Note from Principal
October is here and I’d like to welcome all our new and returning children and families to Discovery Isle Ted Williams. Over the next few weeks, you will continue to meet new friends joining us. Fall season is here and we are ready to celebrate with our fun October theme days. We decided this year on Friday, October 29th, that we will have just the children and teachers dress up, parade and trick or treat in each other’s classrooms on Friday, October 29th. We will be asking for donations of (small fun items to pass out in the classrooms). Thank you, a head of time, for your donations.
Links to Learning is continuing in the classrooms and the children are busy exploring their environments. As I did my thank you walk this last week, I observed children socializing, exploring, laughing with their friends, and engaged learning. It’s wonderful to see everyone having such a good time, while they learn new skills.
I would like to thank my team teachers that have been so dedicated this last year and continue to work hard every day. We are excited to continue building our team and we welcome Miss Annjeanett, that has joined our team this month. As we continue to grow with enrollment, we are confident that we will find wonderful Early Childhood Educators, as our school year continues.
Be safe, Mrs. Melinda Carvalho
Here are reminders:
Extra Clothing Reminder
If you’ve not already done so, please send in an extra set of weather appropriate clothes for your child. Extra clothing must be brought to school in a Ziplock bag. No loose items can be stored in your child’s cubby.
Links 2 Home
If you’re not currently receiving photos and daily reports for your child, you can easily change this by downloading the Links 2 Home app on your phone. Just type ‘Links 2 Home’ in the search bar for the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading, you can register with the same email address that you used to enroll your child in our school.
Online Parent Communication
In addition to our newsletter the ‘For Parents’ section of our website also includes links to our menu, monthly calendar and school year calendar. We update these items frequently to ensure you’re always in the know. Though we send information through Links 2 Home, our calendar can be printed or even downloaded directly to your device. Our menu and school year calendar can be printed or saved for easy reference as well.
· Monthly Calendar
· Menu
· School Year Calendar
Updating your Information in Alma
Do you have a different email address or phone number? Need to add or remove an emergency contact? You can do this at any time in Alma. If you need help logging in or accessing the system please let us know.
Love Our School? Review Us!
In today’s connected world, many families turn to online reviews to learn more about the reputation of schools. Just a reminder that you can find our school on Facebook, Google, Yelp and other online directories. We’d love more families like yours, so please consider spreading the word about our school.
SCHOOL SURVEY COMING this month!
Look for the letter followed by an email from Spring Education SEG coming in your inbox, junk, spam this next couple weeks for our school survey. We always appreciate your feedback.
FSA receipts
If you would like to request an FSA monthly or YTD tuition invoice, please send to Jessica.herbers@discoveryisle.com. They will be printed on Fridays.
A few friendly reminders …….
Illness Policy Reminder:
Our parents are vital partners in helping us to maintain a safe and healthy environment for the students in our school. The most important thing you can do to assist us in creating a healthy environment is to keep your child home if they are ill. This reduces the spread of illness and allows your child to fully recuperate. Children may not attend school until they have been symptom free for 24 hours if they display any of the following:
· Fever of 100 degrees of more—must be fever free for over 48 hours with no fever-reducing medicine before returning to school
· Vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach upset
· Heavy nasal discharge requiring wiping every 3-5 minutes
· Persistent, non-productive, or barking cough
· Sore throat
· Skin rash, including diaper rash
· Head lice
· Symptoms of a communicable disease
· Fussy, cranky behavior unlike child’s normal demeanor that may indicate illness
For more information please see our Parent Handbook or reach out to a member of our administrative team.
Parking Lot Safety
Please remember not to leave any valuables in your car (including your children) when entering our building or any other location.
Rules for Vehicles While On School Parking lot grounds: Because the safety of our children is of paramount concern to us, we require all parents to adhere to the following rules of the road while on campus:
1. There is a 5 miles per hour speed limit at all times while on school property.
2. Park in designated parking spaces only. Handicap space is open for ONLY handicap people.
3. While on school grounds, pedestrians always have the right of way.
4. Vehicle ignitions MUST be turned off, and the keys removed, while parked on school grounds.
5. Children may NOT be left unattended in a vehicle at any time or for any reason.
6. Violations of these rules may result in a warning. If a violation is serious, or if violations continue, school personnel are authorized to take a tag number for a report to the local police.
