NOVEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER!
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Fri., Nov. 1 – TUITION DUE.
Mon., Nov. 4 – Fall ’25 Kindergarten sign ups begin.
Mon., Nov. 4- “Parent Like A Pro” Parent/Staff Seminar with Dr. Marissa Caudill, 7:00 - 8:15 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. No babysitting available. Invite family and friends.
Tues., Nov. 5 ̶ JAM for Preschoolers. 3:15-4:00 p.m.
Thurs., Nov. 7 – Room Parent/Parent Volunteer Group meeting at 9:15 a.m. in room 201.
Fri., Nov. 8 – See’s Candies Fundraiser begins.
Mon., Nov. 11 – SCHOOL CLOSED for Veteran’s Day.
Tues., Nov. 19 ̶ JAM for Preschoolers @ 3:15-4:00 p.m.
Fri., Nov 22 – PS & K Thanksgiving Feast 10:15 a.m. Fellowship Hall.
Wed., Nov. 27, Thurs., Nov., 28 & Fri., Nov 29 – SCHOOL CLOSED for Thanksgiving Holiday.
Mon., Dec. 2 – TUITION IS DUE.
Mon., Dec. 2 ̶ See’s Candy Fundraiser orders DUE!!
Tues., Dec. 3 ̶ JAM for Preschoolers @ 3:15-4:00 p.m.
Thurs., Dec. 5 – Room Parent/Parent Volunteer Group meeting at 9:15 a.m. in room 201.
Wed., Dec. 11 ̶ See’s Candy Delivery.
Mon., Dec 16 – Holiday Show in the Sanctuary. More info to come in Dec.
Fri., Dec. 20 – In Class Holiday Parties.
Mon., Dec. 23 – Fri., Jan. 3 – SCHOOL CLOSED for Winter Break.
Mon., Jan. 6 – REGULAR SCHOOL SCHEDULE RESUMES.
MARVELOUS MONTHLY MAXIMS
Never Lie, Never Cheat, Never Steal!
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
CONGRATULATIONS KARINE MARGARYAN
Mrs. Karine is our amazing, hardworking loving and kind Room 106 teacher. She comes to school every day with a smile and lots of energy, brightening everyone’s day. She has been working at E.P.C.C. since 2015 and always makes school fun and engaging to be sure that her students have a great 1st experience in school. Both parents and kids love her, and we’re so lucky to have her! She is married and has two sons: Karo, who is in middle school at Ferrahian (Armenian private school), and Ruben, who is in our Kindergarten class. Both boys started at E.P.C.C. in Room 106. Mrs. Karine enjoys collecting stamps and loves the colors red and green. Her favorite flowers are peonies and roses, and she loves celebrating Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. She likes shopping at Nordstrom and H&M, and enjoys cooking and reading in her free time. Mrs. Karine enjoys eating sushi, Mexican, and Italian food, and some of her favorite places to eat are The Cheesecake Factory, Chick-fil-A, and In-N-Out. For dessert, she enjoys chocolate cake, cheesecake, and chocolate chip cookies. Thank you, Mrs. Karine, for all your hard work! You’re the greatest gift of all. 😊
FROM THE DIRECTOR:
NEWSLETTER: Please mark the dates mentioned above on your home calendar. The information contained in this newsletter is for your benefit. We have many upcoming events during this very busy time of year. If you have any questions regarding any of the information contained in this newsletter, please feel free to contact us or your child’s teacher at your convenience.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT:
On Friday, October 4th, our staff participated in an inservice with guest speakers from Westmark School, our neighboring school in Encino. Westmark serves children with language-based learning differences, such as attention deficit disorder, dysgraphia, dyslexia, and other auditory or visual processing challenges. During their presentation, they emphasized that all children have unique learning styles and, like us, they are dedicated to helping children succeed and reach their full potential.
Our staff found the inservice both engaging and informative. It was particularly rewarding to receive compliments from the Westmark staff, who recognized and validated our developmental teaching approach at EPCC. They share our belief in a "hands-on" curriculum that engages all the senses, acknowledging its vital role in building a strong foundation for children's future learning.
FUNDRAISERS: A very special thank you to all who have and are participating in our McDonald’s, The Stand, Tupperware and Scholastic Book Fair fundraisers. We appreciate your support.
