February Newsletter

 The preschoolers have grown and developed so much during the past 5 months in all developmental domains. I am so proud of their achievements. Most of our preschoolers are now familiar with the alphabet and the letter sounds. They are recognizing their numbers, colors, days of the week and so much more. But most importantly, they are learning how to use their words, take turns, share, and are good friends to one another. It is such a precious moment when I see our preschoolers show empathy towards each other and even towards their teachers. They really have come a long way. Our preschoolers are getting really good at writing their names, and are focused and motivated to try new experiences. Thank you parents for your dedication and time to work together to help your child reach their fullest potential.
 
Catholic Schools Week (February 1st to 5th)
Volunteers are still needed for Catholic Schools Week. If you have any ideas or suggestions for any of the days below please contact Gisselle or myself.
                                    Monday - Student Day (Pajama day)
                                    Tuesday - Service Day
                                    Wednesday - Career Day
                                    Thursday - International Day
                                    Friday - Teacher's Day
 
Parent Conferences
Don’t forget! Monday, February 8th is parent conferences. If you have not yet signed up please do so. Conferences will consist of 15 minute sessions for each child between 7:30 am to 11:30 am. Child care will be provided for you during your conference period, if needed. Please keep in mind that also on this day Saint Sebastian School will be closed for Professional Development Day.
 
Valentine’s Day
For the month of February we will be talking about Valentine’s Day/friendships. Our preschoolers will be making their Valentine’sDay mail boxes so please have your child bring 11 Valentine’s Day cards/goodies to pass out to their friends. Please try to keep them gender neutral so that it’s easy to distribute.  Also, our class will be decorating cupcakes and having them for Valentine’s Day snack on Friday, February 12th. Parents, you are more than welcome to bring in your child’s favorite Valentine’s Day snack or decorations this week to share with the class. Please contact Giselle or myself for ways you can help make this Valentine’s Day week exciting and fun for the preschoolers.
 
Father-Daughter Dance
This date has changed, it is now in March
 
Chinese New Year Celebration (Year of the Monkey)
February 18th, our preschoolers will be celebrating Chinese New Year along with TK-8th graders. This is a huge annual event and all friends and families of Saint Sebastian preschool are welcome to come and celebrate with us. The whole school will be parading outside on the big yard with preschoolers leading the wayand each class will be performing something that they learned in Mandarin class. For lunch, the school will cater Chinese food from a local restaurant. To help pay for the cost of this celebration, I am asking a suggested donation of $5 from each student (money left over will be used to pay for activities). Please bring in $5 by Feb 12th so that we can plan accordingly for this event.Our preschoolers have been attending Chinese class with Ms. Graves four days a week and have been practicing really hard. They are excited to show everyone what they have learned in Chinese class so parents, don’t miss out on this special event! Please dress your child up in red clothing on this day. It is said that the color red is commonly worn throughout the Chinese New Year because it was once believed that red could scare away evil spirits and bad fortune. You are more than welcome to dress yourself up for the occasion and join in.
 
(Note from Ms. Jill)
 
Dear Preschool Families,
 
January sure did fly right on by!  As we move into February, we will be participating in lots of fun events such as our special themed days during Catholic Schools Week, designing valentines, and Chinese New Year festivities.  This month's themes will consist of: Catholic Schools Week, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, and All About Shapes.  We will continue to focus on numbers 1-10 and start using 10-frames!  Our alphabet language development will stem from letters R, S, and T.  If you would like to join us for any activities, as always, please don't hesitate to contact us and let us know :)
 
- Ms. Jill
 
Important Reminders:
February 8th - Professional Development Day (School Closed)
February 8th - Parent/Teacher Conferences @ 7:30am to 11:30am
February 15th- President's Day - School Closed
February 18th - Chinese New Year Celebration @ 10:00am
 
Sincerely,
Yuli Mihara