Weekday Program Web site: www.fumcplanoweekday.org

Weekday Update

May 2007

Director's Report

Parents-

It is hard to believe this year is almost over!  The children have all learned and grown so much it is hard to imagine that they are the same little ones who came walking (or strolling, or screaming) in last August. Our teachers have provided the children with many hands-on learning experiences and they have spent the year planning, exploring, building, creating, and imagining. We hope that you have enjoyed watching them learn as much as we have. 

Some of you have asked what you can do through the summer to help your child continue to progress.  Here are a few ideas:

1) Read to your child.  Children who are read to frequently are eager to learn how to read themselves.  They learn to appreciate the written word, the sequencing required for story telling and the functions of print.  Reading to your child is the best way that you can insure that he or she will become an avid reader.

2) Play games with your child.  Game time is a great way to spend time together, have fun and practice skills.  Number recognition, memory, matching, sorting, left to right progression, and one-to-one correspondence are all part of many favorite early childhood games.  In        addition your child will be practicing fine motor skills and following directions. Remember that non-competitive games are best, young children hate to lose!

3) Go places with your child.  Novelty is food for the brain.  Any time your child sees, hears, or experiences something new his or her brain gets a charge.  Even a simple trip to the grocery store can fuel the brain.  Go to the park, to the zoo, on walks, etc. and talk about what you see and hear. This not only gets the brain’s juices flowing, but also helps build vocabulary skills.  

4) Cook with your child.  Cooking offers a great deal of learning experiences. In addition to the wonder of watching something transform, children can practice fine and gross motor skills by pouring, mixing, sifting, etc. They can also practice math skills by measuring, counting and weighing.  It will be years before your child will fully understand the concepts of weight, measurement, time and temperature, but repeated exposure to these concepts now will promote development of these skills. 

Most of all, enjoy your time together.  Have a safe and wonderful summer! 

Thank you to Brandy Gass and Denise Tharp for co-chairing the book fair and to all the parents who helped to make it such a huge success.

We sold almost $4000 in books and will receive over $700 in books for the preschool and $700 cash for the PTC! Wow!

Each child who is returning for the 2007-2008 school year should receive a packet of paperwork this week. Please carefully read the parent handbook as many items have been changed due to updated NAEYC standards.

Paperwork is due back in our office in June. Please be sure to complete all of your paperwork completely. The state requires that all blanks be completed.

 thank you * thank you * thank you * thank you * thank you * thank you  

We would like take a moment to thank our awesome 2006-2007 PTC officers. Kristina Garcia, Brandy Gass, Julie Sides, Kara Cook and Karen Walker have all done an amazing job leading the PTC this year. We are so grateful for their time, energy, creativity and dedication to the Weekday Program.

Shutterfly

Please remember that all the photographs taken throughout the year are available on shutterfly.com. Our webpage is www.weekdayprogram.shutterfly.com

To protect the privacy of all of our children, you will need to get the password from our office.

Family Fun Night

to benefit the Weekday Program PTC

Friday, May 4th-ALL DAY

Boston Market 701 W. 15th St. (by Collin Creek Mall)

Be sure to mention the Weekday Program fundraiser.

Summer Programs

We have limited spaces left in Summer Fun and Little Friends' Place Summer Camp. If you plan to register for the summer, please get your forms to the office as soon as possible to reserve your space.

Mark your Calendars

Items in bold have been added or changed.

May 2007:

1-Half tuition due for May

4-Boston Market Fundraiser

7-Petting Zoo and Popsicles (all ages, during school)

8-Petting Zoo and Popsicles (all ages, during school)

11- Last day of preschool

14-Summer programs begin

June 2007:

30-Enrollment forms due in Weekday Program office

September 2007:

4-Preschool open houses

5-Preschool open houses

6-First day of preschool

6-Full tuition due for September

First United Methodist Church Weekday Program * 3160 E. Spring Creek Parkway Plano, TX 75074

phone 972.423.4910 * fax 972.633.9126