A Great Place for a Childhood
December 2012
From the Director
Sharing Traditions
We would like to encourage all families to come
share their holiday traditions with their child’s class.
You can read a special book, do a craft, share family
photos, or make a simple recipe with the kids. We
would also love to invite grandparents in to read a
book or share a story. Please talk with your child’s
teacher to set up a convenient time.
Teacher’s Favorite Things
At the request of parents, the Better Together Group
has put together a binder with lists of each teacher’s
favorite things. The binder is kept on the Computer
Check-In bookshelf. Feel free to make copies.
Share The Experience! Earn $500 in tuition credit.
Now when you tell a friend about our center you can
earn a $500 tuition credit through our Family Referral
Program. Simply invite other families to see all that
we have to offer. If your friend enrolls full-time, you
will receive a $500 tuition credit ($300 credit for parttime). If your friend enrolls they also save 1/2 off their
registration fee.
Links to Visit
www.facebook.com/brighthorizons
www.twitter.com/brighthorizons
blogs.brighthorizons.com/momtomom
www.brighthorizons.com/community
Important Dates
Dec. 13 Sign Language Class
Dec. 24 Center Closed
Dec. 25 Center Closed
Dec. 26 Center Closed
Dec. 27 January Tuition Due
Dec. 31 Center Closed
Jan. 1 Center Closed
Look at us Grow
Help us welcome…
The Piccirilli Family
-a special thank you to the Warf
family for referring them to us!
The Walker Family is enrolling
their second child!
Reasons to Celebrate
Happy Birthday to You!
Dec. 6 Brandi
Dec. 12 Vee
Dec. 15 Meredith (P-3)
Dec. 18 Gladys
Dec. 28 Kendra (2-2)
Happy Anniversary to…
Dec. 11 Gladys 15 years
Dec. 12 Kathy 1 year
Dec. 14 Madie 2 year (T-1)
800 Corporate Center Drive Raleigh, NC 27607 | P:919-852-0509 | [email protected]
800 Corporate Center Drive Raleigh, NC 27607 | P:919-852-0509 | [email protected]
READY for SCHOOL
Reading Readiness Activities
There are many things you can do in your home to help prepare your child to read.
Here are a few ideas:
• Model a love of reading. Read children’s books together frequently. Have your child see you reading a
magazine, a novel, or the sports page.
• Letter recognition is part of reading readiness. Purchase a set of magnetic letters that your child can manipulate
on your refrigerator while you are preparing or cleaning up meals. Occasionally stop to identify letters for her.
• Sound recognition is another important skill. Once your child knows letter names, point out a letter in the
environment. “There’s a “B” on this cereal box. “B” sounds like “bbb”. What else starts with a “bbb” sound?”
• Rhyming helps children discriminate similar sounds. Play rhyming games while you are in the car or during
other waiting times. Say, “Bed – Shed. Those two words rhyme. Can you think of a word that rhymes with
“shoe?” Accept real words or made-up words as correct responses. Choose books to read to your child with
lots of rhyming words. Some examples are Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown or many of Dr. Seuss’
books (for example, The Cat in the Hat or One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish). After you have read these
books together a few times, pause where the rhyming word should go and let your child fill it in.
• Reading comprehension is an important part of pre-reading. As you are reading a book together, pause
periodically and ask a question like, “What do you think will happen next?” At the end of the story, ask
questions like, “What was the first thing that happened in this story?” or “Who was the story about?” Don’t do
this every time you read a book – sometimes read just for the sheer love of reading and read it straight through
without asking questions.
• Developing a vocabulary of sight words is also an important pre-reading skill. As you point out familiar words,
your child will begin to make the connection between the spoken and the written word. For example, point out
familiar words in print like your child’s name, the sign for a favorite fast food restaurant or grocery store, or
traffic signs like “Stop.” Developing a sight word vocabulary can also happen as you and your child read and
reread favorite stories. Using books with repetitive text such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, by Bill Martin Jr. and
illustrated by Eric Carle, occasionally point to the words as you read them. You can also write down what your
child says about his drawings and read the words back to him, pointing to each word as you say it.
Look for ways to build these opportunities into your daily routine and make them fun. You want to keep your
child excited and motivated to learn to read.
800 Corporate Center Drive Raleigh, NC 27607 | P:919-852-0509 | [email protected]
800 Corporate Center Drive Raleigh, NC 27607 | P:919-852-0509 | [email protected]
Bright Horizons News
Preschool/Pre k Showcase Events
During the month of January, Bright Horizons centers will be hosting Preschool/Pre k Showcase events. The purpose of
these events is to highlight the teachers and program that you child will enter next at our center. These events are
different from the Curriculum Night events held this past fall.
How does the Showcase event differ from Curriculum Night?
Fall Curriculum Night
Winter Preschool & Pre-kindergarten Showcase
Focus on all age groups and programs
Focus on Preschool, Pre k and Kindergarten programs
only
Adults only
Parent-child learning opportunity
Highlights curriculum and activities in current classroom
Highlights extension of learning and curriculum into the
next age group
For the Showcase event, you will visit the NEXT age group for your child. Regardless of when your child will
make their next transition, you will get a chance to meet the teachers in that age group and see their classrooms in
action.
The Showcase event is a parent-child learning opportunity. Parents will visit Inspiration Stations and learn right
beside their child. This is a great opportunity to see your child in action.
As you finish each Inspiration Station, we will receive the instructions on how you can re-create this activity at
home, the learning skills that are being focused on and how you can take this activity to the next level with your
child as they master the skill.
At the beginning of the event, current and alumni parents will be available to speak on Parent Panels. These
parents will share their experiences with Bright Horizons and answer any questions you may have about your
upcoming age group or the transition to elementary school.
Teachers will be available at the Inspiration Stations. Their role is to do what they do each and every day- facilitate
learning. As you work at each of these stations, you will get a chance to also see our teachers in action, ask
questions and get to know them a bit. We understand from your surveys that the teachers are the most important
people to you and you want as much time with them as possible.
We hope that you get a clear idea of how this event differs from Curriculum Night and the benefits for you and your
child to attend. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please see your center director.
Activity at Home
This holiday season, when you buy books, toys, and/or music from Amazon, a percentage of your purchase can go
to the support children in crisis through the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children. Use this link to access
Amazon and then shop as normal. Amazon takes care of sending the Foundation the percentage. Make sure to
Save this Amazon page as a favorite use it all year to benefit the Foundation.
800 Corporate Center Drive Raleigh, NC 27607 | P:919-852-0509 | [email protected]