Dear ECEC Parents, Early Childhood Education Center Newsletter September, 2015 Welcome to the ECEC family and School District #7! The visions and missions of our district and of ECEC continue to include preparing your child to be a lifelong learner. Your child has been observing YOU for 3-4 years; learning what is important, listening to your words and communication style, watching how you act responsibly, watching how you accept challenges and deal with stress, figuring out if you foster their independence and observing you to figure out what you value. Of course, development is a continuous process; especially when you are 3 and 4 years old! Now it is our turn to assist in the transition from home to school by gently molding and appropriately challenging your child in all areas of development. Please take a few minutes to photograph, or even better video, your child today doing various activities. At the end of this school year you may want to view the video of your child again. I promise you that you will see dramatic changes in every area. The change is truly remarkable. You will see that it s true that a picture is worth a thousand words! It was great to have about 95% of parents attend Parent Orientation and/or Open House and allow our teachers to make their home visits. The home visit allowed your child to see their new teachers in the comfort of their home. Friday morning was very crowded with parents, teachers and children trying to find out where they go so from Monday on children will be escorted through the front entry so that the children can be organized. Children are amazing and your confidence in the ECEC faculty will support their transition. You are more than welcome to come to ECEC, sign-in and peek in the windows of your child s classroom to view your child and the faculty in action. The 3-year-old children are already trying to walk in lines down the hallway while the older children show confidence and mastery of that task. There are many great events coming up. While every Friday is school spirit day (wearing green), on Friday, September 18th we will have wear your favorite color day! On October 1st you are invited to attend Curriculum Night. The information that you will be given will reflect the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards, the Creative Curriculum, the Science Standards, the Social/Emotional Standards and Project Approach. Teachers will cover how to read their weekly lessons, tell you how technology is used in our program and show you how to reach the district and classroom websites. At this meeting we will ask you to sign-up for the many volunteer opportunities that are offered. You will be asked to evaluate this (and every evening program) at the conclusion of the night. ECEC can offer you outstanding birth to 3 years and preschool/prekindergarten programs, the best teachers and therapists, access to a wide array of materials, experiences and opportunities and a truly dedicated administration and school board. It is your job to take advantage of all of these opportunities. Remember the picture of the tricycle at Parent Orientation and think about the wheel that you represent is the tire blown up, flat or worn out? My staff and I can help you to keep that wheel rolling but you have to let us know how we can help you. The tricycle will not move without you in the driver s seat and if it does, it barely moves and it can t keep its course. Your child s tricycle in life deserves to be the best it can be! Sincerely, Ms. Tadel
Faculty Focus: My name is Kristin Fiasche and this is my 11 th year teaching at ECEC. I teach the self-contained special education classes in both the AM and the PM. I graduated from Elmhurst College with both my Bachelor s Degree and Master s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education. In 2014, I completed my ESL endorsement through Kendall College. I am currently back in school working towards a certification in Behavior Analysis in order to earn my BCBA credentials. I live in Glen Ellyn with my husband, Antonio. We have been married for 6 years and have two children. Mario is 4 years old, and Aurelia is 2 years old. My family and I enjoy spending our summers in Coccorino, Calabria, Italy with my husband s family. When I m not busy with my children I enjoy reading, baking, and playing the flute and piano. I have been playing the flute in my church s Praise Band since I was in high school. I love working with your children and seeing how much they learn and grow. They bring a smile to my face every day! Hello, my name is Donna Heil. I am a Paraprofessional in Mrs. Fiasche s classroom. This is my eleventh year with District 7 ~ my how time flies! Some of you with older children may know me from Oakbrook School where I worked for four years. Prior to that, I was here at ECEC. I am having a wonderful time watching your children grow! I like to inject humor into our learning and hope that this helps your children with their experience here at ECEC. I have lived in Wood Dale for over 20 years with my husband. We have a son who just started at COD this year. In my free time, I love to cook and bake and I am always looking for new recipes. I also enjoy being outdoors. Hello! My name is Natalie Sisco. I have my