United Christian Parish Preschool
February 6, 2008 Newsletter 
Upcoming Events
No Lunch Bunch Feb 21 & Mar 11
Kindergarten Program Feb 20
Priority Registration Feb 12
No School Feb 15
MORE CALENDAR  
 
Feb 15-No school, Teacher training day
Feb 18-No school, Presidents Day
Feb 21-No Lunch Bunch
Mar 17-24 Easter Vacation
NO LUNCH BUNCH  
Feb 21-Thu
Mar 11-Tue
Mark your calendar--these are the dates that are listed in your Parent Handbook for no lunch bunch. 
SUPPORTING TEACHERS WITH A LITTLE FOOD!  
Volunteers Needed
Can you bring a pot-luck dish for the teachers' staff meeting lunch on Thu, Feb 21 at Hunters Woods or Tue, Mar 11 at Lake Anne?
If so, e-mail Jane at ucpjplum@covad.net.
 
Dishes Found & Thanks 
We still have some dishes left from January--a wood salad bowl and a glass Pyrex bowl.  This also means I lost the name to say a big Thank-You to you.  We really did appreciate those two salads!
VOLUNTEERS  
Office work anyone?
We'll be doing packet-stuffing and other paperwork jobs on Thursday, February 21 at Lake Anne and Friday, February 29 at Hunters Woods.  Come by if you can help.
 
NEWSLETTER PRODUCTION  
Referrals

If your company or organization wants to begin using Constant Contact for e-mail distribution, be sure tell me ahead so I can send your name in and then note that United Christian Parish Preschool referred you.  We will receive $30 credit for each referral.  That's two months free newsletters.
LOST & FOUND  
Lake Anne
Off-white fleece vest.
 
Hunters Woods
Cooler bag, little 2" square case for a camera cord perhaps.
 
YARD WORK ANYTIME  
Come and Bring your Yard Tools 
We still have need for yard work (mostly raking, leaf blowing and sand moving) at our playgrounds.  Call the office or send Jane an e-mail at ucpjplum@covad.net if you have some time to help.  Bring your children for a pleasant couple hours some afternoon.
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Join Our Mailing List
FROM THE DIRECTOR  
Valentines Day Hearts 
     We see so many hearts © and are reminded of love at Valentine's Day.  Don't miss the extra opportunity to say "I love you to your child.

     We will be saying "I love © you" with lots of pink and red hearts © and also with the Chapel story of Jesus showing his love for the children when some of the grown-ups thought Jesus would be too busy for children. © 

     Most of the Preschool staff members will be attending a state conference next week (See article below.)  The theme of the conference is Relationships: The Heart of the Matter.  © We will enjoy the red and pink hearts in decorations, but also doing some serious learning about creating classroom communities, guiding children's behavior, helping children achieve their full potential in learning.  Whatever the subject in early childhood education, the relationships © between children and adult, among children and between school and families are the most important factors in children's learning.  Professionally we use other terms, but in our church preschool, the bottom line is always about sharing God's love. ©
                                                      Jane
SNOW & ICE & OTHER WINTER EMERGENCIES  
 Preschool Policy 
  • When Fairfax County Public Schools close for the day, Preschool is closed.
  • When Fairfax County Public Schools open two hours late, Preschool opens 2 hours late and morning classes end 1 hour later than usual.  Lunch Bunch ends at 2:15.  The afternoon class begins 1 hour later than usual and ends at the usual time.
  • When Fairfax County Public Schools close early, the Preschool afernoon class is cancelled.

Listen to the news, watch Channel 21 or check FCPS.edu. The snow policy is being added to the web site, so check there in case you forget.

Keep Up with Fairfax County changes 
Please visit FCPS.edu and sign up for Keep in Touch.  This systems sends you e-mails and/or text messages when the county school system makes weather related changes.  You will be asked the age of your children and when you have a child approaching kindergarten enrollment, the system will send you updates about registering for kindergarten.
KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM  
 What should I expect from Kindergarten?
Several former public school elementary teachers will host an informal chat with parents to answer questions about the transition from preschool to kindergarten at Lake Anne on Wednesday, February 20 at 7 pm.  They will chat with parents about what kindergarten is like today and how to help their children prepare.  Please leave your little ones at home that night
LOOKING AHEAD TO 08/09  
Open House
    Lots of families came to visit the school on Open House days.  Thank you verry much to the families who have shared your good experiences with friends and told them to come.
 
Priority Registration
 
     Registration forms from families of currently enrolled chidlren should be turned in by Tuesday, Feb 12 at noon.  Please get them in earlier if you can.  Every year we are so sad families forget to turn in their forms and find themselves lower on a wait list for a first choice class than where they would like to be. 
 
Get help choosing classes 
     Come by the office if you are have questions about the class offerings or the forms.  Please let us help with the questions.
 
Concerns 
    Below are answers to some of the questions that have been asked by parents.  Please stop by the office and ask any others that you have. 
    Some of you have asked about our building configuration for the next couple years until our new building is completed.  We will use Rooms 8 and 9 for the classes which have been meeting at Hunters Woods.  In inclement weather, the chairs will be cleared out of the Sanctuary for us to play there.  There will probably be little or no actual construction during the 08/09 year, but when it starts a driveway for construction will be added at the far end of the property.   We will get to watch big trucks, but not hassle with them in the parking lot.  Until the point of the actual connecting of the new and old buildings two and a half years from now, fences will separate us from the construction.  At the time of groundbreaking, a new playground will be constructed in the area outside the windows of Rooms 7, 2 and 3.  We are working on ways to lessen the impact of extra cars at car line time.
 
TEACHERS HAVE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY  
 VA Association for Early Childhood Education Meeting in Reston
The state affiliate of our professional organization, the National Association for the Education of Young Children is holding its annual conference at the Hyatt Reston February 14-16.  It is very exciting to have such an excellent professional development opportunity in our back yard! 
 
School Closed Friday, Feb 15 
Because of the teachers attending the conference, there will be no school on Friday, February 15.   
 
Volunteers Needed
There will be a Hospitality Table in the lobby of the Hyatt during the conference from 7:30 am until 5 pm. We need to tell our out-of-town guests where to eat and shop and find necessary things. The table will be staffed by individuals who are familiar with Town Center.  In other words, the only qualification is to have parked and eaten or shopped at Town Center or Spectrum.  All materials needed will be on hand and no training is necessary. Any parents who could work for an hour and a half, please e-mail Jane at ucpjplum@covad.net.
You will be paired with another parent and you will be given a pass to visit the exhibit hall to see and/or purchase a wide selection of children's books and toys.