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  July 2, 2020
  
  Welcome to the Four Year Old Program at SJB! I am looking forward to meeting all of you. I know you are all anxiously awaiting the recommendations and guildelines for the return to school in the Fall. I am as well! While the school year may look a bit different this year, my goal is to continue to provide your child with the experiences and activities that are a crucial part of every preschool program. In September, I will first focus on the social and emotional needs of the children. I understand that your child may experience various emotions about returning to school and some may have separation anxiety. I will strive to ensure that all my students are happy and comfortable so that learning as well as fun can take place!
  
  Class list are not provided until later in August for families as well as teachers. Supply lists will be published soon. (Once we receive guildlines for the Fall in case we need to add any supplies to the list) However, here are a few items that will be required for both four year old classes, in case you want to begin preparing for school.
     
  Supplies for the four year old program: Please be sure that all supplies are labeled with your child's name, including the uniform and all outerwear.
  
      - a bottle of Hand Sanitizer
      - 3 containers of Lysol or Clorox wipes (please add a fourth if your child will
           attend Eagles Club)
      - 1 Lysol spray bottle 
      - 6 Elmer's regular sized glue sticks 
      - 3 boxes of tissues
      - one hard binder (1/2 inch or 1 inch) If possible, please choose a binder with
           the plastic slot on the outside to insert a cover page. Walmart and Target
           have very nice inexpensive binders)
      - a lunch box 
      - a water bottle that can be left in the schoolbag (in the side pocket) for
           morning snack time and water breaks throughout the day
      - a large backpack that can fit a folder (provided by the school) and the
           lunchbox (the bags that are marketed for preschool are typically too
           small to carry all of the children's belongings, choose an elementary sized
           bag)
      - velcro sneakers are preferred for the Early Childhood building
      - SJB Gym uniform (available from Rush Uniforms) is the Early
           Childhood Uniform
      - a crib sheet to cover the rest mat 
      - a towel or small blanket for rest time (2 ft by 5 ft)
      - a tote to carry the rest towel/ blanket
      - undergarments and socks in a zip lock bag
  
  In an effort to decrease the spread of germs, children are not permitted to bring toys and stuffed animals into school.
  
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  Optional Summer activities to practice skills to prepare for the four year old program. 
  
  
  *Try to follow one to two step directions.
  *Try to put away toys after you are done playing.  
  *Practice putting shoes/clothes on.
  *Practice using scissors (remember thumb up)
  *Build with legos or other blocks (practice fine motor skills)
  *Create with play dough
  *Practice identifying your first name. When identifying first names, be sure to
       include lowercase letters. We will be transitioning from writing in all
       uppercase letters, therefore, it is helpful if the children can identify their
       names when written both ways, "JEN and Jen".    
  *Practice writing/drawing. (exposure to pencil grip and using crayons and
       pencils is really the key)
  *Practice your ABC ( Sing your ABC's and begin to identify the capital letters)  
  *Counting 1-10  
  *Identify Shapes  
  *Identify Colors  
  *Read to your child everyday will improve vocabulary, knowledge, language
       skills, concentration, imagination, empathy, and have fun together.
  *Play board games together to learn cooperative play, cognitive skills, and
       patience. My favorite games are Uno, Connect Four, Guess Who, Jenga,
       Candy Land, Charades, Bingo, Sequencing cards, Memory, Go Fish, Don't
       Spill the Beans, and Sorry.
  *Wash hands with appropriate amount of soap for 20 seconds or singing ABC's
  *Practice sneezing or coughing into an elbow. A four year old's first instinct is to
       sneeze into their hand.
    
  
  For my former students, I have the skills to prepare for Kindergarten still listed on my Distance Learning tab.
  
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                                      Coming soon!
  
  
                             
  
  
  
                 

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