Parents Newsletter: April Newsletter 2015

TLC is celebrating the Week of the Young Child April 13-17. The theme is “Celebrating our youngest learners”. This is a time to recommit ourselves to ensure that each child experience the type of early learning environment at home, at child care, at school, and in the community that will promote their early learning. TLC is proud to be part of your family.

Last year we were very thankful to our families in helping us build “theme boxes” for the children. We had a great turn out and a year later the children are still enjoying these boxes. This year we will celebrate a different event every day.

• M: Monday will be Music Monday, where we will sing dance and learn through music.
• T: We will have our annual book swap Tuesday, April 14^th. Jenna does a great job putting this event together where children can swap each other for books they have already gently read.
  • Please bring in your selections by Friday the 10th!
• W: Wednesday is work together Wednesday. The children will learn team-building activities.
• Th: Thursday is Arsty Thursday. The children will make classroom banners and self-portraits.
• F: We would like to have a parent breakfast on Friday, April 17^th from 7:00-8:30. Parents can “Take 5” and have a light breakfast with their child. Please join us for coffee, juice, muffins, & donuts. Each classroom will be making items for this event.

Teacher Appreciation Day
We would like to take time to appreciate our Educators. Thursday, April 16^th will be teacher appreciation day. We truly value our educators at The Learning Center of Hopkinton. Their dedication shows every day when we see those happy smiling faces in the classroom.

Summer Plans
Trish is hard at work finishing our summer plans. We will be passing out all of the information as soon as possible. We have several new trips this year and we are very excited.

WISH LIST for theme buckets!
Last year we created our “theme buckets” and everyone was very generous in helping us fill them. We would like to do some refreshing this year and are asking for your donations. The children thoroughly enjoy using these boxes and use them daily. I am posting our wish list on the parent bulletin board and appreciate any help you can give.

Re-registration
Thank you to our families who have sent in their paperwork. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the office. This registration process is to hold their spots for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year. We are a year round program so their current spot continues through the end of August. We cannot hold spots during the summer. If you have activities for your child please see us so we can work out a plan. If you are planning on not returning is September please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan to use your deposit appropriately.

Busing information
For full information on school busing application please click here and follow the steps on the HPS Transportation website. Deadline is May 1!

Important Dates:

• April 3rd (originally no public school for Good Friday) is now a school day due to 6 snow days used
• 4/3 – Annual egg hunt!
• 4/13-4/17 – Week of the Young Child
• 4/14 – Book Swap – Please bring in your selections by Friday the 10th!
• 4/16 – Teacher Appreciation Day
• 4/17 – Parent breakfast & early release day (Elementary)
• April 20th – TLC closed – Boston Marathon!
• April 20-24 – April vacation (all schools)
• Bus transportation deadline is May 1 – friendly reminder!
  • Please go to the Hopkinton school website under transportation for all the info – link above!

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Little Rascals

We had a great month talking about healthy eating habits and activities that get our hearts going, Dr. Seuss and his amazing books, the awesome changes to the outdoors that spring brings, as well as the holidays Saint Patrick’s day and Easter.

This month we will be going over the topics:

• In my garden
• Our beautiful Earth
• Viva la Mexico
• The letters V, X, and W
• The numbers 17 and 18
• The color yellow
• Our shape of the month, oval

We will also be celebrating the Week of the Young Child from the 13th-17th of this month. We’ll kick off our week with Gerry for Music Monday, followed by our class book swap on Tuesday. For the book swap we are asking that your child pick 3 books from home they are willing to part with, in return for 3 “new” ones! Please bring in your selections by Friday 10th. On Wednesday we will work together as a class for a team building activity. The class will get artsy on Thursday. For Family Friday we will have our annual parent breakfast from 7am-8.45am ~ take a moment to enjoy breakfast with your special one!

If you have any questions, please ask!

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Clubhouse Kids!

What a blast we had in March! Between reading Dr. Seuss books as a class, hoping for Spring weather to come our way with artwork, discussing different ways to be healthy, and setting out traps for those pesky leprechauns, the Clubhouse kids have been busy!

This months topics are:

• In my garden, discussing how things grow and plant needs
• Our beautiful Earth, exploring ways we can preserve our planet
• Viva la Mexico, learning about Mexican culture

Also we will celebrate the week of the young child from the 13th-17th of this month. We will have Music Monday, book swap Tuesday, Work together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday.

For our class book swap we are asking that your child pick 3 books that they are willing to part with, in return for 3 ‘new’ ones! Please bring in your selections by Friday 10th!

Thank you!
Clubhouse Crew

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Busy Bees

Happy Spring! The Busy Bee’s are ready for the warmer weather and the fun activities that go along with this long awaited season.

We will focus on:

• In my garden… flowers, gardening, seeds, roots, veggies, tree’s, watering cans
• Week of the young child…self-portraits, parent breakfast April 17, book swap April 14, unity class project, music appreciation….
• Our beautiful earth…. earth, recycling, clean air and water, earth day
• Viva la Mexico…. flag, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican hat dance, culture
• The letters v, w, x.
• Numbers 17, 18
• Color yellow

Shape oval

It’s going to be a fun month! The kids are doing great and have been getting many reward stickers on their charts for good behavior at circle and throughout the day.

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Krusaders

Last month was a fun month for the Krusaders. We tried hard to catch a leprechaun with our homemade trap! The leprechaun left us signs of his presence but could not be caught.

April will be a fun month as well!

• We will learn how to plant a garden and talk about what seeds need in order to grow into trees, flowers and vegetables.
• We will be looking for Easter eggs and maybe catch a glimpse of the Easter bunny.
• We have lots of activities planned for Week of the Young Child. We will be doing self-portraits, a book swap, and end the week with our annual parents’ breakfast.
• For Earth Day we will be exploring and sharing ideas on how to keep our earth clean and the effect recycling has on our earth.
• Mexico will be highlighted this month as we discover the customs and traditions of our neighbors.
• Our letters of the month will be V, W and X. Numbers – 17 and 18. Color and shape of the month are yellow and Oval.

Please remember to bring weather appropriate clothing as the weather and temperature are changing daily.  We hope everyone has a wonderful April!

Lauren and Melody

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Tiny Tots

March was a great month for the tiny tots! We all had so much fun celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday and St. Patrick’s day with plenty of silly rhymes and leprechaun mischief. We also have been preparing for spring to arrive and making the room look colorful with springtime art projects as well as Easter eggs, bunnies and baskets.

April will hopefully give us some warmer weather and melt the snow so we can enjoy our play area once again. For now we have been going outside when the weather allows and have been playing with bubbles and getting creative with chalk, drawing and making up games to play.

This month’s themes are:

• In my Garden
• Week of the Young Child
• Our beautiful Earth & Viva la Mexico
• We will be focusing on learning the letters V, W & X
• The color yellow
• The shape oval

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter and start to spring. Keep thinking warm thoughts and hopefully all this snow will be gone soon!!

Stefanie & Erin

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Small Fries

Happy Spring everyone, hopefully we will all start seeing some warmer weather.

The Small Fries enjoyed so many things in March.  We learned all about Dr. Seuss – ate green eggs and ham and even had a visit from the Cat in the Hat. The Leprechauns came to visit and played many tricks on the children of TLC.

We have also been doing many projects to learn about Spring… we will continue this through April.

• The Small Fries say a sad goodbye to Mia as she transitions into The Little Rascals’ room; we know she will continue to thrive.
• We welcome Jonathan into our room.
• We will be celebrating Easter this month and hope to have a visit from the Easter Bunny.
• We will be learning about our earth and gardening.  The most exciting part if April will be celebrating Week of the Young Child. There will be special activities for everyday, culminating in a breakfast for the parents to enjoy with their children.

