Duchesne Preschool Update

April 30, 2010

Reminder – NO SCHOOL:  Please remember that next Friday, May 7th, the children will not be in session as the teachers use that day to finish memory books and reports cards for each child.

Volunteers Needed (dates changed):  On Tuesday, May 18th (note the date change) we have a Health and Wellness In-Service which I would like all of the preschool teachers to be able to attend, and am looking for 2 volunteers who would like to eat lunch with our 9 EC children from 12:15-1:15.  We will be right next door in the Music room.  On Tuesday May 25th (note the date change), we have the end of the year Prayer Service and Lunch with all of the Academy and Preschool teachers and staff from 12:30-1:30, and once again, I would like all of the preschool teachers to attend.  I would need 2 volunteers to eat lunch with our EC children that day as well, and we will just be in the Academy.  If you are interested in helping on either of these days, please let me know.  Blessings on you!

Embryology Project:  Our duck eggs have arrived and we put and “x” on one side, and “o” on the other side, and we turn them over 3 times a day.  The children love taking turns doing this important job for the mother duck.  These take 28 days to hatch.  This next Monday, our chick eggs will arrive.  They take 21 days to hatch, so all of the offspring should hatch at the same time, our last week of school!  There is an incubator in each classroom, and the children are learning about the development of the embryo inside the egg.  They are also learning about the incubator, and how it does the work of the mother duck.  In addition, they will discover the difference between chicks and ducks once the offspring hatch.  Do you know the three differences?

1.  Ducks have a rounded bill, and chicks have a pointed beak.

2.  Ducks have webbed feet to swim and chicks do not.

3.  Ducklings take 28 days to hatch, and chicks take 21 days.

After they hatch, we will let the children hold them, and watch them run around on a sheet on the floor.  It is fun to watch how they gather together in a group, and fall asleep in one big pile.  As they fall asleep, you can see their eyelids close from the bottom up.  It is fascinating!

Busy Schedule:  As we approach the month of May, please read the eUpdates and calendar carefully, as there are many special events happening at preschool, and a couple of changes in when your children come to school.  I will explain them in full detail, but below is a list o dates to put on your calendar:

W/Th    May 5/6            May Crowning – each child brings a flower to school

Fr         May 7               NO STUDENTS:  Teacher Work Day

Mon.    May 10             Spring Program Dress Rehearsal 9:30 in auditorium

                                    -  2 day children invited to come to this rehearsal from 9:30-10:00

Tu.       May 11             SPRING PROGRAM 9:30 in auditorium

                                    FIELD DAY in Big Gym 10:00-11:00

                                    ALL CHILDREN ATTEND

Fr.        May 28             PRIZE DAY in chapel 9:30

                                    ALL CHILDREN ATTEND

May Crowning:  In the Catholic Church, May is traditionally the Month of Mary.  We honor her by presenting flowers to her, giving her a crown of flowers, and singing her song, “Immaculate Mary”.  We will hold our May Crowning in the back of the chapel around her statue at 11:30 May 5th and 6th.  You are welcome to join us for this short ceremony, but not expected to be here.  It will not change the school schedule.  Each child is invited to bring a flower from the store or their garden to place in the vase at Mary’s feet.

Dress Rehearsal:  Unlike our Christmas program which we performed twice, once for the 2 day and once for the 3 day parents, the Spring Program is a joint effort, presented by the entire preschool.  The only chance the children will have to practice on the risers on stage in the auditorium with all of the school will be on Monday, May 10th.  We understand that not all of the parents will be able to bring their 2 day child for this practice, and that is absolutely fine.  If you can bring your child, you may just wait and watch the half hour rehearsal, and take your child home with you.  The 2 day children do not need to wear uniforms to come down for this short rehearsal.  Please enter at circle drive and meet us in the auditorium at 9:30.  The portress will direct you to the auditorium.

Spring Program and Field Day:  This is a fun-filled day for all of our families.  ALL of the students come for the whole morning.  They wear their school uniforms.  You drop the children off at the curb at their regular arrival time, and go park and find your way through the circle drive entrance to the auditorium.  We will take the children to the restroom, line up, and see you on stage at 9:30.  The entire Academy (girls and teachers) also come to this annual event!  The children will perform their program, which will last about 20 minutes, and then we will all go over to the big girls’ gym in the lower level of the preschool for an hour long Field.  We rent a castle moonwalk, Goillagan’s Island inflated climb-through dragon, a giant jump and slide, a one hole golfing game, and skeet ball.  We also have face painting and a clown making balloon art for the children.  Each child needs an adult to stay with them through the hour of Field Day.  Due to liability insurance, siblings may NOT participate in Field Day on any of the equipment.  You may leave with your child from the gym at or before 11:00am.  Children will NOT need their backpacks that day.

Duchesne Preschool Prize Day:  This is a sacred tradition which is hundreds of years old.  It marks the end of our school year, and ALL CHILDREN and their families and friends come to celebrate together in the chapel.  Children wear their “Sunday best” rather than their uniforms. You will drop your children off at the curb at their regular arrival time.  Parents then park and enter Duchesne through circle drive and go directly to the chapel.  Please do not bring any coffee, water bottles, or other food or beverage into our chapel.  As we teach the children, this is God’s house and we need to be respectful.

