United Christian Parish Preschool

December 7, 2007 Newsletter 

Upcoming Events
No Lunch Bunch Dec 13
Christmas Shop Dec 9 & Christmas Eve Services Dec 24
Open House Feb 1, 4, 5 and Priority Registration Feb 12
MORE CALENDAR
 
Dec 11, 12, 13 Christmas Chapel
Dec 21-Jan 1 Christmas holiday
Jan 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Jan 25 & 28 No school, Conferences and Teacher Work Days
Feb 15-No school, Teacher training day
Feb 18-No school, Presidents Day
NO LUNCH BUNCH
Dec 13-Thu
Jan 9-Wed
Mark your calendar--these are the dates that are listed in your Parent Handbook for no lunch bunch. 
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Can you bring a pot-luck dish for the teachers' staff meeting lunch on Wednesday, Jan 9 at Lake Anne?
If so, e-mail Jane at ucpjplum@covad.net.
Or sign up for February 21 at Hunters Woods.
CLASS OFFEREINGS 08/09
Challenges oand Opportunities
We are currently planning classes for next year.  Having all the groups in one building will require and allow us a few changes.  We will have space in a 3-day (and possibly 2-day) class for all the current 2 year olds and space in a 3- or 4-day class for the current 3's.  The days of the week for these classes are being worked out.  A small (3%) increase in tuition is possible.  Scholarships will continue to be available.
We have had some challenges staffing and scheduing lunch bunch and are considering offering the extra hour for lunch bunch built into some classes one day each week.  The children would be with their own group and their usual teachers.  Please e-mail Jane at ucpjplum@covad.net with your thoughts on this.
BOX NEEDED
Getting a large appliance delivered??
Television for a Christmas present?
 
Call the office if you have a large box to donate in January.
 
Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
FROM THE DIRECTOR
Christmas Joy 
    We love this time of year when green and red and glitter fill our art tables.  We love telling the story of Baby Jesus and placing pieces on the Advent calendars.  Christmas Chapel is an exciting time when the 3's and 4's participate in costume in telling the story.
     I pray that you will have a joyful, restful and peaceful Christmas holiday. 
                                                      Jane
 
A LETTER FROM UCP DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION BILLIE SUTTER
Dear Preschool Families,

     I'm excited about two special Advent/Christmas season events taking place at the Parish and wanted to share information about them with you. On Sunday December 9, we will once again open the Children's Christmas Shoppe at our Hunters Woods location (2222 Colts Neck Road) from 2:00-4:00 pm. Here the children will be able to shop for gifts for their friends and family. The gifts range in price from $1 to about $25. Each child is personally assisted by our youth `elves' who receive your list of needed gifts and the approximate amount to be spent for each. The elves will escort your child through the shopping area, assist them in wrapping each gift and then hand them off to the kitchen elves who will help them decorate Christmas cookies. While your children are occupied, you can relax in the Library with a warm beverage and conversation with other parents.

     Again this year we will have two very child friendly Christmas Eve services on Monday, December 24, one at 4:00 pm and one at 5:00 pm. The Genesis Choir will provide special music, and the congregation will sing familiar carols, as children, youth and adults retell the story of Jesus' birth. All children attending the services may choose to become a costumed angel or shepherd and participate in telling the story. Family members of all ages are welcome at these services. There will also be worship services at 7:00, 9:00 and 11:00 pm with nursery offered at the 7:00 pm service. The Adult Choir, Joyful Ringers Hand Bell Choir, and Total Praise (liturgical dance choir) will add their special leadership for the 7:00 and 9:00 pm candlelight services, while the 11:00 pm service will be a candlelight communion service with special music.

      Join us as you and your family are able this Advent/ Christmas season. Chapel during December will be very special and we invite you to join your children as they costume and reenact the events of Christ's birth. You are a special part of the Parish family and we look forward to welcoming you during this extraordinary time of year.

       In God's love,

                   Billie Sutter
YARD WORK ANYTIME  
Come and Bring your Yard Tools 
We still have some desperate needs for yard work (mostly raking, leaf blowing and mulch 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.
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.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 08/09
Open House and Priority Registration 
     Tell your friends to drop in for a visit on February 1, 4 and 5 from 9:45 to 11:45 am at Lake Anne.   If any of you current parents of 2's want to visit classes for 3's make an appointment with the office.
     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.
 
STAYING SAFE
 Lake Anne Driveway  

We all understand the frustrations of being late or needing to be at another appointment, but no matter what the reason, DO NOT EVER DRIVE AROUND ANY OTHER CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY!  It is driving on the wrong side of the road--improper and very unsafe for all.  Please don't take chances with our childen's health and safety.  If you have a real emergency call the office on the phone and we will meet you on North Shore Dr.