Please make sure your child has weather appropriate labeled clothing every day.

As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak to us!

Thank you,
Christine & Ashley

  ~~~~~

Little Tykes

Hello parents,

Thoughts of warm weather surrounds us as spring has arrived. April brings many changes for the little tykes. We say goodbye to Jonathan he will be joining the small fries enjoying his days with new friends and exploring new adventures! We want to welcome Darren, Andrew, and Carson to the Tykes baby nest!

We are looking forward watching you grow and achieve new milestones!

Happy Easter!

Amy & Lisa

March 2015 Parent’s Newsletter

TLC March Newsletter 2015

March 2015 – The Learning Center of Hopkinton

We hoped everyone enjoyed February vacation week. We saw quite a few families on vacation. We hope you were somewhere warm avoiding the snowy weather we had here.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Keep an eye out to see if our lucky Leprechaun has paid us a special visit. The Clubhouse classroom will be busy designing special traps to try and catch one.

Thank you!

We appreciate everyone’s patience with our decisions to be closed on those days we had treacherous weather. The decision is made to ensure everyone stays safe and off the roads if necessary. Our goal is to stay open but we rely on the local weather predictions and our plowing crew to try to make the best call for everyone. Who knows when the melt down will begin? It will be a while before we see green grass!

Re-registration

Re-registration packets will soon be available to be picked up in the office. Please see Melissa or Jen for your family’s packet. Please fill out all of the information for each child, as everything needs to be updated.

Let’s Sanitize Your Extra Clothing

There have been quite a few illnesses reported in the center. The teachers and assistants have been working hard washing toys and sanitizing all other areas. Please make sure to take your child’s sleeping bag home regularly to be washed. If you have any questions on our health policies please feel free to ask.

Welcome back Stefanie! Welcome Carson!

We would like to welcome back Stefanie from maternity leave and welcome baby Carson to the Little Tykes classroom.

Dates to remember:

• March 13^th Early release – all schools (Thursday)
• March 17^th St. Patrick’s Day celebration

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Busy Bees

March is here and the hope of spring is on all our minds!  We had fun in February despite the crazy snow days and now look ahead to what we will be doing this month.

• Groundhog Day
• Silly Dr. Seuss (Always a fun time!)
• Lucky Leprechauns (What mischief will they cause this year?)
• Spring has sprung (seeds, flowers, weather changes)
• Bunches of Bunnies

It is so great to watch your kids learning and growing with each new season and the topics that we cover.  If you have any concerns or questions always feel free to speak to anyone at TLC.

Debbie, Katt, Colleen

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Small Fries

We had a great month learning about dental health, love, Presidents and other countries.  We hope you all enjoyed the special cards made with love by your children.

This month we are looking forward to a great lesson about Dr. Seuss.  We hope the cat in the hat visits us and brings green eggs and ham! If we get lucky maybe the leprechauns will visit the Small Fries and bring us some gold.

The Small Fries can’t wait to learn all about what happens in the spring.  Hopefully the lesson will come with some warmer weather.

We also will be preparing for the Easter Bunny. The Small Fries would like to see him hopping through the fields as we close in on March.

Unfortunately the class has not been able to make it out much this winter due to the frigid temperatures. We are hoping that the weather will begin to warm up so we can be outside more.

* As the weather gets nicer, please make sure your child has labeled weather appropriate outerwear every day.

As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak to Christine or Ashley.

Thank you!

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Little Rascals

It is hard to believe just how much snow we got in February! The Little Rascals are hoping nicer weather is on the way as spring approaches.

The Little Rascals had a great time on pajama day and loved stuffing their new teddies. We also had a blast at our valentine’s party! Thank you for all of our lovely valentine’s gifts!

This month we will be focusing on the following topics:

• Dr. Seuss
• Lucky Leprechauns
• Spring has sprung
• Healthy Hearts
• Bunches of Bunnies
• The letters S, T, and U
• The numbers 15, and 16
• The color GREEN
• Our shape of the month, SQUARE

Thanks,

Jenna and Sophia

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Krusaders

We are ready to March into spring!

We had a busy February. The Krusaders learned about past and current Presidents and had fun delivering Valentine’s to our friends. We are all anxious for winter to end and start a little warm up.

This month we celebrate Dr. Seuss and maybe have some green eggs and ham. We will be on the lookout for some mischievous little leprechauns. We will also learn some tips on how to keep your heart healthy.

We are anticipating spring’s arrival and hopefully see signs of spring on our walks outside. We look forward to watching trees and flowers budding.

• Letters of the month: S T U
• Numbers: 15 & 16
• Color: Green
• Shape: Square

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Tiny Tots

In the month of March, I would like to welcome back Miss Stefanie who we missed very much! I would also like to welcome Jody from the Little Tyke’s room as she enters our toddler room. We would like to say goodbye to Fred who is now ready to move up into the Busy Bees preschool room. Fred will be missed by all his friends and teachers.

We had a fun month learning about dental health, our Presidents and countries around the world. We hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day and received lots of hugs and kisses.

Focus areas for March:

• We are looking forward to a great lesson on Dr. Seuss and we hope that leprechauns come to visit us in the Tiny Tot’s room! They may even bring us gold and some good luck this month.
• Tiny Tots can’t wait to learn all about what happens in the spring time. We are hoping we can start getting the nicer weather soon so we can start heading into spring and start seeing the flowers bloom and hearing the birds chirping in the trees.
• We look forward to preparing for the Easter bunny as well. We hope to enjoy an Easter egg hunt.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Miss Erin or Miss Stefanie

Thank you!

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Clubhouse

Last month’s topic kept us busy and the Clubhouse thoroughly enjoyed discussing countries around the world and talking about their heritage.

This month we will be:

• Celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday
• Catching some Lucky Leprechauns
• Welcoming spring
• Discussing Healthy Hearts
• Getting ready for Easter

Thankfully the weather is beginning to look up, so the Clubhouse will be enjoying some much needed outdoor time. Please remember appropriate outdoor wear!

Thanks!

Your Clubhouse family

February Newsletter

February Newsletter 2015

Happy Valentine’s Day!

We have been busy preparing for an exciting month revolving around dental health, Hearts & Hugs, Presidents and it’s a small world.

• The letters of the month will be P, Q, and R along with the numbers 13&14.
• February is Dental Health month. This is a good time to brush up on good dental health habits. We request that all preschool parents send in new toothbrushes and check on their toothpaste supply.
• On Friday the 13th we will be celebrating Valentine’s Day. Each class will celebrate by swapping valentine cards, playing games, and enjoying Valentine snacks.

Dates to remember

• 2/6/15 = Early release / Elementary school
• 2/13/15 = Valentine’s Day party
• 2/16/15  = TLC closed for President’s day
• 2/16/15-2/20/15  = February School vacation week

Important Notes

• Valentine’s Day: Please remember old tissue boxes or a box for your child to decorate for valentine’s day; Each teacher will share your child’s valentine’s day plans for Friday, Feb 13 but ** Please remember to address your Valentine’s to “to my friend” ** This way everyone gets one without fail!
• February Vacation: Please keep us informed of your February vacation plans so we are properly staffed
• Winter Fundraiser: Thank you for your help selling Aunt Annie’s for our winter fundraiser. All order forms are due February 4th.
• Re-Registrations: ‘Tis the season! Registrations are due March 28th.
• Evaluations: All evaluations need a parent signature! Please contact us with any concerns!
• TLC Party Central! Coming soon… TLC will be hosting parties and renting out the clubhouse building for your family events = No mess. No stress. Lots of fun! www.tlcpartycentral.com

Re-registration: TLC will be having its annual re-registration starting the beginning of next month. Please stop by the office to pick up your child’s re-registration packet. Please go over your paperwork thoroughly and fill out all sections. Everything in your child’s file needs to be updated annually. This registration process renews their spot for September. TLC is yearly program. Your child’s spot continues through the summer. If you need to change your regular days for the upcoming school year please make a note of it on your form and we will do our best to accommodate these requests. If you have any questions please see Jen or Melissa. All registrations are due March 28th.

