September 3, 2008
Dear Families,
The first days of school went smoothly. It is such a joy to spend my days working with your children. The returning children, confident in this familiar environment and happy to see each other again picked up right where they left off. The new children are learning routines and settling in nicely. With the range of ages we teach, from just-turned-three to just – turned-five, it is like a child development workshop right before our eyes. The ways the youngest children and the oldest children approach the same materials is very different and fascinating to watch.
 Here at the Early Ed. Center we have three core staff members: Jennifer, Lisa, both licensed early childhood educators, and an assistant. Unfortunately, we are still trying to fill the assistant position with our beloved Crystal home with her baby. We will make do with substitute teachers (mostly familiar faces to your children) and will let you know just as soon as the new assistant is in place. Jennifer and Lisa have a lot of experience and training with young children as teachers and as parents. We both work closely with all of the children and are available to discuss any aspect of your child’s growth, development and education.
Jennifer Wolfe is the Head Teacher/Program Director. She has been working in early childhood for 20 years and here at the Early Education Center since opening it in 2002. Jennifer has two boys, aged 10 & 12. Specific questions or concerns about our program should go to Jennifer first.
Lisa Stapleton is a half-time teacher mornings (except Thursdays) here with us. She is the Head Teacher/Program Director of the Athens/Grafton Early Education Center in the afternoons. Lisa has been working in early childhood for 13 years and here at the Early Education Center since 2004. Lisa has three boys, aged 8, 10 & 12.
Additionally, we have Donna Kilburn, Essential Early Education (EEE) Assistant, who will be spending Thursdays with us. Donna has been working in early childhood for 7 years and has been spending part of her day in the Early Education Center since we opened in 2002. Donna has two children, (both boys!) aged 14 and 18.
There are, of course, other adults: EEE teachers, Speech and Language Pathologists, Librarians, Parent Volunteers and others who will be part of your child’s preschool day.
We have scheduled our Library time. Kathy Michel, the librarian at Central Elementary School, makes time in her schedule for us every year. Kathy and her friends (puppets like “Baxter Bear”) read us books, tell stories, act out folktales, and have fun with literacy activities. The TuTh Group will walk to the Library Tuesday mornings after snack. Kathy will come to the preschool (at first) on Mondays after snack. When the MWF group is more comfortable in the routine, we will begin walking to Central as well. Please be sure that your child is wearing comfortable walking shoes on days we walk to the library.
I often get requests for phone numbers so families can call classmates for play dates, etc. For confidentiality reasons, I am unable to give out that information. However, if you would like to give out your number (or email address) within the group, a family volunteer can gather and distribute that information.
Please be sure to give us a change of clothes for your child. (Try for clothes that will fit in a couple of months and are appropriate for cool and warm weather- please include socks.) We will store them in the classroom in case your child needs to change.
Thanks for all you do,
Jennifer
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