FROM THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Good times were had but It’s time to get back to normal! A BIG WELCOME goes out to all our new families that have joined our Discovery Isle.
A huge thank you goes out to all our giving parents who participated in our food drive! I know all your contributions have helped put a smile on the faces of many local families. We thank you for your kindness and continued support.
It was so wonderful to see so many of our families attend our annual Winter Wonderland Festival! Watching the joy on all your little ones faces made the night extra special. We hope you had as much fun as we did.
We plan to start off the New Year pretty mellow. Time flies and before you know it more school events will be coming! This month we have several “Discovery Isle Spirit Days” planned, as well as children assessments, registrations time for soon to be Kindergartners, registration for summer camp (applies to school age children) will be coming up in February and lastly tax season! Maybe it’s not such a mellow month after all! All forms will be ready for at the front desk.
The New Year brings new beginnings and new friends to form future memories. We look forward to sharing these with you and your family for the 2016 year.
Until next month.. Christy Lang
——————————————————————————-
Back by popular demand!!!
Kid’s Day Out
Sat, Jan. 23rd
10:00am to 2:00pm
$25/ $20 siblings
Invite your friends & family.
Lunch included, bring a party attitude!
Interest list for under 2 years old
——————————————————————————-
DISCOVERY ISLE CAMP
DON’T MISS OUT! DISCOVERY ISLE IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY!
What do you do with your School Age child when schools out?!
DISCOVERY ISLE CAMP! That’s what!
Camp will begin on
January 4th & go until the 11th & again on the 18th.
That’s a couple of weeks of bonding with buddies & awesome activities!
——————————————————————————-
FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
The Value of Visual Art Activities for Your Preschooler
Visual art experiences help children develop skills such as critical thinking, self-expression, problem-solving, communication and collaboration. Our teachers focus on process-based art education, in which the experience of creating art is valued over the end product.
In our classrooms, teachers integrate art into many aspects of our Links to Learning curriculum. After reading a book about polar bears, teachers might ask students to create their own polar bears using sponges, paint, markers and paper. They encourage students to talk about their art, providing a great opportunity to learn new vocabulary, particularly words related to colors, shapes, textures, and emotions.
Our students are also exposed to and inspired by famous artwork. In order to cultivate that fascination, we discuss famous artists and art works and ask students to create replicas of well-known paintings and sculptures. For example, after learning about Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, teachers mimic the activity in the classroom.
They tape paper underneath tables, and students practice painting a masterpiece while lying down.
Below are visual art activities you and your child can do at home, as well as recommended reading.
At Home:
Provide your child with finger paint, a large piece of paper and a smock. Let him create a masterpiece. Talk about how the paint feels and what colors and shapes he creates on the paper.
Start a journal with your child. Have him draw a picture of something that happened during the day. Avoid giving direction. Instead of saying “Draw a picture of your teacher and classmates,” encourage him to experiment using different colored markers or crayons. If age appropriate, ask your child to write a few words to describe the picture.
Give your child a piece of paper and a box of crayons or markers. Show him how to use the materials to make dots, lines and swirls on the paper. Let him take over and have fun. Encourage conversation about your child’s art by saying, “Tell me about what you made” or “I see you used a lot of blue in your picture. Why did you choose that color?”
Ask your child to decorate a sign for his bedroom door using various art materials. Have him write his name on the sign.
Recommended Reading:
The Dot by Peter Reynolds
Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
Art by Patrick McDonnell
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
Mix It Up by Herve Tullet
It is wonderful to share the joy that children naturally take in using art materials. Giving children extra opportunities to connect art to the world around them, contributes to happiness and future success in elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
——————————————————————————–
MS. CHRISTY’S CRAFT CORNER
This is my obsession…CRAFTS! Pinterest, Martha Stewart, Spoonful.com, I love them all. They share such wonderful ideas as well as a lot are free if you-do-it-yourself. And let me tell you, if I can do it so can you too! Here’s a great keepsake project to do with your child.
New Years Time Capsule
Add photos, toys, letters, and other fun keepsakes.
It’s a great activity for kids and parents to do together.
Supplies needed:
Time capsule label
Jar or shoe box
Small memorabilia
How to make it:
Choose a label that will fit the size of your container and fill in the following information. The date you will seal the time capsule, the date you will open the capsule and your last name. Glue the label onto your time capsule container. Fill your capsule with small photos, coins, letters or keepsakes. Seal your container and place into a plastic bag to protect it. Find a nice spot to bury your time capsule or hide it in a secret nook in your home. Dig it up the next year.
