Message from the Principal:
Can you believe the holidays are upon us? Our Halloween costume parade and potlucks were great fun! We saw many Princesses, Super Heroes, Witches, Pirates and even some of our parents joined the fun in costume. Thank you to all our parents who came and helped out in the classrooms. We hope you all had a great time too!
On October 16th, we took part in the Great Shake Out. I have to say all the children and teachers did great! It was quite an endeavor to get everyone under a table, but what an exercise in safety. The children and teachers are well prepared. We will continue our drills throughout the year as well.
Our Original Works Art program is back. You should have received a piece of our child’s artwork that you can save into an item of your choice. These make great holiday gifts and all orders will be back in time for Christmas. The list of items with cost is all in the packet that was sent home at the end of October. Let us know if you have any questions. Please return all orders to the office by Friday, November 7th.
It is time for our Annual Family/Friendship Feast. On Wednesday, November 12, we will have our feast. We will provide the turkey and we will have sign up sheets for side dishes. We ask our families to please donate some side dishes for our feast. Check with your child’s teacher or see the front office staff for more information. And as always, our parents and families are invited to join us for lunch!
Please check out the school calendar for a list of the special activities and spirit days for November.
I wanted to take a moment and thank all of our families for being a part of our community. We thank you for entrusting us with your little one each day! All of us truly enjoy what we do but we can’t do it without you and your committment to us! Thank you again for the opportunity to educate and watch your children grow!
– Ms. Aimee
Important Dates:
- November 2: Daylight Savings Time ends. Set your clocks back.
- November 27-28: CLOSED for Thanksgiving.
Reminders:
- Family Referral Program. Spread the word about Discovery Isle to your friends, neighbors, coworkers. If they enroll and say that you referred them, you will get a referral award of $75. Refer as many families as you like, there are no limits. Thank you for your support!
- Automatic Payment Program. Never write another check for your monthly tuition or pay another late payment fee. Tuition can be automatically deducted from your checking account. You can find more information about ACH in the front office. Sign up today!
- Credit Card Payment. We accept Visa and Mastercard. If you would like to use this option for payment, stop by the office and pick up a form. This option can be used as a one time payment or on a recurring monthly basis. There is a small administrative fee for this convenient option.
From the Education Department:
Enter the World of Imaginative Play
Think of the last time your child pretended that a paper towel roll was a magic wand, or put on a hat and became a cowboy. Young children are naturally wired to learn through imaginative play. Sometimes, imaginative play may appear to be just idle time, unstructured or less productive than educational activities such as music lessons, dance class, or karate. Yet, it is through imaginative play experiences that children make sense of the world, establish important self-regulation skills, and process academic content at a higher level.
Below are some ways that we encourage imaginative play in the classroom and some ideas to try at home.
Provide time for unstructured play. In our classrooms, we give students the opportunity to choose from various structured learning activities, while also allowing time for imaginative play. During circle time, for example, children may become very interested in a story about farm life. The teachers then allow them to go outside, create their own “farm” in the sandbox using props, and pretend to be farmers. Through this activity, children develop cognitive skills such as sustained attention, problem solving and sequential memory. At home, you can make up an indoor campsite with your child using sleeping bags, pillows, toy food, cooking utensils and pots. Ask your child “What should we make for dinner?” or “What games do you want to play while we camp?”
Give children a variety of materials so they can make their own props. In our classrooms, students use cardboard boxes and art supplies to create pirate ships and castles. Some students may create a kitchen out of boxes and pretend to be chefs in their own restaurant. They practice writing skills by creating a menu, and use culinary-themed vocabulary to communicate with their restaurant patrons. By participating in this activity, students practice taking turns, sharing and listening to others. Give your child art supplies and a box at home and see their imagination run wild. Let your child’s interests lead and shape the play.
Engage in imaginative play, but don’t direct it. As children create an imaginative experience, our teachers allow them to make the rules, define the play experience and direct roles. For instance, they may choose a student to decide how the class should move around the room. Should they move around like bumblebees, mice or robots? The teacher doesn’t direct the play, but instead asks questions such as “What can I be?” or “What should I do?” As the students move around, they practice balance, coordination, body control and spatial awareness. You can do the same at home by asking your child to choose a different animal for both of you to imitate.