Evaluations: When you receive your child’s evaluation – please read them over, sign them and return them as soon as possible. Please feel free to speak with child’s educator if you have any questions or concerns or would like to set up a conference.

Aunt Annie’s fundraiser: Thank you for your help selling Aunt Annie’s for our winter fundraiser. All order forms are due February 4th. If you need a new form, please ask the staff.

Tuition payments: Please remember that monthly tuition payments are due on the 29th of each month. Weekly payments are due on Thursday for the following week. We appreciate you getting your payments in on time.

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Little Rascals

The Little Rascals had a blast in January! We learned about why animals hibernate, migrate, or adapt and what kinds. We also had great time in our make shift cave, as well as discussing space adventures and some of our favorite nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

This month we will be exploring:

• Sparkling Smiles for dental health month
• Hearts and Hugs
• Presidents on Parade
• It’s a Small World (countries around the world)
• The letters P, Q, and R
• The numbers 13 and 14
• Our shape of the month, heart

Please send in a shoebox or tissue box that we may decorate for our Valentines. Please send it in by February 6th. Also we will be closed Monday 16th for President’s day.

As always, feel; free to come to us with any questions or concerns!

Thank you,

Jenna and Sophia

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Small Fries

Happy Valentine’s Day!  We hope you all have a great day filled with hugs and kisses from your little ones. There have been many changes in the Small Fries classroom over the past month.

• We need to say goodbye to Averey,  Lexi, Aislynn, Srinika and Walter as they move up into preschool rooms.  We know that they are more than ready and will enjoy all the new learning experiences.
• Welcome to all of our new friends: Sam, Penelope, and Will..  We look forward to watching them thrive in their new environment.
• We will be learning about dental health, Valentine’s Day, Presidents and different cultures this month.

The weather continues to be cold so please be sure that your child has weather appropriate, labeled every day. As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak to either Christine or Ashley.

Thank you!

Christine & Ashley

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Krusaders

We had a fun learning about hibernation and cold weather living. We also had an adventure in space and recited some nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

• In February, we will have a chance to learn about caring for our teeth and healthy habits.
• Valentine’s Day is coming up and it gives us an opportunity to show our love to family and friends. More detailed plans to follow.
• This is also the month to recognize all of our past and present Presidents and what they have done to keep our country strong and safe.
• This month we will discover some of the smaller countries that help make up our world.
• Letters of the month: P,Q,R
• Color: Pink
• Shape: Heart

The weather has been cooperating with us and we have been enjoying some needed outdoor time. The kids had a great time sledding. Just a reminder to bring in snow gear every day. They should have hats, mittens, coats, boots and snow pants. We try to get out every day.

So much snow!  Any questions please feel free to ask!

Thank you!

Lauren & Melody

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Clubhouse

We hope everyone enjoyed having a few snow days, and had some help with all the shoveling. We have broken in our new building and the Clubhouse are very happy to have a space of their own.

• This month we are talking about keeping our teeth healthy and great ways to do it.
• We will also celebrate Valentine ’s Day. ** Please remember to address your Valentine’s to “to my friend”. It helps with remembering all of our friends. We will send out a list soon.
• At the end of the month we will be learning about all of our Presidents and countries around the world.

During this wonderful snow we were able to enjoy time outside and our favorite sledding. In order to fully enjoy the outside everyone needs the proper winter gear every day. Please remember boots, winter coat, hat, gloves, and snow pants. Extra socks and pants could come in handy too.

Thanks and Happy February!!

Sophia, Jeff, Katt & Erin

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Tiny Tots

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Lets’s give a warm welcome to Miss Amy into our Tiny Tot’s classroom.  We are happy to have you here. We have said goodbye to Finn who has moved to the Little Rascal preschool class. As Finn left we welcomed his little brother to our class.

What’s happening with Tiny Tots?

• Groundhog day! Winter will be around for another 6 weeks, yah for us.
• We will be learning a ton this month, all about dental health, Valentine ’s Day, Groundhog day, Our Presidents Countries all around the world and their cultures.

As always feel free to contact either Erin or Amy with any questions or concerns that you may have.

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Little Tykes

The Little Tykes room would like to say a sad good bye to Boden and William as they leave us and move up to the toddler rooms. We know they will have fun growing and exploring their new classrooms.

Now it is time to welcome some very cute and charming babies. Hello to James, Grady and Andrew. We are all excited to watch friendships flourish and grow into caring, happy, and capable toddler!

With all of your child’s new schedules underway, please feel free to call and ask any anything. We are always here for questions, concerns or adjustments.

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Little Tykes!

Lisa, Amy and Melissa

Happy New Year from TLC Hopkinton

January 2015 – Happy New Year

CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH!! 

It is with sincere gratitude that I thank you for your contributions and sincere thoughtfulness in regards to the donations for the TLC staff.

Your kindness gave me the opportunity to provide each staff member with a well-deserved bonus on your behalf. Without your help, this appreciation could not have been expressed. As we look forward to another wonderful year, I cannot help but reflect on the past years and know how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to serve the families we have since opening our doors in September 2000.

On behalf of TLC and its staff, I wish you all a prosperous and healthy New Year.

~ Trish

 

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURES

Parents please accompany your children directly to their classrooms and assist them in hanging up their coats, etc. Parents are responsible for informing the teachers of their child’s arrival, as well as signing in on the required sheets. If your child is going to be absent, please call the center by 9: oo am to inform their teachers.

At the end of the day, the parents are responsible for notifying the teacher of their child’s departure as well as signing them out. No child will be picked up by anyone other than a parent or a person identified on their authorization and consent form. Teachers must ask for identification from the authorized pick-up person not known by the childcare staff.

Please remember that parents are responsible for supervision of their children at arrival and departure time. Especially during the busy drop off and pick up time in the parking lot. These guidelines protect the children’s safety.

 

NEW CAMERAS AND SECURITY SYSTEM

We have updated our surveillance system and installed all new cameras and alarms with ADT. The video recordings will run continuously and are only stored for up to a month. These recordings will only be viewed by our administration staff. Our Educators will be passing out a form for families to sign and return as acknowledgement to our updated system. We are also working on a new card slide system to be used by families to enter the building. This will be taking place in the very near future. Please see the office with any questions.

 

SAY CHEESE!! IT’S PICTURE TIME

Picture day will take place January 22nd and 23rd. Little Tykes, Tiny Tots and Small Fries will be on Friday January 23rd. Little Rascals, Busy Bees, and Krusaders will be on Thursday, January 22nd.  Please have your children in by 8:45. If your child does not usually attend on those days they are welcome to come for their individual pictures and also their class picture. Please make sure to fill out your forms and return them to your classroom teacher before their picture day. Please make sure your payment is included.

DATES TO REMEMBER

• Early release, All schools – January 16th
• No public school – January 19th TLC will be open

As a reminder, please be sure to check the website, twitter or the TLC phone voicemail on snow days – we’ll be sure to update the appropriate communication tools letting you know if we are open or closed (80% always open!!).

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Busy Bees

Happy New Year from the Busy Bees Classroom!  December was so much fun with Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and all the music and parties and food!  Phew!  Now it’s time to delve into the New Year and begin learning more great things.  Here is a preview:

