September 2021 Newsletter

Dear Parents,

                                               Welcome to a new school year at Friends ‘n Fun! 

  Our mission is to provide your child with experiences that are filled with adventure, exploration and discovery.  We want to be in collaboration with you as we work together to support your child as he/she grows and develops during these exciting early years of childhood. This partnership is of great value to us and we encourage you to let us know of any concerns or questions that you may have throughout the school year. 

Teachers at FnF realize that parents know their children better than anyone.  It is you who have seen them smile their first smile; it is you who celebrated their first words and first steps; it is you who have nursed them through illness and accidents; and it is you who continue to encourage, support, comfort and love them. Thank you for sharing your children with us and know that we take the trust you have extended us very seriously.

              We all look forward to an exciting year and to all of the journeys ahead of us!

Janet, Jane & Katey

This newsletter has a lot of information regarding upcoming events and getting started in our program.  PLEASE take time to read it and make notes on your own family’s calendar so that your family does not miss out on important dates, etc. 

September’s Journey

The beginning of a new school year presents us with an opportunity to see ourselves not only as individuals but also as a part of something bigger: a family, a school setting, a community.  

“A child is born a first time, and then, through the long and difficult process of constructing his identity, it is as if he is born again.  In this process, he gives himself a face, a body, gestures, movement, speech, thought, feelings, imagination, fantasy; in short, the awareness of being and the means of expressing his “me-ness” which is absolutely essential for becoming autonomous and distinguishing ourselves from other people and things – people and things we live and interact with and from which, little by little, we draw most of the raw material with which we create our own identity.  To recognize ourselves and to be recognized.  But a child’s most sought-after goal is to recognize himself in others, and to find in others (objects and the natural world as well) parts of himself.” 

Loris Malaguzzi 

One of the pieces of our daily schedule is the time of the day when we gather the children together in smaller pods to share ideas, activities and experiences as we explore a shared focus. On M/W and T/TH we do this in “Small Group.” The children come together with a teacher who will remain their small group teacher for the year. It is a time when we put similarly aged children together. There are the 2 1/2 to 3 year olds; the pre-kindergarten aged children; and a crew who aren’t quite the youngest and not quite the oldest.  Small Group topics are selected in a variety of ways. Sometimes we use a rich and relevant children’s book as an anchor for exploration; sometimes teachers sense that a particular topic may be helpful in connecting the children to the school and each other; other times (and our favorite) is when we see patterns emerge in the children’s play that cross ages and gender and call for a more in depth investigation. 

Friday is the day we switch gears a bit and have what we call  “Studio Discovery.” Teachers set up a “surprise” for the children as they take turns messing about with materials and experiences that invite discovery. The teachers observe and learn about each child’s approach to what is set before them. Sometimes it is an individual experience that encourages creativity,  investigation or tactile experimentation and sometimes they are asked to work together to generate ideas and solutions to specific problems.

       This Fall, along with our established friends, we have many new friends who are coming to a school for the first time ever, or who are unfamiliar with our school. The teachers have chosen the book “Owl Babies” by Martin Waddell as our jumping off point because it so beautifully illustrates the feelings children can have when leaving their families and trusting that they will come back. It also opens the door to learning about owls, the forest, and size differentiation. As always, the “journey” we take with this, and all topics, will be co-evolved in collaboration with the children. Their interests and input will help the teachers shape and guide the path we traverse. 

We will begin our Studio Discovery explorations with experiences focusing on the physical and tactile nature of

 “Scooping & Pouring/Pushing & Pulling.”

Stay tuned as our journeys begin to see what kinds of adventures await us on the path ahead!

Covid Precautions

We have been so very fortunate over the past 18 months to have successfully managed the pandemic and remain open without times of quarantine. That has been in large part due to the amazing efforts of all of our FnF families and their conscientious diligence in monitoring their families health and virus exposure so as to insure we are all as protected as possible. An exposure to Covid at FnF would likely result in a 10 day quarantine for the entire school.  We appreciate everyones continued efforts and awareness.

The current public health order requires masking of children and adults inside FnF.  We are remaining masked outside as well.  This allows children to play and engage in a closer and more natural way.  If it works for you to send a couple of extra masks to school we will help children trade out masks if theirs becomes wet during their day.

A way you can help us at home is to help your child with the recommended  hand washing routine of: getting hands wet, applying soap, rubbing their hands with soap for 20 seconds outside of the water stream (singing the ABC song, happy birthday two times, or counting to 20 slowly), before rinsing the soap off and drying their hands.

Jane participates in a monthly Boulder County Public Health department (Child Health Promotion ) call and is in touch with the epidemiology team as any questions arise.  We will communicate any changes in guidance/recommendations as we receive them.