            The service will last about an hour.  The head of school sits in the chair on the altar, and each child is called by name to kneel in front of her on a little Duchesne plaid kneeler to receive a crown of flowers and their “prizes”, which are certificates of completion for their class work, and their 5 specialists’ classes.  After prizes have been distributed, the children sing a couple of songs, and then process up to the altar to lay their crowns of flowers on the table of the Lord, symbolizing that they are giving a gift back to God in thanksgiving for the many blessing of the year.  It is just precious!  We will have a photographer taking pictures which we will send to you a week or so later.    

            When the ceremony ends, the children process out, and parents and other guests meet the children in the small gym to congratulate them and say good bye to their teachers for the summer.  You are welcome to return to the chapel with your child to take close up photographs, but we ask that you please refrain from leaving your seat during Prize Day to take pictures.  Because this is a quiet, solemn ceremony, and it is an hour long, it is difficult for younger children to sit for that length of time.  It is also hard for parents to enjoy the ceremony if they have to leave to quiet a younger child.  Therefore, you may want to consider getting a babysitter for your younger children so that you may fully enjoy the beauty of this celebration which has been taking place at Duchesne since 1881.

Highlight on Computer Class:  The PreK class has now discovered that the ant on a graph turns the same color as the jelly bean it eats, once it finds its way to the treat by turning Right, Left, North and South. We decided it was a good thing that doesn't happen to us. If it did, everyone would know we were eating all the jelly beans!  Those ants have more tricks to perform. You'll be hearing about them soon.

            The Nursery has been working on patterns with Bing and Boing. They love the sounds the animals make. They also discovered that each shape makes its own noise. Who knew?  We continue to count jelly beans on cookies for Harvey the Horse. He is very polite but leaves lots of crumbs!

Mrs. Schmitt

Pet Board Update:  We have decided to keep the Pet Board up until the end of the school year, because the children are having so much fun with it!  You are welcome to send pictures of your pets any time.  I understand some children even have fish and hermit crabs!  Grab those cameras and send in a snapshot. 

Summer Nanny:  If you would like full time or part time help with your children this summer, please email me and I will send home a packet of forms from Duchesne Academy girls who are looking for work.  I must way, they are great girls – very responsible and loving.  Each girl interested in a position has filled out a form with information about their age, experience, safety courses they have taken, availability of own transportation, and how much they want to work.  Many past parents have really enjoyed this extra help and the relationships that formed between their children and the academy girls.

Cycle Fest May 16:  The 10th annual Cycle Fest will be held on Sunday, May 16th at Chalco Hills (8901 South 154th Street) from 11:00am-3:00pm.  At this FREE even, children will learn about bike safety, earn a Bicycle Driver’s License from the police during a bicycle and tricycle rodeo, have a bike safety check, and get a FREE helmet while supplies last.  There will be prizes, food, and free face painting.  All riders must wear a helmet.

Babysitting Class:  The National Safety Council is offering this class for boys and girls ages 11-15 who are interested in caring for infants and children.  They will learn what to do in the event of illness or injury, how to handle an emergency situation, as well as proper methods for diaper changing, feeding, burping, spoon and bottle feeding, crying, and games and activities to occupy young children.  The $58.00 fee for the class on Saturday, May 8th from 8:00am-4:00pm includes lunch.  Register online at www.SafeNebraska.org or call 898-7361.

Car Seat Safety Check:  Saturday, May 1st at Methodist Health System Business Office parking lot you may have a free inspection of your car seat to make sure it is safe a properly installed.  This event runs from 12:00-4:00 at 8602 Dodge St. in the Parking lot on the south side of Dodge.  For more information, call 898-7356.

News from the Pre-K:  The eggs are here! Yes, our duck eggs arrived Mon. and we have been very good "mother ducks".  The children are taking turns rotating the eggs three times a day to insure they are warm and growing strong.  We will keep up our motherly duties for another 23 days. Next week we will add chick eggs to our incubator.

     Of course the theme for this week has been Ducks.  We read several non-fiction books about these beautiful creatures, learning many interesting facts. We also read many funny fictional stories with ducks as the main characters. One favorite story this week was A Duck So Small, about a little duck who finds his special talent.

    The children created some beautiful paintings of a mother duck and her duckling swimming in a pond. We were very impressed with some paintbrush techniques the children used to blend colors and create feathers and waves in the pond; very cool stuff. We have quite a talented group of  little artists in the Pre-k.  Using construction paper, the class made a project showing a duckling hatching out of an egg and a cute little duckling jumping in a puddle.

     This week we spent time reviewing the many letters we have focused on so far this year. We have covered 22 letters and the children are doing a wonderful job identifying them and recalling each letter’s sound. We also practiced writing the numbers 0-10. Everyone did a great job forming these numbers.

     Next week we will continue to prepare for our spring program, celebrate Mary the mother of Jesus,  with our May Crowning ceremony, and make a little something special for all you moms!

Mrs. Christiani                Mrs. Reynolds            Mrs. Bilunas