Eaglet Gazette
Enfield Head Start, Integrated Pre-K, PK STEAM Academy
MEET SELC, our mascot! He is an eaglet who will grow up to be an Enfield High School Eagle.
SELC is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for students, families, and staff, regardless of background, nationality, or beliefs. Amid current complex world events, our primary concern remains the well-being and emotional support of ALL members of the SELC community.
October 20, 2023
Many of you have reached out looking for support with establishing strong bedtime routines. Below are some tips from our partners at the Gesell Program in Early Childhood at Yale!
EVERYDAY THINGS TO BUILD IN:
- Take care of you first! This allows you to be the best version of yourself!
- Make sure your child has an active day! (Fresh air and exercise DURING the day)
- Teach self-regulation skills: practice self-soothing, identification of feelings, how to calm down, cooperation, etc.
- Use feeling words
- Make bedtime predictable and consistent
Do's FOR SETTING A BEDTIME ROUTINE:
- Be consistent every single day!
- Short & Sweet 30 minutes
- Adapt to your child's needs
- Good sleep hygiene: dark, cool, quiet (in room and out)
Don'ts WHEN SETTING A BEDTIME ROUTINE:
- Start too late when already overly sleepy
- Use screens
- Run around/get excited right before bed
- Feed sugar or caffeine
- Read scary stories
- Abandon routines on weekends
URGENT REMINDER and a thank you!
- SELC is a VERY busy place with lots of moving parts. That said, I can't thank you enough for being mindful of SLOW AND SAFE parking lot safety!
A few reminders:
- Payment for iPad insurance was due by 10/15/23. You can send a check payable to Enfield Public Schools, cash handed to a classroom staff so they can document accordingly, or on MySchoolBucks (See DIRECTIONS BELOW).
- If your child outgrows their clothing (especially pants) Nurse Jen will take them! Accidents happen and we run out of extra clothing quickly!
- Health and safety are top priorities and I thank you for doing your part! Nurse Jen and I are overwhelmed with how incredibly diligent all of you have been in regards to monitoring your child for illness and asking questions as they arise!
- Nurse Jen will need proof of flu vaccination by December 22, 2023. You can email it to her jmaier@enfieldschools.org, send in a hard copy, or fax it (860) 253-0096!
SCHOOL SPIRIT DAY COMING...
THE 411 ON CAR SEATS
iPad Explorers
As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and interactive learning experiences, we will be sending a weekly iPad activity designed to combine technology with family bonding.
UPDATE
For those of you looking to do more with camera and markup:
- let your child be a photographer and then mark up as they wish
- look for leaves changing color and mark them up or change the filters
- look for things in groups (i.e. socks, spoons, pictures on the fridge, etc.), have them take a picture and then count how many are in the set
MOUSE PAINT READ ALOUD
Menu for the week of 10-23-23
NUTRITION NUGGETS FROM NURSE JEN
A MESSAGE FROM NURSE JEN! Due to Winter BREAK, documentation of vaccination MUST be in by 12-22-23
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
ENFIELD HUB
SMILE! SPOTLIGHT ON ORAL HEALTH FROM NURSE JEN!
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SNACK
Executive Function...what is it and what does practice look like in action in PK?
Executive Function Strategy: FREEZE GAME
FREEZE GAME
Description:
Freeze game is a teacher-led movement activity. This game provides children the opportunity to practice self-regulation. The freeze game requires that the children pay attention and plan ahead in the midst of distractions.
How we do it…
The teacher turns on the music and holds up a picture card while the music is playing. The children are encouraged to dance. The teacher reminds the children to look at the card while they are dancing so they will know how to freeze when the music stops. The teacher shuts off the music the children stop dancing and freeze in the position that is on the card.
What are children learning?
Self regulation skills by starting and stopping
How to follow directions
Getting exercise
This activity focuses on the following Executive Function skills:
Inhibitory control of actions and attention by freezing when the music stops and dancing when the music is playing
Working Memory by freezing like the position card and remembering the rules of the game
Cognitive Flexibility by being okay with their pose not looking exactly like the pose on the card or their friend’s pose
FALL/WINTER Community Resource Guide for Young Families
Product Safety Recalls as of 10/20/2023
Joining a new school community can sometimes feel like learning a new language as you acclimate to the procedures, environment, people, and lingo. I will leave this in this space for reference all year. See below to continue learning about all things Stowe:
- SELC=Stowe Early Learning Center
- SELC=our mascot (the eaglet featured above)
- FEO=Family Educator Organization
- ECDC=Enfield Child Development Center
- EPS=Enfield Public Schools
- FRC=Family Resource Center
- IPS=Integrated Pre-K
- HS=Head Start
- KITE=Key Initiatives to Early Education
- PKS=PK STEAM Academy
- Eaglets=all children taking part in any program at SELC
IMPORTANT NUMBERS:
- Main Office=860-253-4741
- Head Start Family Support=860-253-4717
- Nurse=860-763-8858
- FRC=860-253-6580
- KITE=860-253-6502
Our building is quite unique in that we house 4 PK programs, a Family Resource Center, and KITE.
Stowe Early Learning Center
Email: jvalley@enfieldschools.org
Website: www.enfieldschools.org
Location: 117 Post Office Road, Enfield, CT, USA
Phone: 860-253-4741
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/424681288154509/
Twitter: @EnfieldEPS