PUMPKIN PATCH DAY: Thanks Mrs. Gael! Wow! What fun! The weather was great. The children had a blast.
We chose pumpkins and played games and parents and teachers took lots of photos. Thanks to all who helped make this day a success.
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION: Priority registration for our amazing Kindergarten program for Fall 2025 starts on Monday, November 4th.
Registration is on a first come, first-served basis. There are only 24 spaces available for the upcoming school year. You can email or call the
school to make an appointment to check out our fabulous Kindergarten program. Don’t miss this opportunity to enroll your child in a terrific
program.
ILLNESS POLICY: As expected, colds and viruses are already going around. Thank you for keeping your children home when they are sick. By doing so, we can stop the spread of illness a little bit faster.
CLOTHING: Please be sure to adhere to our clothing policy as outlined in the Parent Handbook. We have noticed many children at school wearing sandals. Remember, shoes must cover toes and heels and have non-slip soles. This is for the safety of your children.
EMERGENCY DRILLS: Each month we will be practicing fire, earthquake and emergency drills as part of our curriculum. These drills are required by the state and are not meant to frighten the children. Take a moment to ask your child how these drills are carried out in their classrooms.
SNACK REMINDER: HEALTHY SNACKS AND LUNCHES: Please remember that children are required to bring their own ready to eat lunch, 2 snacks and water bottle. Please keep snacks healthy. Fruits, veggies, cereal bars, string cheese and crackers are always popular choices. Remember to send utensils with your child’s lunch if he/she needs them. Teachers cannot leave the classroom to get spoons and forks for the children. Additionally, be sure that all snacks and lunches are sent to school” ready to serve.”
WORSHIP: For any families interested in finding a church home, First Presbyterian Church Encino, offers a worship service at 10:00 a.m. including Sunday school program for all children. All are welcome. For more information you can contact the church’s office @ 818-788-1147 and ask for Greg.
FRIENDS OUTSIDE: Each year The Children’s Center sponsors a charity organization for the holiday season. This year we will again sponsor FRIENDS OUTSIDE an organization that hosts holiday parties for children whose parents are incarcerated. We have been asked to purchase gift cards for children ranging in age from 0 -13 years. Gift cards should be valued at $25.00 or more for the children and/or for food for the families. All gift cards should be new, unused and not gift wrapped so Friends Outside can see what the card is to help with distribution. Please bring the gift cards to school no later than Friday, November 29, so they can be ready to be distributed at parties in early December.
HOLIDAY SHOW: On the morning of Monday, December 16th the children will be performing their holiday show. J The children can come dressed in their holiday best, with a change of clothes for after their performance. Each classroom will perform several songs for your holiday enjoyment. The order of appearance will be:
Room 101 - 9:15 – 9:30
Room 102 - 9:30 – 9:45
Room 104 - 9:45 – 10:00
Room 105 -10:00 – 10:15
Room 106 -10:15 – 10:30
Room 203 - 10:30 – 10:45
The first 2 rows are reserved for 2 representatives from each child’s family to sit while their child is performing. E.g., your camera people. Then they will be moving out of those seats while the next class is entering. Please move as quickly as possible. This will take cooperation from everybody and thank you in advance.
HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING:
A “wish list” is included in this newsletter in which teachers have noted various items that they would like for their classrooms. This is a great way to give a gift that will benefit your child’s entire class.
CLASSROOM WISH LISTS
101
Gift cards to:
Amazon, Lakeshore, Target
Stickers
Puzzles
Clorox wipes
102
Gift cards to:
Amazon, Target, Lakeshore
Stickers
Clorox wipes
104
Gift cards to:
Amazon & Target
Stickers
Baby wipes
Clorox Wipes
105
Gift cards to:
Michael’s, Lakeshore
& Target
Stickers
Baby wipes
106
Amazon gift card
Stickers
Baby wipes
Clorox wipes
Mrs. Gael’s classroom (Yard)
Side walk chalk
THANK YOU: To everyone who attended our Open House. We have had a great start to the fall season! We are looking forward to a wonderful winter. We wish everyone a Healthy, Happy Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, love and laughter.
