October 2014
KIDS R K IDS OF WEST H OUSTON - H O M E O F O SC AR , T HE OCE L O T - “THE FIRST STEP TO HIGHER EDUCATIO N”
Fall Portraits with Slice of Life
Photography– Oct. 6-14
Slice of Life Photography is coming to our school for your child’s fall portrait session from October 6 through 14. The schedule is posted on your child’s classroom door or you can check Friday news email or see the front desk. Kinder Parent Conference Day
Monday, Oct. 13
Please see the front desk to sign up for a conference with your child’s teacher in ANY of our classrooms to discuss your child’s progress and learning goals so you can assist in the learning at home. This day is a school holiday for CFISD and for our private Kinder.
Fall Festival Friday, October 24
The Fall Fes val is a fun-filled, family centered evening to enjoy costume contests, games, prizes, and a great me for the en re community. Family Home Project
Due Wednesday, October 22
This home project is for our Fall Fes val. Please read more about this project on page 2. Mommy Daddy University
“Help me write my name, Mom & Dad”
November 6, 6:00 PM
This will be an informa onal session highligh ng the literacy and readiness skills your child is learning here with us each day. There will be prac cal tools offered to you as parents to con nue the learning at home as your preschooler moves into their next stage of wri ng and literacy. Help Me Write My Name
“That’s my name. My name starts with _____.” Maybe your child is trying to write or even make le ers you can recognize. If so, then it’s me to start showing your child how to write a few le ers. Here’s how: 1. Be a good example. 2. Write in all capitals. 3. Start every le er at the top. 4. Teach le ers step by step. 5. Write on paper strips with a smiley face in top le corner. How can I be a good example? Hold the crayon correctly. Your child will be watching both how you make the le ers and how you hold the crayon or pencil. Be sure to be a good model. You may need to make a special effort to hold it correctly. Why should I use all capitals? Capitals are the first le ers to learn. Capitals are the le ers children can visually recognize and remember. Capitals are the first le ers children can physically write. You may use lowercase if you and your child’s teacher think your child is ready. Does it ma er where my child starts? Yes, it does. English has one basic rule for both reading and wri ng: read and write English from the top to bo om, le to right. When you write with your child, always start at the top! What do I say when I teach the le ers? This is easy. Always say, “I start at the top.” Then describe the part you’re making. Say “big” or “li le” for size. Say “line” or “curve” for shape, like this: D = “I start at the top. I make a Big Line. Now I make a Big Curve.” What kind of paper should I use? Just fold a paper in half the long way and then in half again. Cut. That will give you four strips, about 2" by 11". You can adjust the size if your child needs to write bigger. Now put a smiley face in the top le corner of each strip. Use two strips. You write on the top one; your child writes on the bo om one. Make the capital le ers as big as the paper. What about grip? Always demonstrate proper finger posi on for children, especially young children. When children become interested in coloring, this is the me to demonstrate proper grip. The thumb is bent, the index finger points to the p of
the crayon, and the crayon rests on the side of the mid‐
dle finger. The last two fingers are curled in the palm
and give the hand stability.
Teach a grip as soon as age four, or whenever crayons are introduced. The older the child, the harder it is to change the grip. OCTOBER 2014 NEWSLETTER
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“ ED U C AT I O N A L E X C E L L E N C E AT E V E R Y A G E ”
Meet Our Feature Family
Date
10/1
10/2
10/8
10/13
10/14
10/14
10/15
10/16
10/17
10/18
10/19
10/21
10/21
10/22
10/24
10/24
10/25
10/26
10/27
10/29
10/30
10/30
10/31
Names
Sara P.
Nikolas H.
Stanislas B.
Antonio R.
Annabeth D.
Miette D.
Jessica J.
Logan R.
Jaiden C.
Liam B.
Tarun N.
Ashton L.
Harry T.
Aaron R.
Kensi P.
Elisa S.
Ethan B.
Emily T.
Jordan R.
Tiziano D.
Christopher M.
Robert M.
Andrew V.