• Marvelous Mittens (Dressing for the Season, the story The Mitten, matching and sorting and so much more)
• Happy Hibernation (The many types of animals that hibernate)
• Nursery Rhymes/Fairy Tales (Three Little Pigs, Snow White, Humpty Dumpty and more)
• Space Adventure (Planets, Astronauts, meteors etc.)
• Letters M, N, O Numbers 11, 12 Color Blue Shape Octagon

Please remember to send the kids with hats, mittens, scarves and snow boots and snow pants.  We will go outside and play in the snow so bundle the kids up.  If you ever have any questions or concerns feel free to speak to us.  We are looking forward to a great month.

Debbie, Katt, Colleen

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Krusaders

Happy New Year!

We hope everyone had a beautiful holiday season! We want to thank everyone for their generosity and gifts and wish you a Happy New Year!

• We start January with “marvelous mittens” and clothing to wear for the winter.  That leads us into talking about hibernation and which animals sleep through the winter.
• Some of our favorite nursery rhymes and fairy tales will be highlighted in the middle of the month.
• Get ready to blast off as we study the planets, the sun, and moon at the end of the month.
• Letters of the month are M, N and O
• Numbers: 11 and 12
• Color: Blue
• Shape: Octagon

Please make sure your child has appropriate winter gear for outside and also a change of clothes.

Lauren and Melody

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Clubhouse

Happy New Year!!

We hope everyone enjoyed their holidays! We had fun visiting with Santa and celebrating Hanukkah.  The Clubhouse is excited to start a new year and looking forward to a wonderful 2015… and our new building! If you have any questions about the new building, please don’t hesitate to ask. After day 1, the kids seem to love it.

This month we will explore the themes…

• Marvelous Mittens
• Happy Hibernation
• Nursery Rhymes/ fairy tales
• Space Adventures

Please remember to send your children in with weather appropriate clothing! Your child needs to have a hat, gloves/ mittens, and jacket.  They will need boots and snow pants for when it snows.

Lauren and Jeff

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Tiny Tots

We would like to thank all the families that helped out and donated supplies for our holiday cookie decorating. It was another successful month in the Tiny Tots classroom, the children are continuing to learn and grow more and more each day. To start of the New Year we would like to remind you to bring in proper outdoor clothing if you haven’t already done so as we will be trying to get outside every day. We are looking forward to learning new things this coming month and exploring outside. This month we will focus on: M,N,O,11,12, Blue and octagon. The themes for this month are: Marvelous Mittens, Happy Hibernation, Nursery Rhymes/ Fairy Tales and Space Adventure.

Kayla and Erin

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Little Tykes

Happy New Year. We hope all of our families had a great holiday. The kids were thoroughly enjoy circle time as we do finger plays, sins songs, and read silly stories. As the children get older they become more interested in participating. A few of their favorites are the Bumble Bee song and the Wheels on the Bus. Please remember to send in warm clothes for the change of weather. We will try to get out when possible.  We seem to always need extra clothes with our messy Marvin’s so please check their supply.

Amy and Lisa

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Small Fries

Happy New Year to all of our children and their families.  We hope all of our families had a wonderful holiday season and would like to thank you all for the generous gifts.  We really appreciate your thoughtfulness. The Small Fries had a great time in December learning about winter and all of the different holidays.

In January we will be exploring space, learning about hibernating animals and reciting our favorite nursery rhymes.

Please make sure your child has labeled, weather appropriate outer wear every day, as we will get them out if at all possible.

As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak to us.

Thank you,

Christine and Ashley

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Little Rascals

The Little Rascals hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! Also, we would like to express our gratitude for all of the lovely gifts we have received! Thank you so much! We were very busy last month learning about Hannakua,  Kwanza and Christmas, as well as filling our room with many wintery crafts.

This month we will be focusing on:

• Mittens
• Fairy tales/ Nursery rhymes
• Hibernation
• Space adventures
• The color blue
• The letters M, N, and O
• The numbers 11 and 12
• Octagons, our shape of the month

Please continue to bring in appropriate outer wear and spare clothing suitable for our New England weather.

Thank you,

Jenna and Sophia

December Newsletter from TLC Hopkinton

Happy Holidays to Our TLC Families!

December 2014

As we begin this holiday season, we would like to thank all of our parents for generously donating supplies for our Thanksgiving feast. It was a great time had for everyone.

We would also like to thank our wonderful families for selling items from our Yankee Candle Fundraiser. We raised $1100.00 that will purchase our new portable defibrillator to have available in case of emergencies.

The staff at TLC is anticipating a fun-filled month of preparation for the up-coming holidays. The children will learn about all the many holidays we celebrate in December. They will discover how families celebrate around the world. They will also explore a winter wonderland.

Our annual Tree lighting spectacular will be held on Tuesday, December 2nd at 5:00. Please join us for hot chocolate and goodies as we light up our school in a dazzling display.

TLC will be closing at 12:00 on December 24th and closed on December 25th in observance of Christmas. We will also be closed January 1st for New Year’s Day. We will have a sign up on the bulletin board so parents can let us know their holiday plans. This really helps with staffing. If 10 or less families sign up for care on the 24th TLC will not open.

Each classroom will have their own small celebration on December 19th. Santa will be visiting from 3:30-5:30 pm, as you pick up your child you can visit Santa with your family and take a photo. Santa brings a sack full of toys for all good girls and boys. As in the past each parent brings in a gift in advance to be given by Santa. The pre-wrapped gift can be brought in any time before the 18th.

Outdoor play is an essential part of your children’s day. Please remember to bring in mittens, hats, boots, snow pants, warm jacket and boots. Slippers are also suggested as they keep our feet toasty warm and our carpets clean and dry. Please label ALL items. We tend to get duplicate boots and ski pants etc. Storing them in a recycle bag to hang on their hook is very helpful. Thank you!

We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Dates to remember

• Tree lighting ceremony – Tuesday, December 2nd
• Santa’s visit – Friday, December 19th
• Public schools closed for holiday break – Wednesday, December 24-January 2nd
• TLC closed at 12:00 Christmas eve –Wednesday December24th
• TLC closed – Christmas day Thursday, December 25th
• TLC closed at 5:30 New Year’s eve – Wednesday, December 31
• TLC closed New Year’s Day – Thursday, January 1st

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Small Fries

The Small Fries had a great November.  We learned about our senses as well as community helpers and Thanksgiving.

• We would like to thank all of our parents for their generous donations for our Thanksgiving feast.  We all had a wonderful celebration dressed as turkeys.
• The Small Fries are looking forward to learning about all of our December holidays.
• Our friends will be making special surprises for their parents.

As the weather continues to get colder please make sure your child has labeled hats, gloves and coats every day. Snow pants and boots if snow is present.

As always if you have any questions or concerns please come see either Christine or Ashley.

Thank you!

Christine & Ashley

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Little Rascals

Wow, the month of November really flew by! The Little Rascals hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

This month we will be:

• Transforming our classroom into a Winter Wonderland as we discuss all things Christmas
• Talking about Hanukah and how this holiday is celebrated
• Exploring Kwanza and this holiday tradition
• Getting ready for the New Year!

We will also go over:

• The letters J, K, and L
• The numbers 9 and 10
• The color white
• The shape, star

Also we will be having our Christmas party on Friday the 19th, please keep a lookout for our sign-up sheet?

Lastly, due to the chilly weather we ask that outerwear and extra clothing are weather appropriate as well as labeled please. As always, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Jenna and Sophia

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Busy Bees

November was a great month to learn about the five senses, community helpers and thanksgiving of course.  Our room was filled with Turkeys, pilgrims and Native Americans.  We are ready and excited to dive into the month of December.  Here is a preview:

• Winter wonderland (snowmen, snowflakes, skates)
