Monthly News 2024
September 2024
Hello SLCC Families,
We hope that everyone is doing well and ready for cooler weather. We are off to a great start with our new school year, which traditionally is focused on beginnings and “all about me.” Our main emphasis this month will be on Conscious Discipline, to help our students with self-awareness and self-esteem, classroom environments, building relationships, spatial awareness, social and emotional management, and the importance of handling conflict appropriately. Unfortunately, a significant part of life for preschoolers is that they are still learning to properly process emotions and communicate with others their own age. Through daily circle time, brain smart start, small and large groups, classroom, and outdoor play, teacher engaged activities, and chapel (threes and fours), your children will have a momentous year! The teachers will also implement lesson-planned activities according to age groups. Also, our focus for September will include Apple Exploration, Community Helpers, Fall Weather, Friendship, and Cognitive Development. We are excited to see the growth and development of all children and the ways they will grow into their personalities.
There are important school policy reminders that we have placed in the parent handbook. Please remember that all children must arrive at school by 9:00 a.m., unless you have a doctor’s excuse. Late arrival does cause classroom interruptions and interferes with routines and structure. If an incident occurs, please call the school office to inform us as soon as possible. This does not pertain to parents that have given notice to admin. Make sure you are labeling your child’s personal items, including baby bottles and food with name and date. As a courtesy, please do not allow your child’s sibling(s) to disrupt classroom activities and circle time. We have noticed children running through the building without parent supervision. It is important to keep everyone safe so remind the children that running is for the
playground and to use walking feet inside. It is a great feeling to gain the support of our families to help keep SLCC operating in an effective and safe environment.
Cheese Pizza Day: On Thursday, September 5th, we will honor Cheese Pizza Day by serving pizza as an afternoon snack. (Ducks, Fish, Tigers, Lions, Turtles, Threes and Fours). Fall pictures will take place the morning of Thursday, September 12th, so please be on time and have your child(ren) prepared. Monday,
Family Community Day: September 16 th is Family and Community Day, and some of the teachers may ask for perishable items to place in the blessing box. We will plan extracurricular activities and ways to
engage as a school family. We are seeking a representative for our Family Involvement Group (FIG) and volunteers to help support with fundraisers, family events, plan meetings, and several ways to support our school. Please let us know if you have questions or concerns.
Thank you for the classroom donations, all acts of kindness, and entrusting us to care for your children.
Wishing you well,
Sharon Ancrum, Director
Reminders:
Parent Engagement App- By now all families will have received an email invite to set up and sign in. ProCare is the software we will use for daily reports and communication. Please be sure to sign up and let us know If you are experiencing any issues.
Drop off/Pick up– If your child is in the Parish building, (Peeps, Cats, Bunnies, Tigers, Fish, Ducks), drop off and pick up will be at the classroom doors inside the building. Dragonflies will drop off in the Owls classroom if your child arrives before 9:00 a.m. The Dragonflies and Owls will combine at 4:00 p.m. and pick up will be in the Owls classroom. Frogs, Dogs, and Ladybugs will drop off and pick up at the classroom door inside the building. Drop off before 8:00 a.m. will be in the Dogs classroom. Lions and Turtles will drop off and pick up in the classroom, using the door inside the building (please do not use the outside doors). Early arrival before 8:00 a.m. will be in the Lions classroom. Lions will combine with the turtles at 4:00 p.m. In the afternoon some classes will combine with their age group, but we will be as consistent as possible. We know how important it is to know where your child is located, so we will have teachers put class transfer information into ProCare.
Medication Form and illnesses– Medication forms are available in the front office, so please complete as
needed. New medication forms are required for all students, as we update our files. All medication, including sunscreen and bug spray does require a completed form. All prescribed medication must have the original label with correct name, dose, time, and date. When children are sick, we strongly urge
you to keep them home, to avoid the spread of germs to staff and other children.
Labeling- Please remember to label your child’s personal belongings: bottles (daily), water cups, food containers, utensils, clothing (inside), blankets, etc.
Healthy Foods- We encourage all parents to provide a healthy lunch daily. As children grow and develop, they need important nutrients to make them strong and healthy. Also, refer to our policy in the Parent handbook for information on foods that could be a choking hazard.
Safety- It is important to keep all children safe, so please refrain from letting them run through the building and parking lot and remember to secure the door after you enter. Your children are our number one priority so it is important for us to correlate school family. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
The History of St. Luke’s Children’s Center
St. Luke’s Children’s Center was first established as a ministry of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in 1973. During that first year, our teachers excitedly set out with 2 classes and 35 students. Their first directors, Joyce Dubis and Elizabeth Snyder, wrote, “Our goal is the development of the whole child – mentally, physically, and spiritually, allowing opportunity for individual attention so that each child can progress according to their own ability and develop a good self concept. Our curriculum for our children includes an open classroom situation with opportunities to grow through art, music, language experiences, field trips, health, safety, home-living and dramatic play, interest in books, math readiness, physical education, active outdoor play, sciences, and a special time for snacks and relaxation.”
Although many years have gone by since we began, and our center has grown a lot over the years, St. Luke’s goals and curriculum are not too different today than they were back at the the beginning. We are still committed to the development of the whole child – mentally, physically, and spiritually, and we allow our children continual opportunities for learning and growth as they create, build, investigate, and set out to discover the world around them.
