Parking Area Safety
We want to avoid scary situations like a child darting through the gate between our playground the parking area and into the path of a car pulling out of parking space. Please help us enforce these rules:
- Children should notopen and shut the playground gate.
- When on the playground at the end of the school day, children should wait in the lower play area -not in the upper area by the picnic tables - for a parent or other authorized adult to sign them out.
- The parent or authorized adult should open and shut the playground gate, and then keep hold of the child’s hand while walking safely to their car.
If your child should resist these rules and you feel you could use an assist, we are happy to help. Teachers will remind you and your child of these important safety rules if needed.
Dates to Note on Your Calendar
October 8Chief Eagle Bear visits
October 10 & 15Preferred Physical Therapy screenings
October 23 & 24Individual school photo days
October 31Halloween trick-or-treating, 3 p.m.
November 26School closes early (3 p.m.) for Thanksgiving break
November 27 & 28School closed for Thanksgiving break
December 24 - 26School closed for Christmas holiday
December 31 –January 2School closed for New Year’s holiday
May 25, 2015School closed for Memorial Day
May 29, 2015School closed for summer session preparation
July 3, 2014School closed for Independence Day holiday
August 3-7 or 10-14, 2015School closed for 2015-’16 school year prep week
School Picture Days
Professional photographers from Tommy Austin Studios are coming to our school to take individual photos of all our adorable students (class/group photos will be taken later in the school year). Younger siblings can come, too, for a pose with their big brother or sister. Parents have the option of purchasing photo packages, which should be ready in time for gift giving in December. Here’s the schedule:
- Thursday, October 23 – Classrooms 2 (Deja & Anna) and 3 (Emilie), plus students from the other classrooms who won’t be at school on the 24th
- Friday, October 24 – Classrooms 4 (Tammy) and 5 (Nancy & Karen),plus students from the other classrooms who won’t be at school on the 23rd
Children who do not attend school on Thursdays or Fridays may come in to have their pictures taken after 9 a.m. on either day.
Peace Curriculum
We practice what is known as the Peace Curriculum here at Johnson County Montessori Preschool, and it influences all of our activities. The children contribute to a peaceful classroom by: respecting each other, the adults and the materials; controlling their bodies and voices; communicating in a positive way; and helping to keep the environment clean and orderly. The goal is to teach children respect of self, others and the environment, and to be responsible for their own actions.
As part of the Peace Curriculum, the children are exposed to and learn about the beliefs and traditions of diverse world cultures. We do this in many ways including: studying geography, reading books, looking at photos of people around the world and studying their customs, and listening to world music.
We love learning about a variety of cultures and religions and we host special events at which parents and/or other visitors are invited to share their particular customs, foods, beliefs, etc. If you would like to share anything with a class or the entire school, please let your child’s teacher(s) know.
Art Lessons New This School Year
On September 8, we started regularly scheduled art classeson Mondaymornings. Whenour regular music teacher, Ann Stein, was away and busy with all of her family last summer, we started art classes with Alisha Vincent (our resident artist and also Halley Vincent's mom). The children and teachers loved her classes and lobbied to include art lessons all year long. It was an easy decision to make and art is now part of our standard curriculum.
Mondayart classes will follow the same schedule as music. Watch for some amazingly creative art projects to come home and be sure to talk with your children about what they are learning.
Optional Enrichment Classes
Our wonderful Suzuki music lessons taught by Ms. Annand art lessons taught by Ms. Alishaare included in our monthly tuition. Optional enrichment opportunities are available for additional fees. Contact Barbara Lyons for more information or enrollment forms for:
- Ms. Deja’s Dancin’ with Deja ballet and creative movement classes introduce children to the basics of dance in an active, creative and fun way. Children learn elementary ballet positions, large-motor dance movements, and strengthening postures that help develop grace and confidence. Classes are held once a week on Tuesdayor Thursday afternoon at a cost of $25 per month.
- Ms. Nancy offers Spanish lessons that teach short phrases, colors, numbers, fruits, shapes, the alphabet, parts of the body, and much more. Nancy’s teaching techniques including songs, videos, games, and hands-on crafts, and employ all five senses. Classes meet on Friday mornings here at school for 30 minutes and cost $30 per month.
- The Happy Feet soccer program teaches this sport, along with encouraging fitness and enhancing motor development, using stories, songs and soccer balls. During the school year, Happy Feet classes are held on Thursday mornings for 30 minutes and cost $30 per month.
Halloween Fun
Friday, October 31 is going to be a fun-filled day. The folks at Ad Astra and Neu Analytics, our neighbors in the office building next door, have invited us over for some trick-or-treating through their offices at 3 p.m.
