Director’s Corner

We have not had much warm weather up to the Spring Break. Looking forward to a warmer stretch during April. The children are anxious to take off their winter gear. It’s time for Spring!

The SK Auction

We are looking forward to seeing our SK families at the auction on Saturday, April 12 at 7:00 pm. Many thanks to the Greer/Stingley family for opening up their home to us for the second year. We look forward to a wonderful event. Hope to see you there!

Mandatory Parent Meeting

Please mark your calendars for our Mandatory Parent Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 23 at 7:30 pm. New parents enrolling their children for the 2008-09 School Year will be invited to attend. We are counting on 100% attendance. Look forward to seeing you.

Lunch with the Director

Friday, April 11, 12:30 – 1:45 pm

Guest Speaker: Edie Mossberg

Topic: “Tasks of the Preschool Years: Self-Regulation”

Limited childcare is available. Please bring a bag lunch.

Edie currently provides services to nursery school teachers and parents. She has worked with children of all ages and their families as a learning disability and reading specialist and as a preschool teacher and director. Look forward to seeing you. Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 9.

Parent Conferences

It’s that time again. Over the next two months parent conferences will be offered. Please look for the sign up sheet on your classroom door.

Contagious Ailments

If your child has any contagious ailment such as pink eye, diarrhea, strep throat, fever, cough, runny nose etc. Please keep them home until all symptoms are gone for 24 hours. Your consideration to this matter is greatly appreciated.

Till next time,

Fern Chamberlain

Inside this issue:

Upcoming Events                                page 2

News from the 2s                                page 3

News from the 3s and PM classes        page 4

News from Pre-K                                 page 5

Auction Committee                              page 6

Grandparents Fund                              page 6

Newsletter News                                  page 6

From the President

I think of April as our annual business month. We will finalize the committee assignments and committee chairs; since the committee chairs sit on the Board of Directors, that will complete our Board for next year. We develop the budget for next year. We renew the contracts with our teachers.

The annual Parent Meeting, on April 23, is our annual business meeting. We’ll present the budget for 2008-09. We’ll also introduce the new Board.

We’re working on the budget now. The committees provide estimates of their spending and revenue. The Personnel Committee provides input on staff salaries and benefits. Susan Eagle (Treasurer), Eric Allen (Assistant Treasurer, and Treasurer for next year), Fern, and I develop a draft operating budget.

At the April Board meeting (April 16, at 7:30 pm at school), the Board will discuss the budget. The Board will evaluate the school’s progress toward our financial goals, and recommend spending amounts and identify the tuition increase for next year. The budget recommended by the Board will be presented to the parent body at the Parent Meeting for approval.

After the Board meeting, I will circulate the budget for your information. I will also hold an informational meeting before the Parent Meeting to discuss any concerns you may have.

That’s the budget process. As far as our financial situation itself, we’re on solid ground. Over the last three years, our priority has been to rebuild our reserve fund (aiming for savings equal to 3 to 6 months of expenses) and to fund our day-to-day operations from tuition, not fundraising (so that fundraising can support our aspirations, rather than be necessary to keep the lights on). It looks as though we have made a lot of progress on both fronts; we’ll know for sure when we settle on the final budget later this month.

If you have any thoughts or comments on our school’s financial matters, please let me or a committee chair know so that we can consider them as we put the budget together.

Stuart Kern (Julia, pre-K)

President

		Upcoming Events

Mon., April 7 Fri., April 11 Sat., April 12 7:00 pm Wed., April 16 7:30 pm Thurs., April 17 Wed., April 23 7:30 pm		Professional day for teachers and aides Lunch with the Director Guest Speaker: Edie Mossberg SK Auction Board Meeting Book Orders Due Mandatory Parent Meeting

News from the 2s

Spring is here and you can feel the energy in our children. The kids have enjoyed their extra time on the playground and are making friends with the “big” kids. It is amazing how far they have come since September. Remember the days of separation anxiety, mid-morning meltdowns, and two-minute snacks? Now, the kids are comfortable saying good-bye, sitting at the snack table for 10 – 15 minutes and want to continue to play even when our day has ended. It’s these little things that really show how confident and secure they feel here at Spring Knolls.

