And We're Off...

Happy December everyone! Can you believe we have less than a month be for classes start? It’s coming up super fast! That being said, I wanted to touch base with a little info. I know this time of year can get really busy with all of the celebrating going on J

So the first days of class will be Tuesday January 5^th for Tuesday/Thursday kiddos, and Wednesday January 6^th for Wednesday/Friday kiddos! Drop off begins at 8:55am and please make sure to pick up your student no later than 11:35am each day. Only people listed on you registration form will be allowed to pick up your student for safety reasons. Thank You! I’ve also attached another school calendar like the one included in your registration packet so you can plan for breaks etc.

Your first monthly tuition payment of $130 is due the first day of class. This will be the same for the first class of each month. Late payments will result in a $5 per week penalty, so please be on time J Cash/checks are accepted and you will receive a receipt after payment each month. Please make checks out to Christina Carroll. Tuition is calculated for the 5 months and split into payments. There are no refunds for absences, breaks, etc.

For the first day of class, please send your student with a regular sized backpack (not mini) that a normal sized folder will fit into. Each student will be given a daily take home folder with a calendar that I will use to communicate with you at home. This folder should come back to school each day.

I will be providing a healthy snack each day. Please let me know if there are any allergies or other issues I should be aware of.

If you child has a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, continuous cough, or continuous runny nose not due to allergies, please keep them home until they are feeling better. We want to keep our classroom as germ free as possible for everyone J Thank You!!!

We will be playing in the back yard each day, weather permitting, so please send your student with appropriate clothing and closed toe shoes.

Please feel free to contact me at any time with any question or concerns! My goal is to create an open learning environment in which we all work together as a team to get your mini ready for Kindergarten!

Thank you!!!

Christina

Daily Schedule

9:00-9:20 - Arrival and Play

9:20-9:50 – Calendar and Story Time (read aloud, reading concepts, calendar math activities and teaching time)

9:50-10:20 – Table Time (writing, coloring, cutting and extension activities from teaching time)

10:20-10:50 – Snack and Recess (includes both indoor and outdoor play weather permitting)

10:50-11:25 – Centers (2 centers daily in which the students will work in small groups on various hands on activities relating to current topics)

Classroom Management

I will be focusing on positive reinforcement and re-direction in our classroom. To implement this effectively, I will be using a tangible program using “happy sticks.” “Happy sticks” are basically just colored popsicle sticks which the students will receive any time I see them doing something positive. Cleaning up their area, sitting and listening nicely, helping a friend, using kinds words are all examples of things I would pass out “happy sticks” for. If warning and re-direction are not effective for an in-appropriate behavior, students will be asked to return a stick to the jar. After a student has earned 10 happy sticks, they will be allowed to choose a small prize from the classroom treasure chest. If there is a continuing behavior problem that is recurring, I will speak with the parent privately and see how we can work together to remedy the situation.

The New Pre-K Room!

Check out the new space!!!

Open House October 17th!!!

Stop by on October 17th for our 1st open house! Check out the room and the curriculum, enjoy some treats, and be entered for a great door prize! 10am to 1pm. RSVP on the Facebook Event Page! See you there!

Private Pre-K and Kinder Tutoring!!!

So I am also offering Pre-K and Kinder Tutoring sessions! Is there a skill your student needs a little extra practice with? If you are looking for for a little more guided instruction with any Pre-K or Kinder skills give me a shout! I'd be happy to sit with them 1 on 1 for a 30 minute session and help them master these skills! Private sessions are $15 for 30 minutes. They are held at my home at a time that we can arrange beforehand. Thanks!!!

About the Program :-)

Hopefully, if you're reading this second post, you are thinking this program sounds like it might be a good fit for you and your mini :-) If that's the case, let me give you a little more of the specifics. I am looking to do a soft launch of my program in January 2016 with 4 students. I am now forming interest lists for both January 2016 and August 2016. To be added to my interest list please email me the following: your name, your child's name, your child's birthdate, your phone number, and your email. This way I can send you any important information that comes up! Yay!