• Hanukkah (menorah, dreidle, latkes)
• Filling the sled (Santa, Rudolph, gifts)
• Kwanzaa/New Year

We love working with your children and are really looking forward to learning new things in the months to come.  Please remember to send your kids to school dressed for cold…gloves, mittens, hats, scarves and warm coats. We like to get outside every day, weather permitting.

Thanks!

Debbie, Katt, Colleen

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Tiny Tots

We can’t believe that this year is already coming to an end. The Tiny Tots really enjoyed their Thanksgiving feast, and we would like to thank you all for your donation that made it a success. This month we will be preparing for the busy holiday season with Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza soon approaching us. We are also looking forward to our visit from Santa this month.

• Letters of the month are J, K and L
• Numbers 9 and 10
• Color: White
• Shape: Star

Thank you once again for such a successful year and wish you Happy Holidays!

Kayla and Erin

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Krusaders

Everyone enjoyed our Thanksgiving feast. We got to practice putting our five senses to use as the feast was prepared. We would like to thank you for your donations. Last month we also learned what community helpers are and why they are important in our everyday lives.

This month we prepare for a busy holiday season as Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa are upon us. We are also looking forward to our annual tree lighting ceremony and prepare for Santa’s visit. Keep a look out for dates and times. As the year comes to a close it is times to think of our New Year’s resolutions and the beginning of a new year.

• Letters of the month are J, K and L
• Numbers 9 and 10 -Color: white – Shape: star

We would like to thank you for another successful year and wish you a Happy Holiday Season!

Lauren and Melody

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Clubhouse

“The Thanksgiving feast was delicious!” The kids say thank you for all of your donations to help make our feast as yummy as possible! Last month we had fun learning about our five senses, community helpers, Native Americans, Pilgrims, and giving thanks!

In December we will have fun celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the New Year! We will have fun creating crafts that are centered around winter and the holiday season.  Please remember to send your child with weather appropriate clothing. They need a winter coat, hat and gloves to go outside. Also, please keep an eye out for dates and times to our annual tree lighting ceremony and Santa’s visit.

Thank you!

Lauren, Jeff, Kat, Colleen, and Erin

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Little Tykes Newsletter

The month of November in the Little Tykes classroom was adventurous, exciting, and fun!!  We welcomed our new educator Amy Clemons to our classroom who is doing an excellent job taking care of us while Stefanie is out.  Amy is Christine Pagliocca’s cousin so we feel that she is going to fit in quite well here at TLC.  Amy has experience working with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and has her certificate with EEC and has a child of her own.  WELCOME AMY!!!

The babies have been busy exploring their classroom as they are all off not only walking but running as well.  Our circle times are filled with songs, finger plays, books, and little games.  Some of our favorite songs this month were “Itsy Bitsy Spider” “Gobble, Gobble, Fat Turkey” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” to name a few.

The Little Tykes are anxiously awaiting the holidays.  We are ready to learn new songs and get some special presents ready for our mommies and daddies.  Please let us know if  you have any special holiday plans so we can make sure all families that are traveling get their surprises on time.  We are also going to try our hardest to get out more often so please try and make sure all children have appropriate clothing for our New England winter weather.  Our babies are busy walking and babbling and growing up before our very eyes.

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Cheers to a Healthy Holiday Season

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• Facebook: /learningcenterofhopkinton
• Twitter: @TLCofHopkinton
• Blog: https://tlchoptown.wordpress.com
• Website: http://www.tlcathopkinton.info

 

November Newsletter 2014

November is a symbolic month for giving thanks, exploring family traditions, and learning about the lives of the Native Americans and Early Colonists who lived before us. We will explore the lives of the people who inhabited this land in our past. We will also share our own family traditions and just how much we have to be thankful for.

The entire school will be creating and celebrating with a Thanksgiving feast of their own on Wednesday, November 26th.

We will prepare a menu, cook our meal, and dine with our friends and teachers at TLC. It will be quite interesting to see what kind of menu they come up with. This is a wonderful conclusion to our November curriculum. The children enjoy dressing as Native Americans, Pilgrims, and turkeys as they participate in this fun event. Goody sign-up sheets will be located on our daily sign-in sheets. As always, we appreciate all donations. Without your help our events would not be as successful.

We are sorry to have Maria leave TLC. She was truly a great teacher and enjoyed being with the children. She has decided to pursue other opportunities. We wish her the best of luck.

From our family to yours have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Dates to remember:

• Nov. 4th – No public school, Teacher’s professional day
• Nov. 7th – Early Release, Elementary, Parent conferences
• Nov. 11th – No school, Veteran’s day (TLC open)
• Nov. 14th – Early release, Elementary, Parent conferences
• Nov. 21nd – Early release, Elementary, Parent conferences
• Nov. 26th – Early dismissal, All schools
• Nov. 27th & 28th – Public school and TLC closed for Thanksgiving

Little Tykes

October was such a wonderful month for the little tykes. We have a few more walkers and crawlers now so everyone is busy moving around and exploring the classroom. We are so proud of all their accomplishments and seeing the joy in their faces as they reach their goals. In November we will be learning about

• Our 5 senses
• The people in our community and the important jobs they do
• Native Americans and the Pilgrims
• Giving thanks

We hope you all have a great November and wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Stefanie & Lisa

Small Fries

The Small Fries room has had a few changes in the month of October. We have changed over to a Pre-school/Toddler class. Our curriculum has changed to accommodate this age range. The children are really enjoying the change. Erin will now be teaching in the Tiny Tot classroom and Ashley has moved over to The Small Fries. Christine remains in Small Fries and Kayla is in Tiny Tots. Every transitioned smoothly and we appreciate your support during this adjustment time.

We would like to welcome Lexi, Averey, Walter, Aislinn, and Riket to our classroom!

Our class had an exciting time celebrating Halloween at the end of the month. The Clubhouse put on a great spooky walk for us to enjoy. We also learned about nocturnal animals, fire safety and the weather.

• This month we will be learning about our five senses and community helpers.
• We will also explore the lives of the Native Americans and Pilgrims.
• We will wrap up this lesson with a yummy Thanksgiving feast.
• We hope everyone enjoys the time spent with their families during this special holiday time.
• The weather continues to get colder, please make sure your child has weather appropriate clothing in this chilly New England weather. Please also label everything.

As always feel free to come to either of us with any questions.

Thank you, Christine & Ashley

Krusaders

The Krusaders did a great job in October learning about fire safety and how to handle emergencies. Nocturnal animals came out during the day so the children could explore who they were.  They were eager to learn about the weather and how it changes.  A fun time was had by all on Halloween.  Thank you all for your food donations which helped make our Halloween party a success.

In November we will learn about:

• Our five senses
• Community helpers that are in our daily lives
• Thanksgiving and how it’s a time to be thankful
• Native Americans
• We will study the letters G, H and I
• Numbers 7 and 8
• The color Brown
• The shape rectangle

Just a reminder – please update your child’s spare clothes and be prepared for cooler temperatures with weather appropriate clothing.

Thank You!

Lauren and Melody

Little Rascals

What an exciting month October was! The Little Rascals learned about nocturnal animals, fire safety, Halloween and weather. The children had a blast discussing the weather around us with the help of some great science experiments, we made rain in a jar, a tornado in a jar, and snow!!!

We hope to continue the excitement this month as we learn about:

• Our Super Senses
• Community Helpers
• Time for thanks / Native Americans
• The color brown
• The letters G, H, and I
• The numbers 7 and 8
• The shape of the month is rectangle
• Also we will be having our Thanksgiving Feast, Wednesday 26th! (No need to pack lunches!)
  • Please keep an eye out for the Feast sign-up sheets.

Just a reminder, we will be closed on Thanksgiving and the day after (27th and 28th).

