Dear Parents,
Peter Rabbit has hopped off to Farmer McGregor’s garden, the dinosaurs are officially extinct, the insects are gone, and we learned about animals in the zoo. The excitement of tea parties and dinosaur hunts were fun. Now that all these wild beasts are gone, we can get back to work.
February may be the shortest month, but it is also the busiest. With Valentine’s Day, two president’s birthdays, Chinese New Year and Ground Hog Day, February always promises excitement.
Ms. Yanira and Ms. Mary Kate will introduce the world of color to our Mother’s Day Out classes with easel painting, sponge printing, spin art and backed papers, this is a grand time for our youngest.
Our threes will begin February with community helpers. The teachers introduce their children to the people in their neighborhood. Fireman, policeman, doctors, and dentists will come to share their jobs and teach the children safety. If you can offer us your expertise, please give your child’s teacher a call. It’s a terrific month for the threes!
The fours send Peter and his friends back to Farmer McGregor’s garden and take an in depth look at nature, by studying birds. This is really an important unit since by the end of several weeks, the children can accurately identify about twenty-five different species of birds as they return to Tidewater for the spring. It also ends with a marvelous bird party (pass the worms, please)!
Ms. Sandra and Ms. Carrie’s classes will cover the hodgepodge of February–Ground Hog Day, Lincoln’s and Washington’s Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and Chinese New Year. It is a great time for the children to learn a bit about our country’s history, the pledge of allegiance, and those anecdotes about George and Abe. Busy!
The kindergarten classes go around the world. It is a full month’s trip, as we learn about children from other countries. The emphasis of study is the dress, food, homes, and customs of countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. If any of you have traveled and can share pictures or items with the class, please call me or your child’s teacher.
Valentine’s Day with its message of love and friendship is special to children and to Bellamy Manor School. Each class exchanges valentines and has a party on February 11th and 12th. Enclosed is a list with the number of children in each class. On February 11th (or 12th) please send in valentines for each student in your child’s class, and we’ll take care of the rest. The teachers have requested that you NOT “address” the valentines–just sign them with your child’s name. This way the children can easily pass them out.
REGISTRATION:
Registration for next year is going well. It is satisfying to know that so many of you are pleased with BMS’s program. Thank you for all your support and cooperation. Without your smiles and encouragement my job would be so difficult. Instead, it is a joy! Openings are still available in some of our classes even though we have opened registration to the general public. If you intend to register your child for next year and haven’t yet done so, we urge you to turn in your form along with your registration fee soon. The only way to be sure of a place next year is to turn in both the registration form and the registration fee. Those of you that have registered make sure that you complete your registration with the online link that we’ve emailed to you.
Many of you have asked questions about our kindergarten program. We realized that when most of you initially register at BMS, we go into great detail about the three- year-old program or the four-year-old program, but often kindergarten comes as a wonderful surprise. Our kindergarten program continues the phonics instruction begun in the four-year-old and Pre-K programs. It includes a strong short vowel reading, writing, and spelling curriculum that leads to long vowel usage in the spring. The children learn to recognize and write numbers to 100 and beyond; they learn math facts to 20, graphing, fraction recognition, and how to count money. The joy of the program, however, is the incredible amount of information the children learn in their unit studies (constellations, musical instruments, and dinosaurs, children around the world, the human body, and other very hands on science studies.). The goal is, as always, to enhance their self esteem. Having so much knowledge about their world gives them tremendous self confidence. They acquire the skills needed to put them at the top of their first-grade class. Your response so far for next year is gratifying.
SUMMER: Our summer program will be from June 21-Aug. 20. Summer registration forms will go out soon. We will have two, three, and five-day programs, both half and full day. We will have a six week and a nine-week program.
INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY. We do not automatically close when the public schools close. Information regarding school closing can be found on our web site. It all depends on the roads and the power conditions. We will send out an email from the school to warn of any weather closings. Be sure to check our website at www.manorschools.com. Of course, if your neighborhood conditions are even slightly questionable, please stay home.
Please return any clothes your child may have borrowed from school due to accidents or playground mishaps. We are getting low on our supply of spare socks, underwear, and pants. It helps so much to have a change of clothes in the bottom of your child’s bookbag.
Check coats and jackets. Sometimes a child grabs the wrong coat on his way out the door. So many jackets are similar and make ownership difficult to distinguish. PLEASE WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE LABEL!
Sincerely,
Nancy
VALENTINE INFORMATION
Mother’s Day Out
Ms. Mary Kate 10
Ms. Yanira 10
Three Year Olds: Four Year Olds:
Ms. Devin MWF 12, TTH 12 Ms. Haylie MWF 12, TTH 12
Ms. Niki 12 Ms. Sara 12
Ms. Genna 10
PreK: Kindergarten:
Ms. Sandra: 12 Mrs. Hobbs:19
Ms. Carrie 10
DATES TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR
FEB 1………………..FALL REGISTRATION OPEN TO PUBLIC
FEB 1 ……………..Teacher In-Service SCHOOL CLOSED
FEB 15………….. President’s Day SCHOOL CLOSED
APRIL4..……..…..Happy Easter
APRIL 5-9……… Spring Break SCHOOL CLOSED
MAY 11….………Conferences (Open for Day Care only)
MAY 31………… Memorial Day SCHOOL CLOSED
JUNE 11…………..Kindergarten Graduation
JUNE 18..……….. Last Day of school.
JUNE 21-AUG.20..Summer Program
SEPT 7……..…….Schools starts
Bellamy Manor Tax ID# 54-1238801
PLEASE NOTE: THE SCHOOLS EMAIL ADDRESS IS: bellamymanor01@gmail.com