Cathleen & Anie
TEACHER TALK:
ROOM 101: We were so happy to see everyone at Open House. Thanks to all the parents who helped make Pumpkin Patch a success and donated goodies for our Halloween Party. As we move into November, we will be talking about turkeys, Thanksgiving and where our families are from. We will also review our good manners and learn about the Autumn season. Most importantly we will be counting all our wonderful blessings. Remember to bring a morning and afternoon snack, please label them A.M. or P.M. Check your child’s cubby for appropriate clothing as the weather cools down. Have you noticed our bookworm? He is growing again! Keep bringing in those great books Happy Thanksgiving!
Mrs. Geni & Ms. Jazmin
ROOM 102: Wow! October was such a busy month with
our very own Pumpkin Patch right here at EPCC. Open House and our Halloween Parade and Sing-a-Long were fantastic! Many thanks to all our families for your help and participation in all our special events – we couldn’t do it without you! In November, we will be talking about what we are thankful for. We will also be learning primary and secondary colors. We have already begun cutting simple patterns and we will be doing more cutting throughout the year. Mark your calendars for our Thanksgiving feast on Friday, November 22ndat 10:15 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Remember class begins at 9:00 a.m. and we don’t want your child to miss a thing. We have settled into a solid routine and are keeping busy everyday. We are thankful for the opportunity to work with your amazing children. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Mrs. Asma & Mrs. Jennifer
ROOM104: November is here, and we will think about what we are thankful for! This month, we will learn about sequencing, turkeys, Pilgrims, and Native Americans. We will also practice cutting and hole punching paper to help our hands get stronger for writing. We are excited about our Thanksgiving feast on Friday, November 22nd, so please remember to bring the ingredient you signed up for. Everyone in room 104 is having a great time! We have a good routine and are busy having fun every day! Wishing all our families a Happy Thanksgiving!
Mrs. Silva & Miss Lucia
ROOM 105: November you will see us travel back to early days in America. We will be learning about Indigenous people; we will talk about the food they shared which will include introducing the children to a special unit on corn. We will explore the meaning of Thanksgiving and have lots of fun projects. We are looking forward to our magnificent feast with all our friends on Friday, November 22nd at 10:15 a.m. Please take a moment to welcome Aaliyah Brown and her family to our classroom!!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
Mrs. Sossi & Ms. Ana
ROOM 106: We can’t believe it! October has come and gone so fast! We all had a wonderful Halloween celebration, and enjoyed the treats at our party. Thanks to everyone for your participation and generosity. We also want to thank our families for joining us at Open House, showing interest & support is so wonderful for the children. The Pumpkin Patch was a great success; the children had a great time. This month we will get into the autumn season with fall leaves, and the changing weather. We will be having a feast to celebrate Thanksgiving. This year we feel especially fortunate and thankful for all of our families, friends, and blessings.
Mrs. Karine, Miss Paula & Miss Vianey
PEEKING OVER THE FENCE WITH MRS. GAEL:
Our October pumpkin patch was a huge success! Each and every child took home a pumpkin of their own! In keeping with our Autumn theme, we are making leaf prints, bean and seed collage, sand painting and weaving. Look for our ever-changing displays of art from the yard in the hall near Room 102.
AFTER NAP: Wow! November came so fast! This month we will be learning about Thanksgiving and creating beautiful arts and crafts as well as sharing what we are thankful for. We will be making turkeys, pumpkin pies, corncobs and other fun fall art projects. Check out the boards in the hallways to see your child’s magnificent creations. We would like to remind parents to make sure your children have warm clothes because it is starting to get chilly, and don’t forget blankets for naptime. We, the afternoon teachers, are so thankful for being able to work with your fabulous children. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Gobble, Gobble!