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and special time with your loved ones.

Jenna and Sophia

Busy Bees

We had so much fun during the month of October with awesome things to learn about. Some highlights were night creatures, fire safety weather and of course Halloween.  The kids loved it when Trish wandered through our room singing Old Mrs. Witch and the pumpkin song!

We continued to learn our alphabet songs and month song.

The holiday season is now upon is and there will be lots to do her in the Busy Bee classroom. We will explore the following topics:

• The five senses
• Community Helpers
• Time for thanks
• Native Americans

We have so much to be thankful for and we are especially thankful for the opportunity to work with your kids here at TLC. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to ask.

Tiny Tots

We can’t believe November is already here! The Tiny Tots have been working on learning and exploring new things.

There have been some recent changes to the Tiny Tots classroom we would like to welcome Miss Erin along with Jamie and Ryan to the Tiny Tots classroom.

During the month of November we will be learning all about:

• Our five senses
• Community helpers
• Taking time for things we are thankful for
• Learning all about the Native Americans and Pilgrims
• We will be focusing on G, H and I
• The numbers 7 & 8
• The color brown
• The shape of the rectangle

We are looking forward to continuing to grow and explore this month and are really excited for our Thanksgiving Feast.

Kayla and Erin

Clubhouse

October was a fun filled month for the Clubhouse! The children enjoyed learning about fire safety with a fun coloring contest. They stepped into the lives of nocturnal animals by creating some themselves.  Weather week brought sun dials and weather wheels to the classroom.  The spooky trail was also a success during the week of Halloween with lots of spooky fun had by all! Thank you for you spooky trail and Halloween party donations!

In the month of November we will take a look at:

• Our five senses
• The importance of community helpers
• Being thankful and Thanksgiving
• Native Americans

Please remember to send your child with LABLED weather appropriate clothing as it starts to get much cooler. There are also two no public school days- November 4th and November 11th, along with several early releases falling on every Friday of the month.  There is an early dismissal on November 26th and TLC will be closed the 27th and 28th! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Lauren and Jeff

Advantages of Daycare in Hopkinton, MA

What are the advantages of daycare?

Many parents need a daycare center not only because they work full-time, but they offer a more formal, structured environment. Aside from the need, daycare becomes a 2nd family and offers many advantages.

In fact, centers have rules for children and parents alike so you know exactly what is expected of you. In addition, a daycare center is usually more affordable than a nanny. Plus, parents have the opportunity to meet other parents, families and friends who may be able to lend support and the teachers can also offer babysitting time!

The arrangement of a center such as The Learning Center of Hopkinton (TLC) is very stable because we always agree to watch over your child regardless whether a teacher is sick or tardy or even tired of working for you. We also offer daycare during school vacations, most snow days and other holidays. Many parents agree they chose TLC not only for the family atmosphere, but for the learning curriculum and so the families didn’t have to work around a nanny’s sick days, no-shows and vacations.

Staff members are trained in early childhood education so we know what to expect and are able to nurture the growing skills accordingly. TLC also includes a nice mixture of activities and enrichment programs during the day to teach different skills, such as singing, karate, yoga, dancing, arts & crafts and storytelling.

TLC truly is a family and we hope you are enjoying he new year. Each month you’ll have access to a parent’s newsletter, that month’s curriculum, the monthly schedule, school schedule and special events.

TLC is inspected twice a year for licensing purposes and we have two directors that oversee the entire operation (in addition to our owner).

 

5 fast easy ways to give your child a “leg up” when socializing and practicing academics

As a follow on to last week’s post, here are 5 fast easy ways to give your child a “leg up” when socializing and practicing academics (next year!)

1. Financial Education
2. Social Fluency
3. Passion
4. Set the bar high
5. Experiences

Equipping Your Child with the Tools for Success

Your child’s achievement is clearly influenced by an abundance of environmental, parental, and educational factors. The question becomes what practices a parent should emphasize? This article will help guide you in educating your children on the things that may be overlooked by the school system, but still critically important in their success as they grow into adults

1. Financial Literacy

Children have always been coined to view one hundred dollars as an endless amount of money. Yet the phenomenon of not understanding that money is earned and limited, children receive a very inaccurate view on finances as they begin to develop.

One of the most important things we can do with our youth is to teach them to save money. When they have more than $10, they’ll be shocked how much they’ve saved but more importantly, when they want to buy something, how much things cost!

Another simple way to enlighten children to monetary reality is to generate a clear and continued understanding of the importance of saving. Start them young and give them a percentage.  At least 50% of every dollar they earn before the age of 16 should be saved for their future. Your child may be upset when you tell them they can’t use all their money on the latest video game or trending style, but when college and car payments come along, both parents and child alike will be thrilled to have some money saved.

2. Social Fluency

The ability to be an outwardly social individual is one of the most extensive “leg-ups” any child can have.  In school age children a confident social presence draws the admiration of both peers and educators, something exceptionally important in child development. This also increases confidence in any child. This admiration enhances the child’s self-image and their sense of self efficacy.

Socially focused characteristics are also strongly correlated with leadership ability. Leadership ability is one of the most desired attributes for an employee to have in today’s high-paced and high-intensity world, and it is primarily cultivated and shaped in one’s youth.

3. Passion

People often underestimate the value of having a passion, unique skill set or hobby, but in reality your differences are what make you stand out.

However, take caution not to over pressure your child into something they don’t particularly want to do. Take a commitment based approach; if they show interest in trying something, not only should you set a minimum number of months they must devote to it before being allowed to quit, but the commitment is critical. In most cases, such passions and the enjoyment derived from them increase exponentially as you get good at them.  Encourage your child to try a variety of things, as they may even have an exceptional predisposition towards a non-mainstream passion.

Examples of such passions are may include: athletic, musical, and arbitrary talents. Keeping in mind the aim for uniqueness I think of less publicized sports such as archery, squash, gymnastics, fencing, horseback riding, and the like.

4. Set The Bar High

Expectations play an enormous role in a child’s development. Most influential of all are those of the parents, who not only set the expectations but enforce them. Try and present your arguments about school, commitment, or family in a broad perspective. Make your child aware that what they do now will continue to impact the rest of their life. Always explain the big picture, you’d be surprised how much your kid can actually understand and they may even embrace the big picture idea wholeheartedly.

5. Experience

Children achieve a remarkable sense of empowerment from doing things themselves and having their own things to talk about and contribute. This teaches a sense of responsibility. This is one of the many reasons preschool is such an important step in childhood development. More specifically, a sense of independence is created when children explore things without the company of their parents.

* Expose your child to as much as you can, take them everywhere and explore with them. The things we take for granted may be completely foreign to a child, even the things we don’t particularly like doing may be intriguing to them.

Lastly, learning should be fun.

Summary

To summarize, it’s important to teach children a sense of responsibility and independence. At TLC, we give children chores, privilege points for good behavior and create a routine so they have an idea of what’s next. That said, it’s ok to be spontaneous too – not everything is a check list! Our goals are always academics, social behavior, listening skills and having fun while doing all of those. A positive experience is key… TLC is a place where kids come first.

www.tlcathopkinton.com

June 2014 Parents Newsletter

June is a big month for us!

It marks the end of another school year at The Learning Center of Hopkinton.

