{"id":922,"date":"2015-10-01T02:35:11","date_gmt":"2015-10-01T02:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qpps.ca\/newsletter\/?p=922"},"modified":"2015-11-06T19:05:16","modified_gmt":"2015-11-06T19:05:16","slug":"october-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qpps.ca\/newsletter\/october-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"October 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Pixlr_34650614_Hands-Painted\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From the President<\/h2>\n

Welcome back!<\/p>\n

The exciting news to start off with is… we turn 50 this year!\u00a0 Who knew we\u2019d look so good!\u00a0\u00a0 As you may have heard, the preschool is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and we\u2019re planning a community celebration.\u00a0 We recruited some volunteers at the September GM, however if you\u2019d like to help out \u2013 we\u2019d love the help.\u00a0 We\u2019ll keep you posted as we plan this exciting event.<\/p>\n

As you may have noticed, over the summer the preschool had some \u201csprucing up\u201d.\u00a0 Thank you to Ron and the Queen\u2019s Park Facilities staff for painting the interior walls, doors and support beams, installing new and brighter lights outside, and giving the whole exterior a thorough cleaning. Thank you to Ram, with Two Lions Painting, for painting the indoor playhouse and climber.\u00a0 Still to come are some new ceiling tiles, an art sink sprayer, and a parent education bookshelf.<\/p>\n

Also in the planning stages is an expansion of the outdoor play space.\u00a0 We are so excited to announce that we are very close to having approval to expand our outdoor fenced play space to include some of the \u201cnatural\u201d space on the side of the building.\u00a0 We submitted our final proposal to the City of New West in August and are hoping for approval in the next few months.<\/p>\n

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know.<\/p>\n

Cheers, Shelley<\/p>\n

\"Save-the-date\"<\/a>Save the Date!<\/h2>\n

Mark your calendars for the biggest night of the QPPS year (and start saving for those one-of-a-kind plates!) The Silent Auction will be on Saturday, March 5, 2016.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Social Activities for Parents and Families<\/h2>\n

Mark your calendars for these fun (and for the whole family) events planned. Come out and get to know your preschool community!<\/p>\n

Pumpkin patch and hayride<\/strong><\/div>\n
Location: Rondriso Farm<\/div>\n
\n
Date:\u00a0Saturday, October 24th<\/a><\/div>\n
Time: 10 – 12<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Address:\u00a08390 172nd Street, Surrey<\/a><\/div>\n
Cost:<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0– $3 hayride<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0– $6 hayride and small pumpkin<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0– $8 hayride and basketball size pumpkin<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0– $10 – $12 hayride and larger pumpkin<\/div>\n
Website:\u00a0http:\/\/www.rondriso.com<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Heritage Christmas<\/strong><\/div>\n
\n
Location: Burnaby Village Museum<\/div>\n
\n
Date:\u00a0Saturday,\u00a0November 27<\/a><\/div>\n
Time: 1 – 3<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Address: 6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby<\/div>\n
Cost: free and $2.55 for carousel ride<\/div>\n
Website:\u00a0http:\/\/www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"picture-12\"<\/a>Parent Education<\/h2>\n

Parent education sessions at each general meeting provide families with a wonderful opportunity to increase our knowledge about children, which can help us become more effective in our role as duty parents in the classroom and parents in our own homes.\u00a0 These educational sessions are also mandatory for our preschool\u2019s license.\u00a0 Monthly parent education sessions make up the first hour of our general meetings.\u00a0 Through guest speakers and sharing ideas with other parents, the education sessions form a valuable part of the QPPS program.<\/p>\n

The speaker schedule for the year will be posted at preschool, highlighted in the monthly newsletters and also available on the website.<\/p>\n

October 6 Parent Education Session<\/strong><\/p>\n

For our October meeting, Lorraine McLeod, will be discussing how to Communicate with your Child.\u00a0 Lorraine’s witty and wise take on parenting will keep you engaged in and interested in this presentation. Lorraine (B.Ed, BA) has been a primary teacher (grades 1 and 2) and has\u00a0\u00a0worked as a Trainer and Parent Educator for the\u00a0\u00a0RespectED: Violence and Abuse Prevention Program of the Canadian Red Cross.\u00a0 Lorraine has developed her own research\u00a0based parenting workshops and has been delivering these for the past 13 years.\u00a0For this session, we are making a limited number of tickets available to family, friends or alumni who are not currently QPPS members.\u00a0 Tickets are $10\/each and must be reserved ahead of time with Marti (contact info below).<\/p>\n