January 2016 Class Details

Class size: Up to 4 Minis

Age Requirements: 3 1/2 years old and fully toilet trained

When: I will be offering 2 different sessions:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00am-11:30am OR Wednesdays and Fridays 9:00am-11:30

Tuition: $650 for 5 months and is broken into 5 payments of $130 per month plus a one time $50 supply fee due at registration

This class will run from Tuesday January 5th through Thursday May 26th, 2016. Spring Break will be the week of March 7-11. Tuition is fixed and no refunds are given for absences, breaks etc.

All sessions are held at my home at Guadalupe and the 202 in Mesa.


August 2016 Class Details

Class Size: Up to 4 Minis

Age Requirements: Must be 4 years old by December 1st 2016 and fully toilet trained

When: Tuesday and Thursdays 9:00am-11:30am OR Wednesday and Friday 9:00am-11:30am

Tuition: $1300 for 10 months and is broken into 10 payments of $130 per month plus a one time $100 supply fee due at registration

This class will run from Tuesday August 9th 2016 through Thursday May 25th 2017. Holiday breaks are TBD. Tuition is fixed and no refunds are given for absences, breaks etc.

Here we go...

As you probably know, Kindergarten is very academic these days. I mean REALLY academic. Long gone are the days of social play half days that include little cartons of milk and a mat to take a nap on. When kiddos hit kinder these days they need to hit the ground running. For kiddos who haven't been exposed to the daycare/preschool setting, this can come as quite a shock! They are expected to leave home, possibly for the first time, and identify all 26 letters (out of sequence) and their sounds. They should know how to count to 30 and be able to identify and write these numbers. And this is just the beginning. There are so many things, both social and academic, that are expected of these little 5 year olds. (I mean weren't they just born???) This is where my program comes in. My goal is to prepare your youngster so that when they walk into their Kindergarten classroom that very first day that they will be able to say "I've got this!"And you, in turn, will be able to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they really do!

Another goal of my program is to fill the "I only want Pre-K" gap. It seems to me that when I was looking for a part-time, 2-3 half days a week, affordable program, the pickings were slim. So many "preschools" are really full time daycare facilities that will let your kiddo come "part-time." But that really wasn't what I was looking for. I didn't want a daycare setting or "feel." (Not to mention the cost!) I wanted a small class of young learners that were there for some social and academic training, just like my child.

Let's face it, our kiddos are very much individuals. Each one of us is so "wonderfully made." Isn't it amazing? God can take two parents and make a completely new and unique individual. If you have more than one child, it's SO apparent that no two of your children are alike. Take my three boys for example. They all have the same biological mother and father, but boy are they different! And that's so awesome! As an educator, I want to know your child. What are their likes and dislikes? What motivates them? What really frustrates them? Do they enjoy learning with their hands? Is it music that inspires them? Maybe numbers just make sense to them. Maybe they don't make sense at all. Whatever it is, my goal is to identify the way your child learns best and introduce the basic Kindergarten concepts in a manner that make learning enjoyable for your student.

Since I teach out of my home, I have a little more flexibility than a traditional school setting as far as curriculum and time spent on various concepts. If we are loving our pumpkin unit (who doesn't love pumpkins?) lets do some more! If pumpkins are getting too orange and too boring, lets put them in the box until next year! My goal is to evaluate each student and meet them where they are at. Keeping my class sizes small (no more than 10 kiddos) will allow me to do this much more effectively. I will be using a curriculum that I have designed from my experience teaching Kindergarten. I will also be referring to the Arizona Early Learning and Kindergarten Standards as guides for my instruction design. Although I do not have a specific Bible curriculum, I will be using a Biblical world view when explaining things like creation, Christmas, Easter, and other topics as they arise.

I can't wait to meet both you and your child! I am eager to partner with you as the parent and help your son or daughter step into Kindergarten successfully! Contact me at kccarroll@cox.net or 480-213-8352 for more information about how we can get your mini ready for their next big adventure: Kindergarten! Let's get started!