FROM the DIRECTOR
October 2017
The children are settling into preschool. The new children are learning to trust their teachers, figuring out the routine of the day, exploring new materials, and making new friends. The returning children are comfortable exploring their new classrooms and making new friends.
In the Bee class the children were painting with magnets. The paper was sitting on top of a box, children spooned some paint onto the paper, and placed a magnetic ball on 
the paint. Using a magnetic wand the children moved the ball from inside the box resulting in a lovely painting. It was a challenge for the children to get the concept of moving the ball from underneath. This project helped develop eye-hand coordination, introduced the concept of magnets, and added a new dimension to creating art.
There are spots available in PlayBall. PlayBall is a comprehensive sports and movement program geared towards young children. Classes are taught on Monday and Tuesday upstairs in the Faith Family Center. Heather Hansen is the owner and coach. She has been teaching classes here for many years. There are sign-up sheets in the preschool office. You can call Heather for more information at 925-997-1768.
FINALLY we got sinks for the art studio! There is a low sink for the children to wash their hands and a deep sink for the teachers to wash all the art materials.
REMINDER: If your child is coming to Early Care, Lunch Bunch, or After Care you sign-in on the clipboard in the preschool office. When you come pick up your child the clipboard will be on the playground. When taking your child to Early Care please go to one of the teachers, tell them your child is here, and you have signed them in. A full signature is required whenever signing in/out.
The outdoor community classroom (AKA playground) is set up just as purposefully as the indoor classrooms. The teachers set up water play the first couple weeks of school because it is a very calming activity and helpful for those children who may be feeling a little anxious being away from their parents. 
Water play also lets the children explore concepts like volume, gravity, and bouyancy. Children need to first experience things before they can grasp the explanation, like why things float. Preschool is all about the exploration of the child’s world.
I have talked to the software company about the tuition statements being received by some families but not others. I learned that now I can see in my outlook sent file if your statement was emailed. So I can confirm it went from my computer to your server. If it isn’t in your spam folder there may be something in your filtering setting that’s keeping the email from being received. I am emailed tuition statements today. I sent them in 2 batches this time to see if that makes any difference. If you don’t receive it please let me know.
The College Park Preschool Parent Group meets once a month to plan activities for the school. Please join the group, we can use your help in big and small ways. The meeting dates for the year are: October 4 at 9:15am, November 1 at 7:00pm, December 6 at 9:15am, January 4 at 7:00pm, February 7 at 9:15am, March 7 at 7:00pm, April 4 at 9:15am, and May 9 at 7:00pm.
I post reminders for you on the main gate, please take time to read them. I leave them up for a week or less and try to change the color of paper so you know it isn’t the same message you already read.
Open House at Preschool will be October 20 at 6:00pm for the M-W-F classes and October 24 at 6:00pm for the T-TH classes. This is a time to explore the classroom with your child, meet other families and have a brief chat with your teachers. The art studio and playground will not be open.
I will be out of town Thursday and Friday visiting family in Spokane Washington. Susan Gonzales will be in the office in my absence.
If a teacher is indeed wise she does not bid you
to enter the house of her wisdom, but rather leads
you to the threshold of your own mind.
Kahlil Gribran
In the fall we add pumpkins and hay bales to the outdoor community classroom (AKA playground). The children uses baskets, bikes, wagons, and hands to move them from place to place. In the class rooms they have seen and felt the texture of different pumpkins, cut open different colored pumpkins and made guesses about the color of the inside of the them. One class made guesses about whether a pumpkin will sink or float in a water; what is your guess? Pumpkins float.
On October 14 we had our first annual All School Picnic sponsored by the parent group. Allied Gardens Park was a beautiful setting and the weather was perfect! Preschoolers, siblings, and grandparents created BIG bubbles, had their arms airbrushed with various characters, got to know one another, and ate light snacks.
The space is also designed to be easily cleaned, durable to ‘living’ outdoors, and maintained with a minimum of effort! Designs can vary! The idea would be to place the Mud Kitchen in the nature space, using repurposed materials (e.g. palettes)