Tuition Policy Reminder:
· Tuition is due by the 5th of each month. Tuition is continuous throughout the year. There are no deductions in tuition for absences, illness, covid closure or the holidays that are observed throughout the year. Each child is entitled to one week of vacation credit for each school year after attending school for six months. Requests for vacation credit must be presented in writing to the office at least two weeks in advance.
· Late pick up: A charge of $1 per minute will be assessed for children picked-up after 6:00pm.
· Sign up for our Automatic Payment Program and avoid late fee charges via your parent portal, ALMA! You can also use this portal to submit payments via credit card.
· We encourage you all parents to sign into your parent portal, ALMA, to view your account, print statements, make payments, and update contact information. ALMA is an online platform that can be reached from this website from the “For Parents” tab. Please see an administrative staff member if you need help setting up your account or a password reset.
Additional Reminders:
· Please make sure that your child has a crib-sized fitted sheet to cover his/her mat, a blanket, and at least two spare set of clothing in his/her cubby. On Fridays, you must take blankets and sheets home to be laundered and return them on Mondays. Please check with your child’s teacher for soiled clothing or other items that may need to be taken home. Please also make sure all items are clearly marked with your child’s name (clothing, sheets, blankets, sweaters and jackets, towels and bathing suits, etc.).
· We ask that your child wear appropriate shoes to School in order to protect them for potential injuries. Flip Flops are not permitted at school.
· Allergies: Our school is having more children attend that are allergic to nuts, eggs and other items. If your classroom has children with allergies, we will notify and POST on the classroom front window. We appreciate your collaboration, as these classrooms will be NUT and EGG FREE classrooms. Thank you.
Join us for our Virtual Potty Training Workshop on October 27 from 1:00 PM PDT / 4:00 PM EST
Are you ready to take that next step? Do you need ideas or support to make your child’s potty training a success? Learn tips and techniques to ensure a successful, positive experience. Register today at https://conta.cc/3ywftwW.
New On Our Preschool Blog
Ways to Encourage Your Child’s Speech and Language Development at Home
Speech and language skills support children’s ability to communicate and engage with others, express and understand feelings, and help them understand the world around them.
Our teachers encourage speech and language development by creating a literacy-rich environment filled with pictures, books and words, and modeling language usage on a continuous basis. In our classrooms, books are readily accessible, materials are labeled with photos and words, and children’s writing attempts are apparent. The constant access to expressive and receptive literature encourages children to explore printed text, listen for new vocabulary, make connections between printed words and illustrations, and to ask questions.
Below are some age-appropriate activities you can try with your child at home.
Infants & Toddlers (0-2 years)
· Encourage your child to make sounds back to you (i.e., “ma,” “da,” “ba”).
· Point out colors and shapes in books and in your environment.
· Gather a group of toy animals and sing “Old MacDonald.” Hold up each animal as you say its name and sound. Encourage your child to sing along and say the names of the animals with you.
· When your child begins to speak, repeat their words and add a word or two. Point to a toy car and ask what it is. When they respond “car,” say, “Yes, that is a bright red car.”
Beginners & Intermediates (2-4 years)
· Read a favorite book with your child. Ask questions about the characters and key events.
· Put on a play with dolls or puppets. Encourage your child to narrate and have conversations with you.
· Take a walk outdoors and ask your child questions about the weather, animals you see and sounds you hear.
· During a time with limited distractions (i.e., bath time or dinner), ask your child to talk about their day. Use questions like, “Who did you play with today?” and “What did you draw at school?”
Pre-K & Pre-K2 (4-5 years)
· Ask your child to make up their own short story and tell it aloud.
· Encourage your child to tell you how to do something, such as make a sandwich or draw a picture. This will help them communicate something they wouldn’t normally think about.
· While shopping, ask your child to describe each item you buy. Listen for words like “small” and “large,” “round” and “square,” and “heavy” and “light.”
· Practice writing, language and memory by pretending you and your child are at a restaurant. Encourage them to fulfill orders by writing down what you say.
