Feb 23-27

Dear Sunshine Families, Last week: The kids had so much fun finishing up the Mo Willems unit! I know they did great while I was out last week, I will be back this week and we will start reading Leo Lioni. This week: We will start reading Leo Lioni. This beloved children's author uses torn paper collage to illustrate many of his books. His stories are about friendship and community; which we will talk about this week. The kids will have opportunities to recreate some of the characters in the Leo Lioni stories we read including Frederick, Swimmy, A Color of His Own and Little Yellow and Little Blue. They will also work to create their own torn paper collage. Family Fun Night: Our next family fun night is this Friday from 5:30-7:00! Come join us as we celebrate Dr. Suess's birthday! We will have fun crafts, games and a dance party. We will not be serving any food at this event. I hope to see you there! 2015-2016 Registration: Registration is in full swing, if you haven’t registered for next school year you can do that at any time. Also, if you know any other preschool age children looking for preschool for next year send them our way! Book Bags: Book bags need to be brought back each day if kids want to check out a new book! Outdoor Play: The weather looks great for much of this week! We will be out for playtime each day, it is a good idea to dress kids in layers. Sometimes the heavy winter jackets are too much to wear on the warmer days and kids take them off, if they have a sweatshirt or light jacket on also then they will still be comfortable outdoors! I don't think bikes will be out just yet so helmets don't need to be brought. Fundraisers: The preschool auction is coming up in April and it’s time to start planning for it! The auction will be held at Big Al’s and is an adult only event. Ticket prices are $18 a person or $34 or a couple. It is a tradition to make a classroom basket that will be auctioned off, this year we would like to put together a beach bag and an ice cream basket. Donations for these baskets are voluntary, but they are really fun to put together. I will have a sign up out for them this week. If anyone is interested in helping to put the baskets together once the donated item are brought in let me know! Work Wall: The letter this week is ‘Q’. Kids can bring in things that begin with the letter ‘Q’. Teacher Tasha Dates to remember Feb 27 Family Fun Night March 17 Hough St Paddy's Day Parade March 21st Family pancake breakfast March 21-27 Book Fair April 6-10 Spring Break April 18 Auction at Big Al's

Feb 16-20

Dear Sunshine Families, Reminder: There is no school this Monday, Feb 16th in honor of President's Day! Last week: We had so much at our pj parties! We watched Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Pigeon Finds a Hotdog. We also make really cute handprint pigeons and the kids came up with their own idea about what the pigeon can't do! This week: We will continue reading Mo Willems books, this week we will read Knuffle Bunny and Elephant and Piggie. We have a fun Piggie project and hot dog craft. We are also working on handprints to add to a school wide handprint quilt that will be on display in the library area. I will be out of the classroom Wednesday-Friday, Teacher Shannon will be in class with Vanessa while I am out. Laps for LAPSK: We had a great turn out for this event and boy was there a lot of energy! It was so fun to get in some exercise as we raised money for our school! Our next family fun night is coming up next week, February 27th. Mark your calendars, we will have fun celebrating Dr. Suess's bday! 2015-2016 Registration: Registration is in full swing, if you haven’t registered for next school year you can do that at any time. Also, if you know any other preschool age children looking for preschool for next year send them our way! Book Bags: Book bags need to be brought back each day if kids want to check out a new book! Outdoor Play: The weather looks great for much of this week! We will be out for playtime each day, it is a good idea to dress kids in layers. Sometimes the heavy winter jackets are too much to wear on the warmer days and kids take them off, if they have a sweatshirt or light jacket on also then they will still be comfortable outdoors! I don't think bikes will be out just yet so helmets dont need to be brought. Fundraisers: The preschool auction is coming up in April and it’s time to start planning for it! The auction will be held at Big Al’s and is an adult only event. Ticket prices are $18 a person or $34 or a couple. This is going to be a fun night; I hope everyone can make it! It is a tradition to make a classroom basket that will be auctioned off, if anyone has a great basket idea we’d love to hear it! In class will create a work of art to be auctioned off as well! Work Wall: The letter this week is ‘P’. Kids can bring in things that begin with the letter ‘P’. Teacher Tasha Dates to remember Feb 16th No School Feb 27 Family Fun Night March 21st Family pancake breakfast March 21-27 Book Fair April 6-10 Spring Break