March brought with it some interesting activities. We focused on occupations, starting with fire fighters. During circle, the kids sang about being a fire fighter to the ever popular tune, The Wheels on the Bus. We all wore our fire hats and pretended to be driving our fire trucks with our dalmations in tow. Next, we talked about dentists. The song Brush Your Teeth, by Raffi (the longest one on the cd) kept them captivated and “brushing.” We put things into our “magic bag” that a dentist uses. The kids knew exactly which instruments were correct and went into hysterics when we pulled out something silly like a hammer or a car. It is so easy to get a laugh out of a two year old.

You may have noticed some new manipulatives on the table in the morning to aid with fine motor coordination. Perhaps you have seen our “Zoobs,” the magnetic tiles, puzzles, our “occupation” people, the hammers and nails (golf tees), beads and strings, and more. Many of the kids are now better able to sit and try these new activities and are requesting them.

We discussed changes with our magically growing “Mr. Froggy” in the pretzel jar. The children had an opportunity to hold the frog and compare him to the size of their hand before we sent “Mr. Froggy” for a swim in the jar. We checked on him every day and watched in amazement as he grew.

April is a time for growth. The children will be observing things that are growing, such as seeds, flowers, and themselves. We will try to germinate seeds in ziplock bags so that we can see the roots and “shoots” as they grow. We will also try to grow some flowers from bulbs and measure them as they grow.

We would like to go on a field trip at the end of this month to Brookside Gardens. It should be fun for our crew to walk around the pond and look at all of the flowers, butterflies, fish, and hopefully, turtles. We will send out more information soon.

If any of you have a special talent or interest that you would like to share with the children, please speak to Mandy or Lourdes. We’d love to have a “parent feature” during circle time. Perhaps you play an instrument, a sport, do yoga, etc. The time frame can be as short (seconds) or as long as the children will tolerate.

Special thanks go out to Mary Denham for helping us out in the 3d2s classroom while filling in for Rajni. We had a lot of illness among the teachers this month and Mary’s presence really anchored the class, providing the children with some continuity. Thanks to room parents, Diana Russell and Alma Orellana, for helping us to coordinate the field trips and taking care of so many details. Thank you Rachel Schaffer for bringing in a CD of Boone’s favorite songs to share with the class. Thanks to the rest of you for all you do…

Lourdes and Mandy

News from the 3s and PM Classes

Can you believe that Spring Break has come and gone! I hope that everyone enjoyed the break. Spring is officially here, even though it still may be a little cold outside. To celebrate the arrival of spring, we will be going out as much as possible to search for signs of changes and new life that the season brings. As our other special focus for this month, we will definitely finish our friendship quilt and get ready for the auction on April 12.

This month we are going to fly from Ireland to a country in another part of the world – JAPAN. We will be leaving the green of Ireland for the pink and whites of the cherry blossoms. We will be studying Japanese culture with lots of art, books and pictures. If you have any materials or objects related to this interesting country, please bring them in to class. Any items will be returned once we have finished the unit.

We will begin our study of butterflies and set up our own butterfly pavilion in the classroom. I’m expecting the caterpillars to arrive the first week after Spring Break. We will be reading and talking about the life cycle of butterflies and doing some fun art activities. Once the butterflies emerge, each child will be able to take one home to release it, sending it off with best wishes as it flies away.

The last week of April, we will be learning about planets, rockets and other space-related topics. We will create our own solar systems, including our plant Earth. And, what the heck – we will even make our own rocket ship!!!!!

I have been very happy to see the children’s interest in developing their reading and writing skills, as well as studying basic math concepts. They are also learning to ask better and better questions during show and tell. We usually hear several different intriguing questions from the children, followed by a little “commercial” about where you can buy the object being shown, the name of the store and how to get there.

We have a few more field trips and activities coming up. Please mark your calendar with the following dates.

Wednesday, April 9 PM Class: Color Me Mine

Friday, April 11 AM Class: Discovery Creek School House

Thursday, May 29 AM Class: Bowling Alley

Friday, May 30 ART SHOW for AM and PM

6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 3 PM Class: Bowling Alley

For the field trips, we will need car seats and drivers. I will post notices on the door, so that parents may sign up as the date approaches.

On a special note, we have been enjoying, with a lot of imagination and creativity, all the new toys donated from the Grandparents Fund. Thank you so much for making our classrooms even more fun!

I would thank all the parents who were able to participate in the wonderful pizza night for the AM and PM classes. It was marvelous to see the parents and children playing together and have some interesting conversations.

I would also like to acknowledge the generous gift from a PM parent of a new futon for the reading section in the classroom. I know the children and coopers will greatly appreciate the cozy setting.