Classroom
400
Gym
500
Gym
Gym
Gym
500
550
550
350
Kinder
Gym
350
Gym
300
400
500
300
300
300
Kinder
Kinder
Gym
Isabella and Alexander, with Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen, have been with us since 2012. We are so fortunate to have them in the Kids R Kids Lakes on Eldridge family! Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen have encouraged their children’s growth and development with us and have helped in our vision for the school. They are involved in each stage of development as they nurture their children, with us, to school readiness and beyond. Here is what the Nguyens had to say about their experience with us in their own words…. at KRK 2 years ago at age 2 and from week one we could already see the difference in her ability to communicate with us and excelling at learning her alphabet and doing ac vi es requiring fine motor skills. Since then she’s progressed very well and today can impressively read her sight words. The Nguyen Family
Alexander got an earlier start in the KRK program at the ripe age of 3 months and we could see the developmental difference as he was able to communicate be er with us as a baby through sign language. “We came to choose KRK as an educaon and care program for our kids because of the invi ng and caring environment of the school as well as the very comprehensive academic program. Our oldest daughter, Isabella, started Spanish Lesson
Family Home Project
Each week our Spanish lessons will bring this language to life as we learn about this season in our fundamental focus “Autumn Highlights.” Our objec ves for this month include language and songs that highlight our fundamental focus about pumpkins and signs of Fall. We will learn the following vocabulary with hands on materials and engaging tunes that help us recall the new informa on. Otono—Autumn Arbol—tree Hojas—leafs Calabaza-pumpkin Manzanas –apples For our Fall Fest Ghost Gallery Please enjoy some quality me with your child to create your family ghost out of plas c milk gallon. During our Fall Fest, we will display all the friendly ghosts outdoors with a glow s ck inside. It will be a community created project for everyone’s enjoyment! Please bring in your crea on to your child’s classroom, the teachers will collect them and let the students show off their work! Due Wed, Oct. 22 He also quickly progressed in the last 2 years and today is a jabbering toddler who loves to sing all the songs he learned at school and points out all the things/objects he’s learning in class when we’re out-and-about. It is truly amazing to see his development in what seemed to be such a short me. We’ve had an excellent experience with KRK and the caring staff that keeps the school churning. The order they’re able to keep with so many children and families flowing through the school is amazing. We’ve really enjoyed our me at KRK and the kids have had such a posive learning experience so far.” You can read more about this family on
the display they created in the lobby.
Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Nguyen! Activities Calendar
KIDS R KIDS LAKES ON ELDRIDGE
OCTOBER 201 4
Mon Tue Wed 1 Spanish: 400, 450 Dance Adventures “ THE FIRST STEP TO HIGHER EDUCATIO N”
Thu 2 Fri 3 Music with DoReME! GymSta on: for 300– 600 Gymnas cs 300– 600 Spanish: 500, 350 Sat 4 Kids R Kids Curriculum Improvement Mee ng and Training CDA Training Classroom Themes: At the Doctor’s Office (100-200); Up, Down, and All Around (250); At the Doctor’s Office (300-350); Wheels
and Wings (400-450); Forest Friends (500-600); Barn Dance (Kindergarten)
6 Spanish: 250, 300 Topic: What’s in the Bag? (Fall items) 7 Spanish: 200, 550 8 Spanish: 400, 450 Dance Adventures 9 Music with DoReME!
for 300– 600 10 GymSta on: Gymnas cs 300– 600 Spanish: 500, 350 11 Classroom Themes: Autumn Trees (100-200); Falling Leaves (250); Autumn Trees (300-350); What is in a tree? (400-450); Apples
& Pumpkins(500-600); Get to Know a Scarecrow (Kindergarten)
13 Spanish: 250, 300 Topic: Pumpkins Explora‐
on Kinder Conferences CFISD School Holiday 14 Spanish: 200, 550 15 Spanish: 400,450 Dance Adventures 16 Music with DoReME!
for 300– 600 17 GymSta on: Gymnas cs 300– 600 Spanish: 500, 350 18 CDA Training Classroom Themes: Red Apples (100-200); Scarecrows and Hayrides (250); Red Apples (300-350); Autumn Colors (400-450); In the
Pumpkin Patch (500-600); Growing Vegetable Soup (Kindergarten)
20 Spanish: 250, 300 Topic: Coun ng Pump‐
kins 21 Spanish: 200, 550 22 Spanish: 400, 450 Dance Adventures 23 Music with DoReME!
for 300– 600 24 GymSta on: Gymnas cs 300‐600 Spanish: 500, 350 25 FALL FESTIVAL 7—9 pm Classroom Themes: Orange Pumpkins (100-200); Pumpkin Patch (250); Orange Pumpkins (300-350); All about Apples (400-450);
At the Food Court (500-600); Pumpkin, Pumpkin (Kindergarten)
27 Spanish: 250, 300 Topic: Review the vocab‐
ulary 28 Spanish: 200, 550 29 Dance Adventures Spanish: 400, 450 30 Music with DoReME!
for 300– 600 31 GymSta on: Gymnas cs 300‐600 Spanish: 500, 350 1 Classroom Themes: Spinning Black Spiders (100-200); My Family (250); Black Spiders (300-350); Pumpkins on the Vine (400450); (500-600); Signs at the Store (Kindergarten)