October 2021 Newsletter
Note from Principal
October is here and I’d like to welcome all our new and returning children and families to Discovery Isle Ted Williams. Over the next few weeks, you will continue to meet new friends joining us. Fall season is here and we are ready to celebrate with our fun October theme days. We decided this year on Friday, October 29th, that we will have just the children and teachers dress up, parade and trick or treat in each other’s classrooms on Friday, October 29th. We will be asking for donations of (small fun items to pass out in the classrooms). Thank you, a head of time, for your donations.
Links to Learning is continuing in the classrooms and the children are busy exploring their environments. As I did my thank you walk this last week, I observed children socializing, exploring, laughing with their friends, and engaged learning. It’s wonderful to see everyone having such a good time, while they learn new skills.
I would like to thank my team teachers that have been so dedicated this last year and continue to work hard every day. We are excited to continue building our team and we welcome Miss Annjeanett, that has joined our team this month. As we continue to grow with enrollment, we are confident that we will find wonderful Early Childhood Educators, as our school year continues.
Be safe, Mrs. Melinda Carvalho
Here are reminders:
Extra Clothing Reminder
If you’ve not already done so, please send in an extra set of weather appropriate clothes for your child. Extra clothing must be brought to school in a Ziplock bag. No loose items can be stored in your child’s cubby.
Links 2 Home
If you’re not currently receiving photos and daily reports for your child, you can easily change this by downloading the Links 2 Home app on your phone. Just type ‘Links 2 Home’ in the search bar for the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading, you can register with the same email address that you used to enroll your child in our school.
Online Parent Communication
In addition to our newsletter the ‘For Parents’ section of our website also includes links to our menu, monthly calendar and school year calendar. We update these items frequently to ensure you’re always in the know. Though we send information through Links 2 Home, our calendar can be printed or even downloaded directly to your device. Our menu and school year calendar can be printed or saved for easy reference as well.
· Monthly Calendar
· Menu
· School Year Calendar
Updating your Information in Alma
Do you have a different email address or phone number? Need to add or remove an emergency contact? You can do this at any time in Alma. If you need help logging in or accessing the system please let us know.
Love Our School? Review Us!
In today’s connected world, many families turn to online reviews to learn more about the reputation of schools. Just a reminder that you can find our school on Facebook, Google, Yelp and other online directories. We’d love more families like yours, so please consider spreading the word about our school.
SCHOOL SURVEY COMING this month!
Look for the letter followed by an email from Spring Education SEG coming in your inbox, junk, spam this next couple weeks for our school survey. We always appreciate your feedback.
FSA receipts
If you would like to request an FSA monthly or YTD tuition invoice, please send to Jessica.herbers@discoveryisle.com. They will be printed on Fridays.
A few friendly reminders …….
Illness Policy Reminder:
Our parents are vital partners in helping us to maintain a safe and healthy environment for the students in our school. The most important thing you can do to assist us in creating a healthy environment is to keep your child home if they are ill. This reduces the spread of illness and allows your child to fully recuperate. Children may not attend school until they have been symptom free for 24 hours if they display any of the following:
· Fever of 100 degrees of more—must be fever free for over 48 hours with no fever-reducing medicine before returning to school
· Vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach upset
· Heavy nasal discharge requiring wiping every 3-5 minutes
· Persistent, non-productive, or barking cough
· Sore throat
· Skin rash, including diaper rash
· Head lice
· Symptoms of a communicable disease
· Fussy, cranky behavior unlike child’s normal demeanor that may indicate illness
For more information please see our Parent Handbook or reach out to a member of our administrative team.
Parking Lot Safety
Please remember not to leave any valuables in your car (including your children) when entering our building or any other location.
Rules for Vehicles While On School Parking lot grounds: Because the safety of our children is of paramount concern to us, we require all parents to adhere to the following rules of the road while on campus:
1. There is a 5 miles per hour speed limit at all times while on school property.
2. Park in designated parking spaces only. Handicap space is open for ONLY handicap people.
3. While on school grounds, pedestrians always have the right of way.
4. Vehicle ignitions MUST be turned off, and the keys removed, while parked on school grounds.
5. Children may NOT be left unattended in a vehicle at any time or for any reason.
6. Violations of these rules may result in a warning. If a violation is serious, or if violations continue, school personnel are authorized to take a tag number for a report to the local police.