In summary, imaginative play is not only fun for children but it is vital for their development. It allows children to take the lead in a world that is usually very directed for them, and to learn and play through self-expression.
— Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education
November News
Message from the Principal:
Can you believe the holidays are upon us? Our Halloween costume parade and potlucks were great fun! We saw many Princesses, Super Heroes, Witches, Pirates and even some of our parents joined the fun in costume. Thank you to all our parents who came and helped out in the classrooms. We hope you all had a great time too!
On October 16th, we took part in the Great Shake Out. I have to say all the children and teachers did great! It was quite an endeavor to get everyone under a table, but what an exercise in safety. The children and teachers are well prepared. We will continue our drills throughout the year as well.
Our Original Works Art program is back. You should have received a piece of our child’s artwork that you can save into an item of your choice. These make great holiday gifts and all orders will be back in time for Christmas. The list of items with cost is all in the packet that was sent home at the end of October. Let us know if you have any questions. Please return all orders to the office by Friday, November 7th.
It is time for our Annual Family/Friendship Feast. On Wednesday, November 12, we will have our feast. We will provide the turkey and we will have sign up sheets for side dishes. We ask our families to please donate some side dishes for our feast. Check with your child’s teacher or see the front office staff for more information. And as always, our parents and families are invited to join us for lunch!
Please check out the school calendar for a list of the special activities and spirit days for November.
I wanted to take a moment and thank all of our families for being a part of our community. We thank you for entrusting us with your little one each day! All of us truly enjoy what we do but we can’t do it without you and your committment to us! Thank you again for the opportunity to educate and watch your children grow!
– Ms. Aimee
Important Dates:
Reminders:
From the Education Department:
Enter the World of Imaginative Play
Think of the last time your child pretended that a paper towel roll was a magic wand, or put on a hat and became a cowboy. Young children are naturally wired to learn through imaginative play. Sometimes, imaginative play may appear to be just idle time, unstructured or less productive than educational activities such as music lessons, dance class, or karate. Yet, it is through imaginative play experiences that children make sense of the world, establish important self-regulation skills, and process academic content at a higher level.
Below are some ways that we encourage imaginative play in the classroom and some ideas to try at home.
Provide time for unstructured play. In our classrooms, we give students the opportunity to choose from various structured learning activities, while also allowing time for imaginative play. During circle time, for example, children may become very interested in a story about farm life. The teachers then allow them to go outside, create their own “farm” in the sandbox using props, and pretend to be farmers. Through this activity, children develop cognitive skills such as sustained attention, problem solving and sequential memory. At home, you can make up an indoor campsite with your child using sleeping bags, pillows, toy food, cooking utensils and pots. Ask your child “What should we make for dinner?” or “What games do you want to play while we camp?”
Give children a variety of materials so they can make their own props. In our classrooms, students use cardboard boxes and art supplies to create pirate ships and castles. Some students may create a kitchen out of boxes and pretend to be chefs in their own restaurant. They practice writing skills by creating a menu, and use culinary-themed vocabulary to communicate with their restaurant patrons. By participating in this activity, students practice taking turns, sharing and listening to others. Give your child art supplies and a box at home and see their imagination run wild. Let your child’s interests lead and shape the play.
Engage in imaginative play, but don’t direct it. As children create an imaginative experience, our teachers allow them to make the rules, define the play experience and direct roles. For instance, they may choose a student to decide how the class should move around the room. Should they move around like bumblebees, mice or robots? The teacher doesn’t direct the play, but instead asks questions such as “What can I be?” or “What should I do?” As the students move around, they practice balance, coordination, body control and spatial awareness. You can do the same at home by asking your child to choose a different animal for both of you to imitate.
In summary, imaginative play is not only fun for children but it is vital for their development. It allows children to take the lead in a world that is usually very directed for them, and to learn and play through self-expression.
— Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education