November 4 Parent Education Session<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dawnn Whittaker, of Cheeky Chops who spoke last year about Sleep, will be speaking about Potty Training.\u00a0\u00a0Extra tickets are also available for this session.<\/p>\n

If you have any questions or comments about parent education, please don\u2019t hesitate to contact me!<\/p>\n

Marti Longstaff<\/strong>
\n QPPS Parent Education Coordinator<\/strong>
\n m<\/a>artilongstaff@gmail.com
\n<\/a>phone 604-319 2556<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Additionally, if you are looking for good book about parenting for homework or fun (because we all have so much free time), Ron Lieber’s (http:\/\/ronlieber.com\/books\/the-opposite-of-spoiled\/<\/a>) most recent book, The Opposite of Spoiled, is a great guide for setting the foundation of financial literacy for children of all ages.\u00a0 He provides concrete examples of how to deal with birthdays, charity, savings and allowances.\u00a0 It is available at the local library and most bookstores.<\/p>\n

\"keep-calm-and-carry-on-fundraising-11\"<\/a>Fundraising Update<\/h2>\n

This preschool year is starting with a bang – or a goal followed closely by beer if you prefer! Here are the fundraising dates you need to know:<\/p>\n

October 6:<\/strong> Deadline to sign up for the Hockey Pool! You can pay at the October GM.<\/p>\n

October 29:\u00a0<\/strong> It’s pub night! It’s at 7pm at The Paddlewheeler Pub in New Westminster. Tickets will be available at the October meeting.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
November 7 -8:<\/strong> Family photos. Sign up will be available at the October meeting.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
There will also be our first meat pie order in November. Don’t worry, there will be a table set up at the October meeting before, during and after to service all your fundraising needs. And don’t forget to bring donations for Big Brother to the meeting!<\/div>\n

\"apples\"<\/a>Nutrition Column<\/h2>\n

Jessica Pirnak is a private practice dietitian working in \u00a0the lower mainland. She is passionate about education, prevention and creating a healthy community. In her spare time she updates her personal food blog ( http:\/\/www.foodyourself.com<\/a>) where she discusses hot topics in nutrition. She loves working with kids and parents helping them create a positive relationship with food and enjoys discussing sustainable farming practices to anyone who will listen! She is going to contribute a monthly piece to our newsletter to help parent get up to speed on Food Education! Jess will also respond to questions – so if you have any you wish to see addressed in future columns, feel free to send them to qppeditor@gmail.com<\/a> and they will be forwarded on! So here is our October column:<\/p>\n

Autumn\u2019s cool weather and beautiful foliage is a call from nature to get outside, enjoy the scenery, and get physically active. One great event for fun family fitness is visiting the Apple Festival at UBC\u2019s Botanical Garden in October. Bonus: children under 12 are free! Here\u2019s what you need to know about apples so you can act like a sophisticated farmer at the festival.<\/p>\n

Apples are one of the top three commonly consumed fruits in North America, along with bananas and oranges. Now, I generally recommend branching out of these three major players, but apples do deserve a spot in your diet, especially at this time of year!<\/p>\n

Apples are powerhouses of flavonoids, as well as a great source of cholesterol-lowering phytosterols. They\u2019re also a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lutein, all of which are antioxidants, which protect our bodies against cell damage. In addition, apples with skins are one of the best-known sources of pectin\u2014a type of soluble fiber shown to help reduce cholesterol.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s some talk that the Pink Lady variety has the highest level of antioxidant flavonoids but the bottom line is – all apples are good apples, as with any other fruit and its better to have one than none. So grab your favourite apple and enjoy it on its own or grated in museli.<\/p>\n

Happy Fall and see you at the Apple Festival!<\/p>\n

\"Yellow-necked<\/a>3 Year-Old Classroom Information<\/h2>\n
\n

Hello Fall!\u00a0 For the second year in a row, the three year old classes started the year under the bandshell in our beloved Queen’s Park.\u00a0 We had a great time meeting and getting to know each other: teachers, children and families alike!\u00a0 It was lovely for Teacher Donna and I to meet so many of your family members and spend some time getting to know everyone TOGETHER.\u00a0 After a few visits in the park, all the toys and equipment were moved down to the preschool where gradual entry wrapped up and our regular programming got underway.\u00a0 It has been a privilege welcoming your children to our space and to observe them as they explore their interests in their new school.\u00a0 Each of them are making their way discovering what is at the next table, around the next corner, what we’re doing next for circle time.\u00a0 We have already enjoyed favourite books, songs, and toys and are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead!<\/p>\n