Tuition Policy Reminder:
· Tuition is due by the 5th of each month. Tuition is continuous throughout the year. There are no deductions in tuition for absences, illness, covid closure or the holidays that are observed throughout the year. Each child is entitled to one week of vacation credit for each school year after attending school for six months. Requests for vacation credit must be presented in writing to the office at least two weeks in advance.
· Late pick up: A charge of $1 per minute will be assessed for children picked-up after 6:00pm.
· Sign up for our Automatic Payment Program and avoid late fee charges via your parent portal, ALMA! You can also use this portal to submit payments via credit card.
· We encourage you all parents to sign into your parent portal, ALMA, to view your account, print statements, make payments, and update contact information. ALMA is an online platform that can be reached from this website from the “For Parents” tab. Please see an administrative staff member if you need help setting up your account or a password reset.
Additional Reminders:
· Please make sure that your child has a crib-sized fitted sheet to cover his/her mat, a blanket, and at least two spare set of clothing in his/her cubby. On Fridays, you must take blankets and sheets home to be laundered and return them on Mondays. Please check with your child’s teacher for soiled clothing or other items that may need to be taken home. Please also make sure all items are clearly marked with your child’s name (clothing, sheets, blankets, sweaters and jackets, towels and bathing suits, etc.).
· We ask that your child wear appropriate shoes to School in order to protect them for potential injuries. Flip Flops are not permitted at school.
· Allergies: Our school is having more children attend that are allergic to nuts, eggs and other items. If your classroom has children with allergies, we will notify and POST on the classroom front window. We appreciate your collaboration, as these classrooms will be NUT and EGG FREE classrooms. Thank you.
Join us for our Virtual Potty Training Workshop on October 27 from 1:00 PM PDT / 4:00 PM EST
Are you ready to take that next step? Do you need ideas or support to make your child’s potty training a success? Learn tips and techniques to ensure a successful, positive experience. Register today at https://conta.cc/3ywftwW.
New On Our Preschool Blog
Ways to Encourage Your Child’s Speech and Language Development at Home
Speech and language skills support children’s ability to communicate and engage with others, express and understand feelings, and help them understand the world around them.
Our teachers encourage speech and language development by creating a literacy-rich environment filled with pictures, books and words, and modeling language usage on a continuous basis. In our classrooms, books are readily accessible, materials are labeled with photos and words, and children’s writing attempts are apparent. The constant access to expressive and receptive literature encourages children to explore printed text, listen for new vocabulary, make connections between printed words and illustrations, and to ask questions.
Below are some age-appropriate activities you can try with your child at home.
Infants & Toddlers (0-2 years)
· Encourage your child to make sounds back to you (i.e., “ma,” “da,” “ba”).
· Point out colors and shapes in books and in your environment.
· Gather a group of toy animals and sing “Old MacDonald.” Hold up each animal as you say its name and sound. Encourage your child to sing along and say the names of the animals with you.
· When your child begins to speak, repeat their words and add a word or two. Point to a toy car and ask what it is. When they respond “car,” say, “Yes, that is a bright red car.”
Beginners & Intermediates (2-4 years)
· Read a favorite book with your child. Ask questions about the characters and key events.
· Put on a play with dolls or puppets. Encourage your child to narrate and have conversations with you.
· Take a walk outdoors and ask your child questions about the weather, animals you see and sounds you hear.
· During a time with limited distractions (i.e., bath time or dinner), ask your child to talk about their day. Use questions like, “Who did you play with today?” and “What did you draw at school?”
Pre-K & Pre-K2 (4-5 years)
· Ask your child to make up their own short story and tell it aloud.
· Encourage your child to tell you how to do something, such as make a sandwich or draw a picture. This will help them communicate something they wouldn’t normally think about.
· While shopping, ask your child to describe each item you buy. Listen for words like “small” and “large,” “round” and “square,” and “heavy” and “light.”
· Practice writing, language and memory by pretending you and your child are at a restaurant. Encourage them to fulfill orders by writing down what you say.