Miss Vianey, Miss Marissa, Miss Ana, Mrs. Narine, and Miss Katie,
KINDERGARTEN:
Wow! We have finished our first two months of kindergarten, and we are moving right along. We have been busy bees… learning away! We are working on our 7th letter book and on the 4th chapter of math. We have been practicing our letter sounds and we are now getting familiar with blending and building words. We have begun to include many of our beginning sight words in our reading and writing. Our friends have been showing us such an enthusiastic interest in learning and we are so proud! Our writing continues to improve, day by day, and every day we see a difference. In Science, we have been learning about so many exciting topics. Right now, we are learning about our country. We are looking forward to election day and voting for our favorite treats. Cooking continues to be a favorite activity for all. The little chefs are doing such a great job with their measuring. Thank you for
encouraging your children to complete their homework every day. We tell them that it is their responsibility to complete their homework and to remember to file it away each morning. They have been doing a great job with this task. Please remember to always encourage your child to hold their pencil correctly and form their letters from the top down. We are creating motor memory for letter formation. Good habits start early! For Thanksgiving we will be joining preschool for a Thanksgiving
Feast on Friday, November 22nd at 10:15 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. More details to come. A few reminders: Please arrive to school on time. School starts at 8:30 am and we want the children to enjoy that social interaction with their friends. We also have art activities and games available for them to experience. It is a great way to start their day. We thank you all for your support in our classrooms and for all the donations and special treats to make our celebrations so special. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to us.
HIGH-QUALITY STUDENT TALK IN THE EARLY GRADES: Language development in the early grades not only has short-term benefits in learning how to read but also is linked to long-term benefits of academic language success. In terms of student learning, not all students talk is created equal. Teachers can intentionally structure activities to focus on high-quality talk as a way to promote literacy and to facilitate creativity and thinking skills.
4 WAYS TO BRING HIGH-QUALITY STUDENT TALK INTO THE CLASSROOM
1. Ask questions that encourage decontextualized talk.
The goal of questioning is to encourage thinking. Questions that elicit yes or no answers do not encourage vocabulary development or critical thinking skills. In contrast, decontextualized talk is a great way to develop a student’s language and thinking skills. Decontextualized talk consists of conversations that are removed from the here and now.
A teacher asking a child what they ate for dinner the night before would be an example of decontextualized talk because it occurred in the past. These types of questions naturally encourage thinking and are beneficial for language development and reading comprehension because they help students understand vocabulary and grammar in a natural way.
2. Purposeful partners and structured conversations.
In preschool and early primary grades, structuring talk time by creating purposeful partners is one way to allow for maximum communication opportunities. Purposeful partners ensure that all students have a chance to talk. Structuring read-alouds, circle time, and morning meetings with purposeful partners helps ensure that all students are getting language development opportunities. When students have the chance to answer questions with a partner, it gives everyone an opportunity to talk, rather than asking a question where students raise their hands and only student has the opportunity to answer. For example, during circle time, having one partner talk about the weather, and then the other partner tells what clothes one would wear for that weather, gives both students a chance to talk. Having a daily “What Would You Rather” question allows students to think about what they like and then talk and explain to their partner.
3. Read-alouds with intentional questions.
Another way to increase student talk is by incorporating read-alouds with intentional questions. This is a great way to get students thinking about literature and communicating with one another. Intentionally creating questions ahead of time that are linked to vocabulary in the story, as well as questions that support decontextualized talk, strategically promotes thinking. For example, if you read the book Snowmen at Night, by Caralyn Buehner, some vocabulary words to incorporate into questions might be anxious, droop, gather, thrill, giggling, and crooked.
4. Creativity and natural language.
Incorporating time for students to have time to be curious and creative allows for many natural language opportunities. STEM bins and art bins are one way to do this. These are plastic shoebox-size tubs that hold manipulatives that students can create with. Many of the items in STEM and art bins are items already in the classroom. Some manipulatives to include in the STEM bins are pattern blocks, regular blocks, legos, Play-Doh, Popsicle sticks, Unifix Cubes, and playing cards. Art supplies such as markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue sticks, straws, paper, hole punch, and Play-Doh can be used to create different projects. While students are creating, it is important to give them time to talk about what they are making: Asking how it could be used and where they got their ideas helps increase their thinking and language development. One student might create roads and bridges out of Unifix Cubes while another student makes dinosaurs out of Play-Doh. Letting students tell each other about their magnificent creations celebrates their learning and promotes language development.
By intentionally structuring opportunities for students to talk in the classroom, teachers can facilitate language growth and development and provide a foundation for literacy development.
*Excerpts taken from “High-Quality Student Talk in the Early Grades” by Bridget Stegman.
www.edutopia.org-Edutopia, George Lucas Learning Foundation.