Your child shouldbring a Halloween costume to school on October 31; children should not wear their costumes to school in the morning. We will help them get into their costumes after naptime. We encourage you to send a costume that fits easily over your child’s clothes, or you may bring the costume to school at 2:30 p.m. and help us get your child and everyone else ready. A few other ground rules on costumes:
Avoid masks that could impede a child’s sight
No scary or gory costumes or accessories
Please leave hand-held costume accessories at home (especially those that may be weapon-like, such as a pirate’s sword, police officer’s revolver, firefighter’s axe, etc.)
Watch for more information about individual classroom parties and sign-up sheets for treats in your child’s classroom.
Our preschool has participated in the annual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign for the past several years, taking advantage of the opportunity to provide our students with a lifelong lesson in the impact of volunteerism and charity and introduce the concept of “kids helping kids.” The money that students raise makes a real difference, because 91 percent of all funds go to programs that help children.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives, providinghealth care and immunizations,clean water and sanitation,nutrition,education,emergency reliefand more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day whenZERO children die from preventable causesand every person has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit
Corporate Fundraising Program Helps Our School
There is a fantastic way to raise funds for our school that is super-easy, especially if you are a regular customer at Target stores. All you have to do is make a quick, toll-free phone call or visit Target’s web site and enroll in Target’s Take Charge of Education school fund-raising program. Then, each time you use your Target VISA® or Target® Card to pay for your purchases, our school will receive a percentage of the amount of your purchase in the form of a monetary donation.
If you already have a Target VISA® or Target® credit card, call 1-800-316-6142 or visit the Target web site (target.com/tcoe) and designate Johnson County Montessori Preschool to be the recipient of a percentage of your purchases. Our school ID number is 115813.
If you do not have a Target VISA® or Target® credit card, consider getting one and using it each time you shop at Target. Encourage your family members, friends and neighbors to participate, too. Right now, only a handful of people have designated our school to receive funds from their Target purchases. The purchases of those few participants resulted in a recent donation of $340 from Target. Over the last several years, we havereceived donations from Target totaling almost $3,500. Just think of what could come in if all of our current families and their relatives were to participate in the Take Charge of Education program!
Cold Weather Attire and Snow Days
Outdoor play is important for a child’s physical and mental health, so we often go outside even when it’s cold, snowy or slushy. The first snow always seems to arrive before we grown-ups are ready, so take time NOW to make sure your child has appropriate cold-weather attire, including a warm coat, hat (or a coat’s snug-fitting hood), and mittens or gloves (mittens are generally easier for the children to put on by themselves). Start shopping now for warm, waterproof boots and snow pants. Make sure your child’s name is on EVERY ITEM, please, including individual mittens and boots. You can bring these items to school daily or keep some of them at school.
Our school is located within the boundaries of the Shawnee Mission School District, so we generally follow the Shawnee Mission School District’s guidelines for staying indoors during inclement weather or extreme temperatures. If the Shawnee Mission School District closes all of its schools because of snowy or icy conditions, our school will be closed, too.
Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week
The annual Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Weekis scheduled for November 16-22 this year. This project is designed to highlight the importance of reading to children and to promote the library as a renewable source for reading materials.
Is Everyone Ready for Fun, by Jen Thomas, is this year’s featured book. With its simple text and bold illustrations, this humorous title will appeal to babies and toddlers, as well as three- to five-year-old preschoolers. The story features three cows that jump, dance and wiggle their way to fun on Chicken’s sofa — much to Chicken’s growing frustration.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday1
Cowboy Salad (beans & veggies)
Tortilla Chips & Salsa
Oranges
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 2
Minestrone Soup w/ Meatballs
Garlic Bread
Green Beans
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 3
Sun Butter & Jelly Sandwich (on wheat)
Fresh Veggies
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks)
6
Vegetable Soup w/ Pasta Shells
Corn
Crackers
Applesauce
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 7
Chef’s Salad (w/ turkey, eggs, cheese, chickpeas, peas)
Croutons
Peaches
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 8
Quesadillas w/ Spinach & Beans
Tortilla Chips & Salsa
Carrots & Peppers
Bananas
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 9
Sloppy Joe on a Wheat Bun
Carrots & Cherry Tomatoes
Apple & Pear Slices
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 10
Breakfast for Lunch:
Scrambled Eggs w/ Spinach & Cheese
Cereal
Oranges
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks)
13
Breakfast for Lunch:
Pumpkin Pancakes
