2’s- Ms. Kristin and Ms. Bre continue to help our youngest children discover their growing capabilities. This new unit is titled “Fun with Food”! They will make cinnamon pretzels, play with dough (and spaghetti), paint with fruit and sample many tasty and healthy treats.  At the end of the month each will have a small repertoire of snacks they can make “all by myself.”

3’s- For our 3’s, this month involves a delicious study of what we feed our body. Our goal is to help the children learn about “good” foods and the main food groups. This unit involves quite a bit of cooking and sampling with each food group. They will make a variety of real food and paint with vegetables and fruit. The grand finale is a yummy party, and a class created cookbook! 

4’s- The 4-year-old classes will study Dr. Seuss and his zany characters. The Cat in the Hat and all his friends– Horton, and Yertle become our vehicles for learning. Rhymes, math, crafts, and songs all focus on Seuss themes during this month. It all ends with the notorious breakfast at Broad Bay featuring Green Eggs and Ham (of course!) The children have a grand time with all this while an incredible amount of learning takes place.  

Pre-k- Our pre-kindergarten class have learned an incredible amount about endangered species and the habitats necessary for their survival.  They now focus on tropical rainforests.  The children become aware of the fragility of this unique ecosystem as well as experts on bugs, snakes, and other inhabitants of this vanishing habitat. 

K- Kindergarten’s unit of study is the human body.   It’s time to find out a bit more about ourselves!  We’ll start by looking closely at our skin and work our way through the body systems to the heart (the most important part!).  The children’s academic progress amazes me.  Many are now learning long vowel sounds and spelling!  As spring progresses, we plan to incorporate creative writing into each week’s lesson.  As these masterpieces come home it is important that you be extremely positive in your comments.  PLEASE don’t make any suggestions for improvement and don’t even think of mentioning spelling.  Creative writing is a very personal and sensitive process.  A careless remark can be devastating.

2’s- The two year old classes will explore the many adventures of Pete the Cat. These best-selling picture books present the wiry Pete with his white shoes and eclectic friends showing that it’s cool to be you. With boundless poise, creativity and energy, Ms. Kristin and Ms. Bre do an exceptional job with their charges.

3’s- Our three year-old classes will be introduce life on the farm. The focus of this unit is farm animals and their products. Although the school doesn’t take field trips, the petting zoo at the Norfolk Zoo and Hunt Club Farm have many farm animals the children can touch and feed. As the children become more aware of their environment, their curiosity deepens. These studies are designed to help them organize their world.

4’s – The four-year-old classes take an in-depth look at nature and begin their study of local birds. This is really an impressive unit. By the time it’s over, 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)!

Pre-K– Our Pre-K classes will now study the world of insects! Bugs are fascinating little creatures, and the children start looking very closely at them with this unit. We hope to raise a crop of ladybugs and watch our family of ants build their home!

K– The kindergarten class will study Dr. Seuss and his zany characters. The Cat in the Hat and all his friends- Bartholomew Cubbins, Horton, and Yertle become our vehicles for learning. Rhymes, math, crafts, and songs all focus on Seuss themes during these days. It all ends with the notorious breakfast at Broad Bay featuring Green Eggs and Ham (of course!).

2’s- Ms. Kristin and Ms. Bre continue to help our youngest children with the exciting process of learning.  The children will explore the concept of opposites as they compare and contrast the world around us!

3’s– The three-year-olds go on a safari this month and study the animals at the zoo.  As the month goes by, they become experts on animal features and behavior.  

4’s – Our four year old classes are saddled up and moseying along as they learn about horses, cowboys, and rodeos during the Wild West unit.  This is an exciting unit that combines the factual information on horses with delightful stories of the American cowboy.   In keeping with their developmental levels, the fours will enjoy stories and songs about the Wild West.  The unit ends as the children enjoy a “rodeo,” BBMS style!

Pre-K- Ms. Moesta and Ms. Withers will lead the PreK classes in covering the hodgepodge of February–Ground Hog Day, Lincoln and Washington’s Birthdays, and Valentine’s Day.  It’s 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

K- The kindergarten classes take a trip back in time to the age of reptiles to study dinosaurs.  These budding paleontologists learn to identify close to twenty-five dinosaurs before attending a dinosaur hunt at the end of the month.  This is one of our favorite studies, and the children love it.  Much time is also spent working on hand writing, math facts, and the concept of fractions.

Although next September seems a long time away, it’s time to for registration. Returning students have priority for placement until the end of January. I suggest making your request as soon as possible as spots are filled first come first serve.  It’s a two-step process:

Step 1:  You (the parents) complete the paper registration form. We will then know what class you want for your child. You will receive an invoice for the registration fee through Brightwheel once the form is processed.

Step 2:  Next, through Brightwheel, you will receive a few forms and agreements to complete. Every required field must be filled out completely for you to submit the form. 

Remember, it is important to register in January, classes will open for new students in February.

Although it seems terribly far in the future, now is the time to start planning for next school year. Those of you who plan on returning to our school next fall should plan to register. Families that are currently registered at BBMS will be able to register on January 6th, 2025. Registration forms will not be taken before that date.

Registration information will soon come home for the 2025-2026 school year. Parents will receive paper forms coming home with students and e-forms coming through Brightwheel.

Many parents of current four-year-old students are concerned about properly placing their child next year. Some parents will choose an additional preschool year before kindergarten, but some do not. If you are unsure if your student would be most successful with this additional year, I encourage you to consult with their current teacher, Ms. Charlynn or myself. Kindergarten is only open to those children turning 5 on or before September 30th. If your child turns 5 after this date, our PreK class is the correct placement.

If you are registering a sibling for the 2-year-old class, they must be 2 years old by May 31st. They are considered a current family and can register on January 6th.

Registration will not be open to new families until February.