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January News 2016
FROM THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Good times were had but It’s time to get back to normal! A BIG WELCOME goes out to all our new families that have joined our Discovery Isle.
A huge thank you goes out to all our giving parents who participated in our food drive! I know all your contributions have helped put a smile on the faces of many local families. We thank you for your kindness and continued support.
It was so wonderful to see so many of our families attend our annual Winter Wonderland Festival! Watching the joy on all your little ones faces made the night extra special. We hope you had as much fun as we did.
We plan to start off the New Year pretty mellow. Time flies and before you know it more school events will be coming! This month we have several “Discovery Isle Spirit Days” planned, as well as children assessments, registrations time for soon to be Kindergartners, registration for summer camp (applies to school age children) will be coming up in February and lastly tax season! Maybe it’s not such a mellow month after all! All forms will be ready for at the front desk.
The New Year brings new beginnings and new friends to form future memories. We look forward to sharing these with you and your family for the 2016 year.
Until next month.. Christy Lang
——————————————————————————-
Back by popular demand!!!
Kid’s Day Out
Sat, Jan. 23rd
10:00am to 2:00pm
$25/ $20 siblings
Invite your friends & family.
Lunch included, bring a party attitude!
Interest list for under 2 years old
——————————————————————————-
DISCOVERY ISLE CAMP
DON’T MISS OUT! DISCOVERY ISLE IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY!
What do you do with your School Age child when schools out?!
DISCOVERY ISLE CAMP! That’s what!
Camp will begin on
January 4th & go until the 11th & again on the 18th.
That’s a couple of weeks of bonding with buddies & awesome activities!
——————————————————————————-
FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
The Value of Visual Art Activities for Your Preschooler
Visual art experiences help children develop skills such as critical thinking, self-expression, problem-solving, communication and collaboration. Our teachers focus on process-based art education, in which the experience of creating art is valued over the end product.
In our classrooms, teachers integrate art into many aspects of our Links to Learning curriculum. After reading a book about polar bears, teachers might ask students to create their own polar bears using sponges, paint, markers and paper. They encourage students to talk about their art, providing a great opportunity to learn new vocabulary, particularly words related to colors, shapes, textures, and emotions.
Our students are also exposed to and inspired by famous artwork. In order to cultivate that fascination, we discuss famous artists and art works and ask students to create replicas of well-known paintings and sculptures. For example, after learning about Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, teachers mimic the activity in the classroom.
They tape paper underneath tables, and students practice painting a masterpiece while lying down.
Below are visual art activities you and your child can do at home, as well as recommended reading.
At Home:
Provide your child with finger paint, a large piece of paper and a smock. Let him create a masterpiece. Talk about how the paint feels and what colors and shapes he creates on the paper.
Start a journal with your child. Have him draw a picture of something that happened during the day. Avoid giving direction. Instead of saying “Draw a picture of your teacher and classmates,” encourage him to experiment using different colored markers or crayons. If age appropriate, ask your child to write a few words to describe the picture.
Give your child a piece of paper and a box of crayons or markers. Show him how to use the materials to make dots, lines and swirls on the paper. Let him take over and have fun. Encourage conversation about your child’s art by saying, “Tell me about what you made” or “I see you used a lot of blue in your picture. Why did you choose that color?”
Ask your child to decorate a sign for his bedroom door using various art materials. Have him write his name on the sign.
Recommended Reading:
The Dot by Peter Reynolds
Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
Art by Patrick McDonnell
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
Mix It Up by Herve Tullet
It is wonderful to share the joy that children naturally take in using art materials. Giving children extra opportunities to connect art to the world around them, contributes to happiness and future success in elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
——————————————————————————–
MS. CHRISTY’S CRAFT CORNER
This is my obsession…CRAFTS! Pinterest, Martha Stewart, Spoonful.com, I love them all. They share such wonderful ideas as well as a lot are free if you-do-it-yourself. And let me tell you, if I can do it so can you too! Here’s a great keepsake project to do with your child.
New Years Time Capsule
Add photos, toys, letters, and other fun keepsakes.
It’s a great activity for kids and parents to do together.
Supplies needed:
Time capsule label
Jar or shoe box
Small memorabilia
How to make it:
Choose a label that will fit the size of your container and fill in the following information. The date you will seal the time capsule, the date you will open the capsule and your last name. Glue the label onto your time capsule container. Fill your capsule with small photos, coins, letters or keepsakes. Seal your container and place into a plastic bag to protect it. Find a nice spot to bury your time capsule or hide it in a secret nook in your home. Dig it up the next year.