Feb 2-6

Dear Sunshine Families, Last week: We finished our winter and snow/ice themes last week. The kids had so much fun exploring insta-snow, make mirror paint mittens and using ice paint! This year we haven’t seen much snow and ice so it was really fun to explore those things in class! This week: Each week for the next 2 month we will learn about a different author! This is one of my favorite learning units to do with kids; we will read books from many different authors and create works of art based on the illustrations. The kids will lots opportunities for storytelling and writing throughout this unit! We will start the Pete the Cat Books! We’ll read Pete the Cat: I love My White Shoes, Pete the Cat: Rockin in My School Shoes and Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. We have some really fun crafts to go along with these stories and a story telling opportunity for the kids. It’s going to be a fun week! 2015-2016 Registration: Registration begins this week, on Wednesday. We have a first come, first served number drawing starting at 8:45. Registration isn’t usually to overwhelming but if you are particular about the class and days you’d like I recommend getting there on time to register. If you still have questions about classroom placement for next year please let me know! I’d be happy to discuss with you the classroom options available. Fundraisers: Laps for LASPK pledge sheets are in cubbies. This is our next fundraiser, we will set up a lap course that the kids will walk, run, hop or skip around. It's a great way to incorporate fitness and raise money our school! Laps for LAPSK will be held on February 12. The preschool auction is coming up in April and it’s time to start planning for it! The auction will be held at Big Al’s and is an adult only event. Ticket prices are $18 a person or $34 or a couple. This is going to be a fun night; I hope everyone can make it! It is a tradition to make a classroom basket that will be auctioned off, if anyone has a great basket idea we’d love to hear it! In class will create a work of art to be auctioned off as well! Work Wall: The letter this week is ‘N’. Kids can bring in things that begin with the letter ‘N’. Teacher Tasha Dates to remember Feb 4th In house registration Feb 6th Open registration Feb 12 Laps for LAPSK Feb 16th No School Feb 27 Family Fun Night March 21st Family pancake breakfast March 21-27 Book Fair

January 26-30

Dear Sunshine Families, Last week: The kids had so much fun with our Frozen theme! We did some painting of Elsa, Anna, and Olaf, as well as made fun winter scenes, painted with ice paint and explored frozen water beads. If you haven't already, 'like' our Sunshine Class facebook page for pictures and posts of the fun things we are doing on class! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sunshine-Class/103865319719742 This week: We are going to read one of my favorite winter books; The Mitten by Jan Brett. The kids will then lace up their own mittens and cut out the animals that snuggle in the mitten! We will also finish up some ice projects we started last week. We weren't able to make our snowflake tortillas last week so we will make those Monday and Tuesday for snack! 2015-2016 Registration: This week is classroom exploration. Teachers will be available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to meet with parents. This is an opportunity to check out the classroom for next year; the options are Busy Bee, Butterfly and Dragonfly. Registration begins Feb 4th for in-house families and Feb 6th for new families. If you are interested in chatting about the different classrooms available let me know! Fundraisers: Laps for LASPK pledge sheets are in cubbies. This is our next fundraiser, we will set up a lap course that the kids will walk, run, hop or skip around. It's a great way to incorporate fitness and raise money our school! Jamberry Fundraiser for Little Acorn Preschool and Kindergarten!!! I am so excited to be able to run a fundraiser for Little Acorn through Jamberry!! I will be donating 25% of the sales to Little Acorn PLUS the sales will help earn free product that will be donated to the Auction in March to raise even more money for our fabulous school. By making a purchase you are actually giving twice! Please check your child’s cubby on Tuesday January 20 for a flyer! The sale will run from today until January 30th! I will set up a table in the lobby of Little Acorn on Tuesday January 27th at 11:45 so come early to pick up your kiddos and stop by for a demo, free sample or to buy some wraps from the inventory I will have on hand! Jamberry are high quality, vinyl, heat and pressure sealed nail wraps that last for weeks, at a fraction of the cost of a salon visit! No harsh chemicals, chipped polish, or damage to your natural nail. No dry time, non-toxic and latex free! There are over 350 adorable style options! One sheet of nail wraps will give you 2 manis and 2 pedis plus leftovers for accent nails! They have Junior sizes too for all the little kids! Boys and girls both love Jamberry! Jamberry is always Buy 3 Get 1 Free!! Join our fundraising party page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1564754653767360/ where I will post information, pictures and play some games. Join the group and add any of your friends you think might want to know more!! Or browse and buy on my website at http://misskari.jamberrynails.net/party/?uid=b9dd723a-6d7d-475e-9482-f13b9d3ceea6 Kari Newell Jamberry Independent Consultant Word Wall: The letter this week is 'M'. Kids can bring in items that start with the letter 'M'! Teacher Tasha Dates to remember Jan 26, 27 & 29- Classroom exploration Feb 4th In house registration Feb 6th Open registration Feb 12 Laps for LAPSK Feb 27 Family Fun Night

