Railroad I/T January Birthdays
January 27, 2012 by Megan Haight · Leave a Comment
The following children celebrated their birthdays in January:
January 7th: Henry
January 15th: Lena
January 31st: Luke
We hope you all had wonderful birthdays!
Railroad I/T February Calendar
January 27, 2012 by Megan Haight · Leave a Comment
Greetings Families,
Please take note of the following events in February:
2/1: Laine’s Birthday
2/7: Fire Drill 4:15 p.m.
2/9: Tammy Holley 10:15 and 10:45
2/17: Whitney is Off
2/20: Tammy Holley 10:15 and 10:45
Railroad I/T Sign-in/Sign-out Reminder
January 27, 2012 by Megan Haight · Leave a Comment
Greetings Families,
Please be sure to sign your child in and out each day on the sheets located in their classrooms. Besides our own goal to keep accurate records of the children’s attendance, we are also coming up on our licensing renewal. Signing children in and out is a state requirement. We are fortunate to have a representative from licensing who is very thorough, and we want to have everything ready for her! Please see your family group teacher if you are unsure of the location of your child’s sign in/out sheet.
We are nearing the end of transitions, so transitioning children should be settled into their new rooms. Cubbies have been moved, and sign in/out sheets will be updated next week. Be sure to sign your child in and out in their new classroom!
Thank you,
Megan Haight
Pond Preschool – Week of January 23, 2012
January 27, 2012 by Harmony Smargon · Leave a Comment
In the pictures above you will get a good idea of what was worked on this week. The children love it when we document their work with pictures.
In the classroom the children have been building with big blocks and with small and big legos. Some children have made trains and some have tried making the “tallest tower.” There was a lot of talk about which is taller? Which is longer? And how many blocks did you use? Many of these creations went right to the save counter and have been added to and used all week.
Well – we have been enjoying the back and forth weather. When there is snow the children have fun sledding, shoveling and moving it all around. When there has been rain, the children have enjoyed splashing in puddles and pulling each other in wagons. On Monday our playground had so much standing water that we decided to take the children on a neighborhood walk. The children came back with lots of stories about what and who they saw. Seems like many of our friends from the center enjoyed a neighborhood walk as well.
-Harmony
Pond Infants and Toddlers: Welcome!
January 27, 2012 by Jamie Halliday · Leave a Comment
Hello Families,
During February we will be welcoming a couple of new children!
Ju yu will be joining the Shady Spot classroom while Edwin will be joining the Cozy Cove classroom!
Please be sure to stop in and say hello! Have a great week!
-Pond I/T Staff
Railroad Preschool: Winter is here
January 20, 2012 by Laurie Sheibels · Leave a Comment
Hello, Parents.
Even though the temperature has been really cold outside, the children have taken an interest in fun ice activities in the room. First we experimented with temperature as we talked about how it was raining one day and snowing the next. We then sprinkled salt on a big cube of ice and watched it work its melting magic as the day went on. There were many comments like, “That stuff made the ice go away.” “The salt melted the ice. It’s now all wet.” “I think it might be warm in here, the ice is all gone.”
The children also seemed to enjoy “saving” the animals that were stuck in the ice by using hammers and other tools to break the ice apart. After the animals were saved, the children dried them off with paper towel and lined them along the window sill.
Another big interest in the room right now is cars. We just brought in new matchbox cars for our room because so many children were bringing cars from home. The Cars 2 movie has sspurred this interest and many children have been sharing parts of the movie with others.
As some of you have noticed, we are transitioning two toddlers into our room. They have been enjoying their time in the preschool room and we are happy to have them. This may be the reason you may have seen an extra teacher in our room the last couple weeks. Beginning January 30, Silas and Sylvie will officially become Preschoolers. Sylvie will be joining Laurie’s small group and Silas will be joining Jerod’s.
Enjoy the winter weather,
Laurie
Director Notes
January 19, 2012 by Laura Griswold · Leave a Comment
I have a few reminders and updates to share with all of you. I sure hope your new year is off to a wonderful start.
Outdoor Clothing Dilemma
This unusual winter weather we are having has created very wet outdoor conditions. Since we take children outside at least twice a day, often by the first time they are out in the morning their winter gear is wet. We have stocked up on extra GH gear and teachers are being mindful of low ground and extremely wet areas, but we need your help. Here are a few things that would make things smoother for everyone:
- Label all of your child’s winter gear.
- If wet clothes are sent home, please send them back on their next scheduled day.
- When Gretchen’s House extra gear comes home, please return it on your child’s next scheduled day.
- Waterproof or water-resistant gloves and snowpants can help minimize the moisture absorbed and keep children warmer. It is the gear of choice in wet and snowy weather.
- Feel free to donate extra items you may have that don’t fit your child anymore.
We appreciate your patience as teachers navigate through the day, keeping track of dozens of gloves, hats, boots and snowpants and, of course, your child! Labeling will help and prompt return of items will ensure that your child is comfortable as they explore the wonders of the outdoors in our unpredictable Michigan climate.
Emergency Card Updates
We want to be sure we have your most up to date, currrent contact information. Many families have experienced new health insurance changes, friends moving in and out of the area who were emergency contacts, etc. Please take a minute to come up to the desk and check your card. Thank you!
Tax Statements
Your end of he year tax statements are printed and ready. For your privacy, we are not putting them in mailboxes. Please stop up at the desk and get your copy at your earliest convenience.
Parking
As the weather gets colder, people are sometimes tempted to keep their cars running. For safety reasons, please make sure to turn your cars off when you enter the building. Also, do not leave any children in the car unattended. There have recent robberies in the area that have targeted child care centers. In one instance an older sibling was in the car when a parent’s purse was stolen. Thank you for your attention to this issue.
Stay warm and dry!
Laura
Garden Preschool: January Calendar
January 13, 2012 by Marie Gaab · Leave a Comment
Hello Garden Preschool Families!
Here is the January Calendar.
Garden Preschool January 2012 Calendar
-Marie
Pond Infants and Toddlers: Reminders for the week of January 16, 2012!
January 12, 2012 by Jamie Halliday · Leave a Comment
Hello families,
Please remember that the center will be closed for staff training on Monday, January 16!
Enjoy your week!
-Pond I/T Staff
Pond Preschool – Welcome Back!
January 9, 2012 by Harmony Smargon · Leave a Comment

Isaya joins Ms. Kristen and the Blue Group.
WELCOME TO PRESCHOOL, ISAYA!
Our first week back was fun. The children were excited to see their friends and teachers. There was a lot of talk about the time spent with family and about gifts they recieved. Speaking of gifts, we would like to extend a huge thank you for all of the generous gifts that were given to us. We certainly feel appreciated. We hope that you also enjoyed your gift that your child made for you. There was much excitement about the paintings done for the mugs. “It’s so sparkly!” many children said.
As we move through January, we are not so sure about the snow, (when it will be here?!), but we are sure since we live in Michigan, it will come sooner or later. Make sure you are keeping an eye on the condition of your child’s snowpants and boots — they may need washing and/or drying. We will continue to keep the hats and mittens washed and dryed. Also make sure anything new that you bring into the classroom for your child is labeled clearly with their name. Thanks!
Please let me know if you have any questions!
–Harmony



