Breakfast Potatoes (w/ peppers)
Apples & Oranges
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 14
Toasted Turkey & Cheese Sandwich on Wheat
Fresh Veggies
Apples
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 15
Bean Salad (w/quinoa, green beans, other beans, corn, peas & dried cranberries)
Whole Wheat Rolls
Grapes & Fresh Melon
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 16
Tacos(w/ground turkey, beans, quinoa & veggies)
Salsa
Corn
Bananas
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 17
Minestrone Soup
Garlic Bread
Pears
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks)
20
Pasta Salad (w/ veggies & creamy Greek yogurt sauce)
Fresh Veggie Sticks
Seasonal Fresh Fruit
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 21
Roasted Sweet & White Potatoes with Sausage
Peas
Apple Slices
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 22
Broccoli & Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches
Carrots & Jicama
Mixed Fruit
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 23
Italian Salad (w/cannellini beans, cucumber, pepperoni & cheese)
Garlic Bread
Fresh Melon
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 24
Chili (w/ground turkey & veggies)
Crackers
Corn
Peaches
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks)
27
Breakfast for Lunch:
Blueberry Oatmeal
Toast with Jelly
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 28
Bean & Kale Soup w/ Soy Sausage
Crackers
Peas
Peaches
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 29
Bean & Cheese Burrito w/ Salsa
Corn & Sweet Potatoes
Mandarin Oranges & Pineapple
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 30
Bean & Pasta Salad
Spinach Garlic Bread
Orange Slices
Milk
(+ am & pm snacks) / 31
Frightful Halloween Feast
Eyeball Soup*
Witch Fingers*
Green Slime*
(+ am & pm snacks)
Menu for October
* Meatball Soup (with chicken meatballs); Green Beans; Applesauce with green food coloring
A Chef Angie Favorite to Try at Home
Baked Broccoli (adapted from the Allrecipies.com web site)
One head of broccoli, cut into spears
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
Half of a clove of garlic, minced (or use garlic powder in a pinch)
Large plastic bag
Preheat oven to 300°F
Place cut broccoli,olive oil, garlic and salt in the plastic bag, seal the bag, and toss until broccoli is coated well (fun for kids to do)
Spread on baking sheet
Bake at 300° until crispy, tossing a few times during baking
Classroom Happenings
From Deja and Anna in Classroom 2
It’s hard to believe that we are starting our second month of school! Our letter/sounds for the month of October are “b,” “f,” “o,” and “x.” We will start the month with “pumpkinology” week, learning what pumpkins actually are, where they come from, and how they can be used. We will also participate in Fire Safety Week, learning safety techniques that can be practiced at school and at home. We’ll learn about one of the world’s great explorers, Christopher Columbus, and start talking about our universe. We will have a “Spirit Week” in the days surrounding United Nations Day, which is October 24 – I’ll send out more information regarding this soon. We’ll have Halloween fun on October 31. Please keep your eye out for our party sign-up sheet, which will be posted on our clipboard, and let us know if you can come to help.
From Emilie in Classroom 3
Septemberwas filled with much learning and fun, meeting new friends and getting reacquainted with old friends. It is always great to see the children getting to know and working with each other. They have been doing wonderfully, adjusting well with transitions in the morning and absorbing the Montessori exercises. When the children bringobjects starting with the letter/sound-of-the-week, it brings excitement to our share day and ourletter basket has been full. Please continue to encourage your child to bring objects, cut-out pictures, or drawings to put in our basket.
Thank you, parents, for coming to our classroom’s back-to-school night. I would also like to thank the grandparents who attended the Grandparents’ Day celebration. It was such an honor meeting you all. Our all-school open house was also a great opportunity to see how children work in a Montessori environment.
For October, we are getting excited for our visit from Chief Eagle Bear and the ever-popular Halloween trick-or-treating at the office building next door. Sarah Collins (mother of Ila from classroom 2 and classroom 3’s old friend, August), works next door at Ad Astra and Jennifer Catloth (Van’s mom) works at Neu Analytics. We always look forward to seeing our neighbors.
I am very grateful to all of you parents who provide support, donate craft and paper products, and participate in classroom and school events. Please continue to help your child withapplying sunscreen and insect repellant before coming to school and make sure his or her clothing is appropriate for the day’s weather. Make sure every item that your child is brings to school is labeled with his/her name. Happy fall!
From Tammy in Classroom 4 (from 2013)
Our school year is off to a great start. Everyone is so eager to learn! Our learning topics for September included“All About Me,” our bodies, apples and the legend of Johnny Appleseed, and autumn. We have been working hard on sound-of-the-week activities. Our Grandparent’s Day snack was a huge success and it was great meeting all of you grandmothers and grandfathers. Our all-school open house was also a terrific way for the children to showcase what they are learning. Thank you for coming and supporting your child in their learning! Our annual field trip to the pumpkin patch was a fun time, as always, and I want to thank the parents who help out with our trips and make them all the more enjoyable.