Bachelor s Degree in Chemistry from North Central College but my passion is in education and helping kids! This will be my sixth year in the district as a paraprofessional, but my second year at ECEC. I am excited to be back and I look forward to this school year working with Mrs. Fiasche s morning class and Mrs. Barton s afternoon class! Outside of work, I love to travel as well as take photographs. I sometimes still use a 35mm camera and develop the pictures myself in the darkroom. I find it relaxing as well as a time to be creative. This summer I spent my time relaxing, kayaking and biking. Teacher Tidbit: The beginning of the year brings many opportunities to rekindle old friendships and begin new ones. This is also a time of year that we spend a great deal of time working with children on routines and rules. Routines help children know what to expect. As they learn the routine, they begin to feel more comfortable and self-assured. The main rules at school are be safe, be kind, be ready to learn. When children walk in the hallways and keep their hands and feet to themselves, while standing in line to wash hands or get on the bus, they are being safe. When children use words to express what they need, want or feel they are being kind. When they are looking at
the teacher when she is talking or listening to the teacher when they are talking, they are ready to learn. As you make adjustments at home with your routine especially at bedtime, remember that routines help children learn what is going to happen and bring with them a level of security for the child, but it is important to be consistent. As the school year goes forward, we will be focusing on ourselves in relationship to who we are, our families, our friends and our school. I am looking forward to an exciting year of growing and learning together. Celebrate childhood! Submitted by: Mrs. Barton UPCOMING DATES MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!!! CURRICULUM NIGHT Mark your calendar for ECEC Curriculum Night on Thursday, October 1 st at: 6:00 6:45 PM for the morning (AM) session 7:00 7:45 PM for the afternoon (PM) session There is additional parking available in the North parking lot, at Wood Dale Junior High and the Wood Dale Library parking lot. PRESCHOOL SCREENING 3 to 5 year olds The next preschool screening will be held on Thursday, September 17 th from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM. Please tell your neighbors!! Toddler Tidbit: Did you know that great readers start reading as infants? It is never too early to read to your child by showing him/her picture books, talking to him, engaging in finger plays, singing to him, showing him things in the environment and taking him to the library for story time. Reading is language based and starts with listening and making sounds that eventually become words. Reading and understanding what you read is the final product of these early skills. (Ctadel 9/13)
Happy Birthday to the following children that were born in Date Name Age 8/5 Martyna Makowska 4 years old 8/9 Lucas Tomasek 4 years old 8/16 Alena Cortes 3 years old 8/23 Esmeralda Gutierrez 4 years old 8/26 Ruven Robinson 4 years old 9/3 Coleen Grzywacz 5 years old 9/3 Giovanni Statler 5 years old 9/7 Jonathan Ramirez 5 years old 9/8 Lana Djuric 4 years old 9/12 Janiya Scott 5 years old 9/17 Isabel Chavez Figueroa 4 years old 9/23 Julia Koczta 4 years old 9/26 Sophia Janas 4 years old 9/26 Manolo Ramirez 5 years old 9/27 Ismael Solano 5 years old 9/28 Kennedy Lonergan 4 years old 9/30 Josephine Homyak 4 years old August and September! September Dates to Remember: September 4 September 7 September 8 September 9 September 11 September 16 September 17 September 18 September 23 September 25 October 1 ECEC Spirit Day - Green and White Spirit Day! LABOR DAY NO SCHOOL Parents as Teachers Playgroup 9:30-10:30 AM at ECEC Early Dismissal (1:45 PM for the afternoon classes) ECEC Spirit Day- Green and White Spirit Day! ECEC Parent Advisory 6:00 PM ECEC Preschool Screening 3:00 5:30 PM ECEC Spirit Day WEAR YOUR FAVORITE COLOR SPIRIT DAY! Early Dismissal (1:45 PM for the afternoon classes) School Board Meeting - 7:30 PM ECEC Spirit Day - Green and White Spirit Day! CURRICULUM NIGHT (6:00 PM for morning classes 7:00 PM for afternoon classes)
Parents as Teachers For all parents of children birth to 3 years old, starting in November Ms. Boonstra will be seeing families who would like to have their infant or toddler screened either at ECEC or in the comfort of your home. If you have any questions or concerns at this time, please do not hesitate to phone Elyce Boonstra, Parent Educator at 630-694-1174. PARENTS AS TEACHERS Play and Learn Playgroup When: September 8, 2015 Where: ECEC 543 N. Wood Dale Rd. Wood Dale, IL 60191 Time: 9:30AM- 10:30AM Story will be an autumn theme. Activity: Leaf Prints Developmental Topic: Welcome to Parents as Teachers Play and learn playgroup is offered to Wood Dale School District 7 families with children between 0-3 years of age. Siblings are welcome to attend. This is a free playgroup. Snacks will be provided. Activities will stimulate the development of your child. Parent Pointer Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see. ~John Whitehead, The Stealing of America, 1983