We can all help take care of each other within our Friends’n Fun Community and safe guard the health of ourselves and those in our lives outside of school!  

Drop off and Pick Up

We are so grateful to have our new neighbor, East Simpson Coffee Company, join us on our end of Simpson Street. With an additional business occupying our neighborhood, parking and access to school can be a bit squishy at times. There is a public parking lot right behind school that you can use should you encounter a really busy time. If you park there you can walk between FnF and the office building next to us to come around to the front.

This school year we have more children leaving at the 12:00 pick up time than we did last year. We want to be able to touch base with each of you and share something about your child’s day so we will be sending children out to greet their families a few at a time. After a couple of weeks, arrivals and departures usually smooth out as some people end up coming a bit earlier and later. If over time it still feels too congested we can think about staggering pick up times. 

If there is a day where you will be later than expected or your child will not be attending please give us a call or email to let us know!

UPCOMING EVENTS


During a typical school year we would have made plans for a Fall potluck, Fall parent/ teacher conferences and a have had a date secured for our annual Family Branch making event held during the holiday season. 
Alas……the virus is not cooperating with our typical plans!


We usually hold our Fall conferences near the end of September or the beginning of October. The conferences are a 15 minute chat to hear more from you about your child and to answer any additional questions that may come up after your child has attended FnF for a few weeks. We are still working out those dates and will get back to you when it is sorted out!


The scheduled Fall conference secures an opportunity to chat together but we want you all to feel free to talk with us whenever a question or thought comes up!



Due to some unexpected last minute changes we have a few MWF openings. If you happen to know anyone looking for a school, please send them our way!!!
THANK YOU!!!!
                                                          

BITS & PIECES

HEALTH FORMS– The State of Colorado requires us to have a recent physical for each child at FnF.  This physical must be updated annually.   Jane will let you know if you are missing any paperwork and when it needs to be updated.  


PERMISSION FORM- Licensing requires the permissions page of your child’s paperwork to be initialed and dated annually.  Jane will catch you to have you sign/date the permission form for this year.


INFORMATION CHANGES – Jane will be asking returning families to review their child’s enrollment forms and update any changes to: address, phone numbers, employment (and that contact information), emergency contact, physician, insurance.  If any of those things change during the year, please let us know so that we have current/correct information.


MEDICATIONS – A form MUST be completed by your doctor each time he/she prescribes ANY medications to be given to your child while in our care.  This includes prescriptions and over the counter meds.  Please ask Jane or Janet for the medications form and have your physician complete this form and return to school with the medication(s), as we will not be able to administer any medications without it.   Please note that we are not allowed to administer any homeopathic medications/remedies. THANKS!


WATER BOTTLES & BACKPACKS
These items are fun to have but the public health department is asking that we limit objects that travel to and from home and school. SORRY!



Please watch Channel 9 News for notices of school closings or late 
opening times on days of extreme snow.  If you can, check Channel 9
News online for the most current updates, as the television has a 
delay time from when we called.  We will also post closures on the 
“Latest & Greatest” page on our website and our Facebook page: 


www.friendsnfunchildrenscenter.com
www.facebook.com/FriendsnFunChildrensCenterInc


Phone numbers – If something should come up during off school hours, call Jane or Janet. Phone numbers are on the class list that you will receive before too long.

FRIENDS ‘N FUN SCHOOL CLOSINGS FOR 2021-2022

September 6, 2021 Labor Day

November 25 – 26, 2021 Thanksgiving

December 24 thru Jan. 2nd Winter Break (reopen Mon., Jan. 3rd)

January 17, 2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

February 21, 2022 President’s Day

March 23 – 24 – 25, 2022 Spring Break

May 27, 2022 Last Day of school year

May 30, 2022 Memorial Day

June 1, 2022 First Day of summer session


“THE HUNDRED LANGUAGES OF CHILDREN”


Friends ‘n Fun has pursued the study of the internationally renowned philosophy of early childhood education that has been cultivated over the past 50 years in the Reggio Emilia community in northern Italy.  We continually integrate this philosophy with our own- weaving them together to beautifully and holistically address the needs of our own unique community.  There is so much to learn.  


Following is a poem from the book – THE HUNDRED LANGUAGES OF CHILDREN, pg. 293.


If I can
ask my own questions,
try out my ideas,
experience what’s around me,
share what I find;


If I have
plenty of time for
my special pace,
a nourishing space,
things to transform;


If you’ll be
my patient friend,
trusted guide,
fellow investigator,
partner in learning;


Then I will
explore the world,
discover my voice,
and tell you what I know
in a hundred languages.