Graduation!

• Please join us for our annual Preschool graduation and Awards ceremony on Thursday, June 12th promptly at 5:30. Our theme this year is A Hoe-Down. Kids can dress in jeans, over-all’s, plaid or solid shirts.
• Children in the Little Tykes room are asked to be picked up at 5:15 and are welcome to stay so they can see their teachers participate in the ceremony.
• The toddler classrooms will be walking in procession right before the preschoolers as we begin the ceremony. Toddler parents are asked to be available to collect their child before the ceremony begins.
• Please bring a chair! You can set up any time after 5pm.

We look forward to seeing all of our families at this wonderful event. Parking for the event will only be available across the street. Please DO NOT pull into our driveway as the ceremony will take place in our parent parking lot due to construction.

Team Zack

We would like to sincerely like to thank everyone who generously donated to team Zack attack. We were amazed by all of the support. We received $2,890.00. Zack was truly thrilled to see all of your donations to help find a cure.

Congratulations High School Graduates!! 

Marissa Gross, Erika Thomson, Alex Snow & Monica Murray!! Thank you for all of your hard work. College-bound in the fall, we will miss you all. You are loved!

Teachers back for the Summer:

Ashley DiFranza, Zach DiFranza, and Nellie Gross

Water bottles: Help us protect the environment! Send in a reusable water bottle for our child to use daily in the playground or classroom.

Upcoming events

• June 6th High School graduation
• June 12th TLC Graduation, 5:30 sharp
• June 13th Early release, Elementary
• June 25th Last day of Public school
• June 26th Canobie Lake Park
• July 30th Summer program begins
• July 4th Closed for Independence Day

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Busy Bees

June is busting out all over in the Busy Bees classroom! May was a lot of fun with all the Mother’s Day projects, learning about bugs, butterflies and caterpillars as well as transportation themes. Speaking of transportation…we had a great time taking our bus ride on our trip to the Zoo. The kids had an awesome day visiting the many different animals, being outside and enjoying a picnic lunch. We talked about it for days! This month we have so much to do and the month will probably buzz right by.

Here is a peek of what to expect for June:

• Wild Wild West: Horses, cowboys, Midwest area
• Fantastic Fathers: Father’s Day gift/card, how dads help teach us things
• Graduation: prep and practice for the big day!

We have been getting outside more and more as the days get nicer and we will continue to do so. The kids are practicing their graduation songs and are getting really excited to show you what they have learned. We have learned all the letters of the alphabet and will be reviewing them and doing lots of fun projects. It is going to be a great month!

Thanks!
Maria and Debbie

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Small Fries

May was a busy month for the Small Fries. We hope you enjoyed your Mother’s day and the gifts the children made for you. The children were so proud making these gifts for you.

This month takes us on an adventure to the wild wild west. Maybe we will get to see how a cowboy lives or catch a rodeo!
On June 12th we have our annual Graduation. Our toddler class will be the first in the procession. We ask that a parent is available to collect their child as the walk in and be seated with them as the rest of the children walk out. Graduation starts promptly at 5:30. If you are not planning on attending please pick up your child before 5:30 so the teachers are available to help the children walk out.

• The Small Fries will be working on a special surprise for Dad as we celebrate Father’s day on June 15th
• We will review shapes, colors, numbers, and the alphabet. Everything we have learned through the school year.
• Please begin to send in bathing suits, towels and swim diapers for your child. Our fun in the water will be coming up quick!

We cannot wait for the summer to begin and hope you have a safe and happy one!

Thanks again,
Melody and Erin

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Little Tykes

Happy summer to our children and their families. We would like to wish Christopher good luck in his new classroom and easy transition with his new teachers as he moves to the toddler room.

• Our classroom would like to welcome Cora. We are looking forward to getting to know you. We are sure you will enjoy meeting your new friends and teachers.
• We will be working on special surprises this month so do not be surprised if your child comes home “decorated”.
• With the warm weather upon us we would like to remind you to send in labeled outer wear and weather appropriate spare clothing.
• As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free see Lisa, Christine or Britt.

Thank you!
Lisa, Christine & Britt

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Krusaders & Clubhouse

Finally the month of June has arrived and summer is in sight! We are excited for the warmer weather and lots of outdoor fun! The Krusaders and Clubhouse enjoyed learning about Zoo animals, transportation, beautiful bugs, amphibians and reptiles! The Krusaders loved spending the first field trip of the season at the zoo.

In June we will begin to wrap the year up with graduation and the end of school for clubhouse!

• We will celebrate our fabulous Fathers
• We will dive into the Wild, Wild West
• …And continue preparing for graduation!
• The Krusaders will review their letters, numbers, shapes, and colors this month as well.
• The clubhouse (1st grade-5th grade) will be going to Canobie Lake Park on Thursday, June 26th (rain date: Friday, June 27th)

Some housekeeping reminders include: Please send weather appropriate clothing for your child and also make sure you have filled out a sunscreen and bug spray permission slip forms. Our Hoe-Down Graduation this year will take place on June 12th at 5:30 pm. Set up is at 5pm. Please park across the street!

We hope everyone enjoys a warm month of June and the beginning of summer!!
Lauren, Sophia and Erin

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Little Rascals

The school year has almost come to an end and the Little Rascals are looking forward to summer. We hope all of you magnificent moms had a very happy mothers’ day and enjoyed your gifts!

This month the Little Rascals are excited to:

•  Make gifts for their fantastic fathers
• Turn our school into a ranch as we learn about the wild wild west
• Get ready to go on field trips as we begin our summer program
• Graduation is on June 12th (rain date June 19th)
  • We will be starting promptly at 5.30pm and we ask that you BYOC (bring your own chairs) please and thank you.
    This year’s theme is: Hoedown!
  • We ask that your cowboys and cow girls are dressed in jeans/overalls and a plaid/solid color shirt.
    Don’t be shy; feel free to dress the part as well!

Thank you,
Jenna and Sophia

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Tiny Tots

It’s hard to believe we are coming up to the end of the school year already! All the tiny tots have had such a wonderful year full of learning growing and fun!

As we get ready:

• We will be getting ready for our annual graduation celebration on Thursday June 12th.
• This years theme is hoe-down and all the little cow girls and cowboys can’t wait to celebrate with friends and family.
• To go with graduation we will be exploring the Wild West with some fun art projects and songs
• We will also be busy making something special for our daddy’s for Father’s Day
• Once all the excitement of graduation is over we will begin to kick off our summer with lots of fun activities inside and outdoors!

Please start sending in swim diapers, swimsuits and towels as the pools and water tables will soon be ready for splashing on hot days. Water shoes or sandals are also helpful for water play. Thank you all for a fantastic school year and we look forward to a fun-filled summer!!

Our best,
Stefanie & Kayla

Holliston Vallari’s Belt Test Ceremony at The Learning Center, Hopkinton

Congrats to all our TLC graduates on passing their belt test!

Not only is this one of the biggest classes, but everyone passed their belt test and includes not only karate techniques, but self-defense, awareness, self-respect, responsibility for actions and character building – a phenomenal program. Thank you TLC and Holliston Villari’s Self Defense Center.

The Learning Center has many enrichment programs and the karate program through Holliston Villari’s is a great program.

Their martial arts programs offer both children and adults the ability to learn self-defense techniques, improve coordination, hone reflexes, develop self-confidence and self-discipline, reduce stress, and much more. All of their classes are taught by a team of certified Black Belt instructors whose mission is to provide you with the highest quality martial arts training and to create an atmosphere in which you may be motivated to reach whatever goal you set, be it Black Belt, or beyond! Feel free to give them a call with any questions on next year’s enrollment for karate at TLC (or for adults, enrollment in Holliston).

Villari’s Martial Arts program offers children the ability to learn self-defense techniques, improve coordination, hone reflexes, develop self-confidence, self-discipline and much more. Each class is taught by a team of certified black belt instructors whose mission is to provide you with the highest quality martial arts training where each individual can reach their personal goals.

