Note from the Director
The month of February is upon us and we are still enjoying the mild weather. How wonderful! Too bad the kids are all praying for snow! As a side note – the children have been going on walks due to the mild temps, so if parents could send a couple of extra socks it would be helpful. Some of our friends seem to like puddles.
Soon the children will be making valentines for their friends and other fun projects. We continue to encourage healthy snacks during this time and invite families to participate in any parties going on. Please see your child’s teacher for details!
Once again, I’d like to remind parents about conferences coming up. Your child’s teacher will be contacting all parents to set up a time that we hope will be convenient to you, so you can come in and visit with the teachers about all the exciting information we have to share about your child. The teachers have a lot of good stories – we have too many too put in the newsletter!
Have a great month!
Sue Schneider
Koala-T-Kare Director
Feathered Friends Update
Baby Chicks
Happy Valentine’s month! We are happy to welcome baby Juliana to our class in the middle of the month. Jamie and Ella will both be on the move to the Penguin room at the beginning of February, with Will most likely following them toward the end of the month. They have all found that crawling is so much fun! Zoe loves to play on the floor, sitting up with a few toys or laying under the activity mat. Our class of Chicks is also adapting quite well to the new room arrangement!
Penguins
Lots of interesting changes are happening in our classroom. First of all, Sammy and Harper will move up to the Parrot room. We will also welcome Jamie from the Baby Chicks to our room. Two other huge changes have to do with the look and feel of the Penguin room. First, the main area of the room has been repainted to a softer yellow color, and we will be putting up more pictures and things to look at to keep the children engaged. Second, our nap room is being remodeled so that it has a more open concept and the children will be easier to see and hear when in there. This will take a little adjusting for both children and teachers, but we are looking forward to the benefits. We appreciate all the effort our families put in to provide appropriate outdoor clothing for the children. We enjoy the times when the weather is nice enough to go out and take walks. Don’t forget to update your child’s extra clothing to make sure it is appropriate for their size and the current season. We continue to enjoy, encourage and celebrate all the developmental milestones your children achieve at this age.
Parrots
This month has been crazy busy in our room! We painted our wall light purple and the kids and teachers really love the new color. We have been working on art projects and trying to get outside as much as possible, so please keep sending your child’s warm clothes. This month we say goodbye to four of our Parrot friends who are moving up to the Peacock class: Charlotte, Lily, Trenton and Cade. Then we get to welcome some of our friends form the Penguin room, so let’s say a big welcome to Stephen, Sammy, and Harper. The themes for February will be: All about Me, Valentine’s Day, Transportation and Dr. Seuss, so please check your child’s art cubbies to see if there is anything to be sent home.
Peacocks
Winter seems to be flying by. The Peacocks are excited to welcome Cade, Charlotte, Trenton and Lily to our room this month. They are all graduating from the Parrots in February. On the flip side of that coin, we say goodbye to Jane, Connor and Kellen, who will join Ms. Sara with the Owlets. All three have gotten to be very independent and are ready to face new adventures. Our themes for February are: Eric Carle, Valentine’s Day, We’re Going on A Bear Hunt and Colors. Of course we also continue to get outside every day, and hope there’s enough snow soon to make a snowman.
Owlets
This month, we say goodbye to Jacob, Avri, Katelyn and Nathan as they become Owls. They are all going to do great in the preschool room! We then say hello to our new group: Jane, Connor, Daphne and Kellen. These friends will soon learn about everything that takes place in the Owlets group. We will start visiting the Owls in preschool for special activities including art, cooking, fitness, Spanish, Bible story and centers. Some of the themes we will be talking about in February include: Groundhog Day, Nursery Rhymes, Valentine’s Day and Dental Awareness.
Owls
In February, we welcome Jacob, Nathan, Katelyn and Avri to our class. We are excited to have them join us. Our themes in February are: Groundhog Day, Nursery Rhymes, Valentine’s Day and Dental Awareness. We will have a Valentine’s Day party on Tuesday, February 14. Please watch for a snack sign-up sheet. We will also hand out a classroom list soon. Progress reports will be coming out, and we will be scheduling parent teacher conferences in February. Any questions or concerns, please see Ms. Becky or Ms. Linda.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
Ms. Jill had a plastic bag of workout clothes with her when she stopped by Kid Corner to pick up her daughter. When her daughter saw the bag she looked at Jill with much concern in her eyes, and asked, “Oh, did you pee in them?”
One of the Owlets mothers asked her daughter what she learned in Bible story. Her daughter replied, “To sit quietly and listen to the story.”
Mr. Charley was painting with the kids. He made a “D” in front of the girls and asked, “What letter is that?” The little girl exclaimed, “D – for me!”
The kids were playing with floam (sticky molding foam) when one of the girls said, “I’m making beer because my daddy drinks beer.”
The Parrots are very excited because they have a cute little bunny rabbit that comes to visit right outside of their window. One afternoon, the bunny rabbit came to visit and left after awhile. Then, Miss Sue decided to find some bubble wrap for the kids to pop, but when the kids went to play with it, one of the little girls called it “bubble rabbit” because she was confusing it with the bunny rabbit they had just seen!
Every February we celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving flowers, candy and cards to those we love. We do this in honor of Saint Valentine. You may be wondering, “Who is St. Valentine”? Time to brush up on your Valentine’s history!
Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. There was an Emperor at that time by the name of Claudius II. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger military base. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree just wasn’t fair and chose to marry young couples secretly. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine’s actions he had him put to death.
Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first ‘valentine’ himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it ‘Your Valentine,’ words still used on cards today.
Perhaps we’ll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure...February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating clear back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentine’s Day ranks second only to Christmas in number of greeting cards sent.
Another Valentine gentleman you may be wondering about is Cupid (Latin cupido, “desire”). In Roman mythology Cupid is the son of Venus, goddess of love. His counterpart in Greek mythology is Eros, god of love. Cupid is often said to be a mischievous boy who goes around wounding both gods and humans with his arrows, causing them to fall in love.