As always, I welcome your suggestions and feedback. Thank you for your ongoing support and input into the classroom.

Rafael

News from Pre-K

This month we studied the human body. It’s amazing how many facts the children retained. We learned facts like: a baby has 300 bones and an adult has 206 bones. What happened to the 94 other bones? Amazingly, they fused together! Do you know what muscle in the body works the hardest? We learned that it is the jaw muscle. We also learned that the eye muscles move more than any other type of muscle.

Facts like these entice the children and fascinate parents, as well. That’s why the pre-K curriculum is based on facts that astound as well as create an awe-inspiring inquiry into the world that we live in. It really does not matter what we learn about, the underlying theme is what an incredible world we live in, creatures, plants and all.

This month we made butter from heavy cream. We shook and shook the jar until the curds separated from the whey. The butter was delicious! We also made salad, “soup from a stone,” pizza, and pretzels. We learned how bread rises, and learned the power of a seed. The food unit was an awesome unit. I think the children have a good sense of the importance of eating food from all the food groups.

Next month we will introduce the study of the solar system – always a hit theme with the children. Please send in any materials that will enhance our study.

Everyday, the children have been practicing nursery rhymes and short plays. Please join us on Thursday, May 1 at 11:00 am for a short performance at our Spring Party. We look forward to seeing you. We will begin promptly at 11:00. Please RSVP whether you can attend.

Our next field trip is scheduled for Wednesday, April 4, to Holy Cross Hospital. It should be a great trip, and a great way to end our study of the human body On Wednesday, May 7, we will be visiting Great Harvest Bakery in Rockville to sample some delicious bread and learn about the process of making bread from scratch. This field trip will complement our study of plant growth and products we get from seeds.

Please mark your calendars for our pre-K Graduation Thursday, May 29 at 6:00 pm. The children will perform three short plays, followed by our graduation and a dish-to-pass dinner.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me anytime.

Until next time,

Fern

Auction Committee

There are only a couple of weeks until the Spring Knolls Annual Auction, and we've got a great party planned. There will be delicious Italian food and wine, live music, and caricature drawings. The committee will be sending the program guide out via email one week prior to the Auction, so you can plan on the items you wish to bid on. Here's a sneak peak of just a few of the items we have this year:

§ a new gas furnace

§ weekend getaways

§ a week vacation on Hilton Head Island

§ a white water rafting trip

§ spa packages

§ restaurant certificates in both DC and MD

§ amusement park and local professional sports tickets

§ performances at the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Imagination Station, and the Warner Theater

§ hand-made class projects

§ memberships at health clubs

§ gymnastics, yoga, and tap dancing classes

§ personal training sessions

§ gardening help

§ fine art by local artists

§ home décor

§ IPod Touch

§ digital camera

§ and, much, much more!!

It's going to be a fun and lucrative night for Spring Knolls, so get a babysitter, bring your appetite, and don't forget your checkbook.

Thanks,

Tiffany Disrud (Carter, 3s)

Auction Co-Chair

Newsletter News

Deadline for May Newsletter: April 21

Send items to: sknewsletter@comcast.net

Diane Gross (Derek, 3s)

Mara Parker (Mateo, 3s)

Grandparents’ Fund

The Grandparents Fundraiser is now closed--and what a year! Four thousand, three hundred twenty one dollars ($4,321) were raised this year through contributions from our extended families. Proceeds from this fundraiser are spent exclusively on items for our children's classrooms and outdoor play areas.

Large purchases made this year from the Grandparents Fund include the new rugs in Rafael's classroom; the digital cameras for Fern and Rafael's classes; and the new water table in the pre-K class. Other new items include science materials (x-rays and shells); art and crafts supplies; literary materials (including 20 books, four CDs, and a creative curriculum manual); dolls, a food cart, and a pop-up fire station for dramatic play; and magnetic blocks, pyramids, Zoobs, BugBonz, and other building toys. For outside play, the children have been busy using the new brooms and even have a foam "horse shoe" set.

Please feel free to share this news with family members who made this fundraiser a huge success this year! Thanks again to all who participated. (A detailed list of all the purchases will be provided to the Board.)

Melissa Ferguson (Oscar, pre-K)

Mandatory Parent Meeting

Lunch with the Director

Parent Conferences

Contagious Ailments

Fern Chamberlain

Stuart Kern (Julia, pre-K)

Upcoming

Events

Professional day for teachers and aides

Mandatory Parent Meeting