The most recent belt test photos can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/LearningCenterOfHopkinton

Contact information:

Holliston Self Defense Center 1570 Washington Street Holliston, MA 01746 (508) 429-8855 info@hollistonvillaris.com

Or contact TLC for enrollment in the fall: 59 Wood Street Hopkinton, MA 01748 Phone: (508) 497-0892  Email: tlcofhopkinton@yahoo.com

“This is the best karate program for my 2 boys. Not only does Christine teach them karate and discipline, but she reinforces safety, dealing with strangers and is so much fun. She is one of the nicest and most accomplished instructors we’ve had the pleasure to work with. Thanks to her, my children not only build character and self-respect with confidence, but also know the dangers of strangers and how to protect themselves.”   – Parent testimonial from TLC             

Parent’s Newsletter – May 2014

Our summer plans have been finalized and our summer booklets have been sent out. They are also on the website! Always keep them handy so your child can be prepared for each trip.

• Please make sure you send back sun and bug spray permission slips. If you choose to send in your own please do so with your permission slip.
• Preschool Zoo trip May 7th, Permission slips should have been signed and returned.
  • Please arrive by 9:00am.

Exciting news! (for real!) Keep an eye out as the construction of our new building finally starts! Yay! This will be a great learning experience for the children as they watch the process from the demolition to building from the ground up. TLC will take every precaution to make sure everyone is safe during the construction. Please follow all of the construction signs and fences. We cannot wait.

Important dates:

• June 12th ~ Save the date * June 12th* is Graduation day to be held from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. All toddlers, preschoolers, and Clubhouse kids participate. Our theme this year will be Hoedown.
  • This is a festive occasion for TLC and your kids! Please do not be afraid to dress for the occasion.
  • With construction going on we will have to set up a little different this year. Please keep an eye out for further instructions.
• Zoo trip for some kiddos May 7
• Zach attack Cystic Fibrosis walk May 16

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Congratulations are in order: Congrats to Ashley on her baby boy Noah, 8lbs 19”. We would also like to welcome back Brittany and Elysha. 🙂

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THANK YOU!

Thank you also to everyone that contributed to the theme boxes. The kids love them!

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Summer vacation: Calendars will be available on the parent board to sign your family up on our vacation schedule. This helps a great deal so we can properly prepare for summer transportation and staffing.

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Other important notes:

• Please note that TLC chooses to show a sin of unity on our field trips. We request all children wear tie dye t-shirts on our trips. We will be making batches coming up soon.
• Kid size TLC t-shirts for only $10 each. Please see the staff for your child’s size.
• More than ever, please label your children’s clothing – they are taking sweatshirts off when it gets warm and want to make sure there aren’t any issues.

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Busy Bees

May has arrived and we couldn’t be happier! The Busy Bees are looking forward to warmer weather and outdoor fun.  We had a taste of spring last month, here’s hoping that Elsa will finally loosen her frozen grip and let the cold go. April kept us busy learning about farm animals, celebrating all things Spring, digging and planting, and exploring our great big, beautiful earth.

This month’s units will include the following:

• Mother’s Day
• Insects
• Zoo trip (May 7) and related topics
• Things That Go

Please remember to update spare clothing in cubbies accordingly, summer still seems far off right now but it will eventually get here!

Thank you,

Maria and Debbie

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Little Rascals

Hooray for May!!

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter/Passover and enjoyed their April vacations. The Little Rascals enjoyed learning about Easter/Passover, farm life, and gardening/growing. They are especially thrilled to see their lima beans and popcorn kernels begin to sprout.

This month we will be focusing on:

• Transportation
• Insects
• Mother’s Day
• The Zoo
• The letters Y and Z
• The numbers 19 and 20
• The color purple
• Diamonds

We are very excited to head to the zoo on the 7th!! Please be sure to send your child in with a bagged lunch (no lunch boxes please), and comfortable shoes.

Thanks!

Jenna and Sophia

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Small Fries

The Small Fries had a busy month in April. We learned how things grow and what it’s like to live on a farm. We celebrated The Week of the Young Child with several activities. We were very excited waiting to celebrate Easter and Passover.

• In May we show our Moms how much we love them, not only Mother’s day but all year-long. Expect some surprises as we work on some special projects.
• We will learn about different types of transportation and how we get from one destination to another.
• Most of us do not like bugs, but have you ever looked at them? Some are quite colorful and amazing to look at. We will also discover what animals live at the zoo and how zoo keepers care for them.
• The last two letters of the alphabet will be learned: Y and Z
• Numbers: 19 and 20
• Color: Purple
• Shape: Square

Please check your child’s clothing supply!

Melody and Erin

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Little Tykes

Happy Spring everyone! We hope you had a great Easter and Passover.

• We would like to welcome Analee and Jonathan to our classroom.
• We are enjoying their smiley faces and they are making new friends quickly.
• Our class will be very busy this month making surprises for some special people.
• Please make sure your child has weather appropriate labeled clothing for outdoor play.
• Please also remember to send in your bug and sunscreen permission slip. If you have any questions or concerns please let us know.

Thank you,

Christine and Lisa

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Krusaders and Clubhouse

The Krusaders and Clubhouse had a very busy April.  We enjoyed celebrating Easter, learning about what grows and blooms in the spring, and enjoyed a break from school for a week. Hope everyone enjoyed their April Vacation! We are still anxiously awaiting that warmer weather and hoping the Month of May will bring it to us!  Here are some of the topics and themes we discussed and learned about during the month of April.

• The farm and what it’s like to live on a farm with all sorts of animals and crops
• Celebrated the Week of the Young Child with a parent breakfast, book swap, and drawing self portraits
• We celebrated Easter with an Easter egg hunt, bunny and chick projects, and Easter egg dying
• Lastly, we looked at seed to sprout by taking a look at what types of things grow in the spring
• We learned about the letters V, W, and X and numbers 17 and 18
• Our shape of the month was oval
• Our color of the month was yellow

During the month of May we will learn about:

• Zoo animals and embark on a field trip to the zoo!
• Transportation by looking at what gets us from here to there
• We will celebrate Mother’s Day by making our wonderful Mommy’s well deserved presents
• Lastly we will take a look at some beautiful bugs and their life cycles
• Our letters this month are Y and Z
• Numbers of the month are 19 and 20
• Our shape of the month is square
• Our color of the month is purple

We also wanted to thank everyone again who has donated to our prop boxes for the children! We got some awesome donations and are truly grateful!

Housekeeping reminders include:

• Zoo Field trip permission slips if your child is in Lauren’s morning class
• Sunscreen and bug spray forms need to be turned please
• Please continue to send your child with weather appropriate clothing that is labeled
• We are now collecting donations for Team Zack Attack to help cure Cystic Fibrosis for more information please ask anyone at TLC

Have a great May everyone!

Lauren and Elysha

Tiny Tots

Hooray for May! It’s finally beginning to feel like spring is here! The tiny tots love all the time we have been spending outside exploring and looking for more signs of spring.

• This month the children will be busy working on a special surprise for all our wonderful moms, no peeking!!
• Next things will be getting wild in the tiny tots classroom learning about some of our favorite zoo animals and creating our own little zoo display.
• Our unit on transportation will be taking us on adventures on land, in the air and water.  We will pack our bags and learn of the many ways we can travel.
• Finally we will begin our insect inspections where we will talk about all sorts of bugs and try to find some outside to look at up close.
• Our color for May is purple and our shape is diamond and we will be finishing up the alphabet with the letters Y & Z.

We hope you all have a Happy Mother’s Day and a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Stefanie & Kayla

TLC in Hopkinton fighting Cystic Fibrosis!