January 19-23

Dear Sunshine Families, Reminder: No School on Monday January 19th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. day! Last week: The kids had fun reading The Little White Owl and creating their own owls. The penguins' we made are hanging on the small bulletin board in the hallway; they turned out so great! We also practiced fine motor skills by rolling play dough balls and making snowmen. This week: We will be doing everything Frozen! Yes, the disney movie featuring Elsa and Anna, Kristoff and Sven and the adorable snowman, Olaf! We will do some really fun art activities including icicle glue art, a contact paper snow scene and straw blow painting. We will also have a couple fun sensory activities; shaving cream, water beads and ice cube painting. We will also experiment with making 'snow' out of shaving cream and baking soda. For cutting skills we will work on an icicle cutting sheet and do an in class cooking project, snowflake tortillas. It's going to be a fun and busy week! 2015-2016 Registration: Open house/classroom exploration days are coming up at the end of the month. This is an opportunity to check out the classroom for next year; the options are Busy Bee, Butterfly and Dragonfly. Registration begins Feb 4th for in house families and Feb 6th for new families. If you are interested in chatting about the different classrooms available let me know! Fundraisers: Jamberry Fundraiser for Little Acorn Preschool and Kindergarten!!! I am so excited to be able to run a fundraiser for Little Acorn through Jamberry!! I will be donating 25% of the sales to Little Acorn PLUS the sales will help earn free product that will be donated to the Auction in March to raise even more money for our fabulous school. By making a purchase you are actually giving twice! Please check your child’s cubby on Tuesday January 20 for a flyer! The sale will run from today until January 30th! I will set up a table in the lobby of Little Acorn on Tuesday January 27th at 11:45 so come early to pick up your kiddos and stop by for a demo, free sample or to buy some wraps from the inventory I will have on hand! Jamberry are high quality, vinyl, heat and pressure sealed nail wraps that last for weeks, at a fraction of the cost of a salon visit! No harsh chemicals, chipped polish, or damage to your natural nail. No dry time, non-toxic and latex free! There are over 350 adorable style options! One sheet of nail wraps will give you 2 manis and 2 pedis plus leftovers for accent nails! They have Junior sizes too for all the little kids! Boys and girls both love Jamberry! Jamberry is always Buy 3 Get 1 Free!! Join our fundraising party page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1564754653767360/ where I will post information, pictures and play some games. Join the group and add any of your friends you think might want to know more!! Or browse and buy on my website at http://misskari.jamberrynails.net/party/?uid=b9dd723a-6d7d-475e-9482-f13b9d3ceea6 Kari Newell Jamberry Independent Consultant Word Wall: This week the kids can bring in Frozen items; those related to the movie or something that can be frozen or found in a frozen envirnment (polar bear, snowman, penguin, etc). Teacher Tasha and Vanessa Songs Mr. Snowman (Sung to 'Happy Birthday') Here's a tall hat for you, Here's a tall hat for you Here's a tall hat Mr. snowman, Here's a tall hat for you (Repeat with a carrot nose, 2 eyes, stick arms, 3 buttons, etc) Dates to remember Jan 19- No School MLK Day Jan 26, 27 & 29- Classroom exploration Feb 4th In house registration Feb 6th Open registration Feb 12 Laps for LAPSK Feb 27 Family Fun Night

