoffice@wellesleyps.org or send a note to your child’s classroom teacher with the email address you would like us to use to contact you. Thank you in advance for your caring and support!
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day was November 13. This day serves as a reminder to be kind to others, but being kind certainly does not begin and end on November 13. I saw a sign posted in a yard recently that said, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” and I thought about the many things we teach our students at P.A.W.S.. Teaching our children to be kind and caring members of a community is an important part of their education.
A parent last year shared a strategy she used in helping to teach kindness to her child. Each day this parent would ask her child, “What did you do today that was kind, caring or helpful?” This version of “How was your day?”, showed this parent’s value in and of raising a kind and caring child. She would also ask her child if she noticed or recognized others being kind and caring at school. Many of our classrooms make it a point to recognize and name kind, caring, and helpful behavior in the classroom and the children begin to learn what kindness is and how they can share it! As your child’s first teacher, we thank you for partnering with us in raising kind, inclusive, and caring citizens!
Helping Hands and the Mitten Tree
If you need a helping hand to make the holidays brighter and more merry, or if can lend a helping hand, please participate in the Helping Hands Project at P.A.W.S.! The forms to participate were sent home last week via backpack mail. If you have questions, please contact Nurse Ann and she will assist you.
Notes From Nurse Ann
It’s that time of year again…. Just a reminder that one of the most important tools to fight against colds and flu is good hand washing! It is part of our daily routine here at P.A.W.S. along with learning to cover coughs and sneezes. Another preventive measure is the flu shot – the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends that an influenza vaccine be given annually to all children starting at six months of age.
Children do come to school with colds but if your child has a fever, is too tired, or uncomfortable to participate in school activities please keep them home to rest.
We try our best not to share germs at school!
Thank You!
Nurse Ann
Growth Mindset
The Power of “Yet”
Children are constantly learning and problem solving even in their play. As we observe and participate we try to demonstrate that practice does not make perfect it makes progress! If your child doesn’t figure something out or learn the first time, encourage their attempts and let them know they just don’t have it “yet” and to keep trying.
We want to encourage children to think about different ways they can find solutions; building problem solving skills and developing resilience. Remind and model for your child that making mistakes is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Try these phrases to support growth mindset:
What do you think will happen if…
Can you think of another way?
Remember when you couldn’t but now you can!
Our friends at Sesame Street created a song with Janelle Monae to share “The Power of Yet”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd_WENe8H-I
Absentee Phone Line 781-446-6222 extension 8
The Importance of Low Tech Toys for Language Development
From P.A.W.S. Speech and Language Pathologist, Marlene Schlesinger
The most versatile toys that are best for imagination and language development are ones without any batteries. Batteries mean that the toy will do the talking or make some type of noise for you. It is important that you and your child are the ones doing the talking. This allows you to have a dialogue with your child and model creative language specific to the situation and to your child. You can draw on experiences that your child has had where as a toy can only repeat a few rote phrases. For example, when playing with an airplane you could talk about a time when your child went on an airplane or an upcoming trip that you have planned. You can also adapt your language to your child’s level.
For example, if your child is not yet talking or talking in 1 word utterances, you can model 1-2 word phrases such as “airplane” or “airplane fly.” If your child is talking in multiword utterances, you can model “I see the airplane flying. It is going to Disney World.”
Some more examples of great low tech toys include: Legos, wooden train sets, play food, doll houses without batteries, Mr. Potato Head, and dress up clothes.
For more great low-tech toys and articles explaining their importance visit: http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/06/25/10-tips-for-selecting-toys-for-your-speech-delayed-child/
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
Wednesday, November 22 – Half Day of School, all classes dismiss at 11:45AM
Thursday, November 23 – Monday, November 27 – No School – Thanksgiving Break
Monday, November 27 – The last day to order your P.A.W.S. Spirit Wear LINK
Tuesday, November 28 – School Reopens
Friday, December 8 – Night of Sharing Family Traditions and Favorite Desserts – 6:00-7:30PM
December 25- January 1 – No School – Winter End of Year Holiday
January 2, 2018 School Reopens
Planning Ahead:
April 7, 2018 – P.A.W.S. SPRING AUCTION!
Wishing all of our P.A.W.S. families a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday! We are thankful for all of you!
Best,
‘Becca Z.