Our New Four Year Old Classroom Management Program ~ Class Dojo!

Our classroom is using Class Dojo for the rest of the year to keep track of our manners and reward positive behavior.  Each week (Wednesday or Thursday) we will be using the points that we earned throughout the week to “purchase” different rewards.  These rewards are incentives for the students to make the right choices in every situation and help them see that using good manners all the time is what we strive toward every day!  For more information on how class dojo works, you can visit this YouTube video at http://youtu.be/KaeNSYJvrn0

The positive behaviors that children can “earn” points for are

• ·        Cleaning up
• ·        Great listening
• ·        Helping others
• ·        On task
• ·        Participating
• ·        Teamwork
• ·        Walking nicely
• ·        Working hard

Students will unfortunately “lose” points for the following behaviors

• ·        Bullying
• ·        Disrespect
• ·        Hitting/Pushing
• ·        Off task/Not listening
• ·        Running in class
• ·        Talking out of turn

To help as in incentive for the students, I have added a few rewards that they can earn.  The dojo point system is simplified for the students because of their age, so the dojo points that you see online (see the attached sheet for sign-up information) will not match the classroom manner points that you see written on the monster in class.  For 1-10 dojo points, the student will receive 1 classroom manner point.  For 11-20 dojo points, the students will receive 2 classroom manner points and so on.  Points will be carried over each week if the student does not “spend” them, classroom manner points will be updated daily, and the dojo points you see online will not be changed because of students “spending” their classroom manner points.

The rewards in class are as follows:

• ·        2 points-Pick a job for the day
• ·        4 points-$1 to chapel
• ·        6 points-a piece of candy at snack
• ·        6 points-treasure box
• ·        8 points-pick a friend for centers
• ·        10 points-Dairy Queen ice cream

If you have any questions about logging in or how the system will work, please let me know! 

Mrs. Simonelli 

All things GREEN and GOLD!

It was a happy St. Patrick's Day at Shepherd's Flock the week of March 17th!  We made Green Shamrock Shakes and ate Lucky Charms for snack

We also talked about the Trinity in Chapel and how we have just one God, but their are three parts, God the Father in heaven, God the Son, Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit.  This reminded us of 3 leaf clovers and although they may not be lucky 4 leaf clovers, we think that knowing Jesus as our Savior makes us more blessed than any amount of luck ever could! 

We had to make rainbows and pots of gold too!  After all, we are worth more than Gold to God!  

Gold Glitter Gg's were lots of fun to make (and a bit messy too!)  I think there will be gold glitter around our classroom for a very long time! 

Don't forget the Leprechaun's!  We read "Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato" and talked about where we would hide our pots of gold.  Where would you hide yours??? 

And we finished off our week with some green friends that remind us that spring will be here soon... FROGS!  Our frogs helped us do some simple addition by eating both black and white flies that we had to add up.  Our frogs are unique though because they have cute feet made with our hand prints! 

These cute little guys will decorate around our door to our classroom as we "Hop Into Spring!" 

Parent Testimonials

Need more reasons to choose Shepherd's Flock Preschool or would like a different viewpoint?  These testimonials are direct quotes from parents who had children attend our preschool.  We have had several educators, including teachers, superintendents, principals, and deans choose to send their child to our preschool.  Come in to visit us and meet our staff to see if our preschool is the right fit for your child and your family!  -Beth Simonelli, Preschool Director and 4-year-old teacher

“I enrolled my son at Shepherd's Flock Preschool after hearing from several people, including educators, about the outstanding curriculum and staff. Shepherd's Flock helped my son open up and be willing to participate in class activities. He obtained the skills necessary for him to make a smooth transition into elementary school.”  Alison Gill, Morris Hospital Financial Counselor.

 “The staff there is wonderful, everyone has treated me and my son with respect and kindness. They are very approachable, personable, gentle, understanding, and always willing to work with you and your child. This is a great school and the best, in my opinion, that is around here!” Courtney Bollino, Stay-at-home Mom of three

"Our daughter had a wonderful experience at Shepherd's Flock Preschool. Not only was she academically and socially prepared for kindergarten, but she developed a love for learning and exploring her faith in God."     Mary Bedinger, Special Education Teacher

 “The enrichment activities that are offered allow my son to have an extended day that focuses in on one topic, such as music or science.  He enjoys his extended days, eating lunch with his teacher, and learning in a small group setting.   Over the past two years, my son has developed a love for learning, his creativity and imagination have bloomed and he has learned the necessary social skills for kindergarten.” Heather Faletti, Reading Specialist at RCIS

