CONTACT ME: If you need to contact me, please send an email or put a note in your child's backpack with the telephone numbers where you can be reached. Pleaes do not leave a message in the school's voice mail box.
BLUE FOLDER: A blue folder is sent home each Thursday with your child's work for the week and any school notes. Please empty the folder and return the folder each Tuesday.
NEWSLETTER: I will send a monthly newsletter home in your child's blue folder. Monthly newsletters are also available online at the school website.
SNACKS: Please send a letter-related snack to school according to the schedule, available for printing and viewing.
BROWN ENVELOPE: The school office sends home a monthly brown envelope to each family containing important school information. Please empty the folder and return it to school.
ROOM MOTHER: We are still looking for a volunteer to be our class room mother. Please contact me if you are interested.
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES: Each child will be assigned a time to share a special item for our “Show and Tell” at circle time (I will send a reminder e-mail).
VIRTUS TRAINING: The Diocese requires Virtus training for all adults (including parents) working, volunteering or visiting in the classrom.
2007-2008 Monthly Curriculum Units
September: Welcome to Preschool: We are all God’s Family
(Family, friends, pets, apples)
September’s color is RED
October: Fall into Colors: Playing with Songs and Dance
(Halloween, leaves, spiders and pumpkins)
October’s color is ORANGE; letters are A, B, C
November: Counting our Blessings: Harvest and Thanksgiving
(Harvest, turkeys, healthy foods)
November’s colors are YELLOW and BROWN; letters are D, E, F
December: Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus: Gifts
(Christmas, Nativity, shapes of gifts)
December’s colors are SILVER and GOLD; letters are G, H
January: Senses: Using the Gifts God has Given Us
(Winter, snow, Three Kings)
January’s color is WHITE; letters are I, J, K, L
February: Emotions: God is Love
(Valentine’s Day, hearts, Noah’s Art, penguins)
February’s colors are PINK and PURPLE; letters are M, N, O, P
March: Marching into Spring: God gave us a beautiful world
(St. Patrick’s Day, Lent, Easter)
March’s color is GREEN; letters are Q, R, S
April: Animals Hatching: All God’s Creatures, great and small
(New life around us; weather)
April’s color is BLUE; letters are T, U, V, W, X
May: Flowers: Mary is Jesus’ Mother
(May Crowning, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, summer)
May’s colors are RED, WHITE and BLUE; letters are Y, Z
ORIENTATION INFORMATION:
Parents play an important role in their child’s education. Parents are the child’s first and natural teacher. Family involvement in the education of a preschool child is essential. Parent conferences are held in the Fall and progress reports are completed at the middle and end of the school year to communicate with parents about their child in the school setting. Parents are a vital, integral part of the preschool educational team.
The Arlington Diocese requires Virtus training for all adults (including parents) working or volunteering in school. At Saint Timothy Preschool, parental involvement is welcomed in the following ways:
- All parents are invited to a Preschool Orientation to learn about the curriculum.
- All parents are encouraged to join the PTO.
- All parents are invited to volunteer to be the Room Mother/Scholastic Room Mother to help the teacher communicate with other parents.
- All parents are invited to join their child for a birthday celebration in the classroom. Only siblings in a stroller are invited into the classroom because it is not a safe place for younger children due to small objects that may be swallowed.
- All Virtus trained parents are welcome to attend classroom celebrations. We will have two special events and two parties (Thanksgiving Feast, Christmas Party, Easter Celebration and End of Year Party).
- All parents are encouraged to send in items for letter related snacks and sharing (Show and Tell) to help support the curriculum themes.
The preschool experience enables children to mature physically, socially and emotionally with their teachers and their peers. Some young children find it distracting to have their parents in the classroom. Our primary goals are to enable the children to separate from their family and expand their social skills in a safe and secure environment. Thank you so much for your support – we simply couldn’t do it without you!
NEWSLETTER, May 2008
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe that the year is coming to an end! It has been an absolute joy to teach your children – they are such wonderful students! They have grown academically, socially, developmentally and physically. It has been so gratifying to watch and assist them with their progress.
In May, we will finish the alphabet with the letters Xx, Yy and Zz. We have had such a great time learning all of our letters. In Math, we will continue working on recognizing our numbers 1 though 10 - counting, sorting, classifying and matching them.
In Religion, we will be finishing our Religion Book and discussing the Holy Bible, God's family, the Church, prayer and Mass. We will also begin to pray the rosary and talk about our devotion to our Blessed Mother.
Over the Summer, please continue to review our letters and numbers. If the children are ready, begin to practice letter and number formation, keeping in mind the proper grip. Please don't be concerned if they are not ready…they have plenty of time! Play counting games, sing the alphabet song, and read, read, read!
As we close the school year, I want to express my sincere appreciation for all that you have done to help make our Preschool great! Believe me when I say that we could not do it without your support. The children have worked so hard, and have had so much fun learning and growing – they are now ready to step up to the Sailboats!
Some important dates to remember:
May 11th Mother's Day
May 29th Last Day of Preschool
Preschool End of Year Party – Please contact Mrs. Hajdasz if you can help out and/or if you plan to attend
Happy Birthday also to those celebrating Summer Birthdays – Teresa, Christina, Aidan and Cian.
We hope that you have a healthy, happy and relaxing Summer! We will miss you!
NEWSLETTER, April 2008
Dear Parents,
Well, it’s finally Spring!!! We have been enjoying the beautiful weather, especially learning how to climb on all of the playground equipment in our “big” playground. Please make sure that the children have sturdy tennis shoes – no boots or sandals as they could cause safety issues on the playground.
We have been so busy with our letters and have enjoyed making quilts, rainbows, sailboats and snakes. I hope that you have complimented them on all of their beautiful work. In Language Arts, we will learn the letters Uu, Vv Ww and Xx. Be on the lookout for umbrellas, “vegetable people” and watermelon slices!
In Math, we will continue working on our numbers. We will compare sizes, shapes and amounts using everyday objects. We will also continue to review our shapes and colors.
In Religion, we have enjoyed hearing the story of Jesus’ Resurrection, and looking for signs of new life in the blossoming flowers and trees.
Here is our letter of the week, sharing and snack schedule:
April 8, 2008 U Mrs. Feldmann N/A
April 15, 2008 V Nathan Veggies/Nathan
April 22, 2008 W Aidan Watermelon/Aidan
April 29, 2008 X Mrs. Keay N/A
Here are some important dates to remember:
April 8th Class Pictures – Traditional Uniform must be worn
(Long sleeved shirt, long pants)
April 9th General PTO Meeting
April 11th Bingo Night – 6-8 p.m.
April 21st First Day of Spring Uniforms (short sleeved shirt/shorts)
April 26th “A Night at the Pub” from 6-11 p.m. at STS School –
Mrs. Keay and I hope to see you there!
NEWSLETTER, March 2008
Time is flying by!!! Spring will be here before we know it, and we hope that the groundhog was wrong and that warm weather will arrive soon. The children are all growing up so quickly – please make sure that you savor these times for they will be gone all too soon (spoken like a parent whose only child is getting ready to go off to college!)
In Language Arts, we are almost done with the alphabet. During March, we will finish the letter Pp and move on to the letters Qq, Rr, and Ss. Be on the lookout for penguins, quilts, rainbows, and shamrocks! In Math, we will continue with our number mastery – counting our numbers from 1 to 31 (days of the month), and simple addition and subtraction. We will also review our shapes and colors.
We welcomed two new children to our classroom: AnnaLisa and Connor. They are having a lot of fun getting to know the other children!
Here is our letter of the week, sharing and snack schedule:
Letter Sharing Item Snack/Snack Provider
March 4, 2008 Q Mrs. Keay No special snack
March 11, 2008 R Christina Raisins/Christina
March 18, 2008 S AnnaLisa Easter Party
Here are some important dates to remember:
March 18th Easter Party – Please contact Mrs. Hajdasz if you can help
March 20th A.M. Preschool only – Dismissal at 11:30 a.m.
(Please be aware that carpool line with be longer as the rest of the school will be dismissing at the same time!)
March 21-28th No School – Easter Break
Happy Spring!
NEWSLETTER, February 2008
Dear Parents,
Wow…January finally brought us some Winter weather! We’re glad to see that all of the children are coming in bundled up warmly…it gets chilly waiting in the carpool lines.
We have had a fun-filled return to school. For the letter K, we had fun painting our kangaroos and making our kites. For the letter L, we had so much fun making our lion puppets. We hope that you have been admiring all of the work that has been coming home in the Blue folders. The children are so proud of their masterpieces!
For February, in Language Arts, we will be learning the letters Mm, Nn, Oo, and Pp. We have some fun activities to go along with these letters. For the letter N, we will have a visit from our School Nurse, Mrs. Caracciolo. She will talk to us about the importance of thoroughly washing our hands. She’ll also teach us how to cough and sneeze into our elbows!
In Math, we are continuing to count the numbers 1 through 10. We are also going over our calendar each day, and talking about the days of the week and the months of the year. Our letter of the week, sharing and snack schedule for February follows:
Letter Sharing Item Snack/Snack Provider
February 5, 2008 M Katie Marshmallows/Katie
February 12, 2008 N Mrs. Keay N/A
February 19, 2008 O Mrs. Feldmann Oranges/Katie
February 26, 2008 P Teresa Pears/Teresa
Here are some dates to remember during the month of February:
February 6 Ash Wednesday
February 14 Valentine’s Day (Please send in seven valentines, no names on envelopes)
February 28 School Open House
Happy Birthday to Maddie on February 11th! Have a Happy Valentine’s Day…if you plan to attend the Open House, please stop by and say hello!
NEWSLETTER January 2008
Happy New Year! We hope that everyone had a healthy, happy and peaceful holiday break. Mrs. Keay and I want to express our thanks for all of the wonderful Christmas gifts. Your generosity and thoughtfulness were appreciated. A special thank you to our Room Mother, Mrs. Hajdasz, and to everyone who helped to make our Christmas celebration such a memorable event!
Our letter of the week, sharing and snack schedule for January follows:
Letter Sharing Item Snack/Snack Provider
January 8, 2008 I Mrs. Feldmann N/A
January 15, 2008: J Aidan Jello Cups/Aidan
January 22, 2008: K Mrs. Keay Kiwi/Mrs. Keay
January 29, 2008: L Mrs. Feldmann Lollipops/Mrs. Feldmann
This month, we want to wish a Happy Birthday to Nathan on January 10th! Next month, I need a volunteer for oranges for the week of February 19th. They can be fresh fruit or fruit cups (e.g., mandarin oranges). Please let me know if you can help.
During January, we will review the letters Aa through Hh and learn about letters Ii, Jj,
Kk, and Ll. We are moving right along! Please continue to practice the sounds that these letters make while you are at home or driving in the car.
In Religion, we will be discussing God’s gifts of plants and animals. We will be discussing the needs of plants and animals, how they grow and their different types. We will continue to emphasize the importance of treating all of God’s creatures – great and small – with respect.
In Math, we will continue counting and working on recognizing numbers one through ten. We will also measure each child’s height and record it. It will be interesting to see how much they grow between now and the end of our school year!
A quick reminder – in the event of inclement weather Saint Timothy School will follow the Fairfax County school cancellation policy. In addition, you can always check our website, http://sainttimothyschool.org.
NEWSLETTER December
Dear Parents,
We can’t believe that December and the Christmas holidays are upon us! It was a pleasure meeting with you at the conferences. Your children are so special to us. They are all growing and learning at such a rapid pace. Over the holiday break, here are a few suggestions to help them “remember” all they have learned. Continue working on recognizing letters at home and while you are traveling. By Christmas break, we will have learned the letters Aa through Hh. Point out different things you encounter over the Christmas break, such as Christmas cookies and eggnog. Talk about the letters these things start with. Continue to color and paint – the children love bright colors and are so proud of their work!
Don’t forget to ask them what month it is and what day it is. Advent calendars are a great way to review as you get ready for Christmas. Encourage “acts of kindness” and working together as a team. For a Math review, if you are in the car, start counting and ask them to continue. Watch them as they build with blocks, tinker toys, Legos, K-nex and Lincoln Logs. We have some budding architects in our class! Also, while you are at the Mall or toy stores, ask them to point out items that are small, medium and large.
Some of the upcoming events are the Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night on December 5th from 5-8 p.m. and the St. Timothy Christmas Angel Pageant on December 17th (9:45 am in the church). Even though we don’t have class, you are welcome to bring your children and stay with them to enjoy this event. Our class Christmas Party will be held on Tuesday, December 18th at 10:15 a.m. Our Christmas Break begins on Wednesday, December 19th and the Blue Bunnies will resume classes on Thursday, January 3th at 8:15 a.m.
Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus on December 25th! We wish all of you a very peaceful, happy and holy Christmas. Please take the time to relax and enjoy this blessed season. We are so grateful for all you do for us and for giving us the opportunity to spend time teaching your children. They are truly God’s most precious gifts!
Peace,
Mrs. Feldmann and Mrs. Keay
NEWSLETTER, November
Dear Parents,
October was filled with so many wonderful activities! We have had so much fun learning about our letters. Our Halloween Party was so much fun – hopefully, you enjoyed our scary black cats and funny-faced pumpkins! Our All Saints Day celebration was fantastic – we hope that you enjoyed seeing your “Saints” as they came marching out of the school! (What could be better than crowns and real jewels.)
We have now studied the letters Aa through Cc. Our sharing has been especially exciting. We enjoyed apples, bananas and carrots. We especially enjoyed Katie reading her P.J. Funny Bunny book to the class! Please take the time to go through the Blue Folders each week and admire the beautiful work that your children have completed. Preschoolers love to hear your words of encouragement and praise!
In Religion, we continued to discuss and learn about sharing and helping through loving and caring acts. If you notice a kind act at home, please send me a note, and I will read about the “Acts of Kindness” during our Circle Time.
At Circle Time, the children have been learning about the days of the week, the months of the year, the daily weather, and counting. In Math, we are working on our mazes, and counting everything we come in contact with.
The children should be telling you about their day at Preschool. Here are some questions you can ask to start a conversation: “What is the Letter of the Week?” “What activities or projects did you do at school today?” “Who did you play with at school today?” “Did you hear a story today…what was it about?”
During November, our monthly theme is “Counting our Blessings” and Thanksgiving. We will be learning about the importance of being thankful and sharing our good fortunes with others. We can’t wait to enjoy our “Thanksgiving Feast” on November 20th from
10:15-11:15 a.m. All Virtus-trained parents are welcome to join us.
I am looking forward to seeing all of you at Conference time. I will send home a note in the November 8th Blue Folders to remind you of your scheduled time. Please note that the A.M Blue Bunnies do not have school on Thursday, November 15th and Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd.
We wish you all a very peaceful, healthy and joy-filled Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for! God Bless You.
NEWSLETTER, October
Dear Parents,
Time is flying by! September was filled with so many learning opportunities for the children. They have been meeting new friends and visiting different areas around our BIG school. They love visiting the library and listening to Mrs. Watson, our librarian, read them stories. They especially enjoy visiting our fish pond and looking for our fish friends. Some children even suggested we bring “fishing poles” along on our next visit! Of course, our outside play has been fun while we climb, hop and ride on our play vehicles. As it starts to get cooler, please remember to have your child wear a jacket or sweater (and please make sure that their names are labeled inside).
Speaking of the cool weather, we will be celebrating Fall this month. We hope to go on a “leaf walk” around the school and collect leaves. Then, we’ll have a special table activity that uses our leaves. We have been learning our letters, numbers and our colors along with help from some of our Sesame Street friends. We have had such a good time with apples – counting them, coloring them and even painting with them!
For October, our curriculum themes are Fall and Halloween (nothing too scary!). We are fortunate to have a “costume center” and this month we will enjoy dressing up and pretending to be princesses, astronauts and fire fighters. Our monthly concept is Colors and our Letters are A, B and C. Attached is a copy of our Alphabet Letter/Snack Schedule and our Sharing Schedule. On the dates listed, please send in the alphabet snack or the sharing item. The sharing item can be related to the Alphabet Letter of the Week and it should be something easy to pass around (no breakables please!). If you have any questions, just let me know.
Our Religion curriculum has themes to coincide with our Monthly Theme. For October, during Religion we are discussing God’s family and our place in the Church community. During Math, we will continue to perfect our counting skills through repetition, songs and dance. We especially want to wish Katie a Happy Birthday on October 18th!
Please remember to check our website at www.sainttimothyschool.org. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me at
kfeldmann@sainttimothyschool.org.
Thank you for continuing to be so generous with your time. A special thanks to our Room Mother, Mrs. Hajdasz and our Scholastic Book Order Mom, Mrs. Alvarez!
God Bless You,
Mrs. Feldmann and Mrs. Keay
NEWSLETTER,September
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Preschool! It was a delight meeting you at Orientation. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have at kfeldmann@saintttimothyschool.org.
Also, please visit the school website at www.sainttimothyschool.org to obtain any pertinent information about our school.
We are very excited to get started. Each month, we will have a “Monthly Theme”. Our monthly theme for September is “Families”. Please be sure to work with your child to complete the “My Family” worksheet that will be sent home in the first weekly blue folder and return it in his or her folder. We will use it as a way for your child to introduce his or her family to the rest of the class.
We have a few reminders:
- Snacks – We will provide each child a daily snack. Beginning in October, in addition to these snacks, we have asked each family to sign up for “alphabet related” snacks. I will send home a reminder when it is your child’s turn to bring in a snack. It will also be posted on our class website.
- Blue Folders – Each child has a blue folder with his or her name on it. We will send it home each Thursday with any notes and your child’s schoolwork. Please empty it and send it back in your child’s backpack on Tuesday morning.
- Change of Clothes – Please send a labeled change of clothes for your child in a plastic baggie, along with any school supplies noted in your orientation booklet.
- Birthdays – Please let us know if you would like to bring in a treat for your child’s birthday. Please remember that we are a “Peanut Free” preschool.
- Volunteers – We are fortunate to have Mrs. Alvarez as our Scholastic Room Mother. We still need volunteers for our Class Room Mother.
Our Religion curriculum has themes to coincide with our monthly theme. For September, during Religion we will discuss God’s family and our place in the Church community. Our Activity Center is modeled around “Children Learn through Play”. During Math, we will be working on our counting skills with Cory’s Counting Book.
Please read to your child daily to help them develop listening skills and recognize the importance of the printed word. Thank you for your willingness to instill the love of learning in each of your children. It makes our job so much easier!
God Bless You,
Mrs. Feldmann and Mrs. Keay