Jan 12-16

Dear Sunshine Families, Last Week: The kids had a great week back! everyone was so excited to see one another and spent a lot of time playing in the classroom. We were able to go outside a couple days last week; we go out of it isn't raining so please remember to send kids in warm layers. We will help get hats, gloves and coats on before we go out. This week: We will continue with our winter theme and this week focus on winter animals; owls, polar bears and penguins. The kids will make a cute penguin craft and then write a story about their penguin. They will also make owls to put in the tree on our classroom bulletin board. They will also1 We have begin putting name cards out at snack; the kids come in after washing hands and look for their name card at the seat. This is another opportunity or kids to recognize their name, Sick Kids: Flu season is upon us! We ask that is your child has a fever or thick green mucus that you keep them home and please call us to let us know. It would be great if everyone could wash hands with soap and water before class starts to help prevent the spread of germs. We have been diligent about keeping the classroom and toys sanitized. Just these small preventative measures can go a long way on keeping everyone healthy. 2015-2016 Registration: Open house/classroom exploration days are coming up at the end of the month. This is an opportunity to check out the classroom for next year; the options are Busy Bee, Butterfly and Dragonfly. Registration begins Feb 4th for in house families and Feb 6th for new families. Late Pickup: Class ends at 12:00, we try to promptly open the door at 12:00 and release the kids one by one. If kids are left waiting they can become anxious, if you are running late a quick call to the office is appreciated. Please remember that we do charge $1 a minute or late pickups starting at 12:10, but we do understand that things happen so please call the office i you are going to be late. Fundraisers: Fred meyer gives back to schools; all you have to do is register your rewards card and give back to Little Acorn. https://www.fredmeyer.com/topic/community-rewards-4 Little Acorn is now a member of Shoparoo. It is a great way to fundraise for the school. Parents just need to download the Shoparoo App. Snap pictures of your receipts from any store, big or small, that sells grocery items to earn Roo Points (cash donations) for your school. Whether you’re shopping at a supercenter, dollar store, or local convenience store - it doesn’t matter where you shop or what items you buy - Shoparoo will make a cash donation for every receipt! Submit up to 20 grocery receipts within a rolling 7 day period. Parents can scan receipts from restaurants, department stores, hardware stores, craft stores, electronics, sports stores, office supply, bookstores and café’s. Shoparoo will not ask for personal information and all information is anonymous. Check out Shoparoo.com Word Wall: This week our letter is L, Kids can bring in any item that begins with the letter L! Teacher Tasha and Vanessa Dates to remember Jan 19- No School MLK Day Jan 26, 27 & 29- Classroom exploration Feb 4th In house registration Feb 6th Open registration Feb 12 Laps for LAPSK Feb 27 Family Fun Night

Dec 15-19

Dear Sunshine Families, Last week: We had a lot to get done last week. The kids have been working on a special gift; some of those went home last week and we will finish the rest up this week. We also painted candy canes with peppermint paint; it smelled so yummy! Those are hanging in our tree in class. The peppermint play dough as also a big hit! This week: We will continue with holiday projects, We will decorate our classroom door and make our salt dough since we didn't get to it last week. We will do some cutting practice on a gingerbread house cutting page and practice writing holiday words. Winter Concert: The winter concert was great! It was such a fun and festive night. Thank you to everyone that was able to come and support your little ones in their first Little Acorn performance. The book fair was also a great success! Thank you so much to those that purchased books for the classroom. And by buying books through the book fair we get points to buy more books for the school; it's a win win! Winter Parties: Our last two day before break will be low key, we will get together as a school to watch The Snowman and have a fun snack. On Friday we will visit the Star class for an exciting project! Food Drive: This is the last week to collect food items! These food boxes will be delivered to those in need in our community. Thank you for your donations! Winter Break: This is our last week of class before winter break. We will return to school on January 5th. I hope everyone enjoys time with family and is able to relax and enjoy the holidays! Fundraisers: “Shoparoo” Little Acorn is now a member of Shoparoo. It is a great way to fundraise for the school. Parents just need to download the Shoparoo App. Snap pictures of your receipts from any store, big or small, that sells grocery items to earn Roo Points (cash donations) for your school. Whether you’re shopping at a supercenter, dollar store, or local convenience store - it doesn’t matter where you shop or what items you buy - Shoparoo will make a cash donation for every receipt! Submit up to 20 grocery receipts within a rolling 7 day period. Parents can scan receipts from restaurants, department stores, hardware stores, craft stores, electronics, sports stores, office supply, bookstores and café’s. Shoparoo will not ask for personal information and all information is anonymous. Check out Shoparoo.com Fred Meyers gives back to schools! Go to https://www.fredmeyer.com/topic/community-rewards-4 to register your rewards card and give back to Little Acorn Preschool and Kindergarten. Word Wall: This week we will take a break from letters for the word wall, instead kids can bring in a favorite holiday item! Teacher Tasha