“Shepherd’s Flock Preschool has been a great place to send our daughter!  We chose the site because of its reputation of providing a learning environment that allows children choice but also gives them structure and routine to keep the children engaged.  Our daughter is always excited to share events of her day, especially Pastor’s stories during Chapel.  We love knowing that our child is not only learning when she is at school but knowing she is truly cared for by the teachers and staff is a great comfort.  We look forward to having our daughter finish up her preschool years at Shepherd’s Flock.”  Jamie and Elli Wilkey

 I had a unique experience of sending my oldest child to one preschool and my youngest child to Shepherd's Flock Preschool. The comparison in the level of skill each daughter entered kindergarten with is a bit shocking. My youngest daughter attended Shepherd's Flock Preschool and was extremely prepared for the now rigorous standards kindergartners are held to. The facility, teaching, and focus on academics rather than simply socialization has been detrimental to my daughter's success this year in kindergarten. She is in the top 10% of her class in Reading and Math and I fully attribute her readiness to the solid foundation she received at Shepherd's Flock Preschool.  -Special Education Teacher

ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS

What sets us Apart...

* Optional enrollment in our Enrichment Program (afternoons, including lunch)

* Structured, caring environment that promotes emotional and social growth

* Daily gym time, either outside in fenced-in play area or in the gym to focus on gross motor skills

* Music and movement

* Snack time daily

* Summer Camp Programs for preschool through 2nd grade

* Group settings (circle time) for    sharing, learning, and listening

* Creative art projects that foster fine-motor skills (tracing, cutting, writing, etc) as well as other Pre-K  and Kindergarten skills

* Weekly Chapel and worship with Pastor which includes community involvement through offerings and various projects

* “Jesus Time” that emphasizes our Savior and His forgiveness of our sins.  Various Bible stories are introduced throughout the year. 

* Various field trips throughout the year to highlight learning and current themes

* Thematic units that run throughout the classroom and centers.

* Assessments given to provide parents information on student progress

3-year-old Program

* Focus on helping children transition from parallel play to interactive play

* Learning centers that foster free choice of play and provide opportunities to develop interests in all areas of curriculum

* Curriculum focuses on introduction to Pre-K skills such as letters, numbers, shapes, colors, name recognition and basic writing, etc.

* Interactive play as well as structured one-on-one learning done with the instructor

* Transitions throughout the day that use the “sit-move-sit” design

4-year-old Program

* The 4-year-old program takes what the 3-year-old program has taught and expands upon those concepts. 

* Structured learning centers that allow children to learn to transition from one activity to the other

* One-on-one instruction time during learning centers

* Curriculum focuses on Kindergarten readiness

* Many approaches are offered as a means to introduce the children to concepts such as numbers recognition and writing, letter recognition and writing, phonemic awareness, beginning reading, simple math and science concepts.

* Focus on developing social, intellectual, physical, emotional, and  creative skills necessary for Kindergarten. 

Summer Camps 2014 - Register NOW!!!

Summer Camp 2014 at Shepherd’s Flock

Session #1: “Pirate’s and Princesses”

*Students entering 3 yr old preschool – students entering Kindergarten*

MWF - May 19, 21, and 23

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

              

Calling all Pirates and Princesses!  Our imaginations will be flowing at Shepherd’s Flock as we discover all about the fantastical world of Pirates and Princesses!  We will be building a castle fit for a princess and a pirate ship that can sail the high seas, all with the help of our campers!  Come dressed in special pirate or princess attire if you have it, but don’t worry if you don’t, we will be creating costumes and adding to the ones we already have.

Manners are important for both pirates and princesses and that is something that we will also focus on this week.  We will learn what good manners are, why they are important, and how to put them into practice!  Please and Thank You ARE the magic words!

We will also be doing some searching for treasure!  What pirate or princess could resist GOLD?! We will follow a treasure map, dig up the special treasure, and split it among our friends… after all sharing does show us good manners! 

Session #2: “Messy, Messy Crafts”

*Students entering 3 yr old preschool – students entering Second Grade*

MWF – June 9, 11, and 13

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

All bets are off when it comes to being clean at this Shepherd’s Flock Summer Camp!  We are going to be making goop to experiment with, painting with lots of different materials and using lots of different textures, and using homemade clay to create a perfect sculpture.  We will be mixing glue and using paint to create several different colors… and experiment to see what colors can combine to make our favorite color!

Art is awesome when it’s messy, goopy, and loads of fun that we can share with friends.  We will be working on a large group project to help us learn how to work together, share, and show our different skills.  With this cooperative learning project, Campers will be proud to display all that they have done with this group venture. 

Of course, at the end of this Camp we will have to have our 2^nd Annual Shepherd’s Flock Art Show, complete with all of our weeks displayed artwork and snacks.  Invite your friends and relatives to come and see what wonderful things that we created!  Our 2^nd Annual Art show will be held on Friday, June 13 at 11:30 am.  Mark your calendar!   

VBS Week: June 16 – June 20

Gangway to Galilee

9 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

*For students entering 4 year old preschool – 5^th grade*

 

Don’t miss the boat for the Gangway to Galilee, Shepherd of Peace’s VBS about Amazing Grace Adventures! Your children will learn five accounts of Jesus’ ministry, on and around the Sea of Galilee. Crowds of thousands were captivated then, as we are anchored today, by His Word. God Himself is present in His Word, now and forever!  Now that’s amazing grace!

        We will have crafts, outside games, bible stories, bible challenge and memory work, fun snacks, and catchy music all week long to help us learn that God’s word is life!  (Please fill out the VBS permission slip and not the Summer Camp registration form in order to register for this)

Session #3: “America, the Beautiful!”

*Students entering 3 yr old preschool – students entering Second Grade*

MWF – July 14, 16, and 18

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Red, White, and Blue!  Celebrating our wonderful country doesn’t have to be done just once a year on July 4^th!  In this camp we will be creating crafts and creations focused around the American theme, from former presidents, to painted fireworks, to shakers for Summer Parades, we will have a fantastic time using our talents to make fun American things!

We will also be learning about our country at this Shepherd’s Flock Summer Camp…. What wonderful things can we find in all the states of America?!  We will travel the country, from the comfort of our preschool to see all the sights of our great nation!  We will also create some all American favorite snacks to eat… Hot dogs, apple pies, and red, white, and blue treats!

At the end of the week we will have a parade, complete with hats, noise makers, shakers, and even a float that we will decorate ourselves!  Come at 11:30 am on Friday, July 18th to see our parade in the church parking lot and cheer us on celebrating America the beautiful!  (Please note that this float will be used for the Braidwood Summerfest Parade and your child is more than welcome to ride with us in it!!  Sign up for this will be at the Summer Camp and information on date, time and meeting place will also be available during this week.)

Session #4: “Summer Bookworms”

*Students entering 3 yr old preschool – students entering Second Grade*

MWF – July 21, 23, and 25

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

        Summertime is the perfect time to curl up with a good book, and in this camp that is exactly what we are going to be doing…. But we will be doing even more!! Each day we will take several books from our favorite authors like Eric Carle, Margaret Wise Brown, Shel Silverstein, Laura Numeroff, Robert McCloskey, and many more!  We will compare similar books to see what things are the same, what are different, and even what our favorite parts are! 

        We will also be doing sequencing, crafts to go along with the books, acting out the stories (one of our favorite things to do!) and on the last day, the students will be helping write our first Shepherd’s Flock book together! We will work together and create a fun book around a theme and even create illustrations.  Maybe one day we will be famous authors! 

Enrollment Guidelines

·         Shepherd’s Flock Summer Camp enrolls by session (week).  Children must be enrolled for a full session.

·         Tuition of $35 per session (week) is due when registration form is handed in.  Registration forms are due for each session on the Monday prior to the session starting.

·         Camp tuition includes a snack. 

·         Enrollment is on a first-come, first-serve basis.  There is a limit to the amount of students within each session determined by staff able to work the session.  Full tuition per session (week) is due regardless of attendance and there are no refunds given.

·         Every child will need the full “Summer Camp Registration Form” even if they are or were enrolled in our Preschool Program. 

Summer Camp Procedures

·         We will have a sign in / sign out sheet similar to the one that we have for preschool.  Please sign your child in and out each day that they attend camp.

·         We will use the cubbies to store your child’s items for the day.

·         Each day of camp your child is asked to bring the following items:

o   Backpack or tote bag

o   A complete change of clothes (accidents happen, especially with messy summer craft projects!)

o   Please do not send your child in open toe sandals or Crocs.  They are not safe for running or climbing.  If we have a water day and it is specified that your child should wear a suit, sandals are fine for that day. 

To Register, please call our church office at 815-458-9445 or stop in for a form at Shepherd of Peace, 1180 W. First Street, Braidwood!  

Music Enrichment Class

In our music enrichment class we are learning lots about music!  We listened to music and created art, made our own instruments, listened and participated in different music and movement.  We used scarves to dance (and even made our own colorful ones as well!), used musical instruments to create our own music, and worked on our rhythm.  We listened to silly song and did silly dances!   We still have a week left and are excited to see what other fun things we can do with music! 

REGISTRATION HAS BEGUN FOR THE 2014- 2015 SCHOOL YEAR

REGISTRATION HAS BEGUN for 2014-2015 school year!! All registration forms are online at http://www.shepherdofpeace.com/ourpreschool.html If you click on the link at the top of the page it will bring up the pdf documents. Registration fees are discounted until April 15!!! 

If you have an almost 3 (born between September 1 and December 31, please contact the church office and ask to speak with Beth Simonelli, our director... we will take children that were born after the cut off, as long as they are potty trained (with minimal accidents), and it is understood that they will not be able to go to Kindergarten a year sooner! We will work with what's best for you and your family!

To register, please fill out the first pre-registration form and return that with your non-refundable registration fee of $75 ($100 per family if more than one child is enrolled.) This will guarantee your child’s spot in the class of your choice and will also be applied for snacks for the school year.  If you register by April 15^th, take $25 off of this registration fee ($50 per child or $75 per family.)  After April 15^th, the regular registration fees apply.

The additional white forms in the folder may be filled out and returned when we have Open House in the fall.  Please include with these forms a copy of your child’s birth certificate and an immunization record. 

As in years past, we are also offering a referral incentive.  Any family that refers a new student to our preschool will get a $15 discount off of the October tuition (which is the second tuition payment of the year.)  If you know of a family that is interested in our preschool, please let me know.  If they decide that our preschool is a good fit and they register, you will receive the referral credit. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at the church office 815-458-9445. 

REGISTRATION ROUND-UP is coming soon!!!

Shepherd's Flock Monthly Newsletter ~ March 2014

Important Dates

· Friday, March 7, 2014—Exploration Station Field Trip

· Monday, March 10, 2014—Registration Round-up

· Monday, March 24 –Friday, March 28, 2014 –No School, Spring Break

· Monday, March 31, 2014—School Resumes

February at Shepherd’s Flock

The past month at Shepherd's Flock has been very busy! Besides the few snow days we have had, we have been working on several things. We celebrated Valentine's day, learned a lot about Jesus love for us, celebrated our dad's at our annual Dad's Night with our 4 year old friends, talked about the cold weather and penguins, learned about outer space, and most importantly learned a few new bible stories, including Mary and Martha, the widows offering, and the healings of Jesus.
We are so excited to welcome as our new three's teacher, Jessica Powell. And we are also so blessed to have Deona Walsh as her aide. With both these ladies in the classroom, our students are not only learning, but having a wonderful and loving time doing it!
The Month Ahead!

For March we are looking forward to warmer weather... we want to play outside! We are also looking forward to visiting Exploration Station in Bourbonnais on March 7.  March 10 is out first registration round up, where parents and students can visit our facility, meet our staff, and sign up for our summer and fall sessions! This will be from 6 pm to 7 pm and all are invited and encouraged to visit us!  We will have discounted registration fees as well as raffle for a free registration! Spring break for us is at the end of March... and again we are going for spring to come quickly! 

Chapel Offerings

For the month of February and March we are collecting to give to the Community Care Center, also known as the Braidwood Food Pantry.   They have a lot of offerings given to them during the holiday season, but when that season ends they still have needs for food and money to buy food without as much coming in.  We are digging deep in our pockets to help this wonderful organization right in our own neighborhood. 

A Few Reminders

· Scholastic Book orders are due on March 15th.  I am not sure why for the month of February we didn’t have any new book orders come in, but hopefully you can find something in this months for your little one’s Easter Basket! 

· Daylight Savings Time starts on March 9 at 2 am.  Don’t forget to SPRING FORWARD! 

· We hope to see you at our REGISTRATION ROUND-UP!!!! Summer Camps and Fall Registration will be available to you there!

-Shepherd’s Flock Preschool Staff-