The following poem has been the favourite thus far:<\/p>\n

(To be sung while sitting on the floor with legs outstretched in front of you while creeping your fingers down the length of your legs towards your feet. (core to distal):<\/p>\n

Creepy Mouse!<\/em><\/p>\n

Creepy Mouse!<\/em><\/p>\n

And along came a big black cat!<\/em><\/p>\n

SCAT! (Now hide your hands behind your back, quickly!)<\/em><\/p>\n

Repeat the poem using a different colour of cat, and again with another colour, and again… you get the idea!<\/p>\n

Upcoming dates in October:<\/strong><\/p>\n

October\u00a0 6th- Please bring in an apple today.\u00a0 We will be making apple juice to drink together and apple sauce to bring home for the Thanksgiving Day long weekend.<\/p>\n

October 15th- Soup Day.\u00a0 Please bring in a vegetable today.\u00a0 We will be making soup to share with everyone at snack time! Please join us the last half hour of class for a warm and delicious bowl of soup made by the children- for you!\u00a0 Everyone is welcome.<\/p>\n

Soup Time for the Morning Class: 10:45 am<\/em>
\nSoup Time for the Afternoon Class: 1:45 pm<\/em><\/p>\n

October 29th- Dress Up Day.\u00a0 Go ahead and dress up in the costume of your choice for today’s class!\u00a0 (Duty Parents, you too!\u00a0 Please no full masks or weapons, everyone!)\u00a0 We will celebrate Halloween in the classroom by dressing up and exploring everything orange, black and fun. We will be washing ghosts, carving a pumpkin, tasting pumpkin seeds, and much more!<\/p>\n

We would like to invite you to share with us any holidays that you celebrate as a family throughout the year. Please let us know if we can bring the tradition into the classroom, we would love to learn about and share in the celebrations.<\/p>\n

Quotes of the Month:<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Everyone is learning each other’s names.)<\/p>\n

Teacher Jenny’s favourite name called by a child:\u00a0 Auntie Jenny
\nTeacher Donna’s favourite name called by a child: Teacher Donut
\nAnd for fun! https:\/\/m.youtube.com\/watch?v=WmgwE5Pz1SA<\/a><\/p>\n

Your Teachers,
\nJenny and Donna<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"douglasfir\"<\/a>4 Year-Old Classroom Information<\/h2>\n
\n

We have had a great start to preschool! We have worked on learning our preschool routine, discovered where our cubbies are, and enjoyed a variety of new materials. The duty children have also helped out with their special jobs of spinning the Weather Wheel and picking a song from the songbook. We have also learned a new song that goes liked this:<\/p>\n

A Douglas Fir<\/em><\/p>\n

A Douglas fir, a Douglas fir,<\/em><\/p>\n

A tiny little mushroom,<\/em><\/p>\n

and a Douglas fir<\/em><\/p>\n

A sword fern, a sword fern,<\/em><\/p>\n

A tiny little mushroom<\/em><\/p>\n

And a Douglas fir!<\/em><\/p>\n

Ask your child about the actions that go along with it! We have sung it several times, including when we did \u201cPreschool in the Park\u201d and found real sword ferns and mushrooms (there has been LOTS of discussion about not touching and eating the mushrooms in the park).<\/p>\n

Throughout the month of October we will continue to focus on the interests that we see in the classes such as mixing and measuring, and building. We will also investigate changes that we see in the forest during fall as well as enjoy several harvest and pumpkin activities together. We also plan to do a few activities based around apples… including making apple juice, stamping with apples and baking apple crisp. To help with the supply of apples we would like all the children to bring in two apples (or more) on Oct. 5.<\/p>\n

We will have two special events this month:<\/p>\n

On Friday, October 23 we will be making Friendship Vegetable Soup together. We will be sending a note home closer to the date asking you to send a specific cut-up vegetable with your child to preschool. We will also be having a sign-up at the General Meeting for parents to bring bread\/crackers and cheese. We would like each child to have either a parent\/grandparent\/nanny join us on that day for a yummy soup snack (Siblings are welcome too!) We will begin our snack time about 45 minutes before the end of class and will end our class after the feast!<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, October 28 we will have a Dress-up Day and Costume Parade. Your child can dress up in a costume if he\/she wishes, anything from a funny hat to a whole costume (please do not bring any play swords\/guns\/weapons). Please try to send you child in something that is not too hot for playing in. We will also have a costume parade and a special activity that day.<\/p>\n

Things